Southern Weddings

If I were a little more adventurous and not quite so nutty in my obsession with black + white weddings, I 100% would have chosen purple bridesmaid dresses –  a la Stephanie’s ‘maids in jewel-tones sheaths from Melissa Sweet.  Sigh.  Another thing I wish I could steal from Stephanie + George’s classic black tie celebration?  The bride’s flowing locks and cathedral-length Rivini veil (to complement an elegent Rivini gown, naturally) that goes on for miles, and then some.  Nouveau Flowers took greenery to another level with the bridesmaids’ verdant bouquets – and I’m kind of digging it!  Rich Schamberger of East Hill Photo documented the happy couple’s big day at the Seaside Chapel.  

How did the two of you meet?  We first met each other in 2005 when I moved to Destin to take a job with the Boeing Championship. We both were very involved with different community events for our jobs, and eventually became acquaintances. In June of 2006, I took a job with Novartis Pharmaceuticals and lost touch with the happenings in Destin because of all the traveling I had to do for training. After time away, I finally returned to Destin and reunited with George at a Christmas after-hours. Towards the end of the evening, George asked me to stay for dinner, and we’ve been together ever since.
Describe the proposal:  It was a hectic day in January. I was working in Perdido Key and George was working in Panama City Beach. We decided we were going to grab dinner somewhere low-key since George didn’t feel up to cooking and I wasn’t up for cleaning. On my way home, George decided at the last minute that we were going to eat at the Ocean Club instead of our original plan. I insisted that we didn’t go there since I was wearing jeans, a fleece and no makeup. However, George convinced me to go anyways. After dinner was over, the waiter insisted that we have dessert on the house since we had not eaten with them in so long. A few minutes later, the waiter brought out a huge silver platter with all kinds of desserts, fruits, flowers and a little white box. By the time he laid the tray on the middle of the table, it was finally clear was transpiring. George took my hand and asked me to be his wife, and of course I said, “YES!”
Three adjectives that describe the day are: Enchanted, elegant and romantic.

Oh boy, do I love the shot of Rachel, in a champagne-colored gown + ruffled bolero, next to her indigo-clad bridesmaids.  (Thanks, Kallima Photography!)  Their violet-hued bouquets from Floriade Florist (904-241-1000) lend a sweetly vintage feel to the coordinated ensemble, don’t you think?  Rachel + Ty exchanged vows at the rustic Beaches Chapel Church in Florida (love the exposed wooden beams) before celebrating with a family-style banquet at the Casa Marina Hotel.  In lieu of traditional wedding cake, Guests noshed on crème brulee lovingly prepared by the bride’s chef-father.  Visit Rebekah’s original blog post here!

How did the two of you meet?  Tell us your story. Ty and I worked at the Crossroads Worldwide summer camp in Boiling Springs, North Carolina during our summer breaks in college, and met in 2003.  We didn’t become good friends until the summer of 2005 when I was living in Boiling Springs and he showed up my doorstep to say hello.  We chatted as if we were long lost friends.  He asked for my number, and we’ve been inseparable ever since.
Describe the proposal.  It was Thanksgiving of 2007 and our families were going to meet for the very first time ever.  I had driven up so Ty and I could see each other before the holiday mayhem began.  The day before Thanksgiving, we decided to build a fire beneath Ty’s parent’s gigantic oak tree and watch the sun go down.  Ty arrived with gift in tow and asked me to open it. I though I knew exactly what the surprise was, as I had been asking for an Auburn hat for months, so of course I ripped into the gift like a child on Christmas.  I was so excited when I saw the hat, but little did I know that the ring was hidden underneath.  When he asked me try the hat on and I denied with a very girly statement of “I don’t really want to ruin my hair right now,” I can only imagine his disappointment when I said I didn’t want to try on the hat because it would mess up my hair!  Needless to say, his lead me to try on the hat… and right into a “Will you do me the honor of being my wife?”

Three adjectives that describe the day are: Relaxing, intimate and fun!
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: The trees! WE LOVE TREES!  Rooted deep in love, life, family and God, trees represent the core of our values.

“And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”             -Psalms 1:3

Describe your wedding cake: Neither Ty nor I have really liked most wedding cakes and, to be honest, the wedding cake is supposed to be a little something sweet that represents the couple, and a cake was not what we wanted to represent us. For us, crème brulee was most fitting!   For the cutting of the cake, everyone raised their ramekins full warm, decedent custard, and cracked the tops of the Crème Brulee and dove into velvet bliss! 
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? The ceremony.  I know many couples insist the reception, food or dancing was their favorite part, but for us the ceremony was by far the most memorable part about the wedding.
What’s next for you as a couple?  What are you looking forward to in the future? We’re not sure!  Guess only time will tell, but we plan to serve others around us, and to love to the best of our ability.  If that includes some trips overseas to indulge in fine food or digging a trench so that someone can have clean running water, we’re in! 

Congratulations, Rachel + Ty!  Enjoy your adventures together!

Why hello, black + white tiled dance floor I would love to dance on.  Don’t you look snazzy!  There are few things more striking than a classic B+W dance floor – especially when accented by heaps of fresh greenery, courtesy of Stylish Stems –  and I kind of love the modern simplicity of Patricia + Jason’s reception décor.  The white-on-white fondant confection from Baker’s Man, Inc. really was the icing on the cake (hee hee) for this elegantly mod affair.  Take a peek at Melissa Schollaert’s blog for more lovely wedding shots.

Describe your wedding flowers: I wanted the flowers to have a natural garden feel since we were getting married in a garden meadow.  I chose flowers to represent all of the wedding colors: celadon green, plum and ivory. 
Describe your wedding cake: We served a three-tier cake covered in white fondant icing with a light spray of shimmering pearl dust and hand-painted silver ribbon at the bottom of each tier.  The cake was garnished with handmade sugar roses that cascaded down the face of the cake.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? The budget!  If we had unlimited resources, I would’ve kept adding more.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? Just as we were saying our vows, we got haggled from a couple arguing in the park adjacent to our ceremony.
What’s next for you as a couple?  What are you looking forward to in the future?  We’d love to travel more and hopefully sell the condo and buy a house soon.  We’re thinking about starting a family in a few years.

Congratulations, Patricia + Jason!