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When a musician from New Orleans and a boy with a heart for the mountains meet in Nashville, no where but the rolling hills on Tennessee will do for their wedding! Lindsey and Brian chose Front Porch Farms for their celebration, and with the help of their florist, Cottonwood Floral, they added just the right amount of personal touches to point guests to their love story and personalities, but never distract from the beauty of the landscape. I can only imagine how much their family and friends cherished this sweet day, as well as enjoyed the introduction to the great Southern tradition of a bluegrass pickin’ party!

Thank you so much to our Blue Ribbon Vendor, Abigail Bobo, for sharing Lindsey and Brian’s joyful day with us!

I met Brian at a 70’s birthday party for a mutual friend, and after a long talk by the fireplace, I guess I became smitten…maybe it was the glorious polyester suit from Goodwill he was wearing! At the time, all he talked about was moving from Nashville to Colorado. I figured that he would probably move soon and started dramatically drumming up lyrics to my next blues song, “I lost him to Colorado.” As it turns out, I didn’t lose at all! He hung around Nashville for three more years, and we began dreaming dreams together. Last summer, Brian finally got a job offer in Boulder, Colorado. After three years of knowing his heart to go there, I basically kicked him outta town. We were not engaged yet, but I couldn’t let him turn it down. He moved in August and we began our long distance relationship. Shortly thereafter, he popped out a ring in front of both of our families, and now we are on a westward journey together!

Tell us about finding your wedding dress. My mom and I went to Yvonne Lefleur in New Orleans, a beautiful French dress boutique. When I was growing up in Nola, we would go to the shop and dream about the day when we could make a wedding dress appointment there. The shop has a special bridal room where all the dresses are hanging from the ceiling. My dress was the sixth one I tried on, and we didn’t shop anywhere else.

What made you choose your ceremony and reception venues? Did they have any special significance to you? We wanted a venue that featured the scenic views of Tennessee, and the moment we stepped foot on the property, we fell in love. It met our needs, it was rustic and elegant, and it just felt like the right place for us.

Our friends, Kyle Aaron and Erika Chambers (of Mercy Child), and Lauren Pittman played an original song called “Trade These Moments” for our processional. The three-part harmony, guitar, and fiddle were absolutely stunning. The bluegrass fiddle tune “Blackberry Blossom” was our recessional, and it played as our friends and family tossed flower petals and we walked up the aisle.

Did you have something borrowed, blue, old, and new? If so, do tell! I borrowed my grandmother’s ring to wear on my right hand. My something blue was the sapphires in my engagement ring and an embroidered handkerchief made from my other grandmother’s fabric. My something old was my great-grandmother’s pocket watch that she wore on her wedding day–I tied it around my bouquet.

What was one way you saved money or cut costs at your wedding? We saved money by the grace of our friends and family and all they did for us. My bridesmaids helped make our decorations and set everything out the morning of. Brian’s good friend, Peyton McCollum of Cardboard Films, filmed the day. Our friends played music throughout the evening. We were so blessed by the gifts of so many.

What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? Fried chicken, the bluegrass pickin’ party (cigar box guitars, fiddles, a washboard, and harmonicas galore!), banana puddin’, and the Tennessee hills.

Brian and I danced to Chris Stapleton’s version of “Tennessee Whiskey,” I danced with my dad to “Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans,” and Brian danced with his mom to one of her favorites, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” We also had a pickin’ party at the reception, where several friends and family members played, sang, and jammed the night away.

Tell us all about the proposal! Our families have spent Thanksgiving together in my hometown of New Orleans for several years now. The day after Thanksgiving, we all decided to go to a fancy dinner at Commander’s Palace. Immediately after we sat down at the table, Brian stood up and said “I need to get out of here…can we take a walk?” I agreed, thinking that something was clearly terribly wrong, and followed him down the stairs, through the kitchen, and onto the back courtyard with concern. There, we came upon three musicians on a “break” who asked us if we had any requests. Brian looked at me, and I shrugged and requested our song, “Misty.” As we began to dance in the moonlit courtyard, I became very confused. I could see our families staring down at us from the dining room windows above. This is NOT the place you leave your table waiting so you can dance randomly in the moonlight! Suddenly, Brian got down on one knee and presented me with the most beautiful ring. I could not believe it! After I said yes, we were whisked back upstairs to the dining room where everyone applauded and we drank champagne. It was an absolute dream. At dinner, I learned that Brian had flown to New Orleans two weeks prior to ask for their blessing.
When did y’all get married? September 5, 2015
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 153
Describe your wedding flowers. Wildflowers–as colorful and “spriggy” as possible!
Describe your wedding cake or dessert. We served Coca Cola cake, banana pudding, and cupcakes!
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? Be patient with each other and try to have fun along the way! Be thankful for the support of family and friends.
What’s next for you as a couple? What memories are you looking forward to making together? Exploring Colorado and adventuring out west!

Photographer: Abigail Bobo / Videographer: Payton McCollum / Venue, Farm Tables, Barrels, and Prop Decor: Front Porch Farms / Florist: Cottonwood Floral / Catering and Cake: Mrs. J’s Baking and Catering / Chair Rentals: Classic Party Rentals / Band: Mercy Child / DJ: Nashville Party Authority / Special Details: Lindsey Bunt / Paper Products: The Prints & The Paper / Bride’s Gown: Yvonne Lafleur / Hair Stylist: Samantha of A Moment’s Peace / Makeup Artist: Lauren Pittman

Abigail Bobo is a delightful member of our Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory!

lisa Written with love by Lisa
2 Comments
  1. avatar Abigail Bobo Photography reply

    This day… so much genuine emotion, laughter and fellowship between people who love each other. Honored to have been asked to document this for this pair! <3

  2. avatar Ruth reply

    very pretty

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With an eight-year age difference between them, Cayla never thought she and Adam would end up together. But, once they had both taken their time growing up, these two realized their long-time friendship was something more. While their relationship may have taken awhile to bloom, their venue choice certainly didn’t! Once Adam popped the question, Cayla knew exactly where she wanted to get married. She even booked the gorgeous Sweet Meadow the day after they got engaged! Sweet Meadow was a gorgeous backdrop for this self-proclaimed tomboy to mix wildflowers, unique china, and a stunning Leanne Marshall gown from our sweet friends at The Sentimentalist (remember our fancy team shoot? I got to wear a gown from them as well!).

Big hugs to Blue Ribbon Vendors, GodWink Art for sharing this fun day with us!

I’ve never worn a stitch of makeup, would cry if I was told I had to wear pink growing up, and would rather wear jean shorts and one of Adam’s t-shirts than just about anything else in the world. I definitely find the most beauty in things that are simple and unique. Being in a family with four sisters, we were all pretty excited about dress shopping, and I had a list a mile long of places people suggested I go. I went to a few websites and nothing stuck out to me until a friend suggested The Sentimentalist. I went to their website and followed them on Instagram immediately. I was obsessed, and I hadn’t even been there yet! When my mom, sisters, aunt, cousin, and I walked into the boutique, they all said, “Cayla, this place looks just like you! It’s perfect.” The ladies were so helpful and so sweet. There was one adorable room with a rack full of the most gorgeous, vintage-style dresses that fit the exact look I was going for. I think I tried on every dress at the store just for fun, but it was the third one that stole my heart. They were all beautiful, but once I decided on that one, there was no turning back.

I can’t handle it, these minis are way too cute!

Describe your wedding flowers. My mother-in-law was our florist, so that was pretty cool! From the beginning, I told her, “I just want them to be wild.” The bouquets were made up of wheat, berries, blush roses, ivory carnations, ivory hydrangea, and yellow craspedia. They were all tied up together with a piece of twine. The boutonnières were also made out of wheat and craspedia, decorated with an old vintage button, and we added a piece of cotton to Adam’s.

I saw some pictures taken at Sweet Meadow on Facebook a few years ago and knew that’s where I wanted to get married someday. Adam proposed on a Friday night. I called Sweet Meadow and booked that Saturday! I didn’t even have to look anywhere else; I just knew.

What was one way you saved money or cut costs at your wedding? Three letters: DIY. We did so many fun DIY projects! I couldn’t have done any of it without my family and friends. My dad married us, Adam’s mom did the flowers, and I made the cake and all of the yard signs. Adam and I also made the corn hole boards and the piece that hung from the tree at the ceremony. The details just meant so much more to us after we had worked so hard on them.

What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? Half of our seating at the ceremony was hay bales with quilts from family and friends laid across them. We served Hudson’s BBQ at the reception, as well as Southern sweet tea and lemonade. We played corn hole and checkers, and danced to all of the best Southern classics. We also had an old-fashioned popcorn bar and photo booth. We wanted everyone to be relaxed and have a great time, just like they would at any Southern backyard barbecue!

Describe your wedding cake or dessert. I made my wedding cake! I wanted a naked cake, so I made a yellow cake with buttercream icing and shaved almonds in between each layer. I put the red apples on top to give it a little touch of fall. I also had several other cakes, like carrot cake, cheesecake, chocolate cake, strawberry cake, and key lime cake, to name a few. I had eight pies as well!

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. Adam and I have known each other our whole lives because our families have always gone to the same church. However, since he is eight years older than I am, we didn’t really grow up together. Never in a million years would we (or our families) have thought that we would end up together, but thankfully, God had other plans. When we got older, my mom would always say, “Cayla, what do you think about Adam?” My response was always, “Mom, he’s cute… but he probably still thinks I’m 12 years old.” Little did I know, he realized I had grown up. Shortly after our first date, I decided that there was something different about this guy…I was pretty sure I was going to marry him. It took him a little longer, but since he had waited on me to grow up, I didn’t mind waiting on him to figure it all out. :)
Tell us all about the proposal! CrossFit is a huge part of our lives. We’ve been doing CrossFit together ever since we started dating. In January 2012, we, along with a few friends, decided to open up a gym, CrossFit92. Adam gets to the gym after work at about 5:30 every evening. Our families were there, but most of them work out at our gym, so nothing at all seemed fishy about this certain afternoon. I began my workout at about 5:30. The music was blaring, weight was being thrown around, and everything was normal. I finished my burpees, turned around, and saw Adam on one knee. I was in shock–I couldn’t believe it! He asked me to marry him, and of course, I said, “YES!” Immediately after I spoke, all of my friends and family circled around us, showing us so much love. It was perfect and I wouldn’t change one thing about it.
When did y’all get married? September 20, 2014
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? About 300
Did you decide to do a “first look”? Why or why not? Yes! We decided to do a first look, and I would suggest it to every bride out there–I was counting down the minutes! Getting to see him and spend time with just him before the ceremony began was something I wouldn’t trade for anything. It was such a special moment for us to be able to just hang out for a little while without being rushed or stared at. I think it calmed both of our nerves completely!
Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line? We didn’t write our own vows, but my dad performed the ceremony, which was pretty special.
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: My very favorite detail was that we used mix and match dishes at every place setting. All of the collecting was well worth it when we saw the finished product!
If you are comfortable responding, what range did your wedding budget fall into? Less than $10,000
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you most looking forward to about married life? Well, I’ve talked him into getting a dog, so that’s next on the list! Right now, we are just enjoying each other, but kids are definitely in our future. We are just so happy we get to enjoy this adventure together.

Photographer: Godwink Art Photography / Venue: Sweet Meadow Farms / Pies: McEntyre’s Bakery / Caterer: Hudson’s BBQ / Rentals: Top Notch Events & Rentals / DJ: Johnny Volk / Paper Products Printing: Vista Print / Bride’s Gown: “Samantha” by Leanne Marshall / Bridal Salon: The Sentimentalist / Hair Stylist: Madison Rogula / Men’s Shirts: JCPenney / Men’s Pants: American Eagle / Groom’s Vest: J. Crew

Godwink Art is a delightful member of our Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory!

marissa Written with love by Marissa
3 Comments
  1. avatar Cayla & Adam | Tallapoosa Wedding Photographer » GodWink Art Photography reply

    […] https://southernweddings.com /2014/10/20/georgia-barn-wedding-by-godwink-art/ […]

  2. avatar morgan denney reply

    This is the most beautiful and simplistic wedding i have ever seen. If my time ever comes i would imagine it to be somewhat like this! Fantastic job.

  3. avatar Emily Clair Lonon reply

    Those monogrammed handkerchiefs are a dream….do you know where she found those??

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To all our sweet readers who are stressed out while wedding planning right now, take a deep breath and scroll through Sarah and Clint’s big day. Their summer brunch wedding was a joyful celebration of their love for God and each other, from the meaningful Bible readings they selected, to the mix CDs from throughout their relationship that played at their reception. I love all of their pictures in the Tennessee countryside, but my favorite is the last one in this post–it’s not a fancy detail or perfectly-posed portrait; rather, it’s a moment that gave me butterflies of excitement for that same moment at my wedding!

Thank you so much to Alex Bee for sharing Sarah and Clint’s lovely wedding with us!

Tell us about finding your wedding dress. After a day of trying on every dress in Knoxville, I was beginning to lose hope. I wanted something simple, flowing, and comfortable for our hot August wedding. One of my bridesmaids follows J. Crew online, and she forwarded an email for a 24-hour wedding gown sale. I saw one that I knew would work, and bought it instantly! Within a week, it arrived at my house. It all happened so fast!

Clint’s wish was to wait to see me when I walked down the aisle with my dad. We did, however, meet to pray before the ceremony. I stood behind a screen and we held hands at the edge. We were able to get a lot of tears out of the way then, and we still had our classic wedding tradition. We also had plenty of time for pictures after the wedding!

Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line? Yes. It was a joy to share our handwritten vows with our guests. We both wrote and spoke a bunch of special promises, but one in particular I remember was that we promised to always be present and engaged every time we are together.
What readings, if any, did you have at your ceremony? Our officiant and friend read from 1 Corinthians 13 to demonstrate Jesus’ love for his church as an example of our giving our lives to each other. We know that as long as we put love for God first in our lives, we will bless each other as companions in marriage.

What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? We had a morning brunch wedding to beat the August heat, but we still gave each guest a fan to cool themselves off with. You could see Mt. LeConte of the Great Smoky Mountains from the field where we were married. We decorated with framed engagement pictures that we took in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The reception theme was burlap, maps, mason jars, trees, and flowers. We ate banana pudding, and I baked my Great Aunt’s snickerdoodles to pass out to our guests.

Describe your wedding flowers. I wanted white, green, and purple, so the florist showed us each flower they had in those colors. I trusted my florist, and they made a beautiful mix. My favorite flower is the Tennessee Iris, so I had a few in my bouquet.

Our wedding cake was simple and elegant. Because we both love trees, the icing was delicately shaped to look like the bark of a tree. It was decorated with hydrangeas and placed on a slice of a tree stump. We topped it with a “W” made of twigs. Clint’s favorite dessert is banana pudding, so I surprised him with that instead of a having a groom’s cake.

For our first dance, Clint surprised me with one of our favorite songs, “All I Mind is Losing You,” by The John Butler Trio. Clint recorded his own version in which groomsman Clay played the guitar while Clint sang. It was such a sweet moment. Throughout our relationship, I made Clint mix CDs of songs that I thought described how we felt about each other. We borrowed a sound system from our church, and played that variety of our love songs throughout the reception.

What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? Don’t let this day or the planning be stressful, and trust in the ideas of others. All that matters is that you are marrying the love our your life, and the people that you love the most in the world will be there to witness and celebrate it with you.

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. We met in French class on the first day of college at the University of Tennessee. We were also in the marching band together, so we had plenty of time to get to know each other. We became best friends instantly, and we officially became a couple on New Year’s 2008. We traveled to Tampa, Florida for a bowl game and watched the New Year’s fireworks on the beach. Right after, Clint asked if I would be his. :)
Tell us all about the proposal! Clint wanted to make sure that I wouldn’t know when or how he would ask, so his idea was for it to start like a normal day. We were having a picnic at the University of Tennessee’s Botanical Gardens after church, and then we went on a walk. The trees in the garden were beautiful with fall leaves, and the weather was perfect. We were casually talking about our lives and love, and then he stopped, knelt down, and asked me to honor him by becoming his wife. It was so simple and sweet, and the ring was so elegant and antique. I started crying when he told me he had asked my mom for my grandmother’s engagement ring. I didn’t even know it existed, and it was perfect!
When did y’all get married? August 10, 2013
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 100
Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. Because we had met in the marching band, we have several friends who can play instruments. Clint played the French horn, and he asked two of his friends to play for the ceremony. He selected a few hymns that we both love. During the ceremony, we wanted to take a moment to praise God. We printed the words to one of our favorite hymns, “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing,” and put a copy on each chair. Our officiant, a long-time family friend of Clint’s, led us and our guests in singing.
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: We both loved the large oak tree that we were married underneath. It was the perfect setting–so majestic and elegant on its own.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? I was away completing an internship in Washington, D.C. during the spring, so I had to trust my fiancé and my parents to make most of the decisions. In a way, it was a blessing. We had such a stress-free wedding planning experience, and I am so grateful for that.
If you are comfortable responding, what range did your wedding budget fall into? Less than $10,000
What is the one detail or vendor that you were so happy to have as a part of your wedding? My photographer! Alex Bee has an eye for capturing emotional moments. This is a much better way to remember your wedding day: with photos of the joy of the day, rather than something posed.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? Saying a prayer together before the ceremony, and the moment immediately after the ceremony! So much love and excitement!
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you most looking forward to about married life? We are both graduate students, so our next big goal is to graduate! But the best thing about being married is tackling it all together!

Photographer: Alex Bee / Second shooter: John Shim / Venue: The Riverdale School / Florist: Powell Florist / Cake Baker: Jane Monday, friend of the bride’s family / Caterer: Billie Bounds, Catering on a Shoestring / Bride’s Gown: J. Crew /
Paper Products: The Groom / Paper Fans: Accent the Party / Bride’s Shoes: Dillard’s / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Target / Men’s Attire: L. L. Bean

lisa Written with love by Lisa
5 Comments
  1. avatar Dana reply

    i love her sweet flower crown!

  2. avatar Stephanie reply

    I love this wedding so much, as this couple absolutely radiates joy and love! Some of the best weddings that you see aren’t the ones where the budget is sky-high but instead is one when the couple so clearly celebrates what really matters – their love, their faith, and their family!

  3. avatar Sarah reply

    Brings tears to my eyes…
    It sounds and looks so sweet and so beautiful. They all look gorgeous.
    I just can’t help it but to be so touched by a couple who share their love for God together!

  4. avatar Kyla F reply

    I love that this wedding was centered around what matters most. Sarah and Clint’s joy and love for each other is so apparent in every photo. I adore that sunflower field picture the most!

  5. avatar FIRST LOOK, UN ENCUENTRO A SOLAS ANTES DE LA BODA | Popelin Happy Weddings reply

    […] I 2 I 3 I 4 I 5 I 6 I 7 I 8 I 9 I 10 I […]

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