Southern Weddings

Emily and I were just talking the other day about how hard it is to find a single bridesmaid’s dress that looks fab on everyone. Cee Cee’s ‘maids have taken on the challenge and they all look gorgeous in their grey one-shoulder frocks! It’s the bride, however, that looks positively radiant in her glamorous dress and dotted veil. She and her mom agreed to keep the dress a secret until the big day and we love the sweet photos that resulted from the surprise! We’re giving out big hugs to KT Merry who shared Cee Cee + Chad’s wedding with us!

Isn’t this shot of Cee Cee’s gals all seeing her for the first time so sweet? That’s what friends are for :)

How did the two of you meet? Tell us your story. (From the groom) We were introduced by mutual friends when Cee Cee moved home from college. We were friends for a few years before we started dating.
Describe the proposal. Chad called me one Monday morning and told me we had a charity event to attend that Thursday evening. Thursday came, and we left for the event that I knew was taking place in a hangar at our small private airport. As part of the event, they were giving quick sunset flights over the coast and then dinner back at the airport. Chad and I boarded the plane and took off, flew out towards the beach and along the coast. As we approached our favorite beach, “Will You Marry Me” was written hugely in the sand. At first I thought how lucky the other girl was, and then turned to show Chad. As I turned around, he had my ring in his hand. I was so shocked the message was for me that I didn’t see all of our friends standing on the beach waving at us in the plane. The best part was there really wasn’t a charity event back at the airport and we were able to go celebrate with our family and friends!

In what month did you get married? February
How many guests attended your wedding? 240
Tell us about finding your wedding dress: When I was young, my mom and I agreed that when it was my time to find my wedding dress, it would be just the two of us. When the day finally came, we went to a friend’s store, Tie the Knot in Naples to just start looking. The sixth or seventh dress I tried on was absolutely perfect. My mom and I both got tears and knew it was “the one!” We decided that day to keep the dress a secret. No one had any idea what my dress looked like until I put it on for the wedding! It was so much fun and so special to share that once in a lifetime experience with just my mom.
Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding. Chad and I both knew exactly what were looking for in a husband and wife and waited patiently until we found the perfect person. “Someone Like You” by Van Morrison was the perfect wedding song for us, then.
Describe your wedding flowers: Simply elegant. I wanted lots of candle light in the reception so I went with simple tall arrangements of baby’s breath with white taper candles. For the low centerpieces we had large full arrangements with white hydrangeas a bit of soft greenery and soft pink roses.
Describe your wedding cake or dessert: Our cake was a beautiful and traditional white, five-tiered cake with a simple white flower topper. The only dessert we ever eat is cheesecake, so we decided to have a raspberry cheesecake at our wedding. It was different than the traditional wedding cake but came as a pleasant surprise to all of our guests!
What is the one thing you are most happy you splurged on? Our band, The Headliners. The most important thing to us was that our guests were comfortable and had a great time. The Headliners were amazing and kept all of our guests out on the dance floor the entire evening, regardless of age!
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? Walking down the aisle and seeing each other for the first time in church. There is simply no other feeling like it!
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? Relax, have fun, and make it your own. Be sure to enjoy the planning process because once your wedding day arrives, it will go so quickly you’ll be sad when it’s over!
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you looking forward to in the future? We are excited to continue building our careers and begin growing our family.

Photographer: KT Merry Photography // Videographer: Elite Weddings // Planner: Nancy Goldzsak // Ceremony venue: St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church // Reception Venue: Grey Oaks Country Club // Florist: Grace Lakes Florist // Wedding Cake or Dessert Baker: Mikkelsen’s Bakery // Lighting: Jack Black Productions // Paper Products: Paper Lantern // Bride’s Dress: Romona Keveza, style RK2010931 // Bride’s Shoes: Elie Tahari // Bride’s Belt: Lazaro // Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Monique Lhullier Bridesmaids style 450002 in platinum

KT Merry is a member of our fabulous Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory!

Written with love by Nicole