Southern Weddings

I know we tend to get a little excited about weddings around here (join the club, right?), but I promise today’s wedding from Our Labor of Love is unlike anything you have ever seen!  Apart from the bright colors, lush details and over-the-top amazingness of this Florida wedding, Poonam + Chirag’s extravagant five-day affair at the Emerald Coast Conference Center was actually planned, designed and executed by our very own, Lara Casey.  The rich jewel tones of the bride’s and her attendants’ custom-designed ceremony outfits are breathtaking and the plush pillows and floor seating perfectly regal.  Kind of blown away, aren’t you?  Don’t worry, there’s more… much more!  In the meantime, if you just can’t wait, check out the original post from Our Labor of Love.

How did the two of you meet?  Tell us your story. It’s actually quite funny.  My friends and I met Chirag and his cousin out one night in Houston.  I was 21 years old and Chirag said that he was 24.  We all went out a few times together and then one day Chirag sent me a text message that said “Dinner?”… that was his “romantic” way of asking me out for our first date!  We went to dinner at Star Pizza and he confessed that he actually was 28.  I didn’t believe him and demanded that he show his ID.   I couldn’t believe I was smitten by someone who was so old!
Describe the proposal.  Chirag flew out to Fort Walton Beach with his family to visit.  We were all hanging out at my house when Chirag suggested we take a walk on the beach.  We were sitting on the beach and I was lying down next to him.  He threatened to pour sand on me and I told him I’d smack him if he did!  Instead, he placed the ring on my neck and asked me if I’d marry him.
Three adjectives that describe the day are:  Exhilarating, blessed and amazing.
What was the design inspiration for your wedding invitation? I found an invitation that matched the mandap (the stage) where our wedding ceremony took place.
What was your favorite design element of your big day?  The sweetheart table at the reception.|
Our favorite detail of the wedding was:  The dessert bar.

This is one wedding you absolutely cannot miss!  Check back soon for Parts II and III and prepared to be wowed!

This week we’ve seen bright, colorful weddings and neutral, understated affairs, so today we bring you the perfect union of the two!  From the moment our lovely new intern, Sydney, showed me this Florida wedding from Goode Green Photography, Inc. and Heather Archdeacon Williams, I was struck by Courtney + Andrew’s clean, sophisticated color palate and bold splashes of rich purple, orange, pink and green accents.  How refreshingly original!  Inspired by Cinco de Mayo festivities, Courtney chose to dress up her bridesmaids’ simple stone-colored J.Crew frocks with bright, blooming bouquets from Nouveau Flowers while keeping the focus on her re-embroidered lace gown from the Elizabeth Filmore collection with classic ivory garden roses.  The newly-married couple’s portraits in front of the darling Seaside Interfaith Chapel are so sweet and carefree!  Check back soon for shots of Courtney + Andrew’s family-style reception (complete with an ultra-fab cake!).

How did the two of you meet?  Tell us your story. Andrew and I met in college at Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas. We didn’t start dating however until three years later, just two months before Andrew graduated. The following summer and fall, I was interning in Washington, D.C, and Andrew ended up getting a position there as well that September. We had been casually dating until that point (especially since we had been in different states for most of our relationship ) but we suddenly found ourselves in this amazing city together.  We fell in love with our nation’s capitol and each other at the same time!
Describe the proposal. We were living in D.C. at the time and I was just coming home from a trip. Andrew picked me up from the airport and, when we walked into my apartment, all 550 square feet were covered in candles.  There was a box on my coffee table with three more boxes inside, each containing a poem Andrew had written that weekend while I was gone. The final box contained a key, which unlocked a box Andrew was holding in his hands. When the lock fell off, he dropped to one knee and asked me to be his wife.
A few adjectives that describe the day are: Colorful, casual elegance and fun.
What was the design inspiration for your wedding invitation?  I was originally inspired by a formal Cinco de Mayo dinner held in a garden in Washington, D.C. What I particularly loved about this event were the vibrant colors. Every table was covered in a different bright color. It managed to look beautiful and casually elegant, but fresh at the same time. I knew I wanted a lot of color in the wedding which led to the inspiration for a colorful vintage Mexican theme.
Tell us about finding your wedding dress: I tried on forty or fifty dresses in three different cities before finally choosing an Elizabeth Filmore dress in New York. I had never seen anything like it! The re-embroidered lace was just so beautiful and unique.
Were there any wedding traditions or new ideas you included in the wedding? We included wedding photos from our parents’ and grandparents’ weddings. Both our parents are still together so it was nice to honor them at our own wedding.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? Andrew’s face as I walked down the aisle. He had this huge grin on his face and was shaking his head as if he was saying “I can’t believe you’re doing this to me! I actually might cry!” I couldn’t take my eyes off of him. That moment really reminded me what our wedding was about: each other.