November « 2009 « Southern Weddings Magazine

Details: Heather + Jordan, Part I

November 18, 2009 by Southern Weddings in Details: Real Weddings from Across the US | 6 comments

If there’s such a thing as wedding heaven, I am in it today with Heather + Jordan’s fairytale-perfect wedding from Cameron Ingalls. (Planning and design courtesy of Creative Events, Etc.) It’s hard to imagine a more beautiful setting than the groom’s family estate where the high school sweethearts’ nuptials were held. The citrus pinks of the bridesmaids’ dresses and the deep fuschia accents in their Camilla Burns’ bouquets are the perfect contrast to the natural greens and golds at the Sharpe Family ranch. And, wow, if the bride isn’t a vision in her ethereal gown! I almost can’t wait for you to see their romantic barnyard reception! You’re excited, right?

Facebook it
Tweet it
Pin It

How did the two of you meet? Tell us your story. We met in the ninth grade when Jordan was fifteen and I was fourteen. We didn’t take much notice of one another until a year later when we started appreciating spending time together. While trying to think of a homecoming dance date at age sixteen, I thought about asking Jordan and got butterflies! I’ve been in love ever since! It only took two weeks for Jordan to ask me out on a date, which took place on Halloween six years ago this past October. Two months later, Jordan was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease and spent the next year in and out of the hospital undergoing several surgeries. T hat time, more than anything, is what brought us together. After getting through “sickness and health,” the rest was easy!
Describe the proposal. Jordan proposed a few days after I got back from a trip to Costa Rica. In the time I was away he had planted a garden for me on one of the hills at his family’s ranch where we were married one year later. We went up to the ranch to stay the weekend and, one afternoon, Jordan suggested we take a ride on one of the ATVs. We drove up the hill to find the beautiful garden Jordan had planted for me, nestled in the tall grass under an oak tree with a bottle of champagne and two glasses! We later enjoyed a lovely dinner in Pismo Beach, right on the water and returned back to the ranch surprise greeting from our families!
Three adjectives that describe the day are: Beautiful, elating and perfect.
What was the design inspiration for your wedding? The Sharpe family ranch is far away from any main roads and distractions, not to mention that the views at sunset are beyond breathtaking! We wanted people to be able to take in the raw, natural beauty of the mountains and the array of colors that turn as the sun sets. We loved how the bright flowers (that matched the sunset!) popped on the green grass, so we brought that green inside with the tablecloths. The rest of the magic came alive at night with tons of candles, pin-spotting and up-lighting.
What was your favorite design element of your big day? Our flowers! I especially loved my bouquet. It was so romantic and felt just right for our location. Our florist is a true artist and the most lovely lady to work with. She has given us a true gift that we will cherish forever.
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: The lighting. Though it wasn’t obvious to most of our guests, it brought a subtle glow of warmth to the reception and illuminated our tables and floral arrangements beautifully!
Tell us about finding your wedding dress: I spent hours in at least three stores trying on dresses before I found the perfect one. I tried on almost 40 dresses before my mom pulled out a gown from behind a rack. I was determined to not wear a strapless dress but when I tried this one on, it completely changed my mind. I decided on a drop-waist white gown with a mid-length train. Touches of lace and bead work made the dress feel old-fashioned while the fitted cut felt much more contemporary. It was the perfect dress for me because it felt elegant and formal but I still felt like myself when I wore it.

Check back soon for more details from Heather + Jordan’s romantic shindig!

xo Southern Weddings November 18, 2009 | view Southern Weddings's blog

Diane Phillips, November 18, 2009 4:33 pm Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

What stunning photos. Love the weeping willow trees. Definitely makes me think of the South. Colors are so vibrant and beautiful.

Laura Marchbanks, November 18, 2009 5:22 pm Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

Gorgeous light! Loving the willow tree.

Agnes, November 18, 2009 5:33 pm Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

I love the weeping willow pics as well! Such a romantic, soft, breezy feel! Love the flowers!

Whit, November 18, 2009 10:52 pm Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

This is the one of my favorite weddings you've ever shown. It's given me so many ideas for my upcoming southern wedding. The beautiful flower petal swirls in the ceremony aisle is amazing! I've never seen that before. Gorgeous! And the bride and groom are adorable!

Jeremy Harwell, November 20, 2009 1:09 pm Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

Cameron,

Beautiful Images!! I love the willow tree shots especially!

Angie, November 20, 2009 3:28 pm Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

I fell in love with the colours of this wedding. The swirls in the aisle are a very pretty touch, something I haven't seen before.

Southern Weddings reserves the right to delete comments which contain profanity or personal attacks or seek to promote a business unrelated to the post. And remember: a good attitude is like kudzu – it spreads. We love hearing your sweet thoughts!

Southern Etiquette: Engagement Party Guest List

November 17, 2009 by Southern Weddings in Expert Advice,Personal,Southern Etiquette | 36 comments

Facebook it
Tweet it
Pin It

Welcome back to Southern Etiquette! To recap, my first column addressed a contentious issue which y’all responded quite passionately to: wearing white to a wedding. The consensus seemed to be that it was stylish to dress your bridal party in shades of white and cream, but that to be safe, it was better to steer clear of white clothing as a guest. Check out the debate here.

But on to our next topic: the engagement party guest list. My older sister recently got engaged (YAY!). As I’m sure you can guess, this is VERY exciting to me. She and her now-fiance are planning an August 2010 wedding on the coast of Maine. They live in the Midwest; my family lives on the East Coast; and his family lives on the West Coast. K+C will be heading East for the Christmas holidays, and my parents are thinking of throwing them an engagement party. Lots of our family friends are eager to see and congratulate them, and (as my Mom says) the house will already be dressed for Christmas, so why not?

Facebook it
Tweet it
Pin It

(Images from Erin + Patrick’s rehearsal dinner (see more here!), photographed by Laura Negri Childers. And no, my house does not look that cool.)

The only problem? Not everyone invited to this supposed engagement party will be invited to the wedding, because K+C are planning a relatively small shindig (on an island, remember?). Emily Post says in no uncertain terms that this is not okay:

“Generally the guest list is limited to the couple’s relatives and good friends. It can be as short or as lengthy as you want — and can comfortably accommodate. However, it’s poor taste to invite anyone to an engagement party who will not be on the wedding guest list.”

I certainly don’t want to be thought of as having poor taste, but it seems to me that maybe this isn’t as big of a deal as Ms. Post seems to think it is?

So, dear readers, help a girl out. (Well, really you’re helping a girl’s Mom out. Hi, Mom!) What do you think? Would it be an etiquette faux pas to invite those to an engagement party that aren’t invited to the wedding? Sound off below!

Images in header c/o Millie Holloman

xo Southern Weddings November 17, 2009 | view Southern Weddings's blog

Robin, November 17, 2009 8:25 pm Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

Emily & Mom,

Yes it would be a bad idea to have an engagement party and not invite them to the wedding. That said, it doesn't mean you can't have a fun Christmas party and "announce" the engagment. (you guys totally lucked out on the timing) This way it is just a fun house party and no one's feelings will be hurt if they don't get an invitation later but they still get to see and congratulate the couple.
Good luck!
Robin

Amber Snow, November 17, 2009 8:29 pm Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

While I may agree with Ms. Post regarding traditional weddings, I think there are always exceptions to the rule. Aren't rules meant to be broken anyways? If everyone attending knows the wedding will be a small affair, and are not expecting an invitation, I don't think it's in poor taste to invite them. On the other hand, if they know they can't go to the wedding, and then find out they are also not invited to the engagement celebration, they may get their feelings hurt a bit. If you don't want to stray too far from traditional etiquette, perhaps call it something different than an "engagement party."

Lauren, November 17, 2009 8:30 pm Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

We are dealing with a variation of this problem. Due to job changes/life changes, etc, it seems that a lot of the people invited to our engagement party aren't really people that we are close to anymore. It's awkward no matter what we do.

Cait, November 17, 2009 8:41 pm Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

It's a tough call, but I think Emily Post is right in this situation. It's one of those situations where it seems okay beforehand, but once you are at the engagement party and you're conversing with guests who are not invited to the wedding reception, you'll see why social experts navigate away from this type of situation. Those guests will be asking when and where the wedding is, as they'll expect to begin looking ahead on their schedule and planning to attend.

I attended a friend's engagement party where this was the situation, and the bride was horrified by the end of the night after all of these conversations - even several people saying, "I can't wait to get my invitation in the mail!" She and her mother decided to sit down and retroactively add 20-30 people to their wedding attendee list, out of a feeling of obligation. Obviously that's not an option with a destination wedding, so your mother/sister would have no option but to let those people down gently. And, for any wedding on a budget, that is adding several thousand dollars to your reception budget and could break the bank.

Can you argue that it is presumptuous for those people to make statements assuming that they're invited to the wedding? Of course...but keeping the guest list the same for all wedding related events is the easiest way to not even have to worry about that. I think most people will assume they're invited to the wedding if they're invited to the engagement party, and it's pretty awkward to have to field those questions knowing that they're not.

georgia, November 17, 2009 8:59 pm Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

Congratulations! My older sister just got married and it IS a very exciting time.

I think as long as all the guests invited to the engagement party know that it's going to be a small wedding it would be fine.

I hope that helps!

Ellen, November 17, 2009 9:01 pm Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

If this is considered a "destination wedding", as it sounds, then certainly guests to the engagement party should not really expect to be invited. But if the "limited guests" live in the same town as the wedding, well....sort of sounds like the beginning of some resentments...sorry.

NB, November 17, 2009 9:12 pm Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

I agree with Cait's comment. I am in a similar situation and while I would love to include more people in my hometown engagement party, I am not able to include them all in my destination wedding. I contemplated, but then realized it becomes very awkward for those that are not invited to both. I have been told to have an Announcement party AFTER the wedding if you want to include more guests announcing the marriage.

Brittany Ogletree, November 17, 2009 9:13 pm Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

Hi Emily (and Mom!),

I think I'll have to agree with Emily Post in saying that it's in bad taste to invite people to the engagement party that aren't invited to the wedding. I think it would hurt the feelings of those who weren't invited to the wedding, and their thoughts may be something along the lines of: "What? I'm okay to come to the party (and possibly bring a gift), but I'm not okay to come to the wedding? I don't understand," While I understand that your sister wants to have a small wedding (congrats to her, by the way!), some people might look past that detail when inquiring about their wedding invitation and have their feelings hurt.

I definitely agree with the first post from Robin: have a "Christmas party" where she also happens to announce her engagement--kind of like in "Steel Magnolias" when Shelby's dad announced that she was expecting a baby at their Christmas party.

I hope this helps! And many blessings on your sister and her marriage!

Erin (Columbia, SC), November 17, 2009 9:13 pm Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

Emily is right. This rule doesn't just protect the guest, but it also protects the host. People are SO sensitive! Even if you let it be known that this is your arrangement, people will still talk and make you feel bad about not inviting them to the wedding. So just to keep yourself from being talked about and out of gossip, I would just only invite the people invited to the wedding. It will save a lot of frustration! And who needs added frustration during a wedding!!

amy t schubert, November 17, 2009 9:25 pm Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

I have to say, in a situation like this - when the wedding is a small destination event and assuming it is UNDERSTOOD that only a very small # of people will be invited to the wedding - inviting other people to the engagement party (or bridal showers, or other wedding events) is perfectly fine.

Lindsey, November 17, 2009 10:08 pm Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

Hi Emily! I am actually in a very similar situation now. I am planning an August 2010 wedding and my fiance and I will be spending some time at home with my parents in Florida over Christmas. My mom wants to have a party while we are there and is planning to invite people who will not be invited to the wedding. We decided to handle it by not calling it an engagement party and we are not indicating that it is being given in honor of my fiance and me on the invites. We are also telling anyone who asks NOT to bring a gift. We figured that our guests would realize that my fiance and I will be there so they can come by to see us if they want, but it's not technically an "engagement party." I think this is similar to what Robin and Brittany are suggesting. Hope it helps and congrats to you and your family!

L Hewitt, November 17, 2009 10:18 pm Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

I believe it would be in poor taste to invite guests to the engagement party but not the wedding. Etiquette rules like these are designed to avoid offense and to avoid awkward social situations -- for a broad spectrum of people. While it might be alright for you, for example, who is to say it won't hurt somebody else.

Someone else suggested it, but perhaps it might be a good idea have a post-wedding party to include those people who were not invited to the wedding.

Reb, November 17, 2009 10:38 pm Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

I appreciate that your sister is in a difficult position by trying to accommodate a select few for a limited venue, but she (and mom) wants to invite friends to the engagement party to celebrate! I am in a similar situation, as my fiance and I got engaged in England recently, but will be getting married in my hometown in Texas. We wanted to celebrate here in England when we got engaged, so we invited a lot of people to our party, knowing that we wouldn't invite all of them to the wedding in Texas, where our wedding guests will consist of family and close friends. I think that lots of our invited guests to the engagement party were really happy to come and celebrate with us, but knew that they would not come to (nor be invited to) our Texas wedding. So, in conclusion, I think if there are people who want to celebrate with you but won't be able to go to the wedding (because they can't make the flight or won't be included in a limited guest list), invite them to the engagement party- spread the love!

Emily @ Southern Weddings, November 17, 2009 10:40 pm Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

Keep it coming, y'all! This is very helpful feedback. The point you're making about conversations we'll have with guests at the party is extremely valid and something I don't think we thought about much.

Carmen, November 17, 2009 10:42 pm Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

When I originally read this post I was firmly set on the side that this was an exception to Ms. Post's rule, since it was a destination wedding but I was pulled away from the computer before I could reply and after reading others' replies I have to agree that people ARE sensitive and that the best way to handle this would be to either have a Christmas party and announce the engagement or have an announcement party AFTER the wedding to let the uninvited guest express warm wishes.

Of course there are always exceptions to the rule and I think inviting someone like a close friend to the mother to an engagment party, that isn't invited to the wedding, and who knows she isn't invited but requested to come, is acceptable but inviting an entire guest list of people that won't be coming to the wedding is a recipe for misunderstandings and hurt feelings.

Larry Hammack, November 17, 2009 11:08 pm Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

Dealing with as many brides & families as we do, I have to agree with Ms. Post... while so many wedding etiquette "does and don'ts" have fallen by the wayside, your sister would do well to adhere to the policy of 'engagement party=wedding invitations'. They can always throw parties in the general area of the families & friends after the wedding & reception... gives them the opportunity to have 3 receptions!!

Southern Weddings, November 17, 2009 11:29 pm Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

I just wanted to say that you're rad, Emily. That's all : ) Lara

Stacy Reeves, November 17, 2009 11:54 pm Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

I have to agree with tradition on this one.. Personally, I would be upset if someone invited me to the engagement party and not the wedding. Maybe if it was a distant cousin and I was invited to the engagement party by my mother or grandmother, I would understand, but if it was a college friend or a colleague or a close family friend, it would definitely ruffle some feathers. I really liked the suggestion of just having a regular holiday party and having your parents "announce" the engaged couple there. I think that's a perfect solution!

Amandita, November 18, 2009 12:12 am Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

I think because it is basically a destination wedding it is understood that people that you love can't all be put on the wedding guest list. Having the engagement party is a great way to involve everyone else.

I have been invited to showers before where I never expected a wedding invitation....I don't see what the difference is.

If your sister was having the wedding in your parents' hometown it would be a different story, but I say the more the merrier.

(keeping a holiday theme also will help.)

Lissa, November 18, 2009 12:51 am Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

If they will not be invited to the wedding, they should not be invited to any gathering in celebration of the engagement. That is in poor taste......however.......it is Christmas, and who's to say, as long as you keep your lips tight, that you can't have a Holiday celebration without the big "Announcement" ? Keep it simple and low key.......

Kelly, November 18, 2009 12:55 am Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

I'm siding with Mrs. Post on this one. If they are "close" enough to be invited to an engagement party, they should be invited to the wedding (same for showers). And also, I love you Emily! Your book was a great guide for my upcoming wedding. Thanks so much for your words of wisdom.

Astrid and Rene, November 18, 2009 1:11 am Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

I also agree with Emily. I always look at the situation in terms of how I would feel if it happened to me. I would be upset and would wonder why I was invited to an engagement party and not invited to the wedding.

You can't assume that your engagement party guests will understand that you are having a small wedding and you didn't make the list.

However you (the hostess) presents it, people will make their own assumptions and generally will feel negatively about being left out. And that's what it's about really.....regardless of why, the bottom line is that the left-out guest will see it as you invited this person to the engagement party AND the wedding but only invited me to the engagement party?

Whit, November 18, 2009 1:17 am Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

Everything that I have read has said that if they are invited to the engagement party they have to be invited to the wedding. I think that people will assume that if they are invited into the engagement party that will be invited to the wedding.
You can have a get together after the wedding for everyone that didn't attend the wedding since you are having a small wedding.

Lisa Jeffries, November 18, 2009 6:23 am Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

Ok first, never assume ANYTHING is understood. While it makes perfect sense that it SHOULD be understood this is more of a "destination" thing... people aren't very logical... and when it comes to feelings, it's just not worth the risk. (Especially if these people are connected to each other and would be talking about attending etc. as time goes on.)

Now, if you were to host the event specifically noting that it's a celebration for the bride and groom in lieu of a large wedding (like so many do AFTER they return from small or destination weddings), then I think you'd have more people understand from the beginning it's in place of a large ceremony. Unfortunately, they'll probably be expecting a bigger event/party, bring gifts (that the couple may not be ready for), etc., etc., so this isn't necessary fabulous, in my opinion.

Short and sweet - don't chance it. Either keep your lists the same (unless parties are thrown by the groom's side, bride's side, etc. that wouldn't expect everyone at the wedding in general to attend) to avoid hurt feelings, confusions, and a lack of understand what should be understood ;-)

CostumeDiva, November 18, 2009 12:45 pm Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

I was in a similar situation where my husbands family lived far away from my home town where our intimate wedding was being held. His mother threw us what we referred to as a "pre-ception", inviting all the extended family, friends, coworkers etc, many of whom would no be invited to the wedding. Maybe if it was referred to as something other than "engagement party"? Like "celebration of love" or something. Also, I think that if it is understood that the wedding will be small, most people will understand. However, as many of us know, you not going to be able to make EVERYONE happy, so in the end you just have to do what makes YOU comfortable!

Julie, November 18, 2009 1:10 pm Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

I think Cait's post is a pretty accurate preview of what can happen. While etiquette rules can seem ornery and complicated sometimes, I think they can sometimes work to protect from greater hassle down the road. A friend of mine threw an engagement party/end of exams party and invited a bunch of fellow students who weren't on the guest list for the actual wedding. A few of them thought the invitation to the party automatically meant an invitation to the wedding. As they departed the party, they thanked the hosts and said, "See you at the wedding!!" At that point, there's not much recourse other than adding in the ones who mistook the meaning of the original party invitation.

I also agree with the posters who mentioned the sensitivity people have when it comes to weddings. Yes, people "should" understand that guest lists have to be limited, but what they may not understand is why they don't rank high enough to be on the guest list. It's definitely rude for someone to invite themselves to any occasion, but it's also unseemly for a potential host to give the impression that they are going to extend an invitation to someone who will never receive one. And. I think this is where those pesky etiquette rules save the day.

Daphne, November 18, 2009 6:12 pm Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

It would be in poor taste to invite people to an engagement party when they are not invited to the wedding. Even if the wedding is going to be small, people are still going to feel left out and bitter. A solution: have the engagement party not on Christmas but either Christmas Eve or Boxing Day. That way, you can choose the guest-list, the house will still be decorated, and the couple will still be in town!

Amanda, November 18, 2009 8:02 pm Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

I'm in this situation currently. I'm engaged and one of my mom's good friends is throwing us a big engagement party right around Christmas. She didn't limit us on the number of guests we could invite, but she insisted that it wasn't in good taste to invite anyone that wouldn't be at our summer wedding. I agree because once someone gets an invitation to an engagement party, there's an expectation that they will be invited to your wedding celebration.
Since the wedding is several states away, most people wouldn't make the trip if your sister is worried about her guest list, but I think it's right to invite them. Otherwise, just call it a Christmas party.

Sarah, November 18, 2009 8:11 pm Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

I'll have to agree with Emily Post as well. I think it's just like bridal showers, if they're not inivted to the wedding they shouldn't be invited to the shower/engagement party.

Kelly Merrill, November 19, 2009 4:54 am Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

We ran into engagement party issues as well. Other people decided to throw a party for us, and some of the people helping to plan were people we hadn't been planning on inviting! We had wanted to keep it really small but in the end we invited so many more people to the wedding than we'd planned. But it worked out beautifully and no one's feelings got hurt. I think if everyone knows from the beginning that you are having a small wedding it leaves less room for problems, but I do think a lot of people get hurt or offended about invitations. I like the idea costume diva had, make it more of a reception with dancing and such and people won't be missing out on the good time!

Peggy, November 19, 2009 7:41 pm Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

II agree with Robin's comments. While I am all for etiquette, I think this is a unique situation. Theirs really is a destination wedding. Have Mom and Dad host a Christmas party or drop in. It is a great opportunity pre-wedding since they will be East. At that time K&C can tell people that the wedding will be a small, intimate affair. I thnk family and friends who know them and the situation would understand.

Allie, November 19, 2009 11:33 pm Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

YES. It would definitely be inappropriate.

Emily's Mom, November 22, 2009 1:46 am Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

Thanks to all you wonderful readers for helping us out with your thoughtful comments. I am also of the "original" Emily's thoughts on engagement party guests, but wondered if I was being too old-fashioned?! We traditionally have a New Year's Day Open House, but the bride and groom will be in CA with the groom's family on the first. So I think we'll just have an Holiday Open House and if anyone asks- we'll just say yes, that the bride and groom will be here, but not mention anything about an "engagement party". Keep the comments coming and thanks again!!

Miss Bliss, November 29, 2009 4:48 am Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

I think the large party is fine as long as all the guests are invited to the destination wedding. A long distance wedding will encourage only those guests to come to the actual wedding who are close enough to the bridal couple to wish to spend the money to come...however I believe that if you are having a local engagement party that it makes perfect sense to have a special local reception to receive the newlyweds once they return from the destination event. I think that a couple should consider the feelings of those they tell. One of my close friends called multiple friends and family members upon her engagement only to choose to have such a small wedding that the guests felt that there were some VIPs missing... (Expenses were not a factor in their decisions...) By VIPs, I mean very close aunts and uncles and cousins...meanwhile infants were included in the guest list because the bride felt guilty not including some friends kids...and those same friends were missing the relatives! It's such a lovely honor to be included on a guest list...but not at the expense of lifelong family members...

Nanci, February 9, 2010 12:21 am Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

How about the guest being able to bring a date to the engagment party but not to the wedding? To keep the wedding smaller the bride does not want some of the single guests to bring a date. If I am giving the engagement party can I address the envelope Mr Ted Adams and Guest if he is not allowed to bring a guest to the wedding?

CA, July 6, 2010 4:51 pm Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

My fiancee' and I are being given a engagement party this upcoming weekend. The brother of the groom decided to propose yesterday & they will both be at the engagement party. As of today, mostly everyone there now knows about their engagement & is questioning why they had to do it the week of our engagement party? Am I being silly or is this something I should question? How do you handle something like this?

Real Texas Wedding: Amy + Carl, Part II

November 17, 2009 by Southern Weddings in Real Southern Weddings | 2 comments

Yes, we’re back with more from Amy + Carl’s Texas wedding at the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens. Special thanks to Cesar + Tanya Perez for sharing their work with us! I’m almost as much a fan of the soft white and pale blue accents of the couple’s floral arrangements from Apples to Zinnia as the adorable figurines (made by the bride herself) decorating the multi-layered confection from Panini Bakery. Too cute! Kudos to Roxie Bentaur of Society Affairs for designing and planning this sweetly Southern wedding.

Facebook it
Tweet it
Pin It

Describe your wedding cake: Our cake was so delicious! Carl designed most of it with the help of our baker. It had our wedding colors of blue, brown and white, with three layers white cake and three different fillings: raspberry white chocolate ganache, cappuccino and amaretto. I made the cake topper out of clay to resemble Carl and I in our wedding attire! Our cake was so good that we didn’t have any slices left over.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? Our first dance. We danced to Beck’s cover of Daniel Johnston’s song “True Love Will Find You in the End,” and it was just such a romantic, private moment. We thought that we would feel very self-conscious with 95 pairs of eyes on us, but we forgot about everyone else and just focused on each other.
Scariest moment? Part of our ceremony included drinking out of a special goblet called a German Wedding Cup. This cup allows two people to drink out of it at once, but it requires some artful maneuvering to successfully pull it off. I was so afraid that we would spill wine all over ourselves, but it ended up going very smoothly and was a fun and personal way to conclude our ceremony.
Funniest moment? The arboretum had a display of fairy tale houses set up on the grounds. One of the houses was shaped like a pirate ship, so the groomsmen had fun posing like pirates. We only wish we had thought to bring eye patches for everyone!
Three adjectives that describe the day are: Joyous, festive and fast!
Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase/verse/line? Yes, we wrote our own vows. My favorite line from Carl’s vows was that he wanted me to be his “partner in crime.” I love thinking about us as being in cahoots, secretly building this wonderful life together.
Best advice or most memorable comment someone made to you during the wedding celebration: My great-aunt and great-uncle pulled me aside during the reception to let me know they were about to celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary, and hoped Carl and I would have an equally long and happy marriage.

Congratulations, Amy + Carl! We wish you both all the best in your new life together!

xo Southern Weddings November 17, 2009 | view Southern Weddings's blog

Ashley, November 18, 2009 6:37 am Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

LOVE the coozies as favors! what a great idea... my family would love that!

Karen, December 22, 2009 12:38 am Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

I bet the cake was delicious. I love everyone one of those fillings.

Real Texas Wedding: Amy + Carl, Part I

November 17, 2009 by Southern Weddings in Real Southern Weddings | 3 comments

Since I was obsessed with Dorothy’s ruby red slippers as a child, I guess it’s not that surprising that my very favorite detail about Amy + Carl’s Texas wedding from Perez Photography is the bride’s own red shoes! Aren’t they the perfect complement to her paper white Casablanca gown and her bridesmaids’ black Calvin Klein frocks? Since we’re talking fashion here today, I especially love the delicate lace detail on the chapel length veil (something old borrowed from her mother!). While the bride’s is wonderfully vintage, the orange blossom on her groom’s boutonnière (courtesy of Apples to Zinnias) gives the wedding party a modern and updated look. Come back soon for their reception photos!

Facebook it
Tweet it
Pin It

Describe the proposal: Carl spent part of our dating relationship living in Charleston, South Carolina. I went to visit him for his birthday one summer in the middle of an intense heat wave. One afternoon, we decided to head to one of our favorite spots, Folly Beach, to look for some seashells and watch the sunset. Just as we got out of sight of any other visitors, Carl held out a seashell and said, “Here, I think you might like this one.” The shell rolled over in my hand and out fell a beautiful diamond ring! Carl then dropped to one knee and said some very touching words that I barely remember because I was laughing; I was just overwhelmed with happiness. I said “Yes!” (of course!) and we headed back up the beach for some celebratory beer and tacos. It was the perfect proposal for me.
The weather on our wedding day was: Gorgeous and sunny. We were so nervous about the weather given our outdoor venue, but the heat and the rain stayed away.
What was the design inspiration for your wedding? Our venue, an arboretum and historic home, already provided such a beautiful backdrop that we wanted to keep our own decorations minimal so as not to distract from the natural beauty. We wanted to create a casual garden party atmosphere that was functional and comfortable for our guests, so we started with a light palate of sky blue, white and chocolate brown, and went forward from there, trying to choose things that were classic and summery.
Tell us about finding your wedding dress: I looked at pictures of wedding dresses for months before I actually went shopping and, in my mind, pictured myself in something ivory, with lace and cap sleeves. Because we were planning from afar, I only had a few days to visit different bridal shops. At the first shop I visited, I found myself a little overwhelmed by just seeing myself in the dresses, and thought I’d found my gown after only trying on four or five. However, after sleeping on it, I was filled with so many doubts that my very wise mother took me to another store for a second shopping trip. That’s where I found “the one.” I knew it was the dress for me because I didn’t want to take it off; I wanted to wear it home! It was white satin gown, without a stitch of lace or beading. It was totally different from what I originally had envisioned but was just right for me. I wore my mother’s veil.
Describe your wedding flowers: We gave our florist, Juan, a lot of creative freedom with our bouquets and centerpieces. I talked with him about the setting and general feel of our wedding and listed some of my favorite flowers, including hydrangeas, orchids and gerbera daisies, and then I let him create the arrangements. I loved the final product! Although I felt like a bride once I put my veil on, I really felt like a bride with my veil and my bouquet. I also thought the orchids were a wonderfully exotic touch to our otherwise classic arrangements.

xo Southern Weddings November 17, 2009 | view Southern Weddings's blog

Victoria Joanne, November 17, 2009 3:08 pm Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

Gorgeous veil!!

weddings, November 18, 2009 5:45 pm Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

Wow, she looks so classic and beautiful. I love here shoes too, they look like candy! : D

Creative, November 18, 2009 7:47 pm Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

nice

Contest: Hazel & Harlow

November 16, 2009 by Southern Weddings in Contests | 3 comments

There are two things that I am a sucker for- cute jewelry and pugs. When I stumbled upon the Hazel & Harlow website, I was in awe. The pretty, delicate pendants, rings, and earrings serve as perfect little good luck charms and would be an excellent gifts for bridesmaids or even for the bride herself. Each piece has a hint of whimsy and oodles of simple charm.

Facebook it
Tweet it
Pin It

Now, where do the pugs come in? Well, Hazel & Harlow was named after jewelry designer Amy Michelle’s two adorable dogs, one of which is a pug. My very own pug, Pierre, wanted to show his support for both Hazel and Harlow for their roles as cute jewelry mascots by hosting this week’s contest.

Facebook it
Tweet it
Pin It

Do you think your pet is perfect? Pierre the pug would like to see what they’ve got. Send a picture of your pet to {whitney @ iloveswmag.com} with a short paragraph explaining why your pet is the best for the chance to win a gorgeous gold horseshoe necklace from Hazel & Harlow.

This contest ends Friday, November 20th at Midnight. Pierre the pug wishes everyone good luck!

xo Southern Weddings November 16, 2009 | view Southern Weddings's blog