Southern Weddings

As many of y’all know, Rosemary Beach is one my favorite places on the entire earth! It’s holds a very special place in my heart as it’s where BDK and I took our very first vacation together – it’s even where I’d hold my dream Southern summer wedding! So, of course, I am tickled pink to share Sarah + Nick’s sweet day. From the adorable rhymes on their chalkboard signs to their bridal party’s dance floor antics, it’s hard not smile while seeing the pure joy in the photos from Pure 7 Studios! I love weddings that look like they were a complete blast for all in attendance, and I’d venture to say that Sarah + Nick’s definitely has that look!

Opting out of the first look? Sending a sweet note to your beau is one of my favorite ways to share your excitement without seeing each other!

Tell us about finding your wedding dress. I actually found it on Pinterest of all places! Just searching around, Pinterest took me to the BHLDN website and miraculously, they have a store in Houston (only 2 in the country!). I went with one of my best friends on my lunch break because I really didn’t think it was going to be THE dress, but the second I stepped out of the dressing room and saw the look on her face, I knew I had found the one!

We decided not to do the first look. I really wanted the first moment that Nick saw me to be when I was walking towards him down the aisle. I did however, decide to do a first look with my dad which was really fun!

Grab a tissue y’all, Nick’s expression in the photo below is sure to having you reaching for your hanky!

Did you have something borrowed, blue, old, and new? If so, do tell! My something blue and old was a combination. My grandfather passed two months before the wedding and I had a piece of one of his blue shirts, as well as a piece of lace from my mom’s wedding dress, cut into a heart shape and sewn on the back of my dress. I guess my something new was just everything else!

I can’t help but imagine Nick said the sweetest/funniest thing to Sarah right before this photo, and her reaction is THE best!

Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line? Yes. His vows to me were absolutely perfect. One line read, “I promise to watch Shark Week with you every year, even though it is the same episodes over and over.” Just hearing how he felt and knowing they were his words meant the world to me. He ended them with “I will always remind you that you is kind, you is smart, and you is important”.

Our favorite detail of the wedding was: Being surrounded by all of our family and friends. Seeing everyone out on the dance floor and having a wonderful time was priceless. And all of the lights set up under the tent were amazing!
What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? My husband’s family is from Louisiana, so we did a second line during the reception.

Describe your wedding flowers. The flowers were perfect! My bouquet and the centerpieces were a mix of tulips, roses, ranunculus and baby’s breath in light shades of pink and white, as well as greenery. The bridesmaids carried baby’s breath and lavender.
Describe your wedding cake or dessert. The wedding cake was white and off-white, four tiers, with little round balls all around it. It was exquisite and fun at the same time! The groom’s dessert was a delicious cheesecake with a New Orleans Saints emblem designed on it.

I love this Second Line — such a fun tribute to Nick’s hometown!

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. Nick and I actually knew each other in high school. We didn’t really hang out in the same group of friends, but we ended up in the same prom group during our senior year. After we graduated, I went to Texas A&M University and he went to the University of Texas, so we pretty much went our separate ways. Nick eventually moved to Reno for work and was home to visit family for Christmas 2010 when we ran into each other at a bar in our hometown. He asked for my number and ended up calling me that March. We had immediate chemistry and talked for hours that first night. He moved back home that August and the rest is history.
Tell us all about the proposal! Anyone that knows me knows that I love anything to do with the ocean, more specifically, sharks. I interned at The Aquarium of the Pacific after graduating college and I had always wanted to take a trip to visit Monterey Bay Aquarium. I have always had an obsession with that aquarium, but wasn’t ever able to make a trip to see it. Nick knew how much I would love to visit the aquarium, so he surprised me with a trip for my birthday. I was blown away that someone would fly across the country with me just to see an aquarium! I was so excited about the trip that a proposal was the last thing on my mind. After a day at the aquarium, followed by dinner at an amazing sushi restaurant (ironic, I know), we decided to explore our beautiful hotel, which was right on the beach. We walked down a stairway that led down to the ocean and just stood there with his arms around me talking about how amazing the trip had been. Then, he said “I think I know how I could possibly make this trip better” and I responded with a very ladylike “Huh?!” The next thing I knew, he was down on one knee. I honestly couldn’t tell you what else he said because I was just so blown away, excited, wanting to scream yes! Of course, I said yes and could not wait to start this next chapter in our lives
When did y’all get married? March 2, 2013
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 85
Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. For some reason, I had always wanted to walk down the aisle barefoot to the sounds of a steel drum, so that is exactly what I did. I wanted a beachy, but not cheesy, feel and all of my vendors succeeded in that without a doubt. Our first dance was “That’s What’s Up” by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. They are one of our favorite bands and the words really spoke to us. This is a somewhat fast song, so we really improvised with our first dance by just kind of jumping around, singing and laughing to the music. The whole reception had perfect music from Van Morrison to a Skrillex to Jack Johnson. Our last song of the night was “Walking on a Dream” by Empire of the Sun. A perfect song to end a perfect night.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? How overwhelming it can all be! I had to remember to take it one day at a time and trust all of my amazing vendors.
If you are comfortable responding, what range did your wedding budget fall into? $25,000-$50,000
What is the one detail or vendor that you were so happy to have as a part of your wedding? Honestly, I can’t choose just one vendor I was the happiest with. They were all perfect!! If I had to choose one, it would have to be Jen (number 2) from It’s a Shore Thing, since they pointed us in the right direction to all of our vendors. Our wedding wouldn’t have been half as amazing if we didn’t have them!
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? Aside from Nick’s amazing wedding vows, I would say that the dancing and fun everyone had at the reception were the most memorable moments. I took a few moments to step back and just take everything in, and seeing all of these people that we love having a great time was worth everything.
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? Just relax! No matter what happens, if the weather isn’t what you wanted, if your bridesmaid dresses don’t turn out right, at the end of the day, you will be married to your best friend and that is all that matters!
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you most looking forward to about married life? We just moved to a new town home in Houston and we are looking forward to relaxing and enjoying married life!

Photographer: Lindsey and Ryan from Pure 7 Studios / Videographer: Adam Grumbo / Planner: It’s a Shore Thing / Ceremony and Reception Venue: Western Green in Rosemary Beach, Florida / Florist: Celeste Barefield / Wedding Cake: Rhonda Joodi / Caterer, Rentals, Lighting, Paper Products and Special Details: Celeste Barefield / DJ: Brian of BBoy Productions / Bride’s Gown: “Luella” from BHLDN / Hair Stylist: Johnathan Doria from Pure and Couture Salon / Makeup Artist: Renee Armour / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Little Borrowed Dress / Men’s Pants and Vests: Perry Ellis

Written with love by Marissa