Southern Weddings

Y’all might be surprised to find out that I actually worked in Miami for over five years after college! It’s true, I donned black suits, and spiked heels everyday as a corporate executive before trading that in for Jack Rogers and gorgeous bouquets. One thing I learned in that time was that while the deep South will always have my heart, there is something so nostalgic and chic about the art deco and colorful architecture of Coral Gables, especially the Biltmore Hotel! Those arch ways, that green wall, heavens I could go on! When I opened Tiffanie + Pierre’s lovely wedding, I couldn’t help but swoon over how they seamlessly brought the South to life with food and hospitality while keeping the fabulous Miami flair alive!

Big hugs to Captured Photography by Jenny for sharing this pretty peach day with us!

Tell us about finding your wedding dress. I knew I wanted an all-lace gown from the start. I went looking with my mom and stumbled on a gown similar to the one I wore. What was really awesome was that I was at a dress designer on Miracle Mile in Coral Gables without knowing it, so my dress was actually custom made. I chose the material and the design, and they made it just for me.

Monogrammed cufflinks + grey suits + peach plaid bow ties? All the makings of a dapper Southern gent!

I borrowed the veil from my sister. My something blue was my engagement ring. For my something old, I carried an old picture of my grandfather and I on my bouquet, so I would have him with me. For my something new, Pierre gave me peach-colored pearl earrings that I wore.

Did you decide to do a “first look”? Why or why not? Yes. We wanted to be able to celebrate the whole time with our friends and family that came from all over the world. We also wanted to see each other without anyone else around. It was so perfect and intimate.

Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line? No. We are very traditional.
What readings, if any, did you have at your ceremony? We didn’t have any. We wanted our ceremony to be nondenominational and more intimate. My brother-in-law, who has been married to my sister since I was 14 and is very close friends with Pierre, married us. He got notarized to do so. He was very funny and mostly spoke about our college rivalries (UF and UGA) and why we are meant for each other.

We used a lot of country music. We are both huge country music fans and it has been something that we really share. Our first dance was to our song, “Honey Bee” by Blake Shelton. Our favorite song though, was what I walked down the aisle to, “Overwhelmed” by Tim McMorris. We also used Philip Philips for the procession and recession.

Could these little fellows be any cuter? I highly doubt it!

What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? The food. The music. The decor and flowers—the tables were covered in burlap and I walked down a burlap aisle runner. The groom.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? The guest list
What is the one detail or vendor that you were so happy to have as a part of your wedding? My coordinator. She made my life much easier!

Describe your wedding flowers. They were perfect! Our colors were peach, gray and ivory. My bridesmaids wore bright peach dresses and had ivory bouquets to contrast. My bouquet was full of beautiful roses in different shades of peach with some dusty miller for the gray effect. Our centerpieces were a lot like my bouquet. They were low to the tables and full.

Describe your wedding cake or dessert. The cake was simple with just a little lace effect and our initial on it.
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: The food. We didn’t go with the traditional wedding food. We wanted our food to be Southern cuisine. Our passed hors d’oeuvres were fried green tomatoes, pulled pork sliders and bacon wrapped peaches. For dinner, we served a wedge salad, corn bread, bourbon-braised beef short rib, New Orleans BBQ shrimp, and truffled mac-n-cheese, served family style.

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. We met on Match.com. :) We messaged back and forth for about a month and then decided to meet in person. We had our first date on a Saturday night and then pretty much became inseparable. He is everything I ever wanted in a man. It’s hard to find a nice Southern boy in south Florida, but Match made it happen.
Tell us all about the proposal! We took a long weekend vacation to Long Boat Key Beach. On the drive up, Pierre told me he was ready to start looking at rings. It was a successful effort to throw me off. The next night at sun down, we sat at a private beach where the only people there were us and a man listening to classical music (coincidence). Much to my surprise, Pierre got down on one knee, took out the most beautiful sapphire and diamond ring, and proposed. All of our family and friends were in on it, but luckily no one spoiled the surprise.
When did y’all get married? March 16, 2013
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 170
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? The first look.
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? In the end, all of the stress and craziness is worth it. It is the best day of your life and it is a wonderful feeling seeing everything and everyone come together.
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you most looking forward to about married life? We just returned from Europe. We had wedding celebrations (little parties) in Spain and France for our families who couldn’t make it to our wedding. My family is from Spain and Pierre’s family is from France. So that was really big and important to us. Next on our list is working on our house and hopefully having babies.

Photographer: Captured Photography by Jenny | Planner: A Classic Appeal by Paula Jackson | Ceremony and Reception Venue: The Biltmore Hotel | Florist: Parrish Designs | Wedding Cake: Todo Dulces | Caterer:  The Biltmore Hotel | DJ: Entertainment Management Group | Bride’s Gown: J. del Olmo Bridal | Hair Stylist: Minna Rautio from Toni Marie Makeup | Makeup Artist: Toni Marie from Toni Marie Makeup | Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Dessy | Groom’s and Groomsmen Attire: Men’s Wearhouse

Captured Photography by Jenny is a delightful member of our Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory!

Written with love by Marissa