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Our friend Jacin, who styled the V9 shoot we did last week, is a little bit infamous for her homemade jam (do y’all remember this V6 shoot? She was the mastermind behind it!), and when she sent us home from Atlanta with jars of her first strawberry jam of the season, I was instantly reminded of our Berry Bliss editorial. Strawberries always feel like the most celebratory kickoff to the abundant spring and summer bounty ahead, and revisiting these cheery images has me ready to pencil in a picking date!

Pick up a copy of V6 to see more from this shoot by Katie Stoops!

Photography: Katie Stoops / Film Processing: Richard Photo Lab / Venue: Oakley Farm / Bride’s Gown: “Guindon” by Hayley Paige / Bridesmaid Dresses: LulaKate / Bride’s Shoes: Nina / Pearl Bracelet: Fornash available at Swell Caroline / Earrings: Swell Caroline / Bracelet: Loren Hope / Bride’s Sunhat: Zappos / Hair and Makeup: Makeup For YourDay / Rentals: CE Rentals / Benches: Classic Party Rentals Raleigh / Strawberry Fields Tablecloth: House8810 / Plates: Anthropologie / Dessert Plates: Replacements / Dog’s Bow: High Cotton Ties / Florist: Watered Garden / Bouquet Wrap: Fairstore / Pots: Jamali Garden / Paper Goods: Cheree Berry / Cake: Ashley Cakes / Cake Stand: Sarah’s Stands / Mini Strawberry Desserts: Little Sugarbakers

lisa Written with love by Lisa
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Brandy and Adam tried to keep things professional after meeting at work during a very quick business trip for Adam, but the two simply knew that their connection meant something more! After 52(!) flights between the two or them in just nine months, they said their vows at the beautiful Peachtree House at a wedding that was uniquely them. Passing on floral decor, Brandy and Adam worked with their planner, Lori Ritzie-Wardman, to incorporate over 100 ivory and metallic pumpkins into their celebration. The couple also included Adam’s favorite sweet treat, pecan pie, into their fabulous dessert bar created by our Blue Ribbon Vendor Two Sweets Bake Shop. While the pecan might be Adam’s favorite, I’m eyeing those mini pumpkin pies with perfect-sized dollops of whipped cream!

We’re so glad our Blue Ribbon Vendor Jordan Weiland was on hand to capture this lovely day!

Tell us about finding your wedding dress. I went with friends and family to several appointments, and although I tried on many beautiful dresses, none felt like “the one.” I actually found my dress at Calvet Couture during a lunch break by myself! It was really nice to have found it alone because it was truly a surprise to everyone else on the big day.

I chose something different and walked down the aisle to an instrumental version of Beyonce’s “Halo.” It’s really pretty. For our walk back up the aisle, we had “You Are the Best Thing” by Ray LaMontagne played.

Our favorite detail of the wedding was: Rather than flowers on the tables, we had ivory pumpkins and lanterns. Actually, the ivory pumpkins were everywhere throughout the property, thanks to Lori Ritzie-Wardman! Lori was our wedding coordinator and she made my vision a reality. The pumpkins were wonderfully different and the market lighting made everything feel magical.

We got married and had the reception at The Peachtree House because it is an absolutely gorgeous Florida estate home. Ashlie Darley at The Peachtree House is an amazing hostess and very accommodating. She went out of her way to make our day special!

We had a fabulously delicious dessert bar. Two Sweets did a knock-out job styling the bar and making everything so yummy. We had pies, cupcakes, dessert shooters, cookies, and more. It was a great way to have something for everyone and it was very pretty.

What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? Well, we served pecan pie, Adam’s favorite. Also, where else can you have an outdoor wedding in November?

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. Everything happened so quickly! Adam flew down from Tennessee to Florida for a one-day business trip and walked into my office on a Thursday in February. We had an immediate connection and did our best to keep it professional, but by the end of the day, we knew better, and he asked me to visit him sometime. Adam returned to Florida to “see if our connection was real” that weekend–needless to say, it was. By the time we married (nine months later in November), there had been 52 flights between us!
Tell us all about the proposal! After only four magical months, we went on our first big vacation together. I thought being able to go to Maui together was amazing enough, and then he surprised me with a sunset proposal!
When did y’all get married? November 15, 2014
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 100
Did you decide to do a first look? Why or why not? Yes. I thought it would take some pressure off of us and I wanted to take photos before the wedding so that we could focus on our celebration after the ceremony.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? Finding 100+ pumpkins at a reasonable price!
If you are comfortable responding, what range did your wedding budget fall into? $10,000-$25,000
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? Hire Jordan Weiland if you can! She is an amazingly talented photographer, and we were fortunate enough to have her capture our wedding. A great photographer is a must! Also, hire Lori Ritzie-Wardman. An organized, calming, and knowledgeable wedding coordinator is another must!
What’s next for you as a couple? What memories are you looking forward to making together? We are still getting to know each other and every day is an adventure!

Photographer: Jordan Weiland / Planner: Lora Ritzie-Wardman / Venue: Peachtree House / Florist: Lee Forrest / Dessert Baker:Two Sweets Bakeshop / Caterer: Big City Catering / Rentals: Orlando Wedding and Party Rentals / Lighting: Get Lit Productions / DJ: Adam Rubman / Paper Products: Minted / Bride’s Gown: “Willow” by Hayley Paige / Bridal Salon: Calvet Couture / Hair Stylist: Danielle Watkins / Makeup Artist: Lena Graham / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: “Annabelle” by Jenny Yoo / Menswear: BLACK by Vera Wang / Men’s Ties and Bow Ties: Absolutely Fitting

Two Sweets Bakeshop is a delightful member of our Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory!

marissa Written with love by Marissa
4 Comments
  1. avatar Stephanie reply

    LOVE her dress! Beautiful photos Jordan. Congratulations!!!

  2. avatar Friday Fresh Squeeze #213 – Floridian Social reply

    […] feelin' the architecture and natural beauty surrounding the Peachtree House near historic Winter […]

  3. avatar DJ Orlando FL reply

    Really enjoyed viewing your photos especially the bridesmaids with bouquets and the great candid shots. Gorgeous shots

  4. avatar Paola reply

    Lovely pictures!! How do we get in contact with this venue

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I’m married to my own college sweetheart, so I always love reading about couples who share a similar courtship. Of course, since we all know how deeply college allegiances run in the South, I can’t help but adore Lauren and Casey’s nod to not only their alma mater, but also to their relationship, at their wedding! The Jefferson is a beautiful hotel, and I especially love that these two had both their very first dance and their first dance as husband and wife in the same ballroom there. Lauren said, “we felt it would be very special and fitting to our relationship to get married on campus, where our relationship not only began, but has also grown.” So sweet!

Thanks to Whitebox Photo for sharing such a sentimental day with us!

Aren’t these little gals the cutest?!

Tell us about finding your wedding dress. Finding the dress was one of my favorite parts of wedding planning! One long weekend, my parents, sister, and I went dress shopping in Miami. At first, we all had very different opinions on what the dress should look like, but in the end, when I tried on my dress, we all knew it was the one. It had a lace bodice with a full tulle skirt and lace detailing at the bottom. For the church, Chic Parisien made me a custom lace bolero, which I removed for the reception. My favorite part of my look was the cathedral-length veil with lace detailing around the edge.

Did you decide to do a “first look”? Why or why not? We did not do a “first look.” We wanted to stay traditional on this and have the first time we saw each other to be when I walked down the aisle, so we planned for a longer gap between our ceremony and cocktail hour. This gave us plenty of time to get all the photos we wanted! In the meantime, the guests enjoyed champagne on a scenic shuttle ride down Monument Avenue on their way to the reception site, and had a few minutes to freshen up before the cocktail hour.

Did you write your own vows? No, we opted for traditional vows. We both agreed we did not want the added stress of reading personal vows in public on our wedding day, and we wanted to stay relaxed.
What readings, if any, did you have at your ceremony? We had a traditional Christian ceremony with two readings. My aunt read Colossians 3:12-17, and Casey’s aunt read 1 Corinthians 13:4-13.
Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. While the parents’ and bridal party’s entrances were traditional wedding songs, I really wanted my entrance song to be different. I spent forever trying to find the right one. The church has a beautiful organ, which we wanted to use, but I also wanted to incorporate a cello. I finally found “Song for Sienna” by Brian Crain, which could be played as a duet by the organist and cellist. It was perfect! It has a 30-second introduction by the organ, and when the deep cello started to play, the doors opened, and I walked down the aisle. Our first dance was Lady Antebellum’s “When You Got A Good Thing.” We have always loved that song and we were so happy that our band, The Boomers, learned it for us.

The University of Richmond is very special to Casey and me. Not only did we meet on campus, but we were also both athletes there and feel a strong sense of school pride. Since we still live five minutes away from campus, we support the Spiders at many home games, go for jogs around campus, and are able to take part in many alumni events. We felt it would be very special and fitting to our relationship to get married on campus where our relationship not only began, but has also grown. Our reception site, The Jefferson Hotel, is an iconic Richmond hotel that has very special meaning to us. Since our first dance at Ring Dance, we have frequently visited the Jefferson for happy hour, dinner, and brunch. It’s the only place we wanted to have our reception!

Describe your wedding cake. I wanted the wedding cake to be a central decor item at our reception. The cake plate was placed on a sparkly gold linen behind our sweetheart table with large flower arrangements on either side. Behind it, French doors opened to overlook the Jefferson’s grand staircase. It was magical! The cake had a simple design with alternating layers of ruffles and sparkly gold detailing. It was so beautiful that I didn’t really want to cut it, but good thing we did, because it was delicious!

What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? From the iconic Jefferson Hotel to my lace-detailed dress to the song selections played by our band, our wedding had many Southern touches, but to us, the South is all about hospitality. We wanted our guests to feel welcomed and taken care of. When they arrived, our DIY, Virginia-themed welcome bags, complete with Virginia peanuts, Route 11 chips, Hardywood Singel, and more were waiting for them. The night before our wedding, we hosted a dessert and cocktail reception at the Boathouse, which overlooks the James River, so everyone could get to know each other. After the ceremony, guests enjoyed champagne on the shuttle back to the hotel. And our main goal, of course, was to make sure our guests left very well fed. Our cocktail hour featured seasonal, local ingredients, and of course, a couple of Southern classics, including shrimp and grits in mason jars. Our guests enjoyed a plated dinner and our dessert bar featured pecan pies, among many other desserts, which guests could enjoy at the reception or take to-go.

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. We met junior year of college at the University of Richmond. Casey and his teammates were having a party, which my teammates and I went to. Casey and I bonded over being the only two Southerners and the only ones who wanted to listen to country music. A couple of weeks later, we attended “Ring Dance” together, which is a school tradition where junior women are escorted down the grand staircase at the Jefferson Hotel by their fathers and receive their class rings, followed by a dinner and dancing reception. I invited Casey and we shared our first dance together at the Jefferson Hotel. It was so special to later share our first dance as a married couple in the same place.
Tell us all about the proposal! Casey, who can never keep a secret, somehow managed to plan an elaborate engagement with the help of our close family and friends. They completely transformed my backyard with candles, twinkle lights, pictures, champagne, cake, wedding magazines, and our love story. We were so blessed to have both our parents and close friends surrounding us for this special moment, and the next day, we all went out for brunch to celebrate!
When did y’all get married? April 12, 2014
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 125
Describe your wedding flowers. Vibrant! Given that our main wedding colors were black and gold, I really wanted the flowers to pop and make a statement. I prefer garden-style arrangements that incorporate a lot of greenery along with the flowers. They turned out beautifully and really helped transform the ballroom and church. Our florist, Rick, was fantastic!
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: Both of our favorite details were food-related. Casey says his favorite was the dessert table with Sugar Shack donuts and pecan pies! Mine was the fusion of Cuban and Southern touches at the cocktail hour. The Cuban sandwiches and shrimp and grits in mason jars were delicious and very “us!”
Did you have something borrowed, blue, old, and new? If so, do tell! I borrowed my hairpiece–my sister (matron of honor) had worn it on her wedding day, and it was so beautiful and made such a statement that I was so thankful when she offered to let me wear it. My maid of honor gave me a blue garter with a pearl pendant to wear on my wedding day. My something old was my great-grandmother’s hand-stitched handkerchief that was pinned to the inside lining of my dress. A lot could fit into the something new category, but my favorite was the pair of David Yurman pearl earrings my parents gave to me the night before my wedding. They were simple, but breathtaking, and went perfectly with my dress.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? Our biggest challenge was planning our wedding far away from our families and trying to make sure that everyone’s wants and needs were fulfilled. Sometimes, this meant taking longer to make decisions.
What was one way you saved money or cut costs at your wedding? A big money saver was having our ceremony floral arrangements reused at the reception venue. Our pew clusters were hung on the sconces around the ballroom and the two large arrangements at the church were placed on either side of our wedding cake at the main entrance.
What is the one detail or vendor that you were so happy to have as a part of your wedding? Our wedding would not have been the same without our wedding planner, Lindsay! She is the one who introduced us to all of our fabulous vendors and really took the time to get to know us and our vision for our wedding. Because our families live out of state, she helped us pick out all the small details, attended meetings, and sat down with us on some of the most stressful planning days. She became more than just a wedding planner–we definitely consider her a great friend.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? That would have to be when the preacher accidentally showed up 45 minutes late for our ceremony. Once I knew it wasn’t Casey who had gone missing, I enjoyed the extra time with a bridal portrait session. It is something we will joke about forever, and it all worked out when the preacher made a great recovery in his sermon.
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? First, hire a wedding planner. On your big day, you want to be stress-free, relaxed, and confident that someone is behind the scenes making sure every detail is as it should be. Second, relax on your big day and soak up as much of it as you can. It’s over before you know it!
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you most looking forward to about married life? Casey and I recently adopted a dog named Harley from the Richmond SPCA, so the three of us are adjusting to our new lives together! I am finishing medical school and Casey is continuing franchise development for sweetFrog Frozen Yogurt. We are excited for all of our family adventures ahead!

Photographer: Whitebox Photo / Videographer: Ginger Topham / Planner: LK Events and Design / Ceremony Venue: Cannon Memorial Chapel / Reception Venue: The Jefferson Hotel / Florist: Rick Lunsford of Blooms at The Jefferson Hotel / Wedding Cake: Sweet Fix / Caterer: Ashton Hassan at The Jefferson Hotel / Rentals: Classic Party Rentals / Linens: La Tavola Linen / Lighting: Blue Steel Lighting Design / Band: The Boomers / Bride’s Gown: “LZ3251” by Lazaro / Bride’s Bolero and Veil: Custom by Chic Parisien / Paper Products: Paper on the Avenue and Elise DiPace / Jewelry: David Yurman / Hair Stylist: Welsy Mourino of Elle Style Studio / Makeup Artist: LaCretia (LC) Baskfield of Ave 42 Style Studio / Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: “Aidan” in Black Luxe Chiffon by Jenny Yoo / Men’s Attire: Men’s Wearhouse / Transportation: James River Transportation and Richmond Trolley Company / Calligraphy: Mary Sue Sanderlin / Save the Dates: Dear June / Eclectic and Vintage Rentals: Paisley and Jade / Custom Stamps for Invitations: Verde Studio

Whitebox Photo is a delightful member of the Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory!

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

    What a beautiful bride!! Love their sentimental venue choice–I’ve been wanting to visit the Jefferson Hotel, but now I want to attend a wedding there even more!

  2. avatar Ashton Toler Hassan reply

    Would you please be so kind as to correct, under the vendors section, Caterer to read: Ashton Hassan at The Jefferson Hotel? It would be most appreciated.

  3. avatar Kelsey reply

    This wedding is just perfection! I am in awe of the bride’s gorgeous dress and hair! Do you know where she got her hair clip? I am looking for one just like it for my wedding!

  4. avatar Kelli + Daniel Taylor Photography, LLC reply

    What a beautiful wedding. The reception tables took my breath away.

  5. avatar Lindsay Kennedy reply

    This wedding was just STUNNING! Thank you for the feature!

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!

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