Southern Weddings

Ready for those cake inspirations? Garrett had a surprise for him at the reception. His groom’s cake was a Florida State University beer pong table. Yes, a beer pong table… check it out!  Of course, the wedding cake was stunning, too. All cakes by {Sweet Weddings}.  To see more of Megan + Garrett’s big day and see the sideshow, check out Heather of Ha! Photography’s {Blog}.  Thanks so much for sharing this inspiring wedding with us, Heather!

Favorite design element of your big day: There were so many of them. But one of my favorites was our invitations, we handmade them all. They were my blood sweat and tears, but I couldn’t have been any happier in how they turned out.
Tell us about finding your wedding dress: It was at the third store. At that point I had given up picking out something myself. I told the sales lady to pick something out for me since I wasn’t having too much luck with my choice. Low and behold she was right. I loved it from the moment I put it on.
Describe your wedding flowers: The main flowers were green and aqua hydrangeas. Simple yet classic—I loved them.
Describe your wedding cake: We loved our cake. It was a Four-tear square cake with a paisley print on two layers and simple green and blue ribbons on the other two. We also had a groom’s cake that looked just like our Florida State beer pong table that we made together. It was a surprise for Garrett, and needless to say he was shocked.
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: Our cake, it brought everything together—and to top it off it tasted wonderful too!
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? Coordinating with four families. Both of our parents are divorced and remarried, so needless to say we have a big extended family. It all worked out in the end, but it was definitely a challenge.
Were there any special family traditions you included in the wedding? Not really, we’re not really “traditional” people.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? Megan: The moment right before I stepped out to walk down the aisle. I had to stop and take a deep breath—I couldn’t believe the moment was here. Garett: Hearing the music at the start of the ceremony—it’s when I realized that this was really happening. 
The most unexpected event on our wedding day was: The fire alarm going off at 2 a.m. on our wedding night. Standing in a robe outside the hotel was not how I imagined spending my wedding night.
Three adjectives that describe the day are: Fun, excited and memorable.
What advice would you give to someone planning their wedding? Do the things you want. It is your wedding day and make it what you want. Also, stay organized and stress-free, the morning of our wedding was wonderful and carefree because everything was taken care of.
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you looking forward to in the future? We’re looking forward to working on the house we just bought along with enjoying married life. Garrett has one more year left until he gets his MBA, so after that who know where life will take us.

Congratulations Megan + Garrett!  We wish you a lifetime of happiness!

Megan + Garrett tied the knot after being together for over seven years. The two met in high school and began dating after a week of knowing each other. Love at first sight! This St. Augustine, Florida wedding at the {Casa Monica} is so elegant with incredible draping and dark chandeliers filling the ceremony tent. Take a look at Megan’s shoes which she monogrammed in blue. Stay tuned for the second post to come later this afternoon with a Groom’s cake that might even get the most uninterested groom to say “wow!”  Photography by Heather of {Ha! Photography}.  Floral decor by Laurie Reesh of Jacksonville Wedding Florist.

How did the two of you meet? Tell us your story… We met in the high school marching band. We started dating a week after we met and have been together ever since.
Describe the proposal: We went on a cruise to celebrate out seven-year anniversary. The second night of the cruise (our anniversary) was formal night, so we were all dress up. We had a few minutes before dinner so we walked up to the top of the boat. We started talking how perfect everything was, and I next thing I know I turn around and Garrett is on one knee.
What attracted me to my husband was: His sense of humor. He can always make me laugh. Also, he is a very caring down-to-earth person who thinks of others before himself.
Why do you love your husband? I love Garrett because he is my best friend. He can read my mind and knows me inside out.
What attracted me to my wife was: She makes me smile all the time. We can always be goofy around each other and we have the same interests in life. And to top it off she is completely gorgeous. 
A date we went on that we’ll always remember: As cliché as it sounds, out first date. I was 16 and couldn’t even drive yet so my mom had to drop me off at the movie theater. Garrett was waiting for me at the entrance to the theater.  It was so cute.
The weather on our wedding day was: Beautiful and sunny—until we walked down the aisle. At that time the heavens opened and it rained (on our tented outdoor ceremony). But you know what? We didn’t care. There was thunder in the background as we said our vows and it continued to rain right until the recessional was over. That’s summer in Florida for you. They say rain on your wedding day is good luck—we’re hoping for that!
What was the design inspiration for your wedding? A simple paisley was the design element that continued throughout the wedding. It was on our invitations, favors and cake. It made everything look modern yet classic. I loved it.

Check back later to hear and see more from Megan + Garrett!