Southern Weddings

Yes, we’re back with more from Amy + Carl’s Texas wedding at the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens.  Special thanks to Cesar + Tanya Perez for sharing their work with us!  I’m almost as much a fan of the soft white and pale blue accents of the couple’s floral arrangements from Apples to Zinnia as the adorable figurines (made by the bride herself) decorating the multi-layered confection from Panini Bakery.  Too cute!  Kudos to Roxie Bentaur of Society Affairs for designing and planning this sweetly Southern wedding.

Describe your wedding cake:  Our cake was so delicious!  Carl designed most of it with the help of our baker.  It had our wedding colors of blue, brown and white, with three layers white cake and three different fillings: raspberry white chocolate ganache, cappuccino and amaretto.  I made the cake topper out of clay to resemble Carl and I in our wedding attire! Our cake was so good that we didn’t have any slices left over.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? Our first dance. We danced to Beck’s cover of Daniel Johnston’s song “True Love Will Find You in the End,” and it was just such a romantic, private moment.  We thought that we would feel very self-conscious with 95 pairs of eyes on us, but we forgot about everyone else and just focused on each other.
Scariest moment? Part of our ceremony included drinking out of a special goblet called a German Wedding Cup.  This cup allows two people to drink out of it at once, but it requires some artful maneuvering to successfully pull it off.  I was so afraid that we would spill wine all over ourselves, but it ended up going very smoothly and was a fun and personal way to conclude our ceremony.
Funniest moment? The arboretum had a display of fairy tale houses set up on the grounds.  One of the houses was shaped like a pirate ship, so the groomsmen had fun posing like pirates.  We only wish we had thought to bring eye patches for everyone!
Three adjectives that describe the day are: Joyous, festive and fast!
Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase/verse/line? Yes, we wrote our own vows.  My favorite line from Carl’s vows was that he wanted me to be his “partner in crime.”  I love thinking about us as being in cahoots, secretly building this wonderful life together.
Best advice or most memorable comment someone made to you during the wedding celebration: My great-aunt and great-uncle pulled me aside during the reception to let me know they were about to celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary, and hoped Carl and I would have an equally long and happy marriage.

Congratulations, Amy + Carl!  We wish you both all the best in your new life together!

Since I was obsessed with Dorothy’s ruby red slippers as a child, I guess it’s not that surprising that my very favorite detail about Amy + Carl’s Texas wedding from Perez Photography is the bride’s own red shoes!  Aren’t they the perfect complement to her paper white Casablanca gown and her bridesmaids’ black Calvin Klein frocks?  Since we’re talking fashion here today, I especially love the delicate lace detail on the chapel length veil (something old borrowed from her mother!).  While the bride’s is wonderfully vintage, the orange blossom on her groom’s boutonnière (courtesy of Apples to Zinnias) gives the wedding party a modern and updated look.  Come back soon for their reception photos!

Describe the proposal: Carl spent part of our dating relationship living in Charleston, South Carolina.  I went to visit him for his birthday one summer in the middle of an intense heat wave.  One afternoon, we decided to head to one of our favorite spots, Folly Beach, to look for some seashells and watch the sunset.  Just as we got out of sight of any other visitors, Carl held out a seashell and said, “Here, I think you might like this one.” The shell rolled over in my hand and out fell a beautiful diamond ring!  Carl then dropped to one knee and said some very touching words that I barely remember because I was laughing; I was just overwhelmed with happiness.  I said “Yes!” (of course!) and we headed back up the beach for some celebratory beer and tacos.  It was the perfect proposal for me.
The weather on our wedding day was: Gorgeous and sunny. We were so nervous about the weather given our outdoor venue, but the heat and the rain stayed away.
What was the design inspiration for your wedding? Our venue, an arboretum and historic home, already provided such a beautiful backdrop that we wanted to keep our own decorations minimal so as not to distract from the natural beauty.  We wanted to create a casual garden party atmosphere that was functional and comfortable for our guests, so we started with a light palate of sky blue, white and chocolate brown, and went forward from there, trying to choose things that were classic and summery.
Tell us about finding your wedding dress: I looked at pictures of wedding dresses for months before I actually went shopping and, in my mind, pictured myself in something ivory, with lace and cap sleeves.  Because we were planning from afar, I only had a few days to visit different bridal shops.  At the first shop I visited, I found myself a little overwhelmed by just seeing myself in the dresses, and thought I’d found my gown after only trying on four or five.  However, after sleeping on it, I was filled with so many doubts that my very wise mother took me to another store for a second shopping trip.  That’s where I found “the one.”  I knew it was the dress for me because I didn’t want to take it off; I wanted to wear it home!  It was white satin gown, without a stitch of lace or beading.  It was totally different from what I originally had envisioned but was just right for me.  I wore my mother’s veil.
Describe your wedding flowers: We gave our florist, Juan, a lot of creative freedom with our bouquets and centerpieces.  I talked with him about the setting and general feel of our wedding and listed some of my favorite flowers, including hydrangeas, orchids and gerbera daisies, and then I let him create the arrangements.  I loved the final product!  Although I felt like a bride once I put my veil on, I really felt like a bride with my veil and my bouquet.  I also thought the orchids were a wonderfully exotic touch to our otherwise classic arrangements.

The SW ladies were stunned to hear about the fire that destroyed Claxton Farm, one of the most gorgeous venues in our state, this past Monday night.  We’ve featured so many amazing Claxton Farm weddings over the past few years, and our hearts go out to all of the people behind this business and to all of the brides planning to marry at the Farm.  The one bright spot?  We hear the staff is feeling energized and excited about their plans to rebuild.  We wish them the best of luck and can’t wait to see what’s in store!

In the meantime, check out Alexandra and Jeremy’s gorgeous fall wedding at the rustic barn.  See what we mean?  Their wedding was shot by Woodward and Rick Photographers and designed and coordinated by Ivy Robinson. Catering was by Crest Center,  the cake was by Sisters McMullen, floral design was by The Flora Diva, and paper goods were by Chic Impressions.

***To Read Alexandra and Jeremy’s interview, {CLICK HERE}***
 

More Claxton Farm weddings:

Tara and Andrew (Part I and Part II)

Melissa and Ryan (Part I and Part II)