Southern Weddings

While I do believe that love can grow from friendship, I am always so tickled to hear from our sweet couples with love-at-first-sight stories. Since I felt the same way about BDK that Jenna felt the first time she saw Cole, I can be a little partial, but there is just something so magical about that moment! Jenna and Cole’s love has continued to grow, and as much as I appreciate how they incorporated college football into their big day, my favorite part has to be their personal vows to each other. While Cole promised to clean up Jenna’s “tornadoes,” Jenna promised to remember that she can be wrong “occasionally.” I love that!

Big thanks to Leah Jean Photography for sharing their big day!

I borrowed the gold pendant that was placed on my bouquet from my great grandmother. My something blue was my Gator garter. I wrapped my bouquet in lace from Cole’s mother’s wedding gown and I wore my grandmother’s pearl ring for my something old. My something new was my rustic cream cowboy boots!

Tell us about finding your wedding dress. I never really put much thought into my wedding dress prior to getting engaged. However, I did know that I wanted it to be simply elegant with a little special touch. I tried on a few dresses, and honestly, I liked most of them. I ended up with the dress I chose because I fell in love with the back detail.

Describe your wedding flowers. Our dear family friends and amazing floral designers, Trish and Ashlee from Simply Roses, created the most gorgeous wedding florals for us. Since we were having a rustic chic orange and blue wedding, they created three variations of centerpieces using curly willow, burlap-wrapped bottles, and mason jars full of orange garden roses, orange star of Bethlehem, orange thistle, Gomphrena, orange ranunculus, and more.

Did you decide to do a “first look”? Why or why not? We did do a first look and it was one of the best decisions we have ever made. We really wanted to make sure we had enough time for all the photos we could possibly want, but we also did not want to miss a single moment of the cocktail party and reception. We both love to dance, so a first look was the only way to accomplish everything.

Our favorite detail of the wedding was: Our favorite detail of our wedding was the incorporation of our favorite football team, the Florida Gators, into our wedding. We had orange and blue incorporated into hand-printed cloth wedding napkins, the flowers, koozies, handmade menu cards, parting gifts, place cards, and wedding programs. The Gator fight song was also played when we were announced at the reception.

Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. I walked down the aisle to “Over the Rainbow” (the Jason Castro version), sung by the Tom Sartori Band. We walked back up the aisle to “If I Could Make a Living Out of Loving You” by Clay Walker, which we chose because it showed our roots of growing up in a small Florida town. Our first dance was to “Love Your Love the Most” by Eric Church, sung by the Tom Sartori Band. We picked this song because of the lyrics “And I love college football games…but I love your love the most.” We both are HUGE Florida Gator fans, so these lyrics were perfect for us.

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. It was love at first sight for us. We met at a mutual friends’ wedding. I saw Cole across the room and told each of my girlfriends that I was “going to marry that man!”
Tell us all about the proposal! Cole planned a weekend in one of my favorite places on earth–Highlands, North Carolina. On our first night there, Cole proposed while we were enjoying a glass of wine by the outdoor fireplace. Of course, I said yes! I thought my evening couldn’t get any better, but it did. Cole had arranged for my closet group of girlfriends, who are really more like sisters, to arrive with champagne to celebrate with us for the whole weekend. It was simply perfect!
When did y’all get married? October 13, 2012
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 225
Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line? Yes, we did. My favorite phrase from Cole’s vows was “I promise to clean up your tornadoes and to make you coffee every day.” Cole’s favorite phrases from my vows was “I promise to continue to make dinner time a priority for us and to remember that I can be wrong occasionally.”
Describe your wedding cake or dessert. We decided to have a dessert table, which included old-fashioned banana pudding served in shot glasses, key lime tartlets, chocolate cake petite squares, and a red velvet cake topper.
What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? We served shrimp and grits and sent each guest home with a bag of grits, along with a family recipe for shrimp and grits. We also served three variations of sweet tea, pulled pork on cornbread medallions, and Southern succotash at the reception.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? Blending both of our families’ ideas on what our wedding should be, while still staying true to what we wanted.
If you are comfortable responding, what range did your wedding budget fall into? $50,000-$75,000
What is the one detail or vendor that you were so happy to have as a part of your wedding? My favorite detail of our wedding was that so many of our close family and friends traveled to be part of our special day–our guests traveled from Florida, Boston, Georgia, Louisiana, and numerous other locations to celebrate with us.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? When I saw Cole on the bridge for our first look. He looked so handsome that I literally had to stop for moment and catch my breath.
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? Just breathe and try to enjoy every moment, because before you know it, your day has come and gone. And have a glass of wine when the stress becomes too much. :)
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you most looking forward to about married life? We just purchased a new home and are starting all the interior and exterior remodeling. We love projects!

Photographer: Leah Jean Photography / Day-Of Coordinator: Christine Faust Events / Venue and Catering: Timberock at Hopkins Farm / Florist: Simply Roses Florist / Cake Baker: Michal from Soby’s / Rentals: Professional Party Rentals / Band: Tom Sartori Band / Bride’s Gown: David’s Bridal / Jewelry: Bloomingdale’s / Hair Stylist: Hair by Franci / Makeup Artist: Nails by Nancy / Bridesmaid Dresses and Shoes: Their own / Men’s Attire: Jos A. Bank /

Written with love by Marissa