Southern Weddings

Weddings don’t get much more rustic than Lisa + Andrew’s celebration at the University Camp in Wimberley, Texas.  The key to capturing the earthy feel this nature-loving couple was hoping for?   Bunches (and bunches!) of organic and locally-grown sunflowers, gerber daisies and wheat grass courtesy of Anosky Flowers.  The bride and groom chose an earth-tone color palette (we love the bride’s ivory Joli Bridal gown and her husband-to-be’s cream-colored suit) to accent the natural beauty of their outdoor ceremony site.  Good thing this couple is eco-friendly: wouldn’t you know it started pouring minutes before their ceremony?  We’ll be back soon with more shots from Houston-based photographer, Akil Bennett!

How did the two of you meet? Tell us your story.  Andrew and I met at Texas State University.  We both worked for the outdoor recreation program on campus.  We became fast friends while going on various outdoor trips.  We spent so much time getting to know each other through long car rides to the Grand Canyon and Big Bend National Park.  I considered him my best guy friend by far; it was such an easy friendship.  After a week-long ski trip to Steamboat Springs, Colorado I knew he had a crush on me but I didn’t think I felt the same about him.  The next summer, I went to work in Russia and couldn’t overcome this crazy feeling I had.  I missed him so much.  After I got back, we spent every night for the next two weeks staying up late and talking on his porch.  Then one night, he finally kissed me.  Just before graduation, I was offered a job in Maine.  It was really funny how our discussions centered not on whether or not he would be coming along with me after graduation but where the two of us would go together! I always knew we would stay together, it was just a matter of where we would be.  We were in Maine for a couple of years and tied the knot with our friends and families at University Camp where we  hadspent lots of time while we were in Texas.
Describe the proposal:  Andrew was waiting until our two-year anniversary to propose, which of course I had completely forgotten.  We planned to go backpacking for the weekend in Baxter State Park, then I got sick.  I realized Sunday morning what he had been planning and I was so upset because my sickness ruined everything.  He was still determined to propose, so we drove up Rider’s Bluff overlooking Bangor, Maine.  It was a simple and sweet proposal. 
The weather on our wedding day was:  Bleak, rainy, and absolutely perfect.
What was the design inspiration for your wedding?  I wanted it to feel earthy and natural.  I try to live my life in an environmentally-friendly way, so the wedding had to go along with that feel.  We used burlap for the tablecloths, wheat grass for centerpieces, and organic, local flowers.
Favorite design element of your big day:  The cedar arbor decorated with sunflowers and paper cranes.  Andrew’s father put it together the day before our wedding and we actually got to take it home with us to Maine.  It now adorns our garden.  What wonderful memories.
Tell us about finding your wedding dress:  I found my dress in one day and never looked back.  I was back home in Atlanta, GA visiting my parents for the weekend, and my mom and I went to a small boutique in Roswell.   I found the dress on about the second or third try.  I found myself swaying and swishing back and forth and new it was the right one.  My mom insisted we try one more place.  We ended up going to a big store with way too many rooms full of dresses!  I didn’t even know where to start.  The lady asked if she could help narrow down my options and asked what my price range was, I told her under $1000.  She looked at me and said they didn’t have any dresses for under that price.  I knew right then that I had made the right decision.  The gown arrived a few weeks before the wedding.  It was so perfect that I didn’t even need to have any alterations made!

There are so many things I love about Ashley + Jason’s South Carolina reception at The Landing on Shem Creek, not least of which are the touching portraits from Cheyenne Schultz.  (Do you see what I mean about the bride’s bouquet being the perfect addition to her Southern nuptials?)  The gold chair ties woven through the backs of the wooden chivaris was a subtly elegant touch.  I’m a fan of simple wedding cakes, so I really love the all-white five-tiered confection (dressed up with bright orchids and the bride’s new initial) from Megan Keatley.  Be sure to visit the original blog post here!

Describe your wedding flowers: Even though I tend to kill them when I try to grow them, I have always loved orchids.  Hydrangeas and calla lilies have always been a favorite, too.  We decided to use purple orchids, pink calla lilies and white hydrangeas.  The arrangements were beautiful!
Describe your wedding cake: One of my best friends from high school, Megan, worked as a pastry chef for an upscale restaurant for a few years.  Although she had moved on and joined the business world, she still did some baking on the side.  She even made her own wedding cake!  After tasting hers, I knew I wanted her to make ours, too.  We wanted something simple.  Simple turned into huge when Megan started planning.  We had four square tiers: hummingbird with butter cream filling, chocolate with chocolate ganache and raspberry filling and lemon with a citrus filling.  We can’t wait for our anniversary so we can eat the top tier!
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? Making decisions!  Jason and I are very indecisive.  We had a hard time picking out the details.  We left most of the planning to my mom.  We would tell her what we wanted and she would come back with choices.  Thanks, Mama!
Were there any wedding traditions or new ideas you included in the wedding? We included a few Iowan traditions that a lot of people from South Carolina had not seen before.  We did a dance to “Taking Care of Business” that involves everyone clapping and rolling around on the floor.  No one could believe that I was down on the floor in my wedding dress rolling around!    
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? When I met Jason for the first time at the district in-service, I had a red clown nose on (the speaker had given them out to everyone).  He always told me how dorky he thought I was for introducing myself with the nose on.  After my dad gave me away and I handed my flowers to my sister, she slipped me a clown nose and I had it on when I turned back around to take Jason’s hand.  His face was priceless… and caught on film, too!
Did you write your own vows?  If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line?  We stuck to the basics…and I couldn’t even get those out!
What’s next for you as a couple?  What are you looking forward to in the future?  We are looking forward to growing closer to each other as we both grow closer to God.  We plan to travel some before adding children to our family.

Congratulations, Ashley + Jason!  We wish you all the best!