I firmly believe that if Shelby (from Steel Magnolias) was not a fictional character, she’d be obsessed with this wedding – it’s her signature color modernized. I personally can’t get over how stunning Callee + Calan’s florals are! After giving her soon-to-be hubby’s aunts only the color pink as a jumping off point, they took peonies, garden roses, hydrangeas, and turned “pink” into what Callee described as “breathtaking.” I also couldn’t help but stare at the sweet treats another one of the groom’s talented aunts created. Be sure to slow down and take a peek at the adorable helmet cupcake pops showing some team love!

Big hugs to Set Free Photography for sharing C + C’s big day!

Pink seersucker + a bow + a monogram = oh my stars, y’all!! And THAT bouquet!

Tell us about finding your wedding dress. 
My mom and I went to the traditional chain stores in town and we didn’t have very much luck. I was on the computer one day and found this little dress store and figured we’d give it a try. I must have tried on 15-20 dresses before I got to the last dress. From then, it was history. I walked out and my mother and I both started crying. I knew from that moment that I found my dress.

I gave them my main color swatch (pink) and told them to do whatever they wanted. They chose to go with peonies, garden roses, hydrangeas, kiwi branches and dusty millers. On our wedding day they even surprised us with fresh blackberries on the bouquets and boutonnieres! The barrels with the overflowing flowers, the trunk and the arbor were just so breathtaking. The flowers truly made our day beautiful.

My most memorable moment was being at the altar with Calan. I just instantly flashed back to all of the reasons why I fell in love with him. I felt like we were the only two people in the room and it was so special to me.

Describe your wedding flowers. 
Nothing I say will describe what Calan’s three aunts and two cousins put together. They are officially the most talented people I know. I have seen what his aunts have done at other weddings and it is just remarkable how amazing every single thing they do turns out.

Our favorite detail of the wedding was: 
I think our favorite thing about the wedding was that our families and friends contributed so much time and energy into making it perfect and helping us with so much. I think at some point, everyone was involved, which means all of the details came from the heart. (The chandeliers were my second favorite detail.)

My brother and father-in-law even built and painted custom corn hole sets with monogramed bean bags to match our bouquet sashes that had our monograms as well. We also had a lot of country music playing during the cocktail hour and during dinner, of course. Yee-Haw!

What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? 
I love everything Southern, from our mason jars to the Cheerwine and the BBQ food.

Describe your wedding cake or dessert. 
Calan’s Aunt Donna owns a cake pop business and brings cake pops to every family function. You haven’t lived unless you’ve tried her Oreo flavored cake pops! We both aren’t big fans of traditional wedding cake, so we asked Donna if she could put something together that made our desserts unique and special. She came up with mini pies, cake pops (of course), cookies, chocolate-covered strawberries, brownies, and key lime tarts. We also loved the idea of a hot cocoa bar, so we had spoons covered with chocolate and toffee shavings, marshmallows and peppermint sticks. These two tables were a big hit.

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. 
Calan and I met 17 years ago when I was five and he was eight at The Storms Field. I cheered and he played football. Throughout the years, our families remained close, with my brother working under his dad at the fire station and our moms remaining friends. When I was 18, I was coaching at The Storms Field when I found out Calan was coaching there as well. We were close friends throughout the season (I thought he liked a close friend of mine) but I never thought we would start dating two years later. We’ve been inseparable ever since.
Tell us all about the proposal! 
I had been giving Calan “subtle” hints about the color, cut and style of diamond ring that I had been wanting for a few months before he proposed. My mom’s not a very good secret-keeper and kind of let the cat out of the bag the day he bought the ring. As a normal girl who can’t wait for surprises to just happen, I went in search for the box. Calan isn’t a very good hider, considering it was under the bathroom sink! He asked me later that night while lying on the couch and I wouldn’t have had it any other way.
When did y’all get married? 
February
How many friends, family, and loved ones attended your wedding? 
150
Did you decide to do a “first look”? 
Calan is a very shy person and wanted to do the “first look” from the moment our photographer told us about it. I am so glad we did because it got the pre-wedding jitters out of our systems and the pictures from that moment turned out to be some of my favorites from the wedding.
What readings, if any, did you have at your ceremony? 
Corinthians 13
Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. I love music so I played this part out in my head non-stop. I decided to have my bridesmaids walk down the aisle to “Till Kingdom Come” by Coldplay. It fit so perfectly and had a great beat for my best girls to walk to. From the start, I knew I wanted to walk down the aisle to “A Thousand Years” by Christina Perri. If you’ve heard this song, you know it’s just amazing. Calan doesn’t like dancing, so when it came to our first dance I had to make sure it was quick and painless for him. I chose “That’s When I Love You” by Aslyn. It was probably the shortest love song I could find, but the words made me embrace this song even more. I’m so glad we went with it.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? I think just staying on track and making deadlines. My mom was here with me to whip me into wedding planning shape, which helped a lot. I managed to make most of the deadlines we set for ourselves.
What range did your wedding budget fall into? 
$25,000-$50,000
What is the one detail or vendor that you were so happy to have as a part of your wedding? 
PHOTOGRAPHY!! Hands down. Stacy is amazing and I am so happy we went with her. In the end, all you’re left with is pictures. Let me tell you, I have some stunning photos.
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? 
Don’t stress the little things, and the sooner you get things booked and done, the better off and less stressed at the end you will be. At the end of the day, you get to marry your best friend, so no matter what just remember that.
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you looking forward to in the future? 
We are going to be continuing renovations on our house (Anthropologie here I come!) and taking care of our two pups. Calan is in EMT school at the moment and will be starting fire school in the fall to become a firefighter. God has blessed us with each other, great friends and amazing families. Wherever he takes us, we will be happy just to be with each other.

Oh y’all! I’m so excited to share today’s Real Wedding with you. Not only is our bride absolutely cute as a button, but she is talented, and just as much a doll as she looks. Yes, it’s true, I know her! Today’s bride is one of our darling sponsors, and the owner of the fantastic accessory line MOLLYGEEdesigns! Oh yes, and Justin’s new wife!

I knew when I clicked into Molly Gee + Justin’s wedding that I’d be in for a real treat. Together with their uber-talented planner Kendall Poole (another fabulous sponsor!), and the creative styling direction of Lesley at Tulip, MG + J created a glamorous but comfortable celebration for five hundred people. Five hundred people — talk about a big ol’ Southern wedding! I’m sure Molly Gee took her own advice when she said, “If the wedding doesn’t flow exactly as you planned, you are still marrying the one person you care the most about!” Exactly!

Big hugs to B. Mo Foto for sharing this sweet day!

Even though I work in the wedding industry, I had no idea what my dream dress would be! I fell in love with two completely different styles: a cafe Watters ruffled ball gown and a blush Allure lace and tulle mermaid style. I chose Allure and added my own tulle straps and beaded sash. I also styled the dress with a tulle veil and organza flower clip from my collection. What was supposed to be my farewell dress turned into my reception dress as well once the dancing started. I wore a 1950′s vintage tulle and lace tea-length party dress that I happened to find in Austin, TX for $40! I added my Russian netting headband and glittery gold heels as well.

Did you decide to do a “first look”?
 Yes. Justin and I both wanted to have all our photos taken before the ceremony and to relieve ourselves of those initial wedding jitters. I loved having a quiet moment with Justin to take in the day. Our first look is when it began to ‘feel’ like our wedding day.

My bouquet was wild and unstructured, composed of dusty miller, agonis, cafe au lait dahlias, antique lavender roses, pink astilbe, amaranthus, and thistle.  The stems were wrapped in a nude-toned antique lace. Each bridesmaid carried a different bouquet, but all had the same unstructured, wild feel.  Each bouquet was composed of a combination of dahlias, pink protea, thistle, caramel roses, and gold-painted seeded eucalyptus. Nude-toned lace and gold ribbon accented each bouquet.

I am having a serious swoon-fest over this simple pew tie! That lace is perfection!

Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding.
 Since our ceremony was not held in a church setting, we had complete control over our music choices. Each song was very thoughtfully chosen and our amazing musicians made our day even more special. They were able to adapt to any song with their mix of acoustic guitar, cello, and mandolin. Prelude songs included Chris Rice’s “Untitled Hymn,” Tom Petty’s “Wildflower,” “Amazing Grace,” Alexi Murdoch’s “All My Days,” and “On Eagle’s Wings.” The wedding party walked to The Beatles’ “In My Life,” and then, my dad walked me down the aisle to an acoustic guitar version of Sondre Lerche’s “Family Theme.” It was a beautiful transition from the wedding party to my entrance. Our first dance was to The Arctic Monkey’s cover of “Baby I’m Yours,” which is totally us! Instead of hiring a DJ or band, we used a Spotify playlist and sound system for our reception. It was perfect, and we were able to include all our favorites!

What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? Fresh Cut Catering created a delicious display of Southern comfort foods complete with a mashed potato bar and all the fixings (Justin’s main request!), and of course we had mint tea and cranberry punch.

The centerpieces were modern white vessels filled with wild arrangements of dahlias, pink protea, antique roses, thistle, and astilbe accented with gold-painted eucalyptus. The tables were accented with items such as mid-century brass candlesticks, rose-colored candle votives, silver mercury glass, and wooden tree stumps for a rustic touch.  White lace tablecloths adorned each table.

Our favorite detail of the wedding was: There are so many wonderful details, it is hard to narrow down! I loved the overall decor of romance with a touch of vintage, especially the candlelit aisle for the ceremony. A beautiful dusty rose pink chandelier hung above and a draped cream curtain with tree branches on each side stood behind us.

I love the little painting of Molly Gee + Justin – what a fun piece to have in their home after their big day!

The bride’s cake consisted of a center, two-tiered cake, and two small cakes on each side, all in a textured buttercream icing. The cakes were a mix of traditional wedding cake, strawberry, and carrot cake. The cake topper was a set of white lovebirds, and blush dahlias decorated the sides. Justin’s cake was a rich Dutch chocolate, complete with chocolate shavings, strawberries, and a decorative W. Surrounding the cake were photos of our parents and grandparents on their wedding days as well as Arsenal premier soccer league memorabilia (Justin’s favorite team!).

The most memorable part of the reception was the dance party, and Justin and his brother even started a dance off. The photo booth was also a blast — I handmade each decorative prop. The photos that came from the booth are very special. We even applied custom ‘Molly Gee and Justin’ labels to every beer and wine bottle (with the help of our friends) for a special touch!

How did the two of you meet? Tell us your story. The Lord’s plan for our lives is so much greater than our own. Justin and I met a few times throughout college and shortly after. Just after graduation, I moved to New York to pursue a career in fashion, which is where I started my wedding accessory business. Around the time I decided to move the business to my hometown in Mississippi, Justin was making his move to Barcelona, Spain. I still remember seeing Justin for the first time in years and thought he was so good looking! When he said he was moving out of the country in one week, I was a little disappointed. When he moved back months later, I made the first move and gave him my number. I wasn’t pushy but showed my interest, which is when he took over from there.
Describe the proposal. 
It didn’t take us long to fall in love and know this was a serious relationship that was meant to last forever. Justin and I first talked about marriage in the spring of 2011. We knew we loved each other very much, but also wanted to be sure we were established in our professions before making such a big decision. Looking back, I now know that Justin wanted his main surprise to be the timing of the proposal. So, when he said sometime in 2012, I believed him! On December 23, 2011, my sister called to say she needed me to babysit my nieces while she finished last minute Christmas errands. She seemed flustered, but I figured it was just stress from a long ‘to do’ list. I called Justin to tell him my plans, and he mentioned taking me out to dinner that night. We decided he would pick me up at my house once I was done sitting. I take my dog, Fern, with me most places. So after babysitting, I parked in my garage, unloaded Fern and my other belongings, and headed inside. My first reaction? “Oh no! My Christmas tree lights exploded everywhere!” Fern tore through the foyer ahead of me, sliding on the dozens of candles that were set up and generally making a mess. I dropped my bags and just stared at Justin (who was on one knee) from across the room. He had to ask The Question from a distance, and finally said, “Can you please walk over here?” I, of course, said yes! It’s fun to find out the little details afterward, isn’t it? Justin requested my sister’s help in getting me out of the house for two hours, but in the end, only needed about 30 minutes to get everything set up! (He watched Christmas Vacation on my TV while waiting with his car parked down the street!) My sister relaxed at my parents’ house while baking Christmas dishes… not running errands!
In what month did you get married? October
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? 
We were on a tight budget and had to be very careful about spending. It was difficult to narrow down our must-haves and things we could live without. In the end, everything turned out perfect and we didn’t even notice some of our cut corners. The reception was a blast and the most important part was that we were now married and celebrating with family and friends!
What range did your wedding budget fall into? 
$10,000-$25,000
What is the one thing you are most happy you splurged on? 
Photography and Videography. With this documentation, we are able to relive all the details and emotions of our ceremony and reception! Save the Date video: http://vimeo.com/41858697 Wedding Video: http://vimeo.com/61850876
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? 
I remember Justin telling me he was going to dip me during our first kiss…well with the emotions of our ceremony I completely forgot and when the time came for our kiss, the dip was a special surprise to say the least!
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? 
We all want our day to be perfect and it’s understandable to focus on making that happen! Even through all of the planning and decisions, remember it is only one day of your life. If the wedding doesn’t flow exactly as you planned, you are still marrying the one person you care the most about!
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you looking forward to in the future? 
Justin and I now own our first house and are spending time in the yard this spring, planting flowers and making it our own special space. We have set goals for travel in the next few years and just overall enjoying our first year of marriage! As for adding to the family, we have talked about getting a second dog so our pup, Fern, can have a best friend.

Kendall Poole and Molly Gee Designs are delightful members of our Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory!

I always love to read what our darling brides tell us about the Southern details and traditions they included in their big day. Sometimes it’s the decor, sometimes it’s a piece of their mother’s dress and for others, it’s the food. But today’s bride, Angela replied with what makes the South the best (in my humble opinion): heart. She said the Southern hearts, hospitality and the love are just a few of the Southern details that made their Charleston nuptials special. That, along with the horse and buggy getaway that their fabulous planner Katherine Miller pulled out of her hat, of course!

Special thanks to Juliet Elizabeth Photography for capturing all the love this day evoked!

I tried on about 20 wedding dresses with just my mom and Katherine. Terri and Krista at the Gown Boutique of Charleston were a dream team. They helped me to find my dream dress on my first and only day shopping for my dress. Everything about my Augusta Jones silk organza Tina dress was beyond perfect for me!

How did the two of you meet? Tell us your story. 
We fell in love when I was playing the wingwoman for my friend and Tobi playing the wingman for his friend at a bar lounge in New York City. They became deeply engaged in a conversation and sent us away to the bar to get drinks. We went and waited for drinks to arrive for us to carry back. We started to talk to each other to be polite. Then, a very long time passed and we didn’t even realize that we had gotten no drinks, our friends were looking for us and the bar was closing! Tobi called me two days later and asked if I would like to grab dinner sometime. I gladly said yes and the rest is history! Our friends are both happily dating others and were the bridesmaid and groomsman at our wedding.

Oh my stars – that ceiling is everything!

What readings, if any, did you have at your ceremony? 
I John 4:7-8 “Beloved, let us love one another; for love is of God, and he who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God; for God is love.”

The most memorable moment of the day was when we got to Lowndes Grove for our reception immediately after the ceremony. Tobi and I got off our trolley first — about 10 minutes before the rest of our guests did. The first trolley had already dropped off a batch of guests 20 minutes earlier. The minute Tobi and I stepped off our trolley, we just stood on the gravel, several feet away from our guests, and just watched everything from a distance: from the jazz band his dad surprised us with and all the beautiful shades of pinks, peaches and golds surrounding the plantation, to our closest family and friends chatting away over Pimm’s Cups and Arnold Palmers. Knowing that everyone came to this one place from all over the place just for us made us so amazed and we felt so much joy in our hearts. It was also the only 10 minutes we got to take it all in, just by ourselves, before being swept back into the storybook night again! I will never forget those 10 minutes and the beautiful mental snapshot.

What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? 
So many things! In summary: Charleston, Arnold Palmers served in mason jars, a low country menu and dance cards, Southern hearts, hospitality and the love we all shared that day!

I wanted the wedding cake to resemble the top part of my wedding dress. It had a soft and beautiful layered petals look to it. We also tinted the cake to a very subtle blush. Other than the beautiful design, the flavors were the best and everyone loved it — even those who weren’t cake fans! Th bottom tier was spiced cake with ginger butter cream icing, the next tier was a lemon cake with almond butter cream icing, the next tier was a hazelnut cake with spiced butter cream and the top tier was a hazelnut cake with spiced butter cream.

What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? 
I had always dreamed of my wedding sendoff to be me waving goodbye to our loved ones from a white horse carriage with my husband. When my wedding planner told me that regulations and traffic in the plantation’s neighborhood made this vision nearly impossible, I was devastated and could not believe that this would be not become a reality in Charleston! Then, the following morning, Katherine pulled the rabbit out of her hat and found me the white horse carriage that I’d imagined since I was 6!

Describe the proposal. 
Tobi proposed over a home-cooked meal the weekend after the weekend he planned to propose! Here is the short version of the story/original plan: We were taking a day trip to Richmond on a beautiful summer day because I had always talked about wanting to visit. He planned the entire day and was going to propose over a champagne dinner at the Jefferson Hotel except I had gotten into an argument with him while on our way to dinner because I was wondering if and when he would ever propose! I had no idea that was supposed to be the day!

In what month did you get married? 
September

How many guests attended your wedding? 
86

Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding. 
Our first dance was Let’s Stay Together by Al Greene

Describe your wedding flowers. 
The flowers were AMAZING and I cannot do them justice by trying to describe them here!

Our favorite detail of the wedding was: 
The kissing bells that everyone also used as sendoff bells with pink, peach and lavender ribbons!

What range did your wedding budget fall into? 
$75,000-$100,000

What is the one thing you are most happy you splurged on? 
Definitely the gold flatware!

What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? 
1. Know that you have every right in the universe to get everything you’ve ever dreamed of for your wedding day! It IS about your vision. Also know that the “perfect” wedding, like the “perfect” man, is one that is perfect for you, who you are, and what you stand for. Don’t let the pursuit of “perfection” get in the way of progress! 2. Stress as much as your body and mind can tolerate as long as you’re still having fun! 3. Do ask for your dude’s thoughts on things that he probably does have an opinion on, like music/entertainment and food. Definitely do the tasting together as a fun date — especially if y’all love to eat! It’s his big day, too, and he’ll love you more for caring about what he thinks.

What’s next for you as a couple? What are you looking forward to in the future? 
We are just feeling happy and grateful for where we are in life at this moment, and really cherish all the bliss, memories and faith that our love, family and friends have gifted us. In the immediate future, we are very much excited about building our life and creating wonderful memories, together, one day at a time. We also hope to welcome our first puppy to the family by our one year anniversary!

Remember that gorgeous light I spoke about in Part I? Here it is again in these divine portraits from Adam Barnes! Absolutely dreamy!

A mini-food fan, I know our Emily was completely smitten when she first peeked at Tami + James’ reception. I love how T + J not only served adorable and yummy food, but it came complete with a story — the best part! Each course was a customized culinary trip through their lives, from “Childhood Favorites,” “Southern Comfort” and “Old Bay,” all the way to “The City That Never Sleeps.” What fun!

P.S. Be sure to scroll all the way down and read about T + J’s Great Gatsby moment! So cool!

We had an outdoor cocktail hour among the Carriage House and Gazebo at the Thomas Birkby House, where we served our signature cocktail, a strawberry mojito and oysters in mini Ball jars with individual Tabasco pairings.

What was your reception like? It was a tented reception where guests enjoyed our personalized four-course dinner and dancing afterward.  When planning the wedding, I wanted to incorporate something that would blow James away, and decided to surprise him with a cigar roller and scotch bar, which ended up being a huge hit at the reception!  The cigar roller did his thing on the patio, just outside of the tent, where many of our guests congregated after dinner to enjoy the last few minutes of sunlight and socialize among the trees and carriage house.  For an added unique touch of evening ambiance, we projected a romantic 1920s silent film in the background against the carriage house. The scene of bow-tied gentlemen enjoying cigars while entertaining each other and their lovely ladies was magical, drawing a comment from one guest likening the evening to one of the many painted by Scott Fitzgerald in The Great Gatsby.

Food is a big part of our lives. Growing up, we both had family dinners on Sundays and everyone always seemed to be in and around the kitchen enjoying the food and drink that day’s host was preparing. As a continuation of our quest to make our wedding personal, we took the opportunity to come up with a menu that reflected the path of our lives. We started with a “Childhood Favorites” course of Lobster corndogs, grilled cheese and tomato soup shooters, and a side of gold fish crackers. Then on to “Southern Comfort,” a nod to my Southern roots with white cheddar, gruyere and truffle oil mac and cheese, a country biscuit with Virginia ham, and shrimp and grits. The third course was “Old Bay,” a nod to James’ hometown and late night college years with Maryland crab cakes and a mini philly cheesesteaks with shoestring fries. To finish the meal and kick off the toasts, we ended with our fourth course, “The City That Never Sleeps,” which was a manhattan, the city where we currently make our home.

Describe some of the decorations or décor elements you used: We used vintage scales, vintage cigar boxes, homemade painted wooden signs, ball jars with burlap wrapping, homemade burlap silverware holders with individually sewn flowers, and a homemade “sweets” sign over the dessert bar
Describe your centerpieces: They were a mix of pale pink peonies, hydrangeas, dahlias and roses in vintage wood boxes, vintage tins and apothecary jars. They were arranged around stacked antique books and vintage tea cups with tea light candles inside.  The table number signs were designed to reflect specific parts of our personalities and story, including a Christian Louboutin pump, a bull and bear (James works on Wall Street), golf clubs, a Virginia peanut, and more.

My favorite detail of the wedding was the custom farm table my mother and father built for us to serve as the “head table.”  We weren’t allowed to see it until the day of the wedding and we were truly blown away. The most special part was that they engraved T + J on the top! It is something we can’t wait to move into our home (once we leave the cozy confines of the West Village) and incorporate into holiday family traditions. 

Tell us a bit about your first dance. We danced to Jason Mraz’s “Lucky,” which we liked because it was light and fun, and we both feel that we are each other’s best friend.  James tried to organize us for dance lessons a few weeks before the wedding, but we had too many other things to take care of.  We faked our way through it and just had fun with a couple of “homemade” twirls and dips.  None of our guests noticed the lack of dance skills, or at least we don’t think so!!

Describe your wedding cake: We used Maggie Austin’s ruffle cake design, a beautiful white cake with sugar peonies and dahlias to match our wedding flowers.  It was the classic Maggie Austin cake with meticulously molded hand-ruffled layers.  We had two flavors: peanut butter butter-creme and white velvet cake with raspberry preserves. The cake served as the centerpiece of our dessert bar, surrounded by mini strawberry milkshakes, pop-tarts on a stick, cake pops and other sweet treats.

What was Southern about your wedding? Everything from the country music playing in the background, the sweet tea served pre-ceremony, and the “Southern Comfort” menu complete with shrimp and grits, mac and cheese and a delicious country biscuits with Virginia ham.
What was the most memorable or touching moment about your wedding day?  James’ speech, welcoming everyone to our wedding and hearing him talk about the first time he saw me and how he knew good things were to come.  It was quite the tear-jerker for all of the ladies at the wedding.
What were some of the highlights? The personalized menu was a hit with everyone — definitely something bespoke that had the intended effect of sharing with our guests the formative times in our lives. Our guests also loved the scotch bar and cigar roller!
What was the funniest moment?  What was the scariest? The funniest moment was trying to get the ring bearer to sit with the wedding party for group pictures.  Lou, James’ best man ended up grabbing the back of his overalls to keep him from exploring the gardens! The scariest moment was standing up in front of all our family and friends and taking the leap!
Were there any family traditions you included in the reception? No, but James’ father gave a beautiful blessing before dinner.
Did you toss the garter or bouquet? Both.  James tossed my garter to Jimi Hendrix’s “Foxy Lady,” a fitting tune, especially given James’ love of the guitar and Jimi Hendrix in particular.  His college band mates got a kick out of it!
Tell us about your grand exit. As a parting gift, and to keep the party rolling, we made s’mores kits for all our guests.  We all piled into a trolley enjoying whatever cocktail happened to be in our hot little hands at the end of the night and proceeded to the fire pit at the resort where everyone was staying.  It was the perfect way to end the evening, where guests who hadn’t had a chance to catch up could banter about their latest happenings and new friendships made that evening were solidified.  James and I were a few of the last to leave, enjoying everyone’s well-wishes and hearing about their personal evening highlights.
Groom’s favorite detail of the wedding:  The custom cigar labels Tami had made for our scotch and cigar bar!!
What was the biggest challenge you faced when planning your wedding?  Time management. We wanted everything to be perfect and spent a lot of our time focused on the details.  As the date neared, we weren’t quite sure we could get it all done.  But, thanks to a combined family effort, everything went off without a hitch!
What range did your budget fall into?  $25,000-$50,000
Did you take a honeymoon?  If so, where? We took a wonderful trip to the Amalfi coast in Italy, spending time on the island of Capri and the coastal towns of Ravello and Positano.  We loved the casual glamour of the Mediterranean, and of course the food and wine!
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you looking forward to in the future?  We are tremendously blessed with many opportunities that may either keep us in New York, or take us somewhere new.  But, for now, we can’t wait to make the most of our time as a young couple in New York City.

Adam Barnes is a delightful member of our Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory!

With its romantic, vintage feel, topped by the stunning light captured by our friend Adam Barnes, of course I remember Tami + James’ wedding fondly from Southern Weddings V5! But what I didn’t realize was Tami’s sweet inspiration and attention to meaningful details. Tami said that her mother was the design inspiration for their wedding (I LOVE that!). “Growing up in Virginia, my mom and I would spend weekend afternoons exploring the countryside and all its gravel roads, farms and antique shops, looking for vintage treasures to incorporate into our garden or bring into our home,” said Tami. We think the couple did a fantastic job weaving such an incredible image into their big day all while keeping their own personal style at the core.

Favorite design element of your big day:  The wedding paper, specifically the save the dates.  Lucinda Wesson of Chocolate Creative Designs was an absolute dream to work with. I wanted to use the save the dates as an opportunity to capture our guests’ imagination and set the stage for the rest of our Southern wedding.  Together, Lucinda and I created a unique design that had guests talking for months.  When James proposed, he hid my engagement ring in a Magnolia Bakery cupcake box (the man knows the way to my heart!) so I thought it would be cute to package the save the dates in a bakers box that resembled those from Magnolia Bakery. The traditional Magnolia Bakery logo is a picture of the bakery storefront but instead, Lucinda created a custom design that included a drawing of the Thomas Birkby carriage house, the scene in which James and I would exchange our vows. As many of our guests would be traveling for our big day, we themed the rest of the details around Virginia: hints of dogwood prints (the state flower) and subtle cardinals (the state bird), textures of washed out burlap, watercolor paper and a touch of Southern hospitality – Virginia peanuts, used as box fillers!  As our guests opened the bakery box, they found the save the date card in a customer printed burlap “peanut sack” among the peanuts. Not only did our guests love the design but they enjoyed the treat inside. So inspired was one of our guests, that they used the components of the save the date to create a custom gift box and wrapping for our wedding gift – a sentimental treasure we will long cherish.

The lovely and talented Holly Heider Chapple did a beautiful job on our flowers. My bouquet included pale pink peonies, café au lait dahlias and dusty miller. The bouquet was bound with lace from my mother’s wedding dress and tucked away in one of the blooms was a tiny ruby given to me by my deceased uncle. The bridesmaids carried pale pink blush roses, scabiosa pods, ranunculus, dusty miller, and pink hydrangeas.  The stems were bound in burlap and pearl pins. The bouts were tiny pink roses wrapped in burlap.

Describe your bridesmaids’ dresses.  How did you choose them? The bridesmaid dresses are designed by Sarah Seven.  I wanted the girls to wear dresses that matched the vintage feel of the wedding and the traditional taffeta dresses were not going to cut it!  I was flipping through a bridal magazine one day and came across a photograph of a wedding with the bridesmaids wearing Sarah Seven dresses. I loved the softness of her designs, they are very whimsical and girly. I wanted an eclectic look so I chose two colors, robin’s egg blue and blush pink, and told the girls they could choose whatever style dress was most flattering on their body type. The colors photographed beautifully.

Our entire office had a little swoonfest when we first got a look at this little guy! That bow tie + that hat = we die!

Tell me a bit about the wedding ceremony. We had a traditional non-denominational ceremony.  Our officiant, Gil, who was recommended by my boss, felt the same as us and focused the ceremony on God’s beautiful creation, love, and how to nurture, honor and enjoy it.
Who participated in your ceremony? We had two readers, our friends Allison Black and Claire Vorhees.  My 14-year-old sister, Niki also sang Ave Maria during the ceremony — a performance people are still raving about!
Did you try anything new or untraditional? I walked down the aisle to Jont’s “Sweetheart,” a song that when I heard it, reminded me of James.  We had a very fun parting song, Barry Louis Polisar’s “All I Want is You” that set the tone for a perfect outdoor cocktail hour.

Our summer wedding was on June 23, 2012 at the Thomas Birkby House in Leesburg, Virginia. Even though we lived in New York, we are both Southern at heart – I with my Southern roots, and James with his country club gentleman style – so we thought Virginia would be the perfect spot.  It just felt like home.  When we visited the Thomas Birkby House, we were both blown away at the detail and care Ron and Judy put into maintaining the venue.  We also loved the old-time Virginia feel of the house and gardens.  As a logistical bonus, the house was 15 minutes away from my parent’s house – the perfect staging area for our farm table, flowers and centerpieces — and the resort we used to spend time at while dating.  That weekend, our guests were able to enjoy the pool during the day and James had a prenuptial golf tournament with his father, uncles and groomsmen – one of his few requirements for the weekend.

My mother was the design inspiration behind our wedding.  Growing up in Virginia, my mom and I would spend weekend afternoons exploring the countryside and all its gravel roads, farms and antique shops, looking for vintage treasures to incorporate into our garden or bring into our home.  Knowing James’ weekend style, cultivated by his passion for golf and love of leisurely Saturday county club afternoons, toasting his round with mint juleps and cigars, I knew he would be supportive of the Southern vintage theme I envisioned.  From there, I was off to the races creating a unique experience for our guests that reflected our personalities.

How did the two of you meet? Tell us your story.  James and I met in 2007 while working for the same company in Northern Virginia.  We worked in separate offices and would have never met if fate wasn’t on our side. One summer afternoon, a mutual friend and colleague invited us both to lunch.  When James arrived at our office to meet for lunch, he saw, as he says, a “bouncy blonde” walking down the hall and instantly prayed, “Oh please God, let that be the friend I am going to lunch with!”  Luckily it was, and after a long lunch filled with laughter, our relationship began.  Unfortunately, time was not on our side as James was due to leave for business school in Chicago just six weeks after we met. We dated long distance for his two years at school, including a summer in New York.  While it was challenging at times, we enjoyed the sparks that flew each time we reunited and the dream of living together in New York City after graduation.
Describe the proposal: In 2009, we settled in to our first (and tiny!) New York City apartment in the West Village, which is where James popped the question.  It was a Thursday evening when James walked through the door of our apartment with a box of my favorite cupcakes from our neighborhood bakery, Magnolia.  I opened the box and to my surprise, there was the most beautiful engagement ring right next to a cupcake!  After proposing, James told me to pack my suitcase. I was shocked.  Not only had he planned a romantic trip for us, but also arranged the vacation days with my boss without me knowing.  We spent the long weekend drinking and eating pool-side, enjoying couples massages and lounging on the beach – the perfect way to celebrate our new engagement!
Three adjectives that describe the day are: Vintage, personal, Southern.
What was the weather like on your big day?  Perfect – 85 degrees, sunny with a gentle summer breeze
How many guests attended your wedding? 100
Tell us about finding your wedding dress.  What is your favorite thing about it? I purchased my wedding dress from a little bridal boutique in NYC called Adriennes.  The designer is Jim Hjelm.  Since we were having a vintage-inspired wedding, I knew I wanted a lace dress.  What I loved specifically about this dress was the design of the lace.  It wasn’t your traditional Chantilly lace, it was more of a crochet lace.  I thought it was unique and I loved the way the mermaid style showed off my curves.
How did you spend the morning or afternoon before your big day? I spent most of the day with my bridesmaids getting our makeup and hair done.  James was running around making sure our guests were enjoying themselves by the pool.  On Friday, James had a golf tournament with his dad, uncles, friends and groomsmen, jokingly referred to as the Prenuptial Open.

Adam Barnes is a delightful member of our Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory!