Southern Weddings

Moms are a crowd favorite in our office (as they are throughout the South). Though daddies often get top billing on wedding days, between the big walk down the aisle and the father-daughter dance, we love when photographers capture the sweet moments involving mama. We’ve rounded up a few of our favorites from the past year and interspersed them with musings on our own moms. Happy Mother’s Day to all the mamas out there – we love you and appreciate you!

From Lara:
What is your favorite trait you got from your mom? I am so grateful to have mirrored my mom in many ways, but recently her love for gardening has taken root in me. This took 34 years to sprout, but I am having so much fun following in her horticultural footsteps!
What trait of your mom’s do you WISH you had gotten? I wish I had my mom’s cooking skills. I am working on it, but I don’t think I can catch up to her Cordon Bleu degree!

Photo by Kristin Sweeting from Hannah + Andy’s wedding

From Nicole:
What is your favorite trait you got from your mom? Our emotions [enter Anchorman joke here!] We’re both pretty in touch with them. While it’s not always a flattering trait (hello fellow ugly criers who weep at Google commercials!), I think it’s made us both really appreciative of the people we’re around and the places we’re in.
What trait of your mom’s do you WISH you had gotten? Her cooking skills (which I am trying to get to rub off on me)! My mom can glance at a recipe once or taste a really good meal and then whip it up at home without a hitch. She’s totally at home in the kitchen and therefore notorious in our family for handing down recipes that are totally vague and mysterious because of this skill: “Mix a little bit of this with a little bit of that to taste. Bake until it’s done.” I love her regardless :)

From Morgan:
What is your favorite trait you got from your mom? My twin sister and I love to talk about which parent we are more alike. We always conclude that I’m just like my mom and I pride myself on that because I think she’s super! My mom passed down to me a love for reading. I’m so glad she did because we love nothing more than reading a good book all day at the beach.
What trait of your mom’s do you WISH you had gotten? My mom is great at many things but she is especially fantastic at cooking! She’s a sweet and thoughtful host who always makes delicious meals for her friends and family. I wish I inherited those great cooking skills!

Photo by Amy Arrington from Hannah + Graham’s wedding

From Lisa:
What is your favorite trait you got from your mom? There are so many ways my mom and I are alike, but one of my favorite traits she’s given me is her love of stories. She worked in publishing before I was born and read to my siblings and I constantly when we were growing up. Her love of reading was passed on to me, and it is the reason I wanted to be a writer, ever since first grade. On another note, I also inherited my mom’s tendency to cry at the drop of a hat, especially during weddings or anything having to do with military homecomings!
What trait of your mom’s do you WISH you had gotten? I wish I had gotten my mom’s heroic patience — a trait that came in handy when she had four teenagers at home, especially! She is gracious and compassionate, no matter how difficult of a situation she is dealing with, and she always sees the best in people.

Photo by Dixie Pixel from Jessica + Burton’s wedding

From Marissa:
What is your favorite trait you got from your mom? My favorite trait I got from my mom is the way she values family. My mom truly knows the meaning of what matters most, and has always placed my sister and I above all else. With my first little one just four months old, my husband are now seeing how fast time flies, and the incredible importance of family time.
What trait of your mom’s do you WISH you had gotten? Her eternal optimism. I think I’m a relatively optimistic girl – until I talk to my mom. While we may tease her (sometimes) to remove her rose–colored glasses, life is way more fun when the glass is half full!

Photo by Tanja Lippert from Emily + John’s wedding

From Emily:
What is your favorite trait you got from your mom? My Mom makes these things called peanut butter balls – they are legend in our circle (John and I even served them at our wedding). Mine are not quite as good as hers, but they’re close. That’s more of a skill, but I’m grateful for it! :)
What trait of your mom’s do you WISH you had gotten? Oh my, so many things. I wish I had her natural ability to chat up random passersby and put people at ease. I also wish I was as skilled as she is at handling children — but, considering she has 20+ years as a preschool teacher/administrator behind her (and thirty years of raising three girls), maybe there’s hope for me yet.

Photo by Jess Barfield from Abby + Cameron’s wedding

From Kristin:
What is your favorite trait you got from your mom? My ability to talk to strangers in the grocery store! When I was younger my mama’s ‘over-friendliness’ used to embarrass me because she would strike up conversations with people EVERYWHERE — she could make friends in the grocery store or waiting for a doctor’s appointment. Now, I find myself so very grateful that I inherited her ability to never meet a stranger — the transfer of her friendly and outgoing personality has severed me well.
What trait of your mom’s do you WISH you had gotten? Her Selflessness! She puts others needs in front of her own, and is always willing to give her time, resources, gifts and talents. She is a special education teacher by day (the ultimate selfless career — I spend an hour with her at school and need to go home and take a nap) and spends her free time serving the community and her friends in need. She would make Mother Theresa proud.

Your turn, gals: what traits did you get from your mom, and what traits did you WISH you got from your mom?

Written with love by Emily