Southern Weddings

Happy Monday ya’ll!  We’re off to Celebration, FL, today for Engage 08 but we are leaving you with some fabulous wedding inspiration while we are gone.  We’ll be back Wednesday.  Enjoy these beautiful weddings in our absence!   How about Alison’s bright bouquet of ranunculus, mokara orchids, tulips and yellow callas?  Perfect for her stunning Florida fete.  I love that Rick proposed using a Dr. Seuss book and the couple cut the cake to Jake Johnson’s “Better Together”.  Special thanks to KT from {KT Merry Photography} for submitting these stunning images to us. The ceremony and reception were held at the {Pierre’s Restaurant}. Event planning and decor by {Israel Sands}. To see more details of Alison + Rick’s big day click on KT’s Blog {Post 1}, {Post 2} & {Post 3}.

How did the two of you meet? Tell us your story… Rick’s brother, Joe, and his wife were vacationing at The Moorings Village (Islamorada) in November of 2005. He had arranged for another couple to fly in from Missouri to join them (since they had a large 3 bedroom cottage).  When the other couple had to cancel due to a work emergency, he invited Rick and a few other guys down. Rick was having a slow work week and took him up on the offer. It happened to be a full moon that week, and Pierre’s (the restaurant owned by the same person as the Moorings) hosts an incredible full moon party on the beach~ complete with bonfires, Junkanoos and fireworks!  I happened to be there and Joe introduced us.  For me, it was love at first sight. When he left to go back to Missouri, I was heartbroken. Little did I know that he had retrieved my number from his brother’s cell phone and the long distance romance began. We racked up some minutes/hours on the phone….fortunately, all he needs for work is a laptop, so he was able to visit me often.
Describe the proposal: Rick: I asked her parents for permission to marry Alison a couple months before I actually proposed.  I wanted to get her away and take her to someplace special.  Due to schedules~ that never worked out.  Before leaving for Florida the time I knew I would propose, I customized Dr. Seuss’ book, “All the Places You’ll Go.”  I had cut out several dozen Alison heads and pasted those on the different characters, along with many other pictures all over the book.  At the end there was a letter written to her and a card she had to open with the question, “Will you do me the honor and say yes?”  I had been in Florida for a few days and was not sure when the opportunity would arise.  After an evening workout I figured this was as good of time as any, at least it would catch her off guard.  I retrieved her big surprise I had told her about, I think she was a little disappointed when she thought it was just a book.  As she read through the book laughing the whole way she still had no idea what was to come.  She read the letter at the end and then opened the card.  She read the question aloud twice and nothing really clicked until she saw me on one knee holding a ring, she still swears I never got down on one knee.  Lucky for me, she still said yes.  I realize it was not the most elaborate proposal, but I would not change a single thing about any of it.
What attracted me to my husband was: So many things… Mostly, his quick wit, sense of humor and his big hazel eyes.
Why do you love your husband? Because he is the most amazing person I’ve ever met. He is consistently nice to everyone and a very happy person.
What attracted me to my wife most was: Alison has an amazing sense of compassion for any and every creature that walks the earth.  She cares more than anyone I have ever met.
A date we went on that we’ll always remember: Our first date, Definitely! We met in Memphis and went to the Rum Boogie Café on Beale Street. We listened to The Billy Gibson Band…it was a great night!
The weather on our wedding day was: So completely perfect! There was rain to the north and south of us, but in Islamorada it was sunny skies. We were blessed with a brilliant sunset too.
What was the design inspiration for your wedding? The sunset….Pierre’s Restaurant is  set on the bay side of the island-which is where the sun sets. It is a very grand colonial building, white with bright blue shutters. I wanted my colors to “pop” against the building, so I knew that I needed to go with bold, bright happy colors, varying shades of yellows, oranges, pinks, and lavenders.
Favorite design element of your big day: Candles…I wanted the dining room to be glowing. It just gave the restaurant a warm feeling. Tell us about finding your wedding dress: I purchased dress number one immediately after I said yes…I though it was perfect…until we did the invitations. Then I decided it was lacking in something, it was a little to plain…so my mom and I rushed out and found dress number two, by Casablanca Bridal. It was ivory, satin and strapless with a sweetheart neckline. It had the tiniest amount of beading along the empire waist and an A line floor length skirt with beaded buttons down the entire back.
Describe your wedding flowers: Gerbera daisies, veronica, tulips, and spray roses…in joyous oranges, pinks and purples, The bridesmaid’s bouquets consisted of yellow, orange and pink tulips. My bouquet: renonculous, mokara orchids, tulips and yellow callas.
Describe your wedding cake: The wedding cake was a four tiered, ivory fondant with key lime cake inside.  It was decorated it with very simple flowers. We cut the cake to Jack Johnson’s Better Together.
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: The bright yellow bridesmaid dresses, which were the wrong color originally, but we had no time left to order different ones! They turned out to be just perfect. It’s funny how things work out.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? Balancing a demanding work schedule with planning…If it weren’t for my mom…it wouldn’t have happened.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? Every single moment was memorable….I can’t pick just one.
Scariest moment? American Airlines had the recall of the MD 80’s the week of our wedding. My husband has a HUGE family flying in from all over.  We really thought they would not make it and we would have to postpone the wedding. Fortunately, our prayers were answered!
Funniest moment?  Our most fun thing at the wedding was a photo booth that our photographer, KT Merry suggested. I ordered a bunch of “tacky tourist” Florida props. Things like a
rubber fish, a fake lobster, life preservers, funny hats, a blow up flamingo. It was so much fun! Everyone was cracking up! We have the craziest pictures from that. I laugh just looking at them.
The most unexpected event on our wedding day was: My colleagues completely surprised me by placing a white runner with rose petals from the front door of the house where I was getting ready to the door of my boss’s blue Bentley. I was so shocked!  I had not even thought about how I would get to he ceremony. I just assumed I would ride over with my parents.
Three adjectives that describe the day are: AMAZING, MAGICAL and PERFECT!
What advice would you give to someone planning their wedding?  Don’t sweat the small stuff! It all works out in the end…even things that seem like huge problems have a way of turning into good things!
Best advice or most memorable comment someone made to you during the wedding celebration. My best advice that Someone told me and it was SO true the day goes by so fast…enjoy it…..cherish every moment….and really listen to the words the pastor (officiate) says. Take a few minutes to step back with your partner and look at all the people you love, all in one place, to celebrate your marriage. It is the most special day.
What’s next for you as a couple?  Staring a family, since Rick and I are both in our mid thirties, that’s a priority for us.

Congratulations to Alison + Rick!  We wish you a lifetime of joy and happiness!