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You’ve seen behind-the-scenes, now let’s take a look at the finished story! KT Merry captured the full (very full) day as it unfolded, and we’re so pleased to share her beautiful photos with y’all…

MaeMae Paperie created this intricate invitation suite. I love all the patterns!

The story of this editorial was this: A bride who grew up on a dairy farm and returned with her beau for an intimate family wedding in the field. Mamas and grandmas and little nieces helped prepare all of the food, including shucking corn and baking classic Southern cakes. We wanted to capture some of these preparatory moments in the shoot, too!

She asked her sisters and cousins to be her bridesmaids, and they all wore yellow and white dresses of their choosing.

She carried a hand-tied bouquet of yellow and white blooms (expertly created with a casual look by Serendipity Designs).

They got married on the steps of her hometown chapel, and the ceremony was performed by her childhood pastor.

Family members adjourned to the farm to celebrate at a long communal table long into the evening. Instead of a traditional guest book, they penned encouragement next to favorite verses in the family Bible. A pass-down monogram runner (lovingly embroidered by the Merriweather Council) awaited Beau and Charlotte’s married letters.

Nuage Designs created these beautiful pleated linens from scratch — they’re amazing!

We mixed and matched vintage china from Replacements, then wrapped a thin band of corn stalk around each napkin for a pop of green.

The most delicious savories by Fearrington Village were enjoyed by all (this is one faux reception where everyone ate!).

I loved our sweet kids’ table — just push together two hay bales, throw a baby quilt over the top, and pull up two Ikea child-sized chairs! We added a mason jar centerpiece for extra pretty.

A classic Southern cake buffet rounded out the evening, complete with lemon pound cake, caramel, hummingbird, red velvet, and coconut.

I would love to know: What’s your favorite part of this shoot? For me, I think it’s the giant American flag behind the cake buffet!

Photographer: KT Merry | Photographer: KT Merry | Film Processing: Richard Photo Lab | Videographer: Twenty-One Films | Floral Design: Serendipity Designs | Bouquet Ribbon: Pressed Cotton | Hair and Makeup: Makeup For Your Day | Bride’s Gown: Alvina Valenta, Style 9358 | Bride’s Veil: Jule’s Veils | Bridesmaid Dresses: Modcloth | Yellow Little Girl’s Dress: Belles and Bugs | White Little Girl’s Dress: Sorella Designs | Aprons: Stitch Thru Time | Casserole Dishes: Bloomingdale’s | Men’s Shirts: Lands’ End | Groom’s Suspenders: No Slip Suspenders | Floral Bow Tie: Voila! Press | Paper: MaeMae Paperie | Calligraphy: MM Ink | Food and Cakes: Fearrington Village | Ceremony Venue: Martha’s Chapel | Reception Venue: Maple View Farm | Table, Napkin, and Bench Rental: Classic Party Rentals Raleigh | Vintage Tables: Mason Dixon Collection | Table Linen and Bench Cushions: Nuage Designs | Vintage China: Replacements, Ltd. | Eyelet Runners: El Ritmo Retro | Kids’ Table Quilt: Keri Quilts | Embroidered Runner: The Merriweather Council | Garland: A&M Growers | Guitar Flowers: Afloral.com Inc. | Cake Stand: Smash Cake & Co. | Cake Stand: The TomKat Studio | Yellow Tubs: Pressed Cotton | Vintage Ribbon: Hyman Hendler

KT Merry, Makeup For Your Day, and Twenty-One Films are delightful members of our Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory!

emily Written with love by Emily
19 Comments
  1. avatar Caitlyn | The Aerialist Press reply

    Oh my goodness, too. cute. And the cow! Love him!

  2. avatar Faith reply

    SO much pretty!!!! Love it! :)

  3. avatar Lisa reply

    I’m still in love with the yellow gingham shirts and the family monogrammed table runner, though looking back at these pictures, I’d be lying if I said the beautiful and delicious food wasn’t a favorite of mine!

  4. avatar Corinna Hoffman reply

    Love the the elegant southern theme & colors.

  5. avatar Jadzia reply

    Those pleated table linens are amazing! Love everything else as well!

  6. avatar Abby reply

    This is stunning! One of my favorite shoots you all have done! Love the wreath on the cow and the suspendered groom! Great job ladies!

  7. avatar Alana reply

    Oh my goodness! Yay! The love story is just as beautiful as all the gorgeous photos! So grateful and honored to have been a part of this amazing shoot!!!

  8. avatar Jordan reply

    I love this shoot!! I wish my wedding had looked like this. Beautiful job!!!

  9. avatar Kelly D reply

    Oooh ooh! My favorite detail in this shoot is definitely the corn stalks-turned-bellybands on the place settings! What a novel (and striking) idea!!!

  10. avatar MaeMae Paperie | Best Wedding Blog – Wedding Fashion & Inspiration | Grey Likes Weddings reply

    […] of their recent suites was used in the “Sweet Corn Sweethearts” feature in Southern Weddings‘ sixth issue. Photos by KT […]

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  13. avatar Kristyn reply

    Where is that chapel located?? Love it!

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  15. avatar taylor joseph reply

    Hi, I would love a print out of the picture of the corn field (below the cow on the side of the flag rock). Is there any way I can order an 8×10 from you so that it is not in low resolution!?

  16. avatar lovestru.ck loves {29} | Omaha, Kansas City Wedding Planner – Lovestruck Events reply

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I spent a large part of my childhood in Virginia, and to this day, I love going back to visit. Everything about Virginia makes me feel so peaceful, and just looking at Stephanie and John’s wedding pictures, I get a little twinge of that same feeling. After weeks of rain, this sweet couple was blessed with a gorgeous summer day, perfect for the romantic, outdoor wedding day Stephanie had always dreamed of. They filled the day with meaningful traditions and rustic Southern details–my favorite of which is that big red barn!

Thank you to Lucy of Lucy O Photo for sharing Stephanie and John’s wedding with us!

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. I met John in college and from the start, I knew we had something special. His all-American charm is just one characteristic I fell in love with during our first years together, so it is fitting that we are now building our life together in Alexandria, Virginia, right outside of Washington, D.C. We spent a few years doing long-distance because John graduated a year before me and moved back to the D.C. area. I continued school in Texas, then took a job offer in Boston right after graduation. After some time searching, I was lucky to find a job in Baltimore, which finally put John and I in the same area. From that moment on, I knew we were meant for each other after all of the distance that kept us apart, and we fell more deeply in love while finally being in the same city.

It was a regular weekday night and John and I took our dog, Henry, for a walk. John mentioned a new route to this beautiful park I had never been to before and off we went. John suggested we take Henry to a spot in the park away from the public to play fetch, and after I threw the first stick for Henry, I turned around to find John on one knee! Henry hurried back to us as I excitedly said yes! It was the perfect moment because John knew I did not want anything elaborate–it was just our little family together in a beautiful Virginia park! Simple, but amazingly romantic!

Did you decide to do a “first look”? Why or why not? We did not do a first look, as I wanted our “first look” to be when I walked down the aisle. Although we did not get married in a church, I wanted some of the traditional elements incorporated into our day.
What readings, if any, did you have at your ceremony? First Corinthians

As a little girl, I always dreamed I would be married outside, where the landscape would be a picturesque backdrop to my fairytale love story. And my dream came true! The details were simple, elegant, and personal, exactly as I envisioned. Everything from the rustic doors used on the tables, to the hand-stained crates and the mason jars, to the burlap, chalkboards, and koozies were labors of love that helped us make our vision a reality. After many weeks of rain before the big day, the sun shined down on our wedding day and it turned out to be more amazing than we had ever dreamed!

What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? The Southern details included the farm venue, the burlap table runners and programs, the rustic farm decor (such as the wine barrels used for our altar pieces), the mason jar vases, the chalkboards used to display messages for guests, the custom-made koozie favors, the pies as dessert instead of a traditional wedding cake, the bar stocked with local Virginia beer and wine, the wild flower arrangements, and our dog’s seersucker bow tie collar and matching leash.

Instead of a traditional wedding cake, we wanted to go the route of pies. Pies are a Southern summer dessert that fit our venue well. There were nine pies filled with a variety of summer fruit flavors with different crust designs on top. John and I cut an apple pie because that is our favorite flavor.

When did y’all get married? 6/22/13
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 90
Tell us about finding your wedding dress. Picking my wedding dress was like finding John. I knew it was the one from the moment I laid eyes on it–in a magazine! I found a local bridal boutique that carried the dress, and once I tried it on, everything was solidified. It had the simple elegance I was looking for and was as perfect as I had imagined!
Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. I had dreamed of walking down the aisle to Canon in D since I was a little girl, so I did just that. For the recessional, I wanted to use something romantic, but also upbeat and sweet, such as Israel Kamakawiwo’ole’s rendition of “Somewhere Over The Rainbow.” Our first dance song was chosen because John introduced me to Van Morrison when we first met. He thought the song “Crazy Love” was fitting for our long-distance relationship and the passion we felt for each other.
Describe your wedding flowers. Our wedding flowers were designed to be wild flower-esque using mason jars, small bud vases, and galvanized buckets to arrange them. We used a combination of peonies, hydrangeas, ranunculus, hypericum berries, Queen Anne’s lace, and a variety of roses, all in the color scheme of pink, coral, and white. They turned out perfectly and ended up being one of my favorite details!
Did you have something borrowed, blue, old, and new? If so, do tell! My something borrowed and old was my mom’s diamond tennis bracelet, my something blue was my mom’s sapphire and diamond bracelet, and my something new was my earrings.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? The biggest challenge I overcame while planning our wedding was balancing all of the suggestions and input from family and friends. I appreciated the help that was offered, but it did become difficult to manage all of the opinions. I had a certain vision in mind, so I had to delicately pass on some of the suggestions.
If you are comfortable responding, what range did your wedding budget fall into? $10,000-$25,000
What is the one detail or vendor that you were so happy to have as a part of your wedding? The venue, The Inn at Westwood Farm, is owned by a couple (Jay and Elizabeth) who went above and beyond their duties as the venue owners. As part of our wedding package, the Inn sleeps ten people and is reserved for the wedding Friday through Sunday. Also included in our wedding package were the tent, dance floor, lighting, tables, chairs, and linen rentals, so I did not have to go to separate vendors for these items. It was a huge life saver! On top of the wedding planning assistance, Jay and Elizabeth made every element during our wedding weekend intimate and special in unique ways, such as fresh flowers matching our color scheme throughout the inn and rooms, a bottle of local Virginia wine for each inn guest, champagne and chocolates for John and I, specific drinks on site for my family (who stayed at the Inn), and an engraved silver bottle opener as a wedding gift. I highly recommend this venue for all brides in Virginia! It will not disappoint!
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? The most memorable moment about our wedding, besides saying our vows, was taking a step back after the ceremony concluded and realizing everything I dreamed had come together in the most perfect way.
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? Don’t lose sight of what the wedding is all about: you and your soon-to-be husband! Sometimes, the planning can become stressful, but never forget the end goal: marrying the man of your dreams!
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you most looking forward to about married life? Relaxation! The planning process was quite a whirlwind and now we are ready to settle into a normal routine and enjoy our time together. High on our list is traveling to places neither of us have been to before and creating new memories!

lisa Written with love by Lisa
9 Comments
  1. avatar Lucy Taylor reply

    YAY! Stephanie and John were such an amazing couple to work with— thank you so much for featuring their wedding ladies! What a day it was!! :) :)

  2. avatar Emily reply

    SO many beautiful portraits! And I love her bow and bouquet!

  3. avatar Stephanie and John featured on Southern Weddings! – Lucy O Photo Blog reply

    […] day! Stephanie and John’s lovely summer wedding at the Inn at Westwood Farm is featured on Southern Weddings today! Go give them some […]

  4. avatar Elizabeth reply

    These photos are beautiful! I wish I could get married all over again just so Lucy O Photo could shoot my wedding.

  5. avatar Inn at Westwood Farm reply

    It was such a pleasure working with Stephanie and John throughout the entire wedding process. It was truly a wonderful wedding and Lucy captured the day perfectly! We look forward to Stephanie and John returning to Westwood! Elizabeth and Jay

  6. avatar Emily O’Connor reply

    What a beautiful way to celebrate a marriage! The stunning photos have not only captured the beauty of John & Stephanie’s wedding day, but somehow communicate their joy too! Beautiful!

  7. avatar laurel reply

    What a beautiful wedding!! Such wonderful photos – really captured the sweetness of the day!

  8. avatar Caitrie Kulick reply

    Oh my gosh, these photos are soo soo beautiful! Let’s see more, Lucy O!!! Love them.

  9. avatar Deirdre Goulard reply

    The photography captivated the moment so well. And loved the southern decor! It’s so much fun seeing wedding with the old fashion red barn.

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Our “Definition of a Southern Gentleman” feature from V5 has a special place in our hearts. Yes, because Ginny Au, Stephen DeVries and company put together a gorgeous cast of characters with a hearty love story, but also because it helps remind us of what we love about our own Southern gents. You know them, gals, they love their mamas and their dogs, can change a tire while donning a bow tie, and are full of heart.

If you haven’t had the chance yet, pick up a copy of V5 (or get it online here) to read Marissa’s introduction to this feature. We love how she perfectly described what a true Southern gent is, marked by his sweet-as-sugar Southern soul.

How beautiful is this invitation suite from Holly Hollon? I love the mixture of pretty calligraphy with rustic details, like that impressive equestrian envelope liner.

We love the way this bride looks — not too perfect hair, a gorgeous bouquet in her hands, and completely at ease.

Wardrobe Stylist Megan LaRussa of Southern Femme took a different spin on the traditional bridal party attire. Their casual outfits are perfect for a laid back open field wedding in the fall and a fun change from the traditional dresses we usually see.

This is how I imagine any Southern gent would like to spend the hours before he says “I do,” relaxing with his best friends over good food and drink. We love the idea of fresh-shucked oysters (from a recent fishing trip, perhaps?).

Oh, how I love this table! The chalkboard menu propped against its side and the simple springs of herbs at each setting makes the meal a beautiful presentation. Plus, do you spy what I spy? Little piggy place card holders! You know that detail wins me over!

This is kind of how I envision my own wedding — a group of friends gathered to celebrate over delicious food and conversation.

Look at these tots! I think Marissa was the first to say that V5 is full of the cutest kiddos ever.

nicoleyang Written with love by Nicole
16 Comments
  1. avatar Reggie Campbell reply

    Awesome work Stephen… everything looks spot on dude!

  2. avatar Rachel reply

    Ehem…hello hot chef sighting! Oh and the photography and styling are superb, too.

  3. avatar Rose {Rose and Ruby Paper Co.} reply

    Absolutely gorgeous!!
    x

  4. avatar Alexa Johnson reply

    Love, love, love! All of it, but especially the gorgeous flowers and Holly’s awesome calligraphy.

  5. avatar Love List – Something Pretty reply

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  7. avatar Amber Johnson reply

    Love!

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