Southern Weddings

I am completely smitten with this country-inspired affair from {The Parsons Photographers}. Nothing like a John Deer tractor and an open field, right?!  As you can read in the interview, Colleen + Tom beautifully created a warm, inviting, tradition-filled event. Stunning floral design by {Red Door Events and Design}. Ceremony and reception at {Weston Red Barn Farm}.  Special thanks to the Parson’s for sharing this amazing wedding with us today! Be sure to check out Ashley and Jeremy’s {BLOG} for more.

How did the two of you meet? Tom and I met at a friend’s bbq. I had stopped by to chat on my way to class (I was in my first semester of college & taking an art class that evening). Tom had just returned home from the service (United States Marine Corps) and stopped by as well. I ended up missing class that evening – we stayed up all night talking and laughing. We were both from the same small town but until that night, had never crossed paths before. By the following weekend, we were inseparable.
Describe the proposal: When I proposed to Colleen…that was crazy! I laugh every time I tell this story! I took her up to our property to check on the hay field to see if it was “ready for cutting”. The sun was setting on the 3^rd of July – in the distance fireworks were going off left and right. I pulled out in the field and told her to jump out with me and she said “NO”. She went on and on about being eaten up by bugs. So, after arguing about the chiggers I finally talked her out of the truck and took a knee. I asked her to marry me and she was so shocked she actually asked me if the ring was real and if I was serious!
What attracted me to my husband was: I was & still am attracted to the way Tom looks at me. His eyes glisten and he has funny way of curling his top lip that melts my heart.
Why do you love your husband? I love Tom because he always supports me; he stands behind even my craziest ideas. I can come home from a hard day of work, completely discouraged and talking about giving it all up to mow grass & plant flowers for a living. Tom will begin planning on how to attach a lawnmower trailer to my jeep for me, we laugh and then he points out my strengths. He reassures me and gives me strength when I’m weak. Another reason that I love my husband…he began naming our unborn children a year (or less) into our relationship! Tom will randomly call from work to give me another name to add to the list. That is adorable – no one can argue with that!
What attracted me to my wife was: What can I say Colleen has a crazy beautiful smile and a personality to match.
A date we went on that we’ll always remember: Tom & I took a road trip to Corsicana, Texas to see his sister. Tom hadn’t seen her in a few years because he had been in the military and he was so excited. We had been dating for about 6 months and I was crazy about him. We were half way there when Tom looks over at me a says, “you know, your about to meet my sister, what she thinks about you really matters to me, so, if she doesn’t like you its over between us…” We laugh about it now, but I spent the next 4 days on pins and needles!
The weather on our wedding day was: unbelievable, shocking actually! We knew from the beginning that we were probably making a mistake when we set the date for 08/16/08. August in Kansas – it should have been at least 100’, hot, humid, and no breeze! However, Tom insisted on that weekend for numerous reasons – it was the last night of the county fair (which we love to go to together), it was the last weekend before all of our nieces and nephews returned to school, and Tom would later find out that this particular weekend was the anniversary of my grandparents wedding and my great grandparents wedding. We asked everyone that we knew to pray for a breeze for us. In result, the weather was in the high 70’s, nice northern breeze, and a beautiful full moon. Amazing!
What was the design inspiration for your wedding? We began calling it “rustic-chic”. I had envisioned lots of natural elements, deconstructed agra-junk-tiq’s (short for: agricultural pieces, junk, & antiques), and other items that no one else would consider. I knew that I wanted a beautiful dress and Tom was dead set on wearing a tuxedo. We wanted a small wedding party, and we wanted to include as many of our younger nieces and nephews as were willing. Friends thought we were crazy wanting kids to play such a big role but in hindsight we wish we would have included even more – they did such a great job. The entire day was spectacular!
Favorite design element of your big day: Hedge apples, tiny white pumpkins, various old mason jars, wooden boxes made from salvaged barn wood, and rusty barbed wire – this was just the beginning of my list the afternoon that I met Kelli Berry-Szrot with {Red Door Event & Design}. When I described the elements that I envisioned for our wedding, she didn’t even flinch, unlike the previous three florists that I met with. I felt very passionate about many of the details that I was worried about finding a florist. I spent one afternoon with Kelli – throwing out ideas scribbled on post-it notes and babbling about wanting to be unique and fun & she not only loved them but also became just as excited as we were. Tom and I spent several weekends creating boxes from old salvaged barn wood for table arrangements and the alterscape the Kelli designed. We also gathered old mason jars, milk creates, and rusty bared wire from my parents’ farm. We grew white pumpkins, gourds, and gathered buckets of hedge tree apples to decorate with. Kelli handcrafted every detail of the floral arrangements, on site, in a matter of 4 hours the day of the wedding. She used many natural elements in shades of green and cotton candy pink. Amazing arrangements of deconstructed bells of Ireland, antique green hydrangea with green limbo roses, hosta leaves, kale, green hypericum berries, juliet and ranunculas roses and light pink dahlias flooded on old red barn. Every arrangement was different from the next- gently contained by old mason jars and our wooden boxes. Kelli used many container plants that Tom and I were able to plant at our home after the wedding. She scattered hay to create our aisle and our wedding party attendants sat on hay bales in front of 200 natural-colored wooden chairs. When I walked to meet Kelli before the wedding, I couldn’t hold the tears back.
Tell us about finding your wedding dress: I decided very quickly that the bridal boutique experience was not for me! I had an idea in my mind of the dress that I wanted. I called {Laura’s Couture} and spoke with the owner. I told him frankly that I didn’t want to see a bunch of different dresses and I didn’t have a lot of time – I described the vision in my head. A pink dress, with a sweetheart neckline, asymmetrical drop wa
ist – no train, beading, or lace and his reply was “honey, I’m looking at your dress– you need to come see it”. It was a beautiful {Lea-Ann Belter} design. I didn’t even have to try it on.
Describe your wedding flowers: We wanted lots of natural greenery and whispers of a true cotton candy pink weaved throughout. Red Door Event & Design LLC was amazing in their ability to take exactly what we asked for and create more then we could have ever imagined.
Describe your wedding cake: We served our guests apple cobbler rather then cake. Tom’s father had told him an old myth about wedding cake that scared Tom into finding an alternative!
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: My favorite detail of the wedding was seeing Colleen! She blew me away!
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? Tom had been relocated for work and was only able to come home on weekends, I was completing my masters’ degree, and we bought a new home. The biggest challenge for us was juggling our very busy lives and the planning duties. Most of the details were left undone until just a few days before the event.
Were there any special family traditions you included in the wedding? I married an Irish girl! Their family has a tradition that involves Jamison Irish Whiskey! I’ll just say that my night began with me, my best man, my brothers, her brothers and dad – a few lineman buddies, and a bottle. I think her dad wanted to make sure I couldn’t run!
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? The 30 minutes that we snuck off with our photographers. Yes, our photographers…Ashley & Jeremy Parsons were wonderful – they felt like old friends. Immediately following our ceremony, they stole us for a hayride. It gave Tom & I a chance to be alone (sort of) before our friends and family attacked us. To be able to share a few special moments together after we just promised to love and cherish one another for the rest of our lives were moments that we will remember and hold in our hearts forever.
Funniest moment? I began walking down the aisle with my dad and I froze. I turned to my dad & said, “Dad, I forgot my flowers” everyone heard me and began laughing. Tom said that he still couldn’t see me at this point but heard everyone laughing & got scared. I turned to go back for them; thankfully, my brother and sister in law brought my bouquet and my maid of honors (who also had forgot) My dad and I finished down the aisle, each carrying a beautiful bouquet – Tom had the biggest grin one his face!
The most unexpected event on our wedding day was: We had planned to wind our reception down early and head to the little Irish Pub, O’Malley’s, which was a few blocks from the breathtaking bed and breakfast that we spent the night at. What was unexpected was the crowed that followed us! We had the best time which not only included too much Irish whiskey but an awesome band, Wild Colonial Boys and the most beautiful rendition of Danny’s Boy by the pub’s owner Michael Cookley. We laughed, cried, and partied like we never had before!
Three adjectives that describe the day are: it was magical, unbelievable, it was perfect, – that is the best word!
Did you write your own vows? We choose a non-denominational pastor to perform our service; he chose less traditional readings for us. Our favorite spoke to the promises that we were making each other that day and how those promises will never fade.
What advice would you give to someone planning their wedding? Make it yours! Its your day! If you and your future husband want to have a potluck reception then go for it! The more personal details you have the more meaningful it will be for you & enjoyable it will be for your guests. Also, live music is a must! At the very last minute we hired the violists to play throughout our ceremony. It was beautiful!
What’s next for you as a couple?  We are looking forward to at least half a dozen kids and a long happy life!
Other details you want us to know about your wedding: We choose the {Weston Red Barn Farm} in Weston, Missouri to have our ceremony and reception. We wanted our friends and family to have a great time. We encouraged our friends to bring their children and spend the day in Weston, which is a truly magically little town. We wanted them to enjoy the farm setting checking out the piglets, chickens, ponies, goats, and donkeys. It turned out to be a phenomenal choice. Most of our guest booked rooms at local bed & breakfasts and loved their experience. The farm gave us a perfect, naturally beautiful back drop for our event and Steve Fry the farm owner took all of the children on a hayride around the farm while our wedding party gave their toasts and we had our first dance. Our wedding night will defiantly be a hard one to top. Tom tells everyone that he would love to do it all over again every weekend!

Congratulations to Colleen + Tom!  We wish you a lifetime of happiness!

Abby + Justin sure know how to keep a wedding meaningful and filled with family traditions. I love that Abby + Justin combined stones from Abby’s grandmother’s wedding rings to make her own unique and one of a kind wedding ring.  Also, Abby’s wedding dress was hand made by her mother! Catering and wedding cake by {Simply You Cafe}. To see more images of Abby + Justin’s wedding check out Suki’s {Blog}.

Favorite design element of your big day?  I loved all the details of our wedding because they were simple and we did so much of it ourselves.  I especially enjoyed designing our save-the-dates, invitations, and programs.  We also created grapevine wreaths with pearl accents for the chapel doors that doubled as reception decorations.  On the reception tables, we used antique crochet doilies under boxes of green apples and silk flowers that were handmade from my wedding dress fabric.  My mom also made homemade candy for guests to take home.
Describe your wedding flowers:  We used a monochromatic ivory palette and a variety of flowers for a relaxed, “cut from the garden” look.  My bouquet and my bridesmaid’s bouquets used garden roses, tulips, ranunculus, freesia, and sweet peas.  The groom’s boutonnieres were tulips.  My bouquet was wrapped in a piece of lace from my mother’s wedding dress.
Describe your wedding cake:  Instead of a traditional tiered cake, we designed a more modern look with foursquare cakes, each topped with bouquets of roses, tulips, and ranunculus.  Two cakes were lemon cake with vanilla butter cream filling and two were chocolate cake with chocolate filling.  Justin loves cheesecake, so instead of the traditional groom’s cake, we had cheesecakes topped with chocolate sauce and strawberries.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding?  Time!  We were both studying for and taking a series of 9 architectural registration exams, buying a house, and working while planning the wedding.  Sometimes I felt like I wasn’t spending enough time on the wedding and at other times I felt that I was spending too much time on the wedding and neglecting other aspects of life.  Time management was always an issue, but it was an enjoyable challenge.
Were there any special family traditions you included in the wedding?  Though not really traditions, there were some important elements of the wedding that honored our families.  My wedding and engagement rings used stones from both my grandmother’s wedding rings.  My parents graciously gave the rings to Justin and we had a jeweler incorporate the stones into the rings’ designs.  I used lace from my mother’s wedding dress to wrap my bouquet, and wore a gold and sapphire necklace that was a gift from my grandmother to my mother.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day?  The wedding ceremony was most memorable to me.  Our pastor made each part of the ceremony meaningful and personal to us as a couple.  Our families were part of the ceremony, vowing to support our marriage, and our best friends were involved in readings, communion, and music. 
Funniest moment?  We spent most the reception taking pictures and talking with our guests, so we did not get anything to eat or drink.  We were so thirsty as we left the reception that we stopped at Chick-fil-A on our way home.  Who knows what the drive-thru attendant thought when she saw us dressed up in our wedding clothes ordering iced teas!
The most unexpected event on our wedding day was:  How neither of us had any wedding day jitters.  There were so many last minute details and events leading up to the day, that we were pleasantly surprised to be completely worry-free and above all – happy – the entire day of the wedding.  We could not stop smiling.
Three adjectives that describe the day are:  Wonderful, joyous, relaxed.
What advice would you give to someone planning their wedding?  Make the decision to enjoy the time you have to prepare for the wedding.  No matter how much time you have, the weeks, months, or years will be over before you know it.  You don’t want to look back and see that you missed out on life or let all the details stress you out during that time.  Instead, focus only on what is important to you and your fiancé and have fun with it!  
What’s next for you as a couple? We completed our architectural registration exams soon after the wedding, so we are enjoying some free time!  Next, we are looking forward to remodeling our house.

Congrats to Abby + Justin!  We wish you a lifetime of joy and happiness!

This Texas couple is so chic. Together, the two chose to have their ceremony and reception at the {Clark Gardens}, a botanical masterpiece that has been consistently named one of the nation’s top gardens. With Clark Gardens set as the venue, Abby (who acted as a wedding planner as well as bride) decided to use the colors of the Clark Gardens to inspire her decor. The end result was absolutely perfection for the couple. Thanks to {Photos by Suki} for sharing these dazzling images with us.

How did the two of you meet? We met in graduate school as we were both getting our Masters in Architecture.  We had several classes together, but we really got to know each other in the last semester before Justin graduated as we spent a lot of late nights at school working on projects.  We found that we both loved baseball, so our first date was to a Texas Rangers baseball game.  On our one year anniversary we went to visit my parents and Justin asked them for their blessing to ask me to marry him.  Justin proposed a few months later, and we were married almost exactly two years after our first date.
A date we went on that we’ll always remember: After we were engaged, we took a trip to Alaska to visit two of our good friends.  We spent a week enjoying time with our friends and exploring the incredible environment around Anchorage. 
The weather on our wedding day was: It was sunny but cool – perfect for an afternoon reception outdoors.
Tell us about finding your wedding dress:  I did not have to go on a
wedding dress search – my mom made my dress!  It was simple and
comfortable, but absolutely beautiful.  We used raw silk in the palest
off-white.  My mom created a simple pleated detail along the neckline
and a matching silk chiffon sash.
What was the design inspiration for your wedding?  The garden setting at our venue, Clark Gardens, inspired our color palette of soft greens, browns, and ivory, the natural, informal details, and the light afternoon tea menu.  We did not need to use a lot of extra decoration when the setting itself was such a beautiful backdrop.

Check back later from more on Abby + Justin!