Southern Weddings

Ladies and gents, please give a warm welcome to Marissa! She’ll be joining us about every three weeks to talk about fashion and style, and Southern fashion and style in particular. Marissa has a great eye and a knack for tracking things down, so if you have a question or a suggestion for a future topic, don’t hesitate to get in touch either by leaving a comment or shooting us an email! — Emily

Thanks for the great introduction, Emily! For those you that don’t know me, I’m Marissa! I’m new to the blog, but an old hand around SW. I’m a bit of a fashion addict with a healthy obsession with style — Southern style, especially! Classic wardrobe staples and vintage finds are a few of my particular favorites. I’ll be dropping in from time to time to give you a little fashion love!

With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, we thought it would be fun to kick off this feature with the color red! I’m going to show you some simple and stylish ways to add a splash of this bright and cheery color to your big day.

Let’s start with red lipstick. A long-time favorite of celebrities on the red carpet like Taylor Swift and Reese Witherspoon, red lipstick can actually make your smile appear brighter. Choosing a blue-based red balances out pink undertones and makes teeth appear whiter. If you’re red-shy, try a berry or wine hue for your big day.

Image credits from top: Jose Villa for Once Wed, Simply Bloom, Justin and Mary and The Nichols, and Lark Photography. The last image is from one of my absolute favorite parts of SW V3, the Amelia Lyon Sweet Love feature. See more of this gorgeous editorial here.

Much like red lipstick, we’re seeing red nails make their way from the red carpet to wedding days more and more. Even our own KTW got in on the action at her recent nuptials by donning cherry-apple red polish (“I’m Not Really a Waitress” by OPI, for those of you who are wondering!). Also a fan of red, Katherine Heigl kept her make-up classic + clean, but glammed up her entire look with red nails at her winter wedding. Just a few tips: be sure to buy the same color that your manicurist uses to touch up unwanted chips, keep your nails short and square and remember the color in the bottle will appear a bit darker on your nails once the traditional two coats is applied and completely dry.

Image credits clockwise from top left: Our Labor of Love (see the rest of this awesome wedding here), Jasmine Star, Sarah E. Evans, OK! Magazine, The Image is Found, Tanja Lippert and Shannon Nicole Smith.

Now we’re on to the fun part, y’all…the shoes! Lots of brides are opting for pops of coordinating color to peek out from under the hem of their dress, but I think there’s just something especially exciting about red shoes! And since this feature is about Southern style, I couldn’t resist two very Southern shoe options – the wellie and the cowboy boot. Wellies are a fun and stylish option for rainy day weddings like the one below from Gregg Gibson. Ditching the heels for a pair of cowboy boots? Be sure to check out Katharine and Emily’s great round-up of boot options here. A couple tips for the road: be sure to bring any shoes you plan on wearing to your dress fittings to be sure the hem lies just so. Wear your wedding day shoes around your house with a pair of socks on under them, which will help to break the shoes in without blisters.

Image credits, clockwise from top left: Gregg Gibson, unknown via Michelle Rago, Jagger Photography and Elisabeth Millay.

Looking for your own perfect pop of red? We’ve rounded up a few options below!

Okay, that’s more than a few options. We couldn’t help ourselves! Where to find these beauties:

A. Hunter Wellies ($125), B. Christian Louboutin Lady Bow ($735), C. RSVP Carol ($62.30), D. Salvatore Ferragamo Varina ($395), E. Carlos Santana Prestige ($71.96), F. Pour La Victoire Irina ($260), G. RSVP Larisa ($89), H. Kate Spade Darla ($298), I. GUESS Rapine ($90), J. Toms Wedge ($68.95), K. Unlisted Natural Glow ($59), L. MAXSTUDIO Sxishi ($128.95), M. BP Romantic ($69.95), N. BP Summer ($69.95), O. Badgley Mischka Randall ($200), P. Kate Spade Kamille ($325), Q. Via Spiga Marilla ($198), R. ban.do heart shoe clips ($25), S. RSVP Angelique ($95), T. Valentino Bow Thong Sandal ($295), U. Keds Champion Canvas ($35), V. Nina Electra ($92.95)

Lastly, I just couldn’t leave out these handsome beaus. Their burst-of-red ties works perfectly together with their subdued grey suits. So dapper, no?

Photo by: Heather H. Photography

Readers, weigh in! Did you or would you add a splash of red to your wedding day? How will you incorporate pops of color into your design? Will you be donning red nails or lips? Tell me about it in the comment section below!

I want to hear from you! Have a question or an idea for a future column? Leave a comment below or send me an email! P.S. I also enjoy love notes.

Written with love by Marissa