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Emily and I couldn’t help but giggle at the story of how Elise and Paul met. Her first memory of him was when he walked up to her and her best friend…to invite her best friend to homecoming! Needless to say, Paul did ultimately come around, and he and Elise dated through the rest of high school and college, tying the knot a few weeks after Elise graduated. Since planning a wedding during such a busy season proved to be a bit overwhelming, the incredibly talented Ginny Au helped bring their vision of a romantic, classic, loft celebration to life. I’m sure y’all will agree, the result was completely lovely, and Elise and Paul’s joy is contagious!

Thank you so much to Mandy Busby for sharing this beautiful day with us!

I think our vendors are what made the entire wedding planning process so easy and fun. Our wedding planner, Ginny Au, introduced us to almost all of our vendors, who worked so well together. From the moment I met Ginny, I felt confident and comfortable with all of her ideas. Our calligrapher, Holly Hollon, was so personable and easy to work with. The way she designed our save the dates and invitations fit our style so perfectly, we looked for different ways to incorporate her work into our wedding day as well.

Tell us about finding your wedding dress. I decided from the beginning that I wanted my wedding dress to be a secret from my friends, so just my mom and I went to find it. We had gone to one or two other places before we went to Diane’s Formal Affair. I didn’t really know what I was looking for, but I knew right away that my dress was the one when I put it on!

Katie did a beautiful job with our flowers! She used olive branches, Claire de Lune peonies, Sarah Bernhardt peonies, white lisianthus, white tuberose, oak leaf hydrangea, viburnum, dusty miller, and a variety of garden roses. She tied them up in beautiful Frou Frou Chic ribbon. My bouquet was so heavy, my arm was sore the next day! It was definitely worth it because it was the most beautiful bouquet I’ve ever seen–not to mention, it smelled fantastic.

Did you decide to do a first look? Why or why not? Paul and I chose not to see each other before the ceremony. Although we always thought we would have a first look, we changed our minds during the planning process. Ginny and Mandy both encouraged us to save the first look for when I walked down the aisle. It wasn’t as private as a first look would have been, but looking back, we’re so thankful we followed through with this tradition. It’s a memory filled with so much emotion, and we’ll never forget it.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? Instead of a first look, Paul and I met around a door to talk and exchange wedding day gifts before the ceremony. I remember feeling so nervous and giddy. I think this stands out as the most memorable moment because it was the last moment we shared before becoming husband and wife.

If we had to choose one detail from our wedding that was our favorite, it would be our wedding video. Watching it for the first time was like reliving the whole day–I cried all over again! The Film Poets did such a wonderful job capturing the entire day. Parts of that day were a blur because we were so overwhelmed with happiness, and Matt and Pacey created such a special keepsake to help us relieve those emotions and memories every day!

What made you choose your ceremony and reception venues? Did they have any special significance to you? We chose to have our ceremony at Advent, which is where my family attends church. For the reception, Paul and I were looking for something with a loft feel, rather than a country club. I loved Bridgestreet because it had so much character. It was also close to our ceremony venue, so it worked out perfectly!

Dreamcakes did our cakes and they were delicious. Mine was their vanilla flavor cake with vanilla icing. It had four tiers and was tinted to match the blue color we used throughout the wedding. It was decorated with fondant flowers and our monogram. Paul did a chocolate cake with chocolate icing for the groom’s cake, which was decorated with chocolate shavings.

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. Paul and I met in high school. My first memory of him is from the lunchroom, when he walked up to my best friend and I to ask her to the homecoming dance. He doesn’t remember me being there, but I definitely was! We started talking in algebra class during our sophomore year, and made it official on May 23, 2008. He proposed to me in the spring of our junior year of college. We were married the next May, three weeks after my college graduation!
Tell us all about the proposal! I’m not easy to surprise, so Paul knew his proposal would have to be well thought out. It took a couple of white lies, but he got me to his parents’ house and surprised me with a dinner on their back porch. It was set up exactly like our first (and my favorite) Valentine’s Day date, which had been in that same spot. After a delicious dinner, Paul went inside to get dessert. When he came back outside, the next thing I knew, he was on one knee, proposing! I was so surprised; Paul had a hard time understanding me through all my tears. Our families were anxiously awaiting the phone call at my parents’ house, where they had gathered to celebrate with us. It was a perfect night!
When did y’all get married? May 24, 2014
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? About 325
Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line? We read traditional vows that followed the Book of Common Prayer in the Episcopal Church.
How did you plan for your marriage while planning your wedding? Besides marriage counseling with our pastor, Paul and I spent our engagement reading “This Momentary Marriage” by Tim Keller. We would read it on our own and then spend time together each week to talk about what we read. Even though we thought we knew all there was to know about each other, Paul and I learned a lot about what the other expected in our marriage. It was a great time to talk and pray for our future as husband and wife.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? The biggest challenge for me was probably all the change that was happening. May brought a lot of new adventures, including college graduation, getting married, and moving into our first home as husband and wife. It could be a little overwhelming!
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? Enjoy every day! My mom and I had such a great time planning mine and Paul’s wedding, and I was truly sad when it was over. I look back on it and only have good memories of the whole process! My advice would just be to stay focused on the bigger picture. It is such a beautiful time in your life and you will never have it back!
What’s next for you as a couple? What memories are you looking forward to making together? Paul and I have been living in Tuscaloosa, but are planning to move back to Birmingham this summer. I will continue to teach elementary school and Paul will finish up his undergrad at UA, where he is working to become a mechanical engineer. We are looking forward to year two of marriage and all that it brings our way!

Photographer: Mandy Busby / Videographer: The Film Poets / Planner: Ginny Au / Ceremony Venue: Cathedral Church of the Advent / Reception Venue: Bridgestreet Gallery and Loft / Florist: Cloth of Gold / Paper Goods: Holly Hollon / Cake Baker: Dream Cakes / Caterer: The Happy Catering Company / Band: The Fountain City Players / Bridal Salon: Diane’s Formal Affair / Hair and Makeup: Holly Caffee / Bride’s Shoes: Betsey Johnson / Bridesmaid Dress Salon: Bella Bridesmaids / Menswear: Jos. A. Bank

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

    Amazing bridesmaid reaction shot

  2. avatar Lindsay Colvin reply

    Such a unique and beautiful cake, love it! Also, that bridesmaid shot is such a precious moment.

  3. avatar Emily reply

    Love the sweet decals they included at their reception venue! Such a small detail, but really lovely!

  4. avatar Laura reply

    Beautiful wedding! I love everything from the invitations to the florals to the bride’s dress.

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Friends, as you know we have been working our way through sharing our V7 print weddings with y’all on the blog. We had a bumper crop in our last issue (17!), so it’s taken us quite awhile. But here we are, at the last one! I would never play favorites, and so I won’t say we saved the best for last… but Abby and Alex’s celebration certainly holds a special place in our hearts. We had the pleasure of featuring their adorable Birmingham bungalow in our Southern Newlywed column just a few months after they tied the knot, and across all the ways we’ve gotten to know this sweet couple, we’ve been so tickled by the ways they embody our brand. They love each other deeply, find joy in doing life together, and know that a good marriage is one that’s never perfected, but always growing. Their family-centered, love-filled wedding was truly a beautiful, and meaningful beginning to married life.

As always, A Bryan Photo captured so beautifully the little moments that make up a wedding day for those of us who were not there…

In true small town fashion, Alex and I heard about each other after his grandmother cut my aunt’s hair (beauty shop talk–straight-up Steel Magnolias, y’all). They decided we would be perfect for each other and should meet… unfortunately, I headed on the World Race (an 11-month mission trip) soon after, and Alex flew to Northern California to serve at JH Ranch. During our time on different continents, a mutual friend told me that Alex was keeping up with my World Race blog. My interest was piqued, and I kept this mystery man in the back of my mind for the rest of the journey. When I came home, the Lord opened doors for me to move to Birmingham (where Alex lived), and I was finally able to meet the blue-eyed hunk I had heard so much about. He got my number (from his grandmother, who got it from my aunt), and asked me to lunch. It took all of about half an hour of nervously eating a salad to know I wanted to marry the guy.

Describe the proposal: Just the best day ever. Alex took me on a day trip last August to Mentone, Alabama. I wasn’t anywhere close to wanting to go home when Alex announced a “stomachache” and a need to hit the road. On the way back to Birmingham, he suggested stopping at his parents’ farm for medicine. Odd things started happening as we approached. I noticed cars in their barn, all of the lights turned out at their house, and twinkle lights on a distant tree in the field. When Alex opened my car door, no longer seeming sickly, but grinning from ear to ear, I knew exactly what was happening. Speechless, I let him lead me down a path through the field to a straight-from-a-fairy-tale scene of flickering lights beneath a big oak tree. All we can remember from his proposal speech is “I want to have babies and adopt babies with you,” to which I tearfully exclaimed, “PLEASE!” He placed the most beautiful bling I’ve ever seen on my finger before we trekked back to the house and were met by our family and closest friends. Magic.

I carried a large, hand-tied bouquet featuring a variety of peonies, garden roses, Japanese ranunculus, frilly-edged tulips, parrot tulips, dahlia, veronica, dusty miller, and maidenhair fern. One day, in the middle of wedding planning, my mom brought her veil out of our attic for me to try on. It was stunning! My mom offered to let me cut some of lace to use as my “something old.” I immediately knew that I wanted to wrap it around the stems of my bouquet to carry with me throughout the day. Used as the base for three coordinating colors of silk ribbon, lace from her veil was the perfect heirloom touch.

What was the weather like on your big day? I feel like this question defines my wedding planning process. While I was never too worried about the weather, my precious mom was so nervous that rain or cold would impede the joy of our day. She committed to pray over our day, the weather, and the hearts of our guests long before spring. Soon, the topic was in our daily conversation. “Well,” she would say, “I just talked to our florist and now she’s praying over April 12 too.” When the 10-day forecast finally came? It predicted no rain, clear skies, and moderate temperatures. When our wedding day arrived, we received just that–the most beautiful, warm day with only a slight breeze. Even the birds sang through our ceremony. My mom and I love to recount the nerves that turned to devoted prayer, that turned to a day so full of beauty and love. Only the Father could have orchestrated it.

How did you spend the morning or afternoon before your ceremony? Confession: we broke the rules! The morning of our wedding, Alex and I met in the lobby of the hotel where our guests were staying to grab a cup of coffee and spend a bit of time together. We ended up taking a walk, hand-in-hand, around Auburn’s campus as we basked in the reality that our day had finally come! I am thankful that Alex didn’t see me in my dress before the ceremony. That moment was still sacred and incredibly emotional. I’m also thankful that I got to have a special moment with him at the beginning of the day to calm both of our nerves–the perfect compromise!

The arbor that we stood upon during the ceremony was my absolute favorite detail. I had a “vision” (one of many, as my family likes to joke), and it was truly a team effort to execute. My precious dad and I collaborated on sketching the structure, which he then built and stained. He has always had a servant’s heart, and it was especially overflowing during wedding season! The fabric that draped the arbor was the hardest thing to find. I knew I wanted something full, organic, textured, and natural. Nothing was fitting into the vision until my mom found extra-long canvas drop cloths–score! She expertly draped the fabric, and my insanely talented florist added the eucalyptus garland and floral clusters. Truly, it was the perfect backdrop for the most emotionally charged moments of my life. I’m forever thankful for the love that went into building the arbor, the place where Alex and I stood as we began building our marriage.

The amazingly talented Abby taught herself calligraphy and handlettered these programs, their invitation, and many other details. Can you believe it??

Our wedding party included my six nieces and nephews as flower girls and ring bearers. Alex’s five younger cousins served as junior bridesmaids and junior groomsmen. I loved having so many family members (including our collective five siblings as well) standing with us as we said our vows. I wish I could have witnessed my nieces walking down the aisle–the four of them held hands in their angelic heirloom dresses and floral wreaths. My youngest niece, Hadley, was only one at the time. Everyone recounted how she had such a look of determination, stomping down the aisle in an attempt to keep up with her big sisters and cousin. It was the very definition of precious.

What was the most memorable or touching moment about your wedding day? I will never forget Alex’s face as I walked down the aisle. He had been nervous about turning into a blubbering mess during our ceremony, and it was obvious that he was fighting tears as I approached him. When I finally reached him and the ceremony began, he kept looking away as to not lose control of his emotions. As touching as it was to see him so emotional, I also kept thinking, “Hey, this is our wedding. You have to LOOK at me!” It only took a few hand squeezes and a quick wink to get him to lock eyes with me–and that’s where we stayed for the rest of the ceremony, completely absorbed in the monumental change that was happening as we were joined as husband and wife.
Did you try anything new or nontraditional? In keeping with the themes of family and entering a Christ-centered marriage, our parents and grandparents came to the arbor to circle us in a prayer of blessing over our marriage. Alex and I both come from a long line of healthy and lifelong marriages; what a blessing it was to have those generational blessings symbolically passed on to us during our ceremony.

What was the design inspiration for your wedding? While color palette and texture played key roles in the design, our focus was for all of our guests to feel like family. Our reception was created to feel like one huge Italian family dinner. Long tables with organic greenery joined guests together for an intimate dinner experience. A seating chart greeted our friends and family to the reception with their names and table numbers hand-lettered on gold foil signage. The goal for our wedding was for each guest to feel valued, and I think that our design and attention to detail achieved just that.

What was the biggest challenge you faced while planning your wedding? I think the hardest part of wedding planning was just the reality of it all. You dream about the day your whole life. All of a sudden, it’s really happening, and you only get one shot. I found myself worrying about the logistics of the day and wondering if guests would enjoy themselves. Thankfully, I was surrounded by ever-encouraging family and friends who helped to keep me more focused on my love for Alex and our upcoming marriage, and less focused on the logistics of the day.

What kind of food did you serve? Italian food is my favorite, and it fit perfectly with the family-style seating arrangement! Guests enjoyed bruschetta and stuffed artichoke heart hors d’oeuvres. Dinner was comprised of caprese salad, Italian sausage farfalle pasta with light cream and mozzarella, grilled chicken penne pasta, broccolini, and a roasted garlic pomodoro. It was delicious. Our Italian theme continued with various wines to accompany the pasta!

One of our favorite design elements was our dessert table. Instead of opting for two tables for the bride’s cake and groom’s cake, we chose a large farm table to display them both. My bride’s cake was a four-tiered white cake with buttercream icing and lemon curd between the layers. To die for. Since the thought of an unbalanced table would KILL me, we opted for two groom’s cakes to bookend the taller bride’s cake. This definitely worked in Alex’s favor, as he couldn’t decide between chocolate, coconut, and red velvet cake. With two groom’s cakes, he was able to include ALL of his favorite flavors in the multiple tiers. I planned to learn how to make macarons before the big day (ummm…when would that have happened? No idea). Instead, my ever-kind and gracious aunt took the task upon herself. She studied YouTube videos, took sugar temperatures, and perfected the French recipe!

Date of your wedding: April 12, 2014
Tell us all the basics of your wedding! We wanted an outdoor wedding, and we wanted it as soon as possible! Since we got engaged in August, April was the first month that met all of our requirements: 1) The probability of nice weather, 2) bright blooms in season, and 3) enough time to plan the details! Auburn was the perfect place to wed because it is just outside of my hometown, and all of our friends were excited to spend a weekend celebrating in the town of our alma mater. After visiting just a few venues, Moore’s Mill Club became the obvious choice because of its beautiful, natural ceremony site and rustic pavilion. I was expecting to find a place I would need to completely transform, but Moore’s Mill is beautiful no matter which direction you look.
How many guests attended your wedding? 250
Describe your bridesmaids’ dresses. How did you choose them? I knew early on that I wanted to go with coordinating, but different, colored dresses. In order to complement the natural beauty of Moore’s Mill, I decided that the color palette would consist of an array of greens and neutrals. Thankfully, one of my two maids of honor (and BFF since first grade), Sam, is a graphic designer with a great eye for color. We met on our lunch break one day at our local Bella Bridesmaid and were given total reign in their showroom. It was designer heaven. When we decided on our palette, I assigned a color to each of my bridesmaids (taking skin tone into account) and let each one choose her style. I LOVE the way each of my girls could be unique while coordinating so beautifully.
Tell us a bit about the wedding ceremony. What part was most special to you? Did you include any special readings? So many guests commented after the ceremony about how reverent and sweet it was. We decided early on that giving glory to God would be our goal in choosing what would be shared during our ceremony. My brother, Adam, has a Master of Divinity degree and has always been a spiritual mentor to me. He led a charge to our guests to remember Christ’s sacrifice and our own call to sacrifice in marriage. Sharing Ruth’s story from the Old Testament served as an example of servitude in marriage, as well as a devotion to the new families we would each be gaining. Adam’s charge was by far one of the most powerful parts of the ceremony. Alex’s sister, Caroline, read from Revelation 19 before our pastor gave a message regarding the church as Christ’s bride.
What songs did you use for your ceremony? From Alex: The music was one of the few aspects of our wedding that I was in charge of, and I strived to make our music as worshipful and natural as possible. We decided to have only one instrumentalist, a friend of mine who is an incredible guitarist. Abby and I gave him a list of the songs we wanted to be played. They were pretty traditional ones: “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring” while the parents and grandparents were seated, “Canon in D” during the processional, “Bridal Chorus” when Abby walked down the aisle, and “Ode to Joy” as we were leaving. The acoustic guitar was perfect–calm and mellow, traditional in the song choice, but updated by the instrument. The one song that was sung was a hymn, “Come Thou Fount,” and we invited all of our guests to join in.
What is the one thing that made your wedding different from anyone else’s wedding? Intentionality was a key factor in our wedding. We wanted each guest to feel valued and involved. Along with the hand-lettered envelopes that carried our invitations and the prepared seats for each guest, Alex and I love that everyone was invited to join in a hymn during our ceremony and to later dance the night away. Our hope was that no one would leave our wedding feeling like just one of the crowd, but that our love for each person would be displayed in our intentionality and bear hugs.
What are you most looking forward to about marriage? Even in the past four months, Alex and I have grown in our depth of knowledge and understanding of each other. With years of marriage comes years of experience–learning personality traits, finding ways to serve the other, and knowing how to make each other laugh. I look forward to our connection growing deeper as our marriage marches on.
What advice would you give to someone currently planning his or her wedding? I would love to encourage people (especially lovely brides) to extend grace to all parties involved in the wedding planning process. Family members, friends, and vendors alike can potentially showcase strong opinions or–worse yet–not care about every single little detail like you do (gasp!). Remember that relationships come before dresses, cakes, or invitations. Continue to hang with your girls, love on your family members, and be a caring person in general while you have this whole wedding-planning side gig going on.

Photographer and Videographer: A Bryan Photo / Venue and Caterer: Moore’s Mill Club / Florist and Decor: Nimblee / Wedding Cake: 1220 Cafe / Bride’s Gown: “Loren Corset” and “Sabrina Skirt” by Watters / Bridal Salon: The White Room / Bride’s Shoes: “Madalyn Pump” by Badgley Mischka / Bride’s Earrings: BHLDN / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Amsale, Donna Morgan, Dessy Group, and Ceremony by Joanna August / Menswear: The Black Tux / Paper Goods and Designer: Abby Bowlin Designs / Letterpress: Four Hats Press / Rentals, Linens, and Lighting: The Event Group

The Event Group is a delightful member of our Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory!

emily Written with love by Emily
3 Comments
  1. avatar Bryan Johnson reply

    Love these guys. So blessed to be part of their wedding!

  2. avatar Richard Photo Lab reply

    […] CREDITS (in order of appearance): Adam Barnes – Pink Virginia Wedding A Bryan Photo – Spring Auburn Wedding Katie Stoops – Inn at Perry Cabin Wedding (design by Karson Butler Events) A Bryan Photo […]

  3. avatar Michelle reply

    Hi Emily! I love this blog post – everything about the wedding looked gorgeous! I would LOVE if you could possibly share the brand of the flower girl dresses…they are so adorable!

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One of the best things about weddings is their ability to take people away from their everyday lives, inviting them into the most special moments of a couple’s story, and reminding them that what truly matters, more than anything else, is love and family. This was certainly the case at Anne Sydney and Jesse’s wedding, where they literally transported their guests up a mountain, overlooking their beloved hometown. The setting was breathtaking, and dotted with sweet details in honor of their Kentucky roots, it was a magical place for these childhood sweethearts to celebrate their marriage!

We’re so grateful that Melanie Mauer and Jaclyn Journey shared this gorgeous day with us in V7!

Tell us all the basics of your wedding! The wedding was on June 29, 2013 at 5:30 P.M. at the First Baptist Church in Pikeville, Kentucky. The location was chosen because it was the church that we attended as children and both of our families were active in membership. We share many memories of our younger years there, as we participated in church plays, musicals, vacation Bible school, and other church-related activities together.

Our welcome boxes for our guests included macarons, sour hard candies, and M&M’s, all in our wedding colors. We also included a fun folded map and directional guide, which also included information on local restaurants and other attractions. For logistical purposes, we had all the guests bused up to the mountain after the ceremony. We included custom-made “bus tickets” with the ceremony programs, proclaiming that it was “Time to Celebrate Y’all,” and that this was their “Ticket to Ride.”

What was your favorite detail of the wedding? I was surrounded by ladies who played large roles at different stages in my life. Whether they were from high school, college, or my family, they were there to support me on the most important day of my life as my bridesmaids and maids and matrons of honor.

We wanted the flowers to reflect the feeling of the event–classic, laid back, sweet, fun, and beautiful. We chose white and ivory garden roses and mixed in some pops of peaches and corals, plus some dusty miller and lamb’s ear to bring in the greyed jade tone of the bridesmaids’ dresses. We used ivory Jeanne Moreau garden roses, caramel antique garden roses, white ranunculus, peachy coral Romantic Antique garden roses, peach and coral ranunculus, peach Juliet David Austin garden roses, dusty miller, and white peonies.

Who was one of the most special guests at your wedding? From Jesse: My grandfather on my father’s side. The Saturday before, he had buried my grandmother and his wife of over 60 years. I knew he was still reeling from the loss, but his presence in the front row of the church was a reassuring presence on our big day.

Groom’s favorite detail of the wedding: While not planned to intentionally coincide, our wedding date was also my parents’ 39th anniversary. In addition, our rehearsal dinner and wedding ceremony were at the same country club and church where my parents tied the knot all those years ago. It was a special feeling to know that nearly 40 years ago to the day, my father and mother were standing in the same place, committing themselves to each other.

The mountaintop venue inspired quite a lot of the design. We knew from the beginning that we wanted a sailcloth tent because we love the soft, illuminated feel that they bring. We had it set up at the edge of the mountain so that guests would have an incredible view. We wanted everything to feel soft, sweet, and classic. One of my favorite details was the custom wooden bars my brother-in-law built especially for our wedding. We also included a few pieces of polished coal on top of the bars, as well as affixing coal on push pins to secure the calligraphed seating charts to their display boards, as a nod to our Eastern Kentucky roots.

Did you have a cocktail hour? If so, what was it like? We did! The all-female bluegrass band, Coaltown Dixie, provided the music for the al fresco, café-lit event, which was immediately next to the sailcloth tent, facing the town of Pikeville below.

Were there any family traditions you included in the reception? My maternal grandmother made wedding mints for all her five children’s wedding receptions, as well as many other church weddings. It was fitting that a dear family friend used her recipe and made them for our wedding reception.

Dinner was served once all guests had arrived at the reception site. The meal was fully prepared at the remote location by the caterer and was simply some of the best food that we have ever eaten. Next on the agenda was dancing under the tent to music by the Jump Street Band. They were fantastic, playing a mixture of old and new, fast and slow tunes, keeping the dance floor overflowing from the time they began playing until the night was done. Late in the evening, late night snacks of warm beignets and mini coffee milkshakes were passed to guests.

After exiting the winding road to the beautiful mountaintop venue, we did not want the night to end yet, so we ended the evening by driving though our small hometown, being chauffeured by my father-in-law, reflecting on the tremendous day that we had just enjoyed.

How did the two of you meet? Tell us your story. From Jesse: It was so long ago that I’m not sure either of us truly remembers. Our families went to the same church when we were kids. We think our first meeting was in a children’s Sunday school class. In any event, Anne Sydney’s family moved into town when she was in 6th grade and we went to school together thereafter.
Describe the proposal: From Jesse: It was the Thursday night before Memorial Day in 2012. We were planning to be apart that weekend so Anne Sydney could attend her friend’s bachelorette party. Little did she know, she wasn’t making the trip. In anticipation of our days apart, we had dinner at our favorite restaurant in downtown Lexington. My initial plan was to pop the question on our walk home from dinner down the historic and quaint South Mill Street. This idea was frustrated by the un-concealable size of the little blue box. Instead, we walked in the door to my home, and as Anne Sydney started up the stairs, I fell to a knee. The next morning, we traveled to the Greenbrier Resort to meet our parents and begin to plan for the great time ahead.
Three adjectives that describe the day are: Magical, surreal, and breathtaking.
How many guests attended your wedding? About 470
What was the biggest challenge you faced while planning your wedding? Logistics–the site offering beautiful mountaintop views was not equipped with water, power, sewer, or any other modern convenience. The degree of planning to pull it off was immense. All of the needs of the over 450 guests had to be anticipated and provided for the 4+ hours that they were to be on the mountain celebrating with us. Luckily, my father is an engineer and was able to speak the language to the vendors and suppliers to pull off the event without a hitch.
Tell us about finding your wedding dress. I, my mother, my future mother-in-law, and my mother’s best friend traveled to NYC for appointments. After numerous fittings and rejections at Kleinfeld, I reluctantly took the advice of the consultant assisting me and tried a strapless Peter Langner gown. At first sight of me wearing this dress, everyone in the traveling party said in unison that this was it!! We kept our other scheduled appointments and learned that Mark Ingram Atelier carried Peter Langner gowns. Late that night, my mother went online and discovered that Mark Ingram was currently hosting Langner’s trunk show. She called at the first opportunity the next day, scoring an appointment for that same day. We later discovered that it normally takes six months for an appointment at this salon. I knew at that point that this was the dress that was meant for me!!
What advice would you give to someone currently planning his or her wedding? During the planning process, be sure to spend time with each other and make an attempt to not discuss wedding plans! It’s difficult, but planning a large celebration can become very overwhelming and stressful, and it is easy to lose sight of the true purpose of the celebration!

Photographer: Melanie Mauer / Videographer: Blueberry Creative / Planner: Weekend Wedding Warrior / Designer, Florist, and Decor: Jaclyn Journey / Ceremony Venue: First Baptist Church / Caterer: Apiary Fine Catering & Events / Cake Baker: Martine’s Pastries / Bride’s Gown: “Puccini” by Peter Langner / Bridal Salon: Mark Ingram Atelier /Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Bride’s Earrings: Marco Bicego and “Paisley” by Justine M. Couture /Bride’s Veil: Peter Langner / Bridesmaid Dresses: “Kylie,” “Sinclair,” and “Louisa” in Dusty Shale by J. Crew / Bridesmaids’ Earrings: Kendra Scott / Flower Girl Dress: Isabel Garreton / Guest Books and Pens: Blue Sky Papers / Ribbons: M & J Trimming and The Ribbon Jar / Vintage Postage: Verde Studio / Favors: The Little Candy Cake Company / Ceremony Music: Highland Chamber Players / Cocktail Hour Band: Coaltown Dixie / Reception Music: The Jump Street Band from East Coast Entertainment / Pyrotechnics: Louisville Wedding Fireworks / Hair Stylist: Justin Greer and Ryan Reeves of Lux Hair Bar / Makeup Artist: Ana Crane of Applied Cosmetic Services / Men’s Suits: Jos. A. Bank / Men’s Shirts: Brooks Brothers / Men’s Ties: Collared Greens / Paper Goods: Hound Dog Press / Calligrapher: Rachel Fisher Calligraphy / Rentals and Lighting: Camargo Rentals / Linens: La Tavola and Wildflower Linens / Transportation: Bluegrass Tours

lisa Written with love by Lisa
4 Comments
  1. avatar Yours Truly Wedding Albums reply

    Love the color palette! Great moments! Love the fireworks after the party!

  2. avatar melanie mauer reply

    this family is among the gems on the planet…it’s difficult to articulate *just* how amazing they are. and they’re humble about it. this day was nothing short of m-a-g-i-c – i’m so grateful to southern weddings for sharing it so other brides can be inspired! warmly, -melanie-

  3. avatar katie reply

    *teary eyed* how cute are they! what a memorable day :)

  4. avatar Fresh and unique spring wedding bouquet ideas for springtime brides – Wedding Party reply

    […] Melanie Mauer via Southern Weddings  […]

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