Southern Weddings

Happy Saturday, belles! Anyone game to start the day with a dreamy Southern fairy tale of a wedding? Meryl and Peyton were married on a gorgeous spring day in Mississippi, and from the abundance of magnolias to the groom in a white dinner jacket, their plantation wedding was the epitome of classic elegance. They also happen to be one of the most beautiful couples I think I’ve ever seen. I love the way their videographer, Nathan Willis, captured so many of their sweet glances and joyful moments!

From the bride:

We were married at six o’clock in the evening, Saturday, May 25th on the front steps of historic Dunleith Plantation in Natchez, Mississippi.

My gown was designed by Carolina Herrera. It was a strapless, A-line ball gown fashioned from ivory silk tulle and mikado with hand-painted lace detail and taffeta floral appliques, encrusted with crystals and mother of pearl disks. The gown’s chapel-length train was complemented by a cathedral-length veil, designed to match the gown with the same floral embellishments, crystals and bead work. I carried a ribbon-wrapped bouquet of magnolia blossoms, David Austin and Juliet roses and cream-colored peonies. Bridesmaids wore blush, one-shoulder evening gowns fashioned from draped crinkle chiffon by Watters & Watters. They carried similarly styled bouquets of David Austin roses and blush peonies.

Drawing inspiration from Dunleith’s richly-decorated main house, the reception tent was appropriately appointed with Regency-style banquette seating and natural linen Normandy sofas. Dining tables in assorted sizes and shapes were clothed to the floor in acorn-colored damask and floral embroidered patterns, reminiscent of fabrics found throughout many of the Delta’s finer antebellum mansions. Centerpieces included loosely-arranged peonies, David Austin roses, ranunculus, heirloom hydrangea, both tea and English spray roses and other late spring flora, all in blush, cream, and varying shades of pink. The entire party scape centered beneath an orbit of crystal, pewter and wrought iron chandeliers suspended amongst Little Gem Magnolia trees, measuring sixteen feet in height and planted in custom-made pickled wooden boxes.

The sweet delight of the evening was the Magnolia State-inspired wedding cake. The towering confection, designed by Edna Welch of Natchez, was a twelve-tier composition of alternating layers of Italian creme cake with cream cheese filling and white almond cake, iced in almond buttercream with caramel filling. The groom’s tables did not lack in their sweetness either and were overflowing with petite jelly jars, filled with Mississippi mud pies, creme brûlée and white chocolate bread and rice puddings, served with demitasse spoons.

However, the evening’s main attraction was the Nashville-based band, 14 Karat Gold. After they commanded the dance floor for over three hours, they saw us into the late night under a shower of fresh rose petals.

See all of our past wedding films here!

Written with love by Lisa