Southern Weddings

Oh my. Lauren + Tommy’s wedding is an Oklahoma beauty. Let me just start off by saying that it was a whopping 103 degrees the day of L + T’s wedding, and they both managed to look positively elegant. Lauren was cool and sophisticated in her ethereal Vera Wang dress, while Tommy and his groomsmen were knockouts in grey suits and black striped ties. A fiddler set the tone as the ring bearer and flower girl walked down the aisle carrying the same cowboy hats that had been used at the ranch for years! And the beautiful stone arch that the couple said they vows under? It was constructed by the groom, the bride’s father, and a local stonemason and remained a part of the ranch’s landscape after the wedding. Big thanks to Lauren Larsen for sharing! Can’t get enough? Come back for Part II!

How did the two of you meet? Tell us your story. (From the groom) We were introduced by friends, though my roommate had been telling me about Lauren long before we ever met. We were brought together on a semi-blind date during trivia night at a local pub. Though we were too busy talking to answer any of the actual trivia questions, as reflected in our score, she did answer “can I get your number?” correctly.
Describe the proposal. (From the groom) Lauren is a very smart woman, and not easily fooled. In order to surprise her with the proposal, I had to devise a plan over a two-month period in which I convinced her that I was travelling to Russia for business, a plan which required nearly 40 people, a few secretaries, and an intern to pull off. On the day of the proposal, I had her meet a friend under the auspices of helping him plan an event at Conservancy Pond in Central Park. I was there, on a bench, which held particular significance for us. During the proposal, I had hers and my family across the pond watching, and a photographer friend taking pictures from a hidden spot. After the proposal, I took her to dinner, where I had planned a surprise engagement party with our closest friends and family.
Three adjectives that describe the day are: Cinematic, transcendent, HOT.
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: (From the groom) When we decided to have the ceremony on Lauren’s family ranch, her father and I took over the task of building the altar. After much research, we decided to make a unique altar that reflected Lauren’s, my, and our family’s shared faith, as well as the import of the occasion. We ultimately designed a stone arch, at the top of which sat a large cross. The stones for the arch were hand selected by Lauren’s family from the same stone used to build the ranch house nearly a century ago. Those stones were then individually cut and chiseled, and the arch constructed by a local stonemason, Lauren’s father, and myself. I constructed the cross that sat atop the arch was from the wood that made up the first kitchen table purchased by my parents. The arch is intended to forever remain a part of the landscape of the ranch.
What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? The wedding was outdoors, in 103 degree heat (an Oklahoma record for that day). The scene was a working cattle ranch, so the land was dotted with freshly cut and rolled hay bales. The groomsmen were adorned in light cotton summer suits, complete with cowboy boots. The bridesmaids wore matching cowboy boots (gifts from the groom and bride). The ring bearer and flower girl carried their wears in authentic felt cowboy hats, the same ones used by the ranch hands for decades past. The bride was escorted from the ranch house to the altar while a fiddler and acoustic guitar serenaded her. Guests were served wine, local beers, and sweet tea vodka cocktails at the reception. A country-western band played Johnny Cash, Garth Brooks, and everything in between. Guests hailing from New York, California, and everywhere in between posed for pictures on the authentic covered wagon photo booth and came together for an impromptu line dance and heartfelt rendition of “Family Tradition.”
Tell us about finding your wedding dress: My vision was fairly all over the place. I knew that I wanted a unique look, and decided very early on that for me, this did not include a veil, but I was conflicted between modern and romantic dresses. In the end, I found a dress/bolero combination that solved my predicament.

Photographer: Lauren Larsen // Planner: Gibson Events // Venue: Bride’s family ranch // Florist: Poppy Lane // Wedding Cake Baker: Bride’s aunt // Caterer: Abbey Road Catering // Paper Products: Dauphine Press // Bride’s Dress: Vera Wang // Bride’s Reception Dress: Alice & Olivia // Bride’s Hair Accessories/Veil: Vera Wang // Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo // Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Lula Kate

Written with love by Nicole