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Monthly Archives: April 2014

A mountain hike, a car ride, and a breakfast-turned-lunch date were all it took for Annie and Tim to know that they had found something special in each other. While this may have made starting to date an easy decision for most people, they had to consider something unusual before committing to each other–the fact that they would have to be in a really long distance relationship. However, the oceans between Texas and Australia weren’t enough to separate these two, and their months of Skype dates and saving up for plane tickets most certainly paid off. I love the way they combined Southern traditions with favorite things about Australia at their wedding, and in turn, made their celebration completely unique to their amazing love story.

Hugs to our Blue Ribbon Vendor, Feather & Twine, for sharing this lovely day with us!

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. I lived and studied in Sydney, Australia for two years, but even though Tim and I had mutual friends and had been going to the same church the entire time I was there, we didn’t meet until six weeks before I left. Two of my friends invited me to go with them to the mountains, and we met up with some of their friends there, including Tim. I remember thinking he was really cute, but since I was moving home soon, I never imagined we would end up together. On the way home, my friend messed up the axle of the car, we ended up having to leave her car in the national park and ride home with the boys. The next day, Tim drove my two friends and I back to the park, so my friend could get her car towed and fixed. We spent the day together visiting little cafés and going to lookouts until the car was ready. Tim and I literally talked the entire way home, and he asked me to go to breakfast with him the next day so we could continue our conversation. After our first date, we became inseparable, and it took me all of two weeks to completely fall in love with him (which I kept to myself until after he told me he loved me three months later). A week before I moved home, Tim asked me to be his girlfriend, and I said yes, which was definitely one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. We dated long distance for 18 months and did five overseas visits, thousands of Skype calls and millions of text messages. Long distance is definitely challenging, but when two people want it to work, they will make it happen, even if that means spending all of their money on airfare or waking up super early to call each other.

My wedding flowers were amazing! My heart melted every time I looked at my bouquet. It was full of blush roses, anemones, berries, and sprigs of greenery. I wanted something beautiful with a little bit of an earthy feel to it. My bridesmaids’ bouquets were smaller versions of mine without the anemones, and with some brighter pink roses to ensure the bouquets didn’t blend in with their dresses.

Did you decide to do a “first look”? Why or why not? No, a first look wasn’t even an option for us–we both really wanted the moment I walked down the aisle to be the first time we saw each other on the day. It was so special. I’ll never forget his face when he saw me coming down the aisle, and I wouldn’t trade that moment for anything.

Tim and I share a faith in God, and we wanted our ceremony to reflect this. We started the ceremony with a prayer and a worship song. One of our friends, a pastor from Australia, spoke about the foundations needed for a strong and lasting marriage, and he read from Corinthians in the Bible. My dad, who is a pastor in Texas, led us through our vows and married us, which was really special for me. Before we closed the ceremony, my dad prayed over us and our families stood by us, symbolizing their support in our lives and marriage.

What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? Probably holding Tim’s hand during the ceremony while we were all singing a worship song together. I can’t explain how happy I felt–I was finally going to get to marry Tim, and I knew I was making the best decision of my life. Another great moment was during the cocktail hour when the bridal party drove five minutes away to a huge hayfield to take pictures, and we had so much fun. We ran around the field and were all laughing so hard. I am so glad we had that time with our best friends. Plus, the pictures turned out amazingly!

One of the elements that we really wanted our wedding to have was Southern hospitality. We wanted all of our Australian guests to experience how genuine, friendly, and fun Southerners are! The biggest way we incorporated the Southern traditions in the wedding was with our food. Tim and I LOVE Southern food, and for us, BBQ was a must–you can’t get more Southern than a good BBQ, and we had brisket, smoked chicken, sausage, potato salad, coleslaw, and beans. You can’t get BBQ like that anywhere in Sydney! We also did a pie bar to showcase Southern desserts. Our favors were homemade blackberry and fig jams that I made with my bridesmaids and a family friend. One fun element that we included was when we taught the bridal party a line dance at our rehearsal dinner, and we all performed it at the reception. Everyone joined in, and it was so much fun to see the two cultures come together.

Describe your wedding cake or dessert. Our wedding had a ridiculous amount of desserts. We love food and we wanted our guest to enjoy themselves! Our wedding cake was four layers–two layers of chocolate with raspberry filling, one layer of red velvet and cream cheese filling, and a layer of white cake with lemon filling, all covered in buttercream frosting. We also had a dessert table next to our cake table, which my sister and grandmother made most of the desserts for. They baked mini carrot cake cupcakes (my favorite), cookies in the shape of Australia, and milk and white chocolate covered pretzel sticks. A family friend also baked sweetie cookies for us and we brought over a suitcase full of Tim Tams (famous Australian cookies). At our dinner, we had a pie bar instead of cake, to add some Southern tradition to the day. This was one of my favorite things about the wedding because the pies were made from scratch by a local farm close to our venue, and most of the ingredients came straight from the farm itself. My mom and I had a blast going to the farm and taking home a ridiculous number of pies to taste. We chose seven flavors: coconut cream, apple, chocolate cream, lemon meringue, chocolate pecan, buttermilk, and strawberry cream.

Tell us all about the proposal! It was April 2nd and I hadn’t seen Tim since January 8th. I knew that he was coming to Texas to propose, but I expected him to come in March. He worked really hard to make sure I had no idea when he was coming, which was driving me crazy. He even gave his younger sister his phone so she could send me pre-recorded videos, pictures, and messages while he was flying overseas, because he knew that if I didn’t hear from him for a day, I would know he was coming. One of my best friends, Jamie, was getting married at my venue, Oakwind, in May, and asked me two weeks earlier to go to the venue and do a cake tasting with her because her fiancé had a meeting. I didn’t think a thing of this because I had been helping Jamie with lots of the details for her wedding. When we got to the venue, not only did we do a cake tasting, but we also went over almost every detail of her wedding. Little did I know, Jamie and Ann (the venue coordinator) were stalling for time because Tim’s flight had been canceled because of bad weather, and he miraculously got on a flight with another airline just in time. When we were finally done with the tasting, Jamie and I got into the car to drive back home when she started playing a CD from her car. I soon realized it was Tim’s voice coming through the car speakers. Tim had prerecorded himself telling me how much he loved me and how happy he was I was in his life. At the end of the recording, he said “If you want to continue on this journey with me, come and find me.” I jumped out of the car and ran all over the venue looking for Tim–it was about 9:00 at night and was raining. I ran into the barn, which was lit up with candles, lanterns, and fairy lights, and there he was. He got down on one knee and asked me to be his wife, and I said yes. Jamie and her fiancé, Joshua, came in and we all had champagne and cake together in the barn. It was absolutely perfect, and everyone was amazed they had pulled it off because so many things went wrong! The barn Tim proposed to me in is the same barn where we had our reception. It made the venue even more special for us!
When did y’all get married? February 15, 2014
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 150 for the ceremony, 100 for our private dinner
Tell us about finding your wedding dress. This was one of the most difficult things for me–I went to at least ten different bridal stores in Houston. My mom and I even drove all the way to Austin to try on what I thought were my dream dresses, but we still didn’t find the one. I couldn’t believe how picky I was, but I just had this idea of what I wanted in my head, and nothing was quite right. I was moving back to Australia in less than a month and I really wanted to find my dress before I left, so I was definitely praying! One morning, I woke up and decided to try again at a little bridal boutique just 20 minutes from where I live. When I walked into the boutique, the owner remembered me and said, “I think we have exactly what you were describing last time you were here–it just came in.” I tried on the dress, and honestly, all I felt was relief! It was perfect, and EXACTLY what I wanted.
Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line? We decided to say the traditional wedding vows, but we also wrote our own vows. I cried the entire time I wrote my vows–there is something so powerful about expressing your commitment for another person in words. I’m glad we did this because it made the ceremony especially personal for us. My favorite phrase from Tim’s vows was “Annie, I have fallen in love with you, and I make a commitment to myself to fall in love with you daily. I do not just say I do, but I choose to love you through everything.”
Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. We chose our songs together, which was a lot of fun. One of the best nights of my life was cuddling with Tim on the couch and looking for the perfect song for me to walk down the aisle to. We chose “Sun” by Sleeping At Last. Our families walked down the aisle to “Kingdom Come” by The Autumn Film, and up the aisle to “Best Day of My Life” by American Authors. Our first dance was to “I’ll Keep You Safe” by Sleeping At Last. We picked songs that we both loved that would help give the right “feel” to the day.
What was one way you saved money or cut costs at your wedding? The biggest way we did this was buying, borrowing, and doing a lot of the details ourselves. This means you have to plan more, but if you are on a tight budget, it’s definitely the way to go. My mom, grandmother, and I went to about twenty different resale and antique shops to get old tea cups and books for our afternoon tea tables. I also spray painted bird cages from my sister’s wedding for some of the tables. A friend who is a builder tracked down rustic doors and helped me build my photo booth, which looked amazing. Friends really helped us in huge ways.
What is the one detail or vendor that you were so happy to have as a part of your wedding? I am so happy that we chose to invest in great photography and videography. At first, I wasn’t so sure because it took up so much of our budget, but looking back, it is worth it! The day goes by so quickly and I am so happy that we have beautiful pictures and an amazing video to help us remember everything. Tim and I have watched our wedding video again and again, and we love our photos.
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? I guess the biggest piece of advice I can give is don’t compare your wedding to other weddings. Use blogs, Pinterest, and social media as tools for ideas–they are so helpful, but at the same time, appreciate that your wedding is unique, and you don’t have to have a live band or a five-course dinner for it to be wonderful. If you keep the mindset that the day is going to be perfect because you’re marrying the person you love, you will set yourself up for a win. Also, focus on building a strong marriage with your future husband, and really take time to prepare for your life together. Tim and I read books together, went to pre-marriage counseling, and set up a budget before we got married, which helped us grow as a couple during the engagement and set us up for our marriage.
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you most looking forward to about married life? So far, I am absolutely loving married life–it really is the best. Tim and I just moved to a cottage in the mountains of Sydney, Australia, and it’s absolutely perfect. There really is nothing like having your own place together. We are both working and studying and enjoying building a life together. I couldn’t imagine a more perfect person to do life with.

Photographer: Feather and Twine Photography / Videographer: LumaVista Productions / Venue and Catering: Oakwind Estates / Florist: The English Florist / Wedding Cake: Norma’s Cakes and Cookies / Pies: Froberg’s Farm / DJ: The DarKer Side DJ / Bride’s Gown: “Jasmine” by Wtoo / Bride’s Earrings: Valentino / Hair Stylist: Erica at Urban Eve / Makeup Artist: Lily Doyle / Bride’s Shoes: Antonio Melani / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: “Knife Pleated Maxi” in Peach by Victoria’s Secret / Groom’s Attire: SABA / Groomsmen’s Ties: Calvin Klein

Feather & Twine is a delightful member of our Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory!

lisa Written with love by Lisa
7 Comments
  1. avatar Sera Petras reply

    Such a lovely wedding! I love all the soft colors and sweet details. The bouquet shot is amazing!

  2. avatar LEE reply

    OMG what a beautiful wedding!

  3. avatar Olivia Fischer reply

    Beautiful location and Photography !!

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Beer, wine, lemonade, mint juleps, punch, and yes, sweet tea – you’d expect to find any of them at a Southern wedding reception. But a sweet tea bar? Well, that’s a new one on us! When Ginny from Sleepy Fox Photography emailed to tell us about a new tea company catering to weddings that just popped up in Huntsville, Alabama, we knew we had to share. Hugs to Ginny and White Rabbit Studios for these photos of Piper & Leaf!

Connor, his sister Brigette, and her husband Caleb, unified by a common dream of helping turn Huntsville into a town overflowing with art and beauty, decided to open a farmer’s market booth selling compost. Yep, compost! Tea was thrown in as an afterthought, but it was what sold out their first day (while the compost was left untouched). They quickly became a part of almost every local farmers market, were introduced into local shops, opened an online store, and began selling at nearby shopping malls.

We were most excited to hear about their Artisan Tea Bars for weddings and events, which offer a ritzy, non-alcoholic, and economical alternative to the standard bar package. The experience begins with a personalized tea tasting with a Piper & Leaf sommelier to help you choose your flavors (they can even custom blend flavors for the occasion!) and serving options. The look of the bar can be customized to blend with everything from a black tie affair to a down home bash, and each guest gets a customized glass bottle or jar to take home as a keepsake! Alabama couples can find more details here.

From Piper & Leaf: We’re a family who loves working together, creating community, growing local, and serving delicious tea. Our custom, locally blended teas are created with local herbs and fruits that we grow, pick, forage, or attain from other farmers and friends and mixed with heaping doses of happiness and love. Piper & Leaf Gardens is the unique taste of Alabama in a cup (or jar) of tea.

Will y’all be serving sweet tea at your weddings?

emily Written with love by Emily
9 Comments
  1. avatar Erin reply

    What an amazing idea. Sweet tea for life!!!

  2. avatar Lisa reply

    Love this idea and the story behind their company!

  3. avatar Sally reply

    They grow their own herbs and make custom tea blends? And serve in Mason Jars!?! That is amazing! I love this idea!

  4. avatar Tiffany reply

    That pallet bar is AMAZING! It sounds like a wonderful family. I love the pics. Those puppies are too cute!

  5. avatar Meridith reply

    That family is terrific! I love them!

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    […] We celebrated Kristin’s birthday with a social media party! How fun would a wedding sweet tea bar be? Emily shared her experience at the beautiful Zero George Street on the Honey List. Our dear […]

  7. avatar Hannah reply

    It’s so cool to see a local vendor from my hometown on here! We have already booked Piper & Leaf to have a tea bar at our wedding and we are so excited!

  8. avatar Brown belted jacket for rider reply

    i think you rock the party guyz..awesome place for party..

  9. avatar Piper & Leaf Tea Co. Giveaway | RKC Southern reply

    […] they have been in existence, Piper & Leaf has been featured by the likes of Southern Living, Southern Weddings and Al.com, as well has having been a food finalist for the 2014 Martha Stewart American Made […]

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I always know it’s going to be a great Real Wedding when I get an email from Miss Lisa while she’s prepping it, saying how much I’m going to love it. Boy, was she right! Lisa and I both fell in love with not only the beauty of Christina and Tyler’s wedding, but also, their adorable personalities and acute focus on creating an intimate wedding with a feeling so special that it’s palpable even to their future grandchildren. After quite the long courtship, these two absolutely knew they were meant to spend the rest of their lives together and reflected this throughout their day. They worked with their wedding planner, From This Day Forward, to combine old South with a splash of couture. Right up my alley!

Obviously, Christina’s top knot and tulle ball gown rock my world, but that’s not what truly makes this wedding hit the nail on the head–it’s the heart behind each detail. While glamorous accessories are oh-so-pretty, like Christina said “those perfect little blue heels may have been cute, but family heirlooms last forever.” Amen!

Big SW hugs to Ariel Renae for sharing this sparkly day with us!

It took me four states, eight bridal boutiques, and countless dresses before I found the one. When I would imagine myself on our wedding day, the same thought always came to mind: that perfect little church and Tyler standing at the end of the aisle after the church doors opened. I wasn’t choosing my dress based on the look of our wedding, our reception location, or anything else. All I was concerned about were those few seconds of Tyler watching me walk towards him. Because we had already been together for so long and he had already seen me in countless dresses, I was determined to find something grand–the type of dress that I would never get the opportunity to wear again. Friends and family members were all pushing for me to choose a mermaid gown, but I had something else in mind. I wanted vintage, yet modern–the type of dress my daughter would one day want to wear. I found that in my Vera Wang. I fell in love with the combination of lace and tulle, but it was the structure of the dress that had me sold. Not to mention, Tyler had stated in years passing that he envisioned me in a ball gown with my hair up… so that is exactly what I gave him.

Did you have something borrowed, blue, old, and new? If so, do tell! Yes, my something blue ended up being very special. Leading up to the wedding, my sister and I fell in love with these royal blue suede heels, so I decided to make them my something blue. However, what I didn’t realize was that Tyler’s mom had a very meaningful gift waiting for me in Savannah. The morning before our wedding, she handed me a ring box. In the box was a flawless blue sapphire ring that was previously worn by Tyler’s nanny. Tyler’s nanny was was his world, and unfortunately, God decided to take her sooner than we would have liked. It was such a sweet surprise and an honor to wear that ring on my wedding day. Tyler’s mom said that before she passed away, Tyler’s nanny told her to give the ring to Tyler’s bride. I can’t wait to continue the tradition and one day be able to hand over the ring to my new daughter-in-law. Those perfect little blue heels may have been cute, but family heirlooms last forever.

What made you choose your ceremony and reception venues? Did they have any special significance to you? At first, picking a wedding location seemed like a daunting task. Since I was born and raised in Virginia, we both went to high school and college in Georgia, and we’ve both been living in Florida for the last five years, we really had the entire South to choose from. However, it ended up being one of the easiest decisions for us to make when we started planning our wedding. I had spent months researching churches across the East Coast, and I just so happened to stumble upon Whitefield Chapel. We decided to make a trip up to Savannah to see it in person, and it was love at first sight. We both instantly knew we were meant to wed there.

Too funny!

Describe your wedding flowers. Because I loved the idea of mixing the old South with a splash of couture, I really wanted to pair the look of loose, garden flowers with the glitz and glamour that went with my bridesmaid gowns. I knew I wanted all white blooms, lots of greenery, and lots of texture, to create a Lowcountry feel. My two favorite floral pieces were the garland attached to the back bumper of our vintage Bentley, and my flower crown that the ladies of A to Zinnias constructed for our rehearsal dinner. Simply stunning.

Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line? Nope, Team Traditional Vows all the way.
What readings, if any, did you have at your ceremony? 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. You can even find this verse written on an old particle board hanging in our living room. Whenever one of us is quick to have a temper, the rule is you must stand in front of the sign and read the entire verse out loud for the other to hear. What may have started out as a joke has turned out to be very conducive.

Our favorite detail of the wedding was: From Christina: I really can’t choose just one. I love how we provided the trolley service for our guests, so they wouldn’t have to worry about a thing. I also loved our welcome bags, which included Georgia pecans, glass bottles of coke with Crown Royal, and vintage Savannah postcards. I would guess Tyler’s favorite detail was his dance moves. From Tyler: My favorite detail was the chalkboard sign at the entrance of the chapel that my wife made for me.

Now that is some serious Blue Steel, Mr. Tatum – work!

What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? By far, my favorite detail of the wedding was displaying our moms’ wedding dresses for all of our guests to see. My mom had found the perfect vintage dress forms online and they went beautifully with the architecture and style of our reception space. Also, instead of using a typical guest book, we decided to use quilt patches that my great-grandmother had sewn decades ago. What better way to remember our wedding guests than by reading their messages on a family heirloom that’s been passed down three generations?

We LOVE seeing how real couples incorporate products from the Southern Weddings Shop into their own weddings!

Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. Our first dance was to Adele’s version of “Make You Feel My Love.” That song is so special to us because it really connects with what we’ve gone through and endured in our relationship over the last ten years. “There’s no doubt in my mind where you belong…” is probably my favorite line, but I’m pretty sure I whispered every word of the entire song in Tyler’s ear during our first dance.

Our guests came from far and wide to attend our Southern-themed Georgia wedding, so it was only fitting that we offered Georgia peach cake with peach buttercream icing. Yum! In recognition of my daily pumpkin coffee, we also offered a pumpkin cake with cream cheese icing–my favorite! When choosing the design of our cake, I was thinking big picture. I knew I wanted to surround our cake with vintage family photos of our loved ones on their wedding days. I had also found the perfect swans to include in the mix, along with a gorgeous calligraphy piece from the Southern Weddings Shop that I had custom framed. When it came time to design the actual cake, I knew I wanted something simple and chic. Tier Luxury Cakes really came through with that understated elegant look I was going for.

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. Do you have all day? No, but in all seriousness, our love story has been a beautiful mess. It’s definitely not the easiest thing meeting your future husband at the age of 18, yet somehow, we managed to stay together through growing up and finding ourselves. Our story began in the summer of 2004, when we were in our first year at different colleges, after we both graduated from the same high school the year before. Over the next ten years, through butterflies, heartbreaks, deaths, moves, and new adventures, we learned that God definitely used us to shape who the other is today. Moral of the story, trust the man above…especially when he sends a cute boy your way.
Tell us all about the proposal! In the years leading up to the proposal, I had always asked that if he did propose, do it at anytime EXCEPT right before the bar exam. Well, we’re all Southern ladies here, so you can probably predict what happened next…I was finishing up my final semester in law school, gearing up for the bar exam, when Tyler decided it was the perfect time to pop the question. Because my birthday always fell during exams, our tradition was to spend it in the library, cupcakes in hand. For this particular birthday, Tyler kept begging me to spend the night away from my books, and instead, go with him to a special dinner. Little did I know that he had arranged for a private room at Capital Grill with special service, flowers, wine–the whole nine yards. He had even put together a special video filled with our closest friends and family wishing me a happy birthday, which would then lead to the proposal. However, due to my very stubborn and overachieving ways, I refused to celebrate my birthday and insisted that I spend that time studying. To this day, after all of his preparation, I will never understand how Tyler refrained from dragging me to dinner with him. But, he didn’t force me, and things always have a funny way of working out, because although his plan seemed perfect, it may have been too perfect for us. We enjoy the simple things in life–we love our beach bungalow, our chocolate lab, and pedaling the day away on our beach cruisers. He proposed on the beach, early the next morning during sunrise, with Marley, our beloved lab, right by his side. It couldn’t have been more “us.” I then started the grueling process of bar prep with one very large distraction sitting on my left hand, while having learned my first lesson as a newly engaged woman: boys never listen.
When did y’all get married? November 16, 2013
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 60
Did you decide to do a “first look”? Why or why not? You couldn’t have paid us to do a first look. We consider ourselves very traditional when it comes to family and lifetime moments, and after waiting ten years for this occasion, there would be no spoiling it.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? Oh goodness, probably when I found out that the church had double booked us, which led to us switching reception venues. Or when my bridal suite, a week before the wedding, said that they had scheduled us for the wrong weekend and we no longer had a reservation. Moral of the story, expect at least three meltdowns. Maybe four.
If you are comfortable responding, what range did your wedding budget fall into? $25,000-$50,000
What was one way you saved money or cut costs at your wedding? We definitely saved money by having an intimate wedding. It was important to us to only have our closest friends and family members in attendance and we wouldn’t have changed that for the world.
What is the one detail or vendor that you were so happy to have as a part of your wedding? I could rave about all of our vendors because they were ALL amazing. However, I had spent months and months searching for the perfect photographer and it really paid off. I remember the night that I discovered Ariel’s work. It took me three hours just to draft our initial email to see if she’d be interested in shooting our wedding… I was convinced that she’d never choose us. To my surprise, she called me the next day and was by far one of the coolest people I had ever met. Thanks to Ariel, we now have gorgeous shots from our engagement shoot, rehearsal dinner, and of course, our entire wedding day. I’ll treasure them forever and I’m counting down the days until I get to show them to our children. It’s going to be awesome.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? From Tyler: My most memorable moment from the wedding was standing next to my best friends, seeing my family and friends in the crowd, and hearing Canon in D start playing and the doors opening to my beautiful bride! I’m not an emotional guy at all, but it was so hard to fight back the tears in that moment. It was the happiest I’ve ever been in my life. I have played guitar for 16 years and always loved that song, but now, every time I hear and play it, I think of that moment and how excited I felt to marry my best friend. She looked absolutely gorgeous and when those doors opened and I saw her for the first time, she could not have looked any more perfect.
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? This day is all about you and your future spouse. But, it’s also about your future children, their children, and so on. Therefore, plan your day with the intentions of capturing that special feeling that even your grandchildren will be able to experience through photos alone.
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you most looking forward to about married life? Lots of children and lots of laughter.
Is there anything else you’d like to share about your wedding? It was awesome. You should have been there.

Photographer: Ariel Renae Photography / Planner: Weddings From This Day Forward / Ceremony Venue: Whitefield Chapel / Reception Venue: Garibaldi’s Cafe / Florist: A to Zinnias / Wedding Cake: Tier Luxury Cakes / Rentals: Savannah Special Events /  DJ: DJ Nick Fresh / Bride’s Gown: Vera Wang / Paper Products & Calligraphy: Lowcountry Paper Co / Hair Stylist: Salon Aqua / Makeup Artist: Lauren Rossi Makeup / Bride’s Shoes: BCBG / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Badgley Mischka via Rent the Runway / Groom’s Attire: Calvin Klein  / Groomsmen Attire: Mens Wearhouse / Vintage Stamps: Verde Studio / Welcome Bags: Pressed Cotton / Ampersand Coasters: Redbirdink / Gold Glitter Drink Stirrers: dillpicklepicnic / Flower Petal Bags: Howjoyfulshop

marissa Written with love by Marissa
36 Comments
  1. avatar ariel renae reply

    This was one of my favorite weddings of the year! Such a beautiful day! Thanks for the feature!

  2. avatar Lisa reply

    Seriously, I just love them! They did such an amazing job staying focused on what really matters, and that love and thoughtfulness is so evident in their wedding pictures!

  3. avatar Kat reply

    Oh I LOVE the dress she picked! And that cake table is stunning! Such a gorgeous & classy wedding!!

  4. avatar Aly reply

    This wedding is absolutely beautiful. I love the sparkly bridesmaid dresses, and every detail seems to have been thought of. And the bride? So chic and elegant.

  5. avatar Kathryn reply

    Those bridesmaid dresses are truly stunning… as is the glowing bride. Not only do I feel a kinship, in that I too will be sporting Ms. Wang come September – but the moment I saw that Spanish moss coming off those Live Oaks I knew immediately that was where I’ve called home for the last 5 years; sweet Savannah :) Not to mention I’ll be celebrating my birthday/graduation at Garibaldi’s cafe come the end of next month – and by the looks of it, I definitely have something to look forward to!

  6. avatar Emily reply

    SUCH a beautiful wedding, inside and out! I love how she describes/thinks about her wedding photos in relation to her future kids! :)

  7. avatar Erin | Elizabeth Anne Designs reply

    LOVE the sparkly bridesmaids dresses and the gold details throughout….absolutely stunning!

  8. avatar Southern Weddings Weekly Round-Up – Southern Weddings Magazine reply

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  9. avatar Abby reply

    Hello! This wedding is exactly what I want in my own this fall. Could the bride possibly say how the experience with renting the bridesmaid’s dresses was? I am considering Rent The Runway for my girls and these are THE dresses I love! Thank you!! -Abby

    • avatar Christina reply

      Hi Abby!! I’ll admit, it was a very risky move on my part, but it turned out better than I could have ever hoped! I just suggest doing your homework, speaking with the ladies at RTR, making sure that all of your girls are ordering the right sizes based on the reviews of other girls who have their same body type, and triple check that the address and orders are correct in the RTR system. If all fails, just remember that RTR can over night you a different size if needed, that is if it is in stock. So long story short, call RTR and discuss your ideas and wishes for your girl’s dresses and they should be able to lead you in the right direction. Hope this helps and wishing you a beautiful wedding!

    • avatar Jen reply

      I realize I’m a little late to the game on this wedding, but I just HAD to comment. What a stunner — in every way, you can really see the love. I so appreciate that the couple stayed focused on what really matters and stuck to their traditions. So beautiful!!

      The bridesmaid dresses are breathtaking and I would love for my MOH to wear that dress for my upcoming wedding, was just curious if the dress was the gold or blush version (both are available on RTR — eek!)? It is so hard to tell from pics and I want to be sure! Many thanks!!!

    • avatar Abigail reply

      I have the same question! I have been trying to figure it out for a few hours now haha :)!

    • avatar Abigail reply

      Hi Christina! I love your bridesmaid dresses! I am considering doing the same look for my bridesmaids but I’m just wondering which color dress your girls are wearing— the gold or the more blush-y colored one!? Would you mind letting me know? :)

      https://www.renttherunway.com/shop/designers/badgley_mischka/night_at_the_oscars_gown

      https://www.renttherunway.com/shop/designers/badgleymischka_dresses/awardwinnergown

  10. avatar Christina reply

    Still in awe that our wedding was featured on THE Southern Weddings! Thank you so much to everyone for the sweet comments and hope everyone has a blessed day!

    xoxo MRS. Tatum :)

  11. avatar Melanie Thomas reply

    What Material are the brides maids dresses

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  14. avatar marcia reply

    Where are the gold bridesmaid dresses from? so pretty

  15. avatar Amanda reply

    Wow!! This bride is beautiful and I feel like this entire wedding is my inspiration. Any idea where the bridesmaid dresses are from? Love it all!! Fantastic shots

    • avatar Lisa reply

      Hi Amanda! The bridesmaid dresses are Badgley Mischka from Rent the Runway :)

  16. avatar Sara reply

    Love this Vera wang gown. Do you know the name of the gown? I tried on a really similar one but the top of this one looks different. Thanks!

  17. avatar Emily reply

    Gorgeous!!

  18. avatar Claudia Hernandez reply

    Hello, I hope you are well.
    Please would you let me know where did you found your bridesmaids dresses?

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  22. avatar Sharon reply

    Hi! I’m planning a Southern GA wedding & would love to know where you got the koozies from

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  26. avatar Crystal reply

    You had an amazingly beautiful wedding where oh where did you find the bridesmaid dresses!?

  27. avatar Megan reply

    Where did you get your bridesmaids dresses!? My friend is getting married soon and she loves them!

  28. avatar Boho Pins: Top 10 Pins of the Week from Pinterest – Bridesmaids – Boho Weddings™ For the Boho Luxe Bride reply

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