Happy Saturday, lovelies! I’m back home in Charlotte for the weekend, which makes today’s film a little more special for me. Y’all know there’s no place like where you grew up, and we know many of you are planning weddings in your hometowns. Emily + Taylor did the same, and we love how it came together and focused on family.
From Emily, the bride:
“We wanted our wedding day to be an expression of our love for each other while also reflecting our personalities and style, and I think it did just that! Taylor and I met and fell in love in Jackson, Mississippi and he proposed on a surprise trip to Disney World. But when it came to our wedding venue, I could not imagine getting married anywhere other than my home town of Monroe, Louisiana. I wanted the ambiance to be casual but elegant, keeping the look neutral with touches of soft light color. “Southern garden” was the original inspiration but it evolved into so much more! Kendall Poole Event Planning of Jackson really made the whole event come together exactly like we wanted.
“Both the ceremony and reception were full of personal touches. We chose March 24 as our date and the Spring weather was a gorgeous backdrop! The ceremony was held in the church in which I grew up, making it incredibly meaningful. Fresh Cut of Jackson transformed the Sanctuary, filling it with candlelight, scattered lanterns, and a square arbor of greenery and white hydrangeas. It was truly breathtaking! We have wonderful family and friends and it was important to us that they participated in our ceremony. The musicians included both Taylor’s father as well as his brother, along with several of our good friends. We had two officiating pastors: one from my church in Monroe and one from Taylor’s church in Jackson. We both had 11 attendants — all of them special friends of ours. Having all of these significant people play, sing, officiate, and stand with us made for an incredible night. Of course, the best part was seeing Taylor at the altar and our families and friends in the audience.
“The reception site was the auditorium of the first high school in Monroe. Facing the Ouachita River, the Ouachita Grand Plaza had the character we were looking for and it was large enough to accommodate our 400 guests. The food included some of our favorite dishes like Louisiana jambalaya and beignets. The five-tiered bridal cake was a replica of the lace on my dress and it was topped with handmade birds (a play on our new last name, Byrd) from Wolfe Pottery of Jackson. The groom’s cake was a golf bag with clubs that featured club covers of his alma mater, Mississippi State. It was placed in a outdoor courtyard that was strung with lights and the weather was perfect for the guests to enjoy mingling outside. The guests received pralines as favors, a Southern favorite! Mo Money of Jackson kept the guests on the dance floor with Motown hits. We left in a classic 1957 Thunderbird. The list of what made this day special could go on and on! But in the end, sharing it with Taylor made it special and fun. It was a great start to a new a life together!”
Vendors:
Photographer: Followell Fotography // Videographer: Nathan Willis Wedding Films // Wedding planner: Kendall Poole Event Planning // Florist: Fresh Cut Catering & Floral // Lighting: Davaine Lighting // Wedding cake baker: The Cake Diva // Rentals: Great Southern Events // Band: Mo Money Band
P.S. We think you’ll love these past films, too:
A homespun Georgia wedding film
A fun + casual Arkansas wedding film
A glamorous Charleston wedding film
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