Southern Weddings

Julie + Matt met in college through the Air Force ROTC at Texas Christian University. Although the two knew each other for some time, it wasn’t until their senior year that they began dating. Their dating would later take them to a Labor Day weekend in Oklahoma City where Matt would propose. How did Matt pop the question? It involves a Coach handbag box and one very ecstatic handbag lover — Julie. Let’s just say there was something a bit more special in the Coach box! Julie + Matt were married at the Texas Christian Chapel and had a wonderful reception at {Stockyards Station}. Julie was dressed to impress in a gown from {J.Andrew’s Bridal}. Her bridal attendants wore dresses from {J.Crew} and the boots were from {Cavender’s}. The flowers were arranged by Ed Barrett at Ed’s Signature Floral and the cake made by A Taste of Europe by Opulent Cakes. We have to share that Julie planned her wedding while in Kuwait and arrived back to America nine days before the ceremony. Amazing! Photography by the fabulous {Jeremy Harwell Photography}. Check out more shots on Jeremy’s {Blog}.

How did the two of you meet? Tell us your story. Matt and I went to Texas Christian University and were both in Air Force ROTC. We met freshman year, went to basic training together sophomore year, and after being great friends for three years, we finally started dating our senior year of college.
Describe the proposal: We were visiting my sister in Oklahoma City for Labor Day to see my new niece. I knew Matt would probably use the weekend to ask my parents for permission, but I was definitely not expecting the proposal. Matt had told me he would wait to give me my birthday present until the next weekend we would be together. I had really wanted a new Coach purse. Finally, Matt took me aside and said he wanted to surprise me with my birthday present. I was so ecstatic when I tore the wrapping paper and saw a Coach box and when I opened the box I saw the most gorgeous ring sitting inside. I looked up and saw Matt kneeling before me, asking me if I would marry him. I am not sure I even let him finish before I said yes and threw myself into his arms. It was so nice to be able to walk into the other room and share the wonderful news with my whole family.
What attracted me to my husband was: I was first attracted to his confidence. I also was drawn to his honesty, integrity, and sincerity. He is a man of great character and morality. I love his ability to make me laugh and how we always have so much fun together. And, of course I thought he was very hot!
Why do you love your husband? He has the most wonderful heart, and he loves God, his country, and his family.
What attracted me to my wife was: Her beautiful, calm and collected smile even when things aren’t going as planned yet also how anxious she gets in front of a crowd. I love her passion for others and ability to compromise yet also her unyielding faith and values. I love her capability to calm me down yet also how excited she gets over the smallest things. I love her with all my heart!!
A date we went on that we’ll always remember: One night during the middle of the week when we were in college, we wanted to do something spontaneous. Randomly we decided to drive an hour and a half to Oklahoma to go to a casino. It was probably one of the most fun nights we have had and I actually won $100 on the slots.
The weather on our wedding day was: Perfectly sunny with a strong breeze
Tell us about finding your wedding dress: I actually had a difficult time picking out a wedding dress and I had very limited time because I was deployed for several months right before the wedding. Fortunately, I was able to pick out the perfect dress with the help of my sisters, mom, and grandmother.
Describe your wedding flowers: The florist did a wonderful job of working with the Fall theme and also picked out some beautifully colored roses that really stood out in the bouquets and on the candelabras.
Describe your wedding cake: The cakes were probably the most delicious wedding cakes I have ever tasted. I loved the groom’s cake because it was topped with the Lone Star state and chocolate covered strawberries. The bride’s cake was a four-tiered white chocolate raspberry cake topped with flowers that matched the bouquets. Absolutely beautiful.
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: Being able to have the wedding at the TCU chapel with the reception at the wonderful Historic Stockyards.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? The biggest challenge was definitely being deployed for several months prior to the wedding. Not only was I trying to plan and coordinate from half way around the world in Kuwait, but I wasn’t sure I would actually make it home for the wedding. Fortunately, I made it home about 9 days before the big day.
Funniest moment? During the middle of the vows, I lost track of what the pastor said about “until death do us part” and instead of asking him to repeat the vows, I just say the wrong thing. Fortunately, everyone started laughing and Matt just squeezed my hands and smiled at me.
Most unexpected moment? Somehow the garter got lost in the mix of all the chaos. It was getting close to the time when we would be doing the garter toss and I still didn’t have one. I looked over at my 14 month old baby niece, one of the flower girls, and I notice she is wearing one of those elastic baby headbands. Believe it or not, those actually work very nice as garter belts, and that will be something we will never forget.
Three adjectives that describe the day are: Beautiful, blessed, and relaxed.
Any DIY items? My mother did almost all of the decorations at the reception to include the centerpieces and all the floral arrangements. We filled the place with candles, pumpkins, Christmas lights, and mums. We also bought small brown bags and decorated them with beautiful Fall stamps to be used as goody bags for the large glass jars we filled with candy corn, customized M&Ms, and miniature candy bars, which was a big hit with the guests.
What advice would you give to someone planning their wedding? Start early and try to stick to the budget.
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you looking forward to in the future? Both being in the military, we have been stationed in different states for a while. Starting in February 2009 we will finally be stationed together and we just bought our first house in Abilene, Texas. We are looking forward to what the future holds for us.

Congratulations to Julie + Matt. We wish you the best in your new home and thank you for serving our country!

Written with love by Lara Casey

Rocking out in the Nation’s Capital would be Ashley + Philip.  The two met in Washington, became engaged in Washington and had their engagement photos taken outside of the White House.  So there was no better location for their wedding than in D.C. at the {National Museum of Women in the Arts}.  This wedding was filled with fun style — Ashley wore a gorgeous {Melissa Sweet} gown and {Jimmy Choo} shoes (hello, lover!).  The bridesmaids looked so cute in their {Guess} polkadot heels.  And I just can’t get over the save the dates by {Ceci New York} and the invitations, programs, escort cards and menu by Rebecca Shriver.  Beautiful!  The flowers were done by the {Philippa Tarrant Floral Design}.  Taking care of the food and cake would be {Design Cuisine}.  For planning, Ashley + Philip went with {Atrendy Weddings & Event Company}.  Capturing all the images from this celebration was {Love Life Images}.  Check out more shots on the Love Life Images’ {blog}.  Happy Friday y’all!

How did the two of you meet? Tell us your story. Phil was in Washington, DC doing some contract work for a major law firm and was in need of an apartment in the city. I was working as a sales executive for a high end corporate extended stay and was referred to him by the law firm since he had been staying at the Mayflower Hotel for several weeks. I had been trying to do business with this particular law firm for quite some time so when the opportunity presented itself I was eager to show him the property! I was told that my appointment had arrived so I began walking the long hallway to the reception area. When I rounded the corner I saw him standing there. He looked so handsome that I skipped a step but tried to maintain my composure. We proceeded to tour the property and he was nice enough to listen to my entire sales pitch even though there was obvious flirting going on. When we returned to the reception area I began explaining the prices to him and before I could finish he said “that is the price right now, but it will likely change when we meet for drinks!” I laughed and reiterated the prices to him as I said “the prices wouldn’t change with drinks.” He left the property full of pamphlets, price sheets and my business card. I was sure that I would hear from him soon! Several weeks passed and we hadn’t connected but I persisted in my sales efforts. My property was sponsoring a law firm reception so I tried once again to get him to the property. With 15 minutes left until the reception was to end Phil arrived! We ended up talking so much that it wasn’t long before we were making plans to meet up for dinner. We had our first date shortly thereafter and the rest is history.
Describe the proposal: I was just settling into our new home together in Denver, when Phil told me that we needed a romantic get-away! He said that we would be flying to Washington D.C. so that we could enjoy the city alone, and not tell any of my friends of our arrival. I agreed that it would be best to keep it a secret since I knew if I told my friends of our arrival, that they would want to see us the entire time, which would completely eliminate our purpose for a weekend alone. Phil and I arrived to the Mayflower Hotel (where we always staying D.C.) and as I opened the door of our suite, I couldn’t help but to notice it glowing! There were candles and flowers everywhere! I began walking in slowly, and as I turned around to see Phil’s face, he was down on one knee! It was amazing!! And to top it all off as soon as I said “yes” he explained that we had one hour until we were meeting a photographer outside of the White House for engagement photos! I didn’t even have a moment to call my parents or best friend! After photos we went back to the hotel, so that I could call all of my friends and family. But to my surprise, Phil had everyone waiting there to surprise me! They not only knew of his proposal but were the ones who decorated our suite!! The night ended with all of us at {Sam & Harry’s}, where we had our fist date!
What attracted me to my husband was: His confidence, humor and smile
Why do you love your husband? Because he makes me smile everyday.
What attracted me to my wife was: Her stunning beauty, sense of humor and intelligence
A date we went on that we’ll always remember: {Sam & Harry’s} where we had our first date. We were talking so much during dinner, that we never noticed they were closing! We literally closed down the restaurant that night.
The weather on our wedding day was: In the high 70’s.
Favorite design element of your big day: My Bridesmaids polka dot stilettos.
Describe your wedding flowers: My entire bouquet was anemones, which became a flower that I incorporated throughout my reception.
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: Mine was the “photo booth” and our paper products (invitation, program, menu, etc) in which my Best Friend/Maid of Honor designed for us. Phil’s favorite was our signature drink “Aspen Tini” named after our Great Bernese Mountain Dog-Aspen!
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? Letting go of control and allowing others to take over.
Were there any special family traditions you included in the wedding? No.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? Walking down the isle towards my future husband.
Funniest moment? When my Maid of Honor couldn’t find the ring during the Ceremony! It had fallen down her bra!!
Three adjectives that describe the day are: Fabulous, elegant and romantic.
What advice would you give to someone planning their wedding? Enjoy being engaged and planning your wedding! Read as many bridal magazines and wedding blogs as you can and try on every gown you see because you are only a Bride once!
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you looking forward to in the future? Building a family together.

Congratulations to Ashley + Philip.  We wish you a lifetime filled with joy and happiness!

Written with love by Lara Casey

Laila + Jay remind me that love can be found even when you least expect it. Laila went car shopping and ended up finding the love of her life! After a New Years proposal, the two wed at {The Ocean Club} in South Florida. How beautiful are these flowers by Sarah Isaac for Isaac Farms!? The incredible {Jeff Greenough} captured the special day. Bridesmaids wore dresses by {Nicole Miller}. Brides dress by {Maggie Sottero}. Check out Jeff Greenough blog post on Laila + Jay’s fantastic wedding {here}.

How did the two of you meet? Laila came to my place of work to inquire about purchasing a new Volkswagen Beetle. The moment she walked into the showroom and walked past me, my heart stopped beating. I had no idea what was happening to me but I knew that there was something special and unique about this beautiful woman. I was not the person who helped her that day but wished that I was, just so that I could find out what it was that drew me to her. I got to speak to her that day only for a minute or two, making small talk and nothing more than that. I had asked the person who had assisted Laila that day, whom she was and if and when she would be coming back. He told me that she would be back that Friday (this happened to be my day off). I wanted to see her again! Why? I couldn’t tell you… I just had to be there. Well Friday came along and I waited from 9am in the morning until 9pm in the evening and there was no sign of her whatsoever. A little down and out I came back the following day and low and behold there she was, my heart felt like it ceased once again. I eventually gathered up the courage to go and talk to her. We made idle chit-chat for 15 minutes or so and after that, every time I would see her for the rest of the day we would smile at each other. Towards the end of the day I thought to myself that I really do want to get to know this woman a little better, so I went over to her and handed her my card. We made conversation for a minute or two and I asked her to give me a call sometime. After 15 minutes or so I thought to myself, “What if she is too shy to call?”, I turned around immediately to go and find her once more. As I walked to the front of the building I saw her car leaving and I had a feeling of uncertainty. About an hour or so later she came back to ask a question to the person that had assisted her. I told her that I would be more than happy to help her out with that and she didn’t need anyone else for that. We hung out for a little while and I asked her if she would prefer me calling her instead, which she said yes to. And that is pretty much where our relationship started.
Describe the proposal: December 31, 2007. My whole family was waiting for the New Year. Everyone was there. The clock struck midnight and everyone screamed happy New Year!!! I went to get my new years kiss from Jay – who was standing right by my side a second ago and couldn’t find him. I asked my sister where he was and she told me to turn around, so I did. There he was on one knee in front of the whole family. Everyone was in it except me. We even got it on video! It was so special and so wonderful – plus he got extra points for being so brave!
What attracted me to my husband was: He has always been very polite and really attentive over me. What really sold me on him though was that he was really willing to spend time with my family and friends. He scored HUGE points with this gorgeous eyes and beautiful South African accent!
Why do you love your husband? I think a better question is what is there not to love? He is perfect for me. I love EVERYTHING about him. Especially how he is always eager to please. He really would go all out to make me have everything I’ve ever wished for.
What attracted me to my wife was: The incredible feeling that came over me when I first saw Laila. I knew she was the one.
A date we went on that we’ll always remember: For our first Valentine’s Day together Jay planned a wonderful picnic in Key Biscayne. He drove me there and when we arrived everything was set up. Key Biscayne has the best view of the skyline. Everything looked like it came out of a fairytale book or a movie. I was in awe the whole time. The weather that day was absolutely perfect. We stayed there till sundown. It was very special.
The weather on our wedding day was: Superb! That whole week the evening temperatures were awfully chilly, but that night was like it was meant for us.
What was the design inspiration for your wedding? Being an Art Director and a Virgo I am so meticulous with details. I really didn’t have any inspiration. I looked at a lot of bridal magazines but didn’t find anything that I could say reflected me or was perfect for me (or was within budget). The first thing I did was create the invitations. Being a designer everyone kept putting pressure on me because of it! I remember hearing “You’re getting married!!! Congratulations – I cannot wait to see the invitations. I bet they are going to be gorgeous with you being a designer and all!!!” I breathed when they were done. I think they came out stunning!!! So then I got together with my mom and aunt – who happens to be a very talented florist and took it from there. I knew I wanted orchids. In the beginning I wanted an all white and green wedding. My aunt convinced me of using purple. I love the color and it was very in season. Once the colors were picked, I everything else just came together.
Favorite design element of your big day: The flowers. They were so different. I had never seen anything like them and I think that they were just so breathtakingly beautiful. Tell us about finding your wedding dress: It took a bunch of stores and 4 people to help me find the gown. We went to Miracle Mile which is a street full of bridal shops in Miami and started the search in one corner. I had made appointments in many places but somehow told my mom that I thought the dress was going to be found in a little shop called Coral Gables Bridal. After trying on about 20 dresses we came to Coral Gables Bridal and saw the dress. I was sold when I saw it on the mannequin. It was the only dress I tried on in that store but in my heart I knew it was “it” as soon as I got into it. I didn’t try anything else after that. I just told my mom “mommy this is it”. She agreed and we bought it. We had to wait 4 months for the dress to be made. It was very exciting!
Describe your wedding flowers: PERFECT! They were nothing less than what I had always dreamed of. There were flowers everywhere and they were just breathtaking. The purple was such a gorgeous color it gave the room such a nice feel. I think everything was very understated but very breathtaking. Not one detail went unseen. The room was magical!
Describe your wedding cake: The wedding cake was very plain. It was white fondant and around it, it had a satin ribbon. My aunt (the florist) gave it a special touch by adding orchids and roses to it. I really thought it looked stunning!
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: Our “millo” (Colombian Carnival Band)
What was the bigges
t challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? Picking the right photographer and we made the perfect choice!!!
Were there any special family traditions you included in the wedding? My family is very musical. So, it was a very easy decision to make to sing something to Jay. So instead of a toast or some kind words, I sang. I chose “Everything” by Michael Buble.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? Jay: Seeing the most beautiful women in the world and her being more beautiful than I had ever seen her before. Laila: My first dance with Jay. I remember thinking… I am so lucky!!! This is my husband. I also loved dancing with my dad. It was a very touching moment. I couldn’t help it, I cried like a baby.
Scariest moment? Jay: My Speech. Laila: my singing.
Funniest moment? The speeches. They were great and made us all laugh and cry!
Hardest decision you made in planning? Jay: Just the realization that this wedding is something that my wife has always dreamed of having since she was a little girl and to do whatever it takes to make this day just the way she imagined it. Laila: For me it was getting the budget right. Deciding what was most important and dedicating bigger parts of the budget to that.
The most unexpected event on our wedding day was: Our “millo”. Laila’s sister gave us the music as our wedding present. This was a complete surprise to both of us.
Three adjectives that describe the day are: Unbelievable, fairytale, breathtaking.
What advice would you give to someone planning their wedding? Don’t leave anything until the last minute! Make sure you do things little by little so that no one gets overwhelmed. Most of your memories will be planning since the wedding goes by so fast, so enjoy it!!! On your wedding day let others worry about things. All you need to do is relax and enjoy. The day will be over before you know it!
Best advice or most memorable comment someone made to you during the wedding celebration. This is no longer about you or her, it’s about the both of you.
Who was your most honored guest at the wedding? Jay’s dad and sister who came from South Africa and my sister who came from San Diego.
What’s next for you as a couple? Right now we want to enjoy being married to each other.
What are you looking forward to in the future? Making memories together. Building our home and our family!

Congratulations to Laila + Jay.  We wish you the best as you make those memories together!