Southern Weddings

Though their wedding was a West Coast affair, Meg + Shawn (photographed by Britney Keene) made sure to weave in a few delightfully Southern details.  Up first: the Newland House and Barn, replete with a real-life white picket fence and romantic gazebo where the couple exchanged their vows.  The bride wore a princess ballgown from David’s Bridal and carried a vintage bouquet of roses and wildflowers designed by The Treasured Petal.  The couple treated their guests to a Southern beverage station – love the old-school lemonade tin and jug of sweet ice tea! – and traditional Dixie fare from Richard Jones Pitt BBQ before cutting into the three-tiered cake designed by French’s Bakery.  The California wedding was planning by the fab team at Joyful Weddings and Events.

How did the two of you meet?  Tell us your story. Shawn’s sister, Katie, introduced us. Shawn and Katie were roommates at the time, and Katie and I had been friends for five years. Katie and I would hang out and sometimes Shawn would join.  One night, Shawn came to our work to go to dinner with Katie and another girlfriend of ours. Katie and Shawn asked if I wanted to join them. The four of us ending up going to a sushi place, and for some reason Shawn sat next to me instead of at the other side of the group. We talked all through dinner and were having a great time so we decided to go dancing at a local bar. While were dancing, he asked if I might want to go to dinner with him sometime.  I was so shocked, but told him I didn’t think it would be a good idea.  But he just kept asking!  Five requests later, I finally agreed.  And from that date on, we have been Shawn and Meg, together forever. 

Describe the proposal. It was October 31, 2008. Shawn flew me up to San Francisco for Halloween weekend. He took me to a beautiful restaurant on the 52^nd floor, which at the time I didn’t understand because we had plans later to dress up in costumes and go out with some friends in the area. When dinner was over, we were expecting a chocolate soufflé but the waiter brought a pumpink Shawn had carved at work and over-nighted to the restaurant. The pumpkin simply read, “Marry Me,” and when I looked over at him, he was on one knee. 

Three adjectives that describe the day are: Elegant, timeless and inviting.
Tell us about finding your wedding dress: Dress shopping was so much easier than I thought. I went with my dad, Shawn’s mom, and his sister, Katie.  Since I really had no idea what I wanted, I tried on a dress that Shawn’s mom really liked. The whole group said it was perfect!
What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? The wedding was held in the backyard of the Newland House, a historical Victorian home in Huntington Beach, CA, complete with a barn, antique covered wagon and a water tower. We didn’t want to use too much artificial lighting, so instead opted for hundreds of mason jars with candles, some hanging from the fence with brown twine and some scattered on the tables.

What was Southern about your wedding? We served barbecue chicken, ribs, and brisket with warm cornbread, baked beans, mashed potatoes, and macaroni and cheese. We also served lemonade and sweet tea in vintage galvanized aluminum dispensers. I think the most “Southern” detail in our wedding was the involvement of our family and friends. The wedding felt like it was such a family affair.
Describe your wedding flowers: They were incredible. They were full bouquets, structured but kind of wild. I didn’t want perfect half circles of flowers. My bouquet was a mixture of creams with roses, gardenias, hydrangeas, calla lilies, dahlias and tulips. The bridesmaids’ bouquets and the centerpieces were a mixture of the same flowers in avocado, soft pink and yellow,
Describe your wedding cake: We had a three-tierws cake with three different flavors: chocolate raspberry, vanilla lemon and mocha. It was covered in ivory buttercream frosting, wrapped in green ribbon and covered with fresh flowers that matched the centerpieces.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? For me, it was two things: my dance with my Daddy when he asked me for an actual butterfly kiss at the end just like when I was little, and Shawn and my first kiss as man and wife, when Shawn turned and dipped me.
Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line? We didn’t write our own vows, but the Reverend gave us wording options for the vows. He also asked us to hold each other’s hands and look into each other’s eyes as he explained to us that these are the hands that will be taking care of each other forever, and that these are the hands that hold each other’s future.
What’s next for you as a couple?  What are you looking forward to in the future? We cannot wait to buy a home together and would like to start adding to our family. We have such large and tight-knit families ourselves, and cannot wait to bring our own additions into the fold!

Congratulations, Meg + Shawn!  We can’t wait to see what the future has in store for you.

Stacie + Todd toasted their traditional nuptials with a fun, more mod-ish celebration at the San Diego W Hotel.  We had a good laugh at the portraits the couple took in front of the ultra-believable seaside backdrop.  (The beach balls definitely made the shot, S + T!)  Angel Swanson of Love and Splendor planned the California wedding, and Elizabeth Harris of Elizabethan Desserts supplied the array of sweet (and color-coordinated!) treats.  For shots from the newlyweds’ “crazybooth,” visit the Kaisers’ blog post here at The Image is Found.

Our favorite detail of the wedding was:  Our ceremony and reception were at the W Hotel in San Diego.  Since our last name is (now) “Malkus”, I turned the “W” from the hotel logo upside down and made it into an “M” for us.  I even got the employees to wear their “W” belts and pins upside down!
Three adjectives that describe the day are: Modern, beachy and fun.
What advice would you give to someone planning their wedding?  Start planning early and hire a day-of coordinator! Angel Swanson (www.loveandsplendor.com) ensured everything was flawless the entire day and was an absolute joy to work with.
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you looking forward to in the future?
A few more surf trips around the world and maybe some kids after that.  (Yes, mom, dad and everyone else in the family: you can stop asking!)

Congratulations, Stacie + Todd!  We wish you a lifetime of love and happiness.

We’ve been saving this California wedding from Nate + Jacklyn Kaiser at The Image is Found for some time now, and think it’s finally close enough to summer to share it with y’all!  (Technically, Stacie + Todd exchanged vows at the W Hotel in San Diego last October, but I think their lime green + brown color palette has just the right vibe a summer soiree.)  The bride wore a classic lace Casablanca gown that looked even better next to her hubby’s light suit.  (Summer grooms, take note: you don’t have to wear basic black, especially in the warm weather months.)  Come back soon for their West Coast reception!

How did the two of you meet? Tell us your story.  Todd and I met surfing in front of our houses in 2003.  What we didn’t know is that we were next-door neighbors!  That didn’t last long: we moved in together and stopped paying double rent after about 3 months.
What was the design inspiration for your wedding?  I wanted a modern un-wedding.  I’ve been to too many weddings where I sat at a table and met a few people also sitting at my table and then went home.  I love modern décor and I love the idea of a big mingle party instead of a typical wedding reception, so I brought in a bunch of lounge furniture and had passed hors d’oeuvres with food stations, an open bar and a fabulous band.  After the wedding was over, everyone told us about how many great people they met at our wedding and even the older guests (who we were concerned wouldn’t “get it”) told us it was the most fun wedding they had ever been to!
What was your favorite design element of your big day:  I’m a graphic designer, so I didn’t want to buy anything off the shelf that I could design myself (including the invitations, save the date, programs, stickers, napkins, etc).  I’m used to working for clients and doing what they want so it was awesome to do what we wanted… okay, what I wanted since Todd gave me full design control!
Tell us about finding your wedding dress:  I’m not much of a dressy-dress girl and the thought of a typical wedding gown didn’t feel like me.  My aunt convinced me to check out this huge sample sale at this couture bridal boutique.  We got there when they opened at 9 a.m. and found people who had literally camped outside the night before.  We grabbed as many dresses as we could fit in the dressing room and the very last one I tried on was perfect. (Not entirely perfect, because it was a size 14 sample and I’m a size 2, but we saw the potential.) The best part was the price, which was $300 reduced from $2000; the $1000 worth of alterations (including cutting off the whole train and making the dress tea-length) were all worth it!