Anyone in the mood to jet off to Palm Beach for the weekend? While we can’t all literally load our (monogrammed) luggage onto the plane, we can take a mini mental vacation to sunny Florida, thanks to today’s sweet Southern Newlywed couple, Beth and Lawson! Beth is the co-founder of the fabulous Palm Beach lifestyle site/shop, Palm Beach Lately, so we knew that her and Lawson’s home was bound to be as fun, sunny, and light-hearted as her darling corner of the web. We especially love the reminders they have from their wedding day in their house, from their monogrammed pillows to the show-stopping boxwood wall. You can see both of those details and more in action at their gorgeous Rosemary Beach wedding here!
Thanks so much to Shea Christine for these lovely photos!
The couple: Beth (34) and Lawson (31)
Years married: 1.5
Where you live: Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
Tell us a little bit about yourselves. Lawson currently races in the Tudor United Sportscar Championship, Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge and Pirelli World Challenge Series. He graduated from Vanderbilt University in 2006 with a double major in Engineering Science and Mathematics. My sister, Danielle, and I are co-founders of Palm Beach Lately, the modern online guide and shop that features Palm Beach’s best in beauty, living, social, and style trends. I received a degree in public relations with a concentration in event planning from the University of Florida. After graduation, I moved to New York City, and in 2006, I returned to Palm Beach and started my own public relations and event planning business.
Tell us your love story in one sentence. We met on a blind date set up by a mutual friend and we have been together ever since.
Who cooks dinner? We both do. Lawson used to cook a lot more before we got married, and now I probably cook more than he does. We have an agreement that whoever cooks, the other person cleans. Now we both want to cook so we don’t have to clean!
What is your go-to weeknight meal? Weekend meal? My friend taught me a bolognese recipe that is now Lawson’s favorite thing I make.
What’s your favorite place to find recipes? The Can’t Cookbook by Jessica Seinfeld. A friend gave it to me and it was the best gift. In addition to the recipes, it shows you everything you need to know, from equipment and tool terms, to how to cut an onion and garlic, and more.
Tell us a little bit about where you live. We built a house while we were engaged and moved in right after the wedding. Perfect timing! We live in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida and absolutely love the area. It’s a great city that has everything you need. Plus, it’s very convenient and when you travel a lot (like Lawson does), that is important–we rarely have to leave a 3-mile bubble!
Tell us about the process of moving in together. If you respect one another other’s space and ways, you can make for an easy transition. We learned a lot from each other and slowly migrated our daily routines to work for the both of us. Compromise is key!
Which room in your home is your favorite, and why? Beth: I love our kitchen. We were able to pick our finishes, so we customized it with white subway tile, an exposed exhaust, and a fun black and white island. I wasn’t much of a cook before getting married and moving into our new house. Now, I love cooking in the kitchen and making new recipes for Lawson, my family, and friends. Lawson: The garage, of course! It was fun project to sort out. I put a nice epoxy coat on the floor and decked out the garage with a Gladiator Storage workbench and cabinets. Plus, I added a two hanging racks from the ceiling to create some more storage.
What most makes your house feel like home? From the collection of trinkets from our travels to our stylish, but comfortable pieces, our home is a representation of us.
Where do you splurge and where do you save when decorating? We splurged on the bigger pieces we will have for awhile, like our couch, bed, and dining room table. We saved on the accessories with good finds at HomeGoods, Target and Etsy. I love finding inspiration on Pinterest and in Domino Magazine.
What is your favorite memory from your wedding? Beth: When it started to rain on the outdoor dance floor, our guests didn’t skip a beat. The DJ pulled his equipment under the tent and our friends got on their chairs and kept dancing! They were there to celebrate with us, and a little rain wasn’t going to stop anyone! Lawson: I vividly remember standing at the edge of the tent and looking out at the dance floor while the rain started to come down. It was a bit depressing, and I remember saying to myself, “Man…the party was so much fun, I don’t want it to stop!” but as I turned around, I couldn’t believe that everyone climbing on their chairs to keep the party going. It ended up being the defining part of the night. I feel like it gave everyone a second wind!
How do you remember your wedding in your home? We had a custom monogram created for our wedding and we had pillows made for the lounge area that are now on our couch. I also had custom shams monogrammed with the BL logo for our bed. We had grape root in our centerpieces that we brought back and have in the dining room now. Our escort card table had a wall of boxwood, and we have a section of the wall under our stairs with the same faux greenery. We also have a gallery wall of wedding photos and an art print of our vows.
What different decisions, if any, would you make for your registry if you knew then what you knew now? When we registered, we weren’t in our new house yet, so everything we registered for was what we thought we would want. So far, almost everything has worked perfectly in the new house!
What’s your best tip for balancing your relationship and other life priorities? No matter how busy you are, you have to take the time to enjoy each other. Sometimes a night at home, just the two of us, can be a great way to talk and relax. However, we also love being around our friends and try to get out and about whenever possible!
Do you have a favorite date night idea to share? Since Lawson is on the road a lot during the weekends, we make it a point to have one night a week we call “wine and documentary night.” It’s fun to stay home and enjoy a nice documentary with some quality wine!
What is your favorite part of being married? Sharing the rest of your life with your best friend.
What has been the most surprising thing about marriage? Everyone says things change when you get married. I feel that if you’re with the right person, nothing changes–marriage is as fun and exciting as when you were dating!
Before getting married, I wish someone had told me… make sure you take a honeymoon after the wedding.
This year, our family is most excited about… starting a family.
We’re so grateful to Beth and Lawson for sharing their hearts and home with us! Be sure to follow along with them here:
Beth: Palm Beach Lately | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Lawson: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
A little reminder: we’d love to hear from you! Our hope is to feature REAL couples in the South – not just folks who write blogs (though we love them, too!), but also your inspiring friend, super talented cousin, or neighbor with the cutest house – the kind of person everyone would love to “e-meet.” If that sounds like you or someone you know, take a peek at our Southern Newlywed submission page and shoot us an email!
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