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Most Memorable 2016: Bouquets

by in Inspirations on

There’s something about a bouquet that unmistakably whispers “wedding.” After all, there might be many lovely centerpieces and tablescapes in your future, but I’d imagine you won’t have too many opportunities to carry a gorgeous, fragrant handful of flowers around for an entire day! Thus, they deserve to be celebrated. Here are ten of our favorites from 2016.

Hannah’s peach garden rose, ranunculus, and ivy bouquet by Brides & Bouquets (photo by Almond Leaf Studios)

Peyton’s amaryllis, garden rose, and olive branch bouquet by Whimsical Gatherings (photo by Finch Photography)

Courtney’s peony and tulip bouquet by Isn’t She Lovely Florals (photo by Cody Hunter)

Maggie’s peony, stock, spray rose, and lily bouquet by Palette of Petals (photo by Gracie Blue)

Emily’s dahlia, garden rose, hypericum berry, and vine bouquet by Southern Blooms (photo by Jen Fariello)

Katie’s peony, sweet pea, poppy, astilbe, and chamomile bouquet by Holly Heider Chapple (photo by Jodi & Kurt)

Ally’s rose, ranunculus, and dusty miller bouquet by Pine Hills Floral Designs (photo by Kati Mallory)

Katie’s spray rose, peony, tulip, and vine bouquet by Mary McLeod (photo by Lauren Carnes)

Elle’s coral charm peony, ranunculus, and rose bouquet by Maxit Flower Design (photo by Kelli Durham)

Katie’s zinnia, ranunculus, berry, and dahlia bouquet by Southern Blooms (photo by Jillian Michelle)

Holly Heider Chapple is a delightful member of our Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory!

emily Written with love by Emily
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As someone who met my own soon-to-be husband while studying abroad in Austria, I feel a little bit like kindred spirits with Katie and Rob. They met on the airplane en route to their study abroad program and spent the first few magical months of their relationship traveling and exploring around Western Europe! Six years later, they chose their venue, the gorgeous Summerour Studio in Atlanta, because it reminded them a little bit of Florence, where they had shared their first kiss. I love the way they brought lots of Southern touches, in honor of their Georgia hometowns, to this European-style venue!

Thank you so much to Laura Leslie for sharing this beautiful wedding with us!

Rob and I grew up 12 miles from each other and went to Georgia Tech for two years together before we finally met on a flight to Europe for a study abroad trip during the summer of 2007. He gave me the middle seat so that I could sit next to a friend, and I gave him my dessert. We spent the rest of the summer traveling around Western Europe together and had our first kiss in Florence. We spent the next two years dating back in Atlanta. When Rob graduated, he moved to Texas while I finished my last year of school. When I graduated, I got a job in New York, and shortly after I moved, Rob moved back to Atlanta. We spent the next year traveling up and down the East Coast to see each other. In the summer of 2010, we both packed up our apartments and drove across the country to move into our new apartment on a palm tree-lined street in Los Angeles. That December, Rob popped the question and we moved back to Atlanta together the next summer. We got married almost six years after the day we met.

What made you choose your ceremony and reception venues? Did they have any special significance to you? Summerour Studio is not a typical Southern venue—in fact, it’s a little European, with a terracotta roof and a charming cobblestone courtyard that has grape vines crawling up the front of the studio. We loved that it reminded us of Florence, where we had our first kiss. It also has a beautiful, open, rustic interior with dark wood floors and factory windows.

We recited traditional vows, but we also asked each of our aunts to read two of our favorite poems: Pablo Neruda’s Sonnets LXIX and XVII. Like a vow, I think we will always remember lines from those poems. “So I love you because I know no other way than this: where I does not exist, nor you, so close that your hand on my chest is my hand, so close that your eyes close as I fall asleep.” On the morning of our wedding, Rob surprised me with a necklace that had this line engraved on it: “through love I will be, you will be, we’ll be.”

Describe your wedding flowers. We worked with Erica Loesing, who was part of the Amy Osaba team, on the design for our wedding. She put together the most beautiful arrangements on each table using a mixture of bronze, glass, and milky white vessels, white, peach, pink, and light yellow peonies, garden roses, ranunculus, and tulips, and beautiful greenery, like flowing vines and bunches of wonderful-smelling herbs, like mint.

Since Rob and I fell in love traveling around the world and then spent a good part of the next five years moving around, we used vintage postcards from all the cities we had visited as our seating cards. Then, at their tables, guests wrote us a note—a memory, wish, or piece of advice—on the postcard. We put all the postcards in an album as our guest book.

Tell us all about the proposal! From Rob: I decided that proposing during one of our runs at Griffith Park near our house, where there’s a trail you can see the whole city from, would be perfect. As part of the celebration, I also bought tickets to a show at the Walt Disney Concert Hall for that evening. The concert hall had always been a special place to us in the city. The week I was going to propose, I told Katie I had a surprise for her that weekend. Later in the week, I suggested we go for a long run in Griffith Park in the morning, since I knew she thought the surprise was coming later. The morning of the proposal, Katie said she couldn’t go running if she was going to wrap up work before the big surprise. I tried to convince her, but didn’t want her to get suspicious. Instead, when we got to the Concert Hall, we found a place to sit down–just the two of us–and I asked her right there. I couldn’t wait another minute.
When did y’all get married? May 18, 2013
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 130
Tell us about finding your wedding dress. I thought I wanted something very straight and simple. I tried on so many “almost” dresses, but we went to an appointment at Bride Beautiful to see if we could find anything we liked better. The only dress I tried on there ended up being the one! It was completely different than what I had been imagining, but I fell in love with the beautiful layering and detail. We worked with the amazing Gizzelle James to alter it perfectly!
Describe your wedding cake or dessert. Rob and I don’t love cake, but we do love ice cream! Instead of serving cake, the Honeysuckle Gelato truck parked outside and served little cups of gelato all night! We worked with the Honeysuckle team to pick our favorites from their extensive menu of Southern-inspired flavors. We chose bourbon pecan, sea salt caramel, and blueberry cheesecake with graham cracker.
What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? We knew Summerour would be the perfect place for us to layer the Southern details and traditions that mean the most to us. The food, gelato, and cocktails were all Southern—one station served shrimp and grits, fried green tomatoes, biscuits, and a pimento cheese spread. We had bourbon pecan gelato and a peach sorbet. One of our cocktails was a “Southern Old Fashioned” with peach bitters. All of the details on the tables felt so soft and Southern, especially the bowls of fresh seasonal produce–peaches, crabapples, and kumquats.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? Our most memorable moment of the wedding was something few guests probably even noticed. Instead of walking down the aisle to a traditional song, we chose “Stranger Things” by Local Natives. We first saw Local Natives, our favorite band, at a special show where they performed with the symphony at Disney Concert Hall, which is why that venue has always been so special to us. The opening of the song is beautiful, and to this day, whenever I hear it, I get chills as I remember exactly how I felt when I took those first steps toward Rob.

Photographer: Laura Leslie Photography / Planner: Erica Loesing / Venue: Summerour Studio / Florist: Erica Loesing of Amy Osaba / Dessert: Honeysuckle Gelato / Caterer: Bold American / DJ: JP McLeod / Bride’s Gown: Saison Blanche / Bridal Salon: Bride Beautiful / Paper Products: One Plus One Design and Julie Doan / Hair and Makeup Stylist: Raney O’Keefe / Bride’s Shoes: J. Crew / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Jenny Yoo / Men’s Attire: Jos. A. Bank suits / Groom’s Tie: J. Crew / Groom’s Shoes: Johnston and Murphy

Laura Leslie is a delightful member of our Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory!

lisa Written with love by Lisa
4 Comments
  1. avatar Yvonne reply

    Beautiful wedding! I’m wondering where the table numbers are from. And, if the bride may be willing to sell them :).

  2. avatar Dana reply

    a gelato truck sounds like a fantastic idea!

  3. avatar Southern Weddings Weekly Round-Up – Southern Weddings Magazine reply

    […] Katie and Rob met en route to Europe, so their European-style wedding venue was a perfect fit. Lauren and Casey‘s first dance story melted our hearts–don’t miss it! Charlotte and Zachary were married at the groom’s family farm in the heart of Texas. […]

  4. avatar Summerour Studio Wedding | Central Florida Wedding Photographer | Southeast Wedding Photography » Atlanta Wedding Photographer Laura Leslie reply

    […] can read more about this beautiful day  on Southern Weddings […]

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It’s easy to get stuck in the rut of thinking all Southern weddings are set in rolling countryside or on bucolic farms. After all, we feature a lot of lovely outdoor weddings! But I think some of our best features are actually the ones in cities and indoor spaces, because, once the natural environment is stripped away, we’re left with what really makes a wedding Southern — a focus on graciousness, hospitality, delicious food, tradition, and family. And that? Emily and Joe have it in spades. (Plus, their venue happens to be gorgeous, too!) Hugs to the very talented Blue Ribbon Vendor Haley Sheffield for sharing this Atlanta beauty with us!

Yes, Emily’s gown is stunning! Couldn’t love the bow or stripes more.

The first boutique that I visited was La Raine’s Bridal in Virginia Highlands, as a surprise for my best friend. She had been dying to go dress shopping with me since the moment I got engaged. The next weekend, I invited my mother, future mother-in-law, and aunts down to Atlanta for Mother’s Day. During their stay, we went shopping for wedding dresses at a few different local shops where I had made appointments. Even though I found some pretty gowns, there were none that compared to one of the Ian Stuart designs that I had seen the week before. Adamant that my moms and aunts could not leave without laying eyes on my dream dress, I frantically dialed La Raines in hopes that I could come in that day. Despite being slammed with appointments, they were able to fit me in to try on one dress!

Before I had a wedding date, venue, dress, or vendor, I had my somethings. Joe proposed at the end of October 2011, and other than my family, I kept it a secret for nearly a month. When I returned home for Thanksgiving, my best friend planned an engagement party for me and four of my closest childhood friends. Before my engagement ring was revealed, each girl drew a small card which had one of the following words written on it: “old”, “new”, “borrowed” or “blue.” Then they were handed an envelope which read their name and “will you be my something…” with a space to insert their drawn slip of paper. Inside was a note for each of them to read. And finally, I slipped on my ring. I am so blessed to have them in my life and because they are already so special to me it made perfect sense to give them a special and meaningful role on our wedding day.

We had planned a first look session with our photographer prior to our guests arriving, and in all of the morning chaos, I completely missed when she announced that she would let me know when to emerge. Just two steps out the door, I caught a glimpse of Joe. In a panic, I stepped backward, almost completely trampling over the train on my dress. Luckily, my bridesmaids were there to pick up the pieces before I fell apart. When I finally made it up the steps to my soon-to-be husband and turned him around, all of my nerves vanished and the tone was set for the rest of the evening. This was it… our wedding day!

Joe and I had gotten into a disagreement early on in the planning process about who should be in “the wedding party”.. a silly debate over friends or family. We reached a moment of clarity once a song came on through the car speakers, which we have since referred to as “our song,” since it seemed to make the world around us stop and remind us that we were in this together, and no matter what we decided on, it would be okay! We had the song, “Drowning” by Armin Van Buuren arranged by a conductor in affiliation with the Atlanta Philharmonic Orchestra. It was played by a string quartet slowly during the bridal processional, and then sped up and played for a second time during the recessional for Joe and I to walk to together as husband and wife.

With our save the dates, we asked all of our close friends and family to send us a picture from each of their weddings. Joe and I enjoyed hearing all of the love stories from our guests and seeing the excitement in their faces as they began their marriages through all of the 30+ wedding day pictures that were sent to us to display at our reception.

Describe your vision for your wedding. I based the colors and feel off of the venue. Being an interior designer, I even matched up the colors using a Benjamin Moore paint deck! Overall, the scheme was light and dreamy to contrast the bold, industrial presence surrounding the courtyard. Against the brick red railings and hard concrete slabs, all of the colors remained soft, pulling more from the sweet Southern charm of JCT Kitchen.

What is the one detail or vendor that you were so happy to have as a part of your wedding? My photographer, Haley Sheffield. When I came across Haley’s site and browsed through her blog, I was immediately drawn to the style and quality of her work, but it wasn’t until Joe and I met with her in person that I knew we had had found the right girl for the job. Since then, she has exceeded all of our expectations and gone above and beyond simply doing her job. She kept me in mind when she came across other vendors who seemed to fit my vision and style, as well as encouraged my creativity and offered advice in areas of planning where I had little experience. She is way more than a photographer–she is an inspirer, a planner, an artist, a genuine friend, and a vendor I was thrilled to have as part of our wedding day. I hope to continue to work with her in the future as Joe and I build our lives together.

When did y’all get married? Sunday, October 13, 2013
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? Just under 100 guests
Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. Due to Joe’s love of electronic music, I surprised him about a month before the wedding with DJ lessons. With the help of our hired DJ, Mike Zarin of Zarin Entertainment Group, Joe compiled his own mix and revealed his talents during the reception. This turned out to be a huge hit for our guests, many of whom gathered into the courtyard to cheer him on, and even managed to get him back up for an encore. Lastly, our DJ played “Save the Last Dance for Me” as the last dance of the night, which I had reserved for my father and I. We had danced to the song together at my cousin’s wedding a couple years prior, and it held a special place in my heart ever since, so I could not resist the chance to include it in the evening. It meant so much to me to share a dance at the very end of the reception with my dad.
Describe your wedding flowers. Amy Osaba arranged beautiful centerpieces using bud vases and a mixture of stands and vessels, as well as bouquets, boutonnieres and blooms for the bridal party. She used various types of flowers, including peonies, English garden roses, ranunculus, anemones, etc. in a palette of soft muted colors with pops of blush pink, greens, and peachy salmon. She also made little flower crowns, which were a huge hit by the end of the night, as they were worn by myself, my bridesmaids, and even a few of our wedding guests.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? My biggest challenge was asking for help and coming to the realization that I could not singlehandedly plan our wedding. There were so many moving parts that in the end may not have come together as seamlessly without the assistance of friends, family, and a handful of incredible vendors.
If you are comfortable responding, what range did your wedding budget fall into? $25,000-$50,000
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? One of our most memorable moments was at the ceremony, when we turned to face all of our guests who had traveled from numerous places to share in our day. There was such a rush at that moment–almost like being in a dream. While staring into Joe’s eyes, exchanging vows and sharing our first kiss as husband and wife, I felt as though we were in our own little world. When we turned around to go back down the aisle, I realized then that we were not alone, and came face to face with all of the people we love most.
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? My advice to anyone currently planning a wedding is to enjoy it, and if at any point in time, it is not fun anymore, reach out for assistance.

Photographer: Haley Sheffield / Venue and Catering: JCT Kitchen + Bar / Flowers & Decor: Amy Osaba / Cakes: HHDesserts / Rentals: Bash Factory / DJ: Zarin Entertainment Group / Wedding Dress: Ian Stuart / Bridal Salon: La Raine’s Bridal / Bride’s Shoes: Badgely Mischka / Paper Products: The bride / Hair and Makeup: Christy Hubbard of James Madison Hair / Bridesmaid Dresses: Asos, Anthropologie, David’s Bridal, J.Crew, BHLDN, Adrianna Pappel / Groom’s Attire: Zara / Ties: The Tie Bar

Haley Sheffield is a delightful member of our Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory!

emily Written with love by Emily
15 Comments
  1. avatar Lisa reply

    Oh my goodness, I love everything about this wedding! Their style, the venue, the FLOWERS–just gorgeous!

  2. avatar Stephanie reply

    This wedding just exudes genuine love!! The flowers and her striped/bow dress are simply perfection, too!

  3. avatar Jeremy Harwell reply

    Such a beautiful wedding! Amy and Haley are the best!

  4. avatar Krisstin | On the Go Bride reply

    Oh my her gown is stunning!

  5. avatar FEATURED | JOE & EMILY on SOUTHERN WEDDINGS » Haley Sheffield | Fine Art Photography reply

    […] to capture these beautiful memories. Be sure to check out Joe and Emily’s wedding on the Southern Weddings Blog to hear more about their Southern […]

  6. avatar Haley Sheffield reply

    Thank you so much. Honored to be on Southern Weddings alongside so many talented vendors!

  7. avatar Amanda {Planning It All} reply

    I love all of the family portraits!

  8. avatar Kat reply

    I just LOVE her dress, her bouquet & her sweet story for her something old, new, borrowed & blue!!! SO unique & fun!

  9. avatar Madelynne Moulton reply

    I love everything about this. One of my favorite restaurants in Atlanta and an amazing florist and photographer! That dress is just amazing too! Thank you for showing everyone how perfect a city wedding can be in Atlanta!

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