For those that have been addicted to their televisions (on say, Thursday nights at 8pm on CBS) then for countless seasons you have watched {Survivor}.  I am once one of those fans myself.  My mom and I used to watch it each Thursday and chat about the tribes, buffs and the alliances.  I even considered applying to be on the show once.  So why is this relevant? Erica + Craig met on the set of Survivor!  Not as contestants, but as executive producers.  They were married in Georgia at the {The John Oliver House}. This country wedding was complete with cowboy boots, bluegrass music, 7 Eleven cakes and even, {Jeff Probst} as the officiant.  More wending details include: {Southern Bouquets by Tamela}, Erica’s dress and bridesmaids dresses were by {David’s Bridal}.  Photography by {Sarah D. Harper Photography}.  Check out Sarah’s blog post on Erica + Craig {here}.

How did the two of you meet? Craig and I met in the Amazon on the set of {Survivor}. Craig was the Executive Producer and this show was my first Hollywood gig since moving to Los Angeles 4 months earlier. I’m a Georgia girl and he’s a sweet Texas man and we just felt like we were home the moment we met. Within two weeks of being on location – which was a two and half- month job, we knew that we were meant to be together.
Describe the proposal: After five years together Craig took me to Monterey, California for our anniversary. Little did I know that he was planning a gorgeous dinner at the Sardine Factory in their private wine-grotto. Once we had dinner the dessert was delivered with something else on the plate – my 1821 antique ring that I showed Craig a month earlier. He says he went back to the antique shop the next day and bought the ring. He came around the table and got down on his knee and asked me to marry him. I said yes.
A date we went on that we’d always remember: We’ve been very lucky to have some amazing locations to share with each other. We had a date in the Amazon in a tree house watching the monkeys play in the trees. We ate lunch on the Panama Canal. We had dinner overlooking Sydney Harbor. We had a massage in the Bahamas while a hurricane whipped around us. And we watched the sunset in the Yosemite National Park among the giant Sequoias. We couldn’t pick just one.
The weather on our wedding day was: Our day was beautiful, partly sunny and cloudy and a warm breeze. When I arrived at the altar it started to sprinkle. My mom yelled out, “Look, there’s a rainbow!” The rainbow was right over the altar. The rain shower lasted 10 minutes and our reading “The Invitation” was so dramatic because of it. My brother sang, “I Never Saw Blue Like That” and the second verse describes that moment perfectly, “And even now, I’m so amazed, It’s like a dream, it’s like a rainbow, It’s like the rain.” We couldn’t have said it better.
What was the design inspiration for your wedding? Country Elegant
Favorite design element of your big day: The Altar was wrapped in grapevines and heirloom hydrangeas.
Tell us about finding your wedding dress: It was like everything about this wedding, it was perfect and easy. I wanted to take my mom, sister and sister-in-law to go shopping together to find the dress. I was home for Christmas in Georgia, I live in California, so I wanted to just have the experience of shopping with my girls. Little did I know that we would find it that day and that it would be the second one I tried on.
Describe your wedding flowers: My colors are autumn orange so my florist used dark orange lilies and heirloom hydrangeas – my favorite.
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: We have three favorite details: We had our very good friend, Jeff Probst marry us. He has been there with us from the beginning of our relationship. He was in the moment and so sweet. He was great!  Our second moment was when Craig’s 13 year old son sang, “I’m Your’s” for our processional and then “Making Memories of Us” for our first dance. It was his first time performing on stage with other musicians and it was magical. Our third favorite detail was the location, The John Oliver Michael House. This beautiful rustic old place in Statham, GA was the perfect setting for our Country Elegant wedding. We couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful place.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? I live in California so planning a wedding 3,000 miles away in Statham, GA was challenging. I had to learn to trust…not an easy feat for me.
Were there any special family traditions you included in the wedding? One tradition we wanted to keep was to have the empty chair in the front row that represented those that have passed and could not come to the wedding. We both grew up in the south so we wanted to maintain our heritage with bluegrass music and a good old- fashioned hoe down. We had cloggers as our entertainment as well.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? When Jeff, our officiate, introduced the empty chair in the front row – it started to rain harder. He had the perfect come back, “Well, I guess they want us to know they’re here.”
Scariest moment? Right after the ceremony my bandleader came to me to tell me that the band equipment got wet and they were trying to dry it but they couldn’t start playing right away. Instead, they just got out their instruments and played acoustically during the dinner. It was so intimate and special that I’m so glad it rained.
Funniest moment? During the ceremony after Craig said his vows and put my ring on he tried to kiss me but the kiss was supposed to come later so I ducked out of the way. The look on his face was priceless. I felt bad so I kissed him anyway.
Hardest decision you made in planning? Nothing was hard about planning this event. Everything fell into place and everyone we hired to be a part of our day from the music, the catering, the location to the flowers – everything was perfect.
The most unexpected event on our wedding day was: The rain was a surprise no lie but so sweet. Jeff Probst said as it started to rain, “ Well, they did meet in the Amazon, so this is just reminding them of how they met.”
Three adjectives that describe the day are: Perfect, sweet, inspiring
Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase/verse/or line? Craig and I both decided to make an effort to make a commitment to each other every month since we’ve known each other. On the 10th of every month we look at each other in the eyes and say, “Craig/Erica, I’ve lived an honest life with you. I haven’t lied to you this month and I love my life with you.” These words were said on our month-versaries, and our wedding day.
Best advice or most memorable comment someone made to you during the wedding celebration. Your vows made me want to make that kind of commitment with my husband. That was inspiring.
Who was your most honored guest at the wedding? Everyone was there for us. Even my well-known brother and our celebrity buddy Jeff Probst couldn’t take the light off us. My only grand parent, Jane McAbee was the oldest person there and she was a delight. She even got out on the dance floor.
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you looking forward to in the future? Making a baby is a priority. We are love working together and look forward to making our family bigger.
Any DIY items? My mama raised us right, we made everything! We made the boiled peanuts packaging (our favors), printed our own menus and programs.

Congratulations to Erica + Craig!

Wedding crashers couldn’t help but join in on the fun at Tiffany + Maurice’s fantasy wedding in Naples, Florida.  Tiffany went with the flow and even took a picture with one of them!  Tiffany + Maurice made family a priority from the start.   Maurice’s daughter presented Tiffany a card on Mother’s Day that included the words “Will you marry me?”  The couple even chose an orange themed wedding, their official family color. Maurice helped Tiffany look for a wedding dress for months before the couple finally found the perfect one at {Group USA} less than a month before the wedding.  Other wedding details: Photography by {SB Childs Photography}.  Venue, catering and wedding cake by: {Naples Grande Resort}. Reception flowers by { Elite Bridal Consulting & Events}.  Planning by Kyne Lee Willis and Camille D. Blunt of Elite Bridal Consulting and Events. Bridesmaid dresses by Macy’s De Laru Collection. 

How did the two of you meet? We met at work.
Describe the proposal: Maurice actually proposed on Mother’s Day. My family had come to town and both our families joined for a beautiful dinner out. At the end of the dinner my (soon-to-be) stepdaughter handed me a card. I read the card and at the end was written “Will you marry me?” I looked at her, and she handed me the box with an unbelievably beautiful ring inside. I really appreciated his attempt to involve her in the proposal. It symbolized the union she and I would have.
Why do you love your husband? I love my husband’s strength & youthful spirit. There is something regal about him so we all call him the king.
What attracted me to my wife was: She is beautiful, but the reason I was attracted to Tiffany is different than why I wanted to make her my wife. I knew she must be my queen because she is all about me. That means she makes me a better person by inspiring me to focus on my strengths and where I have holes she fills them with all of her strengths and talents. She really completes me.
A date we went on that we’ll always remember: We have a tradition of going out dancing until our feet can’t take any more. Then we find an all night pizza joint. We started the tradition in Miami.
The weather on our wedding day was: Perfect! It was a sunny day but not too hot for our guests waiting for us to appear on the beach.
What was the design inspiration for your wedding? The color orange really was the inspiration. It is our official family color. We all look good in orange and it makes me feel so sunny. I must give credit to our wonderful wedding planner Kyna Willis of Elite Bridal Consulting. I told her we love orange and she did the rest. Everything was so beautiful and I wouldn’t have changed a thing!
Favorite design element of your big day: From the flowers on the arch at the beach, the flowers in my hair, the programs on our guests chairs, the cake topper and logo on the floor to the personalized table tents, every design element was spectacular. Perfection!
Tell us about finding your wedding dress: Finding my wedding dress was pretty dramatic. We, and yes I do mean we, (Maurice and I) shopped for months trying to find a gown. Finally with less than a month to the big day we found one we both loved. I was so happy to have him as my shopping partner.
Describe your wedding flowers: My bouquet had orange inspired colors and had beautiful calla lillies and orchids.
Describe your wedding cake: The wedding cake was very simplistic and classic adorned with orchids and topped with our monogram G cake-topper.
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: We entered our reception with a first dance to remember and danced the night away with our guests, but our favorite part of the wedding was the very special ceremony. We were married by two of our closest friends (ordained especially for us), shared beautiful and unique vows and had a sand blending ceremony to involve our children in the union. At the end of the ceremony we asked each guest to join us at the ocean’s edge and bring the stone we left on each seat. At the water’s edge we asked that they cast their stone in the ocean and make a special wish for our new life together.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? We hosted a destination wedding and had to import every detail… even the wedding planner wasn’t local. We chose a beautiful resort {The Naples Grand of Naples, Florida} and had never laid eyes on it until we arrived a few days before the wedding! The photographers were flown in as the band and DJ. All of the local services had to be handled remotely by our planner who had no history with the vendors. Though I’m sure that was a challenge, she never let me see her sweat. All I know is that each choice was perfect, and we had a great day.
Were there any special family traditions you included in the wedding? What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? Maurice says he will never forget how uninhibited I was on the dance floor. The story going around is that I got on the floor on all fours at some point when Beyonce’s “Get me Bodied” was played. Every time he hears that song he starts laughing. Mine was a very special moment we had toward the end of the reception as we danced to “As” by Stevie Wonder. We agreed that not matter what challenges we face in our life together we would think back to that time on the dance floor and how much love and joy filled our hearts in that very moment.
Funniest moment? One of our guests, Richie (serious attorney), and my sister Jessica (also a serious attorney) had a Michael Jackson dance off. It was hilarious. Equally as funny was the fact that we had three sets of wedding crashers. The DJ was so good that people came from all over the hotel to join our party. We thought it was so funny that we let them stay and enjoy the fun…I even took a picture with one of them!
Hardest decision you made in planning? Choosing a wedding planner from out of town versus choosing someone local. In the end we made the best decision. Kyna was better than anyone we could have chosen native to Naples. I would use her again regardless of where my event would be held.
The most unexpected event on our wedding day was: The wedding crashers!
Three adjectives that describe the day are: Fun, Loving and Perfect!
Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase/verse/or line? We searched for the perfect vows, and my favorite part was when we promised to give all that we are to continue to strengthen the bond we created that day.
What advice would you give to someone planning their wedding? This being my second wedding I would say hire a planner whose judgment you trust and let them do the work. You will be relaxed on your wedding day and able to really take in and remember the details. I genuinely felt no stress.
Any DIY items? I created the altar flower arrangements and shipped them to the wedding location and sewed the flowers on my daughter’s sundresses.

Congratulations to Tiffany + Maurice.  We wish you a lifetime of love and happiness!

For those of you that don’t know… green is the new white for brides.  Of course not in the sense of dress color choice, but in the eco-friendly style when planning a wedding.  That’s why we love {Kate L. Harrison’s} book, {The Green Bride Guide: How to Create an Earth Friendly Wedding on Any Budget}.  Going green doesn’t have to be expensive and weddings don’t have to be either.  This book is filled with great tips and resources for couples to plan their dream wedding and be eco-fabulous. Last week we had a fab contest where one lucky reader could win this amazing book.  We have a winner! Congratulations to Damia who said:

Damia will soon get a chance to read through {The Green Bride Guide} and get some more green ideas for her wedding.  Please email me at {laura_e at iloveswmag dot com} and I will get that book on its way to you.  Perhaps after your own wedding you can pass along the book to your engaged family and friends.  Thanks to all those that participated in this giveaway and keep living the green life. 

Make sure to check out our latest contests {Lilah Paper},  {The Lucky St. Patty’s Day Giveaway} and {Wedding Photography Unveiled Giveaway} for your chance to WIN too!  All three giveaways end next week, so be sure to enter!

Happy Friday, y’all!

Emily + Neil’s ceremony lead to a fabulous reception at the {Grand Hyatt Atlanta}.  Guests enjoyed dinner and dancing with live music from {Flavor}.  One sweet element from the reception was the wedding cake by {Frosted Pumpkin Gourmet}. The classic tiers and swirl detailing was absolutely gorgeous. This event was planned by {Terry Saxe of Special-t-Events}.  To see more shots from this amazing wedding check out Laura Negri Photography’s {blog}, and for more of Laura’s work, check out her other SW features: Leslie + Fernando, Victoria + Nishan Part I and Part II, Erin + Taylor Part I and Part II, and Kari Beth + Josh Part I and Part II.  Happy Friday!

The weather on our wedding day was: Raining, but that’s good luck, right?
What was the design inspiration for your wedding? Winter Wonderland.
Favorite design element of your big day: The white branches, hanging crystals and candlelight.
Describe your wedding flowers: Our flowers were different shades of whites and creams. I wanted lots of textures without adding too much color. Our Chuppah and centerpieces consisted of white branches, white blizzard roses, and different types of orchids. We also had hanging candles, pillar candles and crystals to add a romantic and wintry feel.
Describe your wedding cake: It was a vanilla cake with raspberry and white chocolate ganache filling. The butter cream icing was a gold color to match our linens with antique scroll piped in cream. The cake was four tiered although it originally was suppose to be five tiered due to the number of guests. I was worried it would look to big so we had the baker make a bunch of sheet cakes in addition to the wedding cake so we could have the four tiered cake and still feed everyone.
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: The candy bar. I loved it! It was not only our gift to the guests as they left, but it made for a really neat design element. We had clear glass containers that were different shapes, sizes and heights that held only white and cream colored candy to keep with the theme of the wedding.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? Walking into the reception room as Mr. and Mrs. Neil Halpern and being welcomed by all of our guests.
Three adjectives that describe the day are: Romantic, Magical, Fun.
What advice would you give to someone planning their wedding? Take it all in because the entire process goes by really quickly. Also, don’t sweat the small stuff; in the end the wedding will turn out exactly how you envisioned it!
Best advice or most memorable comment someone made to you during the wedding celebration. “You both are glowing and seem so happy and in love.”
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you looking forward to in the future? Beginning our new life, growing as a couple and striving for our dreams with the support of one another.

Congratulations to Emily + Neil.  We wish you the best as you begin to live out those dreams!

The lovely Laura of {Laura Negri Photography} sent us this beautiful classic Atlanta wedding.  The two were married in a beautifully decorated ceremony site at the {Grand Hyatt Atlanta}.  The floral arrangements were created by the talented Arrangements by Catherine Walther.  I’ve got to say, I love Emily’s choice in bridesmaid’s dresses from {Priscilla of Boston}.  These lovely satin chocolate brown dresses are fab and something I would love to wear as a bridesmaid.   Emily looked stunning in her {Melissa Sweet} bridal gown.  Of course what is even more fab would be the way Neil proposed to Emily.  Sex and the City fans read on….

How did the two of you meet? Tell us your story: We met at an event on Christmas Eve of 2005. Although our parents had known each other since elementary school. I guess it was meant to be!
Describe the proposal: We went for a sushi dinner and then back to Neil’s house where the master bathroom was flooded with candles and rose pedals. He then led me to the custom closet he had built for me! Neil got down on one knee (in my new, exquisite closet) and asked me to marry him! It was really ironic because {Sex and the City}, the movie, came out right after we got engaged. As I watched Big propose to Carrie that same way, I was overcome with the emotion I had felt on my engagement night.
What attracted me to my husband was: His caring nature, friendly, out-going, laid back personality and warm eyes. He is also really funny!
Why do you love your husband? He values me and makes me feel like I am the only one in a room crowded with people.
Tell us about finding your wedding dress: I knew exactly the style of wedding dress I wanted. It took me six different times of dress hunting but as soon as I walked into Priscilla of Boston, I saw it on the mannequin. I got goose bumps and immediately knew it was the one.
Were there any special family traditions you included in the wedding? Yes, we actually had many. We used my grandmother’s, of blessed memory, Kiddush cup and table clothe to cover the Chuppah and Neil’s grandparents Kiddush cup from Israel. I used my mother’s wedding dress as décor along with my parent’s preserved wedding cake. I also used a piece of my mom’s wedding dress as a covering for the Challah. Lastly, I got married in a ring my dad made for my mom when they got married.

More to come from Emily + Neil…