Southern Weddings

Southern weddings can come in all kinds of shapes and sizes, from big ballroom weddings to kisses on the courthouse steps. It’s not the details that make a wedding Southern, but the people: their hospitality and their hearts. Throughout their wedding planning, Weldon and Dickie constantly reminded themselves that their wedding day was, most importantly, about their marriage. They chose a family friend’s beautiful navy barn to say their vows, and then forwent the traditional reception to celebrate their love with a BBQ dinner with their family and friends instead. To help keep costs down, they also enlisted friends and family to help with decor, borrowing plates and chairs after scouring yard sales and thrift shops. I’m sure what started as a money-saving idea turned into a sweet way to honor those around them!

Thanks to Love Be Photography for sharing this pretty day with us!

We got engaged on a very cold day in February. We went on the zip lining course at Red Mountain Park and were the only ones in the whole park (probably because of the frigid temperature!). On the last leg of the course, as I was in mid-air, I saw him on one knee and thought to myself, “Why are our guides going to make us get down on a knee?” Once I realized what was ACTUALLY happening, I was a little in shock (and a little numb from the cold), but of course, I said yes!

Did you decide to do a first look? Why or why not? We did. I was the one who wanted to see him before the ceremony, mainly because I knew I wouldn’t be able to go that long without seeing him on such an exciting day!

What made you choose your ceremony and reception venues? Did they have any special significance to you? We chose to have our ceremony at a family friend’s barn. They have been friends of ours forever and were so gracious to open up their home to us. Their navy barn was an ideal venue for our ceremony and dinner.
Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. I chose a variety of songs for our ceremony to represent what we like and to honor my family. I walked down the aisle to “Songbird” by Fleetwood Mac. Some other artists that made their way into the ceremony were Johnny Cash, Neil Diamond, and Mumford and Sons.

Did you have something borrowed, blue, old, and new? If so, do tell! Of course! Since we decided to only have a maid of honor and best man, I wanted to honor another dear friend of mine in some way, so I asked her to bring me something of hers to borrow. I ended up wearing one of her necklaces. My something blue was a heart sewn into my dress from a shirt of my husband’s sweet grandfather, who passed away a year before we got married. My something old was a penny I wore in my shoe that all brides in my family have walked down the aisle with. My something new was my super fancy Frye boots!

What was one way you saved money or cut costs at your wedding? I had so many images and ideas of what I wanted our wedding to look like, and I knew I had to communicate them clearly to my mom because she is SUPER thrifty. I wanted a collection of old chairs and plates at dinner, so we used what we had, asked friends, and searched yard sales and thrift stores! Saving money can be easy–you just have to get a little creative.

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. Dickie and I worked together at an Italian restaurant in Opelika. He was a kitchen manager and I was a hostess. We were celebrating a friend’s birthday one night and there happened to be karaoke. I sang some Backstreet Boys song with a group of girls and the rest is history.
When did y’all get married? September 21, 2014
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 40
Tell us about finding your wedding dress. I found my perfect dress at Bustle in Homewood. Meredith Carter consigns designer wedding gowns and helped me find a dress I typically would have turned my nose up to. My dress was a blush-colored tulle gown by Ivy and Aster.
Describe your wedding flowers. Perfect! The flowers were in the hands of my mom and maid of honor–I sent them a few pictures, and they created arrangements that were everything I had dreamed of.
Describe your wedding cake or dessert. Our cake was from Edgar’s Bakery. We went with strawberry AND red velvet cakes–we couldn’t decide, so we chose both!
What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? We didn’t have a traditional reception. Instead, we decided to celebrate with a BBQ dinner with our family and friends.
How did you plan for your marriage while planning your wedding? We did premarital counseling with a couple who is very near and dear to our hearts for a couple of months prior to the wedding day. We also constantly prayed for one another and our marriage.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? Reminding myself that while a wedding can be so beautiful, it is all about the marriage. I constantly had to remind myself of that while planning (especially when Dickie didn’t agree with me on details). Everything comes together!
If you are comfortable responding, what range did your wedding budget fall into? Less than $10,000
What is the one detail or vendor that you were so happy to have as a part of your wedding? PEWS! They were SO easy to work with and the pews were absolutely beautiful. They helped tie everything together.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? Marrying the sweetest man and having the best people in the world there with us celebrating.
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? Don’t forget that it is your husband’s day too. He gets an opinion and it counts just as much as yours.
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you most looking forward to about married life? Growing together. Every single day, we learn something new about each other.

Photographer: Love Be Photography / Cake Baker: Edgar’s Bakery / Band: Cooper Trent / Pews: P.E.W.S. / Bride’s Gown: Ivy and Aster / Bridal Salon: Bustle / Bride’s Accessories: Shalla Wista Studio / Hair and Makeup Artist: Kerri Bunn / Bride’s Shoes: Frye

Written with love by Marissa