Southern Weddings

There is nothing like a classic Southern wedding to welcome you back from the weekend! From the beautifully renovated 1830s bridal suite to the long driveway lined with oak trees leading up to the perfectly Southern plantation, I can personally attest to how absolutely gorgeous The Oaks Plantation is. My sister-in-law was married there and it’s even more dreamy in person! Together with their planner, Southern Posies, Mallory and Andy added stunning florals and meaningful details to the venue that not only made their day even more beautiful, but also honored their families. And, those mini pecan pies and peach cobblers topped with vanilla ice cream? M + A, y’all should have saved one for me!

We’re sure glad Erika Tracy of Kim Box Photography was on hand to capture such a lovely day!

Tell us about finding your wedding dress. My mom and sister went with me to try on dresses, and I found my wedding dress at J. Andrews Bridal in Peachtree City. I tried on about 10 dresses and fell in love with two of them. While I was trying to decide between the two that I loved, a girl next to me put on the most beautiful dress. I asked the lady who was helping me if I could try on that dress, and once I put it on, we all knew it was the one. It wasn’t anything like what I had pictured, but I loved it so much, we bought it that day!

Our wedding flowers were my favorite thing about our wedding! I don’t know much about the different types of flowers, but I knew I wanted pastel colors to match my bridesmaids’ dresses. For my bouquet, I wanted slightly cascading flowers that were loosely pulled together. I described my vision to my wedding planner, Crystal Strickland, who also did all of the flowers, and she truly brought it to life. At the end of the altar, we had a large wooden cross that was covered with flowers. We dedicated the cross in memory of our loved ones who couldn’t be there with us.

Did you decide to do a first look? Why or why not? Yes, we chose to do a first look for several reasons. I wanted to have a special moment for just the two of us, and I knew that if I waited until the ceremony to see him, I probably would have cried the entire ceremony. When we saw each other, sure enough, we both cried! I also wanted this time to exchange gifts that we had gotten each other. He surprised me with a second band, and I got him a study Bible with his name engraved on it–I knew he had been wanting it for a while. I am very glad he and I had this private time with each other prior to the ceremony.

What readings, if any, did you have at your ceremony? We didn’t have any readings during our ceremony, but our pastor made the ceremony very personal. Prior to the ceremony, he asked Andy and I some personal questions about each other, like what was your first thought when you met each other, what do you love the most about each other, what is the funniest memory you have of one another, etc. He incorporated both of our answers during the ceremony, making it very special to both of us.

When our wedding planner took my mom and I to visit The Oaks, I discovered that the pictures that I had previously seen of it did not do the venue justice! The long driveway lined with oak trees leading up to the plantation truly took our breath away. The landscape is what sealed the deal–I knew I wanted an outdoor wedding and could only imagine how beautiful it would be there. We decided that the wedding ceremony would take place in the front yard under a huge oak tree and the reception would be in the back under a tent. I loved the idea of having our rehearsal dinner, wedding ceremony, and reception all at the same place. The Oaks was the perfect venue for us!

Describe your wedding cake and dessert. I wanted our wedding cake to be simple and classic. We also had mini pecan pies placed in small skillets, along with mason jars filled with peach cobbler and topped with vanilla ice cream.

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. We met on Memorial Day at a party at Gant Lake, not too far from where we both live and attended school. I went with one of my close friends, who was dating Andy’s younger brother at the time. I knew who Andy was, but we had never officially met before that night. Andy has always been very outgoing; he walked right up to us almost immediately after entering the party and my friend introduced us. He instantly struck up a conversation with me, and by the end of the night, he asked me to dance. We have been together almost every day since then.
Tell us all about the proposal! A few months before Andy proposed, he surprised me with a golden retriever puppy named Baylee. We try to spend as much time as we can outside with her, allowing her to run and play. This particular Friday was no different than any other Friday–when we got home from work, he asked if I wanted to take Baylee on a ride and let her play. When we got in the car, we started talking about the different places we could take her. He told me he would like to go to his friend’s family’s land outside of town. When we made it, we got out of the car and played with Baylee. We could see storm clouds rolling in, so I suggested we leave before it started raining. I could tell Andy didn’t want to, but couldn’t figure out why. While I was trying to get Baylee into the car, he told me he had a surprise for me in the back of his truck, so he walked over to get it. He pulled out a big brown paper bag and told me to close my eyes. When I opened my eyes, he was down on one knee with a ring box in his hand. Needless to say, I was in complete shock! Of course, I said yes, and kept asking “Do my parents know? Does my sister know?” Earlier that day, he had gone to Montgomery to ask my dad if he could marry me, to Eufaula to pick up the ring, and back to Troy to propose. He had had a very busy day, to say the least!
When did y’all get married? May 9, 2015
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 200
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: We wanted use our programs to include all of our family members who weren’t able to be with us. We also wanted to do something special in memory of Andy’s dad, who passed away several years ago. We set up a table with a picture of him and a framed quote. It was important to us to include him on our special day.
What is the one detail or vendor that you were so happy to have as a part of your wedding? I couldn’t imagine my wedding without my wedding planner. She made sure every detail was perfect during my experience, not only the day of the wedding, but during the planning process as well.
What’s next for you as a couple? What memories are you looking forward to making together? We are looking forward to decorating and settling into our first home together. We are excited to share our first holidays together as husband and wife, and look forward to making new memories together!

Photographer: Erika Tracy of Kim Box Photography / Planner and Florist: Southern Posies / Venue: The Oaks Plantation / Baker: Peggy McKinney / Caterer: A Catered Affair / Rentals: Brendle Rentals / DJ: Moon Dance / Ceremony Sound Tech: Chris McCoy / Violinist: Beth Hoener / Paper Products: Kwik Kopy / Bride’s Gown: Watters / Hair and Makeup: Beauty By Jess / Bride’s Shoes: Badgley Mischka / Bridesmaid Dress Salon: Love Lane Collection at Bella Bridesmaid / Menswear: Mr. Burch Formal Wear

Written with love by Marissa