Hiya! Welcome back to my wedding planning posts :) Today, I would LOVE to introduce you to our photographer — can you tell I’m excited??

Let me begin by saying that I know everyone has different priorities when it comes to planning a wedding, and I know that photography is not at the top of everyone’s list — but it definitely was for us. There are a few reasons for this — most importantly, that the photos are what we will cherish long after almost everything else has been eaten, sold, thrown out, packed up, or forgotten (kind of sad, but true). But the photos? The really good ones? Those will bring us back to that day years and years in the future.

Oh yes, and wedding photography is also my job. I stare at it all day long. Unsurprisingly, I have both strong opinions about it and high standards for it.

With that being said, there were a few things we were looking for in our photographer. They were, in no particular order:

1. Someone who shoots film.
2. Someone who has a great personality.
3. Someone who effortlessly directs their subjects and has a knack for natural posing.

I love SO many photographers, and there wasn’t just one that I HAD to have (there are certainly many who fit the above criteria). I would have been ecstatic to work with a number of photographers, and before I introduce you to our final pick, I wanted to spend a minute on these others, in the hopes that one of them might be right for one of you.

I adore Joey + Jessica. I really, really do. Having worked with them through Southern Weddings, I know that they are so fun and easy going. Plus, I love the ease with which they direct their subjects (probably from all of their commercial experience).

I haven’t met Jonathan Canlas in person, but I would really like to — he seems like such a fun person to be around, and I know his enthusiasm would be infectious on a wedding day. Plus, he turns out some of the most amazing family and large-group portraits I’ve ever seen.

I adore Lisa Lefkowitz’s work. I think her color images have the most beautiful quality to them, and everything she produces reflects such a high level of taste and a classic aesthetic. She also seems like she would be a warm, calming process on the day of a wedding.

Believe me, I could go on, and on, and on, but I think I’ll leave it at that for today!

Now, John and I actually made our choice a few weeks ago, and a few days after that, I asked y’all to guess on Twitter who we chose. The only hint I gave was that our photographer was a female. I had the best time looking through all of your guesses! In no particular order, you guessed: Jasmine Star, Kate Headley, Rae Leytham, Jen Huang, Nancy Ray, Elizabeth Messina, Meredith Perdue, Melissa Schollaert, Jenna Cole, Amy Rae, Katie Stoops, Meg Perotti, Kellie Kano, and Millie Holloman. What a WONDERFUL group of ladies and photographers!

In the end, though, no one guessed our choice. I am so pleased and excited to say that none other than Tanja Lippert will be photographing our wedding!! I have loved Tanja’s work for a loooooong time — ever since I saw this wedding in 2008, in fact. From what I’ve seen, she does an amazing job effortlessly posing single subjects and large groups. She also seems like she’ll be a blast to be around on our wedding day — just check out this video for evidence :) She has a strong commercial background, which gives her a matchless editorial eye. She has a huge heart, which is evident in how much love and emotion comes through in her images. And, of course, she shoots film, which gives her work the most beautiful color and quality.

But enough words from me! I’ll let Tanja’s images do the talking:

Elegant, fun, emotional, light-hearted, editorial, candid, classic, joyful — her photographs really run the gamut, don’t they?

Seeing all of those images together makes me even more excited, but you know what the best part about hiring Tanja has been? She is SO EXCITED about shooting our wedding. And while I know she just loves her job in general, and gets excited about every wedding she shoots, I think it also helps that she knows that I am SO EXCITED she’ll be shooting our wedding. It’s been my experience that vendors can tell when you love what they do and are thrilled to get to work with them — and those seem to be the conditions under which they produce their finest work. Something to keep in mind when interacting with the people who will be a part of your big day!

So tell me: What do you think? Do you love Tanja as much as I do? :) Who will be photographing your wedding?

P.S. In case you missed a post:
The main characters
Where we’re getting married
Something for the bride to wear

Howdy ladies and gents! We’ve presented some of our favorite Southern finds over the past month and gave you the chance to win them! Have you been absolutely dying to know if you’ve won? Well, hold on just one minute more, because first, we just have to say:

That’s better! Now, you know how much we love monograms around here. From the looks of it, you do, too! We love Southern Proper Monograms for their customization and huge selection of sizes. I’d love to see a newlywed couple’s initials hanging on church doors or on the entrance to the reception site. For the chance to win, we asked you to tell us how you would use the monograms in your wedding.

Congratulations to Linden who won two custom monograms and said, “Oh how I love monograms! I think I’ve loved monogramming EVERYTHING since preschool when I had my pink backpack monogrammed with my name…. (or maybe even earlier with the bloomers with my name- haha). Anyway, I’d use them in flower wreaths on the church doors!!!”

Ain’t nothin’ more appropriate for a Southern bash than a cowboy and cowgirl cocktail! These glasses from Rolf Glass caught our eye immediately and we had to give you guys a chance to win a set! We asked you guys to tell us all about the cowboys and girls in your wedding party.

Ashley S. would be happy to know that she won this giveaway! She said, “OMG…if the contest wasn’t screaming out my name idk what else can. Our theme is very western. we both grew up in very rodeo families. My wonderful maid of honor is my amazing sister. She has been there for me through everything. My wonderful fiances sister will be up there and she is above and beyond my best friend. We have been through some crazy things whether a little intoxicated or sober as can be. My best friend mady will be up there as well. She has almost caused me to go to jail on a handful of times. We have been through so much together including her brother committing suicide seven months ago…I know she is always there for me just like i was there for her during those rough times. And the groomsmen are a handful of a story of there own.”

We’re big fans of paper products and we knew that The Green Kangaroo’s selection of invites, save the dates, and programs was impressive! We loved their classic ribbon program and had to share it with you! We asked you which part of the ceremony you’re most looking forward to.

We’re happy for the winner, Katherine, who said, “I’m most excited about our first look!! I think the emotions of the entire day will be captured in that one moment. I get chills just thinking about it!”

Starboard Clothing Co.’s bow ties are handmade, colorful and soft — as some of the best bows are, in my opinion! We couldn’t resist giving away four of their darling bows in a giveaway celebrating the arrival of V4!

Big congrats to Philip M, who said, “The Toile Beau is amazing! I’d most likely pair it with a white or yellow oxford button-down and some khaki chinos. It’s the kind of bowtie that really stands out, but not an obnoxious sort of way. It’s the perfect finishing touch to an outfit and would be an excellent addition to any wardrobe.”

Keep an eye out for more giveaways coming soon! Congratulations to all our winners! You’ll be getting an email from me soon.

Hey, y’all! Just a friendly reminder that we’re shipping pre-orders out TOMORROW (!!!), so if you want your V4 to be in the first batch that’s mailed out, place your order today! And trust me, you want your V4 to be in the first batch :)

You can place your pre-order right here!

Also, another reminder that our fabulous ad discount is running for just seven more days (until V4 is officially released on stands!), so take advantage of it now, while you can! We’re currently offering 10% off the online or V5 ad of your choice, OR $100 off, whichever is greater!

Can you tell we are excited?? We are very excited!

Hi, friends! I am so happy to introduce our October Southern Bride of the Month! Megan is getting married in less than two weeks (!!), but was kind enough to pause last-minute preparations long enough to answer a few questions. I hope you enjoy her interview — I know I sure did!

Hi! What’s your name?
Megan Ferguson

What’s your fiancé’s name?
Nico Evers Swindell

What do y’all do for a living?
I like to say I am a stay-at-home actress. My dad does not think that’s funny. But for real, we both are actors and live in Los Angeles.

How did the two of you meet? Tell us your story.
Three years ago we were both living in New York City and had several mutual friends. I had heard that Nico was cute, from New Zealand and an actor and thought to myself, that sounds terrrrrible. I had never dated another actor – there can only be so much crazy in one relationship. But luckily, Nico came to my Christmas Party and we ended up having a smooch! We’ve been together ever since.

Now tell us alllll about the proposal.
We flew from Los Angeles to New Zealand to visit Nico’s home last December. I had chatted about and thought about a proposal probably every day for the previous few months EXCEPT for the day it happened! We had gotten off of a 12-hour flight, made it to his home, and I was a wee bit cranky and jet lagged when Nico just asked. Very simply and sincerely. I said yes, and then he ran around the corner to get the ring, which was hidden in a piece of china on the kitchen counter! Because NZ is so far away, we couldn’t call friends or family for at least six hours, so we had it all to ourselves for a whole evening.

When’s the big day?
October 29, 2011

Where might you two be tying the knot?
At my parent’s home in Thomasville, Georgia

The driveway leading to Megan’s house! Love the Spanish moss :)

How did you pick your ceremony and reception venues? What do you love most about each space?
I have always wanted to be married outside and at my home. I think it’s so wonderful to have a wedding ceremony at home, since a wedding is about the bride and groom becoming family!

The back porch of Megan’s house, where the ceremony will take place

Who or what has been most inspiring in the wedding planning process?
My friends’ weddings! This has been one of those wonderful years where several of my dear friends have gotten married. Each wedding has been so personal to the couple and full of amazing details! One friend served bourbon smash in mint julep cups, and another had antlers throughout her floral arrangements. Creativity is contagious.

Who or what has been most helpful in the wedding planning process?
My wedding co-captain, Nan Myers! Nan is a friend, first and foremost, who runs this fabulous store in Thomasville called Firefly. I have always admired her style, and so I thought she would be the perfect woman to help plan our wedding! Neither of us has ever planned a wedding before, but Nan has the perfect combination of retail savvy and creative spark and I am half bridezilla. She has taken care of a lot of the nitty gritty with rentals and vendors, which has allowed me to stay relatively calm. Also, Google Docs, y’all! Seriously. Put all of your lists, budgets, and RSVPs onto Google Docs. That way, a select group of people can edit the same document and everyone can stay up to date!

Modern tented wedding reception inspiration from Fete

Have you picked your dress yet? How’d that go? What will you be wearing on the big day?
I watched plenty of “Say Yes to the Dress” marathons (original, Atlanta, and Big Bliss) before it was my time to dress shop, and always scoffed when the bride’s entourage didn’t love the dress that she loved. Then, I put on this amazing, romantic J. Mendel gown, cut on the bias with unfinished hem, and fell in love. I walked out of the dressing room fully expecting to say YES to the dress, and I got a room full of “nah-uh’s” instead. Not even Randy from Kleinfeld could have sold that dress! Cut to several months later, and not being in love with any other dress, I tried on a BLUE, FLORAL ready-to-wear Monique Lhuillier gown and my Mom, Dad, and maidens of honor all cried at once! I can’t show y’all a picture, because what if Nico suddenly takes an interest in wedding blogs and sees the dress before the big day?! Okay, sneak peak of the fabric below!

Who is your favorite vendor you’ve booked so far?
I love all of our vendors! Mae Mae Paperie made heavenly save the dates & Rifle Paper Co made the most magical wedding invites on the planet! I can’t wait for the Flashdance team (Smilebooth, Sharkpig and the Human Jukebox) Betsy Dunlap’s calligraphy makes me so happy. Hugh Acheson from Empire State South is cooking up a feast for us – this bride WILL have two pieces of fried chicken thank you very much! Christian Oth Photography will make me look pretty by hook or by crook.

Above: Megan + Nico’s gold foil and kraft paper save the dates by MaeMae Paperie (see more here!). I am in love!

What do you love most about Southern weddings?
Tradition! I am saying goodnight to the groom after the rehearsal dinner and won’t see him again until I walk down the aisle. We also buried a bottle of bourbon at the site of the ceremony one month before the wedding so that it won’t rain! Nico wants to dig up the bottle on the way back down the aisle, but I’m not sure that would go over very well with our officiant. I am having a “Bleedin’ Kiwi Groom’s Cake” – my take on the Steel Magnolias classic red velvet groom’s cake.

A gorgeous invitation suite from Rifle Paper Co (via Oh So Beautiful Paper). This isn’t Megan + Nico’s design, but it sure is lovely!

If you had to pick three top priorities for your budget, what would they be and why?
Photography, food, and music. A lot of people won’t remember what your flowers, plates or linens looked like, but they will remember if they liked the food and if they danced! Photos are for remembering everything else!

What has been the best part of wedding planning? The worst part?
The worst part happened today, when I called the hotels to check on our reservations and both hotels told me that they have sold our room block rooms to non-wedding guests by accident… we are still sorting this one out. Most guests have rooms, but we are having to house others with local friends. It will probably end up being more fun for those guests anyway!

Above: Champagne tower from Kate Moss’s wedding via Once Wed (photo by Mario Testino for Vogue) and Megan’s rose bouquet inspiration

Any advice you’d like to pass along to fellow brides?
Ask former brides for advice and help! Many of my closest friends passed on all of their old rental lists, budgets, seating charts and catering invoices and they were a great reference. I also occasionally asked friends their favorite and least favorite moments of other weddings to get a sense of what a guest’s experience is like and how to make it seamless! But most of all, create a day that is special for you and your groom. Y’all are the guests of honor! Take a breath (or sob for ten minutes) when it feels overwhelming and come back to planning the next day. It’s a magical time – enjoy!

Thank you so much for joining us today, Megan! Readers, if you’d like to apply to be a Southern Bride of the Month, check out this post for all the details! If you’ve already emailed me, you’re still in the running for future months!

P.S. Looking for even more Southern Bride goodness?
Texan childhood sweethearts planning a church wedding and country club reception
Floridians planning a garden wedding full of amazing Southern eats
A sometimes-long-distance couple planning a destination wedding in Georgia

The Southern Bride of the Month header was designed by our Assistant Art Director Sierra, with illustration by Curious & Company!

Ashley + Ross’s light brunch reception was an ideal wedding celebration for this couple who wanted to keep things simple. White flowers in milk glass from the bride’s mother’s collection decorated the space at Collina Farm at Clifton Inn while burlap table runners broke up the white-on-white effect and kraft paper signs directed guests to yummy Southern breakfast fare. (I spot some ham and cheese biscuits!) Self-proclaimed cupcake-obsessed, Ashley wanted to serve up a batch of classic chocolate and vanilla cupcakes for their family and friends to nibble on. Though they love cupcakes, the couple also chose to have a small cutting cake made. We love how it incorporates tradition without stepping on Ashley’s devotion to the smaller sugary treats! Thanks again to Elisa B Photography who captured this lovely affair!

Describe your wedding cake: I am obsessed with cupcakes. We had a local cupcake company whip up a batch of classic chocolate and vanilla goodness and a cutting cake to boot!
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: To be honest, our favorite was the lack of details that we had to think about. It was our goal to keep things simple. We did not have specific wedding colors and rather opted for a neutral palette of sand, grey, and lots of white! A good friend helped me turn some scrap burlap into two ring pillows and table squares. Our guestbook was a custom Etsy find and I made most of the other details by hand, like “gluten-free” flags to mark the special cupcakes and cinnamon rolls, signage galore, and wedding wands. We put out some décor and hung a photo line under the tent the night before the wedding, but aside from those small things, we truly enjoyed not being concerned with details whatsoever. We just focused on getting married, on each other and our beautiful families and friends.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? Keeping our array of out-of-town guests informed and comfortable. With the majority of our family traveling to Virginia from North Carolina and Texas, it took some extra TLC to make sure each person was clear on the plan for the rehearsal and wedding. We did our best to communicate with everyone ahead of the wedding and then flood them with smiles and thanks when we were finally face-to-face for the big day!
What range did your wedding budget fall into? $10,000-$25,000
What is the one thing you are most happy you splurged on? Our venue! We wanted to have a simple wedding. We are not the kind for a get-on-the-dance-floor-and-party-all-night kind of wedding. Plus, we were working with a strict budget. We opted for a morning ceremony and light brunch reception. Collina Farm at Clifton Inn was the ideal location for our wedding. Not only was the farmhouse beautiful and the venue’s team incredible, but we had every convenience. My bridesmaids stayed with me and my parents in the guestrooms of Collina Farm, so when we woke up to get ready on the big day, we were already on site! In the days leading up to the wedding, it barely felt like work. All of the preparations felt more like fun! Being with my best friends at Collina Farm made for the ultimate slumber party, and having my parents so close by really allowed me to include, appreciate and honor them each step of the way. Our out-of-town guests appreciated not having to travel to a different location for the reception, too. Collina Farm had a courtyard space behind it that we used for our ceremony site. Afterward, guests walked across the yard to the farmhouse for the reception. Guests mingled indoors and outdoors, walking about with coffee mugs and plates of fresh fruit and pastries. It felt easy – perfect for our quaint wedding!
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? I did not realize it until I was getting dressed, but I had not yet put on everything together before the big day! So looking in the mirror for the first time with my veil, jewelry, dress and all was so exciting! I felt so ready!
Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line? Our vows were fairly traditional, but we did include two elements in the ceremony that made it extra-special. First, both Ross and I walked down the aisle with both of our parents, and during the ceremony, they jointly gave us their blessing. And second, for our benediction, my very dear friends who are married did a reading and prayer adapted from “A Wedding Sermon” by Dietrich Bonhoeffer. It read, “What God has joined together, can no man put asunder.” They spoke it in unison and their voices together sounded so strong and loving. It was the perfect ending to our ceremony – apart from the kiss, of course!
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you looking forward to in the future? Cooking good meals together, singing James Taylor songs together, visiting bed & breakfasts across America, and maybe even having our own bed & breakfast someday!

Photographer: Elisa B Photography // Venue: Collina Farm at Clifton Inn // Florist: Floral Designs by Jacquelyn // Wedding Cake and Cupcake Baker: Charlottesville Cupcake // Cinnamon Rolls and Gluten-Free Cupcakes: Hungarian Bakery // Caterer: Clifton Inn // Paper Products: Delphine Press // Bride’s Dress: David’s Bridal via OnceWed // Bride’s Hair Accessories/Veil: ARoyalWedding // Bride’s Shoes: Steve Madden // Bride’s jewelry: TZTUDIO // Flower Girl Dresses: Crewcuts from J.Crew // Ring Bearer Shirts: Crewcuts from J.Crew // Groom & Groomsmen’s Ties: Jos.A.Bank // Hair and Makeup: Lora Elaine Cornhole // Rentals: CornChucker // Classical Guitarist: Rafael Scarfullery // Guestbook: Parkside Harmony

Oh yes, and before you go…