Southern Weddings

Peaches are a serious favorite here in the Southern Weddings office, so it’s no surprise that we fell in love with Augusta and Jordan’s wedding! This adorable Alabama couple was married by Jordan’s former college mentor in a traditional ceremony, and enjoyed a “breakfast for dinner” dinner and reception afterwards. I love the way they celebrated the wonderful bounty of the South by asking a local farmer to bring in a few crates of peaches, which they proceeded to scatter around their venue. Combined with an abundance of peachy pink blooms and some of the prettiest desserts, the result was beautiful and oh-so-Southern–the perfect backdrop for Augusta and Jordan to begin their marriage!

Many thanks to W+E Photographie for sharing Augusta and Jordan’s special day with us!

We both attended Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama, and had many mutual friends. We became closer friends during my sophomore year/his junior year, and during that summer, I traveled to Paris for the summer with Campus Crusade. When I returned, I had no intentions to date, but Jordan asked me to come over to have dinner. We got to know each other as friends, and a couple of months later, he asked me out on an “official” date.

Did you decide to do a “first look”? Why or why not? We decided not to do a “first look” because we wanted to have that moment in the chapel (and because we wanted to keep that tradition alive!). Instead, we met in the chapel, held hands around a corner and prayed together. It was nice to have a moment to ourselves, and catch up before walking down the aisle. It also worked well for pictures, because we were able to take our pictures right before sunset, and the lighting was beautiful.

My close friend, and wedding planner, who I interned under, Catherine Wayman, created the most amazing floral displays I’ve ever seen. For our bouquets/boutonnieres, she used a pale pink/peach-colored garden rose, accompanied with other peach, pink and fuchsia shades of garden roses, and lamb’s ear. The main arrangements were combinations of garden roses and peonies (both are my favorites). She mainly used coral charm peonies, and we also had various hydrangeas and succulents. The color scheme was based off of a set of stationery from Rifle Paper Co.

Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line? We did not write our own vows, but our vows were both personal and traditional. Jordan’s mentor from college officiated, and because he knew both of us so well, he made it very personal.
What readings, if any, did you have at your ceremony? Our officiant read from 1 Corinthians.

Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. We chose my favorite hymn, “Come Thou Fount,” for the bridal processional. We both took communion, and during this time, we chose Jordan’s favorite hymn, “Abide with Me,” to be played, which my “big sister” in my sorority sang. It gave everyone chills. The recessional was “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty,” which my mother walked down the aisle to on her wedding day. Our first dance was to “Be My Baby” from the movie Dirty Dancing. We both loved the song, and had never heard it at any other wedding before, so we went with it!

Isn’t Augusta’s lace gown stunning? It’s perfect for a sweet Southern bride!

Our favorite detail of the wedding was: We loved the peach detail of our wedding. We had a local farmer bring in some crates full of peaches, and we decided to just put them everywhere! It’s one of my favorite fruits and colors, so it worked out perfectly. Our colors were peach, coral, and a light seafoam blue/mint. When we picked up the peaches, some of them were in blue colored crates, so it seemed perfect with our theme.

Describe your wedding cake or dessert. I didn’t want a very traditional wedding cake at our wedding, so we went with a smaller two-tiered wedding cake and two one-layer cakes, from the best cake shop in town, Olexa’s. Jordan’s cake was a red velvet sheet cake, decorated with a rugby player and bride on top of a rugby field. The only thing I knew I really wanted for the wedding was donuts, to go along with our “Breakfast for Dinner” theme. We got donuts from a local shop, Heavenly Donut Co., in various flavors, including my favorite, maple bacon.

What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? It’s a tie between seeing Jordan at the end of the aisle, and driving away at the end of the night. I was so happy to finally have an alone moment with Jordan and thrilled about the events of the day, yet so sad that the day was over. It was a tender moment.

Tell us all about the proposal! Jordan moved to Indianapolis to begin working with a new company, and we had been dating long distance for a couple of months. He asked me to come visit for Labor Day weekend to celebrate our one-year anniversary. He had originally planned to propose a month later, over our university’s homecoming weekend, when both of our families would be in town, but he changed his mind. He took me to the “Canal Walk” and then to dinner to celebrate. We walked around the canals and came to a beautiful vine-covered bridge with the city in the background, and he proposed. I was completely surprised, and he even had one of our good friends (who lives in Indy) photograph the whole thing. The two of us went to dinner afterwards, and although we wanted our friends and family there, it was so nice taking the moment in, just us. I surprised my sorority with an “out-of-the-blue” white candle.
When did y’all get married? June 23, 2013
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? Around 250
Tell us about finding your wedding dress. We went to a boutique in Mt. Laurel, AL, where one of our family friends is a manager. I made a day of it with my mom and three of my bridesmaids/best friends. I knew the look I wanted, and it was the second dress I tried on. I was sold!
Did you have something borrowed, blue, old, and new? If so, do tell! Something borrowed was the lipstick I wore, something blue was my garter, something new was the wedding dress, something old was my grandmother’s wedding shoes, which happened to fit me perfectly.
What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? The food was definitely Southern. We had a biscuit station, ham with grilled peaches, and bacon with brown sugar. Our friends played a game of cornhole outside, with a custom-painted corn hole set, and sipped sweet tea at picnic tables. The peaches tied everything together with a very Southern feel.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? The guest list and invitations were definitely the hardest challenge to overcome. We wanted to invite so many people, but just couldn’t because of the size of our venue.
If you are comfortable responding, what range did your wedding budget fall into? $25,000-$50,000
What is the one detail or vendor that you were so happy to have as a part of your wedding? Last summer, I interned for a wedding venue in Birmingham that specialized in in-house floral design and in-house catering. I felt so blessed that Catherine, their wedding planner (and my close friend), created my bouquets and flower arrangements. Also, Corretti Catering created the most delicious buffet I’ve ever seen. Their staff is incredible, and it was a blessing seeing them all on our wedding day. Our photographers were equally amazing, and so much fun to work with. They made everything flow effortlessly, and I felt so calm working with them.
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? Don’t sweat the small stuff. After interning for a wedding planner and working so diligently on our own wedding, I realized that at the end of the day, you’re getting married to your best friend, and that’s all that should matter. Also, make the day and the details look like you. You want your guests to think that every detail reflects your personality and style.
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you most looking forward to about married life? We are looking forward to settling down in Birmingham, a city we both love. We are anxious to travel and can’t wait to begin planning our next adventure together.

Photographer: W&E Photographie | Videographer: Matt Wambles | Planner and Florist: C. Wayman Floral & Events | Ceremony and Reception Venue: American Village | Wedding Cake Baker: Olexa’s | Donut Baker: Heavenly Donut Co. | Caterer: Corretti Catering | Lighting: Don Orr | Band: 3rd Generation | Bride’s Gown: Allure | Paper Products: Shannon Kirsten Illustration | Bride’s Hair Accessories/Veil/Jewelry: Anthropologie | Hair Stylist: Joanna Ballentine | Makeup Artist: Molly Stilley | Bride’s Shoes: Grandmother’s | Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Bridesmaids’ choice | Groom’s Attire: Jos A. Bank | Groomsmen Attire: Jos A. Bank | Groomsmen Ties: Billy Reid

Written with love by Lisa