Southern Weddings

Any reception where a dilapidated farm shed is converted into a rocking dance hall, and where milkshakes replace traditional wedding cakes is one you have to admire.  (And, um, yes, they did have real life soda jerks manning the milkshake station.  Ahh-mazing!)  Stephen DeVries captured all the fun of M + J’s reception, but there’s more to be seen!  Take a peek at Stephen’s blog post here.

Our favorite detail of the wedding was:  The Dance Hall.  My extraordinary parents took it upon themselves to convert a dilapidated, junk-filled shed from the family farm into a raucous party barn now known as The Dance Hall.  It wasn’t so much a conversion as it was a metamorphosis.  Together, they scrubbed and laid over 8,000 bricks to cover the dirt floor.  My father wired and hung ten antique ceiling fans, and washed off an old soda fountain piece he collected long ago.  We built a reinforced stud wall, had our friend paint it with a green and white checkerboard and turned it into a dance floor.  Jacob and I swept a sand and mortar mix in between the bricks my father laid and, a day later, when it threatened rain, Jacob got on his knees and washed off the excess mortar.  I cleaned out two old nail bins that we used as back bars.  We put lemons in limes in old grocery store scales.  Dad and I salvaged the “FEAST” sign out of some old letters he has from a First State Bank.
What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration?  What was Southern about your wedding? When you grow up as a daughter of cotton farmers in a tiny town older than Alabama itself, the Southerness of your wedding isn’t so much a choice as a matter of course.  My mother and sister and I wrapped each and every fork and knife in our own linen napkins and arranged them in my father’s collection of Coca-Cola crates.  Guests at the hotel received a goody box filled with delights that included homemade cheese straws, my mother’s pralines and my grandmother’s divinity. In lieu of a veil, I wore my mother’s blue silk bolero.  At ten o’clock, I traded in my gown for a short dress and green cowboy boots.  Our entire town literally came together to help us throw an amazing party.  Some neighbors brought serving pieces or provided the soda fountain with chocolate sauce.  A neighbor and family friend made our ring pillow out of my grandmother’s silk and Jacob’s grandfather’s handkerchief.  Another gave me a blue tatted heart to sew into my dress.  They sprayed for insects and cleaned out the skillets for the caterers to use. They drove guests around in golf carts and welcomed the wedding party into their homes and onto their porches. 

Um, wow.  The Georgian Ballroom at the Atlanta Biltmore Ballrooms is incredible… incredible in an “I–want–to–have–my–wedding–there-too” kind of way.  While I’m recovering from my momentary venue envy, made all the more real by the noteworthy design talents of event designer Steve Bales and coordinator Ashley Baber, let’s take a minute to marvel at the couple’s dinner + dessert spread courtesy of famed caterer Bold American.  Figures two self-professed foodies would go all-out for their big day, and I’m willing to bet their guests were sure glad they did!  Other things I love?  Simple yet sophisticated escort cards from Etsy vendor Little Retreats, the classic banquet tables spanning the length of the ballroom and, my personal favorite, a many (many) tiered confection from Caryn’s Cakes topped with – wait for it – a salt + pepper shaker, no less!  Our Labor of Love, you outdid yourselves once again!  Be sure to take a peek at David + Kendrick’s personal post from the evening here. P.S. That crazy face at the DJ table is none other than Michael Antonia of The Flashdance.  With a Smilebooth to keep guests occupied as well, the whole OLOL crew was out in force for Jennifer and Jay!

Describe your wedding cake:  As we looked at wedding cake designs, we instantly knew fondant was not going to find its way onto our cake. It sure looks all smooth and pretty, but it tastes like paste. We also decided we didn’t want to do any fancy fillings or flavors. Wedding cake, in our humble opinion, should be white cake with buttercream icing. We made our way among many wedding cake providers around the city and came up short. Too sweet. Too dense. Too fake tasting. We were stumped until our fantastic wedding planner, Ashley Baber, saved the day and recommended a place around the corner from our home: Caryn’s Cakes. We were sold after one bite of her fluffy white cake with vanilla buttercream. It was amazing and tasted just like you’d imagine a beautiful white wedding cake should. A girly floral design was out of the question. Our wedding was modern and we wanted something that matched the design. Owner Caryn Nash modeled the cake after a favorite vase of mine from Jonathan Adler, which is where our kooky cake toppers came from: they’re actually salt and pepper.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? Working up the nerve to do the father-daughter dance.  Since my family is from Mexico, we wanted to infuse some of the culture into our wedding. My dad suggested we do the Mexican Hat Dance together. I was a nervous wreck because I’d never done the dance before and we didn’t have time to practice. My dad told me to follow his lead and we just went with it – sombrero and all. It was so much fun and the crowd gave us a standing ovation.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? Jay’s steadfast eye contact and smile throughout the entire ceremony.   Jay says my walking down the aisle to Nina Simone’s “Feeling Good” and my nervous laughter throughout the ceremony were the most memorable moments of the day.
Did you write your own vows?  If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line? No, we didn’t, but we had an amazing Rabbi that many people call “The Rock and Roll Rabbi.” We knew he was the right Rabbi for us when we went to meet with him the first time and he had a poster of Bob Dylan on the back of his office door.
What’s next for you as a couple?  What are you looking forward to in the future? I’m looking forward to moving into a bigger home, traveling more as a family and just being together as much as we can.

Congratulations, Jennifer + Jay!  We wish you all the best with your new life + family!