Southern Weddings

How much fun is Marilisa + Taylor’s wedding party?? They look like just as much fun as their outdoor reception at Fair Havens Plantation. Guests were greeted with escort cards hung cleverly on two ladders. The rustic vibe continued with burlap table linens, wildflowers in mason jars, and hay bales! I’m so smitten with M + T’s yummy pie bar — doesn’t it look delish? I’d hop through my computer if I could. Between first dances, pie cutting, and celebrating, the newlyweds managed to sneak in a game of corn hole with boards that they made and painted by hand and ended the night with a good ol’ sparkler exit. Thanks again to Matt Miller of Our Labor of Love for sharing!

Our favorite detail of the wedding was: Our favorite details were our corn hole game sets! Taylor made the two sets by hand and I painted them with our initials and wedding date, which matched our invitations. What made the game even better was that we actually had time to play during our reception!
What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? The most Southern thing about our wedding was that it took place at a restored plantation home in Arnoldsville, Georgia. Other Southern details that we included were gingham shirts for the groomsmen, cowboy boots, big belt buckles, brisket, grits, sweet tea and mason jars as vases!
Describe your wedding cake: Instead of a cake we went with a pie bar! We had cherry, chocolate, pecan, blueberry and apple.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? Our biggest challenge was making the guest list. Taylor and I both have large families and our parents have friends all over the country. It was stressful at times deciding who to invite without hurting anyone’s feelings, but everything worked out in the end and it truly felt like one big reunion for our friends and family from the South and Northeast!
What range did your wedding budget fall into? $10,000-$25,000
What is the one thing you are most happy you splurged on? My dress! Initially, I thought spending lots of money on a dress I would only wear once seemed pointless, but once I had the gown on, there was no turning back.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? Our most memorable moment was my sister’s toast at the reception. I chose a friend to be my maid of honor, but I still wanted to honor my older sister Elizabeth and I asked her to give the toast. There was not a dry eye in the tent and people still tell us how special and unforgettable it was.
Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line? Yes, we wrote our own vows and read them to each other while two of our friends performed “Holy, Holy, Holy.” My favorite vow from Taylor was when he said, “I vow to be your solid, steady man. When you’re feeling all over the place I’m going to be grounded like an old hickory tree.”
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you looking forward to in the future? We are fully enjoying married life in Athens! We are both trying to build our careers and Taylor will be applying for nursing school in January. We are looking forward to traveling together and building strong friendships with other young married couples in our church!

Photographer: Matt Miller of Our Labor of Love // Venue: Fair Havens Plantation // Florist: The Garden Gate Florist // Wedding Cake Baker: Brett’s // Caterer: Brett’s // Paper Products: Three by The Quill Penn // Bride’s Dress: Amy Kuschel via Kelly’s Closet // Bride’s Hair Accessories/Veil: Sara Gabriel via Kelly’s Closet // Bride’s Shoes: Frye // Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Bridesmaids’ own // Accessories: Earrings from Aurum

Oh, and before you go…

Written with love by Nicole