Southern Weddings

This Atlanta wedding caught our attention. We have seen a lot of museum weddings before, but Marsha + Andrew took their wedding to the next level with thier fun dinosaur theme. Marsha + Andrew met through their love of science. Ceremony and reception all held at {Fernbank Museum of Natural History}, floral decor by {Botany Bay} and catering by {Carole Parks Catering}.  Thanks to {Jessica Purivs Photography} for submitting this awesome wedding to us. See more on Jessica’s {Gallery}.

How did the two of you meet? Andrew and I met six years ago in Cape Cod; we were both research interns at the Marine Biological Laboratories.
The weather on our wedding day: We were a little worried about the weather, mainly because it rained unexpectedly during the rehearsal dinner. But on our wedding day the weather was what we expected: a hot summer day in Atlanta, GA.  
What was the design inspiration for your wedding? The wedding décor and design was inspired by our venue. The Fernbank Museum of Natural History has towering dinosaurs, long winding staircases and glass ceilings. We wanted to add to museum’s design by using potted plants as centerpieces and handmade baskets and fans as favors.   
Favorite design element of your big day: My favorite design elements were hellebores planted in small, egg-shaped containers and handmade baskets filled with marzipan, honey and chocolate covered almonds. My mother-in-law came up with the hellebore idea and my mother designed the baskets.   
Tell us about finding your wedding dress: My dress was custom made in Honduras, my home country. I chose the fabric and design in December and the dress was ready in May.
Describe your wedding flowers: The centerpieces were comprised of potted violets and hellebores surrounded by moss and purple stock. The bouquets and flower arrangement had purple lisianthus, green hydrangeas, bells of Ireland and white roses.
Describe your wedding cake: It was simple three layer cake filled with strawberries and French butter cream.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? We planned the wedding from a far and had to communicate with vendors over email and telephone.   
Were there any special family traditions you included in the wedding? Yes, we included the Latin American/Spanish tradition of giving coins called “arras”. Traditionally, the groom hands the coins to the bride as symbol of financial responsibility but Andrew and I vowed mutual financial responsibility.   
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? Andrew and I were both impressed with the ceremony. Our officiant is a friend of my parents and she worked very hard to make personal and very memorable.
Scariest moment? We had moments of stress and panic throughout but it all came together in the end!
Funniest moment? Our dance felt like it went on forever! We swayed back and forth and back and forth…
Three adjectives that describe the day are: Personal, Purple, Dinosaurs.
Did you write your own vows? Yes, we did. My favorite line was when Andrew said, “I promise to love you completely and without reserve”. Andrew liked that I promised “stimulating conversations and interesting tidbits”.
What advice would you give to someone planning their wedding? It is easier said than done but my advice is to try and stay relaxed and look at the bigger picture instead of the details.  
What’s next for you as a couple?  Many changes – we moved to Illinois, bought a house and joined doctoral programs all in the last month!

Congratulations to Marsha + Andrew. We wish you a lifetime of joy and happiness!