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While they have so many great moments to remember from their wedding day at the beautiful Castleton Farms, for Mary and Dom, the moment when their eyes met as she walked down the aisle takes the cake! It was filled with so much joy and happiness that they know they’ll never forget. Planning a wedding and honeymoon around Dom’s hockey schedule was no easy task, but together, they focused on what was most important to them as a couple and showed their guests the sweet Southern hospitality of Mary’s home state of Tennessee. As for Mary’s sage advice for those planning a wedding? “Don’t let the illusion of perfection distract you from the beauty of the life that is right in front of you.” Yes, ma’am!!

Big hugs to Jennie Andrews for sharing this dreamy day with us!

I loved my dress! A few days after the proposal, I went out with my mom, sister, and sister-in-law to do some dress shopping (they were staying with me for a few days after the big surprise engagement dinner). They were only in New York for a short time, so we made tons of appointments and were ready to hit up every store in NYC. Of course, the first shop we went to, a cute little boutique called L’Fay Bridal, had some of the most beautiful dresses I had ever seen! THE dress was about the fifth one I tried on, and once I put it on, I could not stop smiling. We all knew it was the one, but did not want to pick a dress quite that quickly. After leaving the shop, I called Dom and told him I thought I had found the dress. He was happy to hear it and told me to go for it! The next day, I went in and bought it.

What was one way you saved money or cut costs at your wedding? We tried to save some money in every category along the way, skipping letterpress on the invites, buying bridesmaid dresses during major sales at J. Crew, and things of that nature. Most significantly, we worked with our florist to reuse as many of the arrangements as we could. Flowers from the rehearsal dinner were used at the cocktail hour the next day, and flowers from the ceremony were brought up onto the deck of the barn to decorate the bar. Also, we did our rehearsal dinner at Castleton Farms, since we were able to pay for a weekend package. Not paying for a new venue for that dinner was a big cost saver.

Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. We had a string trio play classics like Pachelbel’s “Canon in D” and “Trumpet Voluntary” for the ceremony. We wanted those sweet and traditional melodies to set the tone for the day.
Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line? We had a traditional Christian wedding and said the traditional vows.

There are so many great moments that we remember so vividly about the whole day, but by far, the most memorable moment for us was when I was walking down the aisle. Dom didn’t want to see me too early when I was far away, so he was facing Pastor Wood until I entered the doors and was ready to come down the aisle. When he turned, our eyes met, and we both just exploded with joy and happiness!

We chose Castleton Farms for our ceremony and reception for a few different reasons. First, I am from Tennessee and wanted to have the wedding in my home state! Second, Castleton Farms was stunning. It was every dream wedding Pinterest board come true, and after one quick visit (in the winter, even!), we were beyond interested. We met with the venue coordinator, Darla Walker, and were so impressed by her that we booked that very day! I think I called her around 9 P.M. to book it because I was so set on having that venue and was worried that someone else might take our date! Fitting in a wedding and honeymoon around a hockey player’s schedule is quite a feat!

What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? We had the wedding reception in a barn. The night before the wedding, all the girls and I slept over at the venue in the big, Southern mansion they have on property. It was amazing! We had a lemonade tent with all kinds of lemonade for the guests during the cocktail hour. The cocktail hour was more of a game hour, complete with lawn games like croquet, blongo ball, and corn hole–all good, Southern games! We knew it would be hot and people would need to fan themselves a bit to keep from overheating, so we made our ceremony programs fans. We also had barbecue as an entree option at the dinner.

We had a three-layer white wedding cake with fresh flowers on it. We also had some delicious cupcakes (about four different flavors and colors) and little jars of heart-shaped apple pies. The apple pie was supposed to go with the moonshine bar, but they were out on display and got eaten pretty quickly–long before the moonshine came out!

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. One of my friends from college played tennis with Dom during the summers. Once we had been introduced, Dom invited me to come and see a game some time (he plays for the New York Rangers). After the first game I went to, I was waiting for him to come out after the game to head to dinner with me and a few friends. When he walked around the corner, my heart jumped. I quickly began to see that I was not the only one with a little crush, since I seemed to be getting a bit more attention than his other guests at the games–and kept getting the invite back. Also, he was playing incredibly well any time I was at a game! It didn’t take long for us to begin dating. We were out to dinner after one of his games when we made it official. We love going back to that restaurant and thinking about that special time.
Tell us all about the proposal! Dom proposed in Central Park! Central Park is a special place for us. We spent a number of different occasions there while we were dating–having picnics, taking walks, going ice skating, and riding bikes. Last December, we were trying to decide if we should stay in New York for Christmas or go home to be with our families. We finally decided to stay in the city, even though we would really miss our families. On Christmas Eve, we spent the day doing all things Christmas-y and just enjoying the day together. Later in the day, Dom suggested we go ice skating. As you may guess, skating with a hockey player is quite a fun experience!! After skating, he suggested we go out to dinner so that I would not have to worry about cooking anything. He called The Boathouse restaurant to see if we could get reservations, and lo and behold, they had some availability. We got dressed up and started walking to dinner. The Boathouse is in the middle of Central Park, so you have to walk through the park to get there. The only things around were the horse-drawn carriages going by every now and then. Somewhere along the walk, words of love were exchanged and a ring was given. We like to keep the details of it between the two of us! :) After getting engaged, we continued our walk to the restaurant, stopping to hug and kiss and laugh every few steps. To my surprise, when we arrived at the restaurant, out popped my parents, Dom’s parents, and my brother and sister-in-law!!! Dom had flown everyone up for a surprise engagement dinner! It turned out that it would be a family-filled Christmas after all, with even more reasons to celebrate.
When did y’all get married? July 11, 2015
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? There were about 140 people at the wedding. We felt so loved that so many friends made the trip to Tennessee to be there.
Did you have something borrowed, blue, old, and new? If so, do tell! To be honest, I did not think that through! I did, however, have something borrowed and blue. When Dom and I were first dating, I started wearing one of his blue flannel shirts because I needed a light jacket and didn’t have one, so he let me borrow it. He told me I looked better in it than he did, so I wore it a bunch and loved it! I wore that button-down all day while I was getting ready for the wedding. It was a little reminder of the start of all the love–not to mention, it was perfect for the job and cute!
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? Don’t forget the whole reason you are planning this event: to unite yourself with the love of your life! Trust me, you won’t even get to see most of the things you spent months planning. You will be so busy gazing at your husband and taking in all the smiles and hugs from your friends and family, that all those details that seemed so crucial will go largely unnoticed by you and your fiancé. Planning a wedding is like most things in life: you should try your hardest to make it the best that you can, but don’t let the illusion of perfection distract you from the beauty of the life that is right in front of you.
What’s next for you as a couple? What memories are you looking forward to making together? We are back to work now and are also having fun redecorating Dom’s old place. We both want to have a family and are excited to get started on that in the near future! Also, we love working out together, so Dom spent the summer teaching me to play tennis! We are looking forward to playing together throughout life.

Photographer: Jennie Andrews / Videographer: Alex Widmer / Venue and Coordination: Castleton Farms / Florist: Samuel Franklin / Cake Baker: Cheryl McMillan / Caterer: All Occasion Catering / Rentals: All Occasions Party Rental / Band: Emerald Empire Band / Paper Products: The Happy Envelope / Bride’s Gown: Berta Bridal / Bridal Salon and Veil: L’Fay Bridal / Hair and Makeup: Bangs and Blush / Bride’s Shoes: Betsey Johnson / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Various styles in Misty Rose by J. Crew / Menswear: J. Crew / Transportation: Chariots of Hire / Cupcakes: Scrumps Cupcakes / Invitation Calligraphy: Alice Sword

marissa Written with love by Marissa
1 Comment
  1. avatar Dimity reply

    Oh, what a beautiful piece of advice from Mary! “Planning a wedding is like most things in life: you should try your hardest to make it the best that you can, but don’t let the illusion of perfection distract you from the beauty of the life that is right in front of you.” I will carry this with me as I plan our special day. Thank you for sharing xo

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Mountain settings have always played a special role in Brigitte and Terry’s relationship, from their first date (hiking in wild and wonderful West Virginia) to their engagement (at the Biltmore in Asheville). It was only natural, then, that they needed a beautiful mountain setting for their spring wedding, and after a long search, Pleasant Hill Vineyards in East Tennessee ended up being the perfect fit. With the help of Jennifer Laraia, Brigitte and Terry brought their vision of an elegant, Southern-inspired, family-focused celebration to life, giving these two yet another beautiful mountainside memory!

Thank you so much to Watson Studios for sharing this beautiful day with us!

Tell us about finding your wedding dress. After looking at tons of bridal magazines, I was fairly confident that I wanted a lace, strapless, trumpet-style gown, but was open to trying on anything. My future sister-in-law came dress shopping with me, and although I liked every gown I tried on, none of them were quite right. Then I tried on the last gown, a lace, strapless, trumpet gown, and it was perfect! I teared up, my future sister-in-law teared up, and I knew that my dream dress was exactly what I had imagined!

We both love singer-songwriter music and I have always loved the banjo. After debating between a string quartet, a harp, or other traditional ceremony music, we chose to have a bluegrass band, Bluebilly Grit, play for our wedding ceremony. They were phenomenal! They played some traditional music, as well as some contemporary music, in a romantic, gentle bluegrass style. The wedding party processional was a version of “A Thousand Years” by Christina Perri, and I walked down the aisle to “Canon in D.” Bluebilly Grit also played during our cocktail hour, and of course, played our home state anthem, “Country Roads.”

What made you choose your ceremony and reception venues? Did they have any special significance to you? We both grew up in the beautiful, mountainous state of West Virginia, and we enjoy hiking, camping, and most outdoor activities. Our first date was even a hike through the mountains! We knew we wanted an outdoor wedding with a view of the mountains and a reception under a big tent, and it was important to us to be able to choose each vendor and aspect of our wedding. After traveling all over East Tennessee, we finally decided on Pleasant Hill Vineyards. The venue sits in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, and there was plenty of space for a big tent! Pleasant Hill Vineyards was very flexible with our use of the space and had minimal restrictions on outside vendors. We had a perfect April day for our outdoor wedding!

What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? Since we had a difficult time deciding on a ceremony and reception venue, we planned most of the rest of the wedding in a little over three months. It was very busy and each week had a long list of to-dos. I could have never done it without the help, inspiration, and ideas of my amazing wedding planner and stylist, Jennifer Laraia! She took our vision and gave us our dream wedding!

Our wedding theme, rustic elegance, embraces all that is Southern. Invitations and welcome gifts were packaged in cotton muslin bags. The decorations were rustic, yet refined and romantic. We had church pews for seating and a chandelier in the trees at our outdoor ceremony. A bluegrass band provided music inspired by Appalachia for the ceremony and cocktail hour. We had a warm, welcoming reception with elegant wire chandeliers. Tables were named after our favorite mountain peaks in the Smoky Mountains and West Virginia, tying in our love of the mountains and our outdoor location. Dinner was served family style and condiments were served in mini mason jars. We loved the idea of guests passing dinner around the table, sharing conversation, and getting to know each other.

Our favorite detail of the wedding was: It is hard to pick one detail of the wedding that was our favorite, but what stands out most is the beautiful mountain scenery and the starry sky!

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. Terry and I met while working together in our hometown. A mutual friend introduced us and separately encouraged us to go out. I was planning on moving in a few months and Terry had recently become single after a serious relationship, so neither of us was all that interested. Since we were both hesitant to start a relationship, our friend arranged for a small group of us to spend a day on the lake together. Despite both mine and Terry’s resistance, we really enjoyed each other’s company. The next week, we had our first date, hiking at a nearby state park in the mountains of West Virginia. Our second and third dates came the following two days, and we’ve been together ever since!
Tell us all about the proposal! While spending the weekend at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville to celebrate Terry’s birthday, we planned to experience as much of the Biltmore as possible. We spent the first day touring the inside of the home, leaving the second day for touring the exterior, grounds, and gardens. Midway through our tour of the house exterior, it started to sprinkle and we could see dark clouds in the distance. Terry kept saying, “I can’t believe it’s going to rain.” I kept telling him it was fine, and there were plenty of other things to see and do, but he kept on worrying about the rain. After waiting out the rain showers in the greenhouse, the skies cleared and we headed to the gardens and pond. While strolling around the pond, we stopped and sat on a bench to enjoy the beautiful views. Terry began telling me how happy he has been throughout our five years of dating, then asked me to spend forever with him! Of course, I said, yes! Later that afternoon I realized this was why Terry had gotten so worked up about the rain. :)
When did y’all get married? April 12, 2014
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 115
Did you decide to do a first look? Why or why not? We thought long and hard about whether or not to do a first look, and ultimately decided to keep that part of our wedding traditional. Although we loved the moment that our eyes caught each other as I walked down the aisle, we both agree that if we had it to do all over again, we would do a first look. We would have liked to have that personal, private moment–just the two of us–to enjoy each other and have quiet time together to embrace all that the day represented.
Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line? We wrote our vows together, borrowing from various examples we found online, and adding our own touches. My favorite phrase from our vows was, “I choose you. To be joy to your heart and food for your soul. To learn with you and grow with you, even as time and life change us both.”
How did you plan for your marriage while planning your wedding? Terry and I were engaged for almost three years and dated for almost five before that. We had lived in four different cities during that time and worked through most of the issues couples encounter when they start sharing a home and household responsibilities. We found, however, that planning our vows and ceremony prompted heartfelt discussions about faith, family, children, and our future. It really helped to solidify our commitment to each other.
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? We would encourage others to strongly consider a first look and a videographer. The day goes by so fast and is so busy. Both a first look and a video of the day give you chance to pause and cherish every detail.
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you most looking forward to about married life? We have spent most of our relationship up until now sacrificing in our personal lives in order to progress in our professional lives. Now that we have achieved most of our professional goals, we are looking forward to traveling and spending time enjoying our hobbies together. We plan to travel, hike, and enjoy all that East Tennessee has to offer, and hopefully, start a family in the next few years.

Photographer: Watson Studios / Planning and Design: Jennifer Laraia / Venue: Pleasant Hill Vineyards / Florist: Whimsical Gatherings / Cake Baker: Cheryl McMillan / Caterer: Northshore Brasserie / Rentals: All Occasions Party Rentals and Anderson Rental / Band: BlueBilly Grit / DJ: Ogle Entertainment / Paper Products: Ali-G Design / Bride’s Gown: “9102” by Alvina Valenta / Hair and Makeup: Bangs and Blush / Bridesmaid Dresses: Alfred Angelo / Menswear: Calvin Klein / Getaway Car: A Regal Carriage Company

lisa Written with love by Lisa
3 Comments
  1. avatar Claire reply

    Rustic elegance–what a perfect way to describe this wedding. I love how they maximize the natural beauty of their location. The trees, the moss, even the grass looks like it was picked out and placed perfectly to go with their decor!

  2. avatar Jennifer Laraia Designs | Design, Planning, and Styling | Knoxville, TN reply

    […] You can see the entire feature and more photos in Southern Weddings HERE. […]

  3. avatar Victoria Kokenge reply

    do you know where the guest book map is from?

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Raise your hand if your jaw dropped to the floor when you turned to page 220 of V7 and saw Alexandra and Trevor’s candle-lined aisle in the woods…everyone? Us too!! Not only did this couple have an absolutely gorgeous wedding at the venue where they met and both work, RT Lodge, they also put so much thought into making sure their family and friends were taken care of throughout their wedding weekend. This event planner (Alexandra) and chef (Trevor) have a huge heart for Southern hospitality, and from the events guests were invited to throughout the weekend, to the private dinner served to the bridal party and immediate family before the 8:00 P.M. ceremony, to the food that was served (Trevor created the menu himself using vegetables he grew, meat from his parents’ farm, and food he had preserved), this passion was evident in every detail of their wedding.

Thank you so much to Clark Brewer for sharing this magical day with us!

We knew we wanted to be married in the spring! There is nothing more beautiful than a Southern spring. I love that spring is a new start, and that every year, beautiful blooms start to appear on the bare branches. Suddenly, the trees and fields are full of flowers (and so are the vases in my house). I’ve never been more anxious for spring’s arrival as I was in the weeks leading up to the wedding. The temperatures were at record lows and it was snowing the week before the wedding! Just as I was starting to think our wedding (which I had imagined covered with flowering branches and dogwoods) would look more like winter, the temperatures rose and spring came just as promised!

Tell us about finding your wedding dress. What was your favorite thing about it? Getting to work with Colleen at White Orchid Bridal to have my dress made was such a special experience! The process began by just discussing ideas, and then Colleen drew some beautiful sketches for me. She used a washed silk shantung and silk organza for the majority of the dress, as well as antique laces that she cut, hand-sewed, and hand-beaded for the bodice of the dress. I was in awe of how well she executed the flowing sleeves–they were so romantic! Colleen also made a circle veil and a beaded crown with freshwater pearls for me to wear during the ceremony.

How did you choose your venue? It was easy for us to pick a venue since we work at such an incredible one! RT Lodge is located in Maryville, Tennessee in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains. You get RT Lodge exclusively for the weekend and it has 60 guest rooms on-site…since most of our guests were traveling from out of town, the lodge was a perfect fit. Getting to be married at the place where we met and that means so much to us was really special!

From Trevor: I made sure that my groomsmen and I were ready before the time we would start taking pictures, and then I waited and waited. I was told that Alex was just really relaxed and enjoying getting ready with all her friends and family. I anxiously and excitedly paced around the property in my tuxedo for what felt like forever, asking about every ten minutes if Alex was almost ready. When she was, there was a change of plans for the location of our first look. The photographer’s assistant walked me out to where Alex was. I walked down the path that we would walk in just a few short hours to our ceremony site. We took a small dirt path into the middle of the woods, and there she was. I could see her from a few hundred feet away, standing alone in a small clearing among the trees and hanging ivy. It was the most beautiful scene I had ever witnessed. She was glowing from far away and even more gorgeous when I got close enough to see her big, beautiful smile. The waiting, the change of location, everything made it the most perfect moment. Once I saw the rest of our bridal party, I couldn’t stop telling everyone how amazing it was and how beautiful my bride was.

With a 7:45pm ceremony, we knew it would be a long day for our immediate family and bridal party, so Trevor suggested that we serve a family-style dinner for them before the ceremony. At 5:00 P.M., a group of 50 (our bridal party, parents, and siblings) gathered in the upstairs dining room and enjoyed an intimate dinner. This is when we planned for speeches to take place, and we were overwhelmed by all of the heartfelt words from our family and friends–everyone laughed and cried through the entire dinner! Getting to enjoy a delicious meal with all of our best friends, relax, and share sweet memories right before walking down the aisle is a moment in time we will never forget.

From the beginning, Trevor and I knew we wanted to do a candlelit ceremony. While we were scouting ceremony locations, we realized it would be harder than we thought to find a place dark enough at 8:00 P.M. to hold a candlelit ceremony. We finally found a perfect spot, but it did require a bit of walking (and a bit of creativity). We had guests arrive at 7:00 for a cocktail hour, where they were greeted with trays of champagne and farmhouse tables full of house-made breads, charcuterie, and cheese. At 7:45, everyone ventured into the woods for our ceremony. The aisle was over 60 yards long and was lined with over 1,000 candles. Our family and friends helped us collect antique candlesticks and candelabras for the ceremony. We would get giddy calls from people after they found an antique candelabrum for us–everyone got really into the search! It was fun!

Tell us a bit about the wedding ceremony. What part was most special to you? I loved getting to surprise Trevor with the song I walked down the aisle to. I will never forget the look on Trevor’s face when the strings started playing “Swept Away” by the Avett Brothers. The ceremony was so emotional and everyone seemed so in the moment. I will never forget looking around; the candlelight looked so romantic and Trevor and I were just squeezing each others’ hands so tightly as we were saying our vows. It was a moment we had talked about so much, and we were taking in every second!

Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line? We did a traditional Episcopal ceremony, so we did not write our own vows. The ceremony does include a series of beautiful prayers for the couple. There is something so powerful about saying the same prayers that have been prayed for hundreds and hundreds of years.

Did you include any Southern traditions in your wedding? We buried a bottle of bourbon at our ceremony site a month before the wedding to keep the rain away! Trevor collects bourbon, so he loved the idea of this Southern tradition! He has a few bottles of Pappy Van Winkle and decided our wedding day would be the perfect time to try the 20-year. While everyone else headed to the ceremony, we stayed back and dug up the bottle. I have to admit, I was a little nervous that the shovel might break the bottle while he was digging it up. Luckily, the bottle didn’t break and we got some great pictures.

Tell us about your wedding cake or sweets. Our wedding cake was honestly the most beautiful one I have ever seen! Lisa Cunningham at Ovenart is an incredible artist. She made over 250 gumpaste flowers that completely covered the cake. The flowers on the cake were the same ones that we used throughout the reception: dogwoods, peonies, variegated ivy, anemones, and garden roses. Her flowers were so lifelike that everyone thought they were real! The cake also tasted delicious! It was hard to choose a flavor, but we finally settled on coconut cake. We also had our baker at RT Lodge make “pecan sandies,” which are our favorite cookies.

I was an Alpha Delta Pi at the University of Tennessee, so we did a sorority sing during the reception. The other event coordinator at the lodge was an ADPI at Auburn, so I even pulled her into the circle. She still had on her earpiece and microphone–I loved it!

Someone told us to remember that ultimately, the day was about our love for one another, so we needed to take time for just the two of us during the wedding day, stay by the other’s side, and dance a lot. This was the best advice! I have heard so many brides and grooms say that they were so busy greeting guests that they barely saw each other. We have so many great memories together from that day!

How did the two of you meet? Tell us your story. Trevor and I were both hired at RT Lodge around the same time and became pretty quick friends since we were the same age and both new to the Lodge. I always noticed how kind Trevor was, and was always impressed by how intentional he was with all of the other employees. He always went out of his way to ask people about their lives, and it was clear he had a huge heart. We got to know each other some at work, but didn’t spend any time alone until he asked me out three years later. I had been in a relationship, so he told me he had been patiently waiting for the right time to ask me out. I will never forget when he offered to cook for my friends and their husbands on his day off. He invited everyone to his home and made a delicious meal for 15 of my friends! He loves me and my family and friends so well!
Tell us about the proposal! On the morning Trevor proposed, I had been working in the garden, setting things up for his birthday dinner. Trevor knows how much I love to receive snail mail, so he had planned to have a package set out for me. He placed the package on a little table by the garden and headed to go get the ring. As soon as he set it down, I was curious! I saw that it was addressed to me, so I took off with it in my hands and headed toward the house. As soon as I got inside, I ripped it open and pulled out a print (that Trevor had made by The Happy Envelope, a wonderful husband and wife team who also made our invites) that read “ Alexandra, you are my best friend and one true love. You’ve made me happier than I ever thought possible. Would you do the honor of spending the rest of your life with me so that I may spend every day doing the same for you? Love, Trevor.” I was in complete shock! I realized I had probably just messed up his plans, and in a panic, I tried sliding the print back into the envelope. Finally, Trevor came in (with tears already streaming down his face), got on one knee, and asked me to be his wife! Our families arrived shortly after, and we decided at the last minute to call and invite all of our friends to join us for dinner. We all dined outside by the garden that evening with our parents, siblings, and friends–it is a beautiful memory!
When did y’all get married? April 26, 2014
How many loved ones attended your wedding? 250
What was the design inspiration for your wedding? Why was this design special to you as a couple? We wanted our guests to feel as though they had escaped to a magical place in the woods. We were very inspired by the season and wanted to incorporate lots of foraged ivy and spring flowers…I wanted the tent to look like an overgrown garden! I have always loved A Midsummer Night’s Dream, so that served as a huge inspiration for the overall feel: romantic, whimsical, ethereal. I have always been drawn to very organic, free-flowing arrangements that are reminiscent of the flowers in Dutch still-life paintings. That was really the inspiration for the flowers, and we even used different Dutch still-life paintings to line the envelopes of our invitations, and for the fry cones that were passed as people entered the tent.
Briefly describe your wedding flowers: We used tons of garden roses, peonies, variegated ivy, ranunculus, dogwoods, lilac, anemones, lily of the valley, and bridal wreath spirea. My sister (who was my maid of honor) carried a bouquet, and the rest of my bridesmaids walked down the aisle in pairs and held hands. We did it to be a little silly at first, but I had so many people comment on how sweet it was. Our group of friends is so close, so it was fitting!
What’s next for you as a couple? We are enjoying working together as husband and wife! In our spare time, we are hoping to get a group of farmers and chefs together to volunteer and start a farm-to-school movement to improve the school lunch programs in our areas. We are passionate about teaching people how to grow and prepare their own foods, and we hope to encourage families to spend more time together at the dinner table.

Photographer: Clark Brewer Photography / Day-of Styling: Caroline Brewer Styling / Venue, Catering, Planning and Design: RT Lodge / Florist: Jame Loope of RT Lodge / Food Truck: Hoof / Cake Baker: OvenArt / Bride’s Gown, Veil, and Crown: Custom by White Orchid Bridal / Bride’s Shoes: Ann Taylor / Bride’s Jewelry: Dannijo / Hair and Makeup: Bangs & Blush / Groom’s Attire: J. Crew / Groom’s Shoes: Cole Haan / Groomsmen’s Attire: Men’s Wearhouse / Paper Goods: The Happy Envelope / Custom Illustration: Anja Mulder / Rentals and Linens: All Occasions Party Rentals / Tent: Sperry Tents / Band: The Pink Cadillacs / After-Party DJ: Special Notes / Ceremony Music: Dogwood Strings / Guestbook: Custom by Velvet Raptor

lisa Written with love by Lisa
6 Comments
  1. avatar Stephanie Scholl reply

    Yes, my jaw definitely dropped!! I bookmarked this ceremony in SWv7 and have referred back to it dozens of times! This couple did an incredible job of making such a show-stopping, breathtaking, unique, and meaningful ceremony – one of my favorites, for sure.

  2. avatar Stephanie reply

    I absolutely adore this wedding. RT Lodge shares its property with my alma mater, Maryville College. It’s so wonderful to see that beautiful area captured so perfectly!

    • avatar Clark reply

      Thanks Stephanie! There is something in the water in the Maryville area, from Blackberry to RT Lodge, I love everything I shoot there. RT Lodge’s staff, especially Alex and Trevor, make that place so special. It’s my favorite place to shoot these days. So beautiful.

  3. avatar Sandra reply

    I enjoyed reading this so much!! I always love reading about Southern weddings, but it’s even more special when I see faces of people I know and adore!!

  4. avatar Jessica reply

    I love the burried bottle of bourbon tradition. The scenery is absolutely breathtaking. Congratulations

  5. avatar Classic Wedding Invitations reply

    Simply breathtaking!

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