Southern Weddings

I adore seeing couples who really have a blast on their wedding days! When your bridesmaids are laughing in matching heart-shaped sunglasses and you’re dancing your way into the first few minutes of married life with a second line, followed by excited guests waving hankies, it’s no wonder that it looks like Katie and Tim grinned from ear to ear all day long. While weddings can be stressful, they are ultimately happy occasions, and Katie and Tim certainly seem to have had an incredible time on their special day!

Thanks to Glass Jar Photography for capturing their fun celebration!

Our favorite detail of the wedding was: I loved the way all of the colors came together. My mom made bracelets for the bridesmaids that matched the groomsmen’s ties perfectly. I also had everyone wear heart-shaped sunglasses in the same coral colors as the dresses–it was so much fun!

I knew I wanted Vera Wang dress. Being a fashion designer, I’ve been admiring her style and interesting fabric and detail combinations for years! I went to one bridal salon, Big Rock Bridal in Columbus, and tried on about 15 dresses. The sample they had for the one I ended up getting was really worn and about 10 sizes too big, but I knew I loved it!

What made you choose your ceremony and reception venues? Did they have any special significance to you? We wanted to have everything outside. We love the charm and character of the French Quarter and wanted all of our guests to experience it as well! We felt that the lush gardens provided a great ambiance, without us having to pay for a lot of extra decor.

We had a second line with an amazing brass band, Kinfolk. Most of our guests were from up north or the East and West Coasts, so they had never experienced anything like it before! We also included Zapp’s potato chips and Mardi Gras beads in our favor bags.

What is the one detail or vendor that you were so happy to have as a part of your wedding? Our wedding planner, Sarah Worsley of Mint Julep Productions! Sarah was amazing and totally understood the vibe we were going for. She helped pick out almost all of our vendors, and they all hit it out of the park. She is a native of New Orleans and taught us so much about Southern weddings. We would have been lost without her!

I was really inspired by the idea of an overgrown wild garden. I knew I wanted our flowers to have an eclectic feel with bright pops of color, and I wanted them to emulate the fun vibe of the South. I was thrilled with how the florist took my inspiration and created such beautiful arrangements!

Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. I walked down the aisle to “La Vie en Rose,” played by a brass band. It felt very romantic and New Orleans. The seven-person band, Groovy 7, did all live music at the reception–we knew we could not have a wedding in New Orleans without live music! Out first dance was to “At Last” by Etta James. We wanted something classic, and it’s one of my favorite songs. We did our father-daugher and mother-son dance together to “The Way You Look Tonight” by Frank Sinatra.

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. My good friend, Liz, shared my MySpace page with Tim while I was preparing for my move to NYC. Tim was intrigued, and we met in New York two months later in fall 2006. We were friends for four years before starting to date, and we have been together for five years.
Tell us all about the proposal! Tim planned a romantic weekend in Cinncinati, Ohio for us in March 2014. When we arrived at the hotel, I read the note on the dresser next to the flowers. It said “Occasion: engaged,” so I knew what was up before actually getting proposed to! We hung out around town, and I waited all day for Tim to propose. Right before dinner in our hotel room, he finally popped the question! I cried with joy, even though I knew it was coming, and we celebrated with a late dinner and drinks.
When did y’all get married? April 17, 2015
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 120
Describe your wedding cake and dessert. Since I wanted the colors of the flowers to flow throughout the venue, I knew I wanted real flowers on the cake. To keep it from looking too overwhelming and taking away from the beauty, I chose simple, off-white frosting, and let the flowers be the focus. My husband cannot eat gluten, so the top tier was gluten-free. The inside of the cake had a layer of white almond wedding cake with wild strawberry buttercream. We also had strawberry and vanilla macarons covered in gold glitter, traditional New Orleans croquembouche, chocolate-covered strawberries, and a bananas foster station! We loved the drama of lighting the dessert on fire.
Did you have something borrowed, blue, old, and new? If so, do tell! I did! My dress was new, my underwear was blue, and I borrowed Tim’s great-grandmother’s Claddagh rings.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? My biggest challenge was following my instincts and taking everything people said with a grain of salt. Everyone has advice, but in the end, you need to be true to your own style and spirit.
If you are comfortable responding, what range did your wedding budget fall into? $50,000-$75,000
What was one way you saved money or cut costs at your wedding? Our food was buffet-style, and we did not have assigned seating, so we did not have to spend money on escort cards. We had the reception at a restaurant, Broussard’s, so we were able to use their tables, plates, tablecloths, and chairs, instead of renting our own. We also picked a venue that was outside and had a beautiful garden, so we did not have to go overboard with flowers.
What’s next for you as a couple? What memories are you looking forward to making together? We love to travel and went on our honeymoon to Thailand. Hopefully, there are more exotic trips in the future. We also just adopted a puppy on our one-month wedding anniversary, and her name is Nola (short for New Orleans!). We are enjoying being puppy parents! We are also starting to look for a home to buy in Columbus!

Photographer: Glass Jar Photography / Planner: Sarah Worsley of Mint Julep Productions / Ceremony Venue: Hermann-Grima House / Reception Venue and Caterer: Broussard’s / Florist: Arbor House / Baker: Melissa’s Fine Pastries / Band: Groovy 7 and Kinfolk Brass Band / Paper Products: Hartland Brooklyn / Bride’s Gown: Vera Wang / Bride’s Jewelry: BHLDN / Hair and Makeup: Flawless Bride / Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Bridesmaids’ Dresses and Menswear: J. Crew / Groom’s Shoes: Allen Edmond’s Shoes / Ties: Stag Handmade / Gift Bags: Map Tote / Signage: Small Chalk / Wedding Map and Guest Book: Cedar Workshop / Bride’s Heart-Shaped Glasses: Shadey Rose / Custom Koozies: Christine Meahan

Written with love by Marissa