As most of you know, Katharine is getting married on Saturday! Whee!! In honor of her and Kyle’s big day, we thought we’d declare this week “Classic Wedding Week” on SW. Seeing how much Katharine loves a traditional, black and white wedding (and, in fact, has planned one for herself!), we figured it was only appropriate to outfit the blog in her preferred style in the run-up to Saturday.
To start us off right, we have Ashley + Dusty. Ashley’s gorgeous dress is by Romona Keveza (one of my very, very favorite designers) from Solutions Bridal, and her floaty veil (which I love!) is by Sweet Elegance. The couple celebrated at Highlands Ridge in Florida, Hobby Hill Florist took care of the arrangements, and Sprinkles delivered the wedding cake. Last but certainly not least, the delicate bridesmaids’ dresses are by Belsoie from Olga’s Bridal and Boutique.
Besides its traditional style, what initially attracted me to this wedding was the subtle aviation details — the paper airplane toss exit, the adorable wish card that read “Love is… knowing you’ll never fly alone!” Completely appropriate, of course, since both the bride and groom are pilots! I also fell hard for the last photo in this post, of Ashley + Dusty’s vintage-outfitted 1937 Packard, which Ashley’s father refurbished for the couple as a wedding day surprise. Big thanks to photographer Sarah Bray for sending this wedding our way. Stay tuned for another classic tomorrow!
See all the photos from Ashley + Dusty’s wedding in their Real Wedding Gallery!
How did the two of you meet? Tell us your story. Initially, we met our senior year of high school, at the airport. We both attended the same college, but didn’t actually get together until later. When Dusty started airline training in Atlanta, he was partnered with one of my best friends. I came to visit from Memphis, and after a great weekend of everyone hanging out, ended up missing my flight home because of weather, but absolutely had to be back for work. Dusty drove me to find a rental car at two in the morning and then hand wrote directions from Atlanta to Memphis. He left his number at the bottom so I could call if case I got lost. I made it home safely, and after work called to say thank you since he had gone so far out of his way for me even though we didn’t know each other very well. After talking on the phone for a couple weeks, he made a trip to visit and the rest was history.
Three adjectives that describe the day are: Beautiful, vintage and playful.
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: My father surprised me with a 1937 Packard that he had refurbished just for my wedding day!
Tell us about finding your wedding dress: We had grand plans of going to Kleinfields in New York just before Christmas, but since I had no idea what I wanted, we decided to stop and look in Florida, never expecting to find anything. The first stop was Solutions Bridal in Orlando. After trying on about 20 dresses, it was clearly down to 2. One was very traditional and the other was not. We stopped at another store, but I had no interest in trying anything else on. I had already found my dress. On my way back to the airport, we stopped back by Solutions, this time with Daddy and Grandma in tow, and bought my dress
Describe your wedding cake: My grandparents used a wedding bell on their cake, and it has been used for every wedding in the family since. Our cake was vanilla with different fillings for each tier: custard, strawberry cream, lemon, cherry cheesecake and chocolate. Dusty’s groom’s cake was in the shape of his R/C airplane controller, and was chocolate with peanut butter filling.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? Having our wedding in a small town was a challenge, especially when it came to finding a venue and vendors. At one point, I felt like Sweet Home Alabama with all the trailers were rolling in because everything was from out of town, except the flowers.
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you looking forward to in the future? Getting settled into married life, lots of traveling and, in a few years, starting a family.
Congratulations, Ashley + Dusty!
Actually, I love that. I think it's appropriate and very much what a marriage today is about. We want to be with people who we can grow and learn and flat have fun with. I'm saving this in my "when I get married" file!
I like that reading – the tone and the message- a lot, but maybe as something the officiant would say as part of their message. Something about the "why don't you ever want to talk to me?" line seems out of place for a reading someone else would get up and say. but as someone who loves etiquette books, i'd absolutely include something from one if we loved it. i mean, we had a tom robbins reading, so i say to each his/her own, as long as it works for everyone involved! (since some churches/officiants have guidelines, i think it is up to more than just the couple.)
My favorite non-gushy ceremony reading is the following, from Captain Corelli's Mandolin:Love is a temporary madness,it erupts like volcanoes and then subsides.And when it subsides you have to make a decision.You have to work out whether your roots have so entwined togetherthat it is inconceivable that you should ever part.Because this is what love is.Love is not breathlessness,it is not excitement,it is not the promulgation of eternal passion.That is just being "in love" which any fool can do.Love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away,and this is both an art and a fortunate accident.Those that truly love, have roots that grow towards each other underground,and when all the pretty blossom have fallen from their branches,they find that they are one tree and not two.