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Last summer, I was a bridesmaid in one of my best friends’ weddings in Islamorada, and I can attest that it is such a beautiful place. It’s excluded from wildness of Key West, and filled with just the right amenities for a special wedding weekend! Believe me when I say, I can see why Lindsey and Greg fell in love with it so much, they decided to plan a destination wedding there in just seven weeks! From the blue heart made of her father’s shirt sewn into her dress, to the ribbon made from her mama’s wedding dress tied around her bouquet, even though they were short on time, Lindsey and Greg’s wedding day was certainly not short on meaningful details and fond memories.

Thanks to Natalie Watson for sharing this sweet day with us!

What made you choose your ceremony and reception venues? Did they have any special significance to you? It took us a long time to find a wedding venue, but when we stumbled upon Islamorada, we knew we wanted to get married there! We both love the beach, and our family and friends love warm weather, so it was perfect. With that, we decided to plan a destination wedding in seven weeks! We took photos before the wedding at the quaint and adorable Moorings Village and Spa, and then headed across the street to Pierre’s, a plantation house and restaurant, for the ceremony and reception. The venues were a perfect backdrop to our breezy, December wedding.

Oh, wedding dress shopping! It is safe to say I tried on about 100 dresses. I just couldn’t find one that I absolutely loved. I shopped in Michigan, Knoxville, and Nashville, and even ordered dresses online, sent them back, and then even ordered the same ones again…just to be sure! That is actually how I found my wedding dress. I ordered it, sent it back because I wanted a white dress, then after trying on more and never finding anything right, I ordered it again. That time, I knew it was the dress for me!

Did you have something borrowed, blue, old, and new? If so, do tell! I borrowed an anklet from my mom that she wears every day. For my something blue, I had a blue heart sewed to the inside of my dress that was made from an old shirt of my dad’s. My bouquet was wrapped in a ribbon made out of my mom’s wedding dress, and I carried a hankie from my grandmother for my something old. As my something new, I wore a bracelet my dad gave me as a wedding gift right before he walked me down the aisle. It was such a sweet gift, because he gave the same one to my sister at her wedding, and he had a special message engraved in it.

One of the very last decisions we made for the wedding was what song I would walk down the aisle to. We have very different music tastes, and we chose “All of Me” by John Legend because we both love that song. Not only did we love it, it also set the mood for the ceremony–some of our family and friends were crying before I even reached the end of the aisle!

What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? My most memorable moment was walking down the aisle and seeing a normally stoic Gary holding back tears after seeing me for the first time. I will always remember it!

What is the one detail or vendor that you were so happy to have as a part of your wedding? All of our vendors were amazing and wonderful to work with! We especially loved our extremely talented photographer, Natalie. She captured all of the special moments and details of the entire day. We will be able to look at our wedding pictures for years to come and remember the love, happiness, and excitement we felt that day.

Our cake was very simple, but delicious! It was a two-tiered vanilla cake with buttercream filling and key lime buttercream icing on the outside. Everyone wanted seconds!

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. We met three years ago through a mutual friend at a bar in downtown Knoxville, Tennessee. We hit it off immediately and went on our first date a few days later. We’ve been inseparable ever since!
Tell us all about the proposal! We got engaged the day after Christmas! We had just gotten home from spending Christmas with my family in Michigan. Gary said he had to go run an errand, and then was going to bring dinner back for us. When he got back, we ate and opened the rest of our presents. The last one was a tiny box that had been hidden under the tree. He got down on one knee and asked me to marry him! I found out later that the jeweler had called while we were on our way home from Michigan to tell him that the ring was ready…that was the little errand he had to run!
When did y’all get married? December 5, 2014
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 20
Describe your wedding flowers. Our flowers were beautiful! Our florists used pale pink, blush, and ivory garden roses, dripping greens, and sea grasses. My bouquet had peonies in it too, since they are my favorite flower!
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: We rented cottages at The Moorings Village for the weekend, which allowed us to spend extra time with the special people in our lives who made the trip down.
What was one way you saved money or cut costs at your wedding? We were able to rent chairs and linens from our florist. By doing this, we saved money by only paying the delivery and set up/breakdown fee for one vendor!
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? Trust your vendors, accept help from others, and remember what the day is really about!
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you most looking forward to about married life? We look forward to spending the rest of our lives together, enjoying whatever life brings our way!

Photographer: Natalie Watson / Ceremony Venue: Morada Bay / Reception Venue and Catering: Pierre’s Lounge and Restaurant at Morada Bay / Florist and Rentals: Parrish Designs of London / Cake Baker: Bob’s Bunz Islamorada Restaurant & Bakery / DJ: Phil Barnes from Rock With U Entertainment / Flamingo Cake Toppers: BHLDN / Bride’s Gown: “Carina Corset” and “Ahsan Skirt” by Watters / Hair and Makeup: Carolyn Jones / Groom’s Attire: Jos. A. Bank / Groom’s Tie: The Tie Bar / Portrait Location: The Moorings Village / Flower Girl Dresses and Floral Crowns: ShopElizaDean / Officiant: Jill Atkinson

marissa Written with love by Marissa
4 Comments
  1. avatar Natalie reply

    Thanks so much for posting this darling wedding! As a photographer I absolutely loved both venues, they were very charming! Ralph Lauren was doing a photoshoot there the morning of the wedding. Lindsey’s flowers were stunning! I highly recommend these vendors if you are planning a destination wedding in the keys! They really made Lindsey’s vision come to life!

  2. avatar Lindsay Callahan reply

    You captured these moments beautifully! Do you know what vendor the menu cards came from. I’d love to know. So simple and elegant. Thank you

  3. avatar Victoria reply

    Hey there- your wedding was beautiful! I’m loving the flamingo cake toppers but I can’t seem to find them anywhere online that I can still buy. Would you be willing to sell me yours? I’d love to use them too. So adorable!!

  4. avatar Olivia reply

    This is serious inspo for my wedding! I was wondering what the dance floor situation was? I’m considering doing a partial buyout of the restaurant so was curious what happens when it’s time to dance!

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For all our dear friends who have been enduring such a mean, frigid winter, Madeline and Hunter’s wedding will warm your heart right up! With their pretty pastel palette, their wedding at the Barr Mansion looks exactly how I think spring should feel–warm sun shining down, the loveliest blooms, and tons of joy! And how neat is it that they said their vows under a huge pecan tree that is over a hundred years old? So very, very Southern!

I’m so glad Sarah McKenzie shared this sweet day with us!

Tell us about finding your wedding dress. My only criteria for the dress was that it couldn’t be strapless. The first place I went was Nordstrom, and I picked five to try. Despite one being strapless, I immediately knew the dress was the right one when I put it on!

Did you decide to do a first look? Why or why not? No, I am very traditional. I wanted to see his expression the moment that I was walking down the aisle.
How did you plan for your marriage while planning your wedding? We did pre-marital counseling through our church in Houston.

As I was looking at pictures of other weddings in Austin, every picture that I liked was taken at the Barr Mansion. The venue is absolutely gorgeous, and I have always loved historic houses.

Our favorite detail of the wedding was: The vintage furniture that was set up around the cocktail area really sticks out in my mind, especially the pink couch!

What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? Choose the things that you care about most and spend time working on those things. Do not stress over the tiny details; you will not even remember the small stuff the day after the wedding (and neither will your guests).

We had an all-organic carrot cake frosted with cream cheese icing, featuring no artificial dyes–the color was beet-juice based–and real flowers.

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. We met through mutual friends during our senior year at Texas A&M University. My mother was always telling me that I would never meet a man if I didn’t get out of the house more, but he came right into my kitchen one day! Over the course of several months, I drew him in with baked goods and home-cooked meals. He eventually invited me to dinner at his parent’s house in Houston. After that night, we officially began dating.
Tell us all about the proposal! He proposed on Valentine’s Day. We went to dinner at a nice restaurant, and then went to a local park. When we arrived, he pulled a backpack from the car, and when I asked what it was for, he just said, “You’ll see.” After strolling along one of the paths, we stopped to rest on a bench. He then opened the backpack to reveal a thermos of hot water, mugs, and a variety of tea bags. We made tea and enjoyed the quiet of the night. After he finished his tea, he got down on one knee and asked me to be his bride.
When did y’all get married? Summer 2014
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 150
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? Our ceremony took place under a huge pecan tree that is over a hundred years old. Right in the middle of the ceremony, one of the limbs began to crack and fall. Fortunately, it was on the other side of the ceremony and some of the lower limbs caught it, preventing it from crashing to the ground.
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you most looking forward to about married life? We are expecting our first baby this summer!

Photographer: Sarah McKenzie / Venue, Cake Baker, and Caterer: The Barr Mansion / Florist: STEMS / Rentals: Bee Lavish / Band: Terra Vista Strings and Royal Dukes Band / Paper Products: The Stationery Bakery and Minted / Bride’s Gown: “Mila” by Hayley Paige / Bride’s Accessories: BHLDN and Veils by Studio Alma / Hair and Makeup: Celeste at Austin Wedding Hair & Makeup / Bride’s Shoes: Betsey Johnson / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: “Heidi” by J. Crew, “In Due Corsage” by Modcloth, “Mikado Corded Lace Illusion Neckline Dress” by David’s Bridal, “Annabelle” by BHLDN, ASOS / Groom’s Attire: Al’s Formal Wear / Groomsmen Attire: Men’s Wearhouse

marissa Written with love by Marissa
1 Comment
  1. avatar Sarah McKenzie reply

    Awwww yeah!!! Thanks for the feature!!!

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When a couple has designer’s eyes, like Brittany and Kirk, it’s always fun to see how their talents translate into their wedding day. So when I read that restaurant designer (Brittany) and men’s clothing shop owner (Kirk) set their sights on finding a “diamond in the rough” location, where they could create a unique wedding venue unlike anything else, I was excited to see what they came up with! Brittany and Kirk cleaned, painted, and landscaped an old Alabama cotton receiving warehouse on a daily basis to transform The Railyard into an event space that I know wowed their family and friends. Don’t those twinkle lights make their dinner look so very chic, but still home-y? I love that the meaning behind their family-style meal stemmed from their fondest memories growing up, of being gathered around dining tables with the people they love! Too sweet!

Thanks to Rebecca Read for sending this lovely day to us!

Tell us about finding your wedding dress. I thought long and hard about including my bridesmaids on my dress shopping trip, as they are my dearest friends, but I decided not to. My maid of honor had done this, and it was such a memorable moment for all of us to see her in her dress for the first time on the day she would be walking down aisle. My dress was beautiful vintage lace with hand-sewn pearls–something I always wanted for my wedding, but not exactly what I had pictured for myself, as it had short sleeves. As soon as I tried it on though, I just knew. It instantly became my dream timeless, elegant dress that I only hope I can pass down someday.

As we both have designers eyes, we wanted the venue to be unlike anything else we had seen before–a diamond in the rough! We found that at The Railyard, an old cotton receiving warehouse and courtyard in Opelika, Alabama. It is nestled in a charming little town that I had gotten to know very well during my college years. We cleaned, painted, landscaped, and prayed for no rain on a daily basis!

Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line? We didn’t write our own vows. We wanted to go with traditional vows, and it ended up being the most traditional thing about our wedding

What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? Seeing each other for the first time as I walked down the aisle and our eyes met! It was so magical! The other would be walking in before guests were allowed in to see the space and realizing that it was a wonderland. With the help of an army of people, it was transformed into the “diamond” that we knew it had the potential to be!

We like to think that our family-style dinner was the greatest tradition we followed–everything was served on platters in the center of the table and passed around as if we were gathered in our home with family. Our fondest memories growing up were gathered around our dining tables with people we loved, and we wanted our wedding to have this same feeling.

Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. Our first dance was to “Never Gonna Give You Up” by Rick Astley. It was as much for our friends and family as it was for us–it was fun, funny, and really set the tone for the night. We broke it down hard!

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. We met in July 2013, just after I had finished brunch with two friends from college. Walking down the street, one of them said, “There is this men’s shop around the corner, and I met the guy last night who owns it–I told him I’d stop by.” This worked nicely, as I needed to find a tie for a friend to wear at a wedding that night. The store was in a cool brick building with large windows, built as a horse stable in 1917. After a few quick hellos, we walked back outside to their car. I told them, “I think I really like that guy…” Ten minutes later, back inside the store, Kirk’s phone buzzed with a message that read “Here is Brittany’s number. You NEED to call her.” Taking his friend’s advice, Kirk called. He learned during that first conversation (which was fantastic, by the way), that I was a restaurant designer and I was working on a speakeasy bar for a well-known Atlanta chef. For a little inspiration he knew I would enjoy, Kirk took me to his favorite hidden back-room pub, just north of the city. From that night on, we were crazy about each other.
Tell us all about the proposal! In month three of our relationship, Kirk was at an antique market with his mother, looking for furniture, when he walked past a small, unassuming jewelry booth. I am in love with the 1920’s, and a beautiful art deco ring caught his eye and made him stop immediately. Without hesitation, he and his mom said, “This is Brittany.” He hadn’t planned on buying a ring that day, or even that month, but he couldn’t leave it. A month later, I began planning a trip to Europe with friends. I would be in Paris for a week, then in Amsterdam to visit some friends. When I arrived in Amsterdam, the friends I was staying with showed me to each room and said, “You should really see the city from the roof before the sun sets.” I climbed the spiral staircase, and at the top, I opened the hatch and climbed onto the roof. As my eyes focused, I saw Kirk standing in front of me, holding tulips, smiling ear to ear, and getting a little misty-eyed (he swears it was his allergies). I froze in the hatch and just stood there, confused, for what seemed like a REALLY long time! After a minute, I squeaked out “What are you doing here?” and Kirk said, “I came to see you.” At that, I jumped out onto the roof and LITERALLY into his arms. He had an entire speech prepared, wanting to give it properly on one knee, but that never happened. As he held me, he simply said “I love you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you.” Even more special, the couple whose roof we were on was the same couple whose wedding I had attended the day Kirk and I met.
When did y’all get married? September 13, 2014
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 200
What was one way you saved money or cut costs at your wedding? Landscaping ourselves and putting in some hard work! We also designed and printed our own menus and programs. Our design aesthetic called for raw, natural materials, so kraft paper was both a beautiful and affordable choice for our printed items!
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? First, breathe :) Remember that no matter the decisions you make, the stress of invites or family or seating arrangements, rain, or anything, at the end of the day, you’re marrying the person you love, and that is all that matters.
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you most looking forward to about married life? It’s an incredible thing to marry your best friend and we are enjoying marriage and all of the wonderful things it brings! We are looking forward to starting a family in the future, but for now, we are enjoying one another and are truly grateful for the season we are currently in!

Photographer: Rebecca Read Photography / Planning and Design: Alchemy Event Studio / Venue: The Railyard / Cocktail Hour Venue: John Emerald Distilling Company / Florist: Edelweiss Buckhead Floral Design / Caterer and Cake Baker: The Hotel at Auburn University / Rentals and Lighting: The Event Group / Band: The Soul Purpose Band / Paper Products: The Find Sac Handmade / Bride’s Gown: Vintage / Bride’s Jewelry: J. Crew / Hair and Makeup: Claudia Mejerle / Bride’s Shoes: “Bronze Peep Toe Evening Pumps” in Bowover by Stuart Weitzman / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: BHLDN / Menswear: Custom by the groom / Linens and Drapery: Party Tables / Plants: Plant Peddler

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

    Oh goodness, that cake! Wonderful images.

  2. avatar Ashlyn reply

    It was the best. That dance floor was no lie, either — they’re not kidding!

  3. avatar Richard Stafford reply

    Marissa and Rebecca,
    You captured the wedding perfectly. Thanks for sharing the wonderful moment in our lives with your readers. It was truly beautiful.

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