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Monthly Archives: November 2013

As much as I love fall, I’m already starting to get just a little bit nostalgic for summer. This was one of the first years my family didn’t spend any time in Williamsburg, Virginia, and summer wasn’t quite the same without being there. On sunny Saturdays, I love driving the short hour to Virginia Beach from Williamsburg for a day of lounging in the sun and strolling down the boardwalk! The South is blessed with so many wonderful beaches, so I can only imagine many of y’all have similarly sweet memories. This makes a beach like Virginia Beach such a meaningful wedding venue!

Virginia Beach boasts 35 beautiful miles of waterfront property, which means plenty of location options for your ceremony. Whether your dream is saying “I do” with perfect sunset views (try Chesapeake Bay Beach!) or your priority is close proximity to a lovely reception space (like the rental homes and guest houses at Sandbridge), there’s no shortage of places to choose from along Virginia’s coast.

One of the biggest benefits of hosting your wedding at Virginia Beach? Being able to reserve the exact spot in the sand where your ceremony will take place. Your location can be reserved for up to three hours, and will be closed to the general public for that time. You’ll be free to set up decor and seating as you wish and enjoy a private ceremony, without having to worry about curious tourists! I love this!

If your style leans more toward lively, the Oceanfront might be the perfect place for you. This resort area hosts a famous three-mile boardwalk, as well as a wide range of hotels and restaurants. If your top priority is convenience for your guests, a wedding near the Oceanfront is a wonderful option!

You can learn much more about planning a Virginia Beach wedding here, and of course, if any of y’all are already planning your wedding at this fantastic Southern beach, we’d love to hear about it! What made you choose Virginia Beach for your wedding? Anyone else have fond memories of family beach vacations growing up?

lisa Written with love by Lisa
3 Comments
  1. avatar Morgan Jones reply

    Oh my goodness North Carolina beaches are beautiful! I grew up going to the same beach house, Jonah’s Whale, with one whole a side of my family every summer. Caswell Beach and Southport hold such special places in my heart!

  2. avatar Cheap Wedding Dresses reply

    This wedding looks absolutely stunning!

  3. avatar Emily reply

    Yes! Except my memories are from the very cold beaches of Maine :)

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In just five short days, V6 will be on newsstands, and I can barely stand it! Want your copy sooner? Pre-order you copy now, as shipping starts today!!

While we are bursting at the seams with excitement over V6 (admittedly making it a bit hard to focus!), today’s cheerful wedding snaps me right back to our mission and why we love what we do! The word that comes to mind when I look at Danielle + Sam’s big day is joyful. The fun pops of color, their sweet smiles, and especially their vows- they made them rhyme!- fills my heart to the brim with joy! As for those blooms, Danielle could not have made a better decision by letting the gorgeous florals do the talking!

Big hugs to Rachel Fesko for sharing this sweet day!

Y’all, I could just die! Danielle is way too cute in one of my very favorite dresses of all time!

Did you have something borrowed, blue, old, and new? If so, do tell! I borrowed beautiful brooches from mother, mother-in-law and both of my grandmothers. The ones from my mother and grandmothers were vintage, so they also served as my something old, while the one from my mother-in-law was my something new. The something blue was the stunning ribbon wrapped around the bouquet.

Describe your wedding flowers. The flowers were one of the most important aspects of the wedding to me, and were a big part of why I chose Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden as a backdrop. Melanie of New Creations Flower Company knew this, and accented the beauty of nature with absolutely gorgeous bouquets and centerpieces. My bouquet was full and textured, and was made with pale pink ranunculus, Juliet garden roses, coral charm and purple peonies with lamb’s ear and geranium leaves. To accent the vibrant blue of the bridesmaid’s dresses, tweedia was also added. The centerpieces featured many of the same flowers placed in milk glass or blue glass vases and accented with mercury votive candles.

Did you decide to do a “first look”? Why or why not? Sam and I decided to do a first look in the beautiful Orchid Conservatory of DSBG. We really wanted to capture the joy of this special moment in a setting where our wonderful photographer could capture every detail.
Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line? Sam and I wrote our own vows on pink and blue note cards. Sam wrote his first and was inspired to make his vows rhyme, so I, of course, had to follow suit! My favorite lines from his vows were “I vow to always catch you when you fall, because you are breathtaking when you fly. I vow to make you happy every day, because it tugs my heartstrings with you cry.” Sam’s favorite lines from my vows were “I vow to always make the bed; who knew such a chore would make you see red.”

The greatest challenge Sam and I faced when planning the wedding was being out of state. Thank goodness for Skype! We had to schedule many meetings with our vendors via computer, and it sometimes felt as if we were flying by the seat of our pants. However, all of our vendors came through in a magnificent way–we were staggered by the look and feel of every aspect of our wedding.

What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? There is something quintessentially Southern about mason jars, and blue ones played heavily into our ceremony and reception decor. For our wedding favors, I wanted to incorporate the theme of Charlotte, my hometown, and Chicago, Sam’s hometown, coming together. We decided to give out Krispy Kreme doughnuts and Garett’s Popcorn, gourmet specialities of each geographic area. We called it “Windy City Treats meets Queen City Sweets!”

Describe your wedding cake or dessert. WOW Factor Cakes truly created an edible masterpiece. Our cake was four tiers of marble cake with alternating layers of hazelnut cream and chocolate ganache. The design of the cake was inspired by the floral lace pattern of my wedding dress, while the color of the cake accentuated the florals and bridal fashion.

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. Sam and I met online before it was mainstream. My high school boyfriend ran a computer game server, so I would hang out in the server’s chat room to talk to him. One day, there was a heated debate about feminism and I passionately defended girl gamers. Sam was intrigued by my point of view and sent me a message. We began talking every day, solidifying our friendship. We lost touch when I had go on medical leave from college, but reconnected when I returned. Our relationship turned serious when I went to study abroad in London in the spring of 2008. I had a hard time making friends, and Sam was there for me every step of the way!
Tell us all about the proposal! Our anniversary was coming up on May 20th, but I was going to be out of town. Sam and I planned to celebrate when I got back by going to a fancy restaurant. Unbeknownst to me, that was the day Sam was planning on proposing. On the 17th, I was home putting together a cat tree for our animals. I was getting angry because Sam should have been home hours before and he had been very cryptic about his whereabouts. When he got home, he could barely contain his excitement. After telling me he couldn’t wait, he bent down on one knee and handed me a small box. I gasped and opened it excitedly. Nestled inside was a beautiful ring. Sam asked if I would marry him and I immediately said yes!
When did y’all get married? June 15, 2013
Tell us about finding your wedding dress. My mother and sisters came up to Illinois for an extended vacation and we booked a ton of appointments back to back. I knew I wanted a tea-length gown, so that narrowed my selection. When I tried on the Justin Alexander dress in the natural/coffee, I had the “feeling.” I went to another appointment the next day and I tried on the Justin Alexander dress again, this time in ivory. This only reinforced my hunch that the same dress, but in the unique color, was my dress.
What readings, if any, did you have at your ceremony? My mother read a passage about the nature of love from The Imitation of Christ by Thomas A’Kempis.
Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. For our first dance, we used “Sunday Morning” by Maroon 5. This was because we were a long-distance couple for two years, and got used to the longing and the tough goodbyes that compose long-distance relationships. During our reception, Sam wanted to keep the theme music upbeat and tried to incorporate elements of rock music. As a result, our cake cutting song was “Sweet Child O’ Mine” by Guns N’ Roses, our bouquet toss was to “Another One Bites The Dust” by Queen, and our garter toss song was the Mission Impossible theme. We also had a blast with our entrance music, which was “Thrift Shop” by Macklemore. We chose this because Sam got to come in dressed in an entire outfit of thrift shop gear, which was a huge hit with everyone!
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: I have so many favorite details! My sister is in art school and she both drew and hand-painted our wedding invitations. Another one was the cake topper. I was a DIY kind of bride, so I created the kitty cake topper myself in the likeness of our two cats. Sam and I also love board games and puzzles, so we incorporated this by having our guestbook be a large wooden puzzle featuring our favorite engagement photo.
If you are comfortable responding, what range did your wedding budget fall into? $25,000-$50,000
What is the one detail or vendor that you were so happy to have as a part of your wedding? We hit the jackpot with all of our vendors, and I couldn’t have been more pleased with the work they did for us. That being said, the food and drinks were a huge hit with everyone at the wedding, so I have to hand it to Best Impressions catering for really doing something special.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? There were a ton of memorable moments during our wedding! Still, it felt like the whole day just flew by. One moment that really stood out for both Sam and me was during the dance party at the reception. My best man requested “Don’t Stop Believin’ by Journey, and during the song, everyone in our party gathered around us in a circle. They proceeded to serenade Sam and I throughout the whole song. I have rarely in my life felt more loved than I did during that song, and it really helped cap off the best night of my life!
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? Hire a wedding planner, especially if you are planning a wedding out of state! Ashley was worth every penny. Her relationships with other vendors ensured good pricing and saved me lots of time, as I did not have to wade through reviews or call and book the vendors themselves. Having a planner also allowed me to relax more and enjoy the process–I knew Ashley would have all the minutia I would have otherwise stressed about executed beautifully!
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you most looking forward to about married life? Sam and I are looking forward to crafting a life together in a way that was not possible before. We are both moving forward in our careers and are saving up for a house.

marissa Written with love by Marissa
16 Comments
  1. avatar Emily reply

    Love Danielle’s beautiful bouquet!

  2. avatar Featured on Southern Weddings: Danielle + Sam | The Hostess Blog reply

    […] just pinch me! Danielle and Sam’s beautiful, bright, garden-inspired June wedding is on Southern Weddings blog today. Can you just say dream come true?? One of my favorite blogs picked up one of my favorite […]

  3. avatar Emily reply

    The dress and the flowers in this wedding are truly STUNNING! Totally different from most other weddings!

  4. avatar Ivy Ellen reply

    This is such a beautiful wedding! I especially love the wedding dress it is so pretty. Congratulations to you both

  5. avatar Now That’s a Sweet Favor | Lulu's Event Design reply

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  6. avatar Southern Weddings Weekly Round-Up | Southern Weddings reply

    […] Danielle and Sam’s joyful big day put such a smile on our faces this week! We love her tea-length dress, their colorful flowers, and the details inspired by their respective hometowns. See it here. […]

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    […] Credits * 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 […]

  8. avatar Anniversary: Danielle + Sam – The Graceful Host reply

    […] year of wedded bliss, Danielle & Sam! PS. If you haven’t seen their wedding featured on Southern Weddings and Loverly, be sure to check it […]

  9. avatar Danielle & Sam | Best Impressions Caterers reply

    […] posted on Southernweddings.com and looking at the pictures makes us want the warm weather back! Click here to go check it out! The beautiful photos are by Rachel Fesko […]

  10. avatar Amazing Florals reply

    Great article and thanks for sharing those lovely peony wedding flower photos!

  11. avatar Chelsea reply

    I love this wedding- the colors, the smiles! What is the white star shaped flower mixed in with the bouquets? A tree blossom?

  12. avatar 15 Ways to Include Doughnuts in Your Wedding | The dream wedding in USA reply

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Six more days, y’all! We have a garage full of V6 in all her pretty, printed glory, and we are packing them up as quickly as we can to start shipping out tomorrow! You can order a copy here, or if you’re in the South, stop by your favorite bookstore or news stand in less than a week!

One thing we celebrate quite a bit in V6 is how dramatic, but completely natural, the contrasts in the South can be. I won’t give too much away, but I will say that Heidi and Garth are a perfect example. From their gorgeous wedding, you’d never guess that these two spent the day of Garth’s proposal working hard out on their dairy farm! Southern belles and gents can feel just as comfortable in jeans and boots out in the country as they do glammed up in Lazaro and seersucker on their wedding days. It’s one of our favorite things about the South, as well as one of our favorite things about Heidi and Garth’s big day!

Thanks so much to Cristy Cross for sharing Heidi and Garth’s beautiful West Texas wedding with us!

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. We were introduced at a family barbecue at my sister’s house in Friona, Texas in April 2012. Garth arrived at the event sweaty from mountain biking, wearing denim bib overalls, and with an uncontrollable case of the hiccups. Though I was not immediately charmed by this presentation, chemistry developed between us later that evening while playing the classic Gingg family dinner party game, Catch-a-phrase. The spark created that evening quickly developed into a love that inspired me to move to West Texas to be close to Garth. Though slightly out of character for me, I even learned to harvest green feed and grow steer calves at Del Rio Dairy.

Tell us about finding your wedding dress. My mother and I planned a trip to Kleinfeld in New York City. Although we did not get to make an appearance on “Say Yes to the Dress,” it was an unforgettable experience. I have never seen so many beautiful dresses; it was overwhelming at first. Luckily Kleinfeld has got it together, and with just a few questions in regards to style and fit, I had five dress options before me. It only took three to find the one!

We did not do a first look. It was important to me to follow tradition. I wanted my dad to walk me down the aisle, for him to be the first man to hold me as a baby and the last to give me away as a woman. I felt as though the symbolism would be somewhat lost if I had seen and held Garth before my dad officially gave me away. The moments I spent with my mom and dad just before loading up to head down to the ceremony were full of laughter and tears. I will not forget those last few rushed, crazy and hectic moments, just the three of us. The decision not to do a “first look” provided a little more time with my parents.

While we may be a little bit more Southwestern than Southern, we still have tradition and definitely charm. We wanted to create an experience where every guest felt like family. It was a celebratory time for everyone to enjoy great drinks, great food, the great outdoors, and great love: the foundations of Southern tradition. For a little Southwestern charm, I have to mention country singer Will Banister and his band–they were absolutely phenomenal, with a traditional country sound. Oh yes, and we cannot forget Garth’s seersucker suit!

What is the one detail or vendor that you were so happy to have as a part of your wedding? Equally my wedding planner and photographer. Parie painted a canvas of perfection, and Cristy captured its beauty for all of us to remember. In the end, it brought us great happiness to experience our hopes and dreams brought to life and to know those memories will forever be within reach.

Aren’t their flowers and tablescapes stunning? Parie of Parie Designs’ goal was to marry the coppery tones in the venue with Heidi’s glitzy, fun personality. To achieve this, she used cream garden roses, peonies, hydrangea, Lysimachia, succulents, cafe au lait dahlias, mini millet, and thornless blackberries against copper sequin linens and both gold and wood elements. So pretty!

Tell us all about the proposal! It was a sunny afternoon in good ole Muleshoe, Texas. After a day of green chopping on the farm for me and pregnancy-checking cows for Garth, he came home with what he often refers to as a surprise present. Lucky me…there was a bike helmet, biking gloves, and there may have even been some spandex bike shorts involved. After some arm twisting by Garth, I tried on the helmet and gloves (not the shorts!) and rode my mountain bike up and down the street. After the joyride, Garth had another surprise, which went like this. Garth: (hand into jean pocket, awkwardly) “So I was thinking… we should get married.” (Ring appears) Heidi: (Ooooh, ahhh, so excited!!) “…Well aren’t you going to ask me?!?!” Garth: “Will you marry me?” Heidi: “YES!”
When did y’all get married? July 11, 2013
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 64
Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line? We did not write our own vows for the wedding. However, we made sure to take time during our honeymoon to share our vows and promises to each other. I loved that it was a private moment just for Garth and I. Added bonus being that I avoided crying uncontrollably in front of our guests. :)
What readings, if any, did you have at your ceremony? We did not have any special readings. We had a very traditional religious ceremony performed by our pastor, Kurt Borden of Friona Methodist Church. In lieu of a reading, we took communion together for the first time as husband and wife, along with all of our guests. It was a beautiful time to share our union, love, and commitment to each other and God with the community that supports us.
Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. Processional: Etta James, “At Last.” Pretty classic. Recessional: Ziggy Marley, “Love is my Religion.” I loved the funky sounds of the reggae, and I think it set a playful mood. Also, I love the lyrics. To me, it means to have faith in love, and love is all that matters. First Dance: Garett Hedlund/Leighton Meester, “Give In To Me,” my all-time favorite song (from the Country Strong soundtrack). It is about letting go of our fears and pride, allowing ourselves to truly experience love. Father/Daughter: Rascal Flatts, “My Wish.” My dad chose this song. It was a perfect choice, as it put into words the many hopes and dreams my dad has always had for me. Mother/Son: George Strait, “Amarillo by Morning.” This was a spur-of-the-moment choice that worked out just perfectly. So Texan! Also, our wedding venue, Palo Duro Canyon is just south of Amarillo. It was the perfect tempo for Garth and his mom to share their first dance!
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: Having Garth’s parents and brother there to share our special night. It was a blessing to be able to express our love and commitment for each other with them by our side. Seeing the beauty of the love they have for one another was my favorite detail.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? It was very difficult for me to make final decisions on small details. The possibilities are endless, and Pinterest begins to work against you eventually. My mom and sister were my saving grace. The wedding would not have been above and beyond perfect without their hard work.
If you are comfortable responding, what range did your wedding budget fall into? $25,000-$50,000
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? Walking down the aisle on my dad’s arm to be joined with Garth. I remember feeling the strength and confidence from my dad and seeing the love and excitement in Garth’s eyes. The overwhelming joy and love I felt for Garth in those moments was indescribable. I will never forget how it felt to know that my dad was proud of Garth and I. I felt blessed to have him there to lead me down this new path and honored to have him represent the merging of my past, present and future.
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? If you do not have my mom or sister, if at all possible, hire a wedding planner! I am not much of a DIY kinda girl, so I needed reinforcements. In addition to my wonderful mom and sister, Parie, my wedding planner, kept me sane. If a planner is not in the cards, I would suggest a meticulously updated weekly and monthly calendar/planner. Setting up alerts and reminders on Google calendar is a great tool. Have a notebook and pen on hand at all times — you never know when the next great idea will pop/pin up! And always stay true to your own ideas and personal style. It is important to be a little selfish, while always remembering the very simple reason you are planning this wedding. Be sure that your love is reflected in all of the details: love for yourself, your to-be husband, family and friends.
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you most looking forward to about married life? Garth and I are moving into our first home… on the farm. We will be living in Friona, Texas on our family dairy. I will be going back to my roots by living on the dairy and Garth will get to experience all of the adventures and opportunities that farm life has to offer, as well as contribute his knowledge and skills as a veterinarian. We will also be visiting Garth’s family and hometown in Colchester, Vermont. I am so excited to see where Garth grew up and experience firsthand what was such an important part of molding him into the amazing man he is today. We look forward to days of hard work and challenges and the joy that love provides no matter what the day may bring… hopefully soon, it brings a baby. ;)

lisa Written with love by Lisa
9 Comments
  1. avatar My Love Wedding Ring reply

    beautiful day

  2. avatar Dana reply

    the seersucker suit, the cute little boys, and the flowers are all so perfect!

  3. avatar Kristin reply

    I have to agree with Dana on the cute little fellas. They are darling.

  4. avatar Cristy Cross reply

    What a beautiful and sweet story Heidi and Garth.
    Y’all were a blessing to work with, and your wedding rocked.

  5. avatar Abby reply

    In love with this theme! Does anyone know where the tablecloths came from or where I can find one similar? I’m obsessed with them!

  6. avatar Samantha reply

    Where did you get the sequin linens?

  7. avatar Amy reply

    I am in love with the sequins tablecloths. Where did you find quality sequins? I don’t want it to look cheap

  8. avatar Megan Oliver reply

    I am obsessed with your table clothes! Where did you get them???

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

    […] photo credit: via herecomestheguide / via colincowieweddings / via princessesandtiaras / via theallison / via frostedpetticoatblog / via southernweddings […]

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