Southern Weddings

Considering our roots in the Tar Heels state, it’s not surprising that we love North Carolina weddings, and this little gem from Whitebox Weddings, is no exception.  Katy + Ryan’s afternoon ceremony at Luola’s Chapel at Orton Plantation is everything a Southern wedding should be: sweet, natural, and wonderfully personal.  Planners Jennifer Rose Sandy and Laura Willt from Salt Harbor Designs helped create a true Carolina wedding with light yellow, white and green bouquets while the bride’s sister (and lone bridesmaid) added a splash of color with her self-designed and custom-made blue frock.  So lovely!  How fitting is that romantic and ultra-feminine Enzoani gown for a bride as naturally beautiful as Katy?  Our very favorite detail about the couple’s homespun reception at The Balcony on the Dock are the perfectly Southern mason jars of sweet iced tea and pitchers of fresh lemonade.  Of course, it wouldn’t be right if we neglected to point out that too-good-to-eat three-tiered confection from Alison’s Cakery.

How did the two of you meet? Tell us your story. Ryan and I met in college. We were introduced through my older brother, Joe, and became good friends. Many picnics, long walks and late-night conversations later, we realized we had become much more than friends. Four years later, Ryan proposed!
Describe the proposal. So many of our first conversations as a couple occurred over a picnic. Determined to keep the proposal a surprise, Ryan picked me up the day after my birthday (after he’d already given me great gifts the week before) and took me on a picnicatour favorite park. He’d already set up a beautiful picnic when we arrived with layered blankets and rose petals scattered everywhere.  After eating, Ryan handed me a book he’d made himself. Every page had a picture he’d taken of our most memorable locations with a description underneath (where we met, where we first held hands, our first date, our first kiss, etc.). On the last page was a picture of the park bench right behind where we were sitting with the caption ‘where we got engaged’. Confused, I re-read the caption several times, glancing back and forth from the park bench back to the caption. By the time I looked up at Ryan, he’d already dropped to one knee!
Tell us about finding your wedding dress: Finding a wedding dress proved difficult for me until I stumbled into ‘A Carolina Wedding’ in downtown Wilmington, NC. I was dress shopping alone since I found it less stressful to choose a dress that I really loved without worry about other people’s opinions. Itwas also a lotof fun to surprise my family and friends with the ‘mystery gown’ on my wedding day. A great sales-rep asked me about my personal style and thetypeof the wedding I was having. She pulled dresses she thought would compliment that andI ended up finding -and loving-my Enzoani gown.
Three adjectives that describe the day are: Peaceful, heartfelt and intimate.
Were there any wedding traditions or new ideas you included in the wedding? Ryan and I did our best to be at peace on our wedding day. We both wanted to savor the special moments of the day and to not allow them to pass by too quickly. I spent an hour alone when I woke up before all the primping began. I wanted to first prepare spiritually and emotionally before anything else.
Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line? We altered traditional vows only slightly. A favorite moment was when our friends read our favorite Bible verses in the middle of the ceremony and Ryan’s sister sang’Faithful’ by the Worship Circle.
What was your favorite design element of your big day? Jennifer of Salt Harbor Designs helped incorporate details of our dating relationship into our wedding day. It was more than a combination of “pretty things;” she was able to truly tell our story. Not only did she make everything beautiful, but shesincerely cared that our day was everything we’d hoped it would be.
Describe your wedding flowers: I chose garden roses, lilacs, sweet peas, tulips and scented geranium. The smell was breath taking!
Describe your wedding cake: Alison, Ryan’s cousin, designed our wedding cake after my grandmother’s wedgewood jewelry box she left to me after she passed away. The cake topper was Ryan’s parents’ from their own wedding day.
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: Too many to name just one! I really loved our table names. Each one was named after one of our favorite spots. I also loved our flowers. They were beautiful and smelled amazing! Our photo booth was such a fun thing for our guests and the pictures were hilarious to sort through!
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you looking forward to in the future? Far more thrilling than planning our wedding was planning and preparing for our marriage. Currently we’re busy moving in to our new apartment, beginning new jobs and settling into life as a married couple. Long-term plans include many more trips overseas, mission work and eventually starting a family.

Congratulations on your marriage and new life together, Katy + Ryan! 

Judging by these fabulous images from Stephanie Rhea Photography, I’d have to say this Mississippi bride more than succeeded in pulling off a wedding that oozed simple Southern elegance when she and her college sweetheart (and fellow Auburn U. alum!) said their I-Do’s.  Now we all known I’m the tuxedo’s #1 fan, but I really love that the groom and his attendants spiffed up their classic wedding day bests with white bowties.  Ultra-formal, dashing and oh-so-Southern!  Of course, Bailey’s Heidi Elnora gown is one of the most figure-flattering choices we’ve seen in awhile but the bridesmaids’ one-shouldered blue gowns from Bella Bridesmaid?  I love (repeat: l.o.v.e.) these dresses!  I like when bride’s keep their bouquets simple and understated (white peonies from The Pantry Catering and Event Designs really complemented this real-life Southern wedding’s classic vibe) but also appreciate when couples infuse sophisticated and subtle splashes of color into their centerpieces (please tell me those lime green apples aren’t absolutely adorable!).  The courtyard at the Old Waverly Golf Club where the newlyweds celebrated with family and friends post-vows in an intimate evening reception is simply breathtaking and the cake – oh, the wedding cake – is a six-tiered masterpiece from Angels Confections.  De-lish!

How did the two of you meet?  Tell us your story.  Sage and I met as neighbors in our apartment complex at Auburn University.  I needed a date to my sorority’s fall formal and, though we barely knew each other, I asked Sage to go with me.  After dancing and laughing the whole night, the rest is history.
Describe the proposal.  After Sage finished his last final exam in the spring of 2008, he surprised me with a picnic on top of a mountain at Chewacla State Park.  While I was busy getting things out of the picnic basket, Sage got down on one knee and pulled out the ring he had picked out for me.  I was beyond shocked!  I didn’t even know he had bought a ring!
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding?  I had a vision in my head of exactly what I wanted my wedding to look like and sometimes bringing that vision to life was more challenging than I had imagined.
What was the design inspiration for your wedding?  Simple southern elegance.
Tell us about finding your wedding dress:  I wore a custom-designed gown by Project Runway designer Heidi Elnora.  It was an amazing and fun process to watch as my dress sketch evolved into a beautiful gown!
Describe your wedding flowers:  A white and cream palette of flora that included peonies, mop-head hydrangeas, dendrobium orchid sprays, Queen Ann’s Lace, fragrant gardenias and stalks of cymbidium orchids, all laced with string smilax.
Three adjectives that describe the day are:  Elegant, fun and full of love.

What was your favorite design element of your big day?  The transformation of the English garden into a chic, outdoor lounge where guests gathered for cool summer drinks and hors d’ oeuvres before a light summer supper and evening of dancing.  It was the perfect place for us to decompress a little and enjoy both the minted palmyras and the beginning of our evening.

Describe your wedding cake:  Our wedding cake was fabulous!!  We chose a six-tiered, round confection filled with traditional vanilla and French vanilla buttercream.  The cake was decorated with edible shimmer and hand-sculpted orchids made from sugar paste.  To incorporate Sage’s love for fishing, I surprised him with a three-tiered chocolate cake topped with a handmade fishing basket complete with bass fish, lures, line and stringers of small fish, all made of chocolate and sugar.  The cake was accented with cattails made of chocolate, grass and turtles made from sugar paste. 
Our favorite detail of the wedding was:  Kicking off our reception under a clear top tent with a first dance to the band’s version of Frank Sinatra’s “The Way You Look Tonight” was definitely a highlight.  Escalade Show and Dance, an eight-piece band from New Orleans, kept great music flowing all night and had all the guests hitting the dance floor.   
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? I would have to say when Sage and I saw each other for the first time.  I could see the love all over his face, and everything really came into focus.  It was a sweet, special moment I know I’ll remember forever. 

Congratulations Bailey + Sage!  Best wishes in all your future endeavors together!

There’s something wonderfully special about couples who decide to tie the knot at their childhood homes and Laura + Ross’ backyard wedding at the groom’s family estate, as photographed by Phipps Photo, reminds us just how lovely these intimate affairs can be.  The pretty pastels and natural earth tones of everything from the rustic bouquets and romantic arbor from Burge Flower Shop and picnic-like spread arranged by Ellie Foreman give this backyard wedding a casual and inviting feel.  The bride is dressed perfectly for a down-home family affair like this one in an ivory princess gown from David’s Bridal while her bridesmaids, likewise, seem ready for a game of croquet and a tall glass of sweet tea in their summery Bill Levkoff dresses.  For those couples who, like Laura + Ross, aren’t fans of traditional wedding cakes, a variety of freshly-baked pound cakes made by a family friend make for a lovely (and delicious!) alternative.  Tell us: have you ever thought about holding your wedding at home?

How did the two of you meet? Tell us your story.The short answer is that we met through mutual friends and family. Ross had recently moved to the city where I lived and they decided we should meet up. On Wednesday, April 3rd, 2008, we met at a Starbucks for coffee. We hit it off and spent the next Wednesday together, and then the next Wednesday, and the next. For the following year or so, we spent every Wednesday together (minus a handful) until we got married in June of 2009. 

Describe the proposal: At the end of January, Ross and I had planned to visit my grandmother in Morehead City, NC for the weekend. He’d never been there before, so I had a long list of places and things to show him. We had already talked about getting married and I knew a proposal was coming but was convinced that he wouldn’t propose for a while longer. Meanwhile, Ross had talked to my family around New Year’s, bought my ring, and was waiting for this weekend to propose. On Saturday morning, Grandma made us blueberry pancakes and we headed out to Atlantic Beach. As we were walking down the beach on that blustery, frigid January day, Ross stopped, kneeled down in the sand and asked me to marry him. After saying yes, we spent the rest of the day doing the things I had planned for us and then returned to Grandma’s to surprise her with the news. 

What was the design inspiration for your wedding? Ross’ parent’s backyard. Their house sits on top of an old farm meadow with the trees and hills of Randolph County in the background. We wanted a summery, casual, backyard wedding.

Favorite design element of your big day: The arbor Ross’ aunts and I worked on together before the wedding. It was simple with ivy, tulle, ribbon and oak leaf hydrangeas.

Tell us about finding your wedding dress: My roommate got engaged three weeks before I did, so we went dress shopping soon after with my sister. They convinced me to try on a few dresses too. While they all knew Ross was proposing soon, I sure didn’t and felt a little unsure about trying on dresses. I found something I loved at the second place we went to and was afraid it would be sold, so I bought the dress! I agonized over it, not knowing that Ross would propose in a week and a half. For the next few months, I wondered if I should have spent more time looking or if I should have waited to find the dress until I was engaged. In the end, I couldn’t have been more pleased with my dress!

Describe your wedding flowers: Meeting with the florist was one of my favorite appointments. I had some pictures of full wildflower bouquets that I liked. Using the pictures for inspiration, the florist put together a beautiful arrangement of heather, wax flower, lisanthus, bouvardia, eucalyptus, astilbe, caspia, and larkspur.

Describe your wedding cake: Ross and I don’t want a traditional wedding cake. Instead, we had three kinds of pound cake (brown sugar with a caramel glaze, blueberry, and chocolate)made by a friend of the family who also sells them every Saturday at the local Farmer’s Market. They were such a hit!

Our favorite detail of the wedding was: There were so many things we loved: the classical guitar, being married by Ross’ uncle, my brother’s prayer during the ceremony, my mother’s centerpieces, the bottled Cheerwine, taking our first communion together as husband and wife, the picturesque landscape… I could go one!

What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? The microphone stand was in between Ross and I as we stood in front of the arbor during the ceremony. We were standing pretty far apart, so Ross reached over, took my hand and pulled me close to him. It was a very sweet moment.

What advice would you give to someone planning their wedding? Be organized. I kept everything wedding related in a 1 1/2 inch black notebook with a spiral notebook (for to do lists) and dividers for the budget, receipt, vendors and inspiration.

What’s next for you as a couple?Setting up house, starting the start of a new school year and having adventures together!

Congratulations, Laura + Ross! We know thare are many more happy adventures in store for you two.