Southern Weddings

A proposal at the White House practically demands a patriotic red, white, and blue wedding, and thanks to their Southern summer picnic inspiration, Amy and Kenny’s big day was the epitome of all-American joy and fun! Along with tables nicknamed after favorite Washington DC landmarks, a darling sweetheart table, and the prettiest Rice Krispie treat cake (yes, cake!) I’ve ever seen, Amy and Kenny’s wedding was full of family and friends having a great time and lovin’ on each other. That’s definitely what makes summer so sweet to me!

Hugs to Jillian Zamora for sharing this happy day with us!

Tell us all about the proposal! Kenny is quite the romantic and he couldn’t have chosen a more perfect way to propose! Kenny is from northern Virginia and has a special place in his heart for DC, so when he took me back home to meet his family over Thanksgiving, we planned a mini trip for just the two of us in DC. He knew I wanted a memorable proposal, so he chose the White House as the location. As we walked through the White House, Kenny analyzed my every move and comment in each room, trying to decide which was my favorite (all the while, the ring was burning a hole in his pocket!). After moving through all the rooms, he took me back to the East Room, and as we were standing in front of the painting of George Washington, he proposed with the most beautiful, heartfelt speech. I couldn’t believe it, and neither could any of the other tourists! One of the Secret Service agents even let us go behind the ropes to take a picture to capture the special moment. I still tear up thinking about that amazing day, and I can’t believe he managed to sneak the ring through security!

Tell us about finding your wedding dress. I found my wedding dress at the first store I went to. It was the third dress I tried on and it fit perfectly–no alterations needed! It fit my personality and style so well–sophisticated and classic, with a touch of spunk. It was a strapless ball gown with a sweetheart neckline, and the top of the dress had ruching to give it some interest. There was also a line of buttons down the back that extended down the train of the dress. We added a sash that had some unfinished edge, fabric flowers, and just the right amount of beads to give it some texture and shine. I paired it with red and white polka dot kitten heels and an elbow-length, unfinished-edge veil to play up my style!

I chose Für Elise as the song that the wedding party and groom walked out to. I grew up playing the piano and that is one of my favorite songs I ever played!

Our wedding colors were red, cream, and navy, so that was the focus for the flowers. I wanted all of the florals to look natural, a little wild, and not too perfect. My florist did an amazing job combining flowers like blue thistle, anemones, daisies, and garden roses with natural greenery, and it was absolutely beautiful. My bouquet couldn’t have been more perfect!

Our favorite detail of the wedding was: We loved our “Picnic for Two” sweetheart table. The rosette tablecloth, the greenery draped across our chairs, and the chalkboard sign made our little area the perfect place for us to enjoy some time alone and look over the reception. I also loved that each table was named after a monument Kenny and I visited on our trip to DC. It was a unique way to tie the proposal into our wedding.

What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? Being that Kenny and I are from Virginia and Texas respectively, a Southern wedding suited us perfectly! Some of the Southern details we incorporated included an iced tea bar (with a sign that said “Our love is as sweet as the sugar in our tea”), a summer picnic theme with Southern “cookout” food, Americana-inspired decor with a focus on beauty in simplicity, an engraved baseball and bat guest book (go Rangers!), and Southern foods with a twist–like pecan pie pops!

Our first dance was to Christina Perri’s “A Thousand Years.” I always knew the right man would come along, but never thought I would be 30 before he did! It’s a big joke between the two of us that I waited a long time for him, so this seemed to fit. Probably the most special part of the night was Kenny and his daughter Ashlynn’s special dance. They started off with Tim McGraw’s “My Little Girl,” but much to the crowd’s surprise, they switched halfway through to Run DMC’s “Tricky” and totally rocked it out! They had practiced for a couple months beforehand and it was the biggest hit!

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. Kenny and I actually met on eHarmony. I had joined the site because I was finding it hard to meet someone in the area, and Kenny was looking for someone who was ready to settle down and didn’t mind that he already had a little girl from his previous marriage. I loved Kenny’s profile–it was witty, charming, and mature. It took us a little while to actually meet in person, but once we did, it didn’t take long for us to realize that we were meant to be!
When did y’all get married? June 28, 2013
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? About 90
Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line? We did not write our own vows. Instead, we went with something special our pastor had prepared for us. I don’t think I would’ve managed to keep my emotions in control if we had written our own!
Describe your wedding cake or dessert. A few buzz words we used to describe our wedding were family-focused, casual, fun, summer picnic, and sophisticated. To play up the fun and summer flair, we decided to go with a dessert bar. We had pie pops, macarons, moon pies, s’mores, lemonade tartlets, and a rice krispie groom’s cake! No one could get over how tasty and cute all the little treats were.
Did you have something borrowed, blue, old, and new? If so, do tell! I had all of these covered! My something old and borrowed was my great-grandmother’s wedding ring. Her husband didn’t have the money to buy her a ring when they were first married, so he hammered it out of a quarter and she wore it for most of her marriage. I am so honored to be able to keep this special piece of jewelry, and I wear it almost every day. My new and blue was a stunning diamond and aquamarine bracelet that my parents gave me on my wedding day. I couldn’t believe it when I opened the box! My birthstone is aquamarine and I always have a hard time finding jewelry with it, so it’s definitely something I will wear every chance I get.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? I think the biggest challenge while planning was discussing decisions with Kenny. As a bride, I wanted to be selfish and make this day about me and what I wanted, but that wasn’t fair to Kenny! I really had to step back and think about what his vision of our wedding was, and in the end, I think it turned out just right, thanks to our amazing wedding planners!
What is the one detail or vendor that you were so happy to have as a part of your wedding? I loved them all, but I have to go with my wedding planners. Rayven Walker and Jen Rios were absolutely the key to getting the wedding of my dreams. With Rayven keeping me on track with budget and vendors, and Jen designing each little detail, they make quite the team! I know there are many things they did to help each other make it such a special day for Kenny and I, and I couldn’t be happier that I chose them!
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? The first look was probably high up on the list, but getting to spend our special day with family and friends was the most memorable part. I didn’t get to talk to everyone as much as I would have hoped, but knowing that they loved us enough to travel to our wedding makes me feel so incredibly blessed!
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? The first order of business must be to get a wedding planner that you trust. Just knowing that they can add touches that you wouldn’t think about or find vendors that you can’t (or may stress yourself out trying to find) is worth it. Also, soak in every part of the day. Take a minute or two here and there to step back and enjoy the view. Sneak a moment alone with your spouse or by yourself to really see and feel everything about the event! And one last thing: make sure to eat!
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you most looking forward to about married life? Next is probably kids, as is with lots of couples. Kenny’s daughter, Ashlynn, is such a big part of our lives and I couldn’t imagine a sweeter child to have as a stepdaughter. I would love to add a child of our own to the family. I am looking forward to just loving each other and our families for many years to come!

Photographer: Jillian Zamora Photography / Planner: Jen Rios Design / Venue: Hickory Street Annex / Florist: RLove Floral Designs / Dessert Baker: Cakewalk Bakeshop / Caterer: Two Sister Catering / Rentals: La Tavola Fine Linen / Rentals: Love Dove Rentals and Gifts / DJ: Jordan Bell of Spin Productions / Bride’s Gown: WToo / Bridal Salon and Veil: White Gown Workroom / Paper Products: Val Marie Paper / Hair Stylist: Cyndi Burk of Serenity Salon / Makeup Artist: Rayven Walker of Beauty & the Blush / Bride’s Shoes: VANELi / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Gianni Bini / Groom’s Attire: Men’s Wearhouse

Written with love by Lisa