Southern Weddings

And we’re back with more beachy goodness from Maile Lani! Bonnie + Brent’s Florida wedding feels so organic and comfortable, with details that feel festive without being fussy. The raw fabric bunting, mason jar candles and wildflowers — I love all of it! Bonnie was a DIY bride all the way, making the bunting and table runners and painting the corn hold boards, among other details. The bride’s amazing momma and granny also pitched in to make four wedding cakes for the newlyweds. This family-spun wedding was the perfect way to celebrate with the couple’s closest family and friends.

See all of the photos from Bonnie + Brent’s wedding in their Real Wedding Gallery!

What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? Of course the little details and decorations: mason jars, wild flowers, good ole’ Southern BBQ (just the way Paula Dean would make it – well-seasoned and with plenty of butter!), family heirlooms and a reception site with a huge porch! The real dose of Southern was our family and friends! Nothing says Southern like sharing a day with your closest family and friends. You know, the ones you grew up with in a small farming town. You’ve known them since you were born, they have been through everything with you, and they’d do anything for you.
Describe your wedding cake: There were four cakes and my amazing momma and granny made them! I wanted something simple and homemade, and they were just that! I can still remember walking into the house when my mom was baking them. It smelled heavenly! We had an array of options for our guests: yellow cake with chocolate icing (my favorite), Funfetti cake, carrot cake, and coconut cake.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? Too many DIY projects! I handmade the fabric bouquets, favors and place settings, arranged the flowers, hand-sewed the bunting banners, painted the corn hole boards, created my own hair piece, made the table runners and so much more. Looking back, I’m not sure how I did it!
What range did your wedding budget fall into? LESS than $10,000 and I am so proud of that! I was very grateful for my parents paying for the wedding and I wanted to make it as inexpensive for them as possible. We found ways to cut corners and were blessed by our dear family and friends who volunteered their wedding services.
What is the one thing you are most happy you splurged on? We planned on splurging with the photographer, but then Maile happened to us. Yay! So we splurged on the food. We’ve known the caterer for years and he works in my hometown a lot, so we knew the food would be divine. It was important to us to share the world of Southern food with our out-of-town guests.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? After the reception, Brent and I headed to our bridal suite while our guests were invited to continue the party at the Hotel’s poolside bar. Around midnight, we looked over our balcony to see both of our families and friends all having a good time together – and they did so well into the next morning. It was such an amazing moment because it was a visible representation of two families merging into one.

Photographer: Maile Lani Photography // Videographer: Eric Horner Films // Planner: En Vogue Event Planning // Ceremony venue: Courtyard Marriott // Reception venue: Indian Riverside Park // Florist: Rainbow Gardens // Wedding Cake Baker: Bride’s mother and grandmother // Caterer: Gator Hammock // Paper Products: bride // Bride’s Dress: Wtoo by Watters // Bride’s Hair Accessories/Veil: bride // Bride’s Shoes: Antonio Melani // Bridesmaids’ Dresses: various // Accessories: bride

Written with love by Nicole