If there’s anything that could make us dry our eyes after Whitney’s news, it would be this gem of a wedding from Justin DeMutiis. Can you believe that today’s bride, Jessica thought her dress was “too fancy?” We are so glad that she was encouraged to try the Maggie Sottero beauty on because she rocks it! I love that Jessica was searching for a future family heirloom when she went shopping, and think she found a lovely one. There are so many sweetly Southern details in these photos, the bride’s dress being just one. Among my favorites are the seersucker-suited ring bearers, the baby’s breath centerpieces and the colorful poms hanging off of Jessica + Derek’s snazzy blue getaway convertible!

Let’s hear a little more about that dress, shall we? Finding my dress was like a search for a future family heirloom. It was a feeling I was searching for. Having all of my bridesmaids, my mom, and my sister there was so special. I’ll never forget the memories we created, laughing and having so much fun. The owner of the salon actually was the one to encourage me to try on the dress. Upon first glance, I thought it looked too “fancy.” As soon as my sister finished zipping it and I turned to look in the mirror, though, the search was over. My family heirloom was found. I would be married in this dress. My future children may be baptized in its fabric or wear a piece of it at their wedding. It is the most beautiful, unexpected and perfect dress I’ve ever seen.

I love that Jessica and Derek’s favorite detail of the wedding was taking a moment at the beginning of their ceremony to honor their mothers – they presented them each with vintage handkerchiefs embroidered with their first initial!

A little bit about this gorgeous confection to finish us off: The design was a simple four-tiered all white cake. Down the front were delicate gum paste flower petals. The inside layers of buttercream were tinted a very light blue to add a subtle detail. Our wedding cake was driven 60 miles to Tampa! Favor Bakery makes the most delicious cake and buttercream frosting in the world!

How did the two of you meet? Tell us your story. We met at Derek’s brother’s house in Tampa, Florida, in September of 2006. He was visiting from Columbus, Ohio, and I knew his brother through a friend from work. We had an instant connection. I’ll never forget seeing him for the first time, and it was all instant butterflies and batting of eyelashes. He went back to Ohio and I went on about my work and life in Tampa. Little did we know that we would see each other again in four months. It was New Year’s Eve; Derek was in Tampa again visiting his brother for the holidays. Unplanned and out of the blue, there we were at the same New Year’s Eve party! When we saw each other again, it was as if we had known each other forever. We’ve been together since.
Describe the proposal. In May of 2009 we went to Ohio to visit his Mom for Mother’s Day. Upon landing in Ohio, Derek told me we were going to dinner at Lindey’s, where we had our first “official” date. Getting ready, getting in the car and driving to the restaurant, there was a cloud of happiness, joy and love around us. As we were seated, I realized it was the same table as our first date. When we were done eating, he got down on his knee and proposed. I was speechless – I’ve never been speechless in my life! He took my breath away. I finally eeked out “yes” and the restaurant and staff erupted in applause and cheers!
Three adjectives that describe the day are: Love, beauty, and joy.
In what month did you get married? March
How many guests attended your wedding? 130
Describe your wedding flowers: Our ceremony was held in a garden overlooking Harbor Island and downtown Tampa. The views were so beautiful I wanted the flowers to be subdued and simple. For the ceremony, we used only baby’s breath. Our moms and grandmothers wore a single Sarah Bernhardt peony. My bouquet was made of Sarah Bernhardt peonies and a few salal leaves. The bridesmaids’ bouquets were made of pink garden roses, baby’s breath, white hydrangea, green hypericum berries and salal. The gentlemen wore boutonnieres made of white ranunculus, white lisianthus, and green hypericum berries.
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you looking forward to in the future? We are happy being a married couple, spending time with our family and friends, working hard at our careers, decorating our “first home,” and planning for our family when the day comes.

Photographer: Justin DeMutiis // Week of Coordinator: Jennifer Burkle, Burkle Events // Venue: Davis Islands Garden Club // Florist: Scott Darhower, Apple Blossoms Floral Designs // Wedding Cake or Dessert Baker: Favor Bakery // Caterer: Kevin Lacassin, GoodFood Catering Company // Paper Products: Wedding Paper Divas and Betsywhite // Bride’s Dress: “Holly” by Maggie Sottero // Bride’s Hair Accessories/Veil/Jewelry: Veil by Priscilla of Boston, Earrings by Maria Elena // Bride’s Shoes: Vera Wang // Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Priscilla of Boston

Justin DeMutiis is a member of our fabulous Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory!

Are you smitten with this wedding? Take a look at these:
Katie + Charlie’s Florida beach wedding here and here
Our post all about veils, in honor of Jessica’s stunning one!

Oh my. So many great details! A fun bamboo motif covered the table linens and serving trays and pretty coral and white flowers were the cherry on top. One of our absolute favorite parts of Becky + Cameron’s reception, though, were the custom-lacquered cheese carts full of delicious fromage, crusty bread and custom flags that were rolled out by servers in attire that matched the color scheme, too! That’s design, y’all. Now before I leave you to drool over the details, let me call you attention to one more thing: the cake. That completely edible concoction is preppy perfection! Giant hugs and thanks to A Bryan Photo who shared this with us!

P.S. Want some tips on shopping this look? We put together a guide for our friends at Revel – check it out here!

What was the design inspiration for your wedding? Why was this design special to you as a couple? My best friend in the world, Calder Clark, also happens to be an incredibly talented event planner. She knows that I love bright colors, am a happy person, and love all things preppy, so I think most of her inspiration came from that.
Favorite design element of your big day: Because we had a smaller wedding, we were able to incorporate personal touches. We had all of our guests send in pictures of themselves, which we used for seating cards for dinner. Many of the guests sent in their own wedding pictures, which were really special.
Tell us a bit about your first dance. We chose “Signed, Sealed, and Delivered” by Stevie Wonder as our first dance. We wanted something fun and upbeat. We had taken dance classes to learn the foxtrot, but didn’t have an opportunity to practice much since Cam hurt his knee playing basketball about 10 weeks before the wedding. So our dance started very stiff and looked rehearsed. And then we screwed up the count and lost track of the foxtrot, so we just danced! It was more fun that way!
Were there any family traditions you included in the reception? Did you try anything new or untraditional? We got a chance in between dinner and the cheese course to walk around the two long tables and speak with everyone. Again, such a wonderful part of having a small wedding – we really got a chance to socialize with everyone
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you looking forward to in the future? Convincing Cam we need a second dog! In the future, we’d love to live in South Carolina, perhaps even at Debidue. We would be reminded of our wedding every time we go to the club!
What advice would you give to someone planning his or her wedding? Lighten up! The most important thing is to make sure that your guests are well taken care of and have a wonderful time.

Photographer: A Bryan Photo // Planner: Calder Clark // Venue: The DeBordieu Club // Florist: Blossoms Events // Caterer: The DeBordieu Club // Wedding cake baker: Jim Smeal // Bride’s gown: Liancarlo // Bride’s shoes: Manolo Blahnik // Bridesmaids’ dresses: Shoshanna // Groom’s attire: suits by M. Dumas, ties from Southern Proper, boutonnieres and corsage pins from Emersonmade // Paper Goods: Cheree Berry Paper // Calligrapher: Elizabeth Porcher Jones (elizporcher@gmail.com), Music: Archer String Quartet and Deas Guyz // Rentals: Snyder Event Rentals // Tent: Skyline Tent Company // Linens: Boutique Tents // Lighting: Technical Event Company // Transportation: Absolutely Charleston // Other: vintage bamboo bikes from Calder Clark

Want more awesome weddings like this one?
Shelley + Greg’s pink and green preppy wedding here and here.
Kara + Tyler’s bright and green wedding here and here.

Happy Wednesday, friends! Today’s wedding from V4 is an office favorite because of Becky + Cameron’s bright, preppy color palette and loads of customized details. Becky was lucky enough that her best friend is talented wedding designer Calder Clark (she’s even a bridesmaid in this wedding!). Calder used her relationship with Becky to create details that were so personal and unique to the couple. The sangria drinks served before the ceremony? They were a nod to Becky’s love of Spain and the couple’s upcoming honeymoon! Big thanks to A Bryan Photo for sharing!

Emily would not let me pass by this stationery shot without mentioning that it’s awesome and designed by Cheree Berry. We all love this suite!

Becky tells us a little bit about their ceremony: “We were married outside the club at Debidue, although we had our heart set on being married in a church. In the end, it was a blessing, as our Episcopal priest whom we flew in from Oregon is a mutual friend of ours. The ceremony was wonderfully personal and fun and meaningful since Colin knows both of us. The setting was gorgeous – under a tent in front of the marshes with a light breeze (wonderful on the warm August day!).”

How did the two of you meet? Tell us your story. We met at work! I called on Cam and Joe (Cam’s dad) to see if they might have an interest in using our products in their business. Cam asked me out after that, but I demurred, citing a conflict of interest. He was persistent, though, and eventually invited me out for golf with a few fellow advisors from the office. Little did I know that I was being set up! When I arrived at the golf course, he was the only one there! We had a great time even though I’m not much of a golfer, and found we have a lot in common.
Describe the proposal: Cam and I decided to go to the beach for Halloween weekend since neither of us much enjoys the holiday. We stayed at his parents’ house, as always. When we arrived around 5 in the evening on that Friday night, we took Bogey down to the beach to play ball. Cam later told me he was hoping to propose then, at sunset, but being Oregon in late October, it was cloudy and there was no sun. He ended up proposing (down on one knee, of course) later that evening in the family room. I knew something was coming when he turned off the football game (that never happens!) and asked me if I wanted to “talk.” Hilarious!
Three adjectives that describe the day are: Gorgeous, dreamy, and rip-roaring fun
How many guests attended your wedding? 70
Tell us about finding your wedding dress: Our families met up in Scottsdale for Thanksgiving about three weeks after we were engaged. I set up an appointment to shop for a wedding dress with my mom and with Cam’s mom at Destiny’s Bride in Scottsdale. I’m so glad I could have them both with me for such a special event. I had a dream dress in mind (a lace Monique Lhuillier), but Liancarlo was having a trunk show that day. After trying on a few dresses, including the dream dress that only looked okay on me, the Liancarlo designer suggested I try on the dress that I ended up buying. It was ruched across the bodice with a fun bubble hem and fan pleat in the back. It flattered my waist and hid the things that needed to be hidden!

Photographer: A Bryan Photo // Planner: Calder Clark // Venue: The DeBordieu Club // Florist: Blossoms Events // Caterer: The DeBordieu Club // Wedding cake baker: Jim Smeal // Bride’s gown: Liancarlo // Bride’s shoes: Manolo Blahnik // Bridesmaids’ dresses: Shoshanna // Groom’s attire: suits by M. Dumas, ties from Southern Proper, boutonnieres and corsage pins from Emersonmade // Paper Goods: Cheree Berry Paper // Calligrapher: Elizabeth Porcher Jones (elizporcher@gmail.com), Music: Archer String Quartet and Deas Guyz // Rentals: Snyder Event Rentals // Tent: Skyline Tent Company // Linens: Boutique Tents // Lighting: Technical Event Company // Transportation: Absolutely Charleston // Other: vintage bamboo bikes from Calder Clark

Love this wedding? Check these out:
Shannon + Chris’s preppy and nautical wedding here and here.
Farren + Kevin’s pretty outdoor wedding here and here.

Holy Moly purple and pink love! Can we all agree that Brittany + Keith’s wedding is bright, bold gorgeousness? Brittany looks radiant dressed in Sottero and Midgely and flanked by her bridesmaids in Alfred Angelo. Not to be too outdone, Keith and his groomsmen rocked sleek grey suits and indigo ties and Air Jordans. That’s right, y’all — those are some stylish gents! The bride’s favorite detail of the night was their wedding cake. I must admit, the tiers of draping, banding and monogramming (yes!) are very impressive. Big thanks to Ivy Weddings for sharing this beauty!

Tell us about finding your wedding dress: I searched everywhere for the perfect dress. One day, I was in my hometown for a visit and my mom drove by a new wedding shop that had the most beautiful dress in the store window. I went inside and the owner told me it had just arrived. I tried it on and fell in love. I called all my family to the store and we all agreed it was the one.
Describe your wedding flowers: Our flowers were simply bold and beautiful. We incorporated eggplant and fuchsia roses, orchids, and calla lilies into the most stunning table arrangements. The deep eggplant and fuchsia colors offset the light Mediterranean look of the venue and it created a beautiful atmosphere for our guest to enjoy.

What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? At the end of the night when it was time for our exit to the car, I remember feeling so fulfilled and happy. Like, “Yes, we finally did it!” The lights flashing, petals in the air, love of my life by my side – the scene felt like it was right out of a movie. It was the end of the wedding but the beginning of so much more and the feeling was priceless.
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? Start early and do NOT procrastinate. But most of all, enjoy every minute because it goes by fast and you’re only going to do it once!

How did the two of you meet? Tell us your story. We met through Keith’s mother. Our families share the same small town background and she was attending my uncle’s wedding, which I was a bridesmaid in. Later that week, Keith and his mom were looking through a magazine and Keith said he commented on how pretty this girl was in one of the ads. His mom said she had seen a girl last week that was prettier and asked if he wanted her to introduce him. He said yes and his mother made the phone call to my mother. It’s funny when I think back on it because my mom and I thought she was crazy! A woman calls and says she saw me in my uncle’s wedding and would like for me to meet her son! We laughed and I really didn’t think much else about it. That is, until I saw him for myself. We had our first face-to-face meeting in the small town of Kennard, Texas, at a relative’s house. From there, we exchanged information and arranged our first date. The rest is history. Thanks Mrs. Charlene!
Describe the proposal. (From the groom) I was supposed to propose after one of our games. It was a big game and I had arranged plans with the team to help me afterwards. The plan was to win the game and propose to Brittany in the stands afterwards. There were going to be pictures showing on the big screen and music playing in the gym, the whole nine. We ended up losing and, needless to say, the plan and the mood were completely busted. I just remember feeling that winning or losing a game does not dictate the fact that I want to marry Brittany. So I kept our restaurant reservations and told my friends that I made a small revision but the plan was still on. At the restaurant, we were finished with dinner and just talking with our friends when I excused myself from the table. I went to the bathroom, nervous and after standing there for a minute, did a little dance in the mirror, and then walked back out to our lounge area overlooking the city and got on one knee.
Three adjectives that describe the day are: Beautiful, emotional, fun.
In what month did you get married? August
How many guests attended your wedding? 215
What range did your wedding budget fall into? $50,000-$75,000
Describe your wedding cake or dessert: Our wedding cake was my favorite detail of the night! The cake was a custom designed 5-tier stunner with alternating layers of vanilla and red velvet topped with fondant and buttercream icing. The cake was adorned with elegant scrolls and banded with strips of bling. Judy from Simon Lee Bakery did an excellent job at bringing my cake vision to life.
What is the one thing you are most happy you splurged on? Our photographers Matt and Ivy! They helped create the best pictures ever!
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you looking forward to in the future? If it’s up to Keith, babies!! Because of Keith’s work schedule, we weren’t able to go on a honeymoon so we can’t wait for our much needed vacation!

Photographer: Ivy Weddings // Videographer: A&A productions // Planner: Nyoka Coleman // Venue: Villa Antonia // Florist: Prive Floral // Wedding Cake Baker: Simon Lee Bakery // Caterer: Creative Creations // Rentals: Marquee Events // Linens: Marquee Events // Lighting: Ilios Lighting // Bride’s Dress: Sottero and Midgely // Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo // Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Alfred Angelo

P.S. If you love this wedding, check out these past beauties:
Jennifer + Armand’s bold + glam Tennessee wedding (here + here)
Crystal + Heath’s sweet + glam North Carolina wedding (here + here)
Courtney + Chris’ rustic Georgia wedding with bold purple dresses (here + here)

Alrighty, y’all. It’s group swoon time. Alaina + Ryan’s wedding was a classic Southern fete filled with some of my favorite things: a gorgeous one-shoulder dress, a lush bouquet with lamb’s ear, an outdoor ceremony underneath the trees, chalkboard signs and good eats galore. What really takes the cake for me, though, is that when Alaina met Ryan in college, she bet her friend $20 that they would marry! Big thanks to Q Weddings for sharing this lovely one with us.

What is the one thing you are most happy you splurged on? The location. The gorgeous plantation house, Avenue of Oaks, and lagoon are stunning. It is what allowed for us to leave everything simple. We knew having the wedding near our town would be less expensive, but if it had been anywhere else, it wouldn’t have been the idea we both fell in love with. Ryan always wanted to get married at the beach and I wanted to get married under a tree. Charleston is the only place we could make that happen for us both.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? Before we cut the cake, we gathered most people inside and toasted. The toasts were stellar. To see and hear everyone who we care about share stories from different parts of our lives and to wish us well on our new adventure was beautiful. It was really intimate and something that we will never forget.

How did the two of you meet? Tell us your story. Ryan and I met in college when he was a freshman and I was a junior. We quickly became friends when we discovered we were from the same hometown and had mutual connections. Before long, we were the best of friends and nearly inseparable. I can remember doing class projects together and spending weekends and school breaks together with our group of friends. What Ryan didn’t know is that the week that I met him, I bet my friend $20 that this was going to be the guy I would marry.
Describe the proposal. Ryan and I had been dating for about three years when we decided to take a trip to California. We were staying in a beautiful lakeside resort on top of a mountain in San Bernardino and we decided to go to Sequoia National Forrest. The nearly six-hour drive was hardly close enough for a day trip, but Ryan knew that I absolutely love trees and wanted to take me to see the most amazing trees in the world. He made the trip into a whole fun day’s adventure. When we got there, he found a picnic table and we had a quick lunch and then it was time to explore. It had been a perfect day already, but as soon as we entered the forest, I was awestruck. We were in a gorgeous meadow when Ryan decided to pull me off the path to explore a small clearing. I was still so excited and looking around that I hadn’t noticed what Ryan was doing. I remember standing between two giant Sequoia trees looking up and not being able to see their tops when I looked back and saw Ryan on one knee with the ring. I don’t even remember saying yes but I do remember the tears. To keep my mind off the fact that I missed my family and couldn’t share the moment with them, Ryan planned a special breakfast on the terrace for the next morning and when I walked up to our table, I realized that my parents and his mom were sitting there waiting for us! Being able to hug our parents and spend the weekend calling our families together was the perfect way to end the best trip of my life.
In what month did you get married? April
How many guests attended your wedding? 80
What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? My grandmother’s wedding dress was one that her mother made and that my mother wore. It was beautiful and had such sentimental value to it, but it was not well enough preserved for me to wear. Instead, I found my dress and in the pocket, I carried a handkerchief that my mom hand-stitched from a small patch of lace from the dress.
Describe your wedding flowers: I liked the look of all white flowers and almost had all the girl’s bouquets pure white as well, just because it looks so classy. I was happy to find those little yellow billy balls which added a splash of color and a bit of fun to their bouquets. My bouquet was solid white with garden roses, white hydrangea, and dusty millers. The stem was wrapped in twine and ribbon with small opalescent buttons sewn on. Like everything else, I wanted it to feel effortless, a little rustic, but still classic.
Describe your wedding cake or dessert: A friend of ours bakes cakes for weddings and honestly, that was the easiest decision we made. We knew we wanted a simple and rustic design which would be easy to achieve and still look elegant. She did a four-tier cake with layers of yellow cake with black raspberry jam and layers of spice cake. It was decorated with a brushed buttercream and a few small flowers on top. Simple. Delicious. And it was moist! Oh, and we didn’t spend a dime!
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you looking forward to in the future? Currently, we are looking to move to Denver just for a change of scenery. We only have a few friends there and will be visiting in the middle of February to see if it’s a good fit for us. We both have jobs that are flexible and willing to lets us move, so why not?

Photographer: Suzi Q // Venue: Legare Waring House // Florist: Tiger Lily // Wedding Cake Baker: Amanda Taylor // Caterer: Cafe Catering // Bride’s Dress: Modern Trousseau // Bride’s Hair: Affair Hair by Tanesha // Bride’s Shoes: Nina // Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Sarah Seven // Accessories: J. Crew

Love this wedding? Check these out:
Melissa + Eric’s green, gray and peach wedding here and here
Beverly + Curtis’ green and white outdoor wedding here and here