Southern Weddings

Lucy and Will’s wedding makes my heart sing a little, because with every image, I can imagine them looking back on their wedding in five, ten, and even fifty, years, and still loving everything about it. As they planned their special day with the help of Carson Castellaw at Bella Flora, they included special nods to their families (like Lucy’s heirloom veil and a gorgeous family photo display), their love story (they were married in the church that led to their first meeting!), and even the married life they were creating through their wedding (they coincidentally both gifted one another with monogrammed wedding gifts). All of those meaningful elements were set against a timeless green and white color palette and arranged under a clear-top tent to create a lovely beginning to Lucy and Will’s marriage!

Thank you so much to Sarah Kate Photography for sharing this celebration with us!

Tell us about finding your wedding dress. My parents and I went to New York City for my brother’s engagement in January. The engagement was a surprise, so we did not want to run into them anywhere, and decided to spend our day where we knew they would not be: bridal salons. I tried on a few dresses with only my parents there and found the one. I kept it a secret to everyone but my family until the day of, which was hard, but so worth it!!

We didn’t mean to, but we both gave each other monogrammed gifts the day of the wedding. He gave me a necklace with my new monogram and I gave him a monogrammed cummerbund!

What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? I think the most memorable moment of our wedding day was the ceremony. It was the part of the wedding that we were most looking forward to: committing to one another in front of God and our family and friends.

I absolutely love flowers and I think they were my favorite part of the whole event! Carson, our wedding planner, and Lucy at Bella Flora went above and beyond on the flowers, making sure they were exactly what I was imagining. We wanted the reception to feel very natural and rustic, but still elegant, and used a combination of white and green flowers.

What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? I think our wedding had a lot of Southern flair, especially the reception! The venue itself is a ranch, but the clear tent and hanging lanterns made us feel like we were outside the whole time. The food at our reception was so good–we had guacamole and salsa tostadas, quail legs, cheese grit tacos, and more.

We had a bride’s cake and a groom’s cake. The bride’s cake was a five-tier white cake with my new monogram and flowers all over it. Will’s cake was two-tired, covered in chocolate shavings and succulents. We are both pretty traditional when it comes to cake flavors, so mine was white cake with white icing and his was all chocolate. I actually never saw the groom’s cake amidst the craziness of the reception, but it looks beautiful in the pictures!

What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? Enjoy the process! It is a short season that is so much more fun when it’s enjoyable, rather than stressful.

Don’t miss Lucy and Will’s wedding film by Elle Films below!

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. We both grew up in Fort Worth, Texas, but didn’t cross paths until our junior year of high school. Will first noticed me at a mission trip preparation meeting. We started dating not long after, and have been together ever since.
Tell us all about the proposal! Will proposed on December 20, 2013 at his family’s lake house. He told me that since the Christmas season is always busy, the 20th would be the best night for us to celebrate and exchange gifts. He gave me my gift first, which was an iPad, and I was shocked. He had set the iPad background to a photo of him holding the ring, so when I turned it on, I saw the picture. When I looked up, he was down on one knee. He asked me if I would marry him, and I said yes! Afterwards, he surprised me again with all our closest friends and family waiting to celebrate at my parents’ house. It was the perfect night!
When did y’all get married? September 20, 2014
Did you decide to do a first look? Why or why not? We had a hard time deciding whether or not to do a first look, but in the end, we decided not to, and I’m so glad! For us, it made the ceremony even more special and sacred.
What made you choose your ceremony and reception venues? Did they have any special significance to you? Christ Chapel Bible Church was an easy choice for us, as it was the church both of us grew up attending. We decided on Heart of the Ranch for our reception because I wanted an outdoor venue where I could create a new look from scratch. Heart of the Ranch was the perfect place for us!
Did you have something borrowed, blue, old, and new? If so, do tell! I borrowed the veil that my grandmother, mom, and aunts have all worn, and am excited to continue to pass it down. My something blue was my garter, old was my earrings, and new was my shoes.
How did you plan for your marriage while planning your wedding? We made sure to take time out of wedding planning and focus on us and the future of our marriage. We did premarital counseling through our church, which was so great and fun!
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you most looking forward to about married life? We are looking forward to life slowing down post-engagement and settling into married life together in Dallas!

Photographer: Sarah Kate Photography / Videographer: Elle Films / Planner: Carson Castellaw of Bella Flora / Ceremony Venue: Christ Chapel Bible Church / Reception Venue: Heart of the Ranch / Florist: Bella Flora / Cake Baker: Creme de la Creme / Caterer: Bonnell’s / Band: The Project Band / Paper Products: Southern Fried Paper / Bride’s Gown: Oscar de la Renta / Hair and Makeup: Maitee Miles / Bride’s Shoes: J. Crew / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: “9327” by Alvina Maids / Groomsmen Attire: Men’s Wearhouse

Southern Fried Paper is a delightful member of our Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory!

Written with love by Lisa