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Monthly Archives: November 2017

With so many of us moving far and wide these days, it seems that all of the wedding invitations my husband and I get are destination for us! And we don’t mind that one bit. It’s fun to combine loved ones’ celebrations with an opportunity to see new areas of the country. Your wedding certainly does not have to involve a beachy locale to feel like a vacation. If you’re planning a wedding that most of your guests will need to travel to, you might want to consider ease of transportation, scenic beauty, uniqueness of culture, and abundance of activities when choosing a venue.

One of my absolute favorite getaways we’ve taken so far was for a three-day stay on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. I’m still dreaming of that weekend! Between the peaceful country roads winding past the white fences and fields of horses, the delicious restaurants and distillery tours, the beautiful hiking and horseback riding trails, and everything there is to see in Lexington, this area of Kentucky is divine!

All this gets me dreaming of how amazing it would be to be invited to a Keeneland wedding! If you’re looking for something super fun and different for your guests, combined with a rich Southern culture, I don’t think I can recommend Keeneland enough.

Keeneland certainly hits all the cultural marks, and it’s a fantastic location for guests to be totally immersed in horse country. At Keeneland, guests can watch horses during their morning track workouts or tour the Keeneland Sales Pavilion, the largest stage in the world when it comes to Thoroughbred racehorse auctions. You can even work with the Keeneland staff to organize tours of nearby horse farms for your guests. These experiences will give your guests an unforgettable behind-the-scenes peek of the horse industry.

Not only is Keeneland located in the heart of horse country, it’s also in the heart of the Birthplace of Bourbon! You can work with Keeneland to bring in Master Distillers from nearby distilleries for tastings, cocktail hours, or receptions to add a uniquely “Kentucky” bourbon experience to your wedding.

Keeneland boasts 1,200 acres of property and is home to a variety of venues to match your personality and style. One of these is Keene Place, the original home of the Keene family, built in 1805. Or you can hold a reception in the Keeneland Clubhouse and have the breathtaking views of the Keeneland racetrack serve as the backdrop for your wedding.

You can also share this rich Kentucky culture with your guests through thoughtful welcome gifts! The staff at the Keeneland Shop can fill your welcome baskets with bourbon balls, bowties, mint julep candles and more so your guests can take home a piece of Kentucky.

To top it all off, Keeneland is located right across the street from the Bluegrass Airport, providing easy accessibility from all over the world. And I haven’t even mentioned Lexington’s sweet Southern charm yet! I can’t think of a better location to show off your Southern hospitality than a wedding at Keeneland!

The wedding photos in this post are by Chris Cornwell Photography, Bobbi and Mike Photography, Nina and Wes Photography, and Rebecca Shehorn Photography. This post is brought to you by Keeneland, a quintessentially Southern venue we know and love. Thanks for your support of the brands who make Southern Weddings possible!

Written with love by Catherine
1 Comment
  1. avatar Janna Toruno reply

    So neat! We are doing a semi-destination wedding in Folkston, Georgia. It’s only 2 hours from our hometown of Gainesville, FL. It’s right near the South Georgia Coast- so our guests can stay in town and see the trains that the town is known for or visit St. Simon’s Island if they want!

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Many of us spend our early years toddling around tailgates, cheering in the stands of our favorite Southern college stadiums, and exploring the campus grounds where our parents fell in love. With all this in mind, we thought there was no better choice for our tenth anniversary fashion editorial than one inspired by iconic universities across Dixie. When it comes time to get married, we’re determined to honor what’s most important to us, and in the South, that often includes our beloved alma maters — be it in the flowers in our bouquets, our accessories, or our beloved gowns!

We had more than one lively conversation around the office as we narrowed down our list of schools and chatted about the attributes embodied by each. While we wish we could have represented all of the great institutions across the South, I’m betting you’ll fall in love with at least one gown here, whether or not your college is represented! (Psst: you’re allowed to covet your rival school’s gown — we won’t tell!)

We’re so grateful to Blue Ribbon Vendors Anagram Photo for these beautiful images and Teighla Norris for our gals’ hair and makeup. Anna, Graham, and Teighla were such great sports (in addition to being amazing vendors) as we drug them all around Chapel Hill to find the perfect spots for our spirited shoot!

Haven’t picked up your copy of our newest issue? You can do so in our shop and at stores across the South!

The University of Alabama: Her first words were “Roll Tide” and her daddy’s old houndstooth fedora was her favorite piece in the dress-up box. Our Alabama bride’s love of magnolias and monograms (which will play a big role in her upcoming big day) was inherited from her mama, and she makes time in her weekly schedule to grab chicken salad sandwiches with her nana and chat about plans for the upcoming home game at Bryant–Denny.

Emily is wearing Style 9655 by Alvina Valenta. Bouquet by Fairview Farm & Flowers.

Texas A&M: Living anywhere but deep in the heart of Texas has never crossed our A&M’s bride’s mind. Her cowboy boots outnumber her heels, fitting well with her laid-back style and deep Aggie pride. From Yell Practice on Friday night through an A&M victory on Saturday afternoon, she doesn’t miss any of the football festivities. Her love for her team is only trumped by her love for her favorite Cadet, and she can’t wait to introduce all her non-Texas family to “Howdy,” the official greeting of A&M, at their rehearsal dinner.

Jessica is wearing “Rose” by Jaclyn Jordan. Bouquet by Wildflowers.

Clemson: When she’s not cheering on her Tigers in Memorial Stadium, our Clemson bride tries to spend free fall weekends back home on her family farm. As a little girl, she spent summers frolicking in the tall grass and picking vegetables from the family garden and every fall begging her daddy to make bonfires after each Clemson victory. Her family means the world to her and she can’t imagine getting married anywhere else.

Toogie is wearing “Jolie” by Astrid and Mercedes. Bouquet by Jennifer Wood, The Barn of Chapel Hill at Wild Flora Farm.

The University of Kentucky: She bleeds Kentucky blue and, from December to March, doesn’t miss a Saturday in Rupp. In her free time our UK bride can be found saddling up her family’s pony, Twirl Girl, for long Sunday afternoon rides in the rolling green hills of her favorite place on earth. If she gets her way, she’ll tuck roses into her bouquet and say her vows next to her family’s barn on the first warm Saturday in the spring.

Sam is wearing “Londyn” by Hayley Paige from Twirl Lexington. Bouquet by Flowers by Janie.

Louisiana State University: Purple and gold have been her favorite colors since before she can remember and our LSU bride celebrates her birthday each summer with a big bash in her parents’ backyard. Although she can’t imagine living anywhere but NOLA, she considers Tiger Stadium her home away from home, and helps her mama host the best tailgates in Baton Rouge before every home game. As for her wedding day? She’s planning the most delicious crawfish boil east of the Mississippi.

Lauren is wearing “Karina” by Rebecca Shoneveld. Bouquet by Narbail Floral Design.

The University of Mississippi: She’s always smack dab in the middle of the fun and festivities in the Grove during home football game Saturdays. Even though our Ole Miss bride misses her sideline spot cheering for the Rebs, she can still rally the crowds with her spirit and energy from the stands and has big plans for rocking a fantastic topknot and rebel-approved red lip when she says “I do” to her favorite wide receiver-turned-fiancé.

Carter is wearing “Aster Mae” by Heidi Elnora. Bouquet by Flowers by Cherry.

The University of Tennessee: Tailgating by the Tennessee River wearing Tennessee Orange is how our UT bride wishes she could spend every single weekend from September to December. Since the home schedule only blocks out seven Saturdays, she spends her open weekends dragging friends hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains (her picnic packing skills rival the best tailgate spreads). She’d always rather be outdoors and plans to tie the knot at one of her favorite lookout spots with a few close family and friends.

Teighla is wearing “Sullivan” by Sarah Seven. Bouquet by Florafino’s Flower Market.

The University of Georgia: While she loves spending her fall Saturdays tailgating in Athens and has proudly adopted the most adorable bulldog in the world, our UGA bride relishes the chance to pop back to Atlanta for a night out on the town with her high school girlfriends. Her idea of a perfect evening starts with gourmet fried chicken from JCT’s Kitchen (which she plans to serve at her reception) and ends at her favorite rooftop bar in Midtown. You can take the girl out of the city, but you can’t take the city out of the girl.

Bindhu is wearing Style 843 by Martina Liana. Bouquet by Kast Events.

The University of North Carolina: Be it fall in Kenan Stadium or any winter evening inside the Dean Dome, our Carolina bride never not rooting on her Tar Heels. As a third generation alum, she can hold her own when chatting about the chances of another national title, all while rocking her pearls and dreaming up what she’s bringing to the next neighborhood potluck. Chances are good that she’ll dance the night away with her groom to the classic James Taylor tune “Carolina in My Mind.”

Taylor is wearing “Bennett” by Anne Barge Blue Willow and Jack Rogers x Draper James sandals. Bouquet by Julie D’Agostino Designs.

The grounds of the UVA campus still take her breath away, especially when our University of Virginia bride walks past the spot where she met her future husband, back when they were first years. While studying for law school takes up most of her time, she won’t miss a chance to cheer on her Wahoos on Saturdays or explore the numerous Charlottesville vineyards on Sunday afternoons. She can’t wait to marry her first love when the leaves change in mid-October.

Grace is wearing “Brooke” by Sareh Nouri. Bouquet by Fiore Fine Flowers.

I’d love to hear which spirited school look is your favorite and whether we did a good job capturing your beloved alma mater!

Anagram Photo and Teighla Norris are delightful members of our Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory. Astrid and Mercedes and Heidi Elnora are wonderful Southern Weddings sponsors.

kristin Written with love by Kristin
3 Comments
  1. avatar Stephanie Shaul reply

    The fashion feature is always a favorite of mine, and I love this school-spirited twist!! Y’all did an amazing job of capturing the personalities of each university in every aspect: the stunning bouquets, the unique gowns, and even each bride! And as a proud UNC alum, you know I have to love this feature so much. It’s also so fun to see so many of my favorite spots around campus captured so exquisitely here! Amazing feature + incredible vendor team.

  2. avatar Janna Toruno reply

    Texas A&M may have beaten us this year, but I adore that dress and boots together! I’ve already purchased my wedding boots and haven’t even gone dress shopping yet!

  3. avatar Anna Garcia reply

    I was a 4th generation Carolina bride, got married at the Carolina Inn! And definitely wore my Jack Rogers to the reception where we danced the night away to James Taylor and other campus favorites :)

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For our tenth anniversary issue, we chose to do something we’d never done before: stage and shoot an editorial themed around an anniversary instead of a wedding day. Though we’d never done it before, few things could be closer to our heart: after all, we’re always reminding you that planning for a wedding is about more than just planning to walk down the aisle, and that the best is yet to come!

For this piece, we imagined a couple gathering their nearest and dearest to celebrate ten years of growing together. Our friend Rhiannon Bosse, a consummate celebrator, was the perfect person to pull the details together and infuse them with heart. She also wrote a short essay for the magazine sharing why celebrations of all stripes are important, so do pick up a copy to read that!

Thanks to Jake + Heather for capturing this evening to perfection, and to all of the vendors who brought this look to life!

Stunning in its simplicity, this suite by A Fine Press is one of my favorites we’ve ever featured in the magazine. I love how the X design subtly references ten years!

Maybe you’d wear your wedding dress again in a heartbeat, or maybe you’re confused why you ever chose it — either way, an anniversary celebration is another happy opportunity to wear a white dress, if you’d like! Rock a poufy tulle skirt if that’s your style, or opt for a sleek, chic lace number like this Watters dress.

Isn’t this pocket square boutonniere stunning? I’d never seen one before this shoot! That Rhi — always innovating :)

While a city location is different from our usual fare at Southern Weddings, cities are a part of the South’s landscape, too! I love that we were able to show off the beautiful skyline of Raleigh with this celebration.

Yep, that’s our beautiful Editor-in-Chief Kristin and her sweet husband Kyle! We couldn’t think of anyone better to stand in for our couple celebrating many happy years of marriage :)

Y’all, the food at this shoot. SO GOOD. Belle’s Catering blew us (and our guests!) away with their modern interpretations of Southern classics. The menu included Dixie Poutine and Sriracha fried chicken and pickle biscuit sliders to start, pickled shrimp salad, and plates of braised short ribs, chicken and waffle skewers, and hoppin’ John blackeyed pea cakes to pass family style.

This is one of my favorite ideas we featured, for an anniversary party or any other special sit-down meal. Lead your guests to their seats with personal notes enclosed in glassine envelopes. Use it as an opportunity to tell them how much they mean to you — you can never hear or say those words enough!

Totally dreamy!

In honor of ten years, Ashley Cakes whipped up ten petite cakes, each with a different white-on-white look. We displayed them beautifully on a piece from Cottage Luxe, whose aesthetic is a perfect fit for this editorial!

See more from this editorial in Southern Weddings 10, in our shop and on newsstands now!

Planner, Stylist, and Florals: Rhiannon Bosse Celebrations | Photography: Jake + Heather | Film Processing: PhotoVision | Venue: SkyHouse Raleigh | Stationery: A Fine Press | Caterer: Belle’s Catering | Cakes: Ashley Cakes | Rentals: Cottage Luxe | Linens: La Tavola Linen | Hair and Makeup: LULA Hair + Makeup | Bride’s Dress: “Lenora” by Watters | Clutch and Shoes: BHLDN | Jewelry: Bailey Banks & Biddle | Groom’s Attire: Bonobos

Rhiannon Bosse Celebrations, Ashley Cakes, Cottage Luxe, and LULA Hair + Makeup are lovely members of our Blue Ribbon Vendor directory!

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

    It was an absolute honor and pleasure spearheading this project with you, Emily and team SW! What a beautiful end result, and perfect way to celebrate a gorgeous 10th anniversary issue!

    • avatar Catherine reply

      We couldn’t love your work more, Rhi! Thanks for being an SW gal with us. :)

  2. avatar On Cloud Ten :: Rhiannon Bosse reply

    […] concept behind our efforts? A tenth year anniversary vow renewal with a couple that more than anything values marriage, tradition, celebration, and legacy. The […]

  3. avatar Shana Adams reply

    This is incredible!! Bravo Southern Weddings!

  4. avatar Stephanie Shaul reply

    What a breath of fresh air this editorial is! The celebration of marriage is simply beautiful, and I adore all of the subtle nods incorporated throughout. You can tell each and every detail is so thoughtfully curated and meaningfully chosen… and what really shines through is the JOY and focus on love + community. Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful!!

    • avatar Catherine reply

      Thank you so much, Stephanie! This is beautifully articulated. This is what we aim to achieve in everything we do! We’re so thankful to have you in the SW family. :)

  5. avatar Au Revoir 2017 :: Rhiannon Bosse reply

    […] brought the release of the 10th issue of Southern Weddings Magazine! And I was very honored to have our editorial featured in a special back of the book piece […]

  6. avatar 9 Reflections on The Royal Wedding :: Rhiannon Bosse reply

    […] the photos shown here are obviously not from the Royal wedding but instead are from this Southern Weddings editorial I had the pleasure of planning and designing in 2017. The bouquet I created entirely out of lily of […]

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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