Southern Weddings

Cori + David’s Savannah wedding – photographed by Tim Willoughby and planned by Ainsley Croswell of Tricia Huddas and Co. – has an incredible vintage feel to it that works perfectly with the luxe vibe at the Mansion at Forsyth Park.  The bride wore a dramatic Mon Cheri gown and carried an all-white bouquet from A to Zinnias.  Savannah Rum Runners Bakery designed the couple’s delectably Southern round cake, topped with sugared magnolias, no less!  We love the Savannah-inspired invitation suite from White Aisle – further proof that sometimes simple is best… and totally Southern! 

How did the two of you meet?  I was blessed to meet David when I was open to dating, and open to good people being in my life. We met as facilitators for a weeklong Fraternity/Sorority leadership conference.  David happened to be sitting next to me during training.  I said something brassy, he laughed, and that was it.  We got to work with students together, and we would touch base every evening on how we thought the experience was going. Later in the week, we were paired for a service project, and I was so blown away by how genuine and passionate David was.  I couldn’t put my finger on it, but something about him was so attractive to me.  For us, that student conference was the perfect environment to spark a friendship. At the end of the week, I didn’t want David to drive home alone, so I called the airline and switched my flight. We drove home together and talked the entire time. When I got home, there was already a message from David waiting.  That was the last call I got as a single  girl. 
Describe the proposal.  I was the Marketing Manager for a non-profit, and Dave told me he was coming into town for a fraternity conference. We had planned a dinner out and a great night in the city, but of course work took over my night!  After I left the work event, David came to pick me up and we gave up on our fancy dinner. We ended up at PF Chang’s, the site of our first dinner date. I was exhausted, and Dave kept holding my hand and talking about our  relationship, but I was not focused at all! We went back to my house, and Dave had decorated my dining room with my sorority’s flower, candles and a bucket of champagne. He told me the goodies were to offset my hard week, and when I turned around, he was on one knee. I was so overwhelmed, I couldn’t get up the nerve to put the ring on! He had to ask me to marry him three times before I finally caught my breath and said yes. Then we called our parents and made it official on Facebook!
Three adjectives that describe the day are:  Intimate, luxe and joyful.
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: The city!  Savannah was the perfect backdrop for a week of wonder. We wanted a wedding that resembled a big, fun Southern dinner party, and  Savannah gave us just that. 
Tell us about finding your wedding dress: I’m a victim of “white wash.”  Once you watch 200 episodes of Say Yes to the Dress, you get a little non-plussed. I tried on dress after dress, and wanted a dress that would fit with our Savannah backdrop, reflect my love of all things lush and glittery, but still be appropriate for a curvy girl! The dress consultant at the fifth boutique I visited called it the “Hollywood dress!”  That dress is still a dream to me. My Mom, Aunt Marsha and her daughter Kim happened to see me put it on for the first time, and I remember turning around and saying to them, “This is the dress. Oh my gosh, I think this is the dress!”  And it was.

Describe your wedding flowers: The incredible “shabby chic meets Southern romance” florals were designed by A to Zinnias.  The team also created gorgeous birch trees with hydrangeas, bark and hanging crystals and votives. The sweet pea, cream garden roses and ranunculus bouquet was the most wonderful part of my day, and the beautiful blue bouquet for my maid of honor was stunning, as well. 
Describe your wedding cake: We chose a Red Velvet cake from Rum Runners in Savannah.  The cake was hard to arrange, because most bakers are not thrilled about working on Thanksgiving! Luckily, Minette Rushing was open to making an incredible cake for us!
Why did you choose to have a smaller wedding?  We spent four days – including Thanksgiving! – getting to know our families better.  We rented a historic home in downtown Savannah, and spent the week spoiling our guests and making the most of every day.  We couldnʼt have provided the high-end elements without an intimate party feel. We sacrificed a traditional reception of drinking and dancing in favor of an intimate toast-filled four course dinner party.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding?  We had NEVER been to Savannah before! Our planning was 100% site unseen! These challenges were minimized by our fantastic planner, Ainsley Crowell, who knows Savannah like the back of her manicured hand. She helped us navigate the Thanksgiving limitations, options, aesthetic, and planning from across the country.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? The moment I decided to shoot photos with David before the walk down the aisle. Having our photographer there to capture our first meeting in a Savannah square was priceless to me.  By the I met David, I had just let go. My dress was a little dirty, I was a bride on the way to meet my groom, and just felt completely at peace. 
Whatʼs next for you as a couple?  What are you looking forward to in the future?  David and I really love being in love. Weʼre looking forward to continuing to build our extended family of friends and colleagues, and weʼre looking forward to the next steps. (Weʼll see if that includes a baby, another puppy, or both!) 

Congratulations, Cori + David!  Thank you for a glimpse into your magical celebration!

Julie + Todd’s Texas wedding was one of my very favorites from the last issue.  Besides the fact that the bride has an Audrey Hepburn kind of beauty about her (she does, doesn’t she?), the couple’s sunshine-yellow color palette + too-cute owl theme definitely stood out.   The former long distance lovers celebrated their marriage at the Mansion at Judges Hill, and had photographer Whitney Lee on-hand to document their nature-inspired festivities.  See below for their full vendor list, and be sure to check out our last issue for more shots and to find out what made us dub them the Southern Romeo + Juliet!

Photographer: Whitney Lee Photography; Venue: Mansion at Judges Hill; Planner: Casey Callaham; Caterer: Sterling Affairs; Florist: Heather Hollifield; Bride’s Dress: Casablanca Bridal; Wedding Cake Baker: Sweet Tempered Bakery; Photobooth: Say Cheese for Fun; Invitations: Letterpress Delicacies; Musicians: Leggiero String Trio