Google+ outdoor reception Archives - Southern Weddings

Southern Weddings

Tag: outdoor reception

During a beach-side bike ride on one of my and Brandon’s first vacations together, we explored the construction site that is now Alys Beach. We were even able to walk through the half-built homes as they were being constructed, and now, every time I see a wedding there, it brings back such sweet memories of our dating life. With their favorite wedding detail being their venue, and Emily and Reed’s plans to vacation there each year for their anniversary, I’m positive those future trips will be filled with joyous memories of their beautiful wedding on the Central Park Green! Playing off the modern white architecture, Emily and Reed worked with Lauren Chitwood Events to bring in rustic driftwood and succulents combined with lush peonies and protea. That gorgeous custom driftwood arch had guests talking for months!

Thank you kindly to Amy Campbell for sharing Emily and Reed’s wedding with us!

I found my dress in Nashville at B. Hughes. I had previously looked in Birmingham, where my sister lives, and liked a few dresses, but knew I couldn’t make any decisions until I visited this shop. I tried on a strapless Reem Acra dress and knew it was the one for me. I felt so pretty in it and didn’t want to take it off. I still love it a year later!

Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line? We didn’t write our own vows, but did speak to our officiant about the flow and words we wanted him to use during the ceremony. The vows were very simple, but those words are so meaningful. While saying my vows to Reed, I started crying. I’m not a big crier, so I started laughing at myself for crying. It was a sweet moment we’ll both remember forever.
What readings, if any, did you have at your ceremony? My best friend, Maggie, read Colossians 3:12-14. This was a verse Reed and I kept reading during our premarital exercises. I love the words in this verse and thought it would be special for her to read it.

I grew up going to the beach near Sandestin and Seaside, Florida. Every wedding I’d seen along Highway 30A was so beautiful, and we loved the idea of getting married at the beach. We looked at multiple venues in Rosemary Beach and Alys Beach, and the Central Park Green at Alys Beach was the exact look I wanted. The small green is surrounded by trees and a breathtaking modern pool and restaurant. It turned out to be a perfect venue and I couldn’t have been happier!

Describe your wedding flowers. Lauren and I discussed many different looks, but we ultimately decided to mix the rustic look of driftwood and succulents with peonies and protea. She sent me examples of what she thought I would like, and after seeing a photo that included a gorgeous driftwood arch, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Lauren and her florist created one for our wedding and it was the most beautiful arch I’ve ever seen. It was so memorable–people talked about it months after the wedding.

What was one way you saved money or cut costs at your wedding? We saved money by trimming down the guest list. Initially, we wanted around 300 guests, but after talking with our planner, Lauren, we decided to invite 170. It was hard to exclude some people but in the end it felt intimate and was a great size for the venue.

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. We both went to college at Ole Miss. I always knew who he was and had a crush on him, so a mutual friend introduced us after I told him I thought Reed was cute. For a few months after meeting, we would see each other around Oxford and always seemed to get into long conversations. He finally asked me out on a date, and we dated for five years before getting married.
Tell us all about the proposal! Reed and I went to my parents’ house in Mississippi for Thanksgiving. We all decided to cook outside because the weather was so nice. Reed had planned everything with my family beforehand, and to give him time to propose, they all snuck back into the house. Due to lack of sleep from working the night before, I didn’t even notice their attempts to leave us alone. While we were outside talking, my sisters and my mom attached the ring to our dog, Daisy, and then let her back outside. Daisy immediately ran up to us, sat down, and I noticed the ring tied around her neck with a bow. Reed got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. We spent the night celebrating with my family and calling friends to tell them the news.
When did y’all get married? June 13, 2015
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 170
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: Our favorite detail of our wedding was the venue. After getting married there, we now want to go back to Alys Beach every year! It’s the most beautiful place I’ve been in the United States.
What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? My husband and I are both from Mississippi and he is a passionate Ole Miss football fan. One of my favorite memories of the night was when Reed took the mic onstage, spouted Ole Miss football statistics, and led our mostly Mississippi reception in the Hotty Toddy cheer.
How did you plan for your marriage while planning your wedding? Our wedding officiant, Gary Wingo, introduced us to a premarital workbook, “Before You Say I Do.” This helped us prepare for marriage and discuss things we otherwise may not have discussed. As a result, we grew closer and learned how to handle certain situations should they arise.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? Originally, Reed and I were going to marry on May 16, 2015. After we set the date, we had trouble finding vendors who were available that day. After a few minor meltdowns, we decided to change our wedding date to June 13. I’m so happy we did, because everything worked out perfectly.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? The most memorable moment for me was seeing Reed for the first time. Having my dad walk me down the aisle to my husband was such a great feeling. When I finally saw Reed and he had a big smile on his face, it was the exact moment I’d pictured for my entire life. The ceremony was definitely my favorite part of the whole wedding day.
What’s next for you as a couple? What memories are you looking forward to making together? We are enjoying life in Nashville as a family of three (we have a French bulldog named Willis). I have so much fun with Reed, even when we’re doing simple, daily activities. I hope we continue having fun together, and maybe one day add to our little family.

Photographer: Amy Campbell | Planner and Florist: Lauren Chitwood | Venue: Central Park Green in Alys Beach | Wedding Cake: KaraBoo Bakery | Caterer: Townsend Catering | Band: The Heather Hayes Experience | Paper Products: Dement Printing and Fresh Ink | Bride’s Gown: Reem Acra | Hair and Makeup Stylist: Ana Crane | Bride’s Shoes: “Fearne” by Jimmy Choo | Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Amsale | Menswear: Men’s Wearhouse

marissa Written with love by Marissa
1 Comment
  1. avatar Macey reply

    Everything looks like a dream! Beautiful.

Southern Weddings reserves the right to delete comments which contain profanity or personal attacks or seek to promote a business unrelated to the post.  And remember: a good attitude is like kudzu – it spreads.  We love hearing your kind thoughts!

Reply to:
close

Growing up in Charleston, Lindsay knew she wanted to get married at a plantation home, and had her fair share of beautiful places to choose from. I’m sure we can all agree that most anywhere in the Lowcountry would have been simply lovely! In the end, Lindsay’s love for the Old South was the deciding factor, and she and Ty chose the Legare Waring House for their wedding. It not only made Lindsay feel completely at home, but its beautiful Spanish moss and plantation house porch also made the perfect backdrop for their classic Southern celebration. While their venue was just the right place for them to exchange their vows, their hearts were focused on tying together past family traditions with new traditions for their future family. Lindsay said that “focusing on the future that we were building kept the stress of the wedding low.”

Big hugs to Dana Cubbage for sharing this lovely day!

My something old was lace cut from mother’s wedding dress, which I wrapped around my bouquet. Something new was a bracelet and earrings from my mom. My something borrowed was my grandmother’s sapphire ring, originally given to her by her grandfather. My something blue was a necklace my papa had made for me from one of his baby rings. He had necklaces made for all four of his grandchildren when he got sick.

What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? Definitely walking down the aisle. That was a one of a kind moment–just knowing that we were about to cross a huge milestone was so overwhelming and exciting!

About a year before the big day, I took my mom, grandmother, and sister dress shopping with me. It was the classic story of trying on those first few dresses, then trying on about 20 more before your gut tells you that first dress was the one. I fell in love with the simplicity of it and the light, flowy, breathable fabric that hugged all the right spots!

What made you choose your ceremony and reception venues? Did they have any special significance to you? I’ve always been in love with the Old South, so I knew I wanted a Charleston plantation wedding. I grew up here, and Legare-Waring House made me feel at home.

What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? The entire venue screamed “Southern,” thanks to the Spanish moss draped from the old oak trees, the plantation house porch, and the hanging vines.

Describe your wedding flowers. We had white peonies, cream and sahara patience garden roses, sweet pea, jasmine vine, seeded eucalyptus, peach Juliet garden roses, dusty miller leaves, cream ranunculus, peach stock, and spirea.

For my walk down the aisle, a string quartet played “A Thousand Years.” Our first dance was to the Righteous Brothers’ “Unchained Melody,” which is the song that my grandparents danced to on their wedding day.

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. According to Ty, he and I met long before I remember, back in 2008. I didn’t believe it until I found a random picture I took with my cousin, Callie, where Ty was in the background! Callie used to date Ty’s best friend, Chris, so they were always invited to the same events, and their paths always crossed. Ty constantly reminds me that the night we met, I did not speak to him, and ignored him on the way out. I still refuse to believe that was the case! A year passed, and Ty and I would see each other every now and then, but never truly got to know one another until 2009 when I came home for Christmas break. Callie invited me over to her new place, and when I arrived, I saw Ty sitting on the couch. I introduced myself, only for Ty to reply, “Yeah…we’ve met before…” Assuming any possibility for a friendship was lost, I just laughed it off and changed the subject. Later that night, Callie, Chris, Ty, and I decided to go to the infamous IBG (Island Bar and Grille). This is where the magic really happened. Callie came over to me what I thought of Ty, and before I could reply, Ty walked over and put his arm around me. Instead of asking me out, he said, “I need you to pretend to be my girlfriend for a minute, that biker lady over there is trying to ask me out.” Romantic right?! Needless to say, we kept in touch ever since that night. I returned to Columbia, but Ty began visiting Gamecock country all the time. We decided to become an official couple on March 16, 2010. We have been through a lot together since, and know, through our experiences, we will be able to get through anything. On December 15, 2013, Ty got down on one knee and asked me to be his wife, forever.
Tell us all about the proposal! I knew it was coming; I just wasn’t sure when. Every time a big event was coming up–birthday, graduation, surprise camping trip, etc.–I just knew Ty was going to pop the question, and I was wrong every time. Ty caught on quickly that I knew it was coming, so he knew he had to ask when I least expected it! Every year, Ty and I love going to the James Island County Christmas lights. We both enjoy the Christmas season so much, so we make a point to go every year, and this year was no different! Once we arrived, we decided to head to Santa’s Workshop and walk around, as we do every year, but first, we had to stop at the mistletoe light for a quick picture! When it came time for Ty and I to take our picture, we posed for a few shots, and then Ty looked at me and said, “Do you know how much I love you?” I responded, “Yes, I love you too, Ty!” Tyler said, “No, do you know how much I love you?” Confused, I remarked, “Umm, yes, I think so?” This is where is became a blur to me, as I saw him reach into his jacket pocket and pull something out. He then got down on one knee and asked me, “Will you do me the honor of being my wife, forever?” I was SHOCKED, and of course, said YES!” Although it was simple, it was perfect! I couldn’t imagine being asked any other way!
When did y’all get married? May 22, 2015
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 150
What readings, if any, did you have at your ceremony? My uncle read “The Art of Marriage” and Ty’s father read Ecclesiastes 4:9-12.
How did you plan for your marriage while planning your wedding? We bought a home together while engaged and started planning for the future, dreaming up holiday parties we could throw and traditions we would want to start for our future family. Focusing on the future that we were building kept the stress of the wedding low.
If you are comfortable responding, what range did your wedding budget fall into? $25,000-$50,000
What was one way you saved money or cut costs at your wedding? Prioritizing what I had always dreamed of including vs. things I had never given much thought to. Things on the bottom of that list needed the smallest budget–for us, the cake was low on the list because we aren’t cake people, so we opted out of extravagant cake and dessert options.
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? It’ll be special regardless of how much you spend, so keep it simple! If you’re creative enough, you can have a dream wedding without spending a fortune!

Photographer: Dana Cubbage / Videographer: Finger Snappin’ Entertainment / Planner: Jacqueline Volz of Sweetgrass Social / Venue: Legare Waring House / Florist: Branch Design Studio / Wedding Cake: Cakes by Kait / Caterer: Crave Catering / Rentals: Eventworks / Lighting: Technical Event Company / DJ: DJ Y.Not / Band: Charleston Chamber Musicians / Bridal Salon and Accessories: Bridal House of Charleston / Hair Stylist: Madison Hughes / Makeup: Jonny Cosmetics / Bridesmaids’ Dress Salon: Bella Bridesmaids / Vintage Decor: 428 Main

marissa Written with love by Marissa
2 Comments
  1. avatar Brianna reply

    Where can I find those bridesmaid dresses!? That is exactly what I’ve been searching for!?

  2. avatar Lindsay + Ty | Legare Waring Houses| Charleston, SC – Sweetgrass Social reply

    […] To read more about their story check out Lindsay and Ty’s feature in Southern Weddings. […]

Southern Weddings reserves the right to delete comments which contain profanity or personal attacks or seek to promote a business unrelated to the post.  And remember: a good attitude is like kudzu – it spreads.  We love hearing your kind thoughts!

Reply to:
close

Abby and David deeply desire to “live their lives in a way that leaves a legacy of compassion,” and they wanted their wedding to be a reflection of intentionality and authenticity. I think it’s safe to say that this worthy goal was definitely felt throughout their sweet wedding day! Abby and David hosted their guests at Abby’s beautiful family home, where it was easy to create a comfortable and welcoming environment. Abby’s mama, the owner of Brown Eyed Girl Antiques, helped them bring their eclectic aesthetic to life while focusing on keeping guests warm and cozy, complete with family quilts, warm cider, and lots of fire pits for chatting around. If their ear-to-ear smiles are any indication, I’m sure guests were ever so grateful for this hospitality!

Thanks to Someplace Wild for sharing this lovely day with us!

Shortly after David proposed, my family traveled to St. Augustine, Florida where my mom, sister, stepdad, and I went to a few local wedding shops. Choosing my dress was one of the fastest decisions of the wedding planning process! At one store, the owner said she knew just the dress for me. I walked out wearing it, my stepdad got teary-eyed, and I knew that was the one. I had never seen him cry in my life! It was also the perfect fit–I was able to buy it off the rack, which was good because our engagement was only five months long. When we returned to our car, I looked through my wedding folder and found a magazine page of the EXACT dress I had just purchased. It was definitely meant to be!

What is the one detail or vendor that you were so happy to have as a part of your wedding? I loved being able to have Someplace Wild as our photographer. Christina has an amazing talent of making everyone feel comfortable. I can see every emotion in the faces of guests that she captured. Having her present during my wedding day was a complete joy. I will cherish what she created for years to come.

We had a lot of music throughout the ceremony. David is a musician so this was his area of expertise. We chose “Found a Heart” by Emily Hearn while the bridal party walked down the aisle–we love this song because it really expresses the excitement and magnitude of the wedding day.

Did you decide to do a first look? Why or why not? We chose to reserve our first look for the ceremony. It took my breath away to see him as I walked down the aisle, and made that moment really special!

What was one way you saved money or cut costs at your wedding? I think the key to saving money was keeping the guest list to an intimate size. This was difficult to do, but really helped in the end.

What made you choose your ceremony and reception venues? Did they have any special significance to you? We got married at my family home. It created a comfortable and cherished environment for our wedding day!

My favorite detail of the wedding was having it in my family home and how much of an impact my mom’s decorative style had on the evening. She owns an antique booth called Brown Eyed Girl Antiques, so she was able to salvage and create various environments throughout the night. My favorite pieces were the lanterns with lit candles hanging in the trees! She was a part of every detail and her industrial, eclectic style shined throughout the night. We had a wonderful time working together as a family to create this weekend, with surprisingly minimal arguments :) Many guests stayed late into the night visiting and socializing, even after we had departed. This was a great aspect of having an at-home wedding.

We had a very bohemian-styled cake, courtesy of Caken’ it Easy, that was a textured, three-tiered cake in a classic white with mossy green accents. Lynn Bottoms and Betty Cox, who are local family friends, also made their specialty desserts and added variety to the selection!

What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? The meal was provided by ROUX, a local Southern restaurant. We served cajun shrimp and grits and Lowcountry boil on vintage Blue Willow plates. My stepdad, grandfather, and a local carpenter built a wooden cross as the centerpiece for the ceremony. The wood was obtained from the floor of an old local barn. We provided hand-sewn quilts for our guests as they sat during the ceremony. I gave my bridesmaids vintage brooches to place in their bouquets. I picked them based on personality, hoping they could wear these brooches again! We also had fire pits throughout the yard for guests to sit around and enjoy watching the dancing!

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. David and I met through mutual friends at a wedding. I snuck over to his table and ended up spending the majority of the night talking with him! He instantly caught me off guard with his humor and genuine demeanor–I wasn’t even afraid to tell him about my fear of wearing red at weddings or that I had almost read the COMPLETELY wrong scripture during the ceremony (John and 1 John…there is a difference). From the beginning, our friendship was simple and real. We continued to see each other at various events over the next few months. I literally lit up inside every time I saw him, but neither of us had decided to pursue one another quite yet…..until the marriage of the previously mentioned mutual friends! At their wedding, David finally asked for my number and called a few days later. Our first date was at La Fonda, where we spent hours trying to decide what to order between our endless chatter and laughter. We went with the chicken tacos, and the rest is history.
Tell us all about the proposal! One of the things on our dating bucket list was to hike Stone Mountain and watch the sunrise. David picked me up one Sunday morning at 5:42. I don’t even think I brushed my hair that day…too early. We started our hike around 6:30 am. About halfway up the mountain, I began wondering if maybe we should call it a day and watch the sunrise from the bottom, but David quickly persuaded me to keep going. The view from the top was beautiful, and we picked a rock to sit on and enjoy the sunrise. At one point, I asked David if he had any water in the backpack he had carried up the mountain. He looked at me and said, “No, but you know what I do have in this backpack?” He then got down on one knee with a ring and asked me to be his WIFE! After a few seconds of elation, I turned around to find a few of our best friends, who had trekked up the mountain before dawn to surprise me! As if that was not enough, David had planned a surprise breakfast with our close friends and family when we hiked back down. I cannot tell you how many times I cried tears of joy on this day!
When did y’all get married? November 15, 2015
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 120
How did you plan for your marriage while planning your wedding? We had meetings with our pastor for premarital counseling and also read the book “The Meaning of Marriage” by Tim Keller. A lot of our focus was on our marriage–we really did not fret over details of the wedding. With the help of our family, I knew it would all come together just as it was meant to.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? I would say my most memorable moment was my stepfather and dad walking me down the aisle. My parents separated when I was five years old. A few years later, my mom remarried and my stepdad came into the picture. My stepdad has been a rock in my life and is the most dependable man I know. My father and him get along well, and my dad has also been very active and supportive in my life. Their relationship has always been jovial and supportive. Having these two walk me down the aisle was a great moment of healing and happiness for me and my family. Also, my stepdad is a man of few words. He has always been the provider and “go-getter” rather than the “let’s talk about it” type. He made it clear he wasn’t wanting to make a speech, and requested that my mother give the welcome speech for both of them! This was fine with me, and the planning continued. However, midway through dinner the night of the wedding, my stepdad stood up and asked for the crowd’s attention. I thought he was going to make a general statement about where to go once dinner was completed. Instead, he gave the most eloquent, authentic speech about how proud he was of me and how supportive he was of our marriage. Almost every guest was left speechless and teary-eyed. It was standing ovation-worthy. I will never forget it!
What’s next for you as a couple? What memories are you looking forward to making together? We want to leave a legacy of compassion. We want to be remembered as a couple who cares and who can be dependable in a time of need. We want to be remembered as intentional and authentic. I hope the details of our wedding captured this, but we also try to live this principle out in our daily lives as well.

Photographer: Christina Devictor / Planner: Beth Miller and Laura Hintz / Venue: Private residence / Florist: Funky Mountain Flowers / Wedding Cake: Cake’n It Easy / Caterer: Roux on Canton / Rentals: Tents, Tents, Tents / Lighting and Special Details: Brown Eyed Girl Antiques / Music: Jim Drennan and Tory Fallis / DJ: Omar of Spectrum Events / Hair and Makeup: Elle Cardenas / Bride’s Shoes: Antonio Melani / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Style #F15555 in Mercury by David’s Bridal / Menswear: The Black Tux

marissa Written with love by Marissa
0 Comments

Southern Weddings reserves the right to delete comments which contain profanity or personal attacks or seek to promote a business unrelated to the post.  And remember: a good attitude is like kudzu – it spreads.  We love hearing your kind thoughts!

Reply to:
close
Top