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Our Southern Bride Blogger Brittany and Eric’s classic Texas wedding was absolutely lovely! From their vows in front of a plantation-style home to a barn reception complete with fried chicken and pie pops, there’s no doubt that their day was undeniably Southern. Beyond the details, however, was a sense of love and community that truly made their day special. On top of that, Brittany’s outlook on their wedding day has me all, “Amen, sister!” over here! She said she won’t remember the small snafus, but “I’ll remember my husband’s face as my dad walked me down the aisle. I’ll remember the tiny raindrops that fell from the sky towards the end of our vows. I’ll remember dancing the night away with the people who mean the most to us.”

Big thanks to Elizabeth Carol for sending Brittany and Eric’s wedding our way!

I was so nervous about wedding dress shopping that I put it off for the first several months of our engagement! When I decided that it was time to bite the bullet, I researched boutiques in the area and chose two to make appointments at. Before the shopping day, I went online and looked at the designers that each store carried, just to get a feel for the styles. While I was on one of their websites, I found a dress that was everything that I had pictured for myself. Being a little overeager, I called the shop to make sure that they had “the dress” available to try on–and they did! I took off work on a Tuesday and invited my mom, grandmother, and future mother-in-law to come with me. We were the first appointment in the store, and had the entire floor to ourselves. My consultant had pulled the dress from the internet before we got there, and we then picked a few other dresses to try on. I put on “my dress” first, and instantly knew that I was done. However, in order to make the most of the appointment, I tried on a few others. Once I put on the last dress that we had pulled, I knew that it was time to put “my dress” back on, but this time, with a veil. A few tears later, I had a wedding dress! We canceled our second appointment and finished the day by meeting Eric for lunch!

Daydreaming about florals was actually one of my favorite aspects of the entire wedding planning process! I really wanted loose, lush, and organic looking arrangements with an ample amount of greenery mixed in. Since we were going with a more classic look, we stuck to blush pink and white flowers. Garden roses and peonies are my favorites, so we made sure to include those as well. The ladies at The Southern Table did an amazing job of bringing my vision to life, and I really think that the florals stole the show!

What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? Stressing about the weather! When we decided on an April wedding date, we knew that the Texas weather would probably have some crazy surprises for us, but that didn’t stop me from checking the forecast almost daily two weeks out. We buried our bourbon, prayed a little, and knew that our wedding day would be amazing no matter what, but since almost everything was supposed to be outside, I became a little worried when the rain chances increased throughout the week. On the day-of, we all kept waiting for the rain to come, and although it sprinkled a little towards the end of our ceremony, it never did. I suppose God, and the bourbon, were on our side, because we woke up the next morning to a terrible downpour, and the rain continued for several days!

Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line? We did not write our own vows, and we actually used vows that we saw in the Southern Weddings Planner! Our favorite line was “I take you as you are, loving who you are now and who you are yet to become.” Since we started dating when we were 19 and 21, we have seen each other grow and change so much already, and I think that one of the most fun parts of marriage will be watching each other continue to do so–and loving the other no matter what.
What readings, if any, did you have at your ceremony? Our good friend, Daniel, read “The Art of Marriage” by Wilfred A. Peterson.

What made you choose your ceremony and reception venues? Did they have any special significance to you? We were actually extremely lucky when it came to our ceremony and reception venues! When we first began wedding planning, our close family friends mentioned that they were building a sort of guest house/event center on their land, and that if we would like, we could host our wedding there. Throughout our engagement, we were able to watch everything be built from the ground up, and even help with projects along the way. This was extra special to us because we had the luxury of hosting our wedding party and closest friends all weekend.

What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? We buried bourbon exactly one month out (and on the most beautiful day) in hopes that it wouldn’t rain on our wedding day. We were married in front of a plantation-style home, had dinner in a barn, and danced the night away under string lights and the Texas stars. We served fried chicken, and gave our guests caramel apple, peach, and blackberry pie pops as favors. The thing that was the most “Southern” though, was the love and community that we felt from everyone there. We were lucky enough to have our wedding party and closest friends stay with us in the house for the weekend, so it felt like one big slumber party. After the rehearsal dinner, we set up tables and chairs for the reception the following night. At one point I stopped and looked around at 25 of our closest friends and family who were all helping put our reception together, and I all but melted.

What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? No matter what happens, your day will be perfect. It sounds so cheesy and cliché, but when things don’t go exactly how you want them to, remember what it’s all about. I kept this close to my heart all through the wedding planning process, and I am so glad that I did. If something goes wrong, it can be fixed–and if it can’t, then chances are it won’t matter much in the end. After our ceremony, I realized that I had completely forgotten to put on my veil, and while that was slightly disappointing, it won’t be what I remember about our wedding day. I’ll remember my husband’s face as my dad walked me down the aisle. I’ll remember the tiny raindrops that fell from the sky towards the end of our vows. I’ll remember dancing the night away with the people who mean the most to us.

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. While I was home on summer break from the University of Arkansas, I resumed my part-time job in the Employee Services Office at Six Flags Over Texas. A few weeks after returning, some of my coworkers convinced me to join the summer softball league, which Eric was also playing in. After one of the games, a few of my friends convinced me to go to a post-game party that Eric was throwing at his apartment. We met, bickered a little, and became fast friends. When I was home a few months later for fall break, we started dating. After two and a half years of being in a long distance relationship, I finally graduated and moved home to Texas, where we have been inseparable ever since.
Tell us all about the proposal! I had been planning on running the Tower of Terror 10-Miler at Walt Disney World for quite some time, and although I had convinced my mom and sister to make the trip with me, Eric couldn’t. A few weeks before we were set to leave, he told me that he had to go on a work trip during that time, and definitely would not be able to make it. On the day that we got to Florida, I hadn’t heard from him at all, but I still tried to enjoy my time with my mom and sister. We had tickets to go to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party (where adults can dress up for Halloween too!), and although my mom and sister tried to convince me to wait, I put on my cat ears and eagerly went to the Magic Kingdom dressed as Toulouse from the Aristocats. We walked around the park, not doing anything for what seemed like hours, until my mom finally said that we should go take our picture in front of Cinderella’s Castle. As we were walking up to the rose garden, I noticed Eric standing there waiting for me. Thinking that he had come to surprise me, I ran up and started talking to him. He got really serious (which never happens), said some of the sweetest things, and dropped to one knee. After I said yes and finally came back to reality, I noticed that my dad was there too! Eric had arranged for my whole family to be there, and we spent the rest of the weekend celebrating at one of my favorite places on the planet, Walt Disney World!
When did y’all get married? April 16, 2016
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 75
Did you decide to do a first look? Why or why not? We decided to do a first look and it turned out to be one of my favorite parts of the whole day! We knew that seeing one another before the ceremony would free up time after, which was something that we really wanted. We were unsure of how we would react when seeing the other for the first time, so we felt it was important to experience these emotions by ourselves, instead of in front of all of our guests.
How did you plan for your marriage while planning your wedding? We planned for our marriage by attending premarital counseling once a week for eight weeks. We were also gifted Getting the Love You Want and Making Marriage Simple, both by Harville Hendrix. We read these books and followed along with the workbooks that went with them. What really helped us prepare for marriage was having serious conversations about the future and what we want for our life together.
What was one way you saved money or cut costs at your wedding? We knew from the beginning that we wanted a small wedding with just our closest friends and family, and although our decision had nothing to do with cost, it ultimately did help out quite a bit. Since we had a much smaller guest list, it became easier to put the emphasis on the quality of the experience rather than the quantity of guests in attendance.
What’s next for you as a couple? What memories are you looking forward to making together? On our wedding day, Eric surprised me with a pair of Groom Mickey and Bride Minnie ears as a way of telling me that we are going to Disneyland this summer! We will also be traveling to a few other destinations before the year is over, and since a lot of our friends have started relocating across the country, it’s safe to say that these newlyweds will be spending quite some time traveling!

Photographer: Elisabeth Carol Photography | Month-Of Coordination: Borrowed and Blue Occasions | Venue: Thunder Creek Ranch | Florist: The Southern Table | Cake Baker: Sugar Bee Sweets | Caterer: Babe’s Chicken | Rentals: Celebration Event Rental | DJ: DJ Frank Young | Paper Products: Clara Doyle Designs | Bride’s Gown: Style 1959 by Mikaella | Bride’s Jewelry and Shoes: Kate Spade | Hair and Makeup: Tracy Melton Artistry | Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Style 852 by Watters WTOO | Menswear: Express | Signage: Fox and Sparrow Design

marissa Written with love by Marissa
4 Comments
  1. avatar Elisabeth Carol reply

    Love!!! Thanks SO much for the feature! It looks amazing!

  2. avatar Paige reply

    I would love to see the vows she referenced in their entirety! Would you mind sharing the rest of the vows that include “I take you as you are, loving who you are now and who you are yet to become.”
    Thanks!

  3. avatar Thunder Creek Ranch Wedding by Elisabeth Carol | Wedding Trends By Drawde reply

    […] post Thunder Creek Ranch Wedding by Elisabeth Carol appeared first on Southern […]

  4. avatar Celebration Event Rental reply

    Amazing photos and we were truly honored to be a part of this special day.
    Burying bourbon to help ward off a rainy wedding day? I LOVE it!
    Thanks for including us in the post and Best Wishes!

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I can’t think of a better way to unofficially kick off fall than with the gorgeous colors, cozy details, and of course, the sweet love story behind today’s wedding! After a group dinner serendipitously turned into an impromptu first date, Pamela and Greg grew inseparable. When it came time to start planning their wedding two years later, they were committed to planning first and foremost for their marriage–they attended premarital counseling, poured their hearts into writing their own vows (be sure to read about them below!), and made sure that each detail of their wedding truly reflected their relationship. I loved reading Pamela’s answers to our interview questions just as much as I enjoyed admiring their gorgeous Texas celebration!

Thank you so much to our Blue Ribbon Vendor Feather & Twine for sharing this gorgeous day with us!

The first day I went wedding dress shopping was actually super stressful. I brought six people with me, and as much as I loved having everyone there, shopping with that many people was overwhelming, to say the least. We went to three dress shops, and by the end of the day, I couldn’t even remember what I had tried on. Needless to say, I went home empty-handed and a little disappointed. I thank my lucky stars that my sister was in town for the whole weekend and wanted to go antique shopping the next day…but neither of us had realized that our favorite antique shops were closed on Sundays. All dolled up and in the mood to shop, we decided we would stop by a local bridal salon we had not been to yet, just the two of us. This pit stop led to the dress of my dreams!

Did you decide to do a first look? Why or why not? Knowing the pros and cons of both sides, Greg and I decided to go for it and do a first look so that we could get all of the pictures we were dreaming of! My biggest fear about not doing a first look was that we wouldn’t have time to get all of the photos that we had envisioned without keeping our guests waiting too long (every host and hostess knows to keep their sweet guests in mind). Looking back, I am so thankful that we chose to do our first look! It allowed us to get all of our cherished photos without having to rush, and both our first look and our ceremony were so sweet and romantic. Greg cried tears of joy during both, which made me so happy!

Writing our own vows was something that was so special to us. In a day when so many people get married without considering that it is for life, and not just with the mindset that if it doesn’t work, they can get divorced, we wanted the beginning of our marriage and the words that we said to each other on our wedding day to be truly genuine. My favorite line of Greg’s vows was when he vowed to “be the best man he could be” for me, because I love that we help to make each other better people than who we were before we met.

Describe your wedding cake or dessert. We did a very simple, ivory, four-tiered cake with a pearl trim on each tier and an “M” on the center tier. The cake was surrounded by greenery on the base and bright blooms as the topper. As an additional dessert, we put mini pies at each place setting as the place cards, alternating peach pie for Greg since he is from Georgia and pecan pie for me since I am from Texas. These pies were one of our favorite details!

The moment we walked into the Milestone, we knew it was the perfect Southern venue for us! I have always dreamed of getting married at an old plantation, and the Milestone had all of the gorgeous details of a Southern plantation, combined with modern, new amenities. Before I even walked out of the building, I remember turning to Greg and saying, “This is the perfect place!”

What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? Be patient and plan your marriage together while planning your wedding. After the celebration and party is over, you are committed to each other forever, and that should be the most joyous part of your wedding! Make sure to talk about your goals and expectations before your wedding so that you can make sure your ideals line up.

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. After being friends for almost a year, we had plans to go out to dinner with a group of mutual friends. At the last minute, everyone canceled except for Greg and I, so we had an impromptu first date. From then on, we were inseparable! We dated for two years before getting engaged, and we got married a year and a half later.
Tell us all about the proposal! After Greg took me back to the restaurant where we had our first date for a wonderful dinner, we took a stroll down the Woodlands Waterway. We were looking at the Christmas lights as they were going up and singing and dancing to the Waterway tunes. Greg twirled me, and when I turned around, he was down on one knee!
When did y’all get married? March 15, 2015
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 95
Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. One of my movies of all time is P.S. I Love You–I love the story line and the way their love almost makes time stop. The music is something that has always made me swoon, and when I thought of music for our ceremony, we could not think of anything better than music from that soundtrack. As for our first dance, we choose Ed Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud.” Even though it is a newer, trendy song, we actually changed the song we had already picked for it–we were so in love with the song and how perfectly it reflected how we felt, we had to use it!
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: Our favorite detail of our wedding would have to be the garden games we set up on the back lawn. Custom corn hole boards, croquet, and bocce ball were the perfect addition to our big day. Greg and I are not particularly big dancers, so we wanted to have a fun activity set up that was more us.
How did you plan for your marriage while planning your wedding? It was very important to us to have a marriage more beautiful than our wedding. We went through marriage counseling with our officiant and talked about our current and future goals for ourselves, both personally and as a couple. Learning patience and compromise, as well as learning that God would need to be the focal point of our marriage, we strengthened our love for each other.
What was one way you saved money or cut costs at your wedding? Since our ceremony and reception were in the same place, we decided to save money on our floral budget by using our bridesmaid bouquets as half of our reception centerpieces. As soon as the bridesmaids walked out of the ceremony, our wedding coordinator seamlessly slipped five of their bouquets into empty vases before our guests ever entered the reception. We used the the sixth bouquet as my toss bouquet. This easy repurposing saved us over $500.
What’s next for you as a couple? What memories are you looking forward to making together? The next step in our marriage is to continue merging our lives and families together while focusing on our careers and keeping God at the center of our marriage. In a few years, we would like to start our family and buy our first house together.

Photographer and Videographer: Feather & Twine Photography / Venue and Caterer: The Milestone / Florals: The Southern Table / Wedding Cake: Candy Haven Cakes / Pie Baker: Mighty Sweet Mini Pies / Linens: House of Hough / DJ: Melodies & Memories / Paper Products: Love Vs. Design / Minted / Paper Source / Bridal Salon: Brickhouse Bridal / Jewelry: Sam Moon / Hair and Makeup: Natalia Issa / Bride’s Shoes: Anne Klein / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: “Blouson Dress” in Taupe Pink by Adrianna Papell / Menswear: “Black” by Vera Wang at Men’s Wearhouse / Officiant: David Williams

Feather & Twine is a delightful member of our Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory!

lisa Written with love by Lisa
3 Comments
  1. avatar Alexandra Gipson reply

    I feel so incredibly blessed to of had the opportunity to be apart of the most amazing day in one of my very, very best friends lives! I can’t wait to be there to make many more memories with both her and Greg!

  2. avatar Maxine reply

    Thank you for featuring, SW! Great couple and a great day!

  3. avatar Dana reply

    love the floral centerpieces!

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There’s nothing more special than when a couple celebrates their marriage in a way that is completely true to them as a couple–upholding the traditions that are important to them, and not being afraid to let go of the rest. For Hanna and Nick, they chose to wait until Hanna walked down the aisle before seeing each other, Hanna thoughtfully selected something old, new, borrowed, and blue, and the newlyweds enjoyed a sweet first dance. On the other hand, they decided that an intimate elopement, with just the two of them and their parents, was the way they wanted to begin their marriage, so they forewent a traditional big wedding in favor of an intimate ceremony and dinner at the Aldredge House. Wendy Kay of Birds of a Feather Events helped them pull the details together in just 44 days, and the result was as lovely as it was meaningful!

Thank you so much to Charla Storey for sharing this unique celebration with us!

There were 44 days from the day Nick proposed to the day of our wedding, so that is all the time I had to find the perfect dress. Needless to say, I was terrified! The Lord was on our side because on my second day of shopping, I fell in love with the first dress I tried on! The ladies at Lulu’s Bridal Boutique in Dallas were extremely accommodating. After they got over the initial shock of the time crunch we were in, they began working their magic. Two ladies were pulling dresses for me and others were on the phone or computer making sure that we could get the dresses on time. It was truly an amazing experience and I didn’t have to settle on a dress that I wasn’t in love with.

Did you decide to do a first look? Why or why not? We decided against a first look because we wanted to experience that magic moment of meeting at the altar. My favorite part was the the anticipation leading up to seeing my groom for the first time. Focusing on him as I walked down the aisle was the most magical and romantic moment of my life. I will never forget the look on his face and the love that I felt! The moment was so perfect, and I feel like it would have been diluted had we already seen each other that day.

Our favorite detail of the wedding was that we were actually able to experience and enjoy every detail! Having an elopement that only included both sets of parents allowed us the freedom to truly focus on each other and not attend to anyone or anything else. We didn’t have to rush around or worry about what we needed to do next. We were able to notice the little things and embrace every moment.

Describe your wedding flowers. Our wedding flowers couldn’t have been more perfect! They were a mix of simple white blooms and beautifully textured greens. My bouquet was tied with hand-dyed indigo streamers that accented the flowers perfectly. Maxine Owens at The Southern Table captured my vision of natural and airy better than I could have expected.

The biggest challenge was keeping everything a secret. We wanted to surprise our family and friends by throwing small “engagement” parties and using the pictures and video to announce that we got married. It was so much fun seeing the shock on our loved ones’ faces! Everyone was extremely supportive of our decision and loved how unique it was. Even though it was difficult sneaking around, I wouldn’t change a thing! Our day was intimate, simple, and everything we hoped for.

Describe your wedding cake or dessert. We indulged on blueberry galettes, baked honey and walnut pears, chocolate mousse cake, and gold and indigo macaroons. Our cake had a blue watercolor wash on the bottom tier and the top two tiers were dipped in gold. Everything was divine–I am still dreaming about the blueberry galettes!

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. Nick and I met during our junior year at Tarleton State University. He was working on his coaching and education degree and I was working on my elementary education degree. We found ourselves in three of the same courses, and there was an instant connection. The more time we spent together, the easier it was for us to see that we had something special. Falling in love was easy!
Tell us all about the proposal! Many girls dream of a big, elaborate proposal with a flash mob, a photographer, and everyone under the sun cheering the couple on. I was not that way. I wanted something genuine, intimate, and simple, and Nick met my expectations in every way! He proposed at our home on December 6, 2014, after we finished decorating our first Christmas tree. I was taking pictures of our hard work when I turned around to find Nick on his knee, ready to propose. It was perfect and I was completely surprised!
When did y’all get married? January 18, 2015
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 4
Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. As I walked down and back up the aisle, we had a guitarist, Noah Galaviz, play “Fields of Gold” by Sting. I chose “Fields of Gold” because it has always been one of my favorite songs and I knew it would fit perfectly with the feel of our ceremony. Our first dance was to “Your Song” by Elton John, also played by Noah. We wanted a timeless song that we knew we would always love. The lyrics are simple, romantic, and really relate to our relationship.
Did you have something borrowed, blue, old, and new? If so, do tell! For my something borrowed and something blue, I wore my mother’s sapphire ring. I also wore my grandmother’s wedding ring as my something old, and my dress was my something new.
If you are comfortable responding, what range did your wedding budget fall into? Less than $10,000
What was one way you saved money or cut costs at your wedding? Our largest money saver was deciding to elope. We saved on every aspect of the wedding with this decision.
What is the one detail or vendor that you were so happy to have as a part of your wedding? We couldn’t have done it without the help of Wendy Kay from Birds of a Feather Events. I was blown away by how easy it was for her to bring our vision to life. The flowers, the tablescape, the music, the food, the venue–everything was intimate and exactly what we wanted. Wendy made this experience so easy and enjoyable.
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? Stay focused on what you and your spouse want. It’s your wedding, do what you want and have fun with it! It is easy to fall into the trap of trying to make everyone else happy but this is the one day that you and your spouse need to be spoiled and treated like royalty.

Photographer: Charla Storey / Videographer: Heartstring Films / Planner: Wendy Kay of Birds of a Feather Events / Ceremony Venue: The Aldredge House / Florist: Maxine Owens of The Southern Table / Cake Baker: Layered Bake Shop / Caterer: Food Glorious Food / Band: Noah Galaviz / Paper Products: Southern Fried Paper / Bride’s Gown: “Melanie” by Maggie Sottero / Bride’s Shoes: Sam Edelman / Groom’s Attire: J. Crew

lisa Written with love by Lisa
7 Comments
  1. avatar Luxury Services | Интимные Свадебные синий по Чарла этажный reply

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  2. avatar Wendy Kay reply

    Thank you so much for this lovely feature, I loved planning and designing this wedding, it was a winderful way to kick off 2015! I also want to give a shout out to Crystal with Harts and Quills for providing the calligraphy!

  3. avatar Bloomwood Photography reply

    Such a beautiful wedding
    Lovely flowers, cake, couple & venue

  4. avatar Bailey reply

    I love that Hanna and Nick had the exact type of wedding that was right for them as a couple, and I so appreciate that Southern Weddings features weddings of all shapes and sizes.

  5. avatar Asheville Wedding Inspiration in the Blue Ridge Mountains | Hey Wedding Lady reply

    […] Graceful Southern Bride – Photography by JoPhoto, Styling by Ginny Au via Mountainside Bride | Mountain Inspired Invitation – Photography by Elisa Bricker Photography, Stationery Design by Julie Song Ink via Grey Likes Weddings | Delicate Lace Table Decor – Photography by Jose Villa Photography, Coordination by Alexandra Kolendrianos, Floral Design by Mindy Rice via Style Me Pretty | Mountain Ceremony – Photography by Erin Hearts Court, Coordination by Jennifer Hammond, Floral Design by Vail Vintage Magnolia via Style Me Pretty | Loose, Romantic Bouquet – Photography by Ryan Ray Photography, Floral Design by Bows + Arrows via Once Wed | Blue Gem Ring – Photography by Christie Graham Photography, Engagement Ring from Kiss And Makeup via Mountainside Bride | Dessert Display with Cobalt Blue – Photography by Charla Storey Photography, Coordination by Birds of a Feather Events, Cake and Desserts by Layered Bake Shop via Southern Weddings […]

  6. avatar Maxine reply

    Thank you for featuring, Southern Weddings! This couple was too sweet, and the team headed by Birds of a Feather was amazing to work with!

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