Southern Weddings

One night at a party, Shanda saw a handsome fella and imagined that he was just her type.  She even shared that information with her friends and a short time later she passed him and well, lets just say she was right.  He was her type and he was her’s too.  The two married at {Villa Serena} outside of Atlanta, Georgia among friends and family. Shanda wore a breathtaking {Mia Solano} gown.  The bridesmaid were pretty in pink with dresses from {Bel Fiore Bridal}.  Adorning the gowns were bouquets by Patti Mick of Simplistic Elegance, who created all the beautiful flowers. Photography by {Brandelyn Lee Photography}.  More to come in the next post!

How did the two of you meet? We met at Georgia Tech one night at a party. Chris was attending school there and my cousin begged me for hours to go with her to the party. Another friend and I were picking out the cute guys in the crowd and I pointed out Chris told my friend, not knowing I would ever meet him, “That guy over there is my type…his hair and his shirt – so cute!” Later that night we met walking up the stairs and the rest is history.
Describe the proposal: Chris took me on a romantic seven-day cruise and proposed to me under the starlight on our private balcony, complete with champagne and a room full of candles.
What attracted me to my husband was: First…because he is super handsome and has “McDreamy” eyes. We have so many things in common and all the same interests. We have fun together and he loves my animal-loving-tree-hugging self!
Why do you love your husband? Because he has good morals and takes care of me, and he is my best friend.
What attracted me to my wife was: First…Shanda is absolutely gorgeous. Then, as we got to know each other, she naturally became my best friend.
A date we went on that we’ll always remember: Our first date…dinner and a movie – we watched “The Notebook”!
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: Our sand ceremony. Chris, the officiant, and I poured black, white, and silver sand into a vintage vase to represent the joining of us as husband and wife with God as the center of our marriage.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? I was so excited that I tried to kiss Chris before we said “I do”!

More to come from Shanda + Chris!

Written with love by Lara Casey

We are so happy to feature the wedding of Leigh + Kelly at the {Circle R Ranch} today! The theme stayed true to Texas with guests, bride and groom in ranch attire (jeans and boots). The couple and their guests enjoyed cupcakes from {The Cupcakery} instead of traditional wedding cake. The intimate wedding was extra special with the couple’s favorite performer {Thomas Michael Riley} serenading them during their first dance. Check out more of this beautiful wedding photographed by {Heather Thorne Photography}.

Describe the proposal: I had planned a birthday party for Kelly at one of our favorite places, Farina’s Winery in Grapevine, TX. We had a private room reserved for some of our closest friends and family to come celebrate. Little did I know that Kelly was planning a proposal and everyone was in on the secret except me! In the middle of a toast he turned in my direction, pulled me up with him, and started talking about our wonderful love. He tearfully got down on one knee and asked me to be his wife. I said yes! The rest of the guests at Farina’s were watching through the glass double doors and gave us a standing ovation when servers ushered in glasses of champagne – another surprise!
What attracted me to my husband was: Instant chemistry.
Why do you love your husband? I love my husband because we like the same things, have the same interests and we think the same thoughts. We mutually want to be around each other as much as possible. We are truly soul mates.
A date we went on that we’ll always remember: Attending the Blues Brothers concert at the opening night of the House of Blues in Dallas. One of the best concerts ever – small venue and incredible talent! After the concert, we were personally invited by Jim Belushi to have a late dinner with him, Dan Akroyd, and the band at the Foundation Room (a private club above the HOB). There were no menus – just ask the chef to prepare whatever you want…steak…lobster…whatever! We laughed, drank, and ate until 3 in the morning.
The weather on our wedding day was: Sunny. Clear skies. Mid-70’s. Amazing. When we selected January 31 as a date, we had to face the fact that it could be miserable, but I was certain that God would bless us with a beautiful day.
What was the design inspiration for your wedding? As event professionals, we are accustomed to transforming a venue into something very different and unique. However, for our wedding we wanted to embrace the rustic nature of the ranch and use elements that would add to the ranch experience and have an overall Texan feel.
Favorite design element of your big day: The event logo – a cattle brand-style symbol – made of our initials. We first featured this in the invitation and it was a symbol that carried through the event. As guests drove up to the ranch the brand was the first thing to be seen – illuminated 8’ tall on the side of the Circle R Ranch Chisholm Ranch House. We also used the brand on cups, glassware, cupcake toppers and stationary.
Tell us about the Venue: When planning, we knew we wanted to concentrate on the party first, ceremony second. We also wanted to wear jeans, listen to our favorite Texas music, and eat barbecue. One of Kelly’s oldest friends runs the Circle R Ranch and there was no question that it would be our first choice. Luckily he had the date open since we asked him about it 2 months prior to the event. The staff was top notch. The food was amazing. The ranch was the perfect selection and setting.
Tell us about finding your wedding dress: No dress! I selected a feminine ivory Tadashi blouse and paired it with Swarovski-encrusted Rock and Republic Jeans. We had matching custom boots made from black stingray hide to help indicate that we were the couple of honor.
Describe your wedding flowers and decor: We didn’t want to detract from the ranch but have our décor blend with the existing rustic environment. The floral designer did an absolutely stunning job of decorating the ranch house inside and out. There were oil-rubbed bronze pots filled with clusters of branches and berries. Garlands of natural greens, acorns, and flowers adorned the candle–lit stone fire place. All flowers used were white, cream, or camel in color. To provide dimension and interest centerpieces varied from being low and lush to tall glass vases filled with black river rock placed on weathered leather overlays. Buffet tables featured random clusters of magnolia leaves, greenery, and berries in apothecary vases. Outside there were lanterns lighting the path to the ranch house and fairy lights strung from the porch and gazebos.
Describe your wedding cake: To keep with the non-traditional nature of the wedding, we opted for no cake. Instead we selected an assortment of cupcakes that varied in texture and garnishes. Most were topped with a chocolate “LMK”. The cupcakes were randomly stacked on rustic crates amongst greenery, candles and berries to create a very unique focal point.
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: Our guests and their attitudes. We asked in the invitation that everyone come dressed in “Ranch Attire.” They all showed up in boots, jeans, some had hats and they were all ready to dance and party!
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? We held the ceremony inside the lodge in front of a stone fireplace. We wanted the ceremony to feel intimate and be a special time for us and our new combined family to be together before the party got cranked up. Therefore we decided to invite only immediate family – about 15 people. Our close friends were disappointed and missed seeing us exchange vows. I still get grief from my best girlfriends about it.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? Our first dance. I felt so close to Kelly and forgot there was anyone else in the world in that moment. Except maybe for TMR (Thomas Michael Riley, performer). He serenaded us with “Lookin’ for Someone” and he personalized some of the lyrics to fit the occasion and us.
Scariest moment? Our minister got the time wrong, was missing, and not answering the phone when we wanted to start the ceremony. We were so relieved when he showed up! However, a back-up plan was in motion. Steven, who runs the Circle R had phoned in a favor from a Justice of the Peace friend who was on the way when the minister arrived.
Funniest moment? Kelly and I had given our respective 7 year old sons each other’s ring to be responsible for during the ceremony. Kelly’s son CJ had put my ring on his finger for safe-keeping. When the time came to exchange rings the ring was stuck on his finger! It took a while to work the thing off but provided a good laugh for our entire family.
The most unexpected event on our wedding day was: When we had 2 guest singers on the stage both with prepared songs – our friend Heather Stewart with “Let Your Love Flow” by the Bellamy Brothers and my Aunt Mindy with “San Antonio Rose.”
Three adjectives that describe the day are: fun, relaxed, and memorable
What advice would you give to someone planning their wedding? Don’t let stereotypical wedding accessories and traditions influence and affect planning. If it doesn’t work with your personality or overall design inspiration then nix it, don’t force it.
Best advice or most memorable comment someone made to you during the wedding celebration: Many of the guests stayed with us at the Gaylord Texan for the weekend. We had a shuttle bus carry us back from the ranch to the Gaylord after the party. That’s where and when all the toasts started happening. There were probably 30+ people on the bus and each of them one-by-one stood up (roadie in hand) and talked about what they love most about us! So very special – I wish this had been caught on tape!
Who was your most honored guest at the wedding? Thomas Michael Riley. We have seen him play many times and we were so thrilled when he accepted our offer to play the gig! He had told us one time “I don’t do weddings.” Many of his songs ha
ve special meanings to us and our relationship. It just wouldn’t have been the same without him.
What’s next for you as a couple? We got engaged, bought a house, combined our family, planned the wedding, and got married in 4 months time. Right now we are looking forward to settling into a routine with our family and just living life.

Congratulations Leigh+Kelly! We wish all the best to you and your family!

Written with love by Lara Casey

This is one wedding story that grabbed my attention from the get go.  Our team received Christine + Travis’ interview a few days before the NCAA 2009 National Championship Men’s Basketball Game.  Our office being located right at the home of the UNC Tar Heels were all pulling for our beloved team and this interview remind us again of the Tar Heels win in 2005!  Congratulations to the Tar Heels and congrats to Christine + Travis!  Maybe it was the luck of their interviews that lead the team to victory? Christine + Travis married in South Carolina at a friends home in {Beresford Hall}.  The couple choice {Lowcountry Boils} to cater this fabulous event.  Christine looked radiant in her {Casa Blanca} gown that she purchased from {A Beautiful Day Bridal}.  Matching it perfectly was the jewelry from {The Beaded Belle}.  This fabulous day was made possible by the wedding coordinator Linda McDowell and capturing all the fun was {Jeff Holt Photography}.  Check out more on Jeff’s photo {Blog}.

How did the two of you meet? Tell us your story. Six degrees of separation is a great way to describe our relationship in the beginning. We both went to Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina and had many of the same friends thanks to our sorority and fraternity. However, we never really hung out except for one time in ’99, our sophomore year. Years passed and in 2005 I went to an engagement party for one of my best friends and sorority sister who was marrying one of Travis’ good friends and fraternity brothers. I was working on the invitations and I saw that Travis was invited and that he lived in Durham. I remember thinking “how neat someone new from ASU lives in Durham. I need to talk with him at the party and see how things are going”. I did just that, but I didn’t know what I was getting myself into. For those of you who may not know this, 2005 was the year that the North Carolina Tar heels won the men’s NCAA basketball championship. {Editor’s Note: They did it again in 2009! Go Heels}. Durham, North Carolina is in the heart of Tobacco Road where people are either Duke fans (which I am) or UNC fans (which Travis is). The night of the engagement party UNC won the Elite Eight game against Michigan State and now was headed to the Final Four. At the beginning of the party, I was thanking everyone for coming when I saw Travis. I asked him how he liked living in Durham. We chit chatted and swapped phone numbers so we could grab a drink and I could show him around Durham. During our conversation, UNC won their game against Michigan State. Needless to say, Travis was very excited and was looking to give a Duke fan (me) grief. “Just say Go Tar Heels and I will leave you alone I promise,” said Travis, but as a true Duke fan I just could not do that. We had a good time at the party with all our friends and I completely forgot that I had swapped phone numbers with Travis. So the following weekend when he called to ask me for that drink, I thought not the Go Tar Heels guy! What was suppose to be two new friends getting together for a drink and a tour of Durham, turned out to be drinks, dinner, hours of talking and now a life time together.
Describe the proposal: It was very romantic. While at ASU, Travis found a beautiful private stone and wooden gazebo overlooking the Blue Ridge Parkway. Since both of us went to ASU and we started our relationship in Boone, Travis knew that was going to be the place where he would propose to me. On our way up to Boone for Homecoming, Travis mentioned there was a place that he wanted to show me. When we got there it was like stepping into a fairy tale. We were on the parkway, up in the clouds and in our own little piece of heaven. I was walking around taking pictures, not paying attention to him because of the beauty. So when he asked me to come to him, I didn’t even think twice. When I did, I was completely shocked to see him down on one knee. At first I laughed, then I cried, and then I said YES!
What attracted me to my husband was: His sensitivity
What attracted me to my wife was: Her personality, from our first date we just clicked.
A date we went on that we’ll always remember: Travis would say the time I surprised him with a picnic dinner, but I would have to say going to see Alison Krauss at a small intimate outdoor amphitheater. That was the night that he told me he loved me.
The weather on our wedding day was: Perfect! A Bright blue Carolina (UNC) Sky and 80 degrees.
What was the design inspiration for your wedding? An Intimate Charleston Garden Wedding.
Favorite design element of your big day: The intimacy of the event.
Tell us about finding your wedding dress: A NIGHTMARE! I found the dress that I wanted online, but before I bought it, I wanted to try it on. After 5 months of searching, I finally found the dress that I wanted in Jacksonville, Florida. However, the only shop in North Carolina that would order the dress at the time was in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. This was great because that is where Travis’ parents live and my future mother-in-law could be involved in the whole process. We ordered the dress on February 2, and were told they would call me the following week with my shipping date. A week passed and I didn’t get a phone call. By 10 business days, I was getting nervous. So I went online to get their phone number. Both the website and the phone were disconnected. Needless to say, I was freaking out. I called my future mother in law and explained the situation. She became mother of the groomzilla! She went to the shop knocked on their door until someone opened it. She demanded my deposit money back (which she got) and made the store manager apologize to me personally on the phone. I was one of the lucky ones. The shop closed down the next week and a lot of brides lost their dresses. I finally found a shop in Durham that would order my dress. Four weeks later, I received my dress.
Describe your wedding flowers: I loved my flowers. I chose hot pink roses, green calla lilies, white snapdragons and white gladiolas. The flowers were one area I incorporated family into the ceremony. Pink roses are my favorite flower because they remind me of my Grandma Rose Marie, who I lost when I was young. The gladiolas were for my Grandma Grace, because that is what she carried on her wedding day.
Describe your wedding cake: No cake. My husband and I are not big cake fans, so we did a very southern thing, pies! We had two types of pies, Chocolate Chess and Key Lime.
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: How family was incorporated into the wedding. Here are just a few ways we incorporated family. My uncle who is a priest and my godfather was one of the ministers in the service. Our wedding day was actually Travis’ parents wedding anniversary. We had a parents pledge instead of the giving away of the bride. My aunt did the scripture reading and Travis’ aunt read a poem she wrote after she became engaged to Travis’ uncle.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? Planning a destination wedding.
Were there any special family traditions you included in the wedding? Other than the ones I already mentioned, I also had both my Grandmothers wedding rings with me on my wedding day. I wore one as a blessing for a long happy marriage and one was incorporated into my bouquet as my something old.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? The vows, our minister (who was Travis’ youth minister) was nervous so when he asked Travis, “Will you take Christine to be your wife?” Travis answered, “I do, I will, absolutely.”
Scariest moment? The wedding dress disaster.
Funniest moment? The vows and the father- daughter dance (it wasn’t your typical father-daughter dance).
Three adjectives that describe the day are: Beautiful, peaceful and romantic.
What advice would you give to someone planning their wedding? Don’t listen to anyone else. The day is for you and your husband to be only. DO WHAT YOU WANT!
Best advice or most memorable comment someone made to you during the wedding celebration. To remember the moment and use that memory when things aren’t so blessed.
Who was your most honored guest at the wedding? Because our wedding was a destination wedding everyone who came was an honored guest.
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you looking forward to in the future? Remodeling our home.

Congratulations to Christine + Travis.  We wish you many more victories in life!

Written with love by Lara Casey