Southern Weddings

With an eight-year age difference between them, Cayla never thought she and Adam would end up together. But, once they had both taken their time growing up, these two realized their long-time friendship was something more. While their relationship may have taken awhile to bloom, their venue choice certainly didn’t! Once Adam popped the question, Cayla knew exactly where she wanted to get married. She even booked the gorgeous Sweet Meadow the day after they got engaged! Sweet Meadow was a gorgeous backdrop for this self-proclaimed tomboy to mix wildflowers, unique china, and a stunning Leanne Marshall gown from our sweet friends at The Sentimentalist (remember our fancy team shoot? I got to wear a gown from them as well!).

Big hugs to Blue Ribbon Vendors, GodWink Art for sharing this fun day with us!

I’ve never worn a stitch of makeup, would cry if I was told I had to wear pink growing up, and would rather wear jean shorts and one of Adam’s t-shirts than just about anything else in the world. I definitely find the most beauty in things that are simple and unique. Being in a family with four sisters, we were all pretty excited about dress shopping, and I had a list a mile long of places people suggested I go. I went to a few websites and nothing stuck out to me until a friend suggested The Sentimentalist. I went to their website and followed them on Instagram immediately. I was obsessed, and I hadn’t even been there yet! When my mom, sisters, aunt, cousin, and I walked into the boutique, they all said, “Cayla, this place looks just like you! It’s perfect.” The ladies were so helpful and so sweet. There was one adorable room with a rack full of the most gorgeous, vintage-style dresses that fit the exact look I was going for. I think I tried on every dress at the store just for fun, but it was the third one that stole my heart. They were all beautiful, but once I decided on that one, there was no turning back.

I can’t handle it, these minis are way too cute!

Describe your wedding flowers. My mother-in-law was our florist, so that was pretty cool! From the beginning, I told her, “I just want them to be wild.” The bouquets were made up of wheat, berries, blush roses, ivory carnations, ivory hydrangea, and yellow craspedia. They were all tied up together with a piece of twine. The boutonnières were also made out of wheat and craspedia, decorated with an old vintage button, and we added a piece of cotton to Adam’s.

I saw some pictures taken at Sweet Meadow on Facebook a few years ago and knew that’s where I wanted to get married someday. Adam proposed on a Friday night. I called Sweet Meadow and booked that Saturday! I didn’t even have to look anywhere else; I just knew.

What was one way you saved money or cut costs at your wedding? Three letters: DIY. We did so many fun DIY projects! I couldn’t have done any of it without my family and friends. My dad married us, Adam’s mom did the flowers, and I made the cake and all of the yard signs. Adam and I also made the corn hole boards and the piece that hung from the tree at the ceremony. The details just meant so much more to us after we had worked so hard on them.

What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? Half of our seating at the ceremony was hay bales with quilts from family and friends laid across them. We served Hudson’s BBQ at the reception, as well as Southern sweet tea and lemonade. We played corn hole and checkers, and danced to all of the best Southern classics. We also had an old-fashioned popcorn bar and photo booth. We wanted everyone to be relaxed and have a great time, just like they would at any Southern backyard barbecue!

Describe your wedding cake or dessert. I made my wedding cake! I wanted a naked cake, so I made a yellow cake with buttercream icing and shaved almonds in between each layer. I put the red apples on top to give it a little touch of fall. I also had several other cakes, like carrot cake, cheesecake, chocolate cake, strawberry cake, and key lime cake, to name a few. I had eight pies as well!

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. Adam and I have known each other our whole lives because our families have always gone to the same church. However, since he is eight years older than I am, we didn’t really grow up together. Never in a million years would we (or our families) have thought that we would end up together, but thankfully, God had other plans. When we got older, my mom would always say, “Cayla, what do you think about Adam?” My response was always, “Mom, he’s cute… but he probably still thinks I’m 12 years old.” Little did I know, he realized I had grown up. Shortly after our first date, I decided that there was something different about this guy…I was pretty sure I was going to marry him. It took him a little longer, but since he had waited on me to grow up, I didn’t mind waiting on him to figure it all out. :)
Tell us all about the proposal! CrossFit is a huge part of our lives. We’ve been doing CrossFit together ever since we started dating. In January 2012, we, along with a few friends, decided to open up a gym, CrossFit92. Adam gets to the gym after work at about 5:30 every evening. Our families were there, but most of them work out at our gym, so nothing at all seemed fishy about this certain afternoon. I began my workout at about 5:30. The music was blaring, weight was being thrown around, and everything was normal. I finished my burpees, turned around, and saw Adam on one knee. I was in shock–I couldn’t believe it! He asked me to marry him, and of course, I said, “YES!” Immediately after I spoke, all of my friends and family circled around us, showing us so much love. It was perfect and I wouldn’t change one thing about it.
When did y’all get married? September 20, 2014
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? About 300
Did you decide to do a “first look”? Why or why not? Yes! We decided to do a first look, and I would suggest it to every bride out there–I was counting down the minutes! Getting to see him and spend time with just him before the ceremony began was something I wouldn’t trade for anything. It was such a special moment for us to be able to just hang out for a little while without being rushed or stared at. I think it calmed both of our nerves completely!
Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line? We didn’t write our own vows, but my dad performed the ceremony, which was pretty special.
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: My very favorite detail was that we used mix and match dishes at every place setting. All of the collecting was well worth it when we saw the finished product!
If you are comfortable responding, what range did your wedding budget fall into? Less than $10,000
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you most looking forward to about married life? Well, I’ve talked him into getting a dog, so that’s next on the list! Right now, we are just enjoying each other, but kids are definitely in our future. We are just so happy we get to enjoy this adventure together.

Photographer: Godwink Art Photography / Venue: Sweet Meadow Farms / Pies: McEntyre’s Bakery / Caterer: Hudson’s BBQ / Rentals: Top Notch Events & Rentals / DJ: Johnny Volk / Paper Products Printing: Vista Print / Bride’s Gown: “Samantha” by Leanne Marshall / Bridal Salon: The Sentimentalist / Hair Stylist: Madison Rogula / Men’s Shirts: JCPenney / Men’s Pants: American Eagle / Groom’s Vest: J. Crew

Godwink Art is a delightful member of our Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory!

Written with love by Marissa