Southern Weddings

It may not have been love at first sight when Ann Carlisle and Ryan met, but when we first saw their wedding, it definitely was! These college sweethearts said “I do” at a working horse ranch in Virginia, and we love the way their fall-inspired wedding colors enhanced the natural beauty of the venue. Those bright garnet blooms at the ceremony are especially lovely, and Ryan’s dapper bow tie is the perfect accessory for a Southern groom!

Thank you so much to Katie Nesbitt for sharing Ann Carlisle and Ryan’s wedding with us!

Tell us about finding your wedding dress. I had a hard time finding my dress! I probably tried on at least 30 or so from different shops around Virginia. I really liked a lot of the dresses I was trying on, but I never got “that feeling” that everyone always talks about. But, it did finally happen, and after months and months of searching, I found THE dress. I fell in love with it instantly. I keep searching for reasons to wear it again!

Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line? Yes, we wrote our own vows. We promised to try and keep them within 150 words or less. Ryan tends to be a very flowery speaker, and can prolong a story that in reality can be told in five minutes (we love him for that). Sharing our personal vows to one another was our favorite part of the ceremony. Looking at each other while sharing our hearts made it feel like there was no one else in the room. There were definitely lots of tears shed!

What was Southern about your wedding? We got married on a working horse farm. How much more Southern can you get?

We were so lucky to work with AMAZING vendors. Our wedding day truly would not have been the same without them! From the food, to the flowers, to the photography, our day was absolutely beautiful and we are so thankful to each one of our vendors for making the day spectacular!

What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? Honestly, the most memorable moment of our wedding day was when Ryan and his groomsmen serenaded me with a Justin Timberlake mash-up. Ryan created the playlist and the songs were arranged in a very creative way that expressed our relationship. It was amazing and absolutely priceless! Besides marrying me, I know that was probably Ryan’s finest hour. Shoutout to JT!

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. Ryan and I met in college while working at Red Robin. It would be a true fairy tale to say that it was love at first sight, but unfortunately, this was not the case. After a failed attempt on Ryan’s behalf to get my number, it took a whole year and a random birthday night for the two of us to hang out for the first time. Ever since that night, I knew I should have given Ryan my number the first time he asked for it a year ago. We are true college sweethearts.
Tell us all about the proposal! We were vacationing in the Outer Banks with Ryan’s family. It was the first full day at the beach, and I had just started reading the first book of the Hunger Games trilogy. I was so engrossed with the book the entire day that I had no idea what Ryan had up his sleeve! Throughout the day, Ryan kept insisting what we take a walk on the beach right before sunset. After dinner, when it came time for the walk, I was almost finished with my book and tried to talk Ryan into going for a walk another night. After many pleas from Ryan, I finally gave in and we started walking. I was so sidetracked telling Ryan all about the book, that I had no idea what was about to happen!
When did y’all get married? 10/05/13
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? About 150
Did you decide to do a “first look”? Why or why not? Yes, we decided to do a first look. At first, Ryan was very adamant that he did not want to see me before the wedding, but after lots of convincing and bribery, I convinced him that it would be a very special and intimate moment between the two of us, and it would free up more time to enjoy the reception and spend with our guests. We absolutely LOVE our photos from out first look, and we are so happy that we decided to go with it!
If you are comfortable responding, what range did your wedding budget fall into? $10,000-$25,000
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? BREATHE! It will all come together. I wish I could say that wedding planning was extremely easy, but there were definitely times when I had minor freak outs. But in the end, all of your hard work really does come together, so enjoy it! And try not to second guess your decisions. You initially made them for a reason, so trust yourself!
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you most looking forward to about married life? Since we got married, lots of things have happened! Ryan got a new job, went off to training, and now we are relocating to a new city. We will both be starting new jobs and settling into a new area, and we are SO excited to embark on this new journey together as husband and wife. And hopefully we will have a new addition to the family soon… no, silly, another corgi!!

Photographer: Katie Nesbitt / Videographer: Paul Hairston Cinematography / Day-Of Coordination: Amanda Gray and Emily Strauss of Ashley Baber Weddings / Venue: Hermitage Hill Farm and Stables / Florist: Honey Bee’s Florist / Cake Baker: Buttercream Dreams, LLC / Caterer: Hanks Smokehouse / Rentals: CVR Rentals / Band or DJ: King Studios (Nathan King) / Special Details: Amanda Burnette, Into it Events / Invitations: Wedding Paper Divas / Hair Stylist: Jane Campbell / Bride’s Shoes: Badgley Mishka / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Nordstrom, Macy’s, Francesca’s, Talbots / Men’s Attire: Express

Katie Nesbitt is a delightful member of our Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory!

Written with love by Lisa