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Today we’re sharing a colorful citrus inspiration shoot, set deep in the heart of Texas!

“You’re the barb on my wire / The spark in my campfire / There’s no brighter star in all the multiplexes. / I love this state, you know I do / But the best thing in this state is you.” Slaid Cleaves sung it right in his “Texas Love Song,” inspiring The Happy Bloom and Tristan Needham to marry true love and color at The White Sparrow. This team is eager to see couples embrace color at their weddings, and I love that they didn’t just wish it – they’re sharing with us a way to do it beautifully, one that feels authentic to the Hispanic and Texan cultures they were inspired by.

I’d love to hear: anyone out there using brighter colors at your wedding? :)

From the team:
What makes Texas so great is its blend of Southern tradition and Mexican influence. Rustic white barns meet stucco and citrus, colliding to make a beauty that no other location can duplicate. While some wedding trends are leaning further and further into the neutral color palette of greens and creams, these two cultures still embrace color, vitality and life… no matter the trend or season!

Our couple’s wedding day was filled with pops of fresh citrus, locally grown tomatillos and Claire’s favorite flower, the poppy. Their love of European culture and modernism can be seen in their minimal paper goods and clean, fresh tablescape. We loved playing the balancing game of Southern tradition meets Mexican influence meets European modernism. The location is obviously innately Southern. We loved the way that the bride’s modern two piece dress compliments the beautiful white barn. The pops of citrus keep the shoot feeling alive and fresh but not oversaturated.

Photographer: The Happy Bloom | Film Lab | Indie Film Lab | Venue: The White Sparrow | Design and Styling: Tristan Needham Design | Gown: Saint Isbael Bridal | Floral: Bows + Arrows | Rentals: Bella Acento | Rings: Susie Saltzman | Paper Goods: Graceline Art | Hair and Makeup Artist: Haley Herbst | Cake: 2 Tarts Bakery | Modeling Agency: Kim Dawson Agency | Female Model: Haley Halter | Male Model | Luis Martinez

emily Written with love by Emily
2 Comments
  1. avatar Lyndi reply

    Goodness I love all this color!!

  2. avatar The Happy Bloom reply

    Thank you for the beautiful feature! xoxo!

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Is it weird to have a wedding bucket list? While I obviously have no control over where and when my friends and family members get married, I have all my fingers crossed that someday, I’ll get to be a guest at a New Year’s Eve wedding. The sparkle and excitement of NYE is fun enough as it is, but add a joyful bride and groom and a rockin’ reception to the mix? Seriously…it doesn’t get better. While we’ve featured plenty of glam, black-tie NYE weddings over the years, I love that Kathryn and Chad took a different approach, incorporating gorgeous colors, Florida-inspired blooms, and incredible painted details into their day (all with the help of our Blue Ribbon Vendor Ashton Events). Their details were the perfect way to blend their festive wedding date with their sentimental at-home venue, and we’re so glad The Ganeys were on hand to capture all the loveliness!

P.S. I have written hundreds of real wedding posts over the years, but I think this is the first time I’ve seen an interview filled out by the groom! Thanks for sharing, Chad!

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. Despite our many mutual friends and the fact that we grew up in neighboring towns in rural Central Florida, Kathryn and I first met in Washington, DC. I had been working in DC as a lawyer for about a year when Kathryn moved up to begin a new job at the Department of Justice. A mutual friend invited us to–of all things–an election party, which is where Kathryn and I met for the first time. Our mutual friend told me about Kathryn ahead of time, so I was naturally very excited to meet her, and struck up a conversation with her as soon as I got to the party. Kathryn was not so informed. “I had no idea he was a set-up,” she would always say. “I just thought he was really friendly.” Although our mutual friend thought we would get along, she had no clue we grew up 30 minutes away from each other, nor did she know we would hit it off so well. We spent the next few hours talking and laughing as we reminisced about all the quirks of our tiny hometowns. The whole night was great, except for one tragic mistake: I didn’t get her number! I told myself that the next time I saw her, I wouldn’t make the same mistake again. My next chance came in January, when we saw each other at a meeting for lawyers. Although she didn’t recognize me at first (ouch), she remembered as soon as I told her where I was from. Our first date was a couple of days later, near the end of January, and in December of that year, we got engaged after 11 months of dating.

I didn’t have a ton of preferences for the wedding, but I knew I wanted the first time I saw Kathryn to be as she was walking down the aisle. And it was worth the wait! Nothing will ever beat that moment when time stopped as the church doors swung open and Kathryn walked in. There was an audible gasp in the audience as every person in the room entertained the same thought: this is the most beautiful bride.

What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? Between our afternoon ceremony and evening reception, Kathryn and I were able to go back to the house we were renting and watch the sun set over the lake. It was the perfect break and a truly special time for Kathryn and me to slow down and appreciate the beauty of that day. It also allowed us to recharge so we could dance the night away and ring in the New Year!

Our initial reception venue cancelled about a month before our wedding. With so little time to find another venue, we decided to host the reception in Kathryn’s parents’ backyard. Although it was not our first choice, our team of wedding designers made it absolutely perfect. It was better than we ever could have imagined, and because it was at Kathryn’s parents’ house, we got to be more creative with the lighting, decorations, and furniture than we would have been able to be at another venue. Now, every time we visit Kathryn’s parents, we look at the backyard and remember how great our wedding day was.

What was one way you saved money or cut costs at your wedding? We saved a lot of money by cutting the sit-down dinner and doing BBQ and taco stations instead. Also, for decor, we decorated Kathryn’s parents’ backyard with original oil paintings done by Kathryn’s aunt. We had dozens of our favorite oil paintings hanging from trees throughout the yard.

Our Southern heritage informs everything we do. From our classic bourbon and tea signature cocktail to the BBQ and grit cakes we served at the reception, to a special area of the wedding venue dedicated to smoking cigars, we tried to give all of our wedding guests a taste of the South.

Our favorite detail of the wedding was: There were so many things that we loved, but my favorite was the champagne toast at midnight. We served a delicious sparking rosé via a classic champagne tower waterfall. The toast was great because everyone was crowded onto the dance floor as we wrapped our arms around each other and sang “Auld Lang Syne.”

Tell us all about the proposal! We were traveling down to Florida for Christmas. We were set to fly into Tampa, but I changed our tickets and surprised Kat with a layover for a few days in Asheville. As we were driving into Asheville, I took her to a beautiful outdoor chapel known as “Pretty Place” at the top of a mountain. I had a photographer at the back of the chapel waiting for us, so we were able to capture the entire moment. The best part was that Kathryn had no clue it was coming.
When did y’all get married? December 31, 2016
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 200
Did you write your own vows? Kathryn and I are both Catholic, so we used the traditional marriage vows from the Catholic Church. Our ceremony was sacred and reverent, and the music was absolutely beautiful. The organist and soloist played “O Magnum Mysterium” by Lauridsen, a piece that has special significance to me. But my favorite part of the ceremony was how light and jovial it was. The hallmark came when the celebrant, a sweet old retired priest, called me Clyde instead of Chad. Everyone was dying laughing, including me.
What readings, if any, did you have at your ceremony? My favorite reading was from John 17, where Jesus prays that the disciples will be one as He and the Father are one. This verse served as the inspiration for the engraving inside Kathryn’s wedding band: One Forever.
Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. Kathryn’s father is a musician and music teacher. I also have a background in classical music, so picking the wedding music was a great opportunity for us to come together over our shared love of classical music and select pieces that we both like. We ended up going with beautiful selections by Bach, Beethoven, and Schubert.
How did you plan for your marriage while planning your wedding? Kathryn and I took marriage preparation classes at the local parish in DC, where we were both living as we planned our wedding.
What’s next for you as a couple? What memories are you looking forward to making together? Although we really want to get back to Florida in the next few years, Kathryn and I are excited about our new life together in DC. I predict lots of long walks, late-night ice cream runs, and bike rides in our future.

Photographer: The Ganeys | Planner and Florist: Ashton Events | Ceremony Venue: St. Joseph Catholic Church | Wedding Cake: J’aime Cakes | Dessert Baker: Katara Confectionery | Caterer: 4 Rivers Smokehouse | DJ: Corey Barron via Grant Hemond and Associates | Bride’s Gown: “Destiny” by Romona Keveza | Hair and Makeup: Kaitlin Lang | Bride’s Shoes: Badgley Mischka | Bridesmaids’ Dresses: BHLDN | Groom’s Tuxedo: Custom by Tom James Company | Groomsmen Attire: Men’s Wearhouse | Linens: Kate Ryan Linens | Chairs, Dance Floor, and Rentals: A Chair Affair | Tent and Lighting: Premier Party | Hair and Makeup: A Cherished Bride

Ashton Events is a delightful member of our Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory!

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

    Ah! Such fun. We loved this day, and we loved working with K+C! Chad’s dinner jacket & Kat’s dress change were of our favorite moments of the night. What a way to ring in 2017!

  2. avatar Catherine reply

    I love a good DC lawyer love story, and this is a beautiful one! The groom did a wonderful job on his interview, and what a beautiful day it was!

  3. avatar Emily reply

    Thank you so much for sharing this beautiful event! We absolutely adore Kat and Chad and feel so grateful that we could ring in the new year with them!!

  4. avatar Ivon reply

    Such a beautiful wedding! Love all the details and how well they were captured!

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2016 was the year we fell head over heels in love with The Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia. We photographed an editorial for V9 there, had the best time staying on the property for the shoot, and were then touched (but not at all surprised) to learn that they graciously opened their doors to over 700 people when tragic flooding affected the area. It’s a magical place, no doubt, and it made a gorgeous and meaningful destination for Georgia and Charlie’s wedding! The colors and style of the resort are unmatched, so for this sweet pair who drew inspiration “from how we like our lives as a couple: playful, classic, and happy,” it was a perfect fit. Their wedding was chock-full of unique, custom details that paid tribute to their story, their personalities, and even their home. Get ready to be inspired in a big way!

We’re honored that the incredibly talented Eric Kelley and Easton Events shared this day with us for V9!

Right after we got engaged, we realized that The Greenbrier in West Virginia was the natural choice. Both of us grew up going there with our families, and it seemed to be the perfect fit. I have always had preppy, colorful taste, and having the wedding at a resort designed by one of my favorite designers, Dorothy Draper, was beyond ideal.

Tell us about finding your wedding dress. What was your favorite thing about it? Finding my dress was such a fun bridal experience. I was flying to NYC to attend my MOH’s dress fitting (I was also her MOH!), and she surprised me by setting up different appointments for me to look for my dress while there. My best friend from high school lives in NYC, so she got to be there as well!

What was Southern about your wedding? Being from Ohio, not many people know of or have house parties. I went to SMU, so this is something I loved and it was a great way to incorporate all of my close friends.

Our wedding flowers were our absolute favorite! Our heraldry designed for the wedding pictured watercolor blues and greens with accents of lemons and pink peonies. Beehive Events totally understood our wedding aesthetic and blew us away during the mock-up. We loved the way they were natural with greenery, yet tailored, to still allow for a refined preppy vibe. My bouquet was all whites, creams, and subtle greens. It consisted of garden roses, peonies, white veronica, tuberose, and hydrangea with accented apple mint.

How did you prepare for marriage while planning your wedding? We had such a fun time wedding planning and really used it as an excuse to spend more time together! We traveled to Manhattan for our wedding trousseau and wedding day attire, and made our visits to the Greenbrier mini vacations, which made the wedding experience that much more festive.

The Chapel was so special and we loved the brightness it exudes. Since we love greenery, Beehive built a beautiful arch that was so full–it created what felt like a capsule around us during the ceremony, which made the entire experience very memorable. Two of the members of my house party were readers and read Song of Solomon 2:10-13; 8:6-7 and 1 Corinthians 12:31-13.

Were there any family traditions you included in the ceremony? My bouquet was wrapped with my mother and grandmother’s pearls. My grandmother has passed away, so this made my bridal bouquet so special.
Did you try anything new or nontraditional? We chose Bob Marley as our recessional music. We also had a gospel choir outside the chapel to lead guests from the chapel to the cocktail hour while singing “Love On Top” by Beyoncé.

Did you have a cocktail hour? If so, what was it like? Our cocktail hour was on a patio overlooking our tent down below. The cocktail hour featured our signature drinks, jalapeno margaritas and Old Fashioneds. An elaborate French/Italian cheese display served as both an appetizer and a major design element. Other passed appetizers included candied bacon, Jamaican jerk tarts, truffle meatballs, and lobster rolls.

Lemons and ginger jars were heavily used, inspired by some of our favorite decor elements at home. Silk ribbons were incorporated into all of our paper products, which tied everything from the programs to pashminas together.

What was the design inspiration for your wedding? Why was this design special to you as a couple? Watercolor blues were always something we knew we wanted to incorporate. We are a big blue and white couple, so mixing that with luxe, lush greenery was a priority. Our design inspiration came from how we like our lives as a couple: playful, classic, and happy.

What kind of food did you serve at your reception? We had a seated dinner with custom menus that served as place cards for guests, made by Happy Menocal. We had a roasted beet goat cheese ice amuse bouche, avocado crab and shrimp citrus salad, and a duo of surf and turf with filet and lobster tail.

Our cake had a classic feel with greenery, but was displayed on a whimsical swing. We had two flavors: confetti milk cake with streusel crumbles and a chocolate sponge cake with Chambord jam and Guanaja crunch. Part of our late-night food was a build-your-own-s’mores bar to highlight one of our favorite desserts.

Caleb sent along an Instagram video as well as the highlights film.

How did the two of you meet? Tell us your story. We knew each other in high school. I went to the private girls’ school in Bexley and he went to the public high school. We never dated until after college when we both moved back to Columbus, Ohio and reconnected through mutual friends.
Describe the proposal: From Charlie: I told Georgia that we would be going on a trip the day before we left. I told her to pack and that we would be leaving the next morning. It wasn’t until we were at the airport that I told her where we were going: Napa, California. We landed in San Francisco and toured around a little before driving to our hotel. We checked in and then went to a winery, where I had a photographer waiting who captured the entire proposal on camera.
How many guests attended your wedding? 200
Bride’s favorite detail of the wedding: Lemon trees that held the calligraphed escort cards on silk ribbon for the guests to cut off!
Groom’s favorite detail of the wedding: I think the custom Stubbs and Wooten shoes that I wore were a great addition. I was skeptical before I got them, but I think it was a unique detail.
What was the design inspiration for your reception? Southern Weddings Magazine provided such good inspiration throughout the wedding planning process! I also looked to Architecture Digest and interior design to source colors and images for inspiration. Ralph Lauren had such great inspirational images when it came to our white and blue look.
Tell us a bit about your first dance. We chose “Unforgettable” by Nat King Cole. Both of us remember our parents listening to this song when we were growing up.
Did you try anything new or nontraditional? Wanting to focus on the celebration of the reception and to keep the party going, we omitted speeches on the actual day and focused on them the night before at the rehearsal dinner. This way, it really was party time after the ceremony!
Tell us about your grand exit. Freshly shaved dried coconut was wrapped beautifully in tied paper cones for people to toss. We exited the tent and headed straight to the casino for the after-party! The exit was one of our favorite memories.
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you looking forward to in the future? We are looking forward to settling into our new lives together in Columbus. We have great friends and family and are excited to start a family.
What advice would you give to someone currently planning his or her wedding? Wedding planning can be such a great adventure. The wedding is only one day, so we loved treating the whole planning process as events leading up to the big day. Whether it is picking your bridal stationery or going to register, make sure to enjoy it–it doesn’t hurt to wear white every time!

Photographer: Eric Kelley | Videographer: East West Productions | Planner and Designer: Taz Greer of Easton Events | Venue, Catering, and Desserts: The Greenbrier | Florals and Rentals: Beehive Events | Bride’s Gown and Veil: Monique Lhuillier | Bride’s Shoes: Aquazzura | Bride’s Bracelet: Cartier Love Bracelet | Bride’s Earrings: Paloma Picasso by Tiffany and Co. | Bridesmaid Dresses: LR227 in Carolina Blue by Lela Rose | Hair Stylist: Damon Givens | Makeup Artist: Seda Leth | Groom’s Jacket: Ralph Lauren Purple Label | Groom’s Shoes: Stubbs and Wooten | Groomsmen Tuxedos: The Black Tux | Paper Goods: Happy Menocal and Rock Paper Scissors | Linens: La Tavola Linen | Favors: A Signature Welcome | Tenting and Lighting: Skyline Tent Company

lisa Written with love by Lisa
2 Comments
  1. avatar Emma reply

    Those paper goods are speaking to my soul =D Also, I love the idea of shaved coconut! Biodegradable, confetti-like, and fragrant to boot! What a creative concept.

  2. avatar 5 Southern Wedding Traditions Any Couple Can Incorporate – Plan My Wedding – Inspiration & Real Weddings reply

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