It’s time for another winner round-up! We’re always happy to host these giveaways because we know that when we wish we could enter them, too, they must be fab!

Last month, Andi Mans Photography and Design partnered with us to giveaway one of her adorable ceremony backdrop streamers. We asked you to tell us where you would use them.

Congrats to Suzette K. who said, “I can just picture this background behind our Candy Table at the reception. Our theme is vintage/shabby chic with a very Southern twang! The reception will be at our church gym so needless to say it will need all the decorating it can get… a breezy backdrop like this would be lovely.”

We wish we could attend the aptly-named, Swoon Event! We’re happy, then, to giveaway two pairs of tickets! We asked y’all what makes you swoon about weddings.

Yeehaw to Katherine C. who said, “I love watching the bride walk down the aisle and seeing the look on the grooms face – makes me tear up everytime!” and to Taylor L. who said, “The best swoon moment at weddings is looking at the groom while the bride walks down the aisle! All the love is written all over his face!”

We’re thrilled that MM Ink and Betsywhite Stationery teamed up to provide y’all with custom calligraphy and great paper products in one! To celebrate, we were giving away a custom set of thank you notes and gift tags.

Congrats to Taylor J. who said, “I just love the Willow calligraphy style! It is so classy and would be a fantastic way to introduce us to the world!”

Winners, be on the lookout for an email from me!

Didn’t win this time? That’s okay — there are plenty of giveaways coming up!

Today is a very special day here at Southern Weddings, dear friends!  Miss Emily Ayer is celebrating a birthday and we plan to celebrate the good ‘ole Southern way – BIG!  As many of you know, Emily is our resident Art Director, wedding guru and crafting queen.  This is Emily’s 3rd birthday with SW and we couldn’t be happier!  From day one (read the story of how she came to work at SW here), she has made all of our lives happier and well…. prettier!    We are so grateful for you, Em.  Since you are the director ‘o art around here, we had to make your birthday wishes finer than a frog’s hair sanded twice and split four ways!  Happy birthday!!!  Let the festivities begin!  YEEHAW!!!

Special extra birthday love from some people who love you dearly…


Happy Birthday Emily! I hope your day is every bit as fabulous as you are! I know that this year is going to be a truly great one for you, enjoy! – Amber


For my beautiful sister Emily, I share with you these wishes for your birthday: First, I hope that today, of all days, you realize how very loved you are. Second, I hope that in September you experience the happy and beautiful continuation of your love story, and know that it will be perfect no matter what. Third, I wish for you many sunny and sea-filled days in Maine, Trains and Catan to help you laugh, challenges to help you grow, late night conversations to bring us closer, and that our family remains at the very core of our lives. I hope this year brings you happiness and laughter, challenges and the strength to overcome them, sadness to make you appreciate the happy days, and, most of all, love, because you deserve it more than anyone I know. Finally, I hope we continue to only grow closer to each other and to God, together. We are so different, but I love you so very much. Happy birthday, Emilia, you deserve a wonderful one. – Kim


Happy birthday, Em! You have incredible talents, and I love that you’re always willing to share them. I’m proud to call you my sister. I hope this year is better than you can even imagine. Love, Kate


And one last birthday wish from your husband-to-be!

Hi, y’all! The introduction of the Honey List has allowed us to travel to several fabulous Southern locations, with several more on the books for 2012! We’re excited to give you the inside scoop on some of the best honeymoon and vacation spots in the South. Today, we’re taking a trip to the Red Horse Inn! – Marissa

In February, my boyfriend Michael and I were so lucky to get away for the weekend to the Red Horse Inn, a AAA Four Diamond bed and breakfast sitting on nearly 200 acres in Landrum, SC. To give you an idea of where that is (since we are located four hours away in Chapel Hill and were unfamiliar with the area!), Landrum is in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, in the South Carolina Upstate. The Red Horse Inn is less than an hour south of Asheville, NC, and less than an hour north of Greenville and Spartanburg, SC. I don’t know about y’all, but for me, there is a point in the winter when a getaway is absolutely necessary. We were fortunate enough to go around Valentine’s Day, knocking two birds out with one stone!

The estate is tucked away on a long gravel drive surrounded by trees and ponds. When we pulled up to the front of the picturesque main inn and started to get out of the car, we were immediately greeted by Mary and Roger, the owners. They were so friendly that it was like visiting old friends or relatives! They gave us a little information and handed over the key to our private cottage, The Grainary. They also explained that they wouldn’t be bothering us unless we needed something. Housekeeping was optional, and breakfast was already in the cottage. Their goal is to give you the maximum amount of privacy, and facilitate a romantic, relaxing stay.

The Inn itself has six rooms. Each suite is decorated in a different style, and has a fireplace, kitchen closet and whirlpool. Two of the larger rooms open up to patios shielded by vine-draped arbors. The Inn also offers packages where guests can choose to make their stay even more romantic with the addition of things like a four-course candlelit dinner served in the privacy of your cottage, or ordering roses, champagne or chocolate-covered strawberries to have when you arrive. We didn’t try either, but I think they’d be perfect for a honeymoon or special anniversary trip!

In addition to the main inn, there are also six Victorian cottages (charming white houses with green tin roofs), that are located about half a mile away, and this is where we stayed. Each cottage has a kitchen, bedroom, bath, living room with a fireplace, and front porch complete with rocking chairs. Our cottage even had a private outdoor hot tub! The cottages have high ceilings and large windows which fill the rooms with blissful natural light.

One thing we couldn’t help but notice right away was how well thought out the details in the cottage were. For example, there was a little basket of washcloths that said something along the lines of, “Use these to wipe the dew off your rockers in the morning.” Isn’t that adorable? As we put our luggage down, we looked out the window to see the sun setting behind the mountains in the distance. It was so peaceful and romantic!

That night we had reservations at Stone Soup. Since Landrum is considered “horse country,” the walls were covered with equestrian photos and gear that celebrated the community. We loved that! The layout was so cozy and really felt like you were fine-dining in a friend’s nice home. Michael had the North Carolina cornmeal crusted trout (which I also tried and was delicious!), with succotash and mixed greens with buttermilk dressing. I had a delicious mixed green salad with cranberries and almonds and the half-chicken.

Saturday was packed full of adventure. We started with breakfast in our cottage at our leisure, then went on a self-guided driving tour of bridges in the area. Our favorite was Poinsett Bridge, the oldest bridge in South Carolina, built in 1820. Next, we drove up to Caesar’s Head State Park, which is deemed one of the best panoramic views in the Blue Ridge Mountains, at 3,266 ft. On this particular morning, it was raining and quite foggy. Therefore, when we finally reached the lookout, we couldn’t see even ten feet in front of us! We’ll definitely have to try again on a different day.

We then went to Victoria Valley Vineyard, a forty-seven acre site, styled after a French “chateau.” We had paninis from the deli on the terrace, experienced our first wine tasting (we pretended like we knew what we were doing!) and lastly, went on a tour of the vineyard and learned how the wine was made. From the vineyard, we went to The DuPont Forest and hiked around three waterfalls. The highest was appropriately named High Falls, a 150-foot cascade. While we would have loved to hike even more, we didn’t want to be late for our dinner reservation!

That night, we had dinner at Zenzera, a Tuscan-themed restaurant with live music. The restaurant is located in downtown Landrum, nestled among a strand of unique shops and antique stores. We had a separate map of all the antique stores in the area, but we just didn’t have the time to fit shopping in. Michael ordered the Pesto Fettuccine Alfredo, and I got the Shrimp & Grits. The dish was very different than the Shrimp & Grits I’ve had before – it was served in a big bowl with shrimp, grits, peppers, mushrooms, spinach and white cheddar all mixed together, almost like a thick soup. It was tasty!

Overall, we had such a wonderful visit. If the Red Horse Inn was this enjoyable in the winter, I can only imagine how beautiful it would be in the summer or fall! It was obvious that Mary and Roger developed their property with couples in mind, and we think they succeeded. Judging from the countless comments we read in their guest books (dating back to 1995!), I’d say we aren’t the only ones! If you’re a Southern bride not looking for the typical tropical honeymoon, this could be a good option for you. It’s peaceful, romantic and not too far away from city centers like Asheville.

We are so thankful for the Southern hospitality shown to us on our trip! Photos are courtesy of the Red Horse Inn, except for the last four which are my personal photos.

P.S. Take a trip over to The Honey List to get the scoop on even more lovely properties!

P.P.S. Brides, did you have a fabulous honeymoon? Email Marissa and let us know! Properties, want to get involved? Shoot Marissa an email, and let’s chat!

I don’t know about y’all, but it has felt positively springlike here the last few days! In fact, our office even moved out to the front porch one day last week – it doesn’t get more Southern than that!!

Because we’re ready for chirping birds and brilliant green grass and everything else that comes with a Southern spring, we wanted to kick off a new series: Southern Stems! Over the next few weeks, we’ll be exploring several of the blooms particularly prized below the Mason-Dixon Line. Let’s begin with the camellia!

Camellia image by yocca; overlay by SW

Gorgeous, no? The camellia is such a soft, romantic flower, and it just seems quintessentially Southern to me. It’s also the state flower of Alabama. Lucky ‘Bama gals! Here are two botanical prints to give you a close-up look at those ruffly petals:

The botanical print on the left is available for purchase here, and the print on the right is available for free download here!

My research turned up various “floriography” meanings for the camellia, including graciousness, steadfastness, honesty, excellence, and “my destiny is in your hands.” All lovely, and perfect for a wedding!

Both images from Southern Living

Camellias are known for their big, luscious blooms. Because they’re heavy flowers, they like a little support, so floating them in shallow bowls or propping them up in short vases or pitchers is best. Loosely grouped vases of these blooms would be perfect as a long, low centerpiece down a reception table – nothing to block conversation!

Photo on left from Better Homes & Gardens; photo on right from Martha Stewart Living

Camellias bloom in all shades of pink, red, white, making them perfect for almost every color palette.

Adeline Country Cottage

Possibly my favorite characteristic of camellias is that they bloom in winter and early spring, when not too many other flowers dare to show their faces!

Browne Photography via Style Me Pretty

For those who would like to see camellias up close and personal, now is the perfect time! Descanso Gardens in Flintridge, CA, the Sarah P. Duke Gardens in Durham, NC, and Middleton Place just outside of Charleston, SC, all have great collections. Middleton, in particular, boasts hundreds of different camellia specimens, as the first camellia in America was reportedly presented to Henry Middleton in 1786!

Photo on left from Better Homes & Gardens, and on right, by Amy Neunsinger from House Beautiful

Finally, if you’re marrying in a season when camellias are not in bloom, but would still like to show your Alabama pride in flower form, we love these delicate paper versions from The Green Vase:

Images from The Green Vase

What’s your favorite Southern stem?

I love jam and mason jars, both separately and together — and mostly at weddings! In fact, the other day, my friend called me from the grocery store in a jam conundrum — which to choose? Thank goodness I was available, in my infinite wisdom, to guide him through the options. Unfortunately, I’m not the best at canning things in general, so this handy DIY from the lovely ladies at Yours is the Earth will have all us reaping the benefits!

This fun jam recipe is meant to be stored in the refrigerator, so you don’t have to get into the nitty-gritty of actual canning. (But feel free to use pretty jars, regardless!) Our friends at Yours is the Earth have provided us with canning labels, too! Perfect to personalizing those jam wedding favors, no? I love a homemade touch at weddings and I think guests really appreciate it, too.

What you’ll need:

2 pints ripe strawberries (or about 5 cups), hulled and chopped
1/2 cup organic cane sugar
The juice of a whole lemon

What to do:

Bring all of these ingredients to a simmer in a dutch oven. Mascerate the strawberries until you have a bright, sticky, slightly chunky jam. Transfer to sterilized glass jars with tight-fitting lids. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, if you can make it last that long! Those biscuits are calling!

If you are feeling really adventurous, add a drizzle of balsamic and a few cracks of pepper to the jam while it’s cooking.

For the labels:

Download our PDF template here, and print onto regular paper or sticker paper. Cut along the black outline with scissors. If you’re using regular paper or cardstock, place the label on top of a mason jar lid, then screw the metal ring on top of it. Or, punch a hole through the top and hang it around your jar with a bit of twine or ribbon.

If you’re using sticker paper, cut out and place that pretty little label anywhere your heart desires.

Thanks to our friends at Yours is the Earth for sharing this DIY! Now tell us, what will your wedding favors be?

If you found this DIY helpful, you might like these, too!
Ashley Brooke Designs’ Tote Bag DIY
How to: Preserve Fruits
How to: Biscuit Bar