Google+ August 2014 - Southern Weddings

Southern Weddings

Monthly Archives: August 2014

You know those love stories that stop you in your tracks? The opportunity to share those stories–the ones that make our hearts leap, make us hopeful, and remind us that love never fails–is one of the greatest privileges of working at Southern Weddings. Our friend Katie of Thomas Nelson (where Lara’s book is being published) has one of those stories, and we were so grateful for the advice she shared with us in V6. She recently shared even more of her love story on Real Simple, and I highly encourage y’all to take a few minutes over your coffee this morning to give it a read!

Gray Photography

My husband suffered a spinal cord injury a decade before we met, leaving him wheelchair-bound and meaning that I would be a spousal caregiver from day one. While we were dating, we established a reciprocal rule of communication: Bryce has to ask for help when he needs it, and I have to ask questions when I don’t understand aspects of his care and abilities. Our natural tendencies often steer us in the opposite directions–he’s a strong, kind-hearted man who wants to do as much as possible for himself and for me, and I’m a strong-willed, independent woman who wants to believe that I’ve “got this” with little help or explanation. But that’s not what God intended marriage to look like, for us or for anyone. Giving over to that vulnerability is hard, but it’s beautiful. The moments I’ve felt closest to my amazing husband are those marked by some of the hardest circumstances, when we simply surrender, admitting to each other and to our loving God that we cannot rely on our own strength. Oh, and my sweet hubby adds this nugget of marriage wisdom: “You don’t need separate sinks; you need separate bathrooms. Period.” True story!

Dove Wedding Photography

lisa Written with love by Lisa
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  1. avatar Sweet Tea Sundays No. 44 – Southern Weddings Magazine reply

    […] of advice on the Southern Weddings blog this year. We reached out to Kitti Murray at our friend Katie‘s suggestion, and when we read Kitti’s words of wisdom, we were so overjoyed that we […]

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Southern Weddings Weekly Round-Up

by in Main on

Though it makes me a little sad to think of summer winding down (I still have a handful of Southern doin’s to complete before September 21!), the start of college football is making me much more excited for fall! I know I’ll be sporting burnt orange all weekend in support of my alma mater, and I’m willing to bet that the entire Kloess clan will be decked out in crimson. We’d love to know, which team do you root for? Stay tuned for some of our favorite Southern collegiate-inspired wedding details coming up in the weeks ahead!

See more from this engagement session by Colorbox Photographers on our Facebook page!

In case you missed it this week…

The mission of Southern Weddings drives all that we do–read about what it means to each of us here.

Whitney and Nick‘s Charleston wedding was sweet and meaningful–we love the way they honored their family.
Ali and Matt may have been married in December, but their glamorous wedding was absolutely timeless.
Caitlin and Sam let the beauty of their South Carolina venue shine at their outdoor plantation wedding.
Victoria and Marcus‘ outdoor wedding plans were rained out, but the end result was better than they had imagined.

Don’t forget!

We are so excited to be throwing a wedding with Southern Living!! Yes, a real wedding, complete with a lovely couple, their friends and family, and traditions and details that are meaningful to them personally. We are looking forward to sharing every step of the process with y’all, with the help of the amazing vendors we’ll be working with to bring this day to life, but first, we need our bride and groom! Learn how to nominate yourself or a deserving couple here.

Have a fantastic Labor Day weekend!

lisa Written with love by Lisa
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Events that are beautiful and elegant, but also approachable and stress-free, may sound like an oxymoron, but as Jenny Steffens Hobick demonstrates time and time again on her inspiring blog, Everyday Occasions, with a little bit of planning and a big dose of Southern hospitality, they are absolutely doable. The Southern Weddings gals all share a love for celebrations, so it’s no surprise that Jenny’s thoughtful approach to entertaining and meal planning is a favorite of ours. We are so grateful that she shared her story with us, as well as the recipes that she and her adorable family gravitate toward again and again!

By day: I am the owner of Everyday Occasions by Jenny Steffens Hobick, a home entertaining blog and online store. Mike works in commercial real estate for a real estate investment trust.

How they met: We met and became friends in college. After college, we had both moved to the same city and were in the same very close circle of friends. After becoming even better friends, we started dating a year later.

Their wedding: About six months after we started dating, Mike took me to Seaside, Florida for my birthday. Three years later, we were engaged, and decided Seaside would be the perfect place for a destination wedding. It was our favorite place in the world and we wanted to share it with our closest family and friends. We were married on the front lawn of a grand house in Seaside, and our guests watched the ceremony from the large porches. We had long tables set for dinner in the backyard under lanterns. Our colors were ivory, pale blue, light gray, and navy.

Jenny Steffens Hobick

Meal planning: Since I am a food and home entertaining blogger, the kitchen is my domain. I do ask him what he’s in the mood for for dinner, but we have a running joke that his suggestion is always either steak and baked potatoes, or tacos. Such a typical guy!

The cooking: I do all of the cooking with the help of our two-year-old daughter, Emma. She is a great help washing the veggies and baking treats for her dad! Mike is in charge of the dishes, which he is much better at than I am!

Favorite meal-related memory: Our favorite meal of all time was on our honeymoon in Florence, Italy. It was our last night there, so we splurged on a very fancy dinner, where we discovered white truffles with homemade pasta and Brunello wine. That meal has inspired so many hands-on homemade pasta dinners at home, as well as special dinners out.

Jenny Steffens Hobick

Top ten favorite recipes:

1. White Truffles with Homemade Pasta and Seared Filets: This is our favorite “fancy dinner”–we make it for our anniversary, birthdays, and other celebrations.

2. Braised Beef and Italian Vegetable Stew: This is my favorite cold weather entertaining recipe. It is an elegant and indulgent beef stew that everyone loves.

3. Spaghetti and Homemade Meatballs: We fix spaghetti and meatballs almost every Sunday night–it is our go-to comfort dinner.

4. Korean Beef Tacos with Mango Cilantro Slaw: Mike is a huge taco fan. These are our new favorite from Tessa’s blog…also my favorite :)

5. Rustic Penne Shrimp Pasta in a Parmesan and Red Pepper Cream Sauce: This is a great make-ahead recipe for entertaining. I make it in individual bowls for an elegant presentation.

6. Shrimp Scampi and Linguine: Simple and elegant–one of my favorite recipes for an easy dinner party.

7. Tomato and Goat Cheese Salad: I’m obsessed with this salad right now–which is saying a lot, because I’m not a salad person. There is so much going on with it, from the creamy goat cheese, to the heirloom tomatoes, to the crunchy marcona almonds.

8. Slow-Roasted Filet of Beef: A staple for us around the holidays–this recipe tastes luxurious and feeds a large group. You’ll be shocked by how easy it is to prepare!

9. Cranberry Orange Scones: We make these almost every weekend. They take about five minutes to stir together and fifteen to cook–much quicker than a run for donuts!

10. White Pizzas With Arugula: The Barefoot Contessa is my ultimate recipe resource–her food is just so good. I love these goat cheese pizzas with arugula. Emma loves homemade pizza night, too!

We’re so grateful to Jenny for sharing her family’s favorite meals with us! Be sure to follow along with Jenny on her blog, Everyday Occasions by Jenny Steffens Hobick.

P.S. We’d love to hear from you! Our hope is to feature REAL couples in the South – your inspiring friend, super talented cousin, or neighbor with the cutest house – the kind of person everyone would love to “e-meet.” If that sounds like you or someone you know, take a peek at our Southern Newlywed submission page and shoot us an email!

lisa Written with love by Lisa
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  1. avatar Jenny Steffens Hobick reply

    Thanks so much for sharing my story and favorite recipes! I enjoy your site so much – lots of great inspiration!

    Best,
    Jenny

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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