Google+ January 2013 - Page 3 of 17 - Southern Weddings

Southern Weddings

Monthly Archives: January 2013

Y’all!!! And, yes, those exclamation points were completely necessary! I knew I was going to like this wedding as soon as I saw the title; I hadn’t even clicked in yet and I was excited! (Obviously: Monograms + Alabama = MAK heaven!) Emily is such a doll for letting me introduce Morgan + Matthew’s to-die-for wedding from Amy Arrington. I’ll even let the fact that M + M are attending school at Auburn slide for the sake of this gorgeousness!

I feel like Morgan is my long lost sister! Oh, where to start? How about the things I love about this wedding: the monogrammed necklace, her gown, the location, the ceremony backdrop, the gold glitter the flower girls threw… but, let me be completely honest, as much as I die over these gorgeous details, Morgan + Matthew’s contagious joy takes the cake as my very favorite detail. And that, my friends, is what it’s really about.

How fun is Morgan’s something borrowed? It’s her sorority sisters’ membership pins!

I didn’t even have to scroll down to know that Morgan’s gown was the “Dahlia” by Amsale because it’s one of my absolute favorite gowns. Ever! And add in the fact that she got it for 55% off — work it, girl!

Tell us about finding your wedding dress: I fell in love with a dress that I saw on Pinterest, but upon doing further research, I found out that it was way out of my budget. I was so bummed, but I thought maybe if I just did a Google search of the style, I could find a salon carrying it for less. I stumbled upon PreOwnedWeddingDresses, which quickly became my best friend! I found the exact dress I was looking for being sold by a sweet, sweet lady in New Orleans. I ended up getting my dress for 55% off of the original price AND made a new friend!

We originally planned on not doing a first look, but upon seeing the wonderful first look photos of other couples that our photographer had done, we decided it could be pretty neat. On the day of the, among the hustle and bustle, we lost track of time. Before we knew it, we had run out of time for a first look. So, we waited until the ceremony and it ended up being perfect. I think subconsciously it was what we wanted all along. It was a beautiful moment.

What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? There was this small moment that I will forever remember. I surprised Matthew with a leather chair and ottoman as a wedding present. I placed it in the room where the men got ready, but he had no clue that it was for him. It just blended in with the rest of the furniture. After the ceremony, we signed our marriage license in that room and I told him the chair belonged to him. His face at that moment was priceless. It was a small detail in a busy day that meant the world to me.

How adorable are these buttons? I need that Alabama one for sure!

Describe your wedding flowers: We went all white with our flowers. My bouquet was a mixture of white hydrangeas, white roses and baby’s breath. The bridesmaid’s bouquets were all white hydrangeas and on the reception tables, we used white hydrangeas and baby’s breath.

What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? Our wedding was held at an old plantation home: big and white, with a wide front porch. There were many monograms. I wore a monogram necklace with my new initials at the reception, we had a monogram cake topper, and I had my monogram stitched into the inside of my dress. My husband threw the garter attached to a football (you can’t leave football out of anything here in the South). We also had monogrammed corn hole boards at the reception and they were a big hit!
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? We are still in school at Auburn University, so planning a wedding in six months and attending school at the same time was a challenge, but we are proud to say now that we have overcome and done wonderfully!

Describe your wedding cake or dessert: A family friend made our cakes. We went with a simple white cakes with white butter cream icing. We originally had three cakes, a small three-tier cake and two small two-tier cakes. The morning of the wedding, there was a little mishap with the larger cake, so we smiled and moved on and enjoyed our two smaller ones. They sat on milk glass cake stands and the cake we cut was topped with a beautiful acrylic monogram.

How did the two of you meet? Tell us your story. Matthew and I met while doing mission work on the Tohono O’odham Indian Reservation in southern Arizona. He was 17 and I was 15. I had worked on the reservation for many years but it was his first time. I led his group during the week they were in Arizona and we quickly became great friends. As teenagers do, we continued to text each other once we had returned home and our relationship quickly grew while we were separated by two states. In November of 2008, he made the special phone call and asked me to be his girlfriend. He told me that he knew a long distance relationship could be challenging but he was willing to work hard at it if I was. We were in a long distance relationship until I joined him at Auburn University in 2011.
Describe the proposal. During the summer of 2012, Matthew planned a cross-country road trip for us. It was a dream come true. We spent two weeks journeying from Kentucky to California and back home to Alabama. Along the way, Matthew planned a stop on the reservation in southern Arizona where we met and spent so much time serving together. He proposed at sunset in the very village we served in and once again, just as he did when he asked me to be his girlfriend, he told me he knew marriage could be challenging, but he was willing to give it his all if I was.
In what month did you get married? December
How many guests attended your wedding? 75
Did you write your own vows? We wrote our own vows, but kept them simple and very similar to traditional vows. Our favorite part was how they began: “I Morgan, take you Matthew, to be my husband, loving you now and as you grow into all that God intends.”
Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding. All of our songs were hand picked by my husband. He did an amazing job! I walked down the aisle to an instrumental version of “A Thousand Years” by The Piano Guys, and let me tell you, it’s a tear-jerker. We walked back up the aisle to “I Do” by Colbie Caillat and our first dance was to “Come Away with Me” by Norah Jones.
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: There wasn’t one particular thing, but the fact that it was very personal. We made almost every decoration by hand and put so much thought and hard work into the details.
What range did your wedding budget fall into? $10,000-$25,000
What is the one thing you are most happy you splurged on? Photography!
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? Don’t get caught up in the minute details. You will feel like everything, I mean EVERYTHING has to be perfect, but I can tell you now that it doesn’t. If things go wrong the day of, or even the week before, smile and move on. You will enjoy the special time so much more.
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you looking forward to in the future? We are looking forward to everything God has in store for us! We are finishing up school here in Auburn and are ready for the big, big plans He has for us after that. We are adventurous and ready to follow His lead.

Amy Arrington is a delightful member of our Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory!

marissa Written with love by Marissa
26 Comments
  1. avatar Lisa reply

    Oh my goodness, what a sweet, sweet wedding! I love how their tables are modern, but at the same time, they fit so beautifully with all of the laid back, Southern details. Not to mention, the bride and groom are just gorgeous together! :)

  2. avatar Caitlin reply

    What a beautiful couple. I love every detail but especially the monograms! Where did the bride get the monogram for the inside of her dress?

    • avatar Marissa reply

      Hi Caitlin! I’m not sure where Morgan got her monogram, but when I was married the seamstress who did all my alterations offered monogramming for the inside of the gown. Check with your seamstress or dress salon as they will know a great place to create the patch. xx

  3. avatar Sarah reply

    Y’all, I will have to tell you that there was a lot of modesty going on in that interview! :) I am Matthew’s sister (the groom) and now Morgan’s sister-in-law and I would be remiss if I didn’t tell you how incredibly talented this chick is! They got married on the same day that my husband and I got married 5 years ago, but I was more than happy to share that date with them! I know she scoured wedding mags and websites, and, of course, Pinterest, for all these wonderful ideas and managed to make a LOT of them herself or design them herself. There isn’t a picture of the invitation (obviously, because they had already gone out), but she did a fabulous job. She’s like Reese Witherspoon (If it’s not moving, monogram it!) and loves all things southern, but still loves the appeal of modern prints and designs. Anyway, I am SOOO happy that y’all featured their wedding!

    • avatar Marissa reply

      Oh, Sarah! You’re so sweet to comment, and say such kind things about Morgan! I have to say that I agree that she is so talented. This is one of my favorite weddings we’ve featured – the monograms just put me over the edge! And congratulations to you and your hubby on your anniversary – what a sweet thing to share! xx

  4. avatar Dee Shore reply

    Gosh so pretty! What a beautiful couple.

  5. avatar Cameron reply

    Amsale, Monograms, Auburn, Theta pins, and gold glitter….I die!

  6. avatar Anna (Lover.ly) reply

    Wow! What a gorgeous wedding, particularly that dress. And the fact that it was 55% off makes it even prettier :)

  7. avatar invitation consultants reply

    can’t go wrong with a monogram! and bowties too!

  8. avatar Kiesel Park Wedding : Matthew + Morgan reply

    […] you SOUTHERN WEDDINGS for featuring their […]

  9. avatar Jen @ YumYum Weddings reply

    I love monograms, and they are a staple of most weddings, but I never thought to use it as a theme…this was wonderful! They look so happy to be together, and they really took something that nearly everyone uses, and made it their own. My favorite part would have to be his monogrammed football though…classy. ha ha.

  10. avatar Dominique reply

    Where did that Merry Christmas banner come from? I would LOVE to have one for my upcoming wedding!

    • avatar Sarah reply

      Dominique: Regarding the Merry Christmas banner: Morgan made it herself a while back. It’s been a tradition of theirs for a few years to have a Christmas picture taken with it and post it as their “Christmas card.” Since they got married so close to Christmas last year, they made sure to have it included in their photos.

  11. avatar Monogram Mania – A. Caldwell Events reply

    […] This adorable picture was featured on the Southern Weddings Magazine Blog. […]

  12. avatar Personalize with a Monogram | Love Notes from Lover.ly reply

    […] Photo by: Amy Arrington Photography on Southern Weddings via Lover.ly […]

  13. avatar Sarah Park reply

    Where did the Bride order the buttons from? So adorable!

  14. avatar Ideas para bodas: alternativas al arroz reply

    […] (de Southern Weddings) […]

  15. avatar My Big Fat Greek Wedding: Three Ways to Incorporate Greek Life Into Your Wedding reply

    […] Image Credit: http://iloveswmag.com/2013/01/29/monogram-alabama-wedding-by-amy-arrington/ […]

  16. avatar From tailgates to touchdowns: infusing football flair into your Game Day — Engaged Wedding Library | Birmingham Alabama reply

    […] Photo credit: Southern Weddings Magazine […]

  17. avatar Best of 2013: Kids – Southern Weddings Magazine reply

    […] girl” for ceremony tossing | Morgan + Matthew | Amy […]

  18. avatar コンフェティ | ベンジャミンズパーティー reply

    […] source} 1.スパンコール Southern Weddings 2.ワイルドフラワー Rock N Roll Bride / Photography by Nina Claire […]

  19. avatar Black and Gold Wedding Inspiration | Amber Housley | Nashville Wedding Planner | Designer | Nashville Wedding Planner | Stylist | Custom Wedding Invitations Stationery | Lifestyle | Inspired reply

    […] | Bridal Accessories | Wedding Signage | Table Setting | Garter Toss | Wedding […]

  20. avatar Mel reply

    Where did the brides monogram necklace come from? I just love it and I’m looking for a trusty site to order one from? Thanks! Gorgeous wedding!!

  21. avatar Mary Lou reply

    Your wedding was beautiful! My daughter is getting married in October and she would love to use the football idea. I have been looking but no luck.How or where did you get it?
    Thank you for your help,
    Mary Lou Crow

  22. avatar Wedding Ideas to Make Your Event Sparkly with Glitters & Sequins | Stylish Wedd Blog reply

    […] photo credit: via dona / via acoastalbride / via southernweddings […]

Southern Weddings reserves the right to delete comments which contain profanity or personal attacks or seek to promote a business unrelated to the post.  And remember: a good attitude is like kudzu – it spreads.  We love hearing your kind thoughts!

Reply to:
close

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, my friends! And on Friday, we sure had a reminder that winter is sticking around for a few more weeks (freezing rain, ick). This inspiration makes me pretty happy with exactly where we are in the calendar right now, though, with touches of cranberry red for V Day and icy white and blue for winter. Kudos to Vine & Light for the lovely photos!

Our goal was to create an inspiring editorial session that captured winter elegance in an unexpected and modern way. We pulled together a muted color palette of icy blue, ivory, forest green and cranberry. The white muslin fabric throughout the design pulls from white snow, the greyish blue from icy water, and the brown recycled kraft paper from bare trees. Because of the earthy color palette, it seemed fitting to do hand lettering with a very light and free hand. The antlers were used throughout to frame different components tied in the wintery earthy feel, as well.

Love this cascading centerpiece in a vintage urn!

Gorgeous metallic china supplied by Dishie Rentals!

I am obsessed with this dress by Ines Di Santo. Fun fact – the dress was shipped directly to us from the designer. It was pulled right off the runway at bridal fashion week and sent to Solutions Bridal for the shoot! These are the first photographs of this gorgeous dress outside of the runway photos. I was in wedding heaven! I love the lace detailing and tulle overlay. So dreamy. And Josh from Willard Randall did a fantastic job styling our groom to keep up with our bride’s gorgeous look – I loved the grey and on grey layering.

Thanks again to Vine & Light and all the other talented ladies and gents who brought this shoot to life!

emily Written with love by Emily
7 Comments
  1. avatar invitation consultants reply

    killer bridal ensemble! adore!

  2. avatar Courtney reply

    It turned out so beautifully! I was so thrilled to be part of this shoot with such amazing ladies!

  3. avatar Tali reply

    Yay! Had such a blast working with this team and styling up this gorgeous model. I hope you southern gals love this look as much as we do!!! The dress from Ines Di Santo is just splendid. I almost fell over backwards when I saw it come down the runway at Bridal Fashion Week! So happy the photographer loved it as much as I do. Such a soft couture look! Can’t wait to style the next shoot!

    As for the accessories…. I was fortunate enough to meet the designer of the bolero this past Fall. She makes these gorgeous lace pieces as well. The bolero can come in ivory if you want to go for a more traditional look and I’m sure she can make it without the beading as well. The earrings by Maria Elena are my favorite pieces from the collection. I actually own a pair for myself. I couldn’t resist! And don’t forget to stack your cuffs for some bridal flare by Desla and Erin Cole!

  4. avatar Shannon reply

    Oh joy! I just love this shoot. Thanks so much for sharing, ladies!

  5. avatar Bella Collina – Winter Editorial – Vine & Light Photography reply

    […] feels so wonderful to finally share these images with the world. Best of all, the lovely ladies at Southern Weddings Magazine are featuring this session today. Head over to their blog to check it out and leave us some love. : […]

  6. avatar Dishie Rentals » Blog Archive » Featured On: Southern Weddings reply

    […] of my goals for 2013 was to collaborate on a shoot for Southern Weddings. I very much identify with their brand and what they stand for. I borrowed this from their […]

  7. avatar Valentine’s Day Inspiration From Salutations With Love | Salutations Fine Stationery & Gifts reply

    […] In addition to beautiful flowers, we love the thought of including unexpected touches to dress up a Valentine’s table, like the cranberries and gold accents in the table above from Southern Weddings Magazine (see more here). […]

Southern Weddings reserves the right to delete comments which contain profanity or personal attacks or seek to promote a business unrelated to the post.  And remember: a good attitude is like kudzu – it spreads.  We love hearing your kind thoughts!

Reply to:
close

From electric blue wedges hidden under her classic gown to an open-air photobooth that proved to be a “photo bomber dream” (her words, not mine), Laura + Chad’s wedding at the Oldfield Plantation seems like it was a complete blast! I mean check out the photo of Laura and her daddy getting down on the dance floor – pure fun! I’d be remiss not to mention the gorgeous clear tent strung with twinkling white lights because I know Nicole is loving them as much as I am! Be sure to read Laura’s “most memorable moment” in her interview, because it might not be what you’d think!

Thanks to Heidi from Our Labor of Love for sharing this fun soiree with us!

You can’t get much more Southern than blue suede wedding shoes!

I knew without a doubt I wanted to wear blue shoes. Deciding which pair of blue shoes to wear, however, is a different story.  Balancing my love of high heels with the fact that I would be walking down a flight of brick stairs during the ceremony and on grass during most of the reception proved to be quite difficult.  Finally, I opted to go with electric blue suede wedges.  I loved that they provided a unique and unexpected twist under my otherwise traditional dress, while simultaneously serving an incredibly functional purpose!

Did you decide to do a “first look”?  Yes. On a personal level, we welcomed and embraced the opportunity to share a calm, private moment before the ceremony and reception whirlwind began.  In addition, it made logistical sense.  By doing a first look, our extraordinarily talented photographer, Heidi and her team were able to maximize the best light of the day and the high tide of the river to capture many incredible shots that would have otherwise been impossible had we waited until after the 5:30 pm ceremony.

My hand-tied bouquet consisted of white hydrangeas, white freesias, white polo roses, and green cymbidium orchids. The bridesmaids had bouquets of white hydrangeas and white freesias. Chad’s boutonniere was made of green cymbidium orchid and the groomsmen’s boutonnieres were white freesia. For the ceremony, we had ferns with white Asiatic lilies. At the reception, our centerpieces were made of white hydrangeas, white lilies, and assorted white flowers in palm leaf-lined vases. The reception napkins had white dendrobium orchids

Y’all, I’m a sucker for a fellow in saddle shoes or oxfords as my husband calls them! So dapper!

What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? When my veil snagged itself on the bricks as my dad walked me down the steps during the ceremony! We didn’t realize it was caught until it actually started to pull my head backwards and almost caused me to loose my balance. Luckily, my dad had a strong grip, we were able to free it from the bricks almost immediately, and after a deep breath or two, everyone (myself included) exploded with laughter. The snafu was a blessing in disguise – it broke the nervous energy and reminded us all to relax and have fun!
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? Don’t allow yourself to get burdened by the details.  Also, as our “most memorable moment” story clearly illustrates, no matter what, something will always go wrong, but in the end, it will be fine.

Our favorite detail of the wedding was: The clear tent strung with twinkling white lights, which gave us the ability to look up and see the trees and stars after dark.

Describe your wedding cake or dessert: It was essential our cake tasted as good as it looked, so we chose three tiers of red velvet cake with whipped cream cheese filling and vanilla butter cake with vanilla butter cream filling and homemade vanilla custard.  The flowers on the wedding cake were handmade edible sugar replicas of the polo roses in my bridal bouquet.

Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding.  Our selections were traditional songs throughout the ceremony played by a solo harpist.  We wanted the music to compliment, not overwhelm or distract from, the natural beauty and surroundings of Oldfield Plantation.  Once we were ready to celebrate, we started the evening with very Southern-traditional South Carolina Shag, which got all of our guests, young and old, up dancing immediately!

Describe the proposal. (From the groom) Laura and I had just gotten back to her parents’ home after a nice dinner with her parents and a large group of family friends.  Even though it was pretty late at night by that point, I asked if she would like to go on a walk. After some convincing that it wasn’t that cold out, she reluctantly agreed.  We walked to the brick patio of the River House, where weddings are frequently held on Oldfield Plantation, the gorgeous low-country community in which her parents live.  I knew Laura always wanted to get married at this exact spot so I dropped to one knee, asked if she would, and the rest is history.
In what month did you get married? October. It is the perfect time of year for an outdoor wedding in the low country.
How many guests attended your wedding? 124
Tell us about finding your wedding dress:  It was surprisingly easy. I found my dress on the first day that I (along with my mother, a couple of close family friends, and my maid of honor) went dress shopping.  Initially, I pulled vintage-inspired lace dresses since I thought that style would be best for an outdoor wedding.  While the dresses were beautiful, we all agreed they weren’t right for me. The wonderfully accommodating bridal consultant, Flo at Bridal’s by Lori, then convinced me to try something different and brought in a stunning Rivini satin fit and flare gown. It was unlike anything I had tried on before, but I knew instantly the classic, refined, timeless (and comfortable!) dress was perfect. On my wedding day, the dress looked flawless paired with my mother’s pearls!
Did you write your own vows? We pieced together our vows and ceremony with the help of our officiant in order to make them special and meaningful.  One of the most meaningful aspects of our ceremony was that we actually exchanged our vows on the exact spot that Chad proposed to me.
What readings, if any, did you have at your ceremony? Our long time mutual best friend and bridesmaid Megan read Blessing for a Marriage, by James Dillet Freeman.
What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration?  What was Southern about your wedding? Our wedding weekend was filled with Southern details and activities, all set under the picturesque live oaks and Spanish moss on the banks of the Okatie River. To kick off the weekend, our family and friends joined us for our rehearsal dinner, a traditional Low Country Oyster Roast. The day of the wedding, while the guys headed out for a morning of shooting targets on a nearby sporting clays course and hunt club, the ladies enjoyed a relaxing bridal luncheon complete with Diet Coke in glass bottles (my favorite). The most Southern of all though was our food! We had the ultimate “Southern with a twist” menu. Chef Jason with Oldfield Plantation truly went above and beyond our wildest expectations and created a phenomenal meal that literally left our guests raving for months. The delicious menu included (just to name a few) shrimp and grit wontons, fried green tomato lollipops, low-country oyster shooters and, of course, Southern style chicken and waffles.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? Planning and coordinating an entire weekend of wedding activities and events while I was living and working full time in Atlanta and Chad was living and working full-time in Charlotte.  We couldn’t have done it without the help of our incredible friends and family, especially my parents!
What is the one thing you are most happy you splurged on? An open-air photo booth!! To this day, looking through the photo booth pictures causes us all to laugh until we cry.  By setting up the photo booth facing the river and completely open without any walls or backgrounds, it enabled our guests to have a lot more freedom to hop in and out of each other’s pictures, embrace the spontaneity of the photo booth, and encourage one another to be silly. The open space was a photo bomber’s dream come true!

marissa Written with love by Marissa
7 Comments
  1. avatar Dee Shore reply

    What a beautiful wedding! I’m loving the clear tent. You could def enjoy the night and stars with something like that. I am also loving that Spanish Moss tree. SO romantic.

  2. avatar Madelynne Moulton reply

    I absolutely ADORE that wedding gown. Timeless, beautiful, and sexy!

  3. avatar Emily reply

    Adore her veil and the cocktail hour space — looks like a magical setting!

  4. avatar Coral and Blue | Burnett’s Boards – Daily Wedding Inspiration reply

    […] photographed by Annabella Charles, calligraphy by Natalie Chang // Rivini bow wedding dress from Southern Weddings, photographed by Heidi of Our Labor of Love // horseshoe escort cards from Southern Weddings, […]

  5. avatar How to survive the Indian summer…wedding!! | The Unreal Bride reply

    […] Via […]

  6. avatar PC9 Top 5: Getaway Cars Summer Edition | Pink Cloud 9 Weddings Blog reply

    […] Clockwise from Top to Bottom: Garland and Florals / Floral Garland / Scooter / Pastel Cans / Golf Cart / Tandem […]

  7. avatar Sponsored Post: Weddings at Oldfield Club – Southern Weddings Magazine reply

    […] weddings that took place at the Oldfield Club on the Southern Weddings blog: Geneva + Luke and Laura + Chad! Both should give you a hint at what’s possible at this magical […]

Southern Weddings reserves the right to delete comments which contain profanity or personal attacks or seek to promote a business unrelated to the post.  And remember: a good attitude is like kudzu – it spreads.  We love hearing your kind thoughts!

Reply to:
close
Top