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Today is the fifth and final day of our Bridal Market recaps, and gracious, it has been so much fun sharing our experience and favorite moments! If you’re just tuning in, catch up on Parts One, Two, Three, and Four. We’re so grateful to Briana of Divine Light Photography for capturing our experience and all of these gorgeous gowns so that we could share them with y’all this week!

Our final day of Market started on the loveliest note–Breakfast with BHLDN! We are longtime fans of BHLDN’s vintage-inspired dresses and heirloom-worthy accessories, so it was a treat to see their new collection in person, especially in such a fun space. Even though we were there to see the gowns, we couldn’t help but gush a little over the amazing florals they had tucked into every corner, too!

Our outfits for the day! I’m wearing a Loft shirt, J. Crew Factory skirt, and Badgley Mischka heels, and Emily is wearing a J. Crew Factory shirt, Francesca’s skirt, and Sole Society heels.

After we finished our mini yogurt parfaits at BHLDN, we walked over to Rockefeller Center to visit the gorgeous new Romona Keveza space and see their Fall 2015 Legends collection. We had so much fun admiring these gowns–all inspired by classic style icons. Can you spot the design inspired by Audrey Hepburn’s dress in Funny Face, or the one modeled after Grace Kelly’s wedding gown? (These photos are courtesy of Romona Keveza.)

We had to dodge a Columbus Day parade to get to our next presentation–Sarah Janks at the iconic St. Regis hotel. In case you’re wondering how we lasted every day in heels, here’s a little secret: we didn’t! Our photographer, Briana, captured this funny moment outside before we headed up the elevator. Neither of us was very familiar with the Australian-based Sarah Janks line before we saw her presentation, and we were so impressed by the elegant, romantic gowns!

Our next stop was our last runway show of the weekend–Southern gal, Carol Hannah. Her collection was flowy, ethereal, and Egyptian-inspired with a few unexpected touches. We loved catching up with our sweet friends from The Sentimentalist after the show!

We couldn’t leave Bridal Market without stopping by The Knot Couture show to check in with some of our very favorite designers. First, the rainbow of darling bridesmaid dresses at Donna Morgan–we couldn’t get enough of their new silk shantung dresses, or the prettiest new floral print they’ve introduced! P.S. They have a handful of adorable little white dresses too, perfect for bridal showers, rehearsal dinners, and getaway outfits.

Heidi Elnora is a dear friend of Southern Weddings, and there was literally not a thing we didn’t love about her collection! Her gowns are the epitome of sweet and Southern–plus, they all have double names, like Lonna Belle and Marissa Ellen. Love!

After leaving the Knot Couture show, we loved getting a peek at the new Monique Lhuillier collection. The showroom was designed to look like the inside of Monique’s jewelry box, and the sherbert-hued gowns covered in gorgeous embellishments brought it all to life! (These photos are courtesy of Monique Lhuillier.)

We could not have imagined a more amazing way to close these four days than with the Carolina Herrera presentation. What an experience! It was set up more like a cocktail party than a traditional presentation, and the atmosphere was as chic as can be–complete with boxwood arrangements, black and white striped furniture, and models mingling with the crowd. We could not stop whispering with excitement over how much we loved the gowns, the hair, the makeup…just everything! The cherry on top was meeting Carolina Herrera herself. She was so gracious and elegant, and we were honored to talk to her about how much we loved the collection!

We finished the weekend at the ever-so-glamorous Martha Stewart Weddings 20th Anniversary Party at the Pierre Hotel. We were so grateful to Rent the Runway for outfitting us in dresses that perfectly matched the “platinum” theme–Emily rocked a sparkly cocktail dress by Badgley Mischka and I wore a white dress with silver embroidery by Erin Fetherston (who we then met at the party! So crazy!). We had the best time chatting with friends, sampling Peter Callahan delicacies, and dancing in the flip book photo booth.

The next morning, we were on the plane bright and early to head back to NC–exhausted, happy, and ready to hug our beaus and celebrate sending V7 to the printer with the rest of the SW gals! To see even more photos of our NYC adventure, be sure to check out our #SWBridalMarket hashtag on Instagram.

We’d love to know! Which of these gowns is your favorite?

lisa Written with love by Lisa
1 Comment
  1. avatar Southern Weddings Weekly Round-Up – Southern Weddings Magazine reply

    […] Tea Sunday. We recapped our adventure at Bridal Market! Check out parts one, two, three, four, and five. We love Rachel and James’ five fun date ideas they shared in Southern […]

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Amy and Joseph’s wedding blended both of their families’ traditions to give their nearly 400 guests an experience filled with sweet Southern hospitality and a heap of joy! Just one of the many reasons I love reading Real Wedding interviews is finding out gems about why a couple chose a certain detail. In this case, I love how Amy’s cascading bouquet was inspired by an old portrait of her great grandmother that her mother had seen. Amy had also dreamed of having a Southern gospel choir at her wedding–I know that our own Editor in Chief would have been singing away with them!

Big SW hugs to Elisabeth Millay for sharing this lovely day with us!

Tell us about finding your wedding dress. This was actually very easy for me! My mom and aunt saw my Monique Lhuillier dress in a magazine and sent me a picture text that said “This is your dress!” I love bows, and I also knew I didn’t want anything strapless. We went to Joan Pillow in Atlanta specifically to try it on and our consultant, Susan, was wonderful. She made me try on two other dresses before my dress to ensure I had seen others. As soon as I put it on, we knew it was the one.

We can see why Amy knew this was her dress right off the bat! You may recognize this sparkly Monique Lhuiller stunner from our V6 Cover Shoot! What a gorgeous dress (and bride, of course!).

The only real vision I had for the flowers was a neutral palette and lots of them! My mom also had a wonderful vision of a cascading bouquet–an idea she got from an old portrait of my great grandmother. Other than our initial vision, we entrusted the details to Heather and Kristin and they did a fabulous job. I was so happy with how everything turned out.

What made you choose your ceremony and reception venues? Did they have any special significance to you? The ceremony was held at our temple in Charleston, which is the oldest reform temple in the country. It has a lot of special significance to my family, who have been members for several generations and are actively involved in the congregation. I was actually a flower girl in my aunt and uncle’s wedding there! We knew we wanted to be inside and downtown, so we didn’t have very many options that fit our guest count. The Charleston Marriott was a perfect choice, and it exceeded our expectations. The service and staff were exceptional.

What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? We really wanted people to feel the Southern hospitality in Charleston. Our graphic designer created an image of a plantation oak tree that we used on several of our printed materials, including our save the dates. Charleston is known for its sweetgrass baskets, so my mom had the idea to have sweetgrass napkin rings made for our table settings at the wedding. We got 400 made by a local Charleston basket maker, Nakia Wigfall, and it was such a special touch for the tables. We also had a Southern gospel choir singing outside the temple as people exited–I had been envisioning that for a while, and I think our guests really enjoyed it! We also were fortunate to be able to include all of our out-of-town guests in our rehearsal dinner, which I think was a great way to welcome people to Charleston. It was held at Lowndes Grove Plantation and was a Southern dinner, complete with a Lowcountry boil, fried chicken, and boiled peanuts!

What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? We were really fortunate and had a very easy wedding planning process because we surrounded ourselves with a fabulous team. I think the biggest challenge for me was putting the wedding out of my mind and making myself focus on studying and passing the bar exam. I graduated from law school in May and sat for the bar in July, so I had periods when I couldn’t do any wedding stuff, even though it was all I wanted to do.
What is the one detail or vendor that you were so happy to have as a part of your wedding? We were so fortunate to have Kristin and her team, who made everything so seamless and beautiful. Not a beat was missed!

What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? This sounds so cheesy, but the whole weekend was just incredible. If I had to describe the weekend in one word, it would be humbling. Having all of our family and so many of our close friends come from so far to be with us was such a special feeling, and Joseph and I will never forget it.
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? When you get overwhelmed, take a break, because everything all works out. It is sometimes easy to loose sight of the end result, which is that you get to get married. Be sure to take the whole weekend in and celebrate each other.

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. We were both living in Washington, DC and met at a mutual friend’s house. We had actually lived in the same apartment building for about a year, but didn’t meet until after Joseph had moved out. We ended up having a great conversation the day we met and Joseph called me the next week to ask me out to dinner.
Tell us all about the proposal! It was the 4th of July. We had been out on the boat with some of our friends during the day and had plans to go to my aunt and uncle’s house that night to celebrate with family and fireworks. I was sitting on the sofa trying to motivate myself to get ready when Joseph just came over and asked me to marry him. It was a really special moment, and I was happy that it was just the two of us there for the proposal. Our families and friends knew it was going to happen, so they were all waiting to celebrate with us, which was so great!
When did y’all get married? November 2, 2013
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 380
Did you decide to do a “first look”? Why or why not? We did, for a couple reasons. We are an interfaith couple but had a Jewish wedding. In the Jewish religion, you sign a ketubah before the marriage ceremony, so once we decided to have a Jewish wedding, we knew we would be seeing each other beforehand. Our wedding was also in November, so we wouldn’t have gotten daylight pictures if we hadn’t seen each other before. Truly, seeing each other before turned out to be a real blessing. I was so much more relaxed because we got to ride a trolley to the temple together with our families and wedding party and hang out together before the ceremony. I completely understand why people choose not to, and it’s a personal choice, but for us, it worked out perfectly!
Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. I have a very close friend from law school who is a classically trained singer. I wanted to walk down the aisle to something different, and I have always loved Alison Krauss’ song “When you Say Nothing at All.” Kaitlyn said she would sing it for me accompanied by the temple’s organ and a guitar player. I thought it sounded beautiful and was really unique. For our first dance, we danced to Stevie Wonder’s “Signed, Sealed, Delivered.”
Describe your wedding cake or dessert. We actually had a cake bar! My mom had seen a picture in a wedding magazine and got the vision for not just one, but five cakes, and Jim Smeal executed it perfectly.
Did you have something borrowed, blue, old, and new? If so, do tell! I did! My something borrowed was my earrings. My something blue was a sapphire stone on the pearl bracelet I wore. My something old was an old family Bible that is covered in white lace. Every woman in my family has signed it on their wedding day, so it was really special to put our names in it. My something new was my dress!
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you most looking forward to about married life? Married life is great! Joseph and I are getting settled in our new home, and we are really enjoying life being able to spend more time together now that I’m done with law school.

Photographer: Elisabeth Millay / Videographer: Hart to Heart Media / Planner: Kristin Newman Designs / Ceremony Venue: Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim / Reception Venue and Catering: The Charleston Marriott / Florist: Gathering Floral and Event Design / Cake Bar Baker: Jim Smeal / Rentals: Synder Events / Band: Simply Irresistible / Bride’s Gown: “Champagne” by Monique Lhuillier / Paper Products: Oscar & Emma Designs / Calligraphy: Elizabeth Porcher Jones / Hair Stylist: Stuart Laurence / Makeup Artist: Anne Lauren Jolly / Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Pronovias / Men’s Attire: Grady Ervin

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

    This is such a big wedding! Congratulations!

  2. avatar Olivia Fischer reply

    Lovely and Gorgeous glittering wedding dress !! AWESOME Photography !!

  3. avatar Lisa reply

    This dress never gets old! Amy looks stunning in it!

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Oh my stars, we are so excited to share more of our beautiful V6 Texas shoot! After V5’s beloved Yellow Rose shoot, we were thrilled to bring this stellar team of Texas vendors together again to celebrate another classic Texan folk song–this time, the beloved “Deep in the Heart of Texas.” Stefanie Miles planned and styled the most beautiful setup in the middle of a North Texas wheat field, and every detail was captured to perfection by Ryan Ray. Unsurprisingly, the results were truly breathtaking!

Bows + Arrows created the most exquisite bouquets, using all different white blooms and the prettiest ribbon from FrouFrou Chic. We love how the flowers pop against our night sky-inspired color palette!

One of our top must-haves for this shoot was a cowboy groom. Blair certainly fit the bill in his handsome hat, and I’m sure y’all will agree, that lasso is the perfect finishing touch.

Oh, this dress! I can hardly wait to print the picture below for my bulletin board. There were audible cheers from the office when Marissa told us we had secured this sparkly Monique Lhuillier for our shoot!

One of our absolute favorite comments from SW readers so far has been that our V6 cover couple looks so in love. Well, friends, that’s because they are! We’re truly delighted to have a real married couple on our cover: our sweet friend (and BRV member!) Christina of Christina Leigh Events and her husband. Their love truly shines off the page and we think they represent our mission so beautifully.

We’re overjoyed with how the details of this shoot came together. From a gauzy backdrop with handpainted calligraphy to flower girl tutus made of 250+ yards of tulle, everything looks so stunning against the open landscape that is so typical of Texas.

Could this tablescape get any prettier? LOOT Vintage Rentals brought some of their incredible inventory all the way from Austin to be part of the shoot. We’re also smitten with the star garland!

We’ve featured some lovely pies in SW history, but these just may be some of the prettiest. Layered Bake Shop hit it out of the park with luscious blueberry and pecan pies, complete with dreamy star details. The sparkly “Just Married” shooting star cutout is a show stopper!

We are so smitten with the V6 cover and couldn’t be happier with how this shoot turned out! Be sure to check out our print edition for lots more! We’d love to know, what’s your favorite detail of this shoot?

Stefanie Miles is a delightful member of our Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory!

lisa Written with love by Lisa
45 Comments
  1. avatar Nicole reply

    I am absolutely head over heels in love with this gown. It is incredible.

  2. avatar Ryan Ray reply

    So thankful for y’all! Absolutely LOVED being a part of this shoot! :)

  3. avatar Emily reply

    Oh my goodness, I love it all!!!! The color scheme, the beautiful signs, THAT DRESS, the cowboy hat. Such goodness in every picture.

  4. avatar Christina L. Frederick reply

    Happy tears. A lot of happy, happy tears. I am in love with this man so much and I can’t thank you ALL for letting us be such a special part of #SWV6! Ryan and Stefanie and truly talented at what they do and we were so blessed to be part of something so much bigger than ourselves, and so full of love! Deep, true, southern love! Congratulations on a fabulous issue. Every page is perfect! We can’t wait to celebrate with you this week!
    Big, big hugs! Christina

  5. avatar Kat reply

    One of my favorite shoots in SW history!!! Love it, y’all!!!

  6. avatar Mary reply

    LOVE IT ALL! I’m partial to Texas, but I love the Deep in the Heart of Texas painting! And that dress…drool. Can I be a bride again?

  7. avatar Stefanie Miles reply

    So very thankful, love you ladies and the story your magazine tells about love and marriage! Truly, such a joy to be a part, and alongside so many others I admire in this industry!

  8. avatar alicia rico reply

    what an honor to be a part of this shoot…..
    and an even bigger honor to be a part of the cover….
    and the greatest honor of all is to work with kind, amazing, talented friends like stef and ryan!
    LOVE Y’ALL!!!!!

  9. avatar Cheap Wedding Dresses reply

    The dress is so pretty.

  10. avatar Southern Weddings Magazine Feature » Layered Bake Shop reply

    […] and blessed to be included with such amazing vendors for an editorial in the newest issue! Click here to see the online feature and pick your copy up on newstands […]

  11. avatar Shannon Star reply

    So stunning! Everything about this feature is so captivating and dreamy. And that dress!! Stephanie and Ryan you are truly magical. Thank you so much for including me in something so amazing!

  12. avatar Dana reply

    i think this dress just made me cry

  13. avatar michelle reply

    this is my favorite wedding shoot EVER. it is completely perfect. even my boyfriend likes it! the brides dress is incredible. and i am dying over that stripe dress. any chance you can share a link? it needs to be in my closet asap.

  14. avatar Southern Weddings Weekly Round-Up | Southern Weddings reply

    […] up for our editorial posts was our stunning cover shoot, Deep in the Heart of Texas! We love every detail of this gorgeous shoot, inspired by the classic Texan folk […]

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    love love love the sweet hanging canvases! and the couch the precious babies are playing on. absolutely beautiful!

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    I love the custom calligraphy banners in this post! Do you know where they’re from or what company they used to create them? Thanks!

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  23. avatar Daria reply

    My daughter is getting married deep in the Heart of the Hill Country. Where can I purchase the banner “The Stars at Night”

    • avatar Lisa reply

      Hi Daria! The banner was custom made for this shoot by Sending Heartstrings. http://sendingheartstrings.com/

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    Those gorgeous, angelic flower girl dresses just melt my heart! How cute are they!! A-D-O-R-A-B-L-E. Where are they from?

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