Google+ Real Southern Weddings Archives - Southern Weddings

Southern Weddings

Category: Real Southern Weddings

Bride Lacie shares her colorful and joy-filled Texas wedding!

There is so much to love about today’s wedding. Despite having what is objectively a gorgeous celebration (those colors! that bouquet!), what truly shines in the photographs is Lacie and Stewart’s joy — so appropriate, then, that her advice to future brides is this:

“Your wedding will be beautiful no matter what. Your guests all love you, and they won’t be able to recall what flowers went in what vase — all they remember is how beautiful and happy you two looked, and how much fun they had. We live in a such a picture-perfect, social media/Pinterest-driven world, it makes us think we have to have all of these little things to make the perfect wedding, which isn’t the slightest bit true. And don’t ever lose focus of your relationship: planning a wedding isn’t more important than your relationship with your future husband. Your wedding is one day, but your marriage is forever!”

Too good to not include in full. Whether you’ve heard those words before or not, friends, I hope you let them sink in today!

Many thanks to Hannah Mayson for sending along these photos – especially the magical ones of Lacie and Stewart’s surprise confetti recessional!

The wedding invitations were definitely one of the hardest parts of planning. I’m a graphic designer, and have designed and letterpressed tons of wedding invitations. Choosing colors and style for myself was so difficult since I have such love for so many styles and colors! I can’t even pick a favorite color! I also hand drew the borders of each card insert and hand-letterpressed my invitations myself, so it was so much more personal to me.

Tell us your love story in one sentence. We met through mutual friends in a small West Texas town and dated long distance for four years.
Tell us all about the proposal! He proposed with his great grandmother’s wedding ring before dinner. I thought he was going to ask if his shirt looked okay, and when I turned the corner he was on one knee! I did not see it coming (but I love surprises!)!
When did y’all get married? November 11, 2017
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 220

My mom actually found my dress during a Reem Acra trunk show and sent me a picture. We quickly made an appointment, and after trying on a few dresses, everyone agreed it was the “one.”

What made you choose your ceremony and reception venues? Before we were engaged, we spent Thanksgiving at my family’s ranch outside of Marfa, TX, and on our way home we both talked about how we loved the mountains and the feel of West Texas. When we got engaged, my stepdad was the one to suggest Lajitas. We visited the next week and fell in absolute love with the whole place!

What were some of the most meaningful or special parts of your ceremony? My uncle, whom I am very close with, is a pastor, so we knew we wanted him to do the ceremony. I trusted him completely and let him choose what he wanted to say. After our kiss and official announcement, we turned to our family and friends and all of a sudden confetti started raining down on us! I am obsessed with confetti, and my mom had secretly planned on handing out confetti wands to our guests. I had no clue it was happening! The pictures speak for themselves when you see my and Stewart’s reactions!

What was Southern about your wedding? Well, we had amazing food that was pretty Southern: it included beef tenderloin, mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, cornbread, and much more! We also had the entire wedding party sit at one large table and served our food family-style. Finally, we did a South Texas spin on a New Orleans second line tradition: the mariachi band that led our guests from the ceremony to our cocktail hour! It was also a nice moment to honor my grandfather who had passed away two weeks before my wedding, who loved nothing more than mariachi bands!

Lajitas is a very remote location, so our guests came and stayed the entire weekend. We really got to see and spend time with all of our guests, which was amazing! Both of our love languages is “quality time,” and thats exactly what we got on one of the most important days of our lives.

We went traditional with our ceremony music, but our first dance song was called “Dancing Shoes” by Green River Ordinance. They are a band out of Fort Worth, which is where I went to college, and the song perfectly describes us. Not to mention, Stewart is not a planner, so the line, “in a world that gets lost in making plans just be my woman, yeah, and I will be your man” nails it! It’s my favorite line in the song!

What did you serve for your wedding cake or dessert? We chose a baker out of the city where I was living before marriage and close to where we both grew up. She makes the most delicious cakes — I didn’t care what we did as far as design, I just knew I wanted her cake! We served a bunch of small cakes and kept the design simple to make it easier to transport them from San Antonio to Lajitas. We also did a really fun groom’s cake with an oil rig, a Texas Tech golf bag, and a Spurs flag, because Stewart is a petroleum drilling engineer and a Spurs fan who graduated from Texas Tech!

Did you decide to do a first look? Yes, Stewart is usually not an emotional person, but when he proposed he cried — hard. I’m usually the crier, and I held it together because I had never seen that amount of emotion from him — it was a total surprise to both of us! We mutually agreed that it was best that we see each other first so he wasn’t as emotional in front of everyone. It was the best decision.
What was your most memorable moment from your wedding day? The whole day was amazing, but standing as husband and wife for the first time and having confetti rain down on us as we walked down the aisle was magic – it felt like a dream. The confetti was so thick we could only see each other!
What advice would you give to someone currently planning a wedding? I tell any bride I come across not to sweat the small stuff. Your wedding will be beautiful no matter what. Your guests all love you, and they won’t be able to recall what flowers went in what vase — all they remember is how beautiful and happy you two looked, and how much fun they had. We live in a such a picture-perfect, social media/Pinterest-driven world, it makes us think we have to have all of these little things to make the perfect wedding, which isn’t the slightest bit true. And don’t ever lose focus of your relationship: planning a wedding isn’t more important than your relationship with your future husband. Your wedding is one day, but your marriage is forever!

Photographer: Hannah Mayson Photography | Videographer: Sight and Sound Films | Planner and florist: Viridian Design Studio | Venue and caterer: Lajitas Golf Resort | Desserts: Cakes by Cathy Young | Groom’s cake: The Exclusive Cake Shop | Band: Drywater Band | Paper products: Zella Press | Bride’s gown: “Dalma” by Reem Acra | Reception hair accessory: What Katy Did Next | Hair stylist and makeup artist: Angelica Zamora | Bride’s shoes: Valentino via Saks Fifth Avenue | Bridesmaid dresses: Dress the Population, Rachel Zoe, and Asos | Menswear: Tommy Hilfiger from Mens Wearhouse

emily Written with love by Emily
0 Comments

Southern Weddings reserves the right to delete comments which contain profanity or personal attacks or seek to promote a business unrelated to the post.  And remember: a good attitude is like kudzu – it spreads.  We love hearing your kind thoughts!

Reply to:
close

Bride Annie’s tropical wedding at Sunkin Gardens.

Please meet today’s bride Annie! You’re not going believe me when I share how she and BK cut costs at their wedding… Annie made the centerpieces and her bridesmaids made their own bouquets! Y’all! After falling in love with the striking flower King Proteas, she knew she wanted to include them in her wedding, so she ordered the flowers from a wholesale distributor and got to work! Not only are the flowers absolutely gorgeous but by including her gals in the process the florals became an extra personal detail of their Florida wedding! Keep reading for more sweet details and fun memories from Annie!

Big SW hugs to Everence Photography for sharing!

What was your favorite thing about wedding planning? Wedding planning was a huge creative outlet for me. I loved taking an idea I had in my mind and finding a vendor who would make that idea a reality. It’s a cool feeling seeing your dreams come to fruition.

What was one way you saved money or cut costs at your wedding? I ordered flowers from a wholesale flower distributor and made my own centerpieces, and my bridesmaids made their own bouquets! It saved us a ton of money, and it made the decor and flowers more personal to me.

What were some of the most meaningful or special parts of your ceremony? We both agree that writing our own vows made the ceremony extra special. We both made promises, reminisced about our romantic beginnings, and even had some moments where we started laughing hysterically. I have to admit the funny parts were my favorite, because they put me at ease.

Did you decide to do a first look? We decided against a first look simply because we wanted to feel all the emotions when I was walking down the aisle. I’m happy with our decision; seeing Blake for the first time that day during our ceremony made it all the more special.

What made you choose your ceremony and reception venues? I always dreamed of having an outdoor wedding. Sunken Gardens was the only place that felt magical to us. It was more than just a garden to me, it was like a little jungle nestled in the heart of historic St. Pete.

Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. My favorite songs from our wedding were our ceremony song and our wedding party entry song. I chose “Nuvole Biance” because it had a light, airy piano sound, and it was something I had never heard at anyone’s wedding. We chose “The Way You Make Me Feel” by Michael Jackson for our wedding party entry song, as inspired by the movie Center Stage. It always gets me dancing!

What was Southern about your wedding? The venue really brought in a ton of Southern charm. Nothing screams “South Florida” louder than flamingos and tropical foliage.

What did you serve for your wedding cake or dessert? We had a two-tier buttercream cake, macarons, cake pops, and cupcakes! We wanted something for everyone. My personal favorite were the macarons.

Tell us your love story in one sentence. Two weirdos bond over memes and a love for tacos and fall happily ever after.
Tell us all about the proposal! I thought we were getting ready for a date night with his mom, who had invited us to see a play! After a romantic dinner, as we were looking out at the Lincoln Memorial from the rooftop of the Kennedy Center, Blake proposed. He said, “Did you really want to see that play tonight?” (drops down on one knee) “Because there is no play… will you marry me?” I said yes, and a secretly-hired photographer captured the entire moment. We spent the next thirty minutes taking sunset photos with the scenic backdrop of Washington, D.C. behind us.
When did y’all get married? May 6, 2018
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 64
What was your favorite detail from your wedding? I loved our flowers. I fell in love with King Proteas after seeing them in an arrangement, and knew we had to include them in our wedding!
If you are comfortable responding, what range did your wedding budget fall into? $10,000-$25,000
What was your most memorable moment from your wedding day? We both loved the ceremony so much. I half expected to be either nervous or maybe even bored, but the ceremony was fun and romantic.

Photographer: Everence Photography | Videographer: Lucky Lemon Films | Planner: Southern Glam Weddings | Venue: Sunken Gardens | Florist: 2 Birds Events | Dessert baker: Hands On Sweets | Caterer: Carraba’s | Rentals: Coast to Coast and Rent-All City | DJ: Grant Hemond | Paper products: Zazzle | Bride’s gown: BHLDN | Hair stylist: Anna from Style Hair and Makeup | Makeup artist: Lindsay Travis Artistry | Bridesmaid dresses: JJ’s House | Menswear: Men’s Wearhouse | Officiant: Scott Lortz of Weddings & Wellness

marissa Written with love by Marissa
0 Comments

Southern Weddings reserves the right to delete comments which contain profanity or personal attacks or seek to promote a business unrelated to the post.  And remember: a good attitude is like kudzu – it spreads.  We love hearing your kind thoughts!

Reply to:
close

Bride Sarah shares her classic Cypress Trees Plantation wedding.

Please meet today’s bride, Sarah! Her South Carolina wedding to Dustin was filled with intentional details and lots of Southern charm – the perfect combination in my book! And as a matter of fact, Sara was voted “most likely to have a dream wedding” in high school. Something I’m sure her past classmates would confirm she absolutely accomplished! You’re going to want to keep scrolling to see more of Sarah and Dustin’s classic, blue and white celebration.

SW hugs to Jennings King Photography!

What were some of the most meaningful or special parts of your wedding? That’s a hard question, as I literally tried to make everything meaningful to us since we are a very sentimental couple! I was also voted “most likely to have a dream wedding” in high school, so I had a lot to live up to :) To start things off, I had some of my grandmother’s lace from her wedding dress and some of my mother’s lace from her wedding dress sewn on the inside of my dress with a patch. I had my seamstress make a handkerchief with my grandmother’s lace, my mother’s lace, and a little fabric from my dress, embroidered with “love always,” and gave that to my mom on the day of the wedding. My bouquet had part of my grandmother’s jewelry attached to it. I also had on a pearl bracelet my dad had given to my when I was twelve for confirmation at church. The white Bible used in the ceremony was my father’s that was given to him at birth. The cross that stood next to us during the ceremony traveled from my home church along with the preacher that officiated. The sweet grass basket the flower girl carried has been my Easter basket ever since I was little. The bagpipe songs were played at our college graduation. Our wedding cake was prepared by a family member. Lastly, our dog, Walker, and my parents’ dog, Jack, were able to visit us right before we took pictures with our wedding party.

Tell us the highlights of finding your wedding dress. I visited three places to find my wedding dress and found my dress on the third try. While I loved just about every dress I put on, my main goal was to find a dress that “looked like me.” On our third trip, my mom and I picked several dresses to try on at Fabulous Frocks in Charleston. I chose my wedding dress particularly because I liked the fabric – crazy, I know! After trying on many dresses in the store, I narrowed it down to two. My dress had a skirt that was detachable, and attached with a removable bow. The sales consultant said, “That dress does have a bow that you can put with it, but most people don’t.” Little did she know that bows are my thing — I love them! The other dress I was considering had a blush undertone. I loved them both and couldn’t decide, so my mom and the sales consultant each wrote down her favorite, knowing that if my mom told me I would probably pick the one she said because that is just how I am. After thinking it through, I chose the bow gown — and it was the one my mom had picked, too! (Which made me so, so happy!) The dress was everything I wanted: simple, elegant, and classic.

Did you decide to do a first look? We did decide to do a first look, primarily to ease our nerves a bit. We were skeptical at first, but would highly recommend it now. Getting a chance to share that special moment in private is something we will always cherish!

What made you choose your ceremony and reception venues? The venue was on Edisto Island, which is our favorite place! My parents have a beach house on Edisto, and Dustin and I go there religiously to relax and spend time with family and friends. I knew immediately when we stepped foot on Cypress Trees Plantation it was the one. Being so close to the water really made us feel the true beauty of God’s creation.

What was Southern about your wedding? We both grew up in the South and have held true to our roots, so most things were Southern about our wedding! There were Southern touches everywhere, from the shrimp and grits cake to the men’s Charleston sweet grass roses as boutonnieres. The tables at the reception had beautiful blue flowers and oyster shells as centerpieces, and we danced the night away to Motown and beach music songs. The shag, which is the South Carolina state dance, was danced by friends and family on the dance floor.

What did you serve for your wedding cake? We served a delicious cake that was made by a family member. It was a four-tiered vanilla cake with chocolate-covered candies on each tier, placed on a wicker stand. We also served mini key lime pie tarts and gave everyone a sugar cookie with the outline of a Labrador retriever in honor of our dog, Walker.

Tell us your love story in one sentence. Meeting my best friend and falling in love made my life complete.
Tell us all about the proposal! Dustin asked me to be his wife on March 17, 2017 on Edisto Beach! We had been planning to go to the beach for the weekend with my parents for awhile, but I had no idea what else was in store. Dustin bought the ring from Windsor Jewelers in Augusta, GA, which is just outside of my hometown of Aiken, SC — this is special, because Dustin asked my Mom to help him pick the ring out! The ring wasn’t scheduled to be ready until Friday the 17th, so Dustin arranged for my parents to pick it up before heading down to Edisto for our weekend together. Luckily (and with a lot of stalling by Dustin), my parents beat us down there and were able to hide the ring in a towel closet in the bathroom. When we got to the house, Dustin went to the restroom and then asked if I wanted to go out on the beach and see if my parents were out there. After taking just a few steps outside, Dustin proposed! It was all coordinated perfectly, as my hidden parents and brother were able to see and photograph the whole thing!
When did y’all get married? April 21, 2018
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 175

Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. We had a harpist and a bagpiper play music during the ceremony. The bagpiper played “Highland Cathedral” and “Scotland the Brave,” which were both played at our college graduation. Our first dance song was “With this Ring” by The Platters, because it’s fun and upbeat and we love oldies!
What was your favorite thing about wedding planning? My favorite thing about planning our wedding would be deciding on flowers, decorations, and our invitation suite — some of my easiest decisions! Those were places where we were able to add our special touches and display our personalities.

Photographer: Jennings King Photography | Videographer: Hart to Heart Media | Planner: Meagan Warren Weddings | Venue: Cypress Trees Plantation | Florist: Cote Designs | Wedding Cake or Dessert Baker: Family friend | Caterer: Southern Way Catering | Rentals: Ooh! Events and La Tavola Linen | Lighting: Ambient Media | Band: Men of Distinction via ECE | Paper Products: By Farr Design Studio |
Bride’s gown: Pronovias | Hair stylist: Hunter Gray at Gloss Salon | Makeup artist: Pamela Lesch Makeup | Bride’s shoes: Jack Rogers | Bridesmaid dresses: Lula Kate via Bella Bridesmaids | Menswear: Granger Owings of Columbia and Brackish Bowties | Ring bearer outfits and flower girl dress: Southern Belles | Live artist: Megan Carn

Meagan Warren Weddings, ECE, and By Farr Design are delightful members of our Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory!

marissa Written with love by Marissa
1 Comment
  1. avatar Sara Dunn reply

    Oh my gosh, I LOVE the elegant white color palette of the bride & groom portraits. So classy! And the portrait with their dogs is adorable.

Southern Weddings reserves the right to delete comments which contain profanity or personal attacks or seek to promote a business unrelated to the post.  And remember: a good attitude is like kudzu – it spreads.  We love hearing your kind thoughts!

Reply to:
close
Top