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Bright coral pink is one of those colors that exudes cheerfulness, and when I read Nichole and Ricky’s equally charming interview, I knew they made the perfect color scheme choice for their wedding! After enduring a long-distance relationship and getting engaged in the town where they met, this sweet couple spent a year and a half planning their gorgeous Historic Cedarwood wedding. All of their hard work resulted in a wedding that struck the perfect balance between heartfelt, emotional moments and fun, playful details. Does it get much better than that?

Big thanks to Kristyn Hogan for sharing Nichole and Ricky’s beautiful day with us!

I had spent about a month going to several wedding boutiques pre-shopping in Houston before my mom came into town for Thanksgiving. I wanted to make sure that I had a few dresses picked out to help make the shopping really easy. However, I couldn’t seem to find one that made me feel like it was the one and I was really stressing out, not to mention that all of my girls lived in other states, so I was really going at this alone. Finally, my parents came to town for the holiday and my mom and I set out looking for the dress. I tried on several at the first boutique and even though my mom already had tears flowing since we were finally getting to have our mother-daughter experience, I still wasn’t finding the one that felt right for me. When we went to the next boutique, we had fun picking out dresses that I wouldn’t normally choose for myself. Then I came across this one that I just fell in love with. I put it on and knew it was the dress. We were both crying and just so excited that this was it. We bought the dress, canceled the rest of the appointments, and then went out to celebrate since we still had the rest of the day with each other.

Did you decide to do a “first look”? 
I actually talked to my photographer and she said it was great for pictures, so I was more than excited to include this in our day. A month before my wedding, one of my best friends got married and did a first look. All of the girls begged to sneak a peek but not be seen. Wow–we were all in tears over the amount of emotion that they both had, and I couldn’t wait to have the same experience with my soon-to-be husband. Needless to say, we did!

What a sweet moment! I love the emotion in this picture, including all of the smiling guests in the background!

Did you write your own vows? 
We really wanted to, but we were so nervous that we would be too overcome with emotion and unable to make it through them. We were fortunate to have a wonderful officiant, who helped us plan our ceremony and gave us the opportunity to make it ours. The part that stood out to me the most was the preface to the vows. “I want remind us all of what a vow is. A vow is a solemn promise, a pledge that binds. A commitment of heart, mind, soul and body. It is tenacious, persistent and even stubborn in the face of challenges. These are your vows. It is one of life’s greatest gifts, to give and receive such a commitment. Understanding these things about your vows causes us to understand that these are not mere words and so we listen in great awe and reverence as you make these promises to each other.”

When I was initially conceptualizing the wedding, I fell in love with the idea of an outdoor ceremony, but wanted to make sure that we had rustic Southern charm as well. Since I am from Tennessee, we wanted to have the wedding in Nashville to give our guests the opportunity to experience this amazing city we fell in love with. Cedarwood was perfect with its natural meadow, outdoor garden, front lawn with a swing and chandelier, historic home, and beautiful landscape, so I had many different areas to utilize. We had our wedding ceremony in the meadow with the altar covered with beautiful flowers and the rustic barn in the background. The cocktail hour was held in the front of the house on the lawn. It reminded me of something out of Gone With the Wind. Our reception was held on the wrap-around terrace, which was open and surrounded by the beautiful landscape and decor.

What is the one detail or vendor that you were so happy to have as a part of your wedding? 
I would have to say Cedarwood Weddings. They walked me through everything. I really had no idea what I was doing and I relied on Cedarwood to point me in the right direction. The staff was fantastic. We were lucky enough to have started planning far enough in advance that we were able to book all the vendors that Cedarwood considered the best of the best. It all showed the day of the wedding, with every vendor and staff member. Everything went so smoothly and felt perfect. We were able to enjoy every moment.

Describe your wedding cake or dessert. 
I completely loved our cake. I was the bride that was seated and eating a full plate while everyone was dancing. It was a round, three-tiered smooth-edged design with peach-melon colored icing, small lace detailing, and one big coral charm peony on top of a mint cake stand. All tiers were strawberry marble cake with white chocolate cream cheese filling and icing. I am so happy that we had some left over so I can have it over and over again. We also had a cookie bar setup. These cookies are the ones the aunts brought. They were displayed on various platters and cake stands and were a huge hit!

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. 
I am originally from Tennessee and moved north for school and my career. While working at Tweenbrands in Columbus, Ohio, I met a really great group of girlfriends that had all gone to Ohio University together. We all hung out and eventually started going to their boyfriends’ softball games, which is when I started to hang out with Ricky. We would all go out after the games and hang out, eating pizza and fries on Thursday nights, and we continued meeting up through the weekend. I could really tell that Ricky and I had a lot in common. We were both going through art school and it was so easy to talk and relate to him. We became a couple just a few months before he was offered an amazing job in Houston, TX. We both felt it was the right thing for him to do and we continued to make the relationship work. After a very long two years of long-distance calls and flights back and forth, we both felt like we needed to be together. I left my job and moved to Houston for us and two years later, we were finally engaged.
Tell us all about the proposal! 
It was so cute! We traveled back to Ohio and I had already been sick for a week but I was being a trooper. We ran around all day getting ready for a Halloween party that night and stopping at all our favorite places in Columbus, where we met. Then, in the parking lot behind our favorite coffee house, he started to complain about his leg hurting. I offered him some Aleve, but he said he would be fine. We got into the car when Ricky started freaking out about his leg really hurting. He told me to stop and let him get out to stretch. I rolled down the window to see how he was doing and he told me he needed me to get out and help him (by the way, he was kneeling in a puddle). I got out, really confused since he never complains about pulled muscles, and there he was, on one knee (still in the puddle), asking me if I would marry him. Then, he opened the box and the ring fell out and rolled under the car. He politely asked me to “hold on a sec” while he fetched it and I was tearing up. It was the cutest thing and I was so happy that I forgot to say yes till we got back in the car! Eventually, he did get his answer.
When did y’all get married? 
May 26, 2013
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 
85
Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. 
I really wanted to use some “not so typical” music during our ceremony. Working with our guitar/violin duo, we were able to add some Beatles songs that keep the feeling more current. We incorporated “In My Life” for the seating of the guests and “All You Need is Love” for the recessional to kick off the celebration! Ricky had this great idea that at the end of the reception, we have the DJ play “Time of My Life” from the Dirty Dancing soundtrack as if it was the last song. Then, we surprised our guests with “One More Time” by Daft Punk for one last chance to dance. It was so much fun!!
Describe your wedding flowers. 
Cedarwood did an amazing job with the flowers. I provided a picture I had seen online of an arrangement with many different types of natural textures and colors that I wanted to replicate. I wanted to make sure that we were making an effort to not be matchy-matchy and focus on various shades of our colors: light pinks, melon, and ivory. They did a custom-designed bouquet using cabbage roses, coral charm peonies, light peach/pink stock, light pink spray roses, dusty miller, seeded eucalyptus, and ranunculus. It was hand-tied with burlap and a band of material used for my dress sash around the middle. We switched the color variations for the bridesmaids so the bouquets would pop against their papaya J.Crew dresses, and tied each with a ribbon to match my sash as well. They were beautiful! The groom’s boutonniere was a light peach spray rose and seeded eucalyptus to match my bouquet, tied with twine. The groomsmen boutonnieres were similar, but in a lighter shade.
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: 
I have a few that really stood out for me. First, I made all the paper goods, from the save the dates, to the large logo sign used for the favor wall and photo booth, to the guest book. I really enjoyed taking the time to make sure every little detail was consistent with our Nashville wedding, with the large bright flowers and the NP + RK theme. Ricky was always there helping me get all the tiny crafts completed, bless his heart. Second, I decided to do white Wayfarer Sunglasses with our “NP + RK” logo as our favors. I thought it would make great photos and it was totally appropriate with the outside wedding venue. Third, there is a family tradition on my husband’s side that the women of the family make these amazing little cookies for weddings. They are insanely good. RK’s aunts made the drive all the way down from Pittsburgh with the cookies in tow for our wedding. It really meant a lot that his family would take so much time to make all of them. There were so many different kinds of cookies and the table never seemed to be bare since the staff had enough to keep it stocked all night. I purchased kraft favor bags so our guests could take some of their favorite ones home with them. Somehow I still ended up taking plenty to snack on back home. Fourth, my dad had this amazing idea to incorporate a Chinese wishing lantern into the wedding, which I thought would be a unique thing to do as a sign of our unity. It was really beautiful to release the lantern into the air with all of our family and friends watching as it soared into the night sky.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? The biggest challenge I faced was being so far away from everything, including my family, friends, and the venue. I did a lot on my own and had to utilize technology as much as possible with FaceTime and sending photos. I had a lot of support from my parents during the planning process. They really were amazing. We also had our initial design meeting at Cedarwood to cover every detail of the wedding. It was outstanding and really helped me decide what direction to go with my wedding.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? 
My most memorable moment would have to be at the ceremony, standing there with Ricky, announcing to everyone that we were forever joined as husband and wife. I remember, even through my nerves, taking a moment to look at everyone that had traveled so far to be there for us, and knowing that others so wanted to be there and couldn’t make it. It really touched our hearts.
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? 
Try not to rush it. I had about a year and a half engagement. I really feel like it’s worth taking the time if you can. I would also suggest, if your venue doesn’t offer it, to get a wedding planner, even if it’s just for the day of your wedding. It was great to not have to worry about anything the day of and to enjoy all the hard work I put into creating the special day with everyone we love.
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you most looking forward to about married life? 
We are looking to save money and start looking for a house. We are ready to settle down and begin the rest of our lives together.

Photographer: Kristyn Hogan | Planner: Cedarwood Weddings – Linda Wright, Kortni Wells, and Erika Hoelscher | Ceremony Venue: The Historic Cedarwood – Cedarwood Weddings | Reception Venue: The Historic Cedarwood – Cedarwood Weddings | Florist: Cedarwood Weddings – Karen Wright | Wedding Cake: Patty Cakes | Caterer: Chef Christopher’s Catering | Band: Jace Aaron Entertainment | Bride’s Gown: Watters, Belmont Style, Bride re-designed sash | Paper Products: Bride self-designed and made, NP+RK Designs | Bride’s Hair Accessories/Jewelry: Anthropologie (Hair Accessory), Bride’s Own (Jewelry) | Bridesmaids’ Hair Accessories/Jewelry: Bride made (Hair Accessory), Bride re-designed (Jewelry) | Hair Stylist for Bride, Mother of the Bride, and Mother of the Groom: Studio BBC Salon | Hair Stylist for Bridesmaids and Flower Girl: Leslie Dockery of On Broadway Hair Salon and Lynnell Randolph Ferguson | Makeup Artist: Studio BBC Salon | Bride’s Shoes: Lucky Brand light mint ballet flats | Bridesmaids’ Dresses: J. Crew Miranda Dress in Cotton Candy – Sweet Papaya | Groom’s Attire: Jos. A. Bank Havana Destination Suit | Groomsmen Attire: Jos. A. Bank Havana Destination Suit

Cedarwood Weddings is a delightful member of our Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory!

lisa Written with love by Lisa
21 Comments
  1. avatar Kat reply

    I’m in LOVE with those porch flowers, the dark brown chairs against the pink linens and that huge bloom on their cake!! Her “try not to rush it” advice is spot on too :)

  2. avatar Emily reply

    This wedding is packed with gorgeous details, but I have to say their signature drink might be my favorite! Looks delicious!

  3. avatar Ivy Ellen reply

    I love your idea of releasing a Chinese wishing lantern. Such a magical thing to do. Congratulations to you both.

  4. avatar Linda reply

    Loved this wedding and layers upon layers of pretty details. Working with Nicole and Ricky (and her parents) was a treat for the Cedarwood team, and we are always pumped to partner with Kristyn Hogan. Thanks iloveswmag.com for sharing this one!

  5. avatar Kristin reply

    I am not a cake girl but heavens that cake looks delicious! I love the big coral charm peony on top!!

  6. avatar Claire reply

    The flowers are gorgeous! Love this color combo

  7. avatar Latrice reply

    This wedding is amazing! The Cedarwood team + Kristyn Hogan are a perfect combination.

  8. avatar Dana reply

    there are so many perfect peach aspects and gorgeous flowers in this wedding, im so in love with it!!

  9. avatar Blakely reply

    We are doing similar colors! Where did the bride get that cake stand? I may need one!!

  10. avatar weddingchicks reply

    love seeing our sweet favor bags! (:

  11. avatar » Wedding Favor Bag Ideas May I Have The Ring reply

    […] Nichole designed the invite suite herself to go along with her pink and mint wedding and we thing she did an utterly fabulous job. You can see more of Nichole and Ricky’s rustic chic wedding over on SWS Magazine Blog! […]

  12. avatar Mint and Coral Cedarwood Wedding | Historic Cedarwood | All Inclusive Designer Weddings reply

    […] Nicole and Ricky’s mint and coral pink wedding is a southern show stopper that explodes with personality.  We had an incredible time helping pull all the details together for this celebration, anchored by the amazing paper goods Nicole designed for her wedding.  If you love what you see in these fantastic photos by Kristyn Hogan, you can read about her wedding vision and details in the blog feature by Southern Weddings Magazine! […]

  13. avatar Rosy Pink Wedding Ideas | Heart Love Weddings reply

    […] 1: Bridesmaid Dress and Bouquet captured by Kristyn Hogan Photography via Southern Weddings, Peaches via Serenella, Letterpress Wedding Invitations via Vintage Press & […]

  14. avatar Amye reply

    Hi just checking I read correctly.. Did nichole really make her own wedding invitation package? I am really wanting to make my own as well and this has been great inspiration! Any tips on how/where to get started? What program’s are good to use?

    Thanks,

    Amye xx

  15. avatar This + That // Strawberries + Pink | Coastal Bride reply

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Hello, belles! Last week we shared our first entry into our Dream Southern Summer Wedding series with Mrs. Thomas’ peachy perfection! This week it’s my turn to do a little faux celebration planning. And don’t forget to check back soon as the other gals will be coming to you over the next few weeks!

Unlike my adorable colleagues, Emily and Kristin, I did not already have a summer wedding, so when it came to dreaming up what I’d choose for a Southern summer day I knew it would have to look a little something like this:

The feel: Pink, preppy + full of fun! My real-life wedding was a fabulous formal affair laced with lovely light pink and classic details, so when it came to a Southern summer wedding I knew I needed to amp of my favorite color, add in some cool treats since it’s a scorcher in the South, and add in some monograms for good measure. Obvi!

The place: The Front Lawn at Rosemary Beach. Absolutely dreamy! And in my dream, we’ve got big ol’ fans keeping everyone cool!

The time: 6pm, in early June

The style: Preppy, colorful and casual. I’d wear the Christy gown from Lula Kate; it’s got ruffles for fanciness and it’s cool enough to dance in! I think I’d copy cat the gals in that lovely photo with pretty pink + gold good stripes. And for the boys, I’d have to go seersucker pants, casual button downs and of course some fabulous striped bow ties!

The food: We’d go ultra casual here, and have the famous Shuckums cater a big ol’ oyster dinner complete with mine and BDK’s favorite style “Shukums Rockefeller”. And don’t y’all worry, to fancy up the place we’d have raspberry bellinis with gold-rimmed glasses, and divine donuts from Charlie’s Donut Truck for desert. Heavens, I’m ready for a vacation there now!

The music: I love the live music that filled the Main Street in Rosemary, so I’d have to go with a local band playing all our favorites. A little Wagon Wheel, a bit of Chicken Fried, and of course a lot of Sweet Home Alabama. After all we want people to kick their shoes off, pop on those flip flops and dance the night away!

The flowers: A bright and cheery combo of ranunculus, big puffy peonies, and azaleas to represent my home state. I’d tie off the bouquet with the adorable peach and pink striped bow in the photo above. I’d keep the tables simple and clean with low arrangements of bright pink pretties, gold silverware, monogrammed napkins and a strand of string lights above of heads.

What do you think, dolls? What would YOUR dream Southern summer wedding look like?

marissa Written with love by Marissa
9 Comments
  1. avatar Occasions In Print reply

    Love the Hot Pink for a warm summer wedding! Great ideas!

  2. avatar Carly reply

    I LOVE this, M! Bright pink = perfection. : )

  3. avatar Lisa reply

    So gorgeous and oh-so-Marissa! That bridesmaid look is one of my favorites too!

  4. avatar Ivy Ellen reply

    The bridesmaids’ dresses are so pretty they match the pink colour theme so well!

  5. avatar Candice Sutton reply

    I love the bridesmaid dresses! Can you tell me where these are from please?

  6. avatar Elegant Beach Wedding by Pure 7 Studios – Southern Weddings Magazine reply

    […] Florida is a favorite destination for quite a few of the SW gals (Marissa even chose it for our Dream Southern Summer Wedding series), and I love the elegant spin Claire and Matthew put on their beach destination! Thank you […]

  7. avatar Sam reply

    What an absolutely gorgeous colour palette! I think the gold adds a lovely extra dimension. Wonderful!

  8. avatar FEATURED FRIDAY| Pure7 Studios in 2013 reply

    […] Claire and Matt’s elegant 2012 Rosemary Beach wedding. It was even included in Marissa’s Dream Southern Summer Wedding Series later on. We must say, It’s A Shore Thing really out did themselves (yet again) bringing to […]

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Oh y’all, I literally gasped with excitement when I saw Carol + Scott’s welcome bags! As y’all might guess, houndstooth is one of my favorite prints ever (fun fact: it’s actually a plaid!).

While the amazing florals and the gorgeous portraits from Sam Stroud are sure to catch your eye, what truly stood out at Carol + Scott’s wedding to me was their intentional incorporation of family. C + S honored Carol’s late grandmother by including a custom stamp on their invitations as well as incorporating her diamond into C’s engagement ring. I love Carol’s thoughts on why they chose this option: “a customized stamp was the perfect solution, because her smiling face would be the first thing our guests saw when they pulled the invitation out of the mailbox.”

Did you have something borrowed, blue, old, and new? If so, do tell! Before Scott proposed, he asked my family for permission and was given a diamond that belonged to my maternal grandmother. He had the diamond set in a beautiful setting, and it served as my something old. The dress, which was made to my specifications, served as my something new. My godmother had collected pearls for me and eventually created a necklace; a blue heart surrounded by tiny pearls was attached to this necklace to serve as something blue. I also wore blue shoes. I borrowed my mother’s pearl earrings to pair with the necklace, which served as something borrowed. Finally, to gain more luck, I wore the Sowers family sixpence in my shoe as I walked down the aisle.

How stunning does Carol look in her Chaviano Couture gown? Amazing work from our dear friend Annette!

Did you decide to do a “first look”? Why or why not? No, because we wanted to keep it traditional and not see each other until I walked down the aisle.
Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line? No, we said traditional vows because we wanted to say the same ones our parents and grandparents had said before us.
What readings, if any, did you have at your ceremony? The religious ceremony was very important for our families and us. We chose readings that we felt reflected our intentions concerning expectations of marriage. The readings we chose were Colossians 3:12-17, John 15:9-12, and Galatians 5:22-23.

The flowers at our wedding were absolutely gorgeous! Our florist was a family friend, Meg Laughon, and she truly went above and beyond for our special day. My bouquet was a cascade style bouquet made up of mainly orchids and roses in tones of blush. My bridesmaids had mini versions of my bouquet. Scott wore an orchid as his boutonniere and the groomsmen wore roses. Since we held the reception in my parents’ backyard, we went with a garden theme. We had flowers in the church, on our house, and throughout the backyard reception. There was an arch of flowers over the church and three hanging “balls” of flowers. We used birch wood cones covered with roses and peonies in various shades of blush as pew markers and plaques on the columns in the church. There was also a gorgeous flower arrangement at the front of the church.

At our home, there were flower arches over the entrance to our house, the backyard and the tents. Within the tents, each table had a beautiful arrangement, again with mainly roses and peonies, in three different levels of French wire baskets. Also on the table were beautiful bird nests filled with eggs. The flowers truly made the wedding, as the church and backyard resembled a fairy tale.

I love classical music, and I wanted most of my wedding music to be classical. Scott and I sat down and listened to many songs before finally choosing “The Prince of Denmark March” by Jeremiah Clarke as the bridesmaids/groomsmen/groom processional, “Te Deum Prelude” by Marc-Antoine Charpentier as the and bride processional, and “Hornpipe from Water Music Suite” by G.F. Handel as the recessional. Since music is so important to us, we also had the congregation sing “Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee” and had a soloist sing “For the Beauty of the Earth.” Growing up, we loved hearing and singing these songs in church and it was special to hear them sung in celebration of us. Our first dance song was “Better Together” by Jack Johnson, which really symbolizes us. Our entire four-plus year relationship was long-distance with us only able to see each other on weekends, which was incredibly difficult for us. We knew we had to make the most of things during the short times we could spend together. One of the things we are most looking forward to in marriage is being able to say “goodnight” and “good morning” to one another every day.

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. We initially met through a mutual friend named Rob at a party at Wake Forest University. We became great friends over the next few years, hanging out together most weekends at school. I set Rob up on a blind date with my friend Kate at the Wake Forest spring dance known as “Shag on the Mag.” Flash forward a few years later, and we attended Rob and Kate’s wedding, both as members of the bridal party (Scott was Rob’s Best Man). We immediately hit it off at the wedding after having not seen each other for a couple of years, and soon we were dating. We can’t call it love at first sight, but we’ve found that the best kind of love begins with a strong friendship. Rob returned the favor and participated in our wedding while Kate and their new baby watched on!
Tell us all about the proposal! I had always dreamed of being proposed to on the Quad at Wake Forest. Knowing it would be hard to just get me down to Winston-Salem without me catching on, Scott called our friends Rob and Kate to invite us down for a weekend of touring some of the vineyards in that part of North Carolina. On the morning of Saturday, May 26, 2012, the four of us left our friends’ house to embark on the wine tour, but first, Rob said we needed to go the Fresh Market to pick up supplies for a picnic lunch. Since the store is right by campus, Rob suggested we swing by since we were so close. After we parked, Rob and Kate ventured off to look at the brand new Business School building while we went up on the Quad because Scott said he wanted a new Wake t-shirt from the Deacon Shop. The Quad was absolutely deserted, so we had it all to ourselves. Oblivious to what was about to happen, I was shocked to see Scott get down on one knee, right by the school seal in the sidewalk on the Quad in front of Reynolda Hall. He produced a ring—my beloved grandmother’s ring, in fact—and said it had been the best four years of his life, but he wanted a lifetime of happiness which only I could give him. After taking a moment or two to take it all in, I said yes and we were engaged!
When did y’all get married? June 1st, 2013
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 190
Tell us about finding your wedding dress. At first, I had a difficult time trying to find a perfect dress. I did not want a strapless dress, which seemed to rule out more than half of the options. My grandmother and mother had worn the same dress, but I wanted something new. However, I loved the style of the full lace dress with gorgeous sleeves. My mother and I pored over magazines picking out pieces of dresses that we liked, but never seeing one that completely fit my image of THE dress. Finally, we were told about Chaviano Couture from our wedding planner, Amanda Grey. I walked in from work and my mom told me she had found the dress. It was a miracle how perfect the dress was. EVERYTHING that I had described was on the dress, from the full lace, to the sleeves, to the pearls, to the cream color. The only hitch was Chaviano Couture was in Atlanta, Georgia and we were in Lynchburg, Virginia. Thankfully, my godmother lives in Atlanta so we had a wonderful excuse to visit often! We ended up visiting Atlanta three times to complete the wedding dress, and all the traveling was worth it when viewing the finished product. I cried when trying the dress on for my mother and godmother.
Describe your wedding cake or dessert. The wedding cake was five tiers of yellow cake with white chocolate icing outside, filled with buttercream and raspberries. The exterior icing was designed to match the lace on my wedding dress. The cake topper was used on the cakes of my maternal grandparents and her parents, and the hair has been painted in each generation to match the bride and groom (blonde for me, brunette for Scott).
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: Scott and I each have a favorite detail of the wedding. My favorite detail was the personalized stamp we used on the wedding invitations. My grandmother was everything to me: a role model, my heroine, and my namesake. Tragically, she passed away a couple of years ago, but she would have loved the ceremony. I wear her diamond in my engagement ring, which is a reminder to me every day of how special she was. I wanted to include her in the wedding, and we thought a customized stamp was the perfect solution, because her smiling face would be the first thing our guests saw when they pulled the invitation out of the mailbox. Scott had the idea to have our wedding bands engraved with the date of our wedding and each other’s initials. His ring has my new CCS initials while mine has SGS, which symbolizes our commitment to one another.
What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? We had many Southern traditions at our wedding. Scott, of course, had a groom’s cake. Since we are so passionate about Wake Forest athletics, the cake was designed to look exactly like the Demon Deacon mascot. Scott’s favorite type of cake is yellow cake with chocolate icing, which is pretty close to Wake Forest’s Old Gold and Black colors. The cake was a huge hit, and we took a picture by the cake with all the Demon Deacons in attendance at the wedding (which was a lot!). Our wedding meal also featured many Southern staples, utilizing the wonderful seasonal local produce from farms near Lynchburg. Our first course featured salad with local haricot verts and peaches, which epitomize summer in the South. Next, we had a corn bisque with red peppers. This was followed by crab cakes using Virginia crabmeat. The main course consisted of beef tenderloin with a bourbon glaze (all good Southerners love their bourbon!) and mac and cheese with bacon, a staple Southern dish if there ever was one. After the meal was over, it was time for cake. We included the Southern tradition of a “charm pull,” where each bridesmaid gathers around the cake and then simultaneously pulls ribbons tied to charms hidden underneath the cake. Each charm had a specific meaning, and what they pulled was a surprise for each bridesmaid. Scott’s sister, Meredith, pulled the charm symbolizing she was the next to be married (she also caught the bouquet). My monogram was also used throughout the decorations, including on the cups served during the cocktail hour. The signature cocktail served in these cups was a whiskey “Sowers” in honor of our last name.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? The biggest challenge for me was making sure all of our little details came out the way we envisioned them. So many of the unique things about our wedding were in the details, from the groom’s cake, to the love poems book with the custom book plate inside we gave as favors, to the charm pull, to the welcome bags. Each of these details was very special and important to us, so making sure they all worked out was crucial. With so many details, it did become overwhelming at times. But in the end, everything worked out perfectly and all the time and effort was definitely worth it!
What is the one detail or vendor that you were so happy to have as a part of your wedding? It’s impossible for us to single out one vendor, as all were exceptional in helping to pull together such a beautiful, incredible wedding. However, if I had to choose one person who truly made the wedding everything I wanted and more, it would have to be my mother. She was my rock during the stressful planning times and I cannot thank her enough. Her vision for the how the day would come together was so thorough and spectacular, and I was thrilled to see the day live up to every expectation.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? Cutting the cake was a very special moment for both of us. We used the same knife that my grandparents and parents used at their weddings. I was worried that Scott would smear the cake on my face and warned him before the wedding not to do that because it would ruin my makeup. Thankfully, he just playfully got some frosting on the tip of my nose, but it was I who smeared it all over his face, to the delight of our guests. And he never saw it coming!
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? Make sure to book the big venues early. It gave Scott and me great peace of mind to know we had our venue, catering, florist and photographer booked early so that if anything happened, we would have time to fix it. A town like Lynchburg is small, so there are not many options, and because early June is an extremely popular wedding time, we knew we had to lock them in early. Also, I would tell brides not to “sweat the small stuff.” In the end, the day will be wonderful and you will be marrying the man you love. What could be better than that? Plus, if any issues arise on your wedding day, no one will bring them up to you anyway.
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you most looking forward to about married life? Our relationship has always been long- distance, so it’s wonderful to finally be able to see each other every day. We are settled into our new apartment in Washington, DC. This fall I will be teaching social studies at a private high school in Northern Virginia. Scott is a fabulous cook and is looking forward to cooking us dinner every night with all of the great cooking gadgets and tools given to us as gifts. I am passionate about baking, so I can’t wait to make cookies, cakes, pies and more for him! We also are looking forward to adding to our family with pets and children in the near future. My parents will soon be breeding our new French Bulldog puppies, and we cannot wait to have a little Frenchie running around our place.

Photographer: Sam Stroud | Planner: Amanda Grey | Ceremony Venue: Peakland Baptist Church | Reception Venue: Bride’s home | Florist: Meg Laughon | Wedding Cake: Jennifer England | Caterer: Meriwether Godsey | Rentals: Skyline Tents | Lighting: Shep Nowlin | Band: E3 from Sam Hill Entertainment | Bride’s Gown: Chaviano Couture, Ginny Style | Wedding Invitations: Arzberger Stationers | Bride’s Hair Accessories/Veil/Jewelry: Chaviano Couture | Hair Stylist & Makeup Artist: Spa 4109 | Bride’s Shoes: Bally | Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Bridals By Lori, Alfred Sung Style | Groom’s Attire: J.Crew | Groomsmen Attire: Men’s Wearhouse | Table, Chairs, and Linen Rentals: True Value

marissa Written with love by Marissa
6 Comments
  1. avatar Amanda Gray reply

    SO in love with this wedding and all of the great southern traditions Carol and Scott included! Thank you so much for sharing with your readers!!

  2. avatar Jadzia reply

    The flowers are truly stunning!

  3. avatar Jennifer England/La Bella Torta reply

    So happy to have been part of this wonderful wedding. We loved both the bridal and grooms cake that we had the pleasure of creating for them :) I am so blessed to read how much they were enjoyed (especially the Demon Deacon :) Congratulations Scott and Carol :)

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