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There are a lot of fun things about working at Southern Weddings, so I don’t say this lightly: reading each couple’s story is one of the very best parts of our jobs. As the grand finale of our Most Memorable of 2014 series (see bridal style, bouquets, menswear, bridesmaids, moments, details, and sweets), here are some of the stories that found permanent places in our hearts this year.

Sally Ward and Patrick: “I grew up loving to climb trees, and I was especially fond of a great big magnolia tree that sat to the left of my childhood home, so I thought, how cool would it be if I picked leaves from THAT tree and made them the place cards at the wedding? I wanted every detail to hold meaning, and that house is so special–it made me so delighted to see a piece of my childhood with us on our wedding day.” (Gene Oh)

Abby and Cameron: “There were so many sweet moments I’ll never forget, like seeing Cameron tear up at the end of the aisle or the time with my immediate family the morning of the wedding. However, one of the funniest moments happened with my dad only minutes before we walked down the aisle. All of my bridesmaids had gone before me and my dad and I were waiting inside the farmhouse to go next. I stood up to peek out the window and snagged my dress on something on the floor! The whole bottom hem of my dress was hanging off. My dad looked at me to see how I was going to react and then we both just started laughing–what else can you do? He ended up cutting the hem off and we walked on out and down the aisle. We said we wouldn’t tell anyone (sorry, Dad), but it really helped me realize that not everything had to be perfect in order to have a perfect wedding day.” (Jess Barfield)

Alix and Dodd: “We met one lovely, crisp, fall evening–October 5, 2009 to be exact, at the historic Triad Theatre in New York City. We were individually invited by a mutual friend to an industry show. Dodd noticed me there, and after the show, he approached me and asked me to join the group next door. Once in the light, I immediately noticed the small red bicycle pin Dodd was wearing on his sport coat and said, “I like your pin,” to which Dodd responded, “You mean, my MOATCH.” “Your what?” “My moatch. My man brooch!” That made me laugh, and I knew that I had to talk to this guy some more. We left the group and began our first three-hour conversation at the bar, and in those moments, we knew the other was very special. Dodd took me home in a cab, 150 blocks out of his way. At my door step, he kissed me goodnight (it was absolutely the most perfect first kiss), and then took the train home. I walked calmly through my lobby and into the elevator. When when the doors shut, I threw my purse against the wall and yelled, “I’m in love!!” Thankfully, I was the sole passenger in this elevator!” (Kat Braman)

Laura and Mason: “I lost my mother to breast cancer about two and half years ago, so planning a wedding without her was definitely a challenge. She was such a talented organizer and planner! I tried to incorporate her memory into as many wedding decisions as possible. For example, I found the best picture of my mom and dad covered in birdseed as they left their own wedding reception, which made it easy for me to decide that we should have birdseed tossed during our exit as well. I was so thankful to have my incredible father, sisters, and fiancé, who all put in so many hours helping me plan!” (Paige Reaux)

Megan and Ryan: “My dad recently passed away, and he had always talked about looking forward to my wedding day. In place of a father-daughter dance, I chose eight men that knew my daddy and loved Jesus like daddy. I wrote them each a letter several weeks before the wedding, asking them to be a part of my day. In the letters, I wrote about things I remembered about them and how they influenced me while I was growing up. They all agreed, and I chose the song “I Loved Her First,” which was sung by my daddy’s favorite cousin. The men had asked if they could pray a blessing over me and Ryan, and so they laid their hands on us and prayed for us and our marriage. My daddy would’ve been so happy!” (Happy Everything Co.)

Sarah and Andy: “This past November, we went with a group on a mission trip to Argentina. By the time I returned home, we realized that being together was God’s plan for us. In January, Andy came to Charleston and we decided to marry. At our ages, we didn’t want to waste any more time apart. We set the date for March 15 and then proceeded to surprise a lot of people who had no idea we’d even been seeing each other! It was hilarious!” (Aaron and Jillian)

Blaine and Brian: “We met at the Liberty Tavern in Arlington, Virginia in the spring of 2007. It was the hip new place in Arlington, and Blaine was working as a bartender/cocktail waitress. It took me a little while, but after several chats at the bar, some casual flirting, and some help from my best friend’s wife, I worked up the guts to ask her out and she said yes. Our first ‘real’ date was at Old Ebbitt’s Grille in Washington D.C. The dress she wore on that date was woven into different fabrics at our wedding (her wedding dress, handkerchiefs for her wedding party, my suit, pocket squares for the groomsmen, the fabric flowers for each guest). It was a symbol of beginnings.” (Abby Caldwell)

lisa Written with love by Lisa
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I watched one of my all-time favorite movies, Steel Magnolias, over the weekend, and was reminded of a particularly wonderful line: “Laughing through tears is my favorite emotion.” While there is so much joy that comes with a wedding, it can also bring up some sadness, especially when a loved one can’t be there. Megan and Ryan did the most beautiful job celebrating their love and all they had to be grateful for at their wedding, while at the same time, paying touching tribute to Megan’s late father. Don’t miss Megan’s heartwarming substitute to her father-daughter dance–it brought on a few tears in the Southern Weddings office. The emotions in everyone’s faces, captured by Happy Everything Co., show so clearly how meaningful and special this day was to everyone involved!

Ryan proposed at sunset on April 27, 2013 at our favorite beach spot. He pretended to lose his ID to get me back on the beach later that day, and while searching for it, we came upon a beautiful bottle with a message in it for me! The message was a list of reasons why Ryan loved me. It was so sweet, and when I read the last reason, he got down on one knee and proposed! I had never been more excited or felt so special!

Did you decide to do a “first look”? Why or why not? We decided not to do a first look because we wanted to keep with tradition.
What readings, if any, did you have at your ceremony? Our pastor read scriptures from Hebrews 13:4, Genesis 2:18, Proverbs 2:17, and my favorite, Song of Solomon 2:10.
Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. I wanted all of the music to contribute to the intimate feel of our wedding. I love The Piano Guys, especially their version of Christina Perry’s “A Thousand Years,” so it was important to me to have a live pianist and cellist present.

Our favorite detail of the wedding was: The decor was our favorite. We mixed in lots of colors and things I loved. My mom collected most of it from yard sales and thrift stores, which was so meaningful and special. We also had family and friends help with specific projects that related to their gifts of painting or building things, etc. We tried to keep everything local, because we wanted to support the community I grew up in.

My dad recently passed away, and he had always talked about looking forward to my wedding day. In place of a father-daughter dance, I chose eight men that knew my daddy and loved Jesus like daddy. I wrote them each a letter several weeks before the wedding, asking them to be a part of my day. In the letters, I wrote about things I remembered about them and how they influenced me while I was growing up. They all agreed, and I chose the song “I Loved Her First,” which was sung by my daddy’s favorite cousin. The men had asked if they could pray a blessing over me and Ryan, and so they laid their hands on us and prayed for us and our marriage. My daddy would’ve been so happy!

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. Ryan and I were introduced through mutual friends in August 2011, and at first, we were not impressed with each other at all! Several months later, we reconnected with the help of our friends. Our official first date was in December 2011 and we have been together ever since! For a lot of our relationship, he was at Fort Rucker, AL, going to school to obtain his Apache pilot license, which has been his dream since childhood. I was working for a fashion designer in Santa Rosa Beach, FL. Ryan would come visit me on the weekends, and our relationship blossomed.
When did y’all get married? March 29, 2014
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 150
Describe your wedding flowers. We wanted the flowers to be shabby chic and vintage-inspired. We used peonies, English roses, and tulips. My bouquet also included a red rose in memory of my daddy. The bridesmaid bouquets were all white, and my bouquet was a combination of pastel pinks, peaches, and mints.
Describe your wedding cake or dessert. We had three different cakes: almond, key lime, and strawberry. I wanted a vintage look with lots of pretty textures and colors, and we used different cake stands and all different cake toppers. We also had homemade ice cream and a groom’s cake that my grandparents made. The ice cream especially was a huge hit!
Did you have something borrowed, blue, old, and new? If so, do tell! My new was my dress, my blue was my shoes, and my borrowed and old were my parents’ wedding bands, which were tied around my bouquet.
What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? Since this wedding was an “away game” for Ryan and his friends and family, our goal was to show them our Southern hospitality and our love for Jesus. Since it was chilly, we offered shawls and blankets for people to use. We also played bluegrass music during cocktail hour!
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? We planned the whole wedding from a distance. I lived in Missouri, while my mom lived in Georgia, where the wedding was held. We worked together though, and had a great time planning. I wouldn’t trade it for the world!
If you are comfortable responding, what range did your wedding budget fall into? $25,000-$50,000
What was one way you saved money or cut costs at your wedding? We bought all of the decor and details at yard sales and thrift stores to create the look we were going for.
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? Have fun with it and don’t stress over the little things. It will all come together.
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you most looking forward to about married life? We are just looking forward to being one family, and we’re excited for this next adventure in our lives!

Photographer: Happy Everything Co. / Videographer: Remedy Wedding Films / Planner: Cyndi Durham and Lindsey Watson Haynes / Venue: White Oaks Barn / Florist: Randall Adams / Wedding Cakes: Sweet Startt’s / Caterer: Du Monde’s Catering / Band: The Park Band / Bride’s Gown: Allure Bridal / Paper Products: Occasional Ink / Bride’s Earrings: BaubleBar / Hair and Makeup: The Studio at 120 / Bride’s Shoes: BHLDN / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Alfred Sung / Men’s Attire: The Tuxedo Shop

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

    such a beautiful dress!

  2. avatar Lara reply

    What a special father-daughter dance. Just beautiful.

  3. avatar Tomasz reply

    Fantastic :-)

  4. avatar Jessica reply

    Megan’s father-daughter dance was the perfect tribute to her dad. So, so touching!

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Y’all know I’m a sucker for adorable pups, so add in cameos on paper goods, and a Krispy Kreme groom’s cake — the details of Alison + Andrews make my heart sing! Beyond the sweet details, though, A + A’s “less is more” outlook on wedding planning reminds us what to focus on what is most important to us. “
Don’t lose sight in what you are planning. It’s not just a wedding, this is your marriage.”

Thanks to Happy Everything Co. for sharing this refreshing day with us!

Even though it was a lot of hard work, I loved that we did almost everything ourselves. (Obviously with a lot of help from our amazing family and friends.) My sister and I designed and printed the invitations at home, Andrew built several pieces at the wedding, inluding the dance floor, the wine bar, and the barn door cake table. The wedding programs were DIY. We wanted to make sure our wedding had our own personal touches.

Describe your wedding flowers. 
I am a sucker for hydrangeas. They remind me of my grandmother, so I knew I wanted them to be my main flower. I had white hydrangeas with brunia berries for my bouquet and blue hydrangeas with thistle for the girls. The guys had a coordinating berry for their boutonnieres.

This little guy cannot get any cuter! Suspenders AND a bow tie? Yes, please! And yes, Andrew, you look pretty dapper yourself!

Did you decide to do a “first look”? 
We did decide to do a first look. We agreed it would help take a lot of pressure off of both of us, and help relieve some stress to have a few moments alone together before the ceremony. We were both so glad we did. This also helped us get to the reception a lot quicker to celebrate with our guests.

Andrew and I decided to have mostly hymns during the ceremony. We played “Amazing Grace,” “Come Thou Fount,” “It Is Well,” and “Jesus Paid It All.” I came down the aisle to “Be Thou My Vision.” Our first dance was “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” played by an acoustic band for a little more of a soft, romantic version.

Our getaway car was also a hit. It was a 1931 Model A Ford that belongs to Andrew’s grandfather. We had hayrides to transport guests from the ceremony to the reception and served the yummiest BBQ in town to ensure our guests go home with a satisfied tummy full of Southern comfort food!

Heavens, I want to smooch this pup’s adorable face!

Andrew’s mother, Kayleen, and I baked the wedding cake! When I first found out how pricey wedding cakes can get, my first thought was, “How hard can it be to bake a wedding cake?” Andrew actually helped me bake the first practice round. In all, I think we had about three practice rounds. One was actually for one of our wedding showers! I must say it was probably one of the more fun parts of planning. The looks were far from perfect, but I like the homemade look. It went with our homemade, backyard, DIY wedding. We chose a very simple sour cream pound cake recipe with a cream cheese icing. I cannot tell you how many people told us it was the best wedding cake they have ever tasted! It tickled me to pieces! The groom’s cake was a mountain of Krispy Kreme donuts. Andrew loves the outdoors. He and his brothers and buddies always go out west at least once a year to camp and hike. He is also a huge Lego fan. Thus, we had a mountain of donuts, the Mr. & Mrs. Lego couple cake topper complete with the Moosejaw flag, and powdered sugar for “snow.”

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. 
Andrew and I met through a mutual friend at a Georgia-Florida football game. We were both seeing other people at the time, but ended up reconnecting for next year’s game. I was not able to attend the game the next year, but after getting back in touch with each other a year later, we decided we wanted to get to know each other a little more. Living about an hour apart from each other, Andrew spontaneously decided he would surprise me one Saturday to take me on our first date. With only an hour notice, I rushed to get ready and plan our first date: pizza, beer, and a Wounded Soldiers benefit concert in a horse arena.
Tell us all about the proposal! 
Andrew’s family lives on a hundred-acre farm on Lake Oconee. One of our favorite getaways has always been riding horses around the property. One early Sunday morning, he told me to be at the farm at 9am sharp for an early morning ride. We started out on our typical route, and ended up in one of our favorite pastures where we had talked about getting married. Andrew helped me off the horse, and in front of a giant oak tree, got down on one knee and asked for my hand in marriage.

When did y’all get married? 
May 18, 2013

How many friends, family, and loved ones attended your wedding? 
150

Tell us about finding your wedding dress. 
I found my dress at a sample sale at Bride Beautiful in Roswell. I had actually already purchased a dress in December, but a month before the wedding decided it just wasn’t the one. Luckily I had registered with theknot.com and they sent me an email advertising the sample sale and I jumped on it! I was so happy to have found THE dress at such short notice.

Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. Andrew and I decided to have mostly hymns during the ceremony. We played “Amazing Grace,” “Come Thou Fount,” “It Is Well,” and “Jesus Paid It All.” I came down the aisle to “Be Thou My Vision.” Our first dance was “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” played by an acoustic band for a little more of a soft, romantic version.

Did you have something borrowed, something blue, and something new? My something borrowed was my sister’s veil, my something blue were my shoes that my sister painted. My something old was the garter that my grandmother made for my mother. My sister also wore it for her wedding. My something new was my dress.

What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? 
I absolutely adored our mason jar sugar cookie favors — an idea we found in the Southern Weddings magazine! I found a picture of them in my very first wedding magazine and fell in love. My cousin made them for us, and they were such a hit!

What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? The financial aspect of planning a wedding is always difficult. Andrew and I wanted to do everything as affordable as possible. Less is more for us. However, there will always be the little expenses you don’t plan for that add up quickly. Since we did do a lot of it ourselves, time was of the essence.

What range did your wedding budget fall into? 
Less than $10,000

What is the one detail or vendor that you were so happy to have as a part of your wedding? 
Our photographer! I knew that after all was said and done, the only thing left would be our pictures. They make me giddy every time I look at them.

What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? 
I remember pretty much every detail of the whole day, but our first look stands out the most. We were both so excited to see each other!

What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? 
Don’t lose sight in what you are planning. It’s not just a wedding, this is your marriage. It is your lifelong commitment to another. Make it personal and a reflection of the two of you, but don’t get caught up in tiny details. At the end of the day, what matters most is your love and commitment to one another.

What’s next for you as a couple? What are you looking forward to in the future? 
We hope to get in as much traveling as our schedules will allow. Who knows, maybe I’ll start baking wedding cakes on the side!

Photographer: Happy Everything Co. | Videographer: Friend of bride and groom | Planner: The bride | Ceremony Venue: Private venue, groom’s family home | Reception Venue: Private venue, groom’s family home | Florist: Z. Grant | Wedding Cake: The bride | Caterer: Georgia Butts BBQ | Rentals: Lake Oconee Rental | Lighting: Lake Oconee Rental | Band: Sage Hill | Bride’s Gown: Pronovias | Paper Products: All DIY | Bride’s Jewelry: Shane Co. | Hair Stylist: Friend of bride | Makeup Artist: Friend of bride | Bride’s Shoes: TOMS, hand painted by matron of honor | Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Jasmine Bridal, style B2078 | Groom’s Attire: Jos. A Bank | Groomsmen Attire: Jos. A Bank

marissa Written with love by Marissa
4 Comments
  1. avatar Rayna {Rayna McGinnis Photography} reply

    WOW, I’m not a fan of pale colors but I really love the blue bridesmaid dresses.

    p.s. I also want to smooch the pup. What a handsome dog.

  2. avatar Jessica McCormick reply

    Hi there! This wedding is so me that it is sort of scary- My wedding is September 7th of this year and we are also DIY-ing A LOT! -I wanted to ask if you had any more information from the bride about making he rown dance floor? Would love to see pictures!! Thanks and as always I LOVE SW MAG!

  3. avatar Krisstin reply

    Love the silhouette invites and programs! Not to mention the cute dog!

  4. avatar Bouquet Trends for 2014 | Mine Forever reply

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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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