Southern Weddings

I’m not sure that I’ll ever tire of pretty pink blooms. Christina’s lovely bouquet reminds me of spring and Marie Antoinette. (Don’t soft pinks and greens remind you of Marie, too? Maybe it’s just my Paris brain.) We are loving the soft colors in Christina + Scott’s wedding, photographed by Haley Sheffield, but it’s the BBQ sundaes that really had us gawking! I had actually never heard of a BBQ sundae before (shame on me) so Emily had to fill me in on the details. Whitney was a bit skeptical, but I decided that it’s the best. Idea. Ever. Where do you stand?

How did the two of you meet? Tell us your story. My friend signed up for match.com and encouraged me to sign up as well. After much pleading, I eventually signed up for a 7 day free trial. Scott and I emailed back and forth until I finally worked up the nerve to ask him out for coffee, since he was taking so long to make a move. We met up at Atlanta Bread Company for coffee. We chatted until they closed the place down, and the rest is history.
Describe the proposal. Scott flew me up to Oregon to visit his family for the first time. The first day we arrived, we took a trip by ourselves to his family’s vacation house on the Oregon Coast. We took a hike to see a lighthouse, and on the way, he proposed to me on a huge cliff with the ocean crashing beneath us. It was incredibly romantic!
Three adjectives that describe the day are: Romantic, Southern and charming.
In what month did you get married? October
How many guests attended your wedding? 150
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: My favorite detail was the beautiful (and giant) handmade lanterns I found at The Not Wedding event in Atlanta. They were so beautiful, and my favorite pictures are the ones underneath them.
What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? The reception was in a beautiful restored barn, and the girls all got ready in an old Southern home from the 1800s! There were BBQ sundaes, sweet tea in a few different flavors, and shrimp and grits! I wanted to give all of our wedding guests that had traveled from Oregon a taste of the South.
Tell us about finding your wedding dress: I went with one of my friends who was getting married to try on bridesmaid dresses. I saw a wedding dress on a mannequin and fell in love with it. Even though Scott and I were not engaged, my friends urged me to try it on. I fell in love with it, and the next week Scott proposed! I went back and got that dress. It was the only one I ever tried on.
Describe your wedding flowers: My flowers were light pinks and whites. They were very ruffled and fluffy, just like I wanted. My florist even managed to make my dream of peonies in my bouquet come true, even in October!
Describe your wedding cake or dessert: I’m a huge dessert girl, and while I wanted it to look great, I was even more concerned about taste. My cake was both gorgeous and delicious! There was an almond layer, and orange layer, and a strawberry layer. The cake was simple, with no actual flowers. It had vintage, pale pink floral cutout designs all over.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? I was working, planning a wedding, and going to school full time. Finding time to get everything done was by far the biggest challenge!
What range did your wedding budget fall into? $10,000-$25,000
What is the one thing you are most happy you splurged on? Definitely the venue! It was a gorgeous backdrop for the photos, and the staff made my day so memorable and stress free!
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? The moment I saw my future husband’s face as I walked down the aisle. I couldn’t wait to exchange promises of forever.
Did you decide to do a “first look”? Why or why not? We did not, because the part of the wedding Scott most looked forward to was seeing me walk down the aisle. I was thankful we didn’t, because the look on his face when I came out was well worth the wait.
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? Make sure it is everything you want. Don’t be bullied into other people’s ideas for your big day. It’s ok to say no!
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you looking forward to in the future? We’re talking babies right now, and I’m very excited to start our own little family.

Photographer: Haley Sheffield // Videographer: Marke Foley // Planner: Delise Knight // Ceremony venue: Pineola Farms // Reception venue: Pineola Farms // Florist: Delise Knight // Wedding Cake or Dessert Baker: LisaMae Cakes // Caterer: Katerings by Kelly // Linens: Delise Knight // Lighting: Oversized Lanterns from Brown Linen & Co. // Bride’s Dress: David’s Bridal // Bride’s Hair Accessories/Veil/Jewelry: Davids Bridal, Alfred Angelo Bridal, and Swarovski // Bride’s Shoes: Sam Edelman // Bridesmaids’ Dresses: David’s Bridal

Hayley Sheffield is a fabulous member of our Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory!

Looking for more romantic weddings?
Meredith + Blake’s sweet Texas wedding here and here
Natalia + Levi’s plantation wedding here and here

Written with love by Nicole