Friends, it is with bubbling-over delight and many happy squeals that I introduce you to… the Southern Weddings V9 cover!!!
We are so, SO, so, SO, so, SO very proud of this beauty. Not only because she is quite obviously beautiful, but because of all of the stories between the pages that she represents. Ready for a little bit of her own backstory? Here we go!
There’s a text chain for all the girls in our office, and at the end of every shoot day, Lisa and I load it up with behind-the-scenes snaps, so that the ladies back home can see how all of our dreaming and planning came together. (And yes, you can bet your bottom dollar there’s some high-voltage emoji use going on when the photos come through!)
At the end of this particular shoot day last June, along with the photos, I also commented, “I guarantee there will be a cover shot from today.” A bold statement, yes, but from the perfect weather, to the talented vendors, to the joyful models, to the gorgeous gown, to the stunning bouquet, I just knew we had created something truly special, something that would represent the heart of Southern Weddings perfectly.
And when the final images from Davy Whitener came back from the lab (thank you, Richard Photo Lab!!), it was unanimous: this was our cover. We never seriously considered anything else.
I really think this image does represent our heart, which makes it my all-time favorite cover we’ve ever produced. (There, I said it!!) Kelsie is the Southern Weddings girl, from the top of her head to the tip of her toes, from her joyful, beautiful smile to her modern lace wedding dress. As Jess in our office keeps saying, “I want to be her on my wedding day!”
Back to those sweet vendors for a moment. One of our values at Southern Weddings is working with new-to-us vendors, to introduce y’all to new talent and to champion it ourselves. We couldn’t be happier that both the stylist and photographer from our cover shoot are new to our pages, and that in addition to being two incredibly talented people, they are unbelievably kind and humble. We knew Davy would be excited about making the cover, so we filmed our call to tell him the good news :) Listen in to our convo with him and his wife Lydia below!
Aside from the couldn’t-have-happened-to-nicer-people aspect, I also love that our cover image came from this shoot because the shoot itself is inspired by one of the most beloved Southern love stories, and one that reverberates with the Southern Weddings’ mission: The Notebook. Yes, y’all!! In addition to an entire editorial inspired by Allie and Noah’s story, this issue is packed full of content that will spur you on to create your own legacy of a strong, rich, joyful marriage through 15 real weddings, six more editorials, practical planning advice, and an entire section devoted to newlywed life.
Our official release is one week and one day from today (Thursday the 10th!), but a little birdy told us copies have begun to pop up on news stands already! Be sure to snap a pic of yourself with your copy and hashtag #SouthernWeddingsV9 on Instagram — we LOVE seeing your smiling faces!! If you live outside the South or want your copy before everyone else, you can purchase it in our shop — and preorders ship TODAY!
THANK YOU, DAVY AND MOLLY!!!
In the meantime, we’re DYING to know: What do y’all think??? Are you as much in love with V9’s cover as we are? Are you as excited as we are about SW + The Notebook? :)
Photographer: Davy Whitener | Film processing: Richard Photo Lab | Planner and stylist: Molly McKinley Designs | Venue: Coastal Discovery Museum at Honey Horn Plantation | Floral design: August Event Design | Hair and makeup: Jennifer Nieman | Bride’s gown: “Lainee” by Christos | Jewelry: Gabrielle Jewelry
P.S. A walk down memory lane… the V8 cover reveal, the V7 cover reveal, and the V6 cover reveal (including one of my favorite cover stories ever!)!
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