Google+ formal wedding Archives - Page 3 of 5 - Southern Weddings

Southern Weddings

Tag: formal wedding

In our interview, we ask our sweet couples what makes their wedding Southern, and today’s answer may be one of my favorites! There’s the monogram cummerbunds (!!), gorgeous all-white florals from James Farmer, Catherine’s classic lace stunner and TJ‘s white dinner jacket, but I’d have to agree with Catherine that the most Southern aspect was the Piedmont Driving Club! Of course, it’s a lovely location, but the coolest part is that the press party for the premiere of Gone With the Wind was held in the same ballroom! Um, what?! GWTW is an absolute staple in any Southern girl’s movie collection!

Big thanks to Kate Belle for sharing such a fab day!

What made you choose your ceremony and reception venues? Did they have any special significance to you? Both the ceremony and the reception were held at the Piedmont Driving Club, where I had grown up, and where TJ and I are both members. In our opinion, it is the most beautiful venue in Atlanta for a formal occasion.

Susan and Campbell at Joan Pillow pulled a new arrival for me to try on prior to my appointment. It was the second dress I tried on, and was only made more beautiful when I had the opportunity to meet with the designer behind Ulla Maija, Charles Bunstein II, who personally designed a custom overlay top and helped with the fitting and styling.

Now that’s a true Southern crew of groomsmen! Great choice on the white dinner jacket, TJ!

TJ insisted on wearing a white dinner jacket (even in January), which I suppose is quite Southern of him. Doyle Johnson of A.D. Mathis in Gainesville, GA tailored a custom jacket for him and it was very sharp. They even used a swatch of my dress as a reference to make sure it would be a perfect match. The most Southern thing about the wedding, however, was the venue. The Piedmont Driving Club was founded in 1887 and the beautiful original architecture in the main clubhouse and ballroom are extremely special and significant. The press party for the premiere of the movie “Gone With the Wind” was held in the same ballroom which was designed by Hentz, Reid, and Adler.

Our designers at James Farmer Designs transformed the Piedmont Driving Club into a dreamy winter wonderland. The ceremony site in the courtyard was simply breathtaking! Large, white temple jars were full of greenery, flowers and winter branches, and hurricane globes were filled with white hydrangeas, lime green cymbidium orchids, roses, and amaryllis. The white aisle runner was lined with a fresh asparagus fern garland down the length of the tent. The bridesmaids all carried bouquets of mixed roses and hydrangea, and my bouquet was all white David Austin roses. At the reception were trees in large planter boxes anchored at each column. The tables were adorned with low arrangements of creamy garden roses, white hydrangeas, and seeded eucalyptus in silver mint julep cups (a staple of the South!).

Our favorite detail of the wedding was: The trees! James Farmer and team knew exactly what I wanted, even though I did not know how to articulate it. I simply told them that I wanted the ballroom to look different. Trees lined the columns in the ballroom, and the up-lighting created the most beautiful look and feel to the room. The ballroom was transformed, and even my dad noticed and was pleased!

Describe your wedding cake or dessert. I do not like cake, but my mother insisted that TJ deserved a cake. The pastry chef at the Driving Club did a beautiful job, and James Farmer knew just where to place it and how to style it. While I never had a bite of our wedding cake, the picture of the cake cutting is one of my favorites, so thank you to my mom and James for insisting that we have one!

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. We both attended the University of Georgia. We had lots of mutual friends in college and were in the same circles, but never dated. In 2012, we were both invited to the wedding of our good friends here in Atlanta. Our dear mutual friend insisted that we go together, so TJ called to ask if I would like to join him. We had a great time and became each others’ go-to wedding dates until two years later when we attended our own!
Tell us all about the proposal! TJ had a full day planned for us on a Saturday in February 2013, which I believe was set to begin around 9:30 a.m. His plan was ruined when I got up to leave my apartment at 8 a.m. to go to yoga. Instead of missing his opportunity, TJ rushed in and proposed in my living room around 8:15. Everyone’s next question is if I went to yoga, and no, I did not! We had a great day filled with lots of champagne toasts with friends and a surprise dinner party with both of our families that evening!
When did y’all get married? January 11, 2014
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 375
Did you decide to do a “first look”? Why or why not? We did not. Having daylight pictures was not worth breaking tradition for us.
Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. Since the wedding ceremony did not take place in a church, we wanted a traditional string quartet to play. It was simple and elegant, which was exactly what we wanted.
What is the one detail or vendor that you were so happy to have as a part of your wedding? James Farmer and Debbie Felker really assembled a dream team for this wedding, and TJ, my mother, and I will be forever grateful! No stone was left unturned and it could not have gone more smoothly or been more beautiful.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? Looking down over the ballroom from the balcony of the bridal suite before we were announced. It was absolutely spectacular. TJ and I could not believe that it was actually for us!
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? Hire a great wedding planner! :)
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you most looking forward to about married life? TJ and I are adjusting well to married life. We have settled into our new home in Atlanta and are somewhat back to normal after the wonderful whirlwind of the wedding! TJ is back to working on building his business and I am enjoying my job in development at Skyland Trail. Aside from wishing we were still on the beach in Turks and Caicos, everything is great!

Photographer: Kate Belle Photography / Planner: Debbie Felker, Special Arrangements / Venue, Catering, and Cake: Piedmont Driving Club / Florist and Event Designer: James Farmer, Inc. / Rentals and Lighting: Tent’s Unlimited / Band: Adrian Duke Project / Bride’s Gown and Veil: Ulla Maija / Paper Products: Crane and Co. from Paces Papers / Hair Stylist: Tucker Fascula / Makeup Artist: Tara Young / Bride’s Shoes: Manolo Blahnik / Bridesmaid Dress Salon: Bella Bridesmaids

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

    Those trees are amazing–what a breathtaking venue!

  2. avatar Occasions In Print reply

    Really a beautiful wedding! Love her dress and the bridesmaid dresses. The venue add so much elegance!

  3. avatar Sneak Peek | Rose & Anton's Wedding – Vermont Wedding and Event Planner | VT Enchanted Events Wedding Planning reply

    […] James Farmer […]

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

Oh y’all, it feels good to be back “home” here on Southern Weddings! Some of you may have heard that my handsome BDK and I welcomed our first bow-wearing little lady into our lives in January. While she surprised us early, I’m so thankful for the sweet SW ladies for covering for me while I spent some time with EKK (and for all your kind wishes and prayers!).

While I could refill your glass of sweet tea a bucket of times telling stories of her adorable sneezes and hilarious faces, we have a beautiful wedding to gush over! One of my favorite things about Alex and Eric’s big day is the simplicity of the colors. Classic white florals absolutely captured the romance of winter (one of Alex’s goals!), yet feel so warm and welcoming paired with layers of stacked candles. As for Ms. Alex in her grandmother’s vintage fur stole–stunning! Be sure to read about her something old/new too–it’s a good one!

Big thanks to one of our darling Blue Ribbon Vendor members, Loft Photographie for sharing this beauty with us!

My something borrowed was my grandmother’s fur stole. My mom gave me one diamond earring (the matching earring was lost) that my dad purchased for her when she was 30. She had a new one made to match the old, so the earrings served as my old and new.

Did you decide to do a “first look”? Why or why not? We decided to do a first look after talking to our photographers and friends and family. It calmed me down so that I was able to take in the rest of the day after seeing Eric, and the pictures turned out great.

What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? The most memorable moment was walking down the aisle to meet Eric. He couldn’t hold back the tears, and I had such joy and excitement to meet him at the end.
What readings, if any, did you have at your ceremony? One of Eric’s childhood friends is a pastor and officiated the ceremony. It was very important to us that the heart of Christ be represented in the ceremony message, and he did a great job speaking to the covenant of marriage.

Having our wedding in Austin, Texas was a no-brainer. We have a lot of family that lives there, and it’s our favorite city in Texas. We fell in love with the chapel because it has an intimate feel, and the pavilion at Barton Creek Resort provided the rustic elegance that we wanted. It was also nice to have our guests stay at the resort, because we got to spend time with them the entire weekend.

Our favorite detail of the wedding was: The handcrafted wood details and the sweetheart table! From the seating chart, to the entrance signs, to the wood centerpieces and more, Sweet Sunday Events went above and beyond to produce beautiful pieces that added such a unique element to our wedding.

What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? The food! Eric and I love to eat, and we both grew up on the finest Southern cuisine prepared by our mothers and grandmothers. We served fried chicken and waffles, shrimp and grits, collard greens, biscuits and gravy, and macaroni and cheese. It was a hit! My cake was red velvet with cream cheese frosting, which is my absolute favorite. Eric went to Texas A&M and is a diehard Aggie, so I surprised him with an A&M-themed groom’s cake. He still talks about it to this day!

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. Eric is from a small town in West Texas, and naturally, everyone in that neck of the woods knows each other. One of my best friends grew up with Eric, and she introduced us after college in Dallas, Texas. I thought Eric was cute, but I was dating someone else at the time. About six months later, I was single, and Eric asked me out on our first date. I remember admiring his strength, kindness, and faith. We dated for about three years, and the rest is history.
Tell us all about the proposal! I grew up in Louisiana, and Eric decided he wanted to take a trip to see my large extended family. While we were there, he asked to see the church where I was baptized. I really didn’t think anything of it. We walked in to the dimly lit church, and Eric got down on one knee in front of the altar and asked me to marry him. It was such a joyful moment! He made sure all of our family was at the house when we got back, and we had a big catfish fry to celebrate, Louisiana-style!
When did y’all get married? December 7, 2013
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 150
Tell us about finding your wedding dress. My wedding dress was simple and classic. It was the third one I tried on. I fell in love with Jim Hjelm’s lace a long time ago, and knew my dress was the one as soon as I tried it on.
Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. A friend of ours, who is also the worship leader at our church, sang two songs at our ceremony. He sang “In Christ Alone” and “How He Loves.”
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? The biggest challenge was staying within the budget. It was easy for me to keep adding here and there, but everything added up very quickly. It helped to start carrying my spreadsheet in my purse!
If you are comfortable responding, what range did your wedding budget fall into? $25,000-$50,000
What is the one detail or vendor that you were so happy to have as a part of your wedding? How can I pick? Sweet Sunday Events made my wedding dreams come true–Katy and Rachel listened to my discombobulated ideas and made sense out of it all. Loft Photographie made me feel comfortable and were a joy to work with. Jason at Elixir Entertainment captured our wedding perfectly. His video creations are like no other. He takes time to tell your story, and creates something everyone will enjoy watching.
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? It is easy to get wrapped up in all the details and to-dos and lose sight of what the wedding is all about. Enjoy the planning (it’s so much fun!), but remember that most importantly, you are planning for this beautiful new season in your life.
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you most looking forward to about married life? We are excited for the growth that comes through marriage. We cannot wait to see how God uses us and shapes us. We are looking forward to living together, sleeping in on the weekends, serving, having kids, traveling, and soaking up the moments together.

Photographer: Loft Photographie / Videographer: Elixir Entertainment / Planner: Anna Leeker at Barton Creek Resort / Ceremony Venue: Smith Family Chapel / Reception Venue: Pavillion at Barton Creek Resort / Florist and Special Details: Sweet Sunday Events /Cake Baker and Caterer: Barton Creek Resort / Rentals: Loot Vintage Rentals / Band: Royal Dukes Band / Bride’s Gown: Jim Hjlem / Paper Products: Stationary Bakery / Hair Stylist and Makeup Artist: Angie Williams / Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Dessy / Men’s Attire: Men’s Wearhouse

Loft Photographie is a delightful member of our Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory!

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

    The white and wood details are so pretty together! Love their sweet first dance photo too :)

  2. avatar Friday 5: The Top Hotel Weddings of the Week – My Hotel Wedding reply

    […] […]

  3. avatar Sunday Brunch Wedding | Burnett’s Boards – Wedding Inspiration reply

    […] Flowers // pancake cake from Style Me Pretty, photographed by Matthew Land // welcome sign from Southern Weddings, photographed by Loft Photographie, designed by Sweet Sunday […]

  4. avatar Enchanting rustic outdoor wedding | Rustic Folk Weddings reply

    […] on Green Wedding Shoes captured by Taylor Lord Photography// rustic wooden wedding sign seen on Southern Weddings captured by Loft Photographie// brown wedding shoes seen on Style Me Pretty captured by Raya […]

  5. avatar Send Your Photos! | Woodland Albums | Fine Art Made Simple reply

    […] Merry Invites // Rustic Wooden Wedding Sign: Southern Weddings via Loft Photographie // Bouquet: Chelsea LaVere of Bit of Ivory Photography // Woodland […]

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

Jill and Donald have one of the most darling meet-cutes I’ve ever heard. Their love story started in middle school when Donald boldly dared Jill to kiss him–and she did! Many years later, these junior high sweethearts said “I do” in a pretty white chapel, and then celebrated in a reception that was chock-full of Southern traditions, from a second line to a cake pull to a bleedin’ armadillo groom’s cake. We’re smitten with every detail that our Blue Ribbon Vendor, Sapphire Events, pulled together!

Thank you so much to 509 Photo for sharing this lovely wedding with us!

We met at the end of summer at a school event when Donald was going into 7th grade and I was going into 8th. Everyone called him Scooter, so I had recalled hearing about him in conversations. We crossed paths on the stairwell, surrounded by friends, when he stopped and said, “Hey, I’m Scooter.” I remember confidently stating, “I know who you are,” even though I didn’t really. He talked to me and the rest of the 8th grade cheerleaders for awhile, and when I started to walk away, he yelled, “I dare you to kiss me!” I whipped back around and sassily said, “You dared the wrong girl!” I leaned in, thinking he would be so shocked or scared or embarrassed, he would run off, but he didn’t! Our lips locked, and it began a long-standing crush, many years of dating, three dogs, a house, and a move to NYC. We were married in front of some of the same friends that saw our very first kiss!

Tell us about finding your wedding dress. I knew I wanted to capture both the sweet and sassy sides of me, and no one dress was going to do that! I tried on fitted dresses, ball gowns, and A-lines, and loved them all. After talking to my dear friend, Katerina, she said she would make me something! She sent me a sketch of the most beautiful drawing, and I immediately fell in love with the illustration, the concept, and the entire look. She made me a removable overlay of lace appliqués, so I still got my sassy mermaid look for post-ceremony!

What readings, if any, did you have at your ceremony? 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 and “Union” by Robert Fulghulm
Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring” by Bach (processional), “Canon in D” by Pachelbel (bridal processional), and “Hornpipe” from Water Music by Handel (recessional).

What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? The second line!! We laughed and danced and kissed and really took in the moment. Best 0.6 miles I’ve ever walked.

Louisiana has a special place in my heart. I lived there as a baby, it’s where my mother was raised, and my grandparents, uncles, aunts, and cousins all live there. My great-grandmother lived in Metarie and I spent lots of time with her and family there on holidays and during summers growing up. When Donald and I were deciding where we wanted to get married, we both agreed that New Orleans was perfect, since we wanted our wedding to be the best celebration ever. The church was simply beautiful and rich in history, and was not too far from where we wanted to have the reception. The reception venue was magical, and it overlooked two very special features: the Jax Brewery sign, which is our lab’s name, and the Mississippi River. Scooter’s daddy passed away when Scooter was 12, and he was from Mississippi. When we first visited the venue and saw the view of the river, I got chills thinking about how perfect of a tribute it was to a special person who is no longer with us.

We loved our wedding cake! It had a black and white fondant design, topped with sugar magnolias. The cake had alternating tiers of chocolate and White Russian cake with delicious buttercream filling. The groom’s cake was red velvet with gray icing in the shape of an armadillo. It was even delicious the next morning when we hacked into it for one last bite!

What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? We had magnolias on the pews down the aisle and on the wedding cake. When I had asked Donald if he wanted a groom’s cake, he said no at first, but then quickly changed his mind, adding, “Get me a bleeding armadillo groom’s cake…for shock and awe!” So I did! Some of our New York guests unfamiliar with Steel Magnolias actually thought it was a New York City rat!! My four sweet flower girls carried arrangements filled with cotton, a nod to my grandmother, whose daddy owned and operated a cotton farm that is still in our family. We wanted the reception to feel like Mardi Gras! There were boas, beads, and booze flowing throughout the night. We even had a caricature artist to add a Jackson Square art feel.

Tell us all about the proposal! For weeks, I had been tanning, primping, and getting “pageant-ready” for this proposal. I knew it was coming, and the anticipation was killing me!! I even slept in makeup on occasion and NEVER went out without a full head of Big Texas hair. After several dinners out, weekly tans, and precise attention to grooming details, in true Scooter form, he asked me at our apartment, during our favorite time of day (morning coffee time), when I had no makeup on AND wet hair! Unknowingly, he was recording as I danced around and squealed…not at all how I imagined my reaction to the proposal. The video footage is remarkable, hilarious, sweet, and so me!
When did y’all get married? June 1, 2013
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 150
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: The wedding favors. We stuffed clear bags with Spanish moss, mini Tabascos, chocolate alligators made my by wonderful mother, and a recipe of my grandaddy’s mini pralines; it was personal touches of New Orleans charm and love from my Louisiana family that made the favors so special to me.
Did you have something borrowed, blue, old, and new? If so, do tell! Yes, I was covered in sentimentality! My mother let me wear her sapphire and diamond ring on my right hand for the night. My paternal grandmother sent a blue brooch that I pinned on the inside of my wedding skirt, which was an extra special gift since the trip was too far for her to take. My dear friend Katerina let me borrow diamond drop earrings. My maternal grandmother loaned me a lace handkerchief that was my great-great-grandmother’s.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? Long-distance planning. We flew to New Orleans for a weekend and chose our wedding cake, food for the reception, band, wedding planner, and florist within 48 hours. We just had to trust it would all turn out like we imagined, and it was perfect!
If you are comfortable responding, what range did your wedding budget fall into? $25,000-$50,000
What is the one detail or vendor that you were so happy to have as a part of your wedding? Our 509 photo team was incredible. They captured the images of me and my husband and our friends and family perfectly. Every time I go back to the pictures or our wedding album, I feel as if I am reliving the day!
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? Research! I spent many hours watching wedding video clips for ideas, and I was big into reading blogs and reviews.
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you most looking forward to about married life? Continuing on with our adventure, traveling, and at some point, having some babies.

Photographer: Caleb Chancey of 509 Photo / Videographer: 509 Photo / Planner: Valerie Gernhauser of Sapphire Events / Ceremony Venue: St. Marks United Methodist Church /Reception Venue: Galvez Restaurant / Florist: Eric Fredricks of Bee’s Wedding and Event Designs / Cake Baker: Flour Power / Rentals: Perrier Party Rentals / Band: Chicken on the Bone Band / Bride’s Gown: Romona Keveza with custom overlay by Katerina Kaplanis at Pronovias / Paper Products: Wedding Paper Divas / Bride’s Shoes and Veil: Pronovias NYC / Hair Stylist and Makeup Artist: Kiss and Make Up / Maid of Honor Dress: Monique Lhuillier / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Jim Hjelm / Groom’s Attire: Sebastien Grey Clothiers NYC / Groomsmen Attire: Men’s Wearhouse / Brass Band: Storyville Stompers / Programs, Reception Menus, Table Numbers, and Place Cards: Michelle Sasser / Rolls Royce Rental and Shuttles: Capital City Trolleys

Sapphire Events is a delightful member of our Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory!

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

    Jill’s gown is perfection – and I love how happy these two look throughout their wedding day!

  2. avatar Amanda {Planning It All} reply

    Her gown is stunning – I really like the lace overlay!

  3. avatar Southern Weddings Weekly Round-Up – Southern Weddings Magazine reply

    […] only thing more romantic than Katie and Mark‘s wedding (above) was their sweet love story. Jill and Donald‘s wedding was chic and elegant, with the perfect amount of New Orleans flair. We […]

  4. avatar Victoria reply

    What a fun and beautiful wedding!

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