Southern Weddings

Did you know that I used to hate pink? I can’t pinpoint when, exactly, it became my now third favorite color (second only to orange and orange-red!), but I can’t get enough of it. I love how pink grants ordinary things either a fun and preppy demeanor or a romantic and wispy character. Somehow, Crystal + Trip’s wedding manages to do a little bit of both! The gorgeous bride met her handsome beau at the Oaks Plantation to say their “I do’s” and we love the pretty images from Kim Box and Josh Moates of Kim Box Photography that resulted.

P.S. Make sure you ladies check out the bridesmaid dresses – I know you’ll love them!

Hello gorgeous! Crystal’s favorite flowers are peonies, so they were found throughout the wedding. According to the bride, “My bouquet consisted of pink and white peonies and roses. We were married under a gorgeous archway adorned with pink peonies, roses, green hydrangeas, orchids, branches and hanging crystals. We had a variety of different centerpieces but these were the main flowers used throughout.”

Tell us about finding your wedding dress: It was definitely a process but I knew when I found it that my heart would melt as it did! After scouring various bridal boutiques, I thought I had found my dress at a place in Montgomery. I was not completely in love with it but I felt it was the closest to what I was looking for. I decided to put the dress on hold and drove to Birmingham with my mom to pick up a satin sash that I found while trying on dresses there. I thought it would give the dress more pizazz. We stopped into The White Room in Birmingham to purchase the sash and I told my mom I was going to just look at the dresses there one more time. Lo and behold, I saw it! Lace, lace and more lace! This Rivini gown was poking out of the rack like it knew I was headed its way. It was perfect so I picked it up and had to try it on. I knew when I put it on and began crying that this was my dress!

Did you decide to do a “first look”? Why or why not? No. Trip was more adamant than I was about keeping that tradition. He wanted to be surprised.
What readings, if any, did you have at your ceremony? Colossians 3:12-17
Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding. We had The Lamb Family play violins throughout the ceremony. They are amazingly talented! I also was so blessed to have my cousin sing two solos, “This is the Day” by Brown and The Lord’s Prayer.

What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? I wanted a good mix of Southern yet whimsical flair. Our food was definitely Southern, as well as our venue. We had the ceremony and reception at an old, gorgeous plantation home in the country. With its mile-long driveway and beautiful oak trees, I felt that it definitely set the mood and tone I was looking for. We had a large hay bale placed at the entrance with our last initial made of pink peonies and branches. I wanted our food to be something that everyone would enjoy and that would give guests that Southern comfort feeling. We had fried green tomatoes, fried okra, fried chicken fingers, fresh fruits, vegetables and cheeses, a ham carving station, green bean bundles, cornbread in mini iron skillets, a mashed potato bar with sweet and regular potatoes with all the good fixin’s, chicken, shrimp and beef skewers, banana pudding shooters and much more. I wanted to do something different for guest gifts so I had a popcorn bar with all different flavors. From caramel to butter and even fun confetti popcorn in all different colors and flavors, guests had plenty to take home in personalized bags. Another Southern detail were the buckets of flip flops I had for guests, making sure they knew to kick off their shoes, relax, dance and have a good time.

How did the two of you meet? Tell us your story. Trip and I actually met in high school and began dating in the ninth grade when we were only 14. We stayed together throughout high school and both attended Auburn University, where we got engaged our senior year. I know you are probably wondering, but we have never broken up!
Describe the proposal. Trip’s family had planned a New Year’s Day lunch at his sister’s house in Birmingham and we were on our way there when he told me that we had to stop by their family farm in Clay County at the base of Mt. Cheaha to pick up something for his dad. When we arrived, he said he wanted to take me on a walk. We took a short walk up to the tallest point overlooking their property and the beautiful mountains of North Alabama. He got really silent once we reached the top and walked behind me. I turned around and he was down on one knee, saying the sweetest things. All I can remember is grabbing the ring from him ecstatically and saying, “YES!” We decided to wait until after our graduation in December to start planning our wedding.
In what month did you get married? June
How many guests attended your wedding? About 400
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: Oh goodness, we loved every minute of it, from the flowers to the amazing food and our dance party reception! I absolutely love repurposing furniture, so I decided to take an old screen door, paint it and pin pictures of me and Trip, beginning with baby pictures all the way through college. It was so much fun going through old pictures of us when we were younger. Our friends and family loved seeing us through the years and how young we were when we started dating.
Describe your wedding cake or dessert: I had a five-tiered white buttercream cake with raspberry filling laced with a pink and lime ribbon. Trip had the famous chocolate peanut butter fudge cake.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? The most memorable was definitely seeing Trip for the first time as I walked down the aisle and hearing him tell me that I looked beautiful. Time just stood still. Another memorable moment was the poem that all of my girlfriends sang to me at my reception. It was hysterical and definitely something I will never forget!
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? Enjoy every minute of it! Do not get stressed over the little things. Anything goes nowadays so do exactly what you want to do!
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you looking forward to in the future? We are absolutely loving being married and just looking forward to what God has in store for us!

Photographer: Kim Box Photography // Videographer: Darren Freeman Videography // Planner: Jackie Bennett of Dana’s Floral Design and RSVP Montgomery // Venue: The Oaks Plantation // Florist: Jackie Bennett of Dana’s Floral Design // Wedding Cake Baker: Peggy McKinney // Caterer: Tammy Griffin of A Catered Affair // Rentals: Brendle Rentals // Linens: BBJ Linens // Lighting: Design Productions // Paper Products: invitations by Alan’s Invitations, programs by Lovett Printing // Bride’s Dress: Rivini “Aria” via The White Room // Veil and Earrings: The White Room // Bride’s Shoes: Gianni Bini // Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Lula Kate via Bella Bridesmaid “Christy” in umber with pink flamingo sash // Hair and Makeup: Melissa Moore Bogardus // Music: The Lamb Family Violin Ensemble and 2nd Coming // Groom/Groomsmen attire: Jos A. Banks

Love pink? You might like these weddings, too!
Shelley + Greg’s preppy Charleston wedding here and here.
Katie + Nathan’s romantic Southern wedding here and here.
Katie + Clark’s pink + white beach wedding here + here (similar bridesmaid dresses!)

Written with love by Nicole