The gorgeous blue and white affair by Paul Johnson Photography continues! From the linens and monogrammed pillows to the hydrangea-topped cake by Katie’s Cakes & Catering and potted plants, the color theme was carried out flawlessly. Amanda + Brent were absolute troopers and laughed through their first dance on their rain-soaked dance floor. After celebrating under the beautiful trees of The Southwood House, the couple made their getaway through garnet and gold pom-poms, a nod to Brent’s Alma Mater, Florida State University. The garnet and gold show up in Brent’s groom’s cake, too (a tradition Marissa taught us all about here!). In the South, we know school pride comes right behind family loyalty.

See all the photos from Amanda + Brent’s wedding in their Real Wedding Gallery!

Describe your wedding flowers: My bouquet was all white tulips and my bridesmaids’ bouquets were white tulips and white irises. The mothers’ corsages were orchids. To add to the heirloom feel, we added a vintage-looking diamond earring around each one. We decorated the house in magnolias and hydrangeas. Inside the house, we used more hydrangea to create splashes of color on tables, the mantles and in the midst of the generational pictures. Instead of using vases, we used silver pitchers, coffee pots and Revere bowls to hold the hydrangea.For our center pieces we had either a silver candelabra or white flowers. We had different flowers on each dining table but each arrangement was white. Our design concept was to make it look like we went and cut fresh flowers from behind the plantation house. We had gladiolus, larkspur, tulips, irises, callas, hyacinth, lily siberia, and delphinium.
Describe your wedding cake: Our cake was a three-tier cream cheese pound cake with cream cheese icing. We had blue hydrangeas between each tier.
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: Brent’s favorite detail was the garnet and gold (for Florida State University) pom poms for the grand send off. My favorite detail was getting to spend the day with my bridesmaids upstairs in the Southwood house and watch the house transform into our wedding venue.
What is the one thing you are most happy you splurged on? The photographer!! Paul Johnson photographers were even more amazing than I could have ever imagined.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? Our first dance. Since it rained 45 minutes before the wedding, the dance floor was soaked. When we started dancing, my dress absorbed the water and became more of a mop than a dress. It stuck to the floor and made it difficult to dance. Without skipping a beat, I picked up my dress and held it in one hand while Brent and I danced and laughed together.
Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line? The officiant, my aunt, discussed that in the Book of Mark, the apostle tells us, “From the beginning of creation God made them male and female. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; and they shall be one flesh: so then they are no more two, but one flesh.” She then began to describe a custom in an area of the Netherlands that exemplifies this verse. After the wedding ceremony, the newlywed couple enters their house through a special door. The door is never used again until one passes on and the body is carried out through that same door. God designed marriage like that house. It has one door that is locked tightly. That lock, which keeps the marriage bond secure, is loving commitment for life, which includes a commitment to being reconciled if the relationship should falter.

Photographer: Paul Johnson Photography // Planner: John Gandy Events // Venue: The Southwood House // Florist: Missy Gunnels Flowers // Wedding Cake Baker: Katie’s Cakes & Catering // Caterer: Catering Capers // Bride’s Dress: Simply Elegant // Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Jim Hjelm

Wow. Do you see that first photo? We love Paul Johnson Photography for sharing this wedding with us! Amanda + Brent were married on the landing of the gorgeous antebellum plantation house, Southwood, which was decked in magnolia garlands and blue hydrangeas by Missy Gunnels Flowers. The men looked sharp with their big blue and white bow ties, the bridesmaids were lovely in Jim Hjelm, and the bride was elegant in her lace gown from Simply Elegant. In addition to being beautiful and timeless, A + B’s wedding was full of family ties. Amanda’s two aunts were both involved in the ceremony as an officiant and a flutist and Amanda walked down the aisle wearing her mother’s veil. My favorite part of the ceremony, though, was the ring warming. The wedding rings were passed through the guests to be blessed before they were slipped onto Amanda + Brent’s fingers. That’s a beautiful start to a Southern marriage, if I do say so myself.

How did the two of you meet? Tell us your story. I met Brent in the summer of 2002 through my friend and Brent’s fraternity brother. At that time, I was a student at the University of South Florida in Tampa and Brent was attending FSU in Tallahassee. We saw each other whenever possible on weekends and during breaks, but the long distance became a strain on our relationship and we parted ways. But in May 2004, we decided to start dating again. Our final year at FSU, we were inseparable. Brent was going to move back to Destin after graduation and we decided that I would move there too, after I graduated in August. For two grueling years, Brent gave me the support I needed while attending graduate school at the University of West Florida but we also had time to have fun vacationing in Colorado, traveling to FSU football games, and enjoying Destin.
Describe the proposal. I was involved in the ring design so I knew when it was finished. Needless to say, surprising me was going to be difficult. One weekend in March of 2010, I went home to Tallahassee for the weekend. On my way back to Destin, I called Brent to let him know I was close to home. If anything was out of the ordinary, I would have known something was up, so Brent simply hid behind the closed door to our house, ring in hand, and waited for me to come in. As I entered, hands full and hound dogs howling, Brent popped the question.
Three adjectives that describe the day are: Southern, heirloom, timeless
What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? Our wedding took place at an antebellum plantation home, Southwood. We included family and friends as much as possible. Brent’s grandmother addressed all of the invitations in a beautiful script font, both of my aunts were in the ceremony, I wore my mom’s veil, and we used my mom and dad’s 25th anniversary toasting flutes for the champagne toast. We also had a table of every wedding picture of our parents, grandparents, and great grandparents and during the ceremony, we had a ring warming where the wedding rings were passed throughout the audience and were blessed by each guest.
Tell us about finding your wedding dress: I shopped with my mom and my dress was the third one I tried on. Later, my dad came to Destin to see the dress and his jaw just dropped. However, my mom and I wanted to spend a weekend shopping in bigger cities just to make sure I saw all of my possibilities. As soon as I got back to Destin, I ordered my dress. I knew it was the one. I am glad I ordered it early because the first dress that arrived was sewn wrong. We had to send it back to be totally remade. I got my dress back three weeks before the wedding.

Photographer: Paul Johnson Photography // Planner: John Gandy Events // Venue: The Southwood House // Florist: Missy Gunnels Flowers // Wedding Cake Baker: Katie’s Cakes & Catering // Caterer: Catering Capers // Bride’s Dress: Simply Elegant // Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Jim Hjelm

Y’all, this was one of the toughest decisions I have ever, ever had to make. How in the world can I choose just one feature from Southern Weddings V3 as my favorite? I absolutely, positively adore so many parts of V3. What’s a girl to do?

Well, I’ve flipped through V3 a total of 23 times to finally make up my mind, but I am positive about my decision. My favorite feature from V3 just had to be the Up, Up and Away Southern honeymoon feature shot by fabulous photographers Jose Villa and Jen Curtis.

Could there be anything more romantic than sailing away with your fine gent in a multicolored hot air balloon to your honeymoon destination? I’d be hard-pressed to find a better form of transportation.

Then there’s that gorgeous couple. Between her Anthropologie dress (that matches the hot air balloon perfectly) and his Southern ensemble courtesy of local Chapel Hill favorite, Julians, this couple is sheer Southern honeymooning perfection.

I think my very favorite part of the feature are the eight fabulous honeymoon destinations. Some of the best and brightest writers in the wedding industry agreed to write about their favorite Southern honeymoon spots and I’m just dying to hop in the car and visit every single place. Are you in? Let’s go!

This trip down V3 memory lane has made me even more excited for all of the fabulous features in V4! It’s coming soon, y’all, and we just can’t wait till you see it!

Wanting more V3 nostalgia? Check out Emily, Nicole and Marissa’s favorite features:
Joey & Jessica’s Cover Shoot
Amelia Lyon’s Sweet Love
Jose Villa’s Something Blue

Do you want to see all of the wonderful vendors that worked on this feature? Just check it out in our editorial gallery!

Happy Monday, lovelies! We’re bringing you a fun DIY from our friend Ashley Brooke at Ashley Brooke Designs. I’m a big fan of all things summer, so this embellished rattan beach tote DIY sounded like the perfect accessory to any warm-weathered wedding. These totes are easy to put together, fun to fill, and will make an adorable welcome bag for your guests or a part of a bridesmaids’ gift. I love all the fun items that Ashley fills her tote with! If you’re wondering, the stationery featured in the video is made by Ashley Brooke Designs and can be found here.

Happy crafting! If you try this, be sure to tell us how it turns out!

Past DIYs:
Envelope liners
Monogrammed mason jars
Patterned cupcake wrappers

Howdy, gals! We’re headed back to Charleston for our last large V4 photoshoot, and we would love to have you join us! We’ve got our bride taken care of this time around, but now we’re looking for a few lovely bridesmaids.

So! Want to get dressed up in pretty frocks (shockingly adorable, actually), have your hair and makeup done by the experts and strike a pose or two, like our stunning reader ‘maids from V3?

Photo credit: Jose Villa

We’re taking the show on the road to Charleston, SC, where we’ll be teaming up with a few fabulous vendors to produce the cover for V4. If you’re free for a Thursday, August 4 photo shoot in Charleston, we’d love for you to email a head shot and a few candids to howdy at iloveswmag.com. Ladies who’ve previously applied, feel free to submit again! Each shoot has a slightly different aesthetic, and you could be just what we’re looking for this time around.

Can’t wait to hear from y’all!