Happy Tuesday, belles + beaux! We wanted to take a minute to introduce you to some of our newest Blue Ribbon Vendors. They’re a pretty stunning group, and we just know you’ll love them! Without further ado…

Adam Barnes is a fine art film photographer based in Virginia. Adam is an Editors’ Pick because we featured Rachel and Jeffrey’s wedding in Southern Weddings V4!

Alexa of Alexa’s Photography is based in Greensboro, North Carolina and prides herself on taking photos that capture your true relationship and personalities.

Ben Sasso offers hip and candid coverage from his home base of St. Augustine, Florida.

Fit to be Tied makes gorgeous bridal sashes, and each one is lovingly crafted by hand.

Haley Sheffield is based in Perry, Georgia and approaches weddings with a fresh, organic eye and a passion for people and the arts.

The Green Ribbon Party Planning Co is based in California but eager to travel the South throwing fabulous parties. With experience working with Mindy Weiss under her belt, we have no doubt Nicole will do just that.

Justin DeMutiis captures real moments in a natural, editorial style and is based in Tampa, Florida.

Kickstand Events specializes in clean-lined and contemporary events with a hint of tradition and is based in North Carolina.

Pezz Photo shoots in a modern, vintage chic style and is based in Tampa, Florida.

Scobey Photography is a husband and wife duo based in Georgia who specialize in capturing “authentic moments rooted in love.”

Stephen Devries is a film photographer with a timeless and classic style. He is based in Tennessee and Alabama.

To check out all of our Blue Ribbon Vendors, just click over to the full directory! You can search by category or state to find your perfect match.

Vendors, if you’re interested in getting involved, just fill out this form and Whitney will get in touch! Besides getting connected with the best brides in the world (that would be Southern brides, of course!), a new benefit of Blue Ribbon Vendor membership is access to our private business blog, a resource for SW sponsors only, where Lara, Emily, and the SW team share tips on submitting and branding to make your business even better! Curious? Just email Whitney and she’ll answer any questions you might have.

OK, y’all know how much I love string lights. Alli + Chad’s wedding is proof that the sparkly, hanging lights make the most beautiful spaces even more magical. With guests dining under a canopy of tree limbs, the lights were a special way to light up the area and infuse the event with some romance and fun. The vibe was only helped by an abundance of vintage finds, including an entire comfy lounge scene. Among our other favorite details are the mason jar punch cups, gorgeous cake, and shiny convertible! Thank you, Anahi Navarro for sharing this wedding with us!

See all the photos from Alli + Chad’s wedding in their Real Wedding Gallery!

What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? The menu was entirely Southern. The guests were served hors d’oeuvres of fried pickles and fried sweet potato sticks presented in paper cone cups while enjoying a signature cocktail of basil lime mojitos. Several food stations offered Southern selections of comfort food, including chicken fried steak and cream gravy, shrimp and grits, gourmet mac and cheese and an assortment of country salads and veggies. Blackboards and hand-painted flower pots posted the menu selections. As guests mingled around the pool waiting for time to be seated for the ceremony, my nephew pulled the cord on a huge old church bell that was hung from a mesquite tree to alert the guests that it was time to be seated. The ceremony took place in a meadow behind my grandfather’s back yard. My mom had three 10-foot church windows constructed and distressed to appear as though they came from an old church and placed them in the meadow to create a façade of a country church. Through the windows, guests could see pink and crimson bougainvillea’s filling the back of the meadow. The windows were flanked by vintage baskets filled with hydrangeas, roses, Queen Anne’s lace and ferns. A harpist was positioned among the trees and accompanied the wedding procession.
Describe your wedding cake or dessert: The bride’s cake was a traditional four-tiered white cake with pale pink fans of sugar. The groom’s cake was chocolate, topped with a pyramid of white chocolate golf balls.
What is the one thing you are most happy you splurged on? My pale pink Jimmy Choo heels!
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? Having the wedding in my grandparents’ backyard with all of our family and closest of friends! It was a very special evening.
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? After working so hard to make the night special, take time to stand back and embrace it all! Find a quiet spot to stand alone and observe all the special details, friends and family that gathered together. Oh, and make sure you get to eat the delicious food! Everything happens so fast, the night is over before you know it!
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you looking forward to in the future? Neither one of us is a planner, but we intend to travel, enjoy life, and start a family! We don’t have a timeline to follow!

Photographer: Anahi Navarro and Aga Images // Planner: Donna Liston // Rentals: Dream Weddings by All Party Rentals // Flowers: Bloomer’s // Cake: Cynthia’s Cakes // Catering: Wray & Co. Catering // Bride’s Dress: Lela Rose “The Pond” // Bride’s Hair Accessories/Veil: Custom made by Stanley Korshak Dallas // Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo // Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Amsale // Accessories: Earring by Azaara

Love this wedding? Maybe you’ll love these, too:
Jamie + Dan’s intimate Southern wedding here and here.
Our Neutral Wedding Details Pinterest board.

Oh y’all. Today’s wedding is a vintage Southern dream. Can you believe that Alli + Chad’s beautiful venue was her grandfather’s backyard? Alli’s mom had arched windows constructed and placed in the meadow and I think it’s one of the prettiest ceremony set-ups I’ve seen. The garden-like flowers pulled in the elements of their surroundings beautifully without being overwhelming. It looks like the sweetest outdoor chapel, don’t you think? Big thanks to Anahi Navarro for sharing this wedding with us!

How did the two of you meet? Tell us your story. Chad and I met while in college at the University of North Texas. I was a sophomore studying fashion and Chad was a golf professional at Oakmont Country Club.
Describe the proposal. We both enjoy traveling and have taken trips to New York, Colorado, Mexico, and Jamaica, to name a few. Nine years into our relationship, my mom took the two of us to Austria and Germany to see the Passion Play in Oberammergau. On the third night of the trip while in Vienna, we attended a fabulous formal dinner in an old palace, followed by a concert of classical music and ballet. Chad had made arrangements earlier in the day to propose during the intermission. He called me onto the stage and, in front of a crowd of over 500, gave me a gorgeous bouquet of Vienna roses and proceeded to get down on one knee. He had a small Swarovski crystal box with the ring inside! Immediately following the proposal, the entire audience joined us on the balcony for a champagne toast! It was an unforgettable evening.
Three adjectives that describe the day are: Romantic, whimsical, enchanting.
In what month did you get married? April
How many guests attended your wedding? 175
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: There are too many too choose! There were so many details that my mom took hours planning and preparing, like the vintage furniture, floral arrangements created in my grandmothers silver, and hand-painted signs. My wedding cake was presented under a chandelier-crowned tent that was decorated as the bride’s dressing room. An antique dressing table held girly vintage dresser trays and powder jars, Stylebuilt jewelry boxes, and gloves. An antique brass hat rack displayed vintage ladies attire. A vintage wedding dressed Barbie reminded guests of fond memories of childhood dreams. Another highlight of the night was our departure from the reception in one of my grandfathers’ vintage Ford automobiles! A 1950 Ford convertible was sitting in the driveway complete with vintage suitcases ready for the honeymoon with ribboned tin cans hanging from the bumper. As guests awaited us, a costumed popcorn vender handed out old fashioned striped bags of popcorn. The convertible started with a rumble and a roar and guests ran alongside the car tossing rose petals as we rolled out of the driveway.
Tell us about finding your wedding dress: I searched all over Dallas! After visiting Warren Barron Bridal Salon in Highland Park Village, I knew I had found the one. It was a Lela Rose A-line, strapless dress of cotton and silk faille.
Describe your wedding flowers: The tables were adorned with silver containers of pink roses and baby’s breath, Queen Anne’s lace and hydrangeas! Vintage baskets, tiny bottles, mason jars and mercury glass vases were spilling over with greenery, peonies, wild flowers and fern. The Bride’s bouquet and the maids’ bouquets were a bundle of fresh flowers that looked like they had just been picked from someone’s garden. The men’s boutonnieres were all different, tiny clusters of wild flowers and greens with a feather here and there.

Photographer: Anahi Navarro and Aga Images // Planner: Donna Liston // Rentals: Dream Weddings by All Party Rentals // Flowers: Bloomer’s // Cake: Cynthia’s Cakes // Catering: Wray & Co. Catering // Bride’s Dress: Lela Rose “The Pond” // Bride’s Hair Accessories/Veil: Custom made by Stanley Korshak Dallas // Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo // Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Amsale // Accessories: Earring by Azaara

Want to see more beautiful ceremonies?
Beverly + Curtis’ forest ceremony here and reception here.
Kara + Tyler’s outdoor ceremony here and reception here.

Shelley + Greg’s wedding looks like a party. How often do you see men breaking it down like that on the dance floor? Major kudos to anyone to attempts a split in a suit! As if we didn’t enjoy this party enough, the newlyweds treated their guests to pink and green flip flops, custom koozies, and a location that makes you want to sit back on a rocking chair and sip Arnold Palmers all day. I, personally, am the biggest fan of S + G’s two-tiered bow cake, accompanied only by a jar full of beautiful blooms and a custom table runner that I’d want for my own wedding! Big thanks again to Virgil Bunao Photography who shared this wedding and the fun photo of the newlyweds making their boat getaway.

See all the photos from Shelley + Greg’s wedding in their Real Wedding Gallery!

What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? The heat. Planning our wedding for July 3, we were definitely concerned about the comfort of our guests throughout the weekend. The weather was warm but cooperated, and none of the guests complained about the heat for the rehearsal dinner or the wedding. We had misting fans on the porches at the reception, hand bamboo fans for the guests seated at the wedding ceremony, and refreshments upon arrival to the ceremony.
What range did your wedding budget fall into? $25,000 – $50,000
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? I will never forget walking with my dad towards all of our guests seeing our close family and friends there to support us and, of course, seeing Greg standing there waiting for me. Our ceremony and reception were both truly incredible with a weekend-long celebration of our love and lives together. We both love music and wanted a fun weekend for our guests. Our rehearsal dinner was a low country boil with Old Habits Bluegrass Band from Raleigh, NC, (one of the groomsmen in our wedding is in the band). Our wedding day included a violin for the ceremony followed by gospel singers singing “Oh Happy Day” as we were pronounced husband and wife. Then came one of the most memorable parts of the wedding day. As we were standing in the garden with Virgil about to take our pictures, Edwin McCain emerged from the parking lot with his guitar. I spotted him and the emotion and excitement I felt is indescribable. My family and I have been huge Edwin McCain fans for such a long time. Our wedding day was one for the history books when Edwin McCain surprised us and sang “I’ll Be” for the first dance and “Walk with You” for the father/ daughter dance. He was so genuine, down to earth and relaxed. I will forever be appreciative to Edwin McCain for adding such a remarkable element to our wedding day. The music continued with the best band we could have ever chosen for our wedding day. Loose Chain from Atlanta kept everyone on the dance floor all night. Our guests continue to tell us how much fun our wedding was, which makes us feel great.
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? Work together as a couple and have fun with it. Our wedding far exceeded our expectations and we are so incredibly appreciative for the support of our family and friends. The planning process can be overwhelming but you should enjoy it and most of all soak up every moment of your wedding day because it passes by so quickly. Be sure you have an excellent photographer as your pictures are the memories you will have forever. Greg and I cannot say enough about working with Virgil and his elements of creativity and passion for what he does.
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you looking forward to in the future? We have sold both of our houses and are starting the New Year with our new house on Johns Island, SC just outside of Charleston. We look forward to another amazing year together as we welcome our first child in July 2012.

Photographer: Virgil Bunao Photography // Videographer: Hart to Heart Media // Weekend Of Coordination: Sweetgrass Social Event & Design // Venue: Creek Club at I’on // Florist: Branch Design Studio // Wedding Cake Baker: Wildflour Pastry // Caterer: Jacob’s Kitchen // Rentals and Linens: EventWorks // Paper Products: Save the Dates Mac and Murphy, invitations from Open House, out-of-town packets and ceremony programs designed and made by the bride and groom // Hairstylist: Lauren Wood of Velvet Salon // Bride’s Dress: Lula Kate // Bride’s Hair Accessories/Veil: Etsy // Bride’s Shoes: Kate Spade // Bridesmaids’ Dresses: J. Crew // Accessories: Men’s ties were custom made from M. Dumas and Sons, Mother of the Bride’s dress from Berlins, monogrammed cake table runner from Etsy, seersucker flower girl and ring bearer outfits custom designed from Etsy

Love this wedding? Check these out:
Shannon + Chris’s preppy and nautical wedding here and here.
Katie + Clark’s pink beach wedding here and here.

Happy Monday, y’all! If you’re off to a bit of a slow start like I am, maybe today’s wedding will help get you in the spirit! (You know, the Monday-Funday spirit.)

Shelley + Greg’s wedding is fun, indeed! Is anyone else crazy for Shelley’s white “getting ready” dress and her adorable monogram and flower-adorned bag? It’s a good sign when you’re finding things you love in a wedding before the bride even puts on her wedding gown! (Shelley’s gown is actually her second white dress. Her first was ruined by the cleaners after her bridal portraits — yikes!) We’re loving the big pink bouquets and boutonnieres and the striped details, from the groomsmen’s custom ties to the wedding programs. Cheers to Virgil Bunao Photography who shared this fun wedding with us!

How did the two of you meet? Tell us your story. We actually met on match.com. Greg is from Cary, NC where I was born and we learned that we even went to the same pediatrician when we were infants! Greg drove down to Charleston last October for us to meet and we clicked immediately. We had an amazing weekend together and I knew that weekend that Greg was the man I wanted to marry. He met my family and all of my parents’ friends the following weekend and they, of course, loved him. Greg and I make a perfect team together as husband and wife and as friends.
Describe the proposal. Greg proposed to me at my parents’ house in Ohio on December 23. We were able to celebrate with my family until Christmas day and then flew to Cary to celebrate Christmas and our engagement with Greg’s family.
Three adjectives that describe the day are: Nostalgically Southern, beautiful, and fun.
In what month did you get married? July
How many guests attended your wedding? 115
What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? We love pink and green. The guys all wore khaki suits with custom made pink and green ties from M. Dumas & Sons. The girls kept it simple in pink J.Crew dresses and wedge heels, while the four children in the wedding wore custom-made seersucker john johns in green and dresses in pink with their monogrammed initials on the front. We wanted the entire day to be Southern and detail-oriented so we also provided pink and green flip flops in galvanized buckets, custom-made bottled water, pink and green koozies, pink and white striped ceremony programs, bamboo fans, monogrammed pink and green matchbooks for the sparklers, and more.
Tell us about finding your wedding dress: To make a long story short, I ended up with the most perfect wedding dress just two weeks before my wedding. My wedding dress was ruined by the cleaners after my bridal portrait shoot and I was forced to find a replacement dress, which I wanted it to look as much like my original dress as possible. Lula Kate had a sample very similar to my original Lula Kate dress, but it was too tight for me. I took the dress to my seamstress and she worked magic. She lowered the back on the replacement dress to make it more comfortable and Lula Kate rush ordered a replacement sash to make my wedding day dress better than I could have imagined.
Describe your wedding flowers: Breath taking! Whitney far exceeded our expectations and we will never forget the flowers on our wedding day. We told her that we love pink and green and love tulips, peonies, and hydrangea. Whitney hit a home run with the flowers. She even brought a beautiful pink peony for me in a mason jar for the girls to put in my hair for the reception. I loved it!

Photographer: Virgil Bunao Photography // Videographer: Hart to Heart Media // Weekend Of Coordination: Sweetgrass Social Event & Design // Venue: Creek Club at I’on // Florist: Branch Design Studio // Wedding Cake Baker: Wildflour Pastry // Caterer: Jacob’s Kitchen // Rentals and Linens: EventWorks // Paper Products: Save the Dates Mac and Murphy, invitations from Open House, out-of-town packets and ceremony programs designed and made by the bride and groom // Hairstylist: Lauren Wood of Velvet Salon // Bride’s Dress: Lula Kate // Bride’s Hair Accessories/Veil: Etsy // Bride’s Shoes: Kate Spade // Bridesmaids’ Dresses: J. Crew // Accessories: Men’s ties were custom made from M. Dumas and Sons, Mother of the Bride’s dress from Berlins, monogrammed cake table runner from Etsy, seersucker flower girl and ring bearer outfits custom designed from Etsy

Love these details? Check these out:
Our Bowties + Boutonnieres Pinterest Board
Our Monograms Pinterest Board