Southern Weddings

When New Yorker, Courtney married her beau, Chris, on a farm in Georgia, she knew she wanted their wedding to be the perfect combination of city and country. The mission was achieved with some glam outfits paired with rustic details. Courtney’s Carolina Herrera dress looked stunning next to her gingham-clad husband, and the surprising (and ingenious!) inclusion of wheat sprays in the bouquets stood out against the ruffled and purple dresses that her bridesmaids donned. The lakeside wedding earns its Southern stripes with more than just location and clever juxtaposition, though. Courtney + Chris included details like the burlap-backed invitations, monogrammed flower girl sash, and sweet ceremony wording. We have to send hugs the way of Something Pretty Fine Art Photography for sharing this wedding with us!

How did the two of you meet? Tell us your story. Chris and I casually dated in college at the University of Dayton in Ohio and stayed in touch for a few years after. I remember him calling after 9/11 to check in since I lived not too far from the twin towers and again a year or so later on my birthday. At some point after that, we lost touch. Ten years after we last saw each other in person, we reconnected. I moved to Atlanta and a year later, we got engaged on New Year’s Eve. After a nearly ten-month engagement, we were married at a private barn near Reynolds Plantation, where Chris’ parents live and we frequently visit.
Describe the proposal. I have always loved New Year’s Eve and have celebrated it in a big way for as long as I could remember. That year though, Chris and I decided that we wanted to stay home – and we ended up getting engaged. Chris made the proposal all about “firsts,” symbolizing the start of our new life. He proposed in the first house we lived in together, at 1am on the 1st day of the New Year (1/1/11). We got married on the 1st day of the month too but we actually didn’t plan that on purpose.
Three adjectives that describe the day are: Happy, intimate and peaceful (and stressful)!
In what month did you get married? October
How many guests attended your wedding? 140
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: I loved having an outdoor reception with bistro lighting strewn across the dining and dancing area.
Tell us about finding your wedding dress: I have been in the fashion industry for years, so dress scouting was a very fun part of the planning process! When I got engaged, I checked out every spot in Atlanta and almost settled on a few dresses, but wanted to go back to NYC to shop so I could see the full collections. I checked out a few places like Vera Wang and Saks and, again, almost decided on a dress. Then, the afternoon before I was flying back to Atlanta (about to purchase said dress) I relooked at a few “tearsheets” of dresses that I had pulled out from magazines and I was reminded of a dress from Carolina Herrera that I had to try. In that instant I just knew it was the one, even before seeing it in person. I called the Carolina Herrera shop on Madison and they were completely booked. I was leaving the next day – and was so mad at myself for not booking an appointment with them sooner. About 15 minutes later, Michelle Kim from the shop called back and said they could, in fact, see me the next day. I went in, tried on the dress and that was it. Michelle turned out to be the loveliest, sweetest and most professional bridal consultant ever. I absolutely love my dress and feel completely cheated that I was only able to wear it for such a short time!
Describe your wedding flowers: My goal was to create a high-low, county-city, high fashion-rustic vibe across all aspects of my wedding. So, to strike that balance against my dress and the dresses of the bridesmaids, I went rustic with the flowers. I had something specific in mind and our florist did an amazing job creating it. We did all white, lush flowers along with wheat sprays. It was tied with a burlap wrap that had red ticking.

Photographer: Something Pretty Fine Art Photography // Videographer: Scott Felsen of Golden Weddings // Planner: No Regrets Events // Venue: Private Barn in Greensboro, GA // Florist: Le Petit Jardin // Caterer: Hallie Janes // Rentals, Linens, Lighting: Hallie Janes // Paper Products: Stationary by Tickled Ink, Burlap Invite Backers from The Blue Envelope, Personalized Items from KaydenAshley on Etsy // Bride’s Dress: Carolina Herrera // Bride’s Hair Accessories/Veil: Veil custom made by Ruby V // Bride’s Shoes: Miu Miu from Bergdorf Goodman // Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Haute Hippie

Written with love by Nicole