Southern Weddings

I know we rarely (okay, almost never) share rehearsal dinner pics, but, as our lovely Art Director, Emily, reminds us, one bride’s rehearsal dinner is another’s wedding inspiration.  There sure are plenty of details I’d love to steal from Erin + Patrick’s swanky rehearsal dinner at the Sea Island Beach Club.  Photographer Laura Negri Childers captured the laidback seaside feel of the intimate family gathering while still highlighting the sophisticated Southern details.  I should point out that Erin wore the very same ruffly yellow dress her grandmother wore to the bride’s mother’s wedding in 1975.  Could that sweet sweet couple be any cuter?  I’d tell you a bit about Erin + Patrick’s ceremony and reception but you really need to see the phenom photos for yourself!

How did the two of you meet?  Tell us your story. We met at a mutual friend’s wedding in 2004, and Patrick asked me for a date the following week.  It was then that we realized the large number of mutual friends we shared and that we both had attended the University of Georgia.  Our paths had to have crossed 100 times in Athens! The timing must have been finally “right” for us to meet!
Describe the proposal. Patrick called me the morning of Friday, January 23rd and told me he would be coming to pick me up in a few hours and that we would be taking a surprise trip.  He would not reveal the destination, and I must have asked him 20 times in the car, “Where are we headed and how long will it take?”  It was the longest car ride of my life and had to be for him as well with all of my questioning.  Two hours later we arrived at the Old Edwards Inn in Highlands, NC.  We were greeted with champagne and I was busy taking pictures of the beautiful scenery and interiors of the hotel.  I had just finished taking a photograph when the next sight I saw was Patrick on his knee.  After I screamed “yes” I took his picture as he was on his knee proposing!  It was too perfect that I had my camera in hand (unplanned) to capture the moment when he asked me to marry him!  Patrick then surprised me with special bottles of wine we had purchased together in Napa the previous fall.  We allowed ourselves one hour to call family and close friends and then turned our phones off to enjoy the beauty of Highlands, NC and CELEBRATE!
Three adjectives that describe the day are: Sentimental, Southern and surreal.
What was the design inspiration for your wedding invitation? Simple elegance describes the ecru and brushed-gold card invitations we chose from Crane’s.
Tell us about finding your rehearsal dinner dress: I wore the dress my grandmother wore in my mother’s wedding as her “mother of the bride” gown.  My grandmother is no longer with us and it was very important for me to honor and remember her on that special night.  We had the dress shortened and altered a bit, but otherwise it was in pristine condition and had not been taken out of the cleaner’s bag since 1975!

Stay tuned for ceremony pictures in Part II!

For the grand finale of Poonam + Chirag’s wedding extravaganza, let’s all take a moment to marvel in the four-tiered and multi-layered confection that was their cake.  After being wowed by the rich reds and deep pinks of the couple’s lavish ceremony, I’m really liking the crisp, clean details (think bright whites, fresh greens and cool blues) of their reception.  The white and green centerpieces from KH Florals are a sophisticated contrast to the fun green-and-white-themed candy bar while the icy blue mood light is wonderfully sleek and modern.  Thank you again to Our Labor of Love and our very own Lara Casey for sharing their respective wedding-day genius.  Could I start the weekend on a better note?

What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day?  When Chirag tried to tie the mangal sutra (a black beaded necklace that the groom clasps on the bride’s neck to signify that they are now husband and wife), he couldn’t undo the clasp and spent a few minutes fumbling with it before he finally got it open.
Did you write your own vows?  If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line?  We had a traditional Hindu ceremony so didn’t exchange verbal vows.  Instead, we took seven steps around a fire together, each signifying a vow.
What’s next for you as a couple?  What are you looking forward to in the future?  We are currently living in Houston but we plan to buy a house in Austin and settle down there in the near future.  In the mean time, we’ve set a goal of jumping on a plane once a month and visiting somewhere new.

Congratulations, Poonam + Chirag!  The SW girls send all their love and luck!

Since one image board couldn’t possibly do this wedding justice, we’re back with Part II of Poonam + Chirag’s wedding extravaganza.  Many more glamorous pics to peruse thanks to the ultra-talented husband and wife duo at Our Labor of Love, but what I really love is the bride’s dramatic bouquet of roses, calla lilies and rich gold accents, courtesy of Kebbie Hollingsworth Floral Design.  And the to-die-for jewelry?  Custom made and designed in Mumbai, India.  (Sigh.)  I have a bit (okay, a lot) more oohing and ahhing to do and I really hope you’ll join me again for Part III!

Describe your wedding flowers:  Our wedding flowers were mostly red roses and red calla lilies.  The reception flowers were all white mixed flowers (tulips, lilies and peonies) with green accents.
Describe your wedding cake:   It was four-tiered cake sitting on a bed of white hydrangeas with white sugar rose petals scattered on each layer.  Each layer was a different flavor because we couldn’t decide what we wanted.  There was italian creme, chocolate with kahlua, butter almond and carrot cake.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? The number of events involved and having to perfect the details for each one.  There were five total events and six wardrobe changes over the course of three days. Did i mention we also had about 500 guests?
Were there any wedding traditions or new ideas you included in the wedding? Rather than block off any hotel rooms, the majority of our guests stayed in large beach houses in Miramar Beach.  This was a lot of fun for our guests because they could enjoy the beach and spend time together.

Wait, there’s more!  Part III just might be the best yet…