The SW girls are beyond thrilled for our upcoming print edition, due out on newsstands nationwide on November 3!  To share some of our excitement, we’ve compiled a list of the top 10 reasons why Southern Weddings is the most dynamic and valuable magazine for today’s Southern bride. 

image above :: Jose Villa

10.  National and international following, complete with a passion for all things Southern!  Though our roots are here in the South, Southern Weddings Magazine boasts a devoted readership that spans not only across the United States but around the world.  There’s just something about the charm of the South that readers, regardless of their location, just can’t get enough of!

image above :: Paul Johnson

9.  Printed and published by the very best in the industry.  To help make this next issue bigger and better than ever, we’ve hired a fabulous new printer based right here in the South (Atlanta, to be specific) that prints some truly fabulous national magazines, including Modern Bride, Elegant Bride, Architectural Digest and Wired.  Also, we’re still proudly distributed by Curtis Circulation, the leader in magazine circulation nationwide and responsible for knockout publications like Elle, Newsweek, Forbes and Maxim.

image above :: A Bryan Photo

8.  Our claim to fame: the daily Southern Weddings Blog.  For readers who just can’t get enough Southern Weddings, we offer the ever-popular extension of our print edition with the Southern Weddings Blog.  Updated at least three times daily, this blog features stunning real weddings and inspiration from the top wedding pros around the world.  We love to feature our advertising partners on  this blog, especially in the weeks leading up to our launch.  Keep your eyes peeled for a massive makeover that is sure to have you clicking back even more than you already do!

image above :: Jessica Claire

7. Personal attention. That goes for both our vendors and our readers.  We send many copies of the magazine to our readers directly from the office, and not a single copy leaves without a personal note from one of the editors.  This kind of personal attention inspires loyalty, and the loyalty our brides feel for us is a feeling they extend to our vendors, as well.

image above :: courtesy of Preston Bailey

6. Authority.  Through our blog and our first issue, we’ve built a reputation for ourselves as the Southern wedding experts.  Our readers trust our taste, and they trust the vendors we select to advertise with us.

image above :: Fred Egan

5.  One-of-a-kind grooms’ section: We’re proud to be one of the only magazines with a designated “Grooms’ Section.”  Even better than our brand new, never-before-seen feature?  Our super-secret, super-fabulous groom fashion experts: you’ll never guess who we’ve got up our sleeve…

image above :: left to right – Marcy Blum, Sylvia Weinstock, Amy Atlas, Jung Lee, Preston Bailey, Mindy Weiss, Tara Guerard, Michelle Rago, Rebecca Grinnals and Kathryn Arce of Engaging Concepts

4.  Exclusive interviews with celebrity planners.  Southern Weddings is happy to be in the company and have the support of many of the best in the business, several of whom will be featured in our November issue.  Look for Jung Lee, Sylvia Weinstock, Lisa Vorce, Mindy Rice, Michelle Rago, Tara Guerard and Marcy Blum weighing in on what they love best about Southern weddings, as well as new columns by Randy Fenoli of Kleinfeld Bridal Salon and Simon T. Bailey.

image above :: Meg Baisden

3.  New, never-before-seen content:  Unlike our premier Spring/Summer 2009 issue, our newest edition will feature ten real weddings never before seen in the blogosphere.  What does this mean for you? Tons and tons of surprises you will be dying to see!

image above :: courtesy of Mindy Weiss

2.  Sold in (the best) stores nationwide:  Southern Weddings will be sold in Target, Walmart, Barnes & Noble, and Borders stores across the country, as well as regional grocery stores and bridal boutiques.  We’re honored to have been picked up by these amazing retailers.  Imagine how much more fun the checkout lines will be once we hit stores!

images above :: left to right – Michael Norwood, Jasmine Star, Melissa Jill, Cameron Ingalls, Agnes Lopez, Becker, Michael Norwood

1.  Two Words: SOLD OUT!  Our last issue completely sold out and we still receive regular requests to purchase this hot editorial commodity.  With so many new and exciting features, we can only imagine how fast our next edition will fly off the shelves!

Cover image above :: Jose Villa

Vendors, you can’t afford not to be a part of this next issue!  Email me at katharine {at} iloveswmag {dot} com for a media kit.  And to our beautiful brides from all across the country: thank you from all of us here at SW for being such loyal readers and avid fans!  This blog is for you, about you and all thanks to YOU!

Get. Excited.  We sure are!  (Surely there’s no one’s more excited than Emily, though!)

Hey, brides!  Thinking about a destination wedding?  Want to make your I-Do’s a little more exotic?  How about a dream destination package from the Ritz-Carlton (yes, the Ritz!) that puts your average wedding promo to shame?  The SW girls are so excited about the glitzy Reconnect package we wish we were planning weddings of our own!

Reconnect is an exclusive package that allows couples to spend time with family and friends in a tropical Caribbean or Mexican resort, discover the myriad of wonderful experiences a Ritz-Carlton vacation has to offer and even get married while they’re at it!

The 5 participating – and wonderfully exotic – locations you and your hubby-to-be can choose include:

The Ritz-Carlton, Cancun

The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman

The Ritz-Carlton Golf & Spa Resort, Rose Hall, Jamaica

The Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas

The Ritz-Carlton, San Juan Hotel, Spa & Casino    

The cushy Reconnect package includes:

• Nightly accommodations
• Daily breakfast for two
• A $100 daily resort credit- for use at F & B outlets, Spas and for recreation activities.

When booking a wedding for a minimum of three nights and twenty-five rooms or more through the Reconnect package, couples will receive a complimentary wedding ceremony and three-night stay for their first anniversary, redeemable at any of the five participating hotels.  Yes, that’s right: not only can you celebrate your wedding with your closest family and friends in the Caribbean or in Mexico, you’ll also be back the next year to relive the magic for your first anniversary!  The complimentary wedding ceremony is applicable for wedding events booked from April 1 through December 20, 2010 and held from May 1 through December 20, 2010.  Your one-of-a-kind ceremony will include:

• Ceremony Location
• Wedding Specialist
• Wedding Concierge
• Minister
• Signature Bouquet
• Signature Boutonniere
• Signature Location Décor

Special, Limited Time Reconnect Rates:

The Ritz-Carlton, Cancun                                                      Starting at $369

The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman                                           Starting at $260

The Ritz-Carlton Golf & Spa Resort, Rose Hall, Jamaica         Starting at $399

The Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas                                                 Starting at $339

The Ritz-Carlton, San Juan Hotel, Spa & Casino                    Starting at $379

The only real problem with this package, of course, is picking which of the five fabulous Ritz-Carlton Caribbean or Mexican destinations you like best!  (I’m partial to the Grand Cayman but, hey, I’m not the bride here!)  Want more information?  Contact the lovely Verona Carter at verona.carter@ritzcarlton.com.

I think what I love best about Lara + Ross’ Florida wedding at Alys Beach Green and Central Park is the ultra-fab blend of seaside cool and Southern sophistication, courtesy of Buckner Productions.  The fresh whites of the bride’s classic Mikaella gown and the clean, neutral tones of the groomsmen’s lightweight suits are beachy, fun and effortlessly stylish while the rich burnt orange of the bridesmaids’ silk sheaths from Watters Bridesmaids and lush Nouveau Flowers bouquets add just the right touch of autumn elegance.   Like Lara, we like the uniqueness of the couple’s wedding cake from The Broken Egg and think it’s especially sweet it was made as an exact replica of the Alys Beach tower.  A black-and-white-tiled dance floor and a breezy open-air tent are perfectly chic accents for this upscale beach wedding. 

P.S. Football legend Eli Manning was in Lara + Ross’ wedding party!  Can you spot the Southern superstar?

How did the two of you meet? Tell us your story. We met back in the fall of 2004 as architecture students. Ross noticed me immediately because he was irritated that I was always late for class!  I finally broke the ice in 2005 when I asked Ross to a DG formal. In 2006, I moved to Nashville and Ross moved to Jackson, but we ran into each other again the week Ross graduated from architecture school in 2007.  We began dating soon afterwards. Over the next year, I would drive to Santa Rosa Beach or Ross would drive to Jackson so we could see each other as often as possible.  After the distance took its toll, Ross moved back to Jackson and we dated for another ten months before he proposed.
Describe the proposal. Ross wrote me a letter every day for a week, surprising me in a different location each day with the next letter. On Saturday morning, he told me to pack my clothes for the day and to bring something I could wear outside. Ross took me to Pinelake, our church, and planted some trees with me while he read each letter he had written me. We then wrote a letter to ourselves to help us get through any difficult times together.  Ross proposed under the cross on the hill behind the church!
Tell us about finding your wedding dress: I found the dress at Lowe’s, a great place with a ton of great designers and styles to choose from! I had the best help ever!
Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line? We used the same vows both of Ross’ sisters used in their weddings.
Three adjectives that describe the day are: Surreal, holy and amazing.
What was your favorite design element of your big day? We got married at Alys Beach but if I had to choose a specific thing, I’d have to say I loved our cake best of all!
Describe your wedding cake: We chose a cake made in the shape of the Alys Beach tower.
Describe your wedding flowers: The arrangements were very modern, textured and non-traditional.
Were there any wedding traditions or new ideas you included in the wedding? We incorporated both traditional and non-traditional ideas into our wedding.  My bridesmaids chose their own dresses in “neutral tones,” but my sister and Ross’ two sisters all wore matching dresses. Ross had his brother-in-law perform the ceremony while his other brother-in-law served as a groomsman. We also had our family and friends sing in the wedding. For our music, we chose guitars and harps. Each member of the wedding party poured sand from a small beaker into one large beaker that Ross and I still have.
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you looking forward to in the future? We anticipate starting a business in residential architecture.

Congratulations, Lara + Ross!  Good luck on your new business!

Lara, along with Senior Editor of Brides.com Anne Chertoff, was recently asked to weigh in on how to handle bad service from vendors – when you should let it go, when you should step in, and, if you choose to confront, the best way of doing so.  We know you don’t want to think about something going wrong on your wedding day, but — just in case! — this article is a great read.  Our thanks to Anna Sachse, the reporter, for thinking of us!

P.S. The article was syndicated to more than 200 news outlets across the country – exciting!  Here are links to a few examples:

My San Antonio

Chicago Wedding & Party Resource

The Monitor

Y’all know we love a good wedding blog (and we’re guessing y’all love them, too, seeing as you’re reading this post!).  So for our print edition, we had to include some blog love, this time around taking the form of a “day in the life” interview with four of our favorite bloggers.  Their answers were all we could have hoped for: joyful, warm, funny, and insightful.  And the best part?  These ladies are truly as joyful, warm, funny, and insightful as their answers make them seem.  A little excerpt for your Thursday reading pleasure:

SW: How would you spend an extra $100?

Abby Larson of Style Me Pretty: A great dinner with the family.  For someone that is constantly surrounded by all things beautiful, you would think that I would say shoes or half of a pair of great jeans.  Nope… this blogger is all about food.  My very favorite thing in the world is to go out to dinner with family and friends.  There is nothing like sharing a bottle of wine and devouring fancy schmancy comfort food.  It’s pure bliss.

Christy Weber of Junebug Weddings: For me, for fun, it always comes back to fashion and food.  I’d buy something to wear that engages my imagination or makes my heart race, or I’d go out for ridiculously delicious food with a friend.

Kathryn Storke of Snippet & Ink: Definitely cookbooks.  I love books, I love food, and I love beautiful photos, but with so many recipes online, cookbooks are such an indulgence.  They’re the perfect splurge for me.

Bee Kim of Weddingbee: Because we have a baby due in early December, I’d spend an extra $100 towards all of the little things we’ll need for the baby bee!

I’m noticing a theme, aren’t you?  Much more to come from these lovely ladies in our November print edition! 

Dying to join the party now that you’ve seen what good company we’re keeping?  Email Katharine [katharine at iloveswmag dot com] for the fall print edition media kit.  Or try your hand at winning your way in with our Giving Back contest!

Until next week!

P.S. Check back soon for a fabulous Florida wedding, complete with a celebrity appearance!