Southern Weddings

While their ceremony was a classic black + white affair, Taylor + Stephen celebrated with a bold and bright outdoor affair at the Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens. I love, love the twinkle lights over the checkered dance floor! Talk about dancing under the stars. For a fun twist on a wedding tradition, T + S served a chocolate, flower-topped cake from Classics Cakes (904-246-6408). For more from today’s fairytale wedding, visit Abby Jiu’s blog post here!

See all the photos from Taylor + Stephen’s wedding in their Real Wedding Gallery!

Tell us about finding your wedding dress: My dress was the first one I tried on. I went on to 10 more stores and at least 100 other dresses. But I couldn’t get over the way that dress made me feel – just like myself… only better. I wanted something beautiful, feminine, and dramatic, something that would take Stephen’s breath away and this dress fit that bill 100%. The dress was going to stretch my budget, but my mother agreed to it saying, “Life will have its challenges. I want your life with Stephen to start off as perfect as possible. You’ll always have this wonderful day to look back on, and the way you felt, even when times are tough.” I couldn’t thank her for that more.
Describe your wedding flowers: My florist helped me choose a lovely palate of purples and fuchsia for our wedding floral designs. Throughout the museum and gardens were various arrangements of antique hydrangeas, purple and fuchsia roses, calla lilies, stock, and purple mokara orchids with a spray of peacock feathers in almost every design. I carried a cascading bouquet of white phalaenopsis orchids secured by a brooch that belonged to my great aunt. My bridesmaids carried bouquets of purple antique hydrangeas, deep purple callas, purple mokara orchids, purple roses and punches of fuchsia roses. Each bouquet was different, but similar.
Describe your wedding cake: The bride’s cake was a three tiered, chocolate devil’s food cake with a chocolate butter cream filling and chocolate ganache exterior. It had gold ribbon on the border, gold fondant feathers, and fresh flowers. The groom’s cake was a double layered half sheet of New York Style Cheesecake with butter cream icing and decorated with fondant, hand painted bow ties. One tie represented Stephen’s fraternity, another represented his interest in politics, and the last represented his signature bow tie.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? Just as I stepped outside into the garden to take my place for my walk down the aisle, I heard the a capella group sing a song Stephen and I had listened to often. The rush that came over me in realizing this was the moment I would get to marry the most wonderful person I’d ever met brought tears to my eyes. I hid behind a great oak tree, waiting for my cue, thinking to myself, “I really get to keep him forever.”
Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line? No, but our priest knows us well. She represented us perfectly in her sermon when she said, “Taylor is Stephen’s inspiration and Stephen is Taylor’s rock.” She went on to say, Love is not a feeling. It’s a do-ing.”
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you looking forward to in the future? We look forward to moving into our new home together and starting a family in the next few years.