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You know that sweet Southern style we all adore so much? With the peony and garden rose bouquet, and the soft shades of pink and blue? Well, Kelsey + Evan had all that and more, but what I really love is that they staged their sweet wedding not in a backyard, but in the Matt Jones Gallery, a modern art space in Birmingham. Talented planner and stylist Ginny Au brought everything together seamlessly, and Caleb of 509 Photo provided the beautiful photos!

My family is Southern transplanted, and Evan is Southern born and raised, so it was important for us to honor the places that shaped who we are and where we fell in love. One of my favorite details was the glass bottle Cokes representing my Atlanta upbringing and Jack Daniels for Evan’s Tennessee roots. We tied those up with vintage bottle openers that we had collected for that reason. We also had bags of peanuts from the Peanut Depot on Morris Avenue in downtown Birmingham, which is a definite Birmingham must-visit spot!

There was an Amsale dress that I had been dreaming of since before we were engaged. I tried it on in Birmingham, but wanted my dad to see it first, so I made the trip home to Atlanta to try on gowns at Bridals by Lori with both my mother and father. I was sure it was going to be the one, but when I put it back on I didn’t feel the same way. After trying on many other gowns, I tried on the Rivini “Freya” gown. It had just come in the night before, and no one had tried it on yet. I knew it was the one when I was looking at myself in the gown, rather than just the dress itself.

Kelsey’s bouquet was one of my favorite things about this wedding (those ribbons!), so I’m not surprised to hear her guests were impressed! My flowers were absolute perfection. My wonderful planner introduced me to Holly and Katie who teamed up to create my garden party florals. Every arrangement they designed was different, from the bridesmaids’ bouquets to the altar arrangements. Because of the early spring this year, I got really lucky with flowers in that I was able to get my beloved peonies and lush dahlias mixed with varieties of garden roses. The girls tied my bridal bouquet with vintage ribbons and a handkerchief that my mother had collected for me. I am a sucker for a big ole full bouquet, and my arm was surely tired from toting it around. I still have people raving about our flowers, which is such a compliment!

Did you decide to do a “first look”? We decided not to do a first look before the ceremony. It was such an emotional moment when the doors opened, and we locked eyes all the way down the aisle.
Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line? We decided to use traditional marriage vows; there is something so romantic about speaking the same words so many couples have said through the ages.
What readings, if any, did you have at your ceremony? Evan’s sister and brother-in-law also live in Birmingham. It was so important to us to have them participate in our ceremony, so we had them read Colossians 3: 12-17 (NRSV) and a poem called “The Wedding Vow.”

A little PSA from Kelsey: Please please please hire a wedding planner that understands your aesthetic. Even if you know what vendors you want and possibly have already booked them, a planner will take your pieces and turn them into a cohesive vision and eliminate all the stresses of having everything done for the big day. It is a MUST!

My wedding cake was a vanilla butter-cream confection designed to mimic the textures in my dress as well as the flower from my sash. We also had a chocolate and peanut butter ganache groom’s cake and a milk and cookie bar.

How did the two of you meet? Tell us your story. Evan and I met our freshman year at Samford University. We had a class together that fall semester, but didn’t really get to know each other until the end of the school year. We had mutual friends within our Greek organizations and started hanging out in groups until we began dating exclusively the following October.
Describe the proposal. One of our favorite things to do throughout our college years was exploring Birmingham, but we never made it to the Vulcan. The Vulcan is a symbol of Birmingham and looks out over the entire city. I had always secretly hoped that maybe a trip there would mean a proposal. Evan picked me up that Monday night and asked me if I wanted to head over to the Vulcan. We enjoyed looking out over the city for a few moments, and then he let me know that it was time to go. I was kind of surprised that we were leaving and that nothing had happened, so when we were walking to the car he asked me if I was expecting anything up at the top of the statue. Evan loves to joke around with me, so it was appropriate that he stuck it to me right before he asked for my hand in marriage. After calling our families (who had no idea that we were getting engaged that night!) we enjoyed a beautiful dinner at one of our favorite spots in the Edgewood neighborhood of Birmingham at Gianmarco’s.
In what month did you get married? June
How many guests attended your wedding? 125
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: My precious grandfather passed unexpectedly two weeks prior to our wedding. It was so important for us to honor him during our day, so I wore his wedding ring sewn into my dress along with the lace from my Nana’s wedding dress, while Evan wore one of his cuff links along with one of his late grandfather’s cuff links.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? Our biggest challenge that we had to overcome in planning our wedding would probably be keeping everything organized once everyone arrived in Birmingham. Almost every guest had to travel to celebrate with us, so making sure everyone felt included and appreciated was something we really needed to be mindful of (thank heavens for Southern hospitality, y’all!).
What is the one thing you are most happy you splurged on? The photographer! Caleb Chancey of 509 Photo is one of the most incredibly talented and wonderful people I have ever met. My family and I could not be happier with that decision.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? After leaving our reception, Caleb drove with us to Samford to take pictures at the place where everything started for us as a couple. I felt so relaxed and happy with how the day had gone, and was finally able to take it all in with my new husband.

emily Written with love by Emily
7 Comments
  1. avatar Leanne Polk reply

    Beautiful and creative — down to every last detail. Amazing ideas!

  2. avatar Madelynne Moulton reply

    I may be biased, but I absolutely love matt jones for a reception space! Their decor was polar opposite of ours – color, style, decor – and it looks STUNNING in the gallery. Beautiful wedding!

  3. avatar Desiree reply

    Beautiful! Can we please find out the instructions for making that incredible chandelier that hung over the cake!? I love that idea! :)

  4. avatar Cameron reply

    Love!! Really love the mint ties and grey suits! Could we find out where they purchased those from pretty please?!? Thanks!

  5. avatar Lauran Stephens reply

    Beautiful bride! Handsome groom! Lovely wedding……….every single detail! My hat is off to Lori and Kelsey! Ginny did such a wonderful job, such organization! Caleb!!!! beautiful memories captured on film. I may be a tiny bit partial……….the groom is my son :o)

  6. avatar Brittany reply

    Would love to know where the mint ties are from also! Great color!

  7. avatar Ginny Au reply

    The groomsmen ties are from Tux & Tulle, and Etsy shop. Also, it is a doily chandelier, and you can find great instructions on Martha Stewart’s Weddings website. Hope that helps. Ginny

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Amanda + Jared clearly hit a home run with their Southern-inspired wedding attire, and we think their tented reception at the Gibbes Museum of Art is just as fabulous. (Anyone who uses twinkle lights gets an automatic star in my book!) The assorted donuts they passed out to guests at the end of the reception was an especially sweet touch, but it’s the lovely B&W shot of the newlyweds just before cutting their four-tiered confection from d’Lish Discriminating Desserts that really takes the cake. Thanks to the team at 509 Photo for indulging in my red wedding wish!

Tell us about finding your wedding dress: Since we were moving abroad so quickly after our engagement, I knew finding “The Dress” would be a challenge. It was also essential to me that my mother be by my side for such an important and memorable moment in my life. Almost immediately, we planned a girls’ trip to scout out venues, flowers, caterers and a dress. The minute we stepped into the Gown Boutique of Charleston, we knew we were in the right place. After finding out more about me, my style and my vision, it didn’t take long to find the most ideal wedding dress match. The minute I tried on the Amy Kuschel “Jacqueline”, I knew we needed to look no further – it was just perfect.
Describe your wedding flowers: Gerbera daisies have been my favorite flower since I can remember, so it was only fitting that they be the focal point of our wedding flowers. My maids carried vivid yellow-orange bouquets wrapped in grapevine and mine matched their deep red dresses. At our altar stood two tall copper planters spilling luscious fall blooms of gerbera daisies, red dahlias, sunflowers, rover mums, orange roses, craspedia and tall curly willow branches. The table arrangements reflected the elegant and rustic fall décor with accents of bright yellows and browns while lanterns filled the courtyard with a glow as the sun went down.
Describe your wedding cake: Simple, elegant and delicious! The design on our cake mimicked the lines of my gown and included clusters of gerbera daisies to add a little extra pop of color. The square, four-tiered cake was precisely frosted with a Swiss meringue butter cream and each individual tier was a different flavor and filling.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? One of Jared’s many talents that I fell in love with early on in our relationship is his rendition of “Sweet Caroline” that he has been known to perform regularly at other people’s weddings. The moment he got up on stage in his sequined Neil Diamond vest at our very own wedding was indescribable – silence turned into a crowd going wild in mere seconds. I have never felt more excitement, love and energy coming from a single group of people in my entire life and I felt very lucky that these were the people we were surrounded by on our big day.
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you looking forward to in the future? Right now we’re just enjoying the ride of being married and are fortunate to have the world at our doorstep. Life can change quickly and we’re just looking forward to being able to experience it together!

Katherine Miller Events is a Southern Weddings sponsor.

Written with love by Katharine
10 Comments
  1. avatar Tessa Woolf reply

    Um, yum! The donuts are adorable!

  2. avatar Tweets that mention Real South Carolina Wedding: Amanda + Jared, Part II « Southern Weddings Magazine — Topsy.com reply

    […] This post was mentioned on Twitter by tessawoolf and Jenna Piper, Southern Weddings . Southern Weddings said: Passed donuts + twinkle lights caused @Katharine_W to give today's couple an automatic star! Thanks, @skullpepper! http://su.pr/2XLjpy […]

  3. avatar Corinna Hoffman reply

    I’m in love with their table cards–such a neat idea!!

  4. avatar Rachel – theWeddingVine reply

    I love the leaf name cards, they looks amazing!

  5. avatar Wedding Invitations reply

    beautiful! Love the black and white shots!

  6. avatar Sponsor Love « Southern Weddings Magazine reply

    […] Just check out Amanda + Jared’s wedding that we featured earlier this month! (Posts here and here) Want to get in on the action? Just email Katharine (our Katharine!) for a media kit! xo Emily […]

  7. avatar anniversary dance | KATHERINE MILLER events | lowcountry wedding coordination | 843.388.5576 reply

    […] Amanda and Jared‘s wedding took place at the Gibbes Museum of Art on October 16, 2010. The historic building was an excellent backdrop for Amanda’s color palette of rich fall colors–and her favorite flower, Gerbera daisies. Her maids donned crimson Jenny Yoo dresses, while the men wore stone-colored suits and custom Vineyard Vines ties! Their pineapple design was a Charleston-inspired element, since the fruit is our local symbol of hospitality. You can see the times (and more of A+J’s day) by peeking at Southern Weddings Part I & Part II. […]

  8. avatar life beyond peonies (part two) | KATHERINE MILLER events | lowcountry wedding coordination | 843.388.5576 reply

    […] Gerbera daisies + sunflowers immediately make me think of fall. And they were the perfect flowers for Amanda’s October wedding at the Gibbes Museum of Art. You can see more of her wedding here, as well as on the Southern Weddings blog (part I and part II). […]

  9. avatar Becca reply

    Hi!!

    I love love love the leaf seating chart. Do you know how they did it? Did you pick them and dry them?

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K + C enjoyed a lake-front reception with family and friends at Crisp’s family plantation, Thronateeska Bluffs, and we can’t think of a better setting for an outdoor celebration.  The couple’s four-tier round wedding cake is elegant and traditional, but take a look at that chocolate groom’s cake!  Turkey feathers and shoot gun shells?  A-mazing.  I was hoping for a few more shots of the bride in her stunning Amsale gown, but luckily Katie’s short Lela Rose reception frock is retro, chic and all kinds of fun.  Victory!  BIG, big thanks to 509 Photo for sharing their classic, timeless shots of the big day.

Tell us about finding your wedding dress: Drama! Like most girls, I had been dreaming of a wedding my whole life, but the dress eluded me! I looked through all kinds of magazines and scoured the internet, but just didn’t find the one.  My mother and I visited almost every bridal store in Atlanta, but I wasn’t having any luck on finding “the one.”  On the last day, we went to Bridals by Lori, where they were having an Amsale trunk show.  I narrowed it down to two dresses I liked and thought could be my wedding dress.  I ordered one of the dresses, and six months later it arrived, but was ALL WRONG!   The designer had changed some of the design elements that had been part of the runway dress I had originally tried on at the trunk show. It was a mess!  After a lot of help from one of the managers, Amsale sent me a new dress in 1 week!  And at the end of the day, I loved my dress!  It was stunning and classic.  My nightmare must have made for a good storyline, because they asked me to film an episode for the new season of “Say Yes to the Dress!”
Describe your wedding flowers: I carried a hand-tied bouquet of white cymbidium and dendrobium orchids, white hydrangea, caramel antique garden roses with accents of turkey feather tips and seeded willow eucalyptus.  I wanted all neutral colors: soft whites, champagnes and greens… simple!
Describe your wedding cake: Simple and delicious! You can’t go wrong with pound cake.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? The guest list! Crisp and I are both are from small towns, and it’s hard not to invite everyone!
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? I would say our exit from the ceremony! In true Southern style, after we said our I Dos and were presented as Mr. & Mrs. Gatewood, we surprised guests with the Mule Drawn-Quail Hunting Wagon that drove us away. We left waving to family and friends and enjoyed a short romantic ride down an oak-lined drive. We spent about 30 minutes taking those memorable “We’re married!” pictures.  I loved those first few moments as husband and wife!
What’s next for you as a couple?  What are you looking forward to in the future? We are finally getting settled into our new house! We have done a little remodeling, and everything is starting to come together. I need to learn how to cook, even though Crisp does a great job, and only have about 100 more thank-you notes to write.  We are loving every minute of married life!  

Written with love by Katharine
7 Comments
  1. avatar Nookie Doodle reply

    Wow, loved the duck plates!!! Beautiful …

  2. avatar Kendall reply

    I saw her on Say Yes to the Dress Atlanta and thought it was the same girl this morning before I saw the rest of the post! The dress was beautiful and I'm so glad it turned out right!

  3. avatar Melissa reply

    This was one of the best Southern weddings you've ever posted. Great details! What an amazing venue.

  4. avatar Rachel – theWeddingVine reply

    Gorgeous venue and love the use of flowers in the cake!

  5. avatar Dennis @ Wholesale Flowers reply

    That's really great that Amsale was able to get you a replacement dress in a week. It's even better luck that your original dress arrived in time enough for Amsale to send you another. The wedding pictures are great. Looks like everyone had a great time.

  6. avatar Corinna Hoffman reply

    Oh my.. what a beautiful setting for a wedding!! Love ALL the reception details :) Thanks for sharing!

  7. avatar Katie Gatewood reply

    The lakeside pictures are actually from our rehersal dinner the night before:) Much love!

Southern Weddings reserves the right to delete comments which contain profanity or personal attacks or seek to promote a business unrelated to the post.  And remember: a good attitude is like kudzu – it spreads.  We love hearing your kind thoughts!

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