Google+ March 2013 - Page 5 of 14 - Southern Weddings

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Monthly Archives: March 2013

Ali + Robert are about as cute as a pup in a little red wagon. Their September “I do’s” were full of details that sound beautiful, but came easily to the couple who just wanted to be themselves on their wedding day. Cowboy boots? You bet Ali and her dad wore them down the aisle, just because they wanted to be comfortable. Of course, it ain’t a proper celebration without good eats! Ali + Robert served delicious Southern fare and treated their guests to a bourbon tasting bar complete with personalized old fashioned glasses. We love seeing bourbon bars pop up at weddings, but we love that it’s extra special to the newlyweds since they bonded over bourbon when they first met!

Big hugs to Courtney Dox for sharing this lovely day with us!

My bouquet was a French mound style bouquet in varying shades of pinks using flowers such as watermelon ranunculus, garden roses, and dahlias. Lissa used geranium leaves as greenery in between the garden roses and geraniums — it smelled divine wrapped! The bouquet was wrapped in charcoal gray velvet to coordinate with the groom and then was embellished with a broach.

Reading about one of Ali’s most memorable moments (aside from her brother dancing with all of the bridesmaids at the reception) definitely adds another element to the next few photos!

We all still get a laugh out of the momentwhen my bridesmaid, Katie got attacked by one of the horses during pictures.  We were all lined up against the fence, when one of the horses came up from behind and gave her a huge lick up the middle of her back. It scared her to death! The horse then began to start munching on her hair! The candid photos of this are priceless!

Describe the proposal. (From the groom) I was on a work trip to Detroit, and I had planned to propose to Ali as soon as I came home and walked in the door.  On the way home, I bought two bouquets of flowers and I attached the ring to one bouquet. I brought the flowers in and presented them to her with a big smile on my face (happy to see her and hoping she would see the ring), however Ali just put them down on the counter and started asking me about my trip and saying I needed to play with Boog (her Pekingese). For about 15 minutes we talked about my trip while the flowers (and the ring!) sat on the counter.  It was excruciating trying to hold back my excitement. Finally, I got her to start arranging the flowers in the vase and, of course, she starts with the bouquet that doesn’t have the ring on it. During this time I am standing behind her waiting for her to see the ring so I can kneel down and I ask her to marry me.  I see the ring dangling there and I am sure she has seen it, so I kneel down waiting for her to turn around.  She then asks me a question and I answer her from below, at which point she turns around to see me kneeling. Not understanding what is going on, I point to the ring dangling there and asked her to marry me. Of course, she said YES!!!

What readings, if any, did you have at your ceremony? Robert and I had saved cards that we had given each other over the years for holidays and “just because” occasions. We decided to have my cousin, Katie, do a reading from one of our favorite cards, which was a promise to be each other’s best friend and to love each other unconditionally. We thought it would add a little bit of “us” by doing so.
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: As part of our ceremony, we chose to include a “Love Letter and Wine Box” ceremony.  Robert and I included a bottle of our favorite wine (that will age well) and of course, two cards in place of the love letters. We love the idea of adding a new card to the box every year on our anniversary, then having these cards to look back on and to commemorate our love for one another.

Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding. For our processional, we played Darius Rucker’s “History In The Making.” For the recessional, we played The Beatles’ “All You Need Is Love.” Our first dance was to Railroad Earth’s “Right In Tune.”

What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration?  What was Southern about your wedding? My father and I decided to wear cowboy boots for the big day! We wanted to be comfortable, and it seemed fitting. As part of their gift, I gave each bridesmaid a natural linen clutch with a lace flower that was each lined with different color seersucker and was personalized with their name. We wanted cocktail hour to be fun and a good way for people to meet and mingle. We decided to make it interactive, so we had a bourbon tasting bar as well as two signature cocktails using Firefly Sweet Tea and Firefly lemonade vodka from the distillery outside of Charleston, SC. For wedding favors, we etched double old fashioned glasses with the initial of each guest’s first name to use with the bourbon bar.  We thought it would be a nice token for each person to take home with them. We had a biscuit bar, complete with local butters, jams, and pimento cheese.  We also decided to have games such as corn hole and horseshoes — two great Southern traditions! As far as décor for the reception goes, we included black-eyed peas in the base of the centerpieces and used burlap overlays for an added “Southern” touch.  Also, each table was named after a different Southern city, which was displayed by using vintage postcards. This was actually Robert’s great idea! Our food was mainly comfort food such as mini meatloaves in mason jars, pecan-crusted chicken fingers, collards, BBQ, fried green tomatoes, grits, and mini tomato pies. We also had a plated heirloom tomato stack salad with buttermilk and bacon dressing. For our exit, we repurposed cotton bolls from the ceremony décor for guests to toss.

What is the one thing you are most happy you splurged on? It’s definitely a tie between our food and having a live band.  Food and music are two things that can make or break the feel of a wedding! We wanted to make sure that none of our guests went home hungry and that everyone got out on the dance floor!

Describe your wedding cake or dessert: We decided to have a pie bar instead of a traditional wedding cake. We both LOVE pies, so we thought it would be a nice touch that would fit with the theme of our wedding!  We did however, have a NC State groom’s cake, which was red velvet with cream cheese frosting (Robert’s favorite!).

How did the two of you meet?  Tell us your story.  Robert and I met through my best friend, Rhi and her now husband, Dave.  Robert and Dave were good friends from Graduate School at Clemson. I had tagged along with Rhi on a weekend trip to Greenville to visit Dave.  The first night in town, Dave had a group of people over to his house. I kept noticing the quiet guy with the kind eyes. Robert and I bonded over beer pong and bourbon (classy, I know!) and have been together ever since!  Now, three years later, what’s better than two best friends marrying best friends?!
In what month did you get married? September
How many guests attended your wedding? 130
Tell us about finding your wedding dress: I had actually been “eyeing” my dress for over a year, after seeing it online.   We made the special trip to J. Major’s since they were the closest boutique that carried it.  I was so nervous about trying it on since I had been in love with it for so long, but wasn’t sure how it would actually look on me! It was the first dress I tried on, and knew it was “the one.”  I tried on several other styles, but nothing compared!
Did you decide to do a “first look”? We decided to not do a first look! Robert was actually more adamant about this than I was and wanted to stick to “tradition.” He didn’t ask for much during the wedding planning process, so I definitely wanted to honor this request since he didn’t have many!
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? Since we were doing personalized double old fashioned glasses for our guests as well as table assignments, we needed an exact head count and names of the people attending the wedding.  Trying to organize those two details was hectic, to say the least!
What range did your wedding budget fall into?  $25,000-$50,000
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? Make sure to focus on the details that are most important to you and your fiancé. It’s your wedding, so you need to do what makes you both happy! Also, just take a minute to step back and breathe when it all seems to get a little stressful!
What’s next for you as a couple?  What are you looking forward to in the future?  Robert and I are taking our honeymoon to Italy in March, which we’re really looking forward to! We’re also now proud parents of a petite goldendoodle, Pearl, who is such a joy.  Though Boog is still trying to adjust to being a big brother!

nicoleyang Written with love by Nicole
12 Comments
  1. avatar shelby reply

    I love the bourbon tasting bar! such an awesome idea!

  2. avatar Emily reply

    I love those dahlia bouquets, and the photo of the groomsmen with the horse cracks me up!

  3. avatar Shafonne @ Pretty Pear Bride reply

    Love the bride and absolutely love the bourbon tasting bar! Need to do that for our vow renewal.

  4. avatar Jessica reply

    Wow! Love that tree awning!

  5. avatar Nancy Ray reply

    1. They have the cutest dog ever
    2. Mini meatloafs? I die!
    3. The groomsmen + the horse = amazing!

    Love this wedding so much!

  6. avatar Lisa reply

    Wow! Absolutely loving the bouquets, all the sweet and funny animal pictures, and that gorgeous bourbon bar!

  7. avatar Jennie reply

    The cowgirl boots are beautiful… Would love to know where they are from?

  8. avatar Margaret reply

    I absolutely love your wedding! Your details are lovely. Do you recall where you found the burlap table toppers? Its such fine burlap…

    Thanks!

  9. avatar April reply

    Congratulations! So happy to come across this. Looks like a great time, GREAT wedding ideas, beautiful pictures and happy couple! Thanks for sharing!

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  12. avatar Alicia reply

    Who designed the flowers? They are gorgeous!

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A Southern Love Letter from Mo

by in Main on

We love writing love letters and telling people (or houses, regions, states, puppies and shoes), why we adore their existence. However, we were recently on the receiving end of a sweet love letter! One of our most dapper Southern friends, Moziah Bridges of Mo’s Bows sent us a handwritten note that we were so smitten over, we had to share it with y’all!

Have you caught the love letter bug? Check out More Love Letters, an organization after our own hearts. Their goal? To turn your best love letter into a lamp to light the path of someone who needs to read it. Find out more here.

nicoleyang Written with love by Nicole
5 Comments
  1. avatar Shari reply

    I love this young man. He is a southern gentleman now and forever.

  2. avatar Carly Totten reply

    Oh my goodness, I love him. Just on graciousness alone, he will go far. And then there are his perfect bow ties. Go Mo, GO!

  3. avatar Emily reply

    I LOVE HIM!!!

  4. avatar Lauren reply

    So cute love this kid!!! and the bow rings!!

  5. avatar Jessica reply

    Aww how sweet! I love him!

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!

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You know that naturally glamourous friend who looks like a million bucks in a white t-shirt and boyfriend jeans? That’s how I feel about this wedding! Hailey + Rhet [wait, can we pause for a little giddy-fit that the groom’s name is actually Rhet? I know Mr. Butler had two t’s, but oh my Gone with the Wind-loving heart be still!] had a big day filled with lush flowers that Hailey described as “out of this world,” and romantic details that were just the right balance between glamorous and down-home.

From the the moss-covered monogram at the entry gates to the framed photographs throughout the gardens, each detail was not only lovely, but had meaning to the couple. H + R even hand-crafted thank you notes for each guests’ place setting – that just screams the Sweet Tea Society to me!

Be sure to scroll all the way down, because the very last shot from Lauren Larsen may just be my favorite of the day!

Both our ceremony and reception were outdoors in the gardens. Dancing and dining al fresco immediately followed the ceremony, while the sun was setting.

How cute is that monogrammed clutch?!

The entry gates displayed a moss-covered monogram. Mason jar centerpieces filled with hydrangeas, garden roses and geraniums ran along our burlap runners. We had vintage table card numbers, mattress ticking striped napkins, and hand-crafted thank you notes at each guests’ place setting. Hundreds of votive candles and personal family framed photographs were arranged throughout the space. Margaritas served in burlap-wrapped jars with pink and white striped straws completed the look.

We danced to “Crazy Love” by Van Morrison for our first dance. Rhet is quite the accomplished dancer. He led me across the dance floor with enthusiasm, great style and a few dips and twirls. Everyone danced the entire night, thanks to such an amazing band!

So sweet!

Oh my lanta! I can’t get over which is cuter! The little guy with a bow tie or the monogrammed bib?? (And, I’m sure the girls in the office have a bet on whether I comment on this! How can I not, right?)

Dinner consisted of action stations including a macaroni and cheese bar, sliders with signature sauces, a French fry bar, a sandwich wrap station, and a salad in a glass station. Dessert was a variety of peanut butter and chocolate, red velvet and s’mores cupcakes.

Get ready for an epic exit — don’t y’all just want to experience what Hailey + Rhet were feeling in this moment? Pure joy, from the looks of it!

Did you have a cocktail hour? Yes, during our cocktail hour, we passed hors d’oeuvres and a signature grapefruit margarita in honor of the date, Cinco de Mayo.
Tell us about your grand exit. We left under the Super Moon in a shower of confetti. Rhet picked me up and carried me off to a night of more dancing with our wedding party!
What is the one thing that made your wedding different from anyone else’s wedding? All of the personal touches and the opportunity to take amazing photographs at the new Billy Reid store.
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you looking forward to in the future? We are heading to Destin, Florida where Rhet will be serving as an Air Force physician.
What advice would you give to someone planning his or her wedding? Hire vendors you can trust to carry out your vision and give them plenty of detailed information on what you really want.
Who was your favorite vendor and why? We loved Lauren Larsen for her photographic talent and eye and Lori Holley for her out-of-this-world flowers.
What was the most memorable or touching moment about your wedding day? During our first dance, Rhet surprised me by scooping me up and twirling me in the air. I was so thrilled to be his wife.

marissa Written with love by Marissa
5 Comments
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    Love the cake plate… can you tell me where I can get one

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