Google+ clear top tent Archives - Page 2 of 3 - Southern Weddings

Southern Weddings

Tag: clear top tent

In our interview, we ask our sweet couples what makes their wedding Southern, and today’s answer may be one of my favorites! There’s the monogram cummerbunds (!!), gorgeous all-white florals from James Farmer, Catherine’s classic lace stunner and TJ‘s white dinner jacket, but I’d have to agree with Catherine that the most Southern aspect was the Piedmont Driving Club! Of course, it’s a lovely location, but the coolest part is that the press party for the premiere of Gone With the Wind was held in the same ballroom! Um, what?! GWTW is an absolute staple in any Southern girl’s movie collection!

Big thanks to Kate Belle for sharing such a fab day!

What made you choose your ceremony and reception venues? Did they have any special significance to you? Both the ceremony and the reception were held at the Piedmont Driving Club, where I had grown up, and where TJ and I are both members. In our opinion, it is the most beautiful venue in Atlanta for a formal occasion.

Susan and Campbell at Joan Pillow pulled a new arrival for me to try on prior to my appointment. It was the second dress I tried on, and was only made more beautiful when I had the opportunity to meet with the designer behind Ulla Maija, Charles Bunstein II, who personally designed a custom overlay top and helped with the fitting and styling.

Now that’s a true Southern crew of groomsmen! Great choice on the white dinner jacket, TJ!

TJ insisted on wearing a white dinner jacket (even in January), which I suppose is quite Southern of him. Doyle Johnson of A.D. Mathis in Gainesville, GA tailored a custom jacket for him and it was very sharp. They even used a swatch of my dress as a reference to make sure it would be a perfect match. The most Southern thing about the wedding, however, was the venue. The Piedmont Driving Club was founded in 1887 and the beautiful original architecture in the main clubhouse and ballroom are extremely special and significant. The press party for the premiere of the movie “Gone With the Wind” was held in the same ballroom which was designed by Hentz, Reid, and Adler.

Our designers at James Farmer Designs transformed the Piedmont Driving Club into a dreamy winter wonderland. The ceremony site in the courtyard was simply breathtaking! Large, white temple jars were full of greenery, flowers and winter branches, and hurricane globes were filled with white hydrangeas, lime green cymbidium orchids, roses, and amaryllis. The white aisle runner was lined with a fresh asparagus fern garland down the length of the tent. The bridesmaids all carried bouquets of mixed roses and hydrangea, and my bouquet was all white David Austin roses. At the reception were trees in large planter boxes anchored at each column. The tables were adorned with low arrangements of creamy garden roses, white hydrangeas, and seeded eucalyptus in silver mint julep cups (a staple of the South!).

Our favorite detail of the wedding was: The trees! James Farmer and team knew exactly what I wanted, even though I did not know how to articulate it. I simply told them that I wanted the ballroom to look different. Trees lined the columns in the ballroom, and the up-lighting created the most beautiful look and feel to the room. The ballroom was transformed, and even my dad noticed and was pleased!

Describe your wedding cake or dessert. I do not like cake, but my mother insisted that TJ deserved a cake. The pastry chef at the Driving Club did a beautiful job, and James Farmer knew just where to place it and how to style it. While I never had a bite of our wedding cake, the picture of the cake cutting is one of my favorites, so thank you to my mom and James for insisting that we have one!

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. We both attended the University of Georgia. We had lots of mutual friends in college and were in the same circles, but never dated. In 2012, we were both invited to the wedding of our good friends here in Atlanta. Our dear mutual friend insisted that we go together, so TJ called to ask if I would like to join him. We had a great time and became each others’ go-to wedding dates until two years later when we attended our own!
Tell us all about the proposal! TJ had a full day planned for us on a Saturday in February 2013, which I believe was set to begin around 9:30 a.m. His plan was ruined when I got up to leave my apartment at 8 a.m. to go to yoga. Instead of missing his opportunity, TJ rushed in and proposed in my living room around 8:15. Everyone’s next question is if I went to yoga, and no, I did not! We had a great day filled with lots of champagne toasts with friends and a surprise dinner party with both of our families that evening!
When did y’all get married? January 11, 2014
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 375
Did you decide to do a “first look”? Why or why not? We did not. Having daylight pictures was not worth breaking tradition for us.
Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. Since the wedding ceremony did not take place in a church, we wanted a traditional string quartet to play. It was simple and elegant, which was exactly what we wanted.
What is the one detail or vendor that you were so happy to have as a part of your wedding? James Farmer and Debbie Felker really assembled a dream team for this wedding, and TJ, my mother, and I will be forever grateful! No stone was left unturned and it could not have gone more smoothly or been more beautiful.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? Looking down over the ballroom from the balcony of the bridal suite before we were announced. It was absolutely spectacular. TJ and I could not believe that it was actually for us!
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? Hire a great wedding planner! :)
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you most looking forward to about married life? TJ and I are adjusting well to married life. We have settled into our new home in Atlanta and are somewhat back to normal after the wonderful whirlwind of the wedding! TJ is back to working on building his business and I am enjoying my job in development at Skyland Trail. Aside from wishing we were still on the beach in Turks and Caicos, everything is great!

Photographer: Kate Belle Photography / Planner: Debbie Felker, Special Arrangements / Venue, Catering, and Cake: Piedmont Driving Club / Florist and Event Designer: James Farmer, Inc. / Rentals and Lighting: Tent’s Unlimited / Band: Adrian Duke Project / Bride’s Gown and Veil: Ulla Maija / Paper Products: Crane and Co. from Paces Papers / Hair Stylist: Tucker Fascula / Makeup Artist: Tara Young / Bride’s Shoes: Manolo Blahnik / Bridesmaid Dress Salon: Bella Bridesmaids

marissa Written with love by Marissa
3 Comments
  1. avatar Lisa reply

    Those trees are amazing–what a breathtaking venue!

  2. avatar Occasions In Print reply

    Really a beautiful wedding! Love her dress and the bridesmaid dresses. The venue add so much elegance!

  3. avatar Sneak Peek | Rose & Anton's Wedding – Vermont Wedding and Event Planner | VT Enchanted Events Wedding Planning reply

    […] James Farmer […]

Southern Weddings reserves the right to delete comments which contain profanity or personal attacks or seek to promote a business unrelated to the post.  And remember: a good attitude is like kudzu – it spreads.  We love hearing your kind thoughts!

Reply to:
close

The title of this post could not be more accurate – Chatham + Charlie’s wedding is absolutely pure fun! I mean, y’all, the bride’s barefoot-dancing her heart out on a checkerboard dance floor under brightly colored lanterns! Add in that clear top tent and we’re now talking about a fun AND beautiful wedding!

Fun must be in C + C’s jeans, because Chatham’s pale blue dress choice was inspired by her granny’s own nontraditional blue gown. Can you imagine how avant garde granny must have been wearing a light blue dress so long ago? A hair style is almost irrelevant after such a pretty gown, but I love that Chatham topped hers off with a simple ponytail.

Big thanks to Bethany & Dan Photography for sharing this bright splash of fun with us!

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. 
We met several weeks after I moved to Charlotte. A friend of mine invited me to a birthday party with the intention of setting me up with Charlie. It worked!

Tell us all about the proposal! 
We traveled to China and Thailand and he got down on one knee and showed me a picture of the ring on his cell phone! Welcome to the world of technology!

The first dress I saw, I knew it was the one! I had always admired my granny for getting married in a slightly blue dress – she was nontraditional like that sometimes. When I saw this gorgeous baby blue dress among all the white ones I thought, why not follow in her footsteps?!

A perfect pony tail + bare feet. That’s my kind of girl!

We did write our own vows by taking inspiration from here and there. My favorite line is, “I vow to love you for who you are, and not for whom I would like you to be,” because all too often people get married expecting perfection and lacking acceptance.

I love the idea of raising a flag with your new joint monogram! What a great symbol of your new adventure together.

What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? 
Raising the flag together! It was a surprise for both of us and seemed to mark the rise of the occasion!

Describe your wedding flowers. 
Gorgeous! White and green everywhere and the bridesmaids’ flowers were hot pink and orange and fabulously bright.

The cake was layered. One layer had lemon filling and the other layer had chocolate. We also had truffles on another table.

Our favorite detail of the wedding was: 
The location. It was in my parents’ backyard and it was gorgeous! There is a picture of the wedding with all the guests sitting and the bright blue sky and a bird flying overhead — magical.

 

When did y’all get married? 
September 22, 2012

How many friends, family, and loved ones attended your wedding? 
About 350

Did you decide to do a “first look”? Why or why not? 
Yes, we wanted our first look to be in private and to be able to spend a few peaceful moments together before the rush began.

What readings, if any, did you have at your ceremony? 
”Our Deepest Fear” by Marianne Williamson

Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. 
We used Ave Maria, simply because it is beautiful.

Did you have something borrowed, something blue, and something new? Yes! A blue wedding dress, a fancy heart shaped diamond earring and a diamond necklace that belonged to my granny and great granny. The flowers in my hair certainly count as new and fresh!

What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? 
The people and the kindness and politeness that comes along with the South.

What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? 
Burying a bottle of whiskey in the backyard in hopes that it would not rain. It was harder to dig that hole than we thought!

What range did your wedding budget fall into? 
$75,000-$100,000

What is the one detail or vendor that you were so happy to have as a part of your wedding? 
Our wedding planner was awesome! He covered every last detail, set up the flower vendor, the food, the band, and the photo booth.

What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? Get a wedding planner. Also, meditate or do something calm and relaxing the morning of the wedding. Every hour, stop, breathe and take in all the details because the day goes by VERY quickly and then it’s done.

What’s next for you as a couple? What are you looking forward to in the future? 
Having a baby Ripple!

marissa Written with love by Marissa
10 Comments
  1. avatar Lisa reply

    Oh my gosh, this is her parents’ backyard? That’s incredible! That dance floor might be my favorite detail–and from the look of these pictures, it sure seems like the guests loved it too!

  2. avatar Be Inspired PR reply

    LOVE this North Carolina wedding :) Pure bliss and happiness! Love the cute touches too! (especially the personalized napkins)

  3. avatar Brooke reply

    You’re so right – everything about this wedding is FUN! Coincidentally, this band (Big Swing & the Ballroom Blasters) just played at my sister’s debutante ball in Richmond last Friday night, and they were AWESOME!

  4. avatar Chloe reply

    I’m in love with the bridesmaids’ lace dresses!! Gorgeous

  5. avatar Trendy Bridesmaid Styles: Empire Waist Bridesmaid Dresses for Wedding 2014 | Real Wedding Inspirations, Bridesmaid Wedding Dresses Trends reply

    […] photo credit: iloveswmag […]

  6. avatar {Wedding Trends} Elegant Lace Wedding Ideas for Wedding 2013-2014 | VPONSALE Wedding reply

    […] photo credit: iloveswmag […]

  7. avatar Thursday Trends – Ghost Chairs: Now You See Them | Event Experts reply

    […] I Love SW Mag Photography by Bethany and […]

  8. avatar Wedding Lounge Area Inspiration – Ishari De Silva Weddings reply

    […] (L-R) Country Chic – Barn Lounge, Moroccan Lounge, All white Outdoor Lounge. Third Row (L-R) Colourful Lounge with Chinese Lanterns, French Furniture with Crystal Chandeliers Outdoor Lounge, Monochrome (source not listed on […]

  9. avatar Wedding Reception Lounge Area Inspiration – Ishari De Silva – UK Wedding & Lifestyle Blog reply

    […] (L-R) Country Chic – Barn Lounge, Moroccan Lounge, All white Outdoor Lounge. Third Row (L-R) Colourful Lounge with Chinese Lanterns, French Furniture with Crystal Chandeliers Outdoor Lounge, Monochrome (source not listed on […]

  10. avatar Published May-September 2013 reply

    […] Aaron and Becky on Southern Weddings […]

Southern Weddings reserves the right to delete comments which contain profanity or personal attacks or seek to promote a business unrelated to the post.  And remember: a good attitude is like kudzu – it spreads.  We love hearing your kind thoughts!

Reply to:
close

Sophie + Brian’s Kentucky wedding is especially appropriate for us to feature today since it’s Derby Week! Even more fun is the fact that S + B actually met in the show jumping circuit as junior riders. Though they weren’t snug as a bug at first, sparks eventually flew and the horse industry led them down South to Kentucky! For Sophie + Brian, their wedding was a way for them to showcase the food, landscape, hospitality and history of the area that they fell in love with. That sounds like the perfect way to honor your life together and start a marriage, doesn’t it?

We’re dolling out hugs to Honey Heart Photography for sharing this lovely day with us!

Tell us about finding your wedding dress. 
It was a slightly disastrous and stressful, actually. I had wanted to go to New York City for dress shopping with friends but my schedule made that challenging. I tried a few bridal shops here in Florida. One was particularly nice but had a small selection. I went in a few times to peruse with friends. When my mother was in town, we went back in and purchased two dresses. But as soon as I bought the dresses, I knew they were wrong and wanted to exchange them. I couldn’t sleep all night and called the next morning to find out the return policy was store credit only! Long story short, I returned those dresses, and after a lot of stress and a few sleepless nights, found two fun, beautiful dresses for the wedding. The first was an off-white sweetheart strapless dress with a draped sunburst bodice. The second was a Reem Acra Ready to Wear I had seen in store in black that I had them make in white for me. It was more of a romantic party dress and less of a princess ball gown to enjoy the evening festivities in.

Oh! The light in the next two shots is so dreamy! High fives Honey Heart Photography!

We did a twist on traditional vows, but did not each write our own piece. We were too shy for that! Instead, we spent time creating fun-loving words that related to our love and our relationship ” I, Sophie, choose you, Brian, as my best friend and the love of my life. I choose you to embark upon this great journey of marriage with me. You are my soulmate, my companion and my confidant.  I take you today to be my husband my teammate and my true love now and forever.  I love you.”

We had two readings and a Wedding Blessing at the ceremony. The first reading, “Love” by Roy Croft was read by my sister-in-law, Irene. The second reading ,”To Love is Not to Possess” by James Kavanaugh was read by my husband’s aunt Bettina. The officiant also read an anonymous wedding blessing that we loved. It read, “May the love you both feel for each today, grow and deepen as each day passes. May you know what it is to be a couple, and yet remain the individuals that brought the other to you. May your days together bring you great joys and much laughter. When sadness arrives, as at times it will, may the bond that you share and the promise you make to each other be enough to pull you through. Above all, may you always be friends; true friends. The kind of friends who are honest, and faithful, and loyal. Such friends can share lifetimes.”

What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding?
 Neither my husband nor I are actually Southern (though maybe he would disagree because he was born in Aiken, SC). We had moved to Lexington from the Northeast the year before the wedding and fell in love with the area. We wanted the wedding to include all the things we loved about Lexington: the landscape, the natural beauty, the hospitality, the history and the cuisine.

Describe your wedding flowers.
 The wedding was mostly all white and cream tones, with natural accents, woods, metals, and greenery. The flowers were a reflection of that.
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: I loved the simple ambiance and décor, but of course, the photo booth was a little bit of extra fun.

The wedding cake was the easiest decision we made during the entire planning process. We knew we wanted a simple white butter cream style cake, and we went to a few local bakeries trying cake and flavors. Martine’s Pastries was the clear winner. We both loved white cake and pistachio cake so we did half and half with simple butter cream fill. That was easy! We also had a Valentine’s ice cream bar and hot Spaulding’s donuts (both are local Lexington shops).

How did the two of you meet? Tell us your story. 
We both competed on the show jumping circuit as junior riders. We even had the same trainer for a period. We always knew each other but were never close. Brian was a bit older and we had different friends. Then, one year he seemed to take quite an interest in me, and we began to spend more and more time together. I guess the rest is history.
In what month did you get married? 
September
How many guests attended your wedding? 170
Did you decide to do a “first look”? Yes, we decided on a “first look.” We are pretty low-key and chose to do the majority of the photographs prior to the wedding. The pre-ceremony lighting was beautiful. It was the perfect opportunity to get good shots. Post ceremony, we were mostly done with pictures and could get right to the fun stuff. We do not consider ourselves very traditional anyway so that decision was an easy one.
Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding. We had a string trio for our ceremony. The prelude was “Such Great Heights,” by The Postal Service. The processional was “Caribbean Blue” by Enya. The bridal processional was to “Here Comes the Sun,” by The Beatles and the recessional was to “Viva La Vida” by Coldplay. Our first dance song was “By Your Side” by Sade.
What is the one thing you are most happy you splurged on?
 Our band “Jesse’s Girls’ from Atlanta and the hair team from Marie Robinson Salon in New York City.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day?
 To be honest, it’s all kind of a blur now! But just being relaxed and enjoying the whole day while it was happening was memorable.
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding?
 Don’t over-think it or stress too much in all the planning and the details. Its just one day in your life. Enjoy it!

nicoleyang Written with love by Nicole
15 Comments
  1. avatar Lauren reply

    I absolutely love her hair. What a beautiful couple!

  2. avatar Kylie reply

    Gorgeous wedding! Love the tent over the pool!

  3. avatar Ken Tan reply

    Beautiful photographs! Loving the venue!

  4. avatar jane reply

    Is there anyway I can get a hold of the bride from this wedding? Would love to know where she found a swiss dot table cloth.

    Thanks,
    Jane

  5. avatar Late Summer Vineyard Wedding Inspiration Board | bridebook reply

    […] Table Setting 7. Centerpieces 8. Ceremony Arch 9. Bridal party 10. Cheese and […]

  6. avatar Themes | Inspiration Board: Caramel Garden reply

    […] / 4. Caramel Naked Cake / 5. Tea Mason Jar / 6. Apple Cider / 7. Caramel Pear / 8. Caramel Apples / 9. Garden Arch / 10. Rustic Table Setting / 11. Honey […]

  7. avatar Best of 2013: Menswear – Southern Weddings Magazine reply

    […] navy suit | Sophie + Brian | Honey Heart […]

  8. avatar Lauren reply

    Hi! Love the suits — where did they come from?

  9. avatar Cassidy reply

    Who makes the swiss dot linen! It is so perfect!

  10. avatar Jasmine reply

    I can’t seem to find the name of this venue! Does anyone know where this is?

  11. avatar janelle reply

    please tell me where this stunning venue is!!!

  12. avatar Obsesión de la Semana {Barriles} | …Algo Azul reply

    […] {via Southern Weddings} […]

  13. avatar Allie reply

    In love with the table numbers. Any idea where I can get them?

  14. avatar Kylee reply

    Wondering where this venue is in Lexington?

  15. avatar Brooke Paris reply

    Do you know where that swiss dot table cloth is from? I have been looking for one everywhere!

Southern Weddings reserves the right to delete comments which contain profanity or personal attacks or seek to promote a business unrelated to the post.  And remember: a good attitude is like kudzu – it spreads.  We love hearing your kind thoughts!

Reply to:
close
Top