Google+ floral ceremony arch Archives - Southern Weddings

Southern Weddings

Tag: floral ceremony arch

I don’t know about y’all, but my Instagram feed was full of beaches and lakes this weekend! As if that wasn’t enough to get me extra excited for my own first beach trip of the summer in a few weeks, today’s wedding is a Southern coastal wedding dream come true. Inspired by their mutual love for the water and Robert’s childhood summers at the Carolina Yacht Club, Lara Beth and Robert were married at one of their favorite places. I love how they added just a few sweet, personal details to their already-beautiful venue–with views like this, it certainly didn’t need much!

Thanks so much to Britt Croft for sharing this pretty wedding with us!

Describe your wedding flowers. I got extremely lucky when I found my wedding planner, Teresa Gausman. Not only is she a talented event planner, she is also an amazing florist. My bouquet was an assortment of ivory and blush pink peonies, roses, and hydrangeas. Teresa cleverly hung beautiful pink rose balls from manzanita branches for some of the centerpieces, along with assorted arrangements of hydrangeas, roses, and tulips. She did a fantastic job!

We both love the water and wanted to get married near the beach. Robert spent many summers at the Carolina Yacht Club as a child, and the location was perfect for us. It definitely had the romantic, casual atmosphere that we were looking for.

Did you have something borrowed, blue, old, and new? If so, do tell! For my something borrowed, I borrowed earrings from my dear friend Emily. They were beautiful and she had also worn them on her wedding day. For something blue, I had the wedding date and my new initials, LBM, sewn into the inside of my dress with blue ribbon. I had lace from my mother’s wedding dress wrapped around my bouquet for something old. My wedding dress was my something new.

Our favorite detail was the nautical theme that was carried throughout the wedding. The beachfront yacht club set the tone, and we chose soft, coastal colors for the wedding party attire and ceremony/reception decor. The invitations and ceremony programs had a simple anchor placed at the top of them. We also had cups made with our names and an anchor printed on them in seafoam green.

What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? Our reception menu was very Southern. The main course for dinner was fried chicken and waffles, macaroni and cheese, collard greens, deviled eggs, and succotash. These items are always crowd pleasers at Southern weddings, and sure enough, no one left hungry!

What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? After the reception, guests lined the walkway of the yacht club and wished us farewell with a sea of colorful streamers. I remember the love and excitement that I felt knowing that all of our closest friends and family members were gathered together for us. With a bottle of champagne in hand and a full heart, we left on Robert’s boat. It truly was a happy day!

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. We both went to UNC Wilmington for college and met there through mutual friends. We started dating after college, while I was living in Charleston, SC, and dated long distance until I moved to Wilmington a little over a year later.
Tell us all about the proposal! Robert proposed on his grandfather’s pier at Lake Waccamaw, NC. His grandfather plants thousands of flowers on the pier every year and it is absolutely beautiful! Other family members have gotten married and engaged in that very spot. It is such a special place!
When did y’all get married? April 12, 2014
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 275
Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. A string quartet played the prelude, processional, and recessional at the ceremony. We kept the music traditional (Canon in D, Trumpet Voluntary, Ode to Joy). Our first dance was to Van Morrison “Crazy Love” because we both love Van Morrison and we wanted a song that was upbeat and easy to dance to.
Describe your wedding cake or dessert. We had a four-tiered cake with blush pink and ivory flowers arranged in bunches on top of the cake and between the tiers. There were alternating layers of strawberry and almond pound cake with a cream cheese filling and buttercream icing. It was delicious!
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? Our biggest challenge was that our wedding was held on the same weekend as a very popular festival in Wilmington. Hotels fill up quickly for this weekend, so we reserved several blocks of rooms almost immediately after setting the date. We did not want guests to have to travel in heavy traffic from the ceremony to the reception, so we decided to have everything at the yacht club. The ceremony was held on the lower deck and the chairs were quickly removed during the cocktail hour to make space for guests during the reception. The yacht club staff and Teresa’s team worked magic to make it happen.
What was one way you saved money or cut costs at your wedding? We reused flowers from the bridesmaid luncheon and rehearsal dinner at the wedding. This was a huge money saver!
What is the one detail or vendor that you were so happy to have as a part of your wedding? Working with my wedding planner, Teresa Gausman, was one of my favorite parts of wedding planning. She had ideas galore and was a dream to work with. She is one of the most creative people I have ever met, and because of her, the yacht club looked stunning!
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? For me, wedding planning went by super quickly. My advice would be to enjoy every minute with your significant other and savor being engaged!
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you most looking forward to about married life? At some point, we would like to start a family, but for now, we are enjoying this time as newlyweds. We are the best of friends and we grow closer every day.

Photographer: Britt Croft / Planner and Florist: Teresa Gausman of Premiere Events / Venue: Carolina Yacht Club / Cake Baker: Imaginary Cakes / Caterer: Pine Valley Market / Rentals: Party Suppliers / Lighting: High Performance Lighting / Band: The Phase Band / Bride’s Gown: Mori Lee / Paper Products: The Fisherman’s Wife and Kamin & Associates, Inc / Hair and Makeup: Bangz Salon and Day Spa / Bride’s Shoes: Kate Spade / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Allure / Men’s Attire: Tommy Hilfiger

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

    So gorgeous! I love their flower-decked altar and those gorgeous white petal linens on the porch!

  2. avatar Kat reply

    so soft & romantic! I love the white textured linens & the touches of minty-blue & blush!

  3. avatar Fantastic Wedding Altars | crazyforus reply

    […] Southern Weddings […]

  4. avatar Svadba v štýle Tiffany & Co. » Perfect Day reply

    […] 123 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 […]

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!

Reply to:
close

If there’s one thing we love almost as much as Southern weddings around here, it’s Southern food. Elizabeth and Eric’s love story began with a date over “heavenly” macaroni and cheese, and with a start that delicious, is it any surprise that we’re enjoying their wedding today? Their formal Tennessee wedding was full of the dreamiest pink roses, Memphis-inspired food and drinks, and some lovely hot pink details–I’m loving Elizabeth’s Kate Spade heels and bright manicure, especially!

Thanks to Annabella Charles for sharing Elizabeth and Eric’s wedding with us!

We met in May of 2010 when I worked at Southwest Tennessee Community College. One morning, at an employee meeting, I was telling one of my co-workers that there were no good guys out there and I was ready to call it quits on dating. He mentioned that he had a friend that would be the “perfect guy” for me and that we should talk. After we had talked about him for a while, I asked him to have his friend call me. A few days later, I received a call from Eric, and we instantly connected in our first conversation. We agreed to meet a few days later, where we got to know each other and bonded over some heavenly macaroni and cheese. It was love at first sight!!

Isn’t Elizabeth’s bouquet lovely? The texture is so unique, and I love the little succulents peeking out.

Did you decide to do a “first look”? Why or why not? We decided to do a first look prior to the wedding to have an intimate moment to ourselves.
Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line? Yes. My favorite part of our vows was how much we meant to one another.

If you’re a fan of pink roses, you’re going to LOVE Elizabeth and Eric’s romantic reception!

What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? My husband’s specialty drink was simply Southern: bourbon and coke. We named it the Old Southern on our drink menus and served all of our drinks with striped paper straws. The invitations were classic and elegant. We had them printed on gold luxe, shiny paper and had a laser die-cut machine make intricate, swirled designs on every envelope and invitation. Getting married in Memphis, we definitely had to include some pulled pork barbecue. We dressed them up with a mango barbecue sauce and Asian slaw to give everyone a taste of our Hawaiian proposal and our Memphis roots.

Tell us all about the proposal! What better place to get engaged than in Hawaii! On our first full day in Honolulu, we were going to brunch at the Kahala Resort with Eric’s family, when he decided to show me around the hotel. He took me around the dolphin pool and along the beach, when we came upon a peninsula on the edge of the property. He took me out to the end to show me the ocean and the famous Diamond Head Crater. We were talking about how beautiful it was when he started to tell me how much he loved me. He got through three words before I started bawling, because I knew what was happening. After he finished his speech, he got down on his knee and presented me with the ring. We couldn’t have asked for a more perfect occasion for one of the most special moments of our lives!
When did y’all get married? September 8, 2012
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 300
Describe your wedding cake or dessert. It was a five-tiered cake decorated with white pearls and pink sugar flowers. My favorite cake flavors are in the citrus family, so we had white cake with alternating lemon and orange layers. It was divine! The groom’s cake was fashioned after a stack of antique books with an open cigar box on top. Since my husband’s grandfather smoked cigars and we had a master cigar roller at our wedding, it was a perfect match, and a great way to honor his grandfather’s memory. We also wanted people to have some dessert options other than our cakes, so we had mini churros, sfogliatelle (Italian cream puff) and mini cannolis.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? Time! It seemed like we always had to meet with vendors and pick out every little detail. All of that was extremely time consuming and, with both of us working, we had to plan everything far in advance to make our meetings work. Many times, we had to meet over our lunch breaks or had to ask to meet after work. But, we got past it and were able to put together an amazing wedding despite those constraints.
What is the one detail or vendor that you were so happy to have as a part of your wedding? Honestly, I think we had a dream team of vendors. Everyone worked together perfectly and the wedding was flawless!
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? Everyone crying during the vows.
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you most looking forward to about married life? I can’t wait to start our life together by decorating our new home. There’s a lot of work to do, but it will be fun doing everything together and making our house a home. It will be nice to share everything with one another and have my best friend with me all the time.

Photographer: Annabella Charles / Videographer: Creation Studios / Planner: Social Butterflies / Ceremony and Reception Venue: The Dixon Gallery and Gardens / Florist, Lighting and Special Details: Garden District / Wedding Cake: Oh My Ganache Bakery / Caterer: Ziparos Catering / Rentals: Mahaffey Tent and Party Rentals / Band: Memphis Soul Revue / Paper Products: Natalie Chang / Hair Stylist and Makeup Artist: Ronald McKnight / Bride’s Shoes: Kate Spade / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Bella Bridesmaid / Groom’s Tux: Custom made / Groomsmen Attire: Jos. A Bank / Cigars: Wrapture Cigars / String Quartet: Beth Luscombe String Quartet

lisa Written with love by Lisa
8 Comments
  1. avatar Emily reply

    Love their mini meals!!

  2. avatar 5 Jewelry Tips from Jewelers Mutual » The Bridal Detective reply

    […] (Image via Southern Weddings Magazine) […]

  3. avatar Montesi Wedding » Annabella Charles reply

    […] Their wedding was also featured on Southern Weddings […]

  4. avatar Montesi wedding part two » Annabella Charles reply

    […] Their lovely wedding was also featured on Southern Weddings […]

  5. avatar Legends | Audrey Hepburn | HarperHadley reply

    […] Kristin Newman Designs | Jose Villa | Southern Weddings | Legends by Ramona Keveza Style L509 | Ruffled | SMP | Emmaline Bride […]

  6. avatar BethAnn reply

    Oh my goodness, where is that ring from!? I am so inlove with it..

  7. avatar 18 Unique Photos and Ideas for Engagement Rings – Style Motivation reply

    […] southernweddings.com […]

  8. avatar 18 Distinctive Pictures and Concepts for Engagement Rings | play1.me reply

    […] southernweddings.com […]

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!

Reply to:
close

Sophie + Brian’s Kentucky wedding is especially appropriate for us to feature today since it’s Derby Week! Even more fun is the fact that S + B actually met in the show jumping circuit as junior riders. Though they weren’t snug as a bug at first, sparks eventually flew and the horse industry led them down South to Kentucky! For Sophie + Brian, their wedding was a way for them to showcase the food, landscape, hospitality and history of the area that they fell in love with. That sounds like the perfect way to honor your life together and start a marriage, doesn’t it?

We’re dolling out hugs to Honey Heart Photography for sharing this lovely day with us!

Tell us about finding your wedding dress. 
It was a slightly disastrous and stressful, actually. I had wanted to go to New York City for dress shopping with friends but my schedule made that challenging. I tried a few bridal shops here in Florida. One was particularly nice but had a small selection. I went in a few times to peruse with friends. When my mother was in town, we went back in and purchased two dresses. But as soon as I bought the dresses, I knew they were wrong and wanted to exchange them. I couldn’t sleep all night and called the next morning to find out the return policy was store credit only! Long story short, I returned those dresses, and after a lot of stress and a few sleepless nights, found two fun, beautiful dresses for the wedding. The first was an off-white sweetheart strapless dress with a draped sunburst bodice. The second was a Reem Acra Ready to Wear I had seen in store in black that I had them make in white for me. It was more of a romantic party dress and less of a princess ball gown to enjoy the evening festivities in.

Oh! The light in the next two shots is so dreamy! High fives Honey Heart Photography!

We did a twist on traditional vows, but did not each write our own piece. We were too shy for that! Instead, we spent time creating fun-loving words that related to our love and our relationship ” I, Sophie, choose you, Brian, as my best friend and the love of my life. I choose you to embark upon this great journey of marriage with me. You are my soulmate, my companion and my confidant.  I take you today to be my husband my teammate and my true love now and forever.  I love you.”

We had two readings and a Wedding Blessing at the ceremony. The first reading, “Love” by Roy Croft was read by my sister-in-law, Irene. The second reading ,”To Love is Not to Possess” by James Kavanaugh was read by my husband’s aunt Bettina. The officiant also read an anonymous wedding blessing that we loved. It read, “May the love you both feel for each today, grow and deepen as each day passes. May you know what it is to be a couple, and yet remain the individuals that brought the other to you. May your days together bring you great joys and much laughter. When sadness arrives, as at times it will, may the bond that you share and the promise you make to each other be enough to pull you through. Above all, may you always be friends; true friends. The kind of friends who are honest, and faithful, and loyal. Such friends can share lifetimes.”

What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding?
 Neither my husband nor I are actually Southern (though maybe he would disagree because he was born in Aiken, SC). We had moved to Lexington from the Northeast the year before the wedding and fell in love with the area. We wanted the wedding to include all the things we loved about Lexington: the landscape, the natural beauty, the hospitality, the history and the cuisine.

Describe your wedding flowers.
 The wedding was mostly all white and cream tones, with natural accents, woods, metals, and greenery. The flowers were a reflection of that.
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: I loved the simple ambiance and décor, but of course, the photo booth was a little bit of extra fun.

The wedding cake was the easiest decision we made during the entire planning process. We knew we wanted a simple white butter cream style cake, and we went to a few local bakeries trying cake and flavors. Martine’s Pastries was the clear winner. We both loved white cake and pistachio cake so we did half and half with simple butter cream fill. That was easy! We also had a Valentine’s ice cream bar and hot Spaulding’s donuts (both are local Lexington shops).

How did the two of you meet? Tell us your story. 
We both competed on the show jumping circuit as junior riders. We even had the same trainer for a period. We always knew each other but were never close. Brian was a bit older and we had different friends. Then, one year he seemed to take quite an interest in me, and we began to spend more and more time together. I guess the rest is history.
In what month did you get married? 
September
How many guests attended your wedding? 170
Did you decide to do a “first look”? Yes, we decided on a “first look.” We are pretty low-key and chose to do the majority of the photographs prior to the wedding. The pre-ceremony lighting was beautiful. It was the perfect opportunity to get good shots. Post ceremony, we were mostly done with pictures and could get right to the fun stuff. We do not consider ourselves very traditional anyway so that decision was an easy one.
Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding. We had a string trio for our ceremony. The prelude was “Such Great Heights,” by The Postal Service. The processional was “Caribbean Blue” by Enya. The bridal processional was to “Here Comes the Sun,” by The Beatles and the recessional was to “Viva La Vida” by Coldplay. Our first dance song was “By Your Side” by Sade.
What is the one thing you are most happy you splurged on?
 Our band “Jesse’s Girls’ from Atlanta and the hair team from Marie Robinson Salon in New York City.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day?
 To be honest, it’s all kind of a blur now! But just being relaxed and enjoying the whole day while it was happening was memorable.
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding?
 Don’t over-think it or stress too much in all the planning and the details. Its just one day in your life. Enjoy it!

nicoleyang Written with love by Nicole
15 Comments
  1. avatar Lauren reply

    I absolutely love her hair. What a beautiful couple!

  2. avatar Kylie reply

    Gorgeous wedding! Love the tent over the pool!

  3. avatar Ken Tan reply

    Beautiful photographs! Loving the venue!

  4. avatar jane reply

    Is there anyway I can get a hold of the bride from this wedding? Would love to know where she found a swiss dot table cloth.

    Thanks,
    Jane

  5. avatar Late Summer Vineyard Wedding Inspiration Board | bridebook reply

    […] Table Setting 7. Centerpieces 8. Ceremony Arch 9. Bridal party 10. Cheese and […]

  6. avatar Themes | Inspiration Board: Caramel Garden reply

    […] / 4. Caramel Naked Cake / 5. Tea Mason Jar / 6. Apple Cider / 7. Caramel Pear / 8. Caramel Apples / 9. Garden Arch / 10. Rustic Table Setting / 11. Honey […]

  7. avatar Best of 2013: Menswear – Southern Weddings Magazine reply

    […] navy suit | Sophie + Brian | Honey Heart […]

  8. avatar Lauren reply

    Hi! Love the suits — where did they come from?

  9. avatar Cassidy reply

    Who makes the swiss dot linen! It is so perfect!

  10. avatar Jasmine reply

    I can’t seem to find the name of this venue! Does anyone know where this is?

  11. avatar janelle reply

    please tell me where this stunning venue is!!!

  12. avatar Obsesión de la Semana {Barriles} | …Algo Azul reply

    […] {via Southern Weddings} […]

  13. avatar Allie reply

    In love with the table numbers. Any idea where I can get them?

  14. avatar Kylee reply

    Wondering where this venue is in Lexington?

  15. avatar Brooke Paris reply

    Do you know where that swiss dot table cloth is from? I have been looking for one everywhere!

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!

Reply to:
close
Top