Southern Weddings

We know lots of y’all are wedding nerds (welcome to the club–we are too!), but I must say, there’s always something refreshing about a laid-back bride. Audrey and Ryan focused on the things that only they could do, like choosing meaningful music for their ceremony and reception, and left the rest up to the team at Le Rae Events and Design. As you can see in these pictures by Blue Ribbon Vendor Leslie Hollingsworth, everything came together so beautifully. I especially can’t stop admiring all of the pretty pastel blooms!

Thank you so much to Leslie Hollingsworth for sharing Audrey and Ryan’s wedding day with us!

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. We knew each other for several years before our actual first date, thanks to our interests in soccer. At the end of my freshman year of college, one of my friends came over to my apartment, and we got on Facebook. I don’t remember exactly how Ryan popped up, but when he did, I told my friend how good looking I thought he was. She proceeded to act like she was me on my Facebook and Ryan asked me on our first date. After our first date, I got scared and backed out, but we kept in touch throughout the next few years. Once I graduated and moved back home, we went on our second first date. We have been inseparable ever since.

My mom and I went to a store in Jasper, Alabama to go dress shopping. I knew the moment I tried my dress on that it was the one. It was just what I had dreamed of: form-fitting, not too big of a train, sleeveless, and lace, with just enough sparkle. Plus, it was comfortable!

What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? The most memorable moment for me was during the ceremony. I could not stop crying, and seeing one of the groomsmen crying in the background made me cry even more. I remember Ryan looking at me with watery eyes and smiling as he wiped my tears off my cheek. Everyone aww-ed in the background, and Leslie took a picture of the memorable moment!

Describe your wedding flowers. I honestly have no clue about flowers, so I just told Rae from Le Rae Events that I liked wildflowers and pastel colors, and she did the best job picking them out! They were beautiful!

What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? Our wedding was at a beautiful barn with a deck that overlooked a pond. My mom bought mason jars and used black chalkboard paint to paint mustaches on the jars for the men, and pink chalkboard paint to paint lips on them for the women. We also had a cute food truck that served hamburgers, wings, and french fries.

Describe your wedding cake or dessert. My cousin, Adam Nichols, bakes for a living, so I told him I just wanted the cake to taste like my favorite candy: a Reese’s peanut butter cup. The cake was dark chocolate with Reese’s and a peanut butter layer inside. It was the best cake I had ever tasted! My dad got a tree stump to set the cake on, and Adam carved a heart with our names inside, which was so beautiful and went well with the theme. Adam also made some pastel flowers to place on top of the cake. For the groom’s table, we bought pies from Red’s Little School House, a local place that catered the wedding, and they were delicious!

Tell us all about the proposal! One day in March, about a year after we started dating, I had a feeling deep inside me that I could not shake, so I went to a jewelry store and picked out a ring that I knew Ryan would like. However, I decided to leave without it and wait patiently for him to ask in his own time. As the day wore on, that feeling would not go away, so I went back to the store and bought the ring. I then cooked Ryan a fantastic dinner, got down on one knee, and asked him to spend the rest of his life with me.
When did y’all get married? September 21, 2013
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? About 200
Did you decide to do a “first look”? Why or why not? We did decide to do a first look, and I am very happy that we did. I wanted to capture the moment Ryan first laid eyes on me, and what better way to do that than a first look?
Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. I did not want to walk down the aisle to the traditional wedding march. When I heard “A Thousand Years” by Christina Perri, I knew that was the song I wanted. However, I also wanted everyone to hear the beautiful words, so I asked my cousin to sing (with the piano and cello in the background) while my bridesmaids walked down the aisle, and when it was my turn, the piano and cello beautifully took over. I am a Beatles girl, so I could not walk back up the aisle without “All You Need is Love” playing. Our first dance was to Eric Clapton’s “Beautiful Tonight.” I just love that song, and thought it was the perfect song to dance to with my new husband. We also asked the band to to play “September” by Earth, Wind, and Fire. Since our wedding date was September 21, the lyrics were so perfect: “Do you remember the 21st night of September? Love was changing the minds of pretender while chasing the clouds away. Our hearts were ringing in the key that our souls were singing as we danced in the night, remember how the stars stole the night away.”
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: Having everyone there to celebrate the most special day of our lives with us. Our day would not have been as special without our friends and family by our side.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? I am a pretty laid back person, so I did not have many challenges. It definitely helped to have someone there to plan the wedding and get all of the details that I did not want to worry about together. I do not know what I would have done without Rae!
If you are comfortable responding, what range did your wedding budget fall into? $10,000-$25,000
What is the one detail or vendor that you were so happy to have as a part of your wedding? How can I pick just one detail? The whole day was full of details and our vendors did everything they could to make sure our day was the best. Le Rae Events did an amazing job moving an outdoor wedding inside, and created a beautiful aisle and backdrop. Leslie did a fantastic job capturing our precious moments of the day! I am so happy to of had them both by my side, creating and capturing my fairy tale.
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? Do not stress out over your day, because at the end of it, no matter what crazy situations may come, you will be married to the love of your life. Nothing other than that truly matters.
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you most looking forward to about married life? We are looking forward to becoming parents. We are expecting a little girl, and could not be happier. We can’t wait to raise our family and grow old together.

Photographer: Leslie Hollingsworth / Videographer: Sylvester Folks / Planning, Flowers, and Lighting: Le Rae Events and Design / Rentals and Linens: Brendle Rentals / Venue: The barn at Pisgah Hill / Cake Baker: Adam Nichols / Caterer: Red’s Little School House / Band: The Syndicate Band / Bride’s Gown: Allure / Bride’s Hair Accessories: Prattville Bridal Boutique / Hair and Makeup: Carmen Darden / Bride’s Shoes: Antonio Melani / Bridesmaid Dresses: ModCloth

Leslie Hollingsworth is a delightful member of our Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory!

Written with love by Lisa