Southern Weddings

Y’all know I’m a sucker for adorable pups, so add in cameos on paper goods, and a Krispy Kreme groom’s cake — the details of Alison + Andrews make my heart sing! Beyond the sweet details, though, A + A’s “less is more” outlook on wedding planning reminds us what to focus on what is most important to us. “
Don’t lose sight in what you are planning. It’s not just a wedding, this is your marriage.”

Thanks to Happy Everything Co. for sharing this refreshing day with us!

Even though it was a lot of hard work, I loved that we did almost everything ourselves. (Obviously with a lot of help from our amazing family and friends.) My sister and I designed and printed the invitations at home, Andrew built several pieces at the wedding, inluding the dance floor, the wine bar, and the barn door cake table. The wedding programs were DIY. We wanted to make sure our wedding had our own personal touches.

Describe your wedding flowers. 
I am a sucker for hydrangeas. They remind me of my grandmother, so I knew I wanted them to be my main flower. I had white hydrangeas with brunia berries for my bouquet and blue hydrangeas with thistle for the girls. The guys had a coordinating berry for their boutonnieres.

This little guy cannot get any cuter! Suspenders AND a bow tie? Yes, please! And yes, Andrew, you look pretty dapper yourself!

Did you decide to do a “first look”? 
We did decide to do a first look. We agreed it would help take a lot of pressure off of both of us, and help relieve some stress to have a few moments alone together before the ceremony. We were both so glad we did. This also helped us get to the reception a lot quicker to celebrate with our guests.

Andrew and I decided to have mostly hymns during the ceremony. We played “Amazing Grace,” “Come Thou Fount,” “It Is Well,” and “Jesus Paid It All.” I came down the aisle to “Be Thou My Vision.” Our first dance was “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” played by an acoustic band for a little more of a soft, romantic version.

Our getaway car was also a hit. It was a 1931 Model A Ford that belongs to Andrew’s grandfather. We had hayrides to transport guests from the ceremony to the reception and served the yummiest BBQ in town to ensure our guests go home with a satisfied tummy full of Southern comfort food!

Heavens, I want to smooch this pup’s adorable face!

Andrew’s mother, Kayleen, and I baked the wedding cake! When I first found out how pricey wedding cakes can get, my first thought was, “How hard can it be to bake a wedding cake?” Andrew actually helped me bake the first practice round. In all, I think we had about three practice rounds. One was actually for one of our wedding showers! I must say it was probably one of the more fun parts of planning. The looks were far from perfect, but I like the homemade look. It went with our homemade, backyard, DIY wedding. We chose a very simple sour cream pound cake recipe with a cream cheese icing. I cannot tell you how many people told us it was the best wedding cake they have ever tasted! It tickled me to pieces! The groom’s cake was a mountain of Krispy Kreme donuts. Andrew loves the outdoors. He and his brothers and buddies always go out west at least once a year to camp and hike. He is also a huge Lego fan. Thus, we had a mountain of donuts, the Mr. & Mrs. Lego couple cake topper complete with the Moosejaw flag, and powdered sugar for “snow.”

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. 
Andrew and I met through a mutual friend at a Georgia-Florida football game. We were both seeing other people at the time, but ended up reconnecting for next year’s game. I was not able to attend the game the next year, but after getting back in touch with each other a year later, we decided we wanted to get to know each other a little more. Living about an hour apart from each other, Andrew spontaneously decided he would surprise me one Saturday to take me on our first date. With only an hour notice, I rushed to get ready and plan our first date: pizza, beer, and a Wounded Soldiers benefit concert in a horse arena.
Tell us all about the proposal! 
Andrew’s family lives on a hundred-acre farm on Lake Oconee. One of our favorite getaways has always been riding horses around the property. One early Sunday morning, he told me to be at the farm at 9am sharp for an early morning ride. We started out on our typical route, and ended up in one of our favorite pastures where we had talked about getting married. Andrew helped me off the horse, and in front of a giant oak tree, got down on one knee and asked for my hand in marriage.

When did y’all get married? 
May 18, 2013

How many friends, family, and loved ones attended your wedding? 
150

Tell us about finding your wedding dress. 
I found my dress at a sample sale at Bride Beautiful in Roswell. I had actually already purchased a dress in December, but a month before the wedding decided it just wasn’t the one. Luckily I had registered with theknot.com and they sent me an email advertising the sample sale and I jumped on it! I was so happy to have found THE dress at such short notice.

Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. Andrew and I decided to have mostly hymns during the ceremony. We played “Amazing Grace,” “Come Thou Fount,” “It Is Well,” and “Jesus Paid It All.” I came down the aisle to “Be Thou My Vision.” Our first dance was “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” played by an acoustic band for a little more of a soft, romantic version.

Did you have something borrowed, something blue, and something new? My something borrowed was my sister’s veil, my something blue were my shoes that my sister painted. My something old was the garter that my grandmother made for my mother. My sister also wore it for her wedding. My something new was my dress.

What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? 
I absolutely adored our mason jar sugar cookie favors — an idea we found in the Southern Weddings magazine! I found a picture of them in my very first wedding magazine and fell in love. My cousin made them for us, and they were such a hit!

What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? The financial aspect of planning a wedding is always difficult. Andrew and I wanted to do everything as affordable as possible. Less is more for us. However, there will always be the little expenses you don’t plan for that add up quickly. Since we did do a lot of it ourselves, time was of the essence.

What range did your wedding budget fall into? 
Less than $10,000

What is the one detail or vendor that you were so happy to have as a part of your wedding? 
Our photographer! I knew that after all was said and done, the only thing left would be our pictures. They make me giddy every time I look at them.

What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? 
I remember pretty much every detail of the whole day, but our first look stands out the most. We were both so excited to see each other!

What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? 
Don’t lose sight in what you are planning. It’s not just a wedding, this is your marriage. It is your lifelong commitment to another. Make it personal and a reflection of the two of you, but don’t get caught up in tiny details. At the end of the day, what matters most is your love and commitment to one another.

What’s next for you as a couple? What are you looking forward to in the future? 
We hope to get in as much traveling as our schedules will allow. Who knows, maybe I’ll start baking wedding cakes on the side!

Photographer: Happy Everything Co. | Videographer: Friend of bride and groom | Planner: The bride | Ceremony Venue: Private venue, groom’s family home | Reception Venue: Private venue, groom’s family home | Florist: Z. Grant | Wedding Cake: The bride | Caterer: Georgia Butts BBQ | Rentals: Lake Oconee Rental | Lighting: Lake Oconee Rental | Band: Sage Hill | Bride’s Gown: Pronovias | Paper Products: All DIY | Bride’s Jewelry: Shane Co. | Hair Stylist: Friend of bride | Makeup Artist: Friend of bride | Bride’s Shoes: TOMS, hand painted by matron of honor | Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Jasmine Bridal, style B2078 | Groom’s Attire: Jos. A Bank | Groomsmen Attire: Jos. A Bank

Written with love by Marissa