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Monthly Archives: May 2015

Hi friends! Welcome back to Southern Weddings TV! This week we’re sharing a few of the best craft supplies we rounded up for appendix of the Southern Weddings Planner. To see them, you can purchase your own copy right here!

You may notice that this week’s episode is a little more casual than some we’ve done in the past. While we’ve always been excited to bring you great information and inspiration on this new platform, we realized that rehearsing and producing and just worrying a bit too much about how everything was being presented was slowing us down and holding us back from putting out more frequent videos. “Done is better than perfect” is a favorite phrase of Lara’s, and we decided to embrace it for SWTV. We hope you love this casual, real peek into the editorial wing, and that the content is helpful!

We’d love to answer YOUR questions on future episodes, so if there’s anything you’re wondering at all, even if it seems small or very specific to you, we’d love to hear! Leave your question in the comments and we’ll get to it in a future video.

emily Written with love by Emily
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Y’all know we absolutely love when couples incorporate meaningful details into their celebrations. We also love when those details are deeply rooted in Southern culture! Jen and Alan’s beautiful day wasn’t lacking of either, from the big oak tress adorned with heaps of Spanish moss, to one of Jen’s favorites, the magnolia garland. Jen and Alan even served boiled peanuts at their cocktail hour as a nod to a road trip when Jen had introduced Alan to the yumminess of this roadside treat! What could easily be passed over as just another fun detail to check off the list became something truly special. That’s what wedding details should be all about–taking the small things that hold meaning to you as a couple, and sharing them with the ones you love. Who knew something as simple as peanuts could become so memorable?

We’re so thankful to Blue Ribbon Vendor Michelle March for sharing this pretty day!

P.S. Fun fact: Michelle also shot my darling EK’s newborn session!

Our ceremony and reception were at the same venue, Phillippi Estate Park in Sarasota, Florida. In spite of our 100+ guest list, we wanted an intimate outdoor wedding and a reception under a canopy of trees and lights. Although this venue typically rents out the gorgeous historic mansion located on the property, I happened to walk by a secluded, shaded area under a large oak tree adorned with heaps of Spanish moss. It was love at first sight. Unfortunately, the park’s event coordinator informed us that the spot I had fallen in love with was not part of the area available for events. We waited patiently and found out a few weeks later that for an extra fee, we would be able to incorporate this beautiful space into our ceremony. She mentioned that it might need some cleaning up because it was completely wild, overgrown, and natural but those were the exact qualities that initially drew me to the area!

Describe your wedding flowers. I had my heart set on a cascading bouquet with greenery spilling out of it. Choosing our flowers was probably one of the most enjoyable aspects of wedding planning for me. Mary was so generous with her time, sitting down and really listening to what I envisioned for our wedding. Our bridal bouquets consisted of tulips, ranunculus, roses, carnations, seeded eucalyptus, ivy, and sword fern. Our wedding flowers also included a whole lot of greenery and garlands. I’m a huge sucker for magnolia, which was at the top of my “want” list, but we simply couldn’t afford it. On our wedding day, Mary surprised us with a magnolia garland, which were hung throughout the ceremony and reception. I was absolutely stunned! It was the sweetest gesture and I can never thank her enough.

Alan’s most memorable moment about our wedding day was when he saw me walking towards him with my dad. He says he couldn’t take his eyes off me or stop smiling. Since he didn’t want to do a first look, Alan says this was one of the most special moments of the day to him! The recessional was also one of my most memorable moments from our wedding day. Turning around to see all of the smiling (and some crying) faces of our guests just made me feel so special and grateful to be entering our marriage with the support of an amazing community of family and friends, near and far.

Tell us about finding your wedding dress. Throughout the engagement (and let’s be honest, we could probably go back a few months before the proposal), I found myself inspired by soft, flowing fabric and light hints of texture. I knew that the vision I had for my dress did not fit the mold of your traditional/classic wedding dress, so the thought of walking into multiple bridal salons seemed incredibly intimidating at the time. Luckily for me, I found my wedding dress buried in the clearance of all clearance sections at Macy’s. Can you believe it?! Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a simple, nude, floor-length gown poking out amidst the rows of disheveled hangers, and decided to try it on. It couldn’t hurt, right? I honestly didn’t love my dress right away, at least not in its original form. Instead, I had a pretty clear vision of what the dress could look like for our wedding day, so I went with it. I worked with an amazingly talented seamstress who specializes in bridal wear. We met several times and discussed various fit and design modifications. She managed to transform my clearance Macy’s dress into a one-of-a-kind, straight-out-of-my imagination wedding dress!

We included quite a few Southern details in our celebration, especially in the food we served. We loved the idea of barbecue and family-style dining, so we had several banquet tables pushed together to create long rows of tables for our guests. A few summers ago, Alan and I went on our first road trip together to Savannah, Georgia and Beaufort, South Carolina. On our way up there, we stopped at a boiled peanut stand, because he had never actually tried them before! We love making each other try new things, especially if it’s something we really love, and boiled peanuts are my favorite. Alan was pretty hesitant at first, but when I woke up from my nap, I noticed he had eaten the entire bag! Naturally, boiled peanuts (both regular and Cajun) made an appearance on our cocktail hour menu, served in small gold scalloped cups. I’m pretty sure I stole at least one cup before the introductions! We also served local honey from Pure Florida Apiary to go with the biscuits and jam for our cocktail hour. Our wedding favors were mini pies in various flavors, which we boxed individually the day before.

What was one way you saved money or cut costs at your wedding? While most people rent items like tablecloths and napkins for their reception, we decided to purchase instead, because we were able to buy them at a lower cost than it was to rent them. Our napkins were actually tea towels from Ikea, so we now have a lifetime supply of tea towels for our kitchen, our kids’ kitchens, and our grandkids’ kitchens! The table we used to display the wine and bread for communion, as well as our welcome table, are both mine from home. We tried our best to be creative and resourceful with the ways we cut costs at our wedding!

How did you plan for your marriage while planning your wedding? Lots of prayer, reading, and conversation about everything we could possibly anticipate. I don’t think anyone ever feels 100 percent prepared for marriage, and we realized that there are going to be circumstances that we won’t be able to plan for or anticipate. Our understanding of marriage is that we must always seek each other for support and accountability, and whether it is a time of growing or harvesting, lean on the Lord throughout all seasons of our life together.

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. Alan and I met about five years ago when we both lived in Boston. We were introduced by one of my closest friends at her housewarming party. I was moving back home to Florida in just a couple months to start graduate school, so timing wasn’t quite on our side. We went on a few dates and kept in touch when I left, but neither of us wanted to admit our feelings for each other, especially since we now lived over a thousand miles away. Being brave with your feelings can be so scary! We didn’t see each other again until the following year when I spent a long weekend back in Boston. I remember feeling so nervous the night of a party because I knew Alan was going to be there. I changed outfits about a million times, and when I finally saw him, I couldn’t stop smiling. This night will always be close to my heart. We climbed through a window, sat on the roof, and just talked and laughed until we cried. I can remember that sweet and comforting awareness that I had finally met my person. I felt content in his presence and so full of gratitude to be right where I was.
Tell us all about the proposal! It was a Sunday afternoon and I had just gotten off work from the hospital. Clearly, I had no idea a proposal was in store for me because when he arrived at my doorstep that evening, I welcomed him in all of my hospital-clad glory: scrubs and sneakers with my hair in a tangled mess. Little did I know, he had just spent the afternoon hanging out with my dad, asking for his blessing, and preparing for the night! Instead of letting me get my way (which would have meant a night in with take-out and a movie), he politely asked me to get ready and reasoned that this might be our only chance for a date night anytime soon, since at the time, we worked completely opposite schedules. Before I had a chance to turn towards my room, Alan grabbed both of my hands with the biggest smile on his face and… just stood there. I remember thinking to myself, “Wow. What a weirdo.” After several seconds of seemingly innocent, but sort of creepy, smiling and hand holding, my thoughts slowly caught on to what was going on and progressed to “No way. This must be a joke!” No one loves a good practical joke as much Alan does, so I couldn’t tell if this was one of them until he got down on one knee with the most beautiful ring I have ever seen in my entire life. I’m pretty sure I blurted out “yes” before he had a chance to finish proposing! We spent the evening celebrating with my parents at the same restaurant that catered our barbecue dinner for our wedding. It was perfect. I still can’t believe he chose me.
When did y’all get married? February 20, 2015
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? About 150
Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line? Since some of our wedding details were nontraditional, we decided to stick to the traditional vows. It really calmed our nerves knowing that most people can’t mess up saying “I do!”
What readings, if any, did you have at your ceremony? For our ceremony, a close friend, who was also my bible study leader in college, read a few lines from Ann Voskamp’s “The Bravest and Most Beautiful Love Affair.” When I first came across this passage a few years ago, I was completely captivated by her depiction of marriage as a covenant between two people and the Lord: “This is an epic, everyday love story, one written with years and skin and the rings. My grandmother lived with true courage, the kind that made a vow and had the bravery to let it age. How she said that the bravest love is wildly faithful and it falls hard again every morning. How it puts the toilet seat down and the cap on the toothpaste and winks for those already-won eyes. It knows what we may seek may be found in what we already have. And there can always be this–the allure of vows. It’s grace and fresh gratitude that can make us strong enough to marvel in the seeming monotony of anything. And the happily married have eyes that look long enough to make the familiar new. There’s this beautiful drama’s in a long faithfulness and aged love might be heroic. God knows the passion of a covenant.” Our officiant, whom I’ve known for a long time as well, also read from Ephesians 4. It’s such an all-encompassing reminder of how we should treat each other, especially as husband and wife.
Describe your wedding cake or dessert. Our wedding cake was two-tiered with a cookie butter-flavored base, a nutella-flavored top, and ivory buttercream ruffles all over. Since Alan typically prefers pie over cake, we also ordered several types of pies: blueberry goat cheese, caramel apple crumble, deep dish chocolate cookie, and bourbon pecan fudge ganache. We ordered our cake and pies from the Short Giraffe, a boutique bakery in Sarasota. We were very excited to share one of our local favorites with our family and friends, especially those who traveled to Florida.
If you are comfortable responding, what range did your wedding budget fall into? $10,000-$25,000
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you most looking forward to about married life? Well, right now, we are responding to this from our honeymoon in Paris! I received Michelle’s email sharing this amazing news the night before our flight, so I was just too excited and couldn’t wait to respond! We decided to take our honeymoon a couple of months after the wedding to give us some time to rest and save up. Of course, starting our own little family is also on the radar. Our prayer is that in His timing, we experience the joys of adoption in the not-so-distant future. This would be a dream (prayer) come true!

Photographer: Michelle March Photography / Planner: Kelsey Peduzzi / Venue: Phillippi Estate Park / Florist: Flowers and Designs by Mary / Cake Baker: The Short Giraffe / Caterer: Sonny’s BBQ / Rentals: Rent All City / Lighting: Marcus Peduzzi / DJ: Fairy Tale Productions / Special Details: Shannon Kirsten / Paper Products: Charley Whiskey Lettering and Design / Bride’s Gown: Anne Klein / Bride’s Jewelry: Kendra Scott / Bride’s Hair Accessory: Beads Brooches Bridal / Hair Stylist: Ali Severson / Makeup Artist: Makeup Artistry by Corinne / Bride’s Shoes: French Connection / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Camilyn Beth / Menswear: J.Crew and Target

Michelle March is a delightful member of our Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory!

marissa Written with love by Marissa
3 Comments
  1. avatar Brandi Marie reply

    What a sweet and thoughtful wedding, and bride! I loved all her sentiments and words on marriage. You can truly see her heart and it’s as sweet as honey!

  2. avatar Mary reply

    Love that sweet proposal story that they used Ikea tea towels as napkins. Beautiful celebration! I’ll be praying for their adoption journey!

  3. avatar Tied the knot: Jen + Alan at Phillippi Estate Park – Michelle March – Wedding Photography and Films – US and Destination – Michelle March – Wedding Photography and Films – US and Destination reply

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Hi y’all! After the wedding of my dreams and an amazing first two weeks of marriage, I’m excited to be back in the SW office–I’ve missed y’all! :) And I can’t imagine a lovelier way to get back into the swing of things than Lindsay and Walker’s Charleston wedding. As the setting for this new chapter of their love story, they chose two venues with incredible histories–the first Baptist church in the South, and Hibernian Hall, a historic venue that dates back to 1840. With the help of their talented vendors, they added simple and classic details that made their venues even more personal, but never distracted from what mattered most on that day–their love and joy of becoming husband and wife!

Thanks so much to Jennings King for sharing this special day with us!

Did you have something borrowed, blue, old, and new? If so, do tell! My something borrowed was earrings that I borrowed from my best friend, who had worn them in her wedding. My something blue was my grandmother’s sapphire and diamond ring that I have always loved. My something old was lace taken from my mother and mother-in-law’s wedding dresses, which was wrapped around my bouquet. My something new was my pearl bracelet my father surprised me with on my wedding day.

I was not expecting to find my dress when I did! I had just left an appointment at another dress shop and was headed to lunch. We were meeting a few people for lunch, but got there early. The restaurant was located next to another dress shop, so we peeked our heads in to look around while we waited. I looked through the dresses and didn’t find one that I wanted to try on, but as we were leaving, I saw a dress hanging by itself that just spoke to me! I tried it on for my mom and couldn’t stop smiling…I didn’t want to take it off! The one thing holding me back from getting it right then was the fact that my twin sister was not with me to give me the okay. I wanted her opinion and reassurance before making the big decision, so I took her back and tried it on for her the next week, and purchased it before I left the store.

We got married at First Baptist Church, which is one of our favorite churches. We love the history behind it (it was the earliest Baptist church in the South), as well as its simplicity.

Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line? Our vows were traditional, Christian vows that we decided on prior to the wedding. However, we did write handwritten letters that we exchanged before the wedding, that included with our personal vows to one another.

What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? Even though we loved every second of our wedding day, we both agree that the most memorable moment, hands down, was the moment when the church doors opened and we saw each other for the first time that day. We were both overwhelmed with emotion and couldn’t stop smiling. We locked eyes and it was like we were the only two people in the entire church. It was truly the most amazing feeling.

What is the one detail or vendor that you were so happy to have as a part of your wedding? While we were extremely happy with all of our vendors, the two that we are extra happy we chose to be a part of our wedding were our photographer, Jennings King Photography, and our videographer, Artistic Eye Productions. They were both excellent to work with and did an amazing job. They were able to capture every single moment perfectly, as well as all of the details of our wedding.

We had three cakes! The middle cake had three tiers and the cakes on each side had two tiers. Each cake was a different flavor: dulce de leche, carrot cake, and coconut cream.

The reception was at Hibernian Hall, which was perfect for the reception we had always dreamed of. It had beautiful gold chandeliers, a stage for a live band, and a huge dance floor for all of our guest to dance the night away on. What else could you ask for?

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. I first noticed Walker when he came to the office where I was working at the time for an interview. I was the only single one in the office, so when he, a good lookin’ single guy, walked in, everyone immediately started scheming. Later that week, I was at Midtown Bar and Grill celebrating a friend’s birthday when I spotted Walker across the bar. My best friend, Morgan, talked me into going over and talking to him (even though Morgan did all the talking). This was our official meeting and as fate would have it, Walker began working at my place of employment two weeks later. We were hesitant to take things to the next level, and it wasn’t until December 18, 2010 at the company’s annual Christmas party that we hit it off. Thankfully, I was ending my time working there and starting dental hygiene school that January. The rest was history!
Tell us all about the proposal! Dewees Island, where my parents have a place, is where we have shared birthdays, holidays, weekend getaways, and lots of memorable family time. Over the years, Walker explored many areas of the island to find the best fishing spots. He came across a dock that extends into the waterway and has a view that could never get old, and it has become our favorite go-to spot. When Walker decided that I was the girl he wanted to call his wife, there wasn’t a doubt in his mind where he wanted to propose. It was an extremely windy Saturday in February, the day after Valentine’s Day, when he decided to pop the big question. I thought that some friends were coming to town, and we were going to take them to Dewees Island to go fishing (or rather, the boys were going to go fishing while the girls caught up). Matt and Allison ended up “not being able to come,” but Walker and I decided to go to the island anyway. My mother had arranged for a friend to take pictures and capture the moment, and family awaited us at the ferry dock to celebrate.
When did y’all get married? March 28, 2015
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 250
How did you plan for your marriage while planning your wedding? The main way we planned for our marriage while planning our wedding was going to pre-marital counseling. This is something we both wanted to do before the wedding and we are glad we did it!
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? Stay calm and do not stress about the little things. This is such a special time in your life, so enjoy it! Also, have fun the day of your wedding. You will be a little anxious the day of, but don’t let that prevent you from being yourself, relaxing, and having fun with your bridesmaids. Figure out what means the most to you and make your budget around those things. For me, it was the photographer/videographer, entertainment, and food. We originally were not going to have a videographer, but changed our minds closer to the wedding and we are so glad we did! Having a video to watch allows you to relive the best day of your life over and over again. We have watched our video so many times!
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you most looking forward to about married life? We are looking forward to so many things…we definitely hope to do some traveling during the next few years, and we plan to start a family down the road. We want to focus on growing our relationship together and enjoying the fruits of marriage.

Photographer: Jennings King Photography / Videographer: Artistic Eye Productions / Planner: Katie Foreman / Ceremony Venue: First Baptist Church / Reception Venue: Hibernian Hall / Florist: Pat Irvine / Cake Baker: Charleston Cakes Etc. / Caterer: Aberdeen Catery / Rentals: Snyder Events / Band: The Mighty Kicks / Calligraphy: Page Palmer / Paper Products: Lytle Fober / Bride’s Gown: “6319” by Justin Alexander / Bride’s Veil: Bridal House of Charleston / Bride’s Bracelet: Berlins / Hair Stylist: Jenelle Gordon at Fix Salon Studio / Makeup Artist: Jonny Cosmetics / Bride’s Shoes: “Jutte” by Rsvp / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Joanna August / Maid of Honor Dress: Adrianna Papell / Bridesmaid Dress Salon: Bella Bridesmaid Charleston / Menswear: Men’s Wearhouse

lisa Written with love by Lisa
4 Comments
  1. avatar Southern Weddings by Jennings King Photography reply

    […] Lindsay & Walker – Southern Weddings […]

  2. avatar Andreina – Fly Away Bride reply

    Love the bride’s dress. So elegant!

  3. avatar Bridget reply

    Ooh, those cakes! That lattice cake is perfection.

  4. avatar Earcandy reply

    What a wonderful love story! I think my favourite thing about this wedding is that everything seemed to be so easy, smooth and fun loving. I love that everything is white including the cake and flowers. It’s simple, it’s elegant, and it’s beautiful.

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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