I just love pre-ceremony shots. Can’t you feel the anticipation in the air?

Brittany’s scallop lace-edge veil is gorgeous!

My something blue was a garter that my sister-in-law made. My something old was a piece of my grandmother’s wedding dress that my mom pinned into mine. My something borrowed was a cameo that my husband’s grandmother let me borrow I pinned it on my bouquet. My something new were undergarments my best friend Cindy bought me!

My wedding flowers were absolutely stunning. There were clusters of soft peaches, pinks, creams, pale grey and mint. It was an explosion of pastel, a variety of textures, depth and romance. I wanted to keep everything very natural. I didn’t want anything overly manicured. The peach David Austin roses were my favorite. I just wanted to bury my face in them, but I didn’t (at least while anyone was watching).

I walked down the aisle to “Here Comes the Sun” by the Beatles. This song just makes me happy it’s like a modern day lullaby. Although I’ve been blessed with such a wonderful life, there have certainly been some rough patches. This song, in its simplicity and heartening melody, is a sign that everything is going to be okay. To me, it represents those little moments of clarity and reassurance, those signs that point ahead. Also, my dad is a huge Beatles fan, so I knew it would be a special moment.

Did you decide to do a “first look”? Ryan and I actually were married twice on April 13. We were married in a small Catholic ceremony in the local Catholic church in the morning. Then, we had our large outdoor ceremony that afternoon. Since we had already seen each other (sans wedding dress) that morning, we decided to wait for the “big reveal” as I walked down the aisle. It was the right decision.
Did you write your own vows? We said traditional vows. There is something so sacred, beautiful and romantic about speaking the same words as MILLIONS who have made this commitment before us.
What readings, if any, did you have at your ceremony? My bridesmaid, Lauren Cook, read “Love” by Roy Croft. It’s really simple, yet it strikes a chord with me. A little snippet: “I love you not only for what you are, but for what I am when I am with you.”

My new last name is Mason, so that was a theme at our wedding. Drinks were served in mason jars, and we even had a mason jar emblem on our cocktail napkins. During our cocktail hour, we served a peach specialty drink as a nod to Georgia. We also had Southern fare reinvented, including pork sliders, mac ‘n’ cheese and cheese biscuits. Later in the evening, we danced the night away to the Answer Band, a good ole’ fashioned soul band.

These sweet notes to each guest remind me of our Something Old, Something New shoot from V5! What a lovely gesture toward your loved ones!

I love the shot of Brittany + Ryan practicing their first dance juxtaposed with their big moment! Looks like they did a great job :)

Wedding donuts: always a winner in my book.

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. 
We met like many couples meet these days, on Match.com. I had gone on a quite a few unsuccessful dates and had actually decided not to renew my membership. But five days before my membership ended, Ryan walked into my life. I’ve never looked back.
Tell us all about the proposal! 
Two years prior to meeting Ryan, another man walked into my life and stole my heart. Finley, my wheaten terrier, is such a large part of our lives that Ryan knew he had to be worked into the proposal. On a rainy Tuesday evening, I arrived home to find Finley standing with the apartment door ajar. He led me down a path of “paw prints” with little love notes. As I winded around the apartment, I heard our song playing and was finally led into our dining room where Ryan was waiting on bended knee. There were tears, hugs and maybe even a few excited barks. Finley also sported a dog tag that asked, “Will you marry me?” It was lovely and perfect.
When did y’all get married? 
April 13, 2013
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 
120 people, 1 dog.
Tell us about finding your wedding dress. 
My wedding dress was a lace, fit-n-flare Allure Couture, with a sweetheart neckline, satin ribbon and just a touch of bling on the belt. The dress was romantic and classic, yet the floral rosettes at the bottom added a touch of whimsy and fun.
Describe your wedding cake or dessert. 
We had a variety of cupcakes, mini peach pies and glazed donuts, courtesy of Ike & Jane cafe.
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: 
I loved all the vintage books that I picked up at flea markets over the past year. We had them scattered on the tables and it added such a lovely pop of color.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? 
Staying within the budget. The end.
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? 
Sara Johnson, my wedding planner, was phenomenal. I wish she’d help me plan all the major events in my life!
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? 
There were so many little moments that I cherish. My dad is a big golfer, so I gave him an engraved ball marker right before we walked down the aisle. That was a special moment. Also, my mom helping me put my veil on and watching Finley arrive were special, too. All the girls gathered around the window and watched him with his handler.
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? 
Don’t sweat the small stuff. They should create that little bathroom book for weddings. And then when you retreat to the bathroom to have panic attacks, it’ll be there to give you perspective.
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you most looking forward to about married life? 
We can’t wait to buy a house! And then we will most likely start a family.

Scobey Photography is a delightful member of our Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory!

This query is actually SO popular that we answered it more than two years ago, but since we still get emails about it all the time, we thought we’d take another stab! Our latest black + navy query comes from Lauren:

Hi SW ladies! I am getting married this September, and would love for my bridesmaids to wear navy dresses (haven’t decided short or long yet). We’re going for a more formal feel, so tuxedos for the men is the obvious choice, but I don’t know if navy blue and black will clash when everyone is lined up together?? It’s definitely a smaller detail, but I’ve been going back and forth for the past few weeks and would love an outside opinion. What do y’all think is the navy + black combo acceptable? Thank you!!

Haley Sheffield

Let’s set the record straight once and for all: navy and black do NOT clash, and a tuxedo looks smashing with almost everything. Your bridal party will look fabulous together! However, we would recommend sticking with as classic a tux as possible to keep the look clean-lined: no vest, a black bow tie, and a black cummerbund.

Amanda Joy Photography

If you’re worried about the bridal party looking like a dark blob in photos, perhaps have the guys take their jackets off for a few group portraits the white shirts will help brighten the overall look.

Leslie Hollingsworth

Of course, a tuxedo isn’t the only option black suits, gray suits, the fabulous navy blazer + khaki pant combo, or seersucker suits can all be dapper choices, depending on the time of year you’re getting married and the formality of the celebration.

Josh McCullock and Gibson Events

Each option will definitely create a feel of its own, so think hard about what sort of mood you want to set. Rest assured, however, that whatever you choose, the gents will look exceedingly handsome.

Robyn Van Dyke

Readers, weigh in: Are your girls wearing navy dresses? If so, what will the men be wearing? Would you pair navy and black? Have another option we haven’t thought of? Leave it in the comments below!

Gibson Events, Haley Sheffield, Josh McCullock, Leslie Hollingsworth, and Robyn Van Dyke are delightful members of our Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory!

For forever, I dreamed of wearing a lace mermaid wedding dress. I had a modest budget so I found myself going to many stores to find the perfect dress. I tried on about 30 dresses in total. I finally found the dress while shopping with my mom and aunt at Bridalmart in Burlington. Bridalmart is this huge store and they have hundreds of dresses at many price points, but you have to pull them yourself. It can be overwhelming if you don’t know what you want! My aunt pulled and showed me the dress, but I was hesitant because I wanted a strapless dress and the fit was more trumpet than mermaid. I tried it on anyways and it was so beautiful. I was still skeptical, but my mom snapped many pictures. Looking at the pictures the days after our visit, I knew this was my dress!

Describe your wedding flowers. 
I wanted a color palette of cream, pink and peach. We used four types of garden roses, hydrangeas, ranunculus, spray roses, limonium and seeded eucalyptus. I think the funniest part was visiting my parent’s house the day after the wedding and seeing it packed with flowers.

Did you decide to do a “first look”? 
We did! I am so happy we did. Our photographer had us stand back to back and we exchanged a few words before turning around. We hugged and kissed and I was so happy. Like many people say, it was our only time alone that day. Also, it was our only opportunity for outdoor photos. We shot ours at the Raleigh Rose Garden, which was minutes away from the church. I have a large family and after the ceremony, we spent time taking the traditional family photos inside the church.

What readings, if any, did you have at your ceremony? 
I actually used Southern Weddings for readings inspiration. I would copy and save readings onto my computer that I liked! We ended up choosing Philippians 2:1-5. “Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus”

We had very traditional songs during our ceremony because as a little girl I had always dreamed of getting married to these songs. Pachelbel’s Canon in D was the bridal processional, the recessional was Mendelssohn’s Wedding March. During the ceremony, we had two songstresses. Emily, who introduced us, sang Schubert’s “Ave Maria” and the Lord’s Prayer. Andrea, my good college friend, sang “Center of My Joy” by Richard Smallwood. We loved having our friends take part in our wedding ceremony. At the reception, Aaron and I danced to “I Was Made to Love You” by Gerald Levert. We were nervous about the turns in our dance so we whispered to each other before every turn to make sure we were on the same page! My dad picked “I’ll Write A Song for You” by Earth Wind & Fire for our daddy-daughter dance. If you read the lyrics, you’ll want to cry because it’s so sweet. Lastly, Aaron and his mother danced to “Stand by Me” by Ben King.

My grandmother loved collecting glassware, so I used her LE Smith Moon & Stars glasses and her milk glasses for centerpieces. I used her doilies and lace handkerchiefs for decor as well. Our hors d’ouervres were macaroni and cheese and “redneck martinis,” which are pulled pork in a martini glass with a hush puppy on top. However, I think the most Southern thing about my wedding was how much my family helped. My aunt was the coordinator, my godmother handwrote all of my place cards and my mother was responsible for everything else I needed! My dad also let Aaron drive his classic ‘55 Chevy for our transportation to the reception and as the getaway car.

Describe your wedding cake or dessert. 
We did mini cupcakes for our wedding cake! It was fun because you could try multiple flavors. We had pumpkin, lemon, chocolate and vanilla. We had a mini-cake on top to cut that was pumpkin as well. After the cake was cut, we passed chocolate shot glasses filled with Kahlua and Bailey’s Irish Cream.
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: 
All of the dancing. I wanted the wedding to turn into a huge party at the end and it did! We played Motown music during dinner and afterward transitioned to more current music. The dance floor was packed. Everyone was showing off their best dance moves, including some break dancing, a split and Aaron did the worm.

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. 
In 2009, I returned home to Raleigh after graduating from college at Hampton University. I complained to one of my close friends, Emily, that I was bored and would like to meet someone. Emily told me that she worked with a guy who may be a good fit for me. She arranged a double date between herself, her boyfriend, Aaron and myself. Emily and her boyfriend ended up arriving over an hour late to the date so the first hour was just the two of us, complete strangers! We hit it off and the night ended with Aaron buying me Krispy Kreme donuts. The rest is history and Emily sang at our wedding!

Tell us all about the proposal! 
I love Zumba and my dad and I often go together at the YMCA. I would always encourage Aaron to come too, but he’d always decline. Finally on December 30, 2011 he agreed to come to a class with us. Usually it’s hard to find one man in a Zumba class so I had a lot of fun bringing two! After class, Aaron said he would like to continue working out with my dad. I headed home. (I lived with my parents at the time.) Later, Aaron surprised me by showing up at my door. Little did I know, but he had actually stayed at the gym to ask my dad for my hand in marriage! He asked in the locker room, which still think is funny. At my house, Aaron suggested we go for a walk and I agreed. I was so confused, and he was acting slightly different and had brought me huge bouquet of flowers. We sat down in my mother’s garden. Then Aaron got down on one knee and proposed. I was surprised and happy, I said yes! It was a few days after Christmas so my entire family was at home to share the good news with.

When did y’all get married? 
April 13, 2013

How many friends, family, and loved ones attended your wedding? 
270

Did you write your own vows? 
We didn’t! I knew I could never eloquently put my feelings into words so we said the traditional words.

Did you have something borrowed, something blue, and something new? I borrowed my mother’s pearl bracelet (and I still have it, oops). My undergarments were blue and said “Bride” in rhinestones! And my dress was new!

What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? Our budget and the guest list, which go hand in hand. We ended up having a huge guest list and going over budget, but it was definitely worth it. Even with 270 people, I felt like I was surrounded by my closest friends and family.

What is the one detail or vendor that you were so happy to have as a part of your wedding? 
I love flowers, so I loved picking out the flowers with Dawn McCreary and collecting the centerpieces. The bouquets turned our beautifully and while I felt silly at first asking for a flower crown for the flower girl, it was gorgeous!

What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? 
We have so many memories. My favorite is standing back-to-back with Aaron in the Rose Garden, followed by being surrounded by all of our family and friends on the dance floor.

What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? 
If you can afford a day-of coordinator, consider it. My aunt and mom were wonderful and did all the work, but it would have been nice to have hired someone so they could relax and enjoy the day a little more. Besides that, don’t be afraid to ask friends and family for help. As I said earlier, my godmother wrote my place cards. I had a party to assemble the invitations. A friend from church addressed all of my invitations as a gift. Now that I know how much work goes into a wedding, I will definitely be ready to help my friends when it’s their turn.

What’s next for you as a couple? What are you looking forward to in the future? 
We just moved in together, so I’ve been working on blending our possessions and decorating the house. We’re both focused on our relationship and our careers right now. I’ll be starting work as a resident physician in psychiatry at a local hospital in a few weeks and Aaron’s busy as an IT manager at software company.

We’ll be in Chapel Hill, NC on Tuesday, July 9. We’re looking for several people for this particular shoot:

– a bride and groom, preferably both blonde
– bridesmaids and groomsmen
– a few young kids (girls and/or boys, ages 4-8)
– an older couple or two

Feel free to nominate yourself, yourself and your husband/fiance/boyfriend, the kids you used to babysit for, or your parents! :) We would LOVE to encourage all hair/skin colors to get in touch! If chosen, we will need you to be available on site from about 1 – 8pm. We might start later or end earlier, but want you to be prepared!

If you’re interested, please send an email to howdy (at) iloveswmag.com with the subject line V6 NC Model Call. Be sure to include a recent headshot (no need for professional photos, we just want to see your lovely face!), a few candids and your height. We promise it’s going to be a blast!

Y’all know I’m a sucker for adorable pups, so add in cameos on paper goods, and a Krispy Kreme groom’s cake the details of Allison + Andrews make my heart sing! Beyond the sweet details, though, A + A’s “less is more” outlook on wedding planning reminds us what to focus on what is most important to us. “
Don’t lose sight in what you are planning. It’s not just a wedding, this is your marriage.”

Thanks to Happy Everything Co. for sharing this refreshing day with us!

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. 
Andrew and I met through a mutual friend at a Georgia-Florida football game. We were both seeing other people at the time, but ended up reconnecting for next year’s game. I was not able to attend the game the next year, but after getting back in touch with each other a year later, we decided we wanted to get to know each other a little more. Living about an hour apart from each other, Andrew spontaneously decided he would surprise me one Saturday to take me on our first date. With only an hour notice, I rushed to get ready and plan our first date: pizza, beer, and a Wounded Soldiers benefit concert in a horse arena.
Tell us all about the proposal! 
Andrew’s family lives on a hundred-acre farm on Lake Oconee. One of our favorite getaways has always been riding horses around the property. One early Sunday morning, he told me to be at the farm at 9am sharp for an early morning ride. We started out on our typical route, and ended up in one of our favorite pastures where we had talked about getting married. Andrew helped me off the horse, and in front of a giant oak tree, got down on one knee and asked for my hand in marriage.

When did y’all get married? 
May 18, 2013

How many friends, family, and loved ones attended your wedding? 
150

Tell us about finding your wedding dress. 
I found my dress at a sample sale at Bride Beautiful in Roswell. I had actually already purchased a dress in December, but a month before the wedding decided it just wasn’t the one. Luckily I had registered with theknot.com and they sent me an email advertising the sample sale and I jumped on it! I was so happy to have found THE dress at such short notice.

Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. Andrew and I decided to have mostly hymns during the ceremony. We played “Amazing Grace,” “Come Thou Fount,” “It Is Well,” and “Jesus Paid It All.” I came down the aisle to “Be Thou My Vision.” Our first dance was “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” played by an acoustic band for a little more of a soft, romantic version.

Did you have something borrowed, something blue, and something new? My something borrowed was my sister’s veil, my something blue were my shoes that my sister painted. My something old was the garter that my grandmother made for my mother. My sister also wore it for her wedding. My something new was my dress.

What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? 
I absolutely adored our mason jar sugar cookie favors an idea we found in the Southern Weddings magazine! I found a picture of them in my very first wedding magazine and fell in love. My cousin made them for us, and they were such a hit!

What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? The financial aspect of planning a wedding is always difficult. Andrew and I wanted to do everything as affordable as possible. Less is more for us. However, there will always be the little expenses you don’t plan for that add up quickly. Since we did do a lot of it ourselves, time was of the essence.

What range did your wedding budget fall into? 
Less than $10,000

What is the one detail or vendor that you were so happy to have as a part of your wedding? 
Our photographer! I knew that after all was said and done, the only thing left would be our pictures. They make me giddy every time I look at them.

What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? 
I remember pretty much every detail of the whole day, but our first look stands out the most. We were both so excited to see each other!

What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? 
Don’t lose sight in what you are planning. It’s not just a wedding, this is your marriage. It is your lifelong commitment to another. Make it personal and a reflection of the two of you, but don’t get caught up in tiny details. At the end of the day, what matters most is your love and commitment to one another.

What’s next for you as a couple? What are you looking forward to in the future? 
We hope to get in as much traveling as our schedules will allow. Who knows, maybe I’ll start baking wedding cakes on the side!

Donnan Photo

From the bride, Adriene:

From the start, my husband and I wanted a wedding that would not only celebrate our love for each other, but also celebrate the love we have for our precious family and friends. I was both humbled and overjoyed that so many of our loved ones carved time out of their busy schedules to attend! The moment that this photograph was taken was right before I linked arms with my brother to walk down the church aisle, and I was feeling overwhelmed with gratitude. For the first time in my life, I was about to be in a room filled with everyone I’ve ever loved. When my brother came to tell me it was time, I remember feeling so abundantly blessed to have the opportunity to walk past everyone who has ever held a piece of my heart and straight into the arms of the man who will hold it forever.

You can see more from Adriene + Ashton’s wedding here!

Lara and Emily returned home from the Engage!13 Conference at Biltmore last week. We love this recap of the Southern welcome party designed by our friends at Pressed Cotton.

We know bridal parties can get quite large in the South, but we loved getting the deets behind the Southern tradition of house parties. Read more about them here!

With Father’s Day this weekend, we wanted to take a moment to share the best advice we’ve gotten from our dads.

I am so thrilled that we’re able to share Jewel + Ben’s engagement session with y’all. Jewel is one of our Southern Bride Bloggers and their love story is so encouraging and a reminder that the real beauty of a wedding is a lifelong partner who will stick with you through thick and thin. See it here.

Real Weddings steal our hearts!

Chatham + Charlie’s bright, bold soiree took weddings at home to another level! We love that an untraditional piece of the big day was inspired by the bride’s grandmother. See it here.

Amy + Bryan took the traditional pink wedding scheme and made it their own with pops of neon and fun marquee signs! See it here.

Lauren + Marshall used the details of the wedding as a way to showcase their personalities and to show Southern hospitality to their guests. See it here.

Before y’all go…

Take a minute to join us in wishing a huge congratulations to all the belles and beaus getting married this weekend!! Big hugs to our Southern Bride Bloggers, Jewel, Allison and Martina who are also saying, “I do!”

Be sure to stop by our Facebook Friday for a little something sweet from Happy Everything Co.

Have an amazing and restful weekend!

Like many of y’all, my husband and I promised ourselves to each other “in sickness and in health” at our wedding. Thankfully, we haven’t had much cause to live up to the first part, but I’m always moved by those couples who have. Especially ones like Jewel and Ben, who’ve weathered some pretty scary circumstances even before they officially wed. I think you’ll enjoy their story a great reminder that the real beauty of a wedding is a lifelong partner who will stick with you through thick and thin.

Thank you to Vicki Grafton for the breath-of-fresh-air images!

For our entire relationship, Ben and I have disagreed on the story of us: how, when, and where we met will go down as one of life’s great unsolved mysteries. We can both agree, however, that Ben’s sister Sydney is responsible for setting us up. About two to three months before I graduated high school, I had been complaining to Sydney about how desperate I was for a prom date when she suggested that I ask Ben to my prom. He seemed nice enough, so I asked him, and he said yes. Fast forward about seven years later, and Ben was down on one knee asking me to be his wife.

About six months after the proposal, I had a routine appointment with my nephrologist (kidney doctor). I was diagnosed with Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis (a type of chronic kidney disease) when I was 16 years old, so I’d been seeing my kidney doctors every few months for the past 10 years. A few weeks before Thanksgiving in 2012, my kidney doctor advised me to go on the waiting list for a kidney transplant. Ben and I thought we’d at least be able to make it through the wedding and maybe a few years of marriage before I needed a transplant. Wedding or not, my kidneys had plans of their own. From December 2012 to May 2013, my kidney function fell from 15 percent to 5 percent.

Patients on the organ transplant list wait an average of five years before receiving a kidney from a deceased donor, and roughly 80 percent of people waiting for an organ transplant are waiting for a kidney. This past April, it was beginning to look more and more like I wasn’t going to get a new kidney in time for the wedding. I started preparing for dialysis, but on April 17, the transplant center notified me that my dad had been approved to donate his kidney to me! My whole family and Ben were relieved, excited, nervous, anxious, and hopeful that the surgery would be a success and that I’d finally be healthy.

On May 3, my dad donated his kidney to me, and the doctors said it worked right away! Since then, I’ve been feeling great, I’m no longer addicted to coffee, and Ben and I are so happy that I can enjoy the wedding as a healthy bride! And my dad is doing just fine, as well. Dad saved the [wedding] day!

Jewel and Ben are getting married this weekend, and we couldn’t be more thrilled for them! Be sure to leave them some love in the comments! Also, how perfect is this post for Father’s Day weekend??

P.S. Did you know we feature an engagement session every Friday on our Facebook page? Check it out!

We all know a lot of advice is offered seemingly from every quarter when you’re engaged. Some of it you keep, and some of it you accept with a smile and then politely disregard. The best pieces of advice, though, the nuggets of truth offered from those closest to us, shape our lives in amazing ways, whether offered during an engagement or not. In honor of Father’s Day, we thought we’d share some of our favorite pieces of advice we’ve learned from our own dads.

From Lara:

My best advice from my dad came engraved on a silver keychain one Christmas: “Fortune favors the bold and scorns the timid.” My dad is a gentle, kind man with a heart of gold. He always wanted me to be an artist, and encouraged me to use my creative talents. I’m so grateful for that, and for this engraved encouragement that has since pushed me to be bold for what matters most.

From Nicole:

My dad has given me a lot of wonderful advice in my lifetime, but the two pieces that have stuck with me the most were actually in the form of declarations:

1. Yangs never give up. (Pretty sure this one was given to me when I was five and trying to fix something I broke.)
2. Yangs keep their last names. (Also given to me when I was five.)

My sister and I joke about these two things a lot (we like to repeat them to each other while imitating my dad with love), but they’re the two pieces of advice that have molded our outlook on life and our individuality as well as our independence and capabilities.

Martha Manning

From Kristin:

Growing up, my daddy was lucky enough to be the only guy in a house house full of crazy, loud, Southern women. He is a graduate of NC State University and a die-hard Wolfpack fan – so I nearly broke his heart when I decided to attend his rival university (UNC-Chapel Hill). But here lies the beauty of my father and his advice:

“You can do anything, ANYTHING, you just have to try your best“. And he always followed that with, “and I will be behind you 100%, rooting you on and doing everything in my power to make your dreams come true.”

He proudly attended my graduation, wearing a Carolina blue & white striped tie, and calls me regularly to check in and just ‘say hi.’ He has individual pictures of his three girls (my mama, sister and me) in his wallet and will proudly show them to ANYONE he meets. He is so proud of his family. One day, I hope that I am able to share this same encouragement, support and deeply rooted love of family with my children.

From Sara, our intern:

Along with the majority of his personality traits, there are endless pieces of advice that my dad has directly and indirectly passed on to me over the years. My dad is living proof of the phrase that there are no strangers, only friends he has not yet met (standing true to the idea of Southern hospitality!). His outgoing nature and love of life have led me to structure my days around four simple words that he used to shout from his office as I left for school each morning: “Attitude is 80 percent.” Most days, I still get a text saying the same thing, and I am so grateful.

From Morgan, our other intern:

I, like most Southern girls, truly think my dad is the best man in the world. The best advice my dad has given me came in the form of a simple phrase: Be good to each other. Though this was usually applied as a mediating phrase spoken to my sister and I during the midst of a disagreement while growing up, I have remembered the phrase and remind myself of the advice daily. Daddy saying “Be good to each other” has taught me to love, to be sweet, and to live a kind life considering other’s circumstances and feelings in an effort to “be good” to them.

Tanja Lippert

One of the phrases I remember my Dad saying most often is, “if you’re going to give, give graciously.” This line was likely precipitated by me shoving a toy at my sister if I was forced to share, or stepping aside from my turn on the swing with a begrudging huff. As I grew up, though, it took on a deeper meaning than a simple response, reminding me to be grateful, to have a generous heart, and to do more than was required of me, even if I didn’t feel like it. My dad taught me that what matters isn’t just IF you do it, it’s HOW you do it. One of the things I strive for most in life is to be a gracious person, and I’m guessing that urge can be traced back to one of my Dad’s favorite lines.

How about you, readers? What’s the best advice you’ve ever received from your dad?

While today’s lovely couple has been inseparable ever since they met, Lauren still didn’t catch a few of the more minor meaningful details Marshall included in his proposal (read below for the whole sweet story!). When it came to their big day, however, these two didn’t miss any opportunity to work in personal, thoughtful touches both for each other (a fun cigar bar!), and for their guests. With the help of their planner, Katrina at Come Together Events, they created a day that was truly a reflection of not only their relationship, but their family and friends, as well: “throughout, we tried to think of small, personal ways to show everyone who came how much we appreciated them.” Love that Southern hospitality!

Big hugs to Cunningham Photo Artists for sharing this gorgeous, classic day with us!

Eek, I get so excited every time I see a monogram dress patch!

Tell us about finding your wedding dress.
 It was the first one I tried on! I had pretty concrete ideas about how I wanted my wedding dress to look before I tried anything on, which could have easily created a lot of problems. Lace dresses seemed to be very popular at the time we got engaged, and I’ve always thought lace was very romantic and classic; but I wanted something just a little more unexpected. I had fallen in love with the beaded bodice of a gown I’d seen while dress shopping with one of my best friends for her wedding a year or so before, but I didn’t care for the fabric of the skirt. When I opened the bridal magazine that my roommate gave me the day after Marshall and I got engaged and saw a beaded bodice, Chantilly lace, and silk organza all in one dress, I knew it was the one! I immediately called my mom and she ran out to find the magazine. I searched online for stores in my area that carried that designer, and of course, none did in their regular collections. One boutique, Hayden Olivia Bridal in Charlotte happened to be hosting a trunk show the following month. I called to see if the dress would be available to try on, and they were kind enough to add it to the show inventory. We set up the appointment; I tried it on, and didn’t look any further.

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. 
We met the weekend before we both began our first year of law school. A group of fellow 1Ls were meeting up at a local watering hole. I tagged along with some new friends, and Marshall was the first person I met. He challenged me to a game of pool that did not go very well for either of us, but we hit it off! We went on our first date the following weekend and have been together ever since!

Tell us all about the proposal! 
Throughout the whole day, Marshall did the sweetest things, only they were completely lost on me at the time. I didn’t realize until that evening that he had been attempting to hit all of the milestones of our relationship all day long. For example, he insisted that we go to lunch at the place we had our first date. Only that restaurant was not my favorite, so I kept suggesting others. He finally ordered it to go and brought it to me, saying that he was just really in the mood for it that afternoon. Before dinner, he was, again, unusually adamant about getting drinks at the bar where we first met. I, again, unknowingly kept messing up his plans. After a quick drink outside at the bar he was so set on going to, we left the patio area through a back entrance that rerouted us through a small courtyard. He proposed there, in this hidden green space beside the place we first met. It was very sentimental and romantic. He did a great job!

When did y’all get married? 
September

How many friends, family, and loved ones attended your wedding? 
230

What readings, if any, did you have at your ceremony? 
I Corinthians 13 Colossians 3:14-17

Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. We chose Canon in D for the seating of the mothers and Grandmothers, Rigaudon for the bridesmaids, and Trumpet Voluntary in D Major for my walk down the aisle. For our recessional, we chose Allegro Maestoso from Handel’s Water Music Suite. We had many hymns play during our ceremony, like “Love Divine” and “All Loves Excelling for the Beauty of the Earth,” which was sung by our local children’s choir. It was magical.  Our first dance song was “La Vie en Rose” by Louis Armstrong. The father-daughter dance was “I Loved Her First” by Heartland, and the mother-son dance was “My Wish” by Rascal Flatts.

What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? 
When I think of the South, especially in the context of a huge party like a wedding, I think of hospitality. Throughout our planning process, we tried to think of small, personal ways to show everyone who came how much we appreciated them. We hand wrote thank you notes on all 230 parting gift boxes and made a point during dinner to go to every table as a couple and say hello to each person who took the time to celebrate with us.

What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? 
Meeting each other’s expectations and making compromises. There is a lot of pressure on brides and grooms to do something new, unique, or “better” than the next couple. I found that I had expectations going into wedding planning that I didn’t even realize I had. We quickly found that we were so much happier and content planning our wedding when we stayed true to ourselves and prioritized.

What is the one detail or vendor that you were so happy to have as a part of your wedding? 
Lighting. It’s relatively inexpensive and accentuates all of those things, big and small, that you’ve planned and paid so much for.

What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? 
Consider your family and your guests. When we first started planning, I naively thought this day was all about Marshall and me. Weddings are such a family affair; it’s a big day for a lot of people. So, I would encourage brides and grooms to take the time to consider how to make those most important to them feel loved and included in their big day. And for your guests, I highly, HIGHLY recommend taking the extra time to assign seating. It may be extra work, but it will make each guest feel welcome and included in your day. It achieves so many things: acknowledges that you’re aware the guest has made the effort to attend your wedding, expresses a level of appreciation for their effort in that you’ve planned specifically for them, gives them a “home base” for the night (everyone needs a place to set their purse), ensures that couples and friend groups won’t be split up, guarantees your mother and grandmother a prime spot at the reception (your grandmother will want a seat, and she’ll want it to be a good one), and no one wants to eat standing up (not even a young person).

What’s next for you as a couple? What are you looking forward to in the future? 
We’re enjoying settling into our new life in Charlotte. We’re fortunate to be close to family and friends and in a city that we both love. Married life is off to a very happy and content start for us.

Amy + Bryan, Balitmore natives, might have a few Northern tendencies in their blood, but their wedding was full-on Southern. The two decided to tie the knot in Charleston, where Bryan surprised Amy with a getaway and a proposal, so there was plenty of reason to adopt the beautiful city as their own personal sanctuary. I adore that Amy + Bryan decided to go traditional on a few things the ceremony music and the white cake (with stunning flowers!), for instance but added their own twist with hot pink invitations and retro marquee signage. But these are all teeny details compared to the father-daughter dance. Amy’s dad wrote the song for their dance, recorded the vocals with Amy’s mom and played it back at the reception so the two could still dance together. How amazing!!

As Kristin would say, we’re sending Paige Winn a big squeeze for sharing this day with us.

Tell us about finding your wedding dress. 
I had a hard time deciding on a wedding dress I had serious love for a few different dresses. Ultimately, my wedding dress had every component that I wanted. It was the prettiest dress that I had ever seen or put on my body. That was such a happy day and I still love it so much.

Did you decide to do a “first look”? We did a little behind-the-door chat. It was actually pretty emotional, and luckily Paige Winn still made our pictures look somewhat attractive! It was so nice to hear Bryan’s voice for a minute prior to our wedding.

Stems created the most gorgeous, beautiful arrangements. There are pictures of me crying when seeing my flowers for the first time! They were pink, girly, romantic, soft, colorful, and playful – just all around gorgeous. All of the bridesmaids had variations of hot pink, white, and light pink flowers with each of the bouquets wrapped in different shades of pink ribbons. My flower girl wore a flower halo that she donned proudly and looked so beautiful in. My bouquet was an amazing display of girly pink wonderfulness, wrapped in a piece of lace ribbon from my mom’s wedding dress. The guys all had white flowers wrapped in pink ribbon, and they looked so handsome wearing them. There were displays of single flower arrangements on the tables in antique containers, and mixes of color blocked arrangements on other tables. It was fab!

What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? 
Possibly my five-year-old niece telling me, “When the wedding comes, the wedding comes.” I’m still trying to dissect that deep advice. Another memorable moment was the look on my future husband’s face as I walked down the aisle. So incredible.

For my walk down the aisle, I chose Canon in D, a song that I had always envisioned myself walking down the aisle to; I think it is the most beautiful classical song. Way to go Bach! We decided on Brad Paisley’s “Then” for our first dance. We were debating some other songs for our first dance, and then this one sort of took me by surprise. I would hear it on the radio, and it would make me cry and think of our wedding day. I love when he talks about taking his fiancé to the place where he first met her to propose. Even though Charleston was not where we met, it was where we got engaged and the place where we were going to say our vows. It just felt right. My dad wrote me a song for our father-daughter dance. My mom and dad sung it and recorded it together so that we could play it at the wedding and my dad and I could still dance together. It was so sentimental, and more special than any other song I would have found.

What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? 
We went about as Southern as us Northerners could possibly get, from the all-you-can-eat Sticky Fingers sweet potato casserole and pulled pork at our rehearsal dinner, to the shrimp and grits and hush puppies at our reception. We had stations, farmhouse tables, vintage china, and mint julep containers for flowers. We wanted it to feel like you were in the South, and wanted it to just be really unique and fun.

What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? 
Stay calm and be patient and polite. Also, know that it is all going to be worth it, and that the day will be better than you could have ever imagined. Have FUN. Lastly, if  at all possible, hire a wedding planner.

Our wedding cake was a four-tier cake with cascading ombre flowers ranging from hot pink to white. Each layer had a different kind of frosting. On the top of our cake were two little hand crafted clay birds. It was almost too beautiful to eat!

Our favorite detail of the wedding was: 
I think it would have to be our sparkler exit. We couldn’t believe our wedding was ending, but all of our friends and family were lined up with sparklers waiting for us to leave. As we were leaving, fireworks were going off for the RiverDogs baseball team. It was magical. We could feel the love from everyone, and loved exiting into an old fashioned London black cab. We would probably pay good money to be in that moment one more time.

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. 
We met in the huge Baltimore blizzard of 2010 after a few too many drinks. We randomly met each other in the street and had an instant connection, sort of a “right place at the right time” situation. We then went sledding at 3 a.m.! Our first official date came a few days later at my favorite Mexican Restaurant. The rest is history.

Tell us all about the proposal! 
The proposal took place in Charleston. I thought that we were taking a little trip to Connecticut to visit Bryan’s family. Literally at the gate for Charleston, Bryan jokingly asked me if I wanted to go there instead. I said that I did, and he told me to look at my boarding pass. After realizing that he had planned a surprise trip, I asked him if he was going to propose (sorry Bryan!). He told me that he wasn’t, and the next thing I knew we were on our way. After a brief shopping trip on King’s Street for shoes that were not Uggs and clothes that were not sweaters, we made our way to our hotel room. Bryan had a big “Will you marry me?” sign hung on the wall and had flowers all around our hotel room. Then he was down on one knee! I was so shocked!

When did y’all get married? April 12, 2013

How many friends, family, and loved ones attended your wedding? 
120

What readings, if any, did you have at your ceremony? 
E.E. Cummings- I carry your heart. 1 Corinthians 13. Each read by our aunts.

Did you have something borrowed, something blue, and something new? My something blue was my “I Do” stickers on the bottom of my shoes – a must have! My something new was my wedding dress, and something borrowed was the lace from my mom’s wedding dress.

What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? 
The distance and the travel. Thank goodness for the amazing Lizz Akerman at Southern Protocol. She made the process easy, but it was still challenging being so many miles away and communicating via phone and email.

What is the one detail or vendor that you were so happy to have as a part of your wedding? 
Lizz Akerman at Southern Protocol. She gets the job done and is so amazing and talented at what she does. We could not have done any of it without her. We are also a little bit obsessed with Paige Winn, and happen to adore Anne Bowen at Stems, Scotti Kline, and Sarah Murdoch at 428 Main.

What’s next for you as a couple? What are you looking forward to in the future? 
We are looking forward to buying our first house at some point in time and having children, and maybe getting a golden doodle. We’re also going to continue to have more adventures that begin with an idea as crazy as two kids from Baltimore getting married at a plantation in the South. Lastly, we are looking forward to just spending time with our amazing families and with each other.

Paige Winn is a delightful member of our Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory!

But what to do when the bridal party grows and grows? Thanks to fellow Southern girl Jenna Bush Hager, the world was introduced to an old Southern solution when she opted for a “house party” of fourteen in addition to her one maid of honor her sister, Barbara. As in Jenna’s situation, a house party is a great way to include your friends and family without having a ginormous bridal party.

Sketch of Jenna’s house party dresses, designed by Lela Rose in seven styles and colors inspired by Texas native wildflowers! (via Cliff Notes)

Similar to the standard ‘attendant’ title, members of a house party are often assigned wedding day tasks like manning the guest book, handing out programs, serving cake, reading during the ceremony, or just assisting the bride on her big day. They can also be involved in helping with the bachelorette party and bridal shower, or just attending.

Katy Hall Photography

Some house party members aren’t assigned any duties at all, but simply included because the bride wants to honor her relationships. The only thing a house party traditionally does not do is stand at the altar with the bride that spot is reserved for bridesmaids. HP gals can be seated in the first or second row, just behind family, and can be included in the wedding program.

So who should be included in a house party? Maybe you have a large group of sorority sisters you want to include, like we mentioned above. Or maybe, like Jenna and our own Emily, you’ve chosen to include only family in your bridal party, but want to honor friends, as well. No matter who you choose or how you choose them, you’ll eventually have to figure out how to clothe them. We have some tips for that, too.

You could ask your house party gals to wear the same dress in the same color one that corresponds with the bridesmaid dresses.

Our Labor of Love from Caroline + Tyler’s wedding

Or, we like the idea of asking your house party to wear a different shade of the color your bridesmaids are wearing, as Izzy did so beautifully with gray here.

The Schultzes from Izzy + Lane’s wedding

Mix and match dresses in a single color always look beautiful! Many brides ask their house parties to wear little black dresses, as that’s typically an item everyone will already have in their closets.

Green dresses photo by Tim Will from Kara + Tyler’s wedding, aqua dresses photo by Shea Christine from Grace + Daniel’s wedding, pink dresses photo by Morgan Trinker from Erin + Brian’s wedding

Finally, we like the idea of giving your house party the whole color scheme of your wedding, and asking them to wear something that coordinates. These ladies below prove it can look darling! If your gals are wearing LBDs or something else less-unified, we’d recommend giving them something to acknowledge their role, like a corsage, a matching necklace, or a gardenia or magnolia for their hair.

Pink and purple dresses photo by Melissa Schollaert from Valerie + Kevin’s wedding, spring dresses photo by Ali Harper from Mary + Austin’s wedding, purple and cream dresses photo by Stephen DeVries from Meredith + John’s wedding

To close, one more personal anecdote from our sweet summer intern, Sara. She had the honor of being in the house party for her boyfriend’s sister’s wedding, and piped right up when we started talking about this post! From Sara: “I had small duties like handing out programs, moving the guestbook from location to location, and handing out the bubbles to guests before her and her groom left the reception. Her bridesmaids all wore the same pink dress and shoes, and the other house party members and I got to choose our dress, as long as it was black and cocktail length. I felt like it was the perfect place for me, as I had been dating her brother long enough to be included in the wedding, but her brother and I were not married (and still have a ways to go before there’s a possibility of that!), so it would have been strange for her to designate a bridesmaid position for me at the time.”

Have you been in a house party, or are you planning on having one? We’d love to hear what you think about this tradition!

Melissa Schollaert and Ali Harper are delightful members of our Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory!

It’s no secret I love my job after all, there are very few ways that someone who loves weddings and loves the South as much as I do would prefer to spend her days! My usual routine at the Southern Weddings office leaves me happy as a goat in a briar patch and thoroughly satisfied. But, sometimes working at SW affords me experiences that are literally out of a dream, and I fall in love with my job (and weddings, and the South) all over again. Such was the case with Engage13.

I recently accompanied Lara to this amazing conference, held at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville (she was speaking!), and we enjoyed three days of learning, meeting new friends, and details to make any wedding lover weak in the knees. One party in particular we just knew we had to share with y’all the opening party, designed by Pressed Cotton and held in a renovated barn on the Biltmore property!

The party began the minute we stepped off the buses at Antler Hill Barn with a grown-up petting zoo! Lara and I couldn’t resist snapping a photo with this adorable baby goat.

So many of these fun rustic chic details are available in the Pressed Cotton store perfect for wedding decor and details!

These gorgeous kraft paper menus outlined everything we’d be sampling that evening, including pulled pork sliders, corn spoon bread, fried pickles, short ribs, and much more!

Many of the beautiful rental pieces you see are from Settee in Atlanta. After walking through the barn, the space opened up into a beautiful courtyard with biscuits on each long farmhouse-style table! We loved the kraft paper runners.

Hot boiled peanuts! Lara was in heaven.

Cheerwine! I was in heaven. (You may recall we served it at our wedding.) They couldn’t have designed this party more perfectly for us!

The gentleman you see below was one of our favorite people we met that night, though he wasn’t technically a guest at the party! He’s an actual blacksmith on the Biltmore staff, and was giving demonstrations throughout the evening. We got to chat with him a bit, and found out that his wedding was six days away! He even showed us the (gorgeous!) ring he’d forged for his fiancee. We’re hoping to bring more of his wedding story to the blog soon!

The night concluded with s’mores by a massive bonfire. It’s true, Engage does share some characteristics with summer camp!

Oh yes these adorable screen-printed snack bags were waiting for us when we stepped off the bus at the Inn at Biltmore! The perfect end to a perfect Southern night. Thanks to Pressed Cotton, the Biltmore staff, and Rebecca and Kathryn of Engage for a delightful evening!

All photos except top instagram courtesy of the talented Allan Zepeda, Carla Ten Eyck & Andrew Henderson, and Jeremie Barlow

1. Emily and I traveled down to the Hilton Head area of South Carolina for a photo shoot. The location was so beautiful, I never wanted to leave!

2. In doing some cleanup at my dad’s house, I found a ton of his old Kodachrome slides with scenes from Virginia in the 80s.

3. Emily traveled to Virginia for an SWV6 shoot, with her azalea co-pilot traveling safely in the passenger seat.

4. Kristin celebrated Memorial Day with an impromptu supper at her aunt and uncle’s house, which was properly dressed for the holiday!

5. We released brand new prints in Lara’s shop!

6. Marissa did her very best not to take this cute little guy home from the shelter. Even though it almost killed her.

7. I traveled down to Atlanta for my sister’s bachelorette weekend and was dying for some peaches as we passed Gaffney’s peach water tower.

8. Since Marissa couldn’t be home on Mother’s Day, she wore her grandmother’s locket with her mama’s photo inside as a sweet reminder of them both.

9. Emily snapped a scene from her and John’s recent day trip to Saxapahaw.

10. Emily spotted this wild clematis on an evening walk.

11. Our sweet tea office chalk art by our very own Emily! It’s so cute, we’re considering turning it into a piece for our shop.

12. Kristin spent the weekend at the South Carolina coast getting sun kissed and eating her weight in hush puppies

13. Lara and Ari brought Grace to Fridays on the Front Porch at the Carolina Inn for some dancin’ and bluegrass!

14. Marissa about died when she saw these adorable tiny cowboy boots her friend has for her baby.

15. Katie Stoops arrived for our shoot in Chapel Hill and snapped this adorable photo of Gracie afterward.

16. This is what happens when Kristin and Marissa have way-too-long Google Hangout meetings. They get silly!

17. Kristin planted her very first baby herb garden!

18. I traveled to the National Stationery Show in New York and loved meeting Natalie Chang in the Kate Spade booth!

What did y’all do in May? What were the highlights of your month?

Tell us all about the proposal! 
We traveled to China and Thailand and he got down on one knee and showed me a picture of the ring on his cell phone! Welcome to the world of technology!

What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? 
Raising the flag together! It was a surprise for both of us and seemed to mark the rise of the occasion!

Our favorite detail of the wedding was: 
The location. It was in my parents’ backyard and it was gorgeous! There is a picture of the wedding with all the guests sitting and the bright blue sky and a bird flying overhead magical.

When did y’all get married? 
September 22, 2012

How many friends, family, and loved ones attended your wedding? 
About 350

Did you decide to do a “first look”? Why or why not? 
Yes, we wanted our first look to be in private and to be able to spend a few peaceful moments together before the rush began.

What readings, if any, did you have at your ceremony? 
”Our Deepest Fear” by Marianne Williamson

Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. 
We used Ave Maria, simply because it is beautiful.

Did you have something borrowed, something blue, and something new? Yes! A blue wedding dress, a fancy heart shaped diamond earring and a diamond necklace that belonged to my granny and great granny. The flowers in my hair certainly count as new and fresh!

What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? 
The people and the kindness and politeness that comes along with the South.

What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? 
Burying a bottle of whiskey in the backyard in hopes that it would not rain. It was harder to dig that hole than we thought!

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

What is the one detail or vendor that you were so happy to have as a part of your wedding? 
Our wedding planner was awesome! He covered every last detail, set up the flower vendor, the food, the band, and the photo booth.

What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? Get a wedding planner. Also, meditate or do something calm and relaxing the morning of the wedding. Every hour, stop, breathe and take in all the details because the day goes by VERY quickly and then it’s done.

What’s next for you as a couple? What are you looking forward to in the future? 
Having a baby Ripple!

We may be taking a short break from V6 shoots in June, but that doesn’t mean we’re not prepping for a few in July! Want to be a part of our features? We hope to see you join us in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, as a reader model! See this post for details.

I’m back from the National Stationery Show and I have so much to show you, belles and beaus! Check out my recap of the cutest new designs from stationers across the country. (Part 1 here, Part 2 here.)

Of course, there were way too many fun paper goodies to share in one way. Yesterday, I was back with the final posts in my NSS recap! (Part 3 here, Part 4 here.)

Real Weddings are sweeter than pie!

Audrey + Zane said “I do” in her grandfather’s chicken house. We love the farm details galore! See it here.

For Kelly + Sang, it was love at first sight! We adore their pink Virginia wedding and the wine box ceremony they included. See it here.

Before you go…

Reserve a space on your calendar for the LulaKate sample sale! Bridesmaid dresses, the Little White Dress collection, bridal gowns and ready to wear pieces will be available at the LulaKate store in Charleston from June 20-22. Prices will start at $75!

Be sure to stop by our Facebook Friday for a little somethin’ sweet from Happy Everything Co.!

Enjoy the weekend, my dears!

It’s with great pleasure that we get to introduce Ashley Cakes to y’all, though you might not actually need the introduction: observant readers will have spotted her lovely work in V5! Ashley is based in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Catherine Marciniak’s approach to photography is “natural and romantic” – sounds like a winning combination to us. She is based in Boca Raton and Charlotte.

Hiring musical talent is notoriously one of the most angst-ridden wedding decisions (how can you ever really know for sure what they’ll be like at your wedding??), which is why I’m so happy to add EastCoast Entertainment to our Directory. With a full roster of bands, DJs, and musicians, they represent some of the best talent on this side of the country.

Elisabeth Carol is based in Dallas and takes the loveliest soft, natural light photos that still have a bit of an edge to them.

Faith Teasley’s sweet and fun personality are reflected in her work just take a look at her portfolio to see what I mean! She is based in Fayetteville but travels around NC and beyond.

Feather & Twine has a goal of capturing your wedding with “artistic whimsy and light-filled romance,” and I have to say they hit the nail on the head for a description of their work! They are based in Texas.

You can search our Directory by state or category to find your new best wedding friend. Happy hunting!

Vendors, interested in applying? Just fill out this form and Kristin will be in touch!

I spotted Avie Design the day before with Whitney and was drawn in by their peachy stripes. The booth boasted gorgeous laser-cut invitation suites and hand folded stationery with some of the prettiest envelopes I’ve seen!

Kitchen Papers was a favorite of mine. Whitney and I must have spent a long time in their booth flipping through their placemat designs and discussing the many dinner parties we must immediately have. I adore how easy they make entertaining and just about died when I saw they had a new collegiate collection! Too perfect for parties and tailgates, no?

These little coasters spouting the new rules of etiquette were a fun find at the Grey Moggie Press booth. How fun for dinner parties at your new married digs!

(Cardtorial and Iron Curtain Press images by me)

Cardtorial’s booth was a simple beauty. Her fun sayings are laser-cut into real wood you can even still smell the cedar! I also loved Iron Curtain Press’s Southern greetings. How fun would it be receive one of these in the mail?

(Rigel Stuhmiller image taken by me)

I was on my way to find a designer I wanted to meet when I spied Rigel Stuhmiller and had to turn around! Rigel is a talented artist and all of her products are block prints or reproductions of block prints. Though I squealed inside when I saw that she had a pug card, it was her chicken tea towels that sealed the deal.

I could not resist the adorable lemonade card from Hello!Lucky. Their booth was full of bright and retro designs. Of course, we have to pair lemonade with some delicious biscuits! This card from Paisley Tree Press was a spin off of our favorite Southern phrase.

I adored the minimalist designs and darling illustrations at Penelope’s Press. Debbie and Elaine were brilliant enough to come up with vendor thank you cards. They’re adorable and act as another reason to stop and appreciate your vendors in the middle of the wedding planning chaos.

The mint walls and cute bunting get me again! Pistachio Press had an adorable booth, but I especially loved their cross stitch cards. They remind me of the designs I used to do with my mom! (Side note: the washi tape that Pistachio used to hang their cards is my favorite!)

We wandered over to the Smarty Pants Paper Co. and got a kick out of seeing an adorable blue ribbon card. At Smudge Ink, we loved the Southern style in their bow tie and chicken cards.

The Social Type’s booth was full of vibrant colors, from their bright yellow pineapple thank you notes to their hot pink “Pleased as Punch” cards. Too cute, I say!

Emily spotted Wednesday at last year’s NSS, but I was blow away by them in person. All of their beautiful scripts are hand-lettered by Garett and so unique! Even better, Jessica and Garett are the nicest.

Doesn’t Tabletop Made’s booth make you feel like you’re on vacation? I love that Karis and Sarah brought a little bit of Santa Barbara with them to NSS with their cactus plants! Their cards are purposefully “sweet, colorful, yet simple” and that’s just the way I like them.

The Great Lakes had another blue ribbon card that we enjoyed. Theirs, however, was blank. We love the idea of filling in the ribbon with an “award” of your choice!

Don’t forget to take a look at Part 1 here and Part 2 here.

All photos by Whitney Porter unless otherwise noted.

(Bottom right image snagged from my iPhone)

Ladyfingers Letterpress hand draws all of their designs, and they sure are cute! My favorite part of the day was getting to witness Arley Rose’s hand lettering in person. She wrote out the first half of Southern Wedding’s favorite phrase!

Mr. Boddington’s Studio was dressed up in stuffed fabric kites and sweet designs. Their signature illustrated style was most adorable on their recipe cards, in my opinion!

One of my favorite new exhibitors was 9th Letter Press. Isabel, the creative brain behind it all, has been hard at work for the past year creating the most adorable cards and prints. Whitney and I had a great time getting to know her and joking about this card in particular. One of my favorites was the measuring chart above. It would be adorable framed in a newlywed kitchen!

Paper Lovely and Fat Bunny Press may have had one of my favorite booths at NSS this year. The pretty garland and mint colored walls kill me! In addition, Paper Lovely had a few darling mason jar and herbs cards that I’d love to add to my paper collection for everyday notes.

Checkerboard’s booth was crowded every time we passed it, and for good reason. Their new line of wedding invitations is inspired by classic romances like the Great Gatsby and Gone with the Wind. Their envelope shapes were positively gorgeous, y’all. They also started making custom wedding plates! Perfect for cutting that first piece of cake, no?

We always swoon over samples that Smock sends us in the mail, so seeing their booth was a great treat! They are masters of gorgeous letterpressed invitation suites and letterpress packages. My favorites were the cream and black script invitations and the nautical cheery red suite.

Printerette’s designs are just as darling as their name. Their single-color letterpressed invitation at the top left caught my eye first. The heart is a fluorescent and beautiful in person. Whitney and I also squealed a bit when we saw their summer calendar print. It reminds me a bit of our Blue Ribbon Bounty feature from V5.

Rifle Paper Co. had a stunning booth hand painted by Anna Rifle Bond herself the night before the show and decorated in beautiful floral arrangements! I wanted to walk away with their new tin recipe boxes, but I managed to practice some self control.

See Part 1 here and stay tuned for more from NSS tomorrow!

All photos by Whitney Porter unless otherwise noted.

Incredibly Charming Paper and Gifts was one of the first booths we stopped at. Y’all, tell me you don’t need these adorable cocktail napkins! ICPG had a slew of customizable home goods (even doggie bowls!), but these napkins were made for summer cookouts and bridesmaids gifts.

Fine Day Press drew us in with their happy bunting, but kept us snapping away when we saw their bright fun cards!

Stopping by the Lifeguard Press booth to visit Jonathan Adler, Lilly Pulitzer and ban.do was pure fun. I loved seeing the patterned tumblers from Jonathan and Lilly and thoroughly enjoyed the idea of playing dress up at ban.do!

I was dying to get over to the Belle & Union booth! Ever since Emily met Meg last year at NSS, we’ve been happily emailing back and forth. We thought her cute sayings and designs were the perfect compliment to Southern Weddings that we started stocking her products in our shop! This year, Meg’s released the most adorable recipe tea towels, calendars and new cards.

Sideshow Press was right across from Belle & Union, and they gave us another reason to stop and get camera-happy. Their camping-themed booth was thoughtful and thorough. I loved everything from the muslin crumb bags to the notecards (how cute is that felt pennant birthday card?) and the mini message booklets. They’re perfect for mini love notes!

I was excited to meet Kristen from Thimblepress. I’ve actually had my eye on her Etsy store for months! Her shop is based in Mississippi and we loved seeing a bit of Southern flair in her designs.

Y’all, I kind of died over the Farm to Table collection from One Canoe Two. These little notecards are perfect for everyday notes and contain some of my favorite parts of the South.

That’s all for Part 1, y’all! I’ll be back soon with even more from NSS.

All photos by Whitney Porter unless otherwise noted.

Our office is glad to have a bit of a break from V6 shoots in June, but that doesn’t mean we’re twiddling our thumbs nope, we’re hopping to prep for four shoots in July! :)

We’ll be in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida on Wednesday, July 10. We’re looking for several people for this particular shoot:

– a bride and groom, preferably both dark haired
– bridesmaids, preferably also with dark hair
– a few “tweens” (gals in the 9-13 year-old range)
– a debonair older couple

Feel free to nominate yourself, yourself and your husband/fiance/boyfriend, your younger sister or cousin, or your parents! :) We would LOVE to encourage all hair/skin colors to get in touch! If chosen, we will need you to be available on site from about noon – 8pm. We might start later or end earlier, but want you to be prepared!

If you’re interested, please send an email to howdy (at) iloveswmag.com with the subject line V6 Florida Model Call. Be sure to include a recent headshot (no need for professional photos, we just want to see your lovely face!), a few candids and your height. We promise it’s going to be a blast!

Thanks, y’all!

Tell us about finding your wedding dress. 
I already knew what I wanted. LACE! It was really important to me that I found a dress that I loved and worked well with the overall look/style of the wedding. We already had our venue booked so I knew I wanted something that had a vintage look but was also on the search for something unique. I tried on about 15 lace dresses. None of the dresses I found were exactly what I was looking for. On my fourth bridal store visit, I was about to call it quits when I walked by a lace dress that didn’t really meet the description of what I wanted. It caught my eye and I asked if I could try it on. As soon as I had it on, I knew it was the one. It fit me like a glove and it was so unique! The lace was gorgeous and I loved that there was a nude under layer. It wasn’t a traditional white dress and I loved it. When I topped it off with a butterscotch veil and embellished belt, I knew the search was over! I wish I could wear it again!

I wanted the bouquets for my bridesmaids to contrast since their dresses were pink, so a small bouquet of white roses and peonies was perfect. For my bouquet, my florist did a similar bouquet of roses and peonies in variations of whites. It was exactly what I wanted! I really wanted a vintage/romantic look and because I’m a “less is more” person, the monochromatic flowers were exactly my style and didn’t take away from the details of my dress.

What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? 
I think there were two elements that really brought out the Southern feel. One was the location. There is a Civil War battlefield that you pass when approaching the venue. This is where the Battle of Bristoe Station took place on October 14, 1863. The other Southern detail was our venue. The manor house was built in the early 1900s and acquired by Bristow Manor Golf Club. The house just has so much Southern charm and really represents Virginia!

The best part of our ceremony was the wine box ceremony. Rather than writing our own vows that everyone would hear, this allowed us to be more private with our feelings and write a note that would remind each other on our anniversary how much we love one another and bring us back to our special day. It will become a great tradition we can have with each other year after year. Our reading explained it all: “The wine box contains their favorite bottle of wine. Into the box, they will place two love letters they have written to one another. On their first anniversary, they’ll open up the box, share the wine and read their love letters to each other. Sang and Kelly, on that first anniversary as you drink the wine, may that little bitter bite of the wine symbolize the challenges you have faced. Let the sweetness of the wine symbolize the joy and happiness, hope, love, and goodness of your marriage. At the end of your one-year celebration, write a new love letter to each other and close it in the box with a new bottle of wine. And on the happy occasion of each anniversary, open the box, read your love letters, drink the wine, and add new letters to the box. As time passes, let the letters give you and your children a record of your years together and serve as a living document of the growth and depth of your ever evolving relationship. As you now seal you box with the wine and letters, so shall your lives now be one. From now on your thoughts will always be for each other rather than just your individual selves. Your plans will be mutual, your joys and sorrows both will be shared alike. Let this moment strengthen your marriage now and forever more.”

Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. I think the hardest decisions I made were about the songs! Unfortunately the music Sang and I like doesn’t make for good wedding music. I walked down the aisle to the traditional Pachelbel’s Canon in D. I used to love playing that song on my violin when I was younger. I don’t feel like we had an extremely traditional ceremony, but I think that song really made me feel like a bride. For our first dance song, we chose Jason Mrax’s “I Won’t Give Up.” A lot of people think it’s a negative first dance song, but Sang and I had a few challenges during the year and a half we were engaged that really tested our relationship. It was very appropriate for us. Our DJ selected our recessional song, which was “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” by Stevie Wonder. I loved it!

I wanted other features of the wedding to be the focus, so I wanted to keep the flowers simple for the reception. I choose give or six white or light pink hydrangeas and put them in vases that I purchased from Ikea and added my own touch of lace and ribbon at the base of the vase.

We decided early on that a wedding cake wasn’t our style. At every wedding we have been to, people didn’t each much of the cake. A friend of mine loves to bake and makes the most amazing desserts! I asked her if she would be interested in baking the desserts and doing a spread of different options. I showed her other elements of the wedding so she had an idea of how things were going to look and then I let her have complete creative freedom! She did an amazing job!

What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? I had a great time planning our wedding; I am very decisive and knew what I wanted. The biggest challenge was getting over what I couldn’t control: the weather. The entire week leading up to the wedding, they were calling for rain the entire day. However, on the day of, we just barely missed the rain. It made for beautiful pictures once it did start raining. It’s good luck, so they say!
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? 
I was really laid back throughout the process. I let my bridesmaids wear their hair how they wanted and wear whatever jewelry they wanted. I did not even care if Sang didn’t want to wear a tie! It made the process really enjoyable for myself and for everyone involved. Don’t be a control freak let your vendors do their jobs and trust their knowledge and ability!

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. 
We met while working at my first job out of college at an architecture firm in Old Town Alexandria. Sang worked in the IT department and I was working as an interior designer. On my first day while Sang was setting up my computer, we chatted about his last night’s plans. Apparently it was love at first sight for me! I thought he was so attractive and wanted any reason to talk to him. I even faked computer problems so I had an excuse to message him on our inter-office messenger. He eventually asked me out for a drink after work one day and we’ve been inseparable ever since!
Tell us all about the proposal! 
He proposed in October of 2011. We had discussed getting married and even went and looked at rings a few times. I felt like I was patiently waiting for the proposal, but when it actually happened I didn’t believe it! We went out on a Saturday night in DC to a restaurant called Acadiana’s. We got really dressed up but I had assumed we were just going to go out after our dinner. One of our friends who worked at the restaurant was our waitress that night, so we got special treatment. She brought us champagne and appetizers we didn’t even order! I thought we were just VIPs for the night. Little did I know the two had it all planned out! Shortly after we finished our appetizers, Sang started to tell me how much he loved me and how happy he was. It was sweet but seemed standard for a romantic evening out. He started to fumble through his pockets and that was when I felt my heart racing! I knew this was it! I knew what he was looking for! He pulled out the little velvet box and opened it. That’s when he asked me to marry him! I was in such shock that the first words I said were, “Is this a joke?” as tears rolled down my face! Of course I followed that up with a big “YES”!
When did y’all get married? 
May 11, 2013
How many friends, family, and loved ones attended your wedding? 
125
Did you decide to do a “first look”? 
I actually would have liked to, but time just didn’t allow us.
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: 
It’s hard to choose just one element! I really would say the 1800s style manor house was our favorite detail! It really drove the overall look and style of the evening, from the dress down to the table linens and the vintage skeleton key escort cards.
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? 
There are a lot of important elements to a wedding and everyone that day played a special role in making that day memorable. I’m happy we had Sam Stroud Photography there. The photos are the memories that we will have years down the road and I think he is very talented and such a pleasure to work with! I think he got every shot I wanted!
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? 
When I was walking down the aisle, I could see the tears welling up in my soon-to-be-husband’s eyes. He’s such a tough guy I would have never thought I would see him tear up. It was the best moment ever to know that our special day would have that effect on him. It melted my heart!
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you looking forward to in the future? 
We want to enjoy life as a married couple for a few years! We plan on playing lots of golf and traveling to Korea before starting our family!

Fried green tomatoes (the food, not the movie – though the movie did take place in the South!) are a common side dish around these parts made from unripe (green) tomatoes coated with cornmeal and fried.

Traditionally, FGTs are made by cutting the tomatoes into thick (about 1/2-inch) slices then seasoning them with salt and pepper (or a bit of crushed red pepper flakes and garlic powder for our friends ’round the Bayou!). Then they are coated with plain, coarse cornmeal, and shallow fried in bacon fat for a few minutes each side, or until golden brown. (P.S. Shallow frying is preferred, as the tomatoes do not float in the oil.)

How Sweet It Is

Another option when frying green tomatoes is to prep the tomatoes with a “wash.” In this case, the sliced tomatoes are dipped into buttermilk, or occasionally a beaten egg, before they are ‘rolled’ in the cornmeal. Using a beaten egg makes for a slightly firmer texture than using buttermilk. While not always necessary, adding this dip before the cornmeal helps it stay in place during the frying process.

My favorite little nugget about fried green tomatoes? Apparently this delicacy originated when Southerners were forced to remove some of the tomatoes from the vine while still green to allow the rest to mature to the traditional red the Southern growing season is so prolific that otherwise, the plant would collapse under the weight of all that fruit! Obviously, the next logical step was to fry up the bounty.

As you can see, traditionally prepared fried green tomatoes have that fall-off-the-fruit look that definitely would be divine for a rehearsal dinner or newlywed dinner party!

Katrina Runs for Food, Southern Living, Family Circle, Eric Kelley via Southern Weddings

So you want to get fancy with your FTGs? We’ve got you! I think the caprese salad made with fried green tomatoes would be a showstopper at any dinner party I was invited to!

Oven-fried green tomato caprese stacks by How Sweet It Is, fried green tomato po’boy and BLT slider from Southern Living

And y’all know us! We can’t sneak away without including a few (mini) options fit for a wedding! I know Mrs. Thomas is just dying over the baby-sized bacon, lettuce, and fried green tomato sliders! Who wouldn’t? Not to mention I’m all about the abbreviation on the sign – way too fun!

BLFGT sliders photo by The Nichols via Southern Weddings, individual fried green tomatoes photo by Adam Barnes via Southern Weddings, mini fried green tomato bites by Blue Plate Chicago

Y’all, I’m embarrassed to admit that this true-blue Southern girl has never even attempted to make fried green tomatoes… although I’ve eaten my fair share! I’m thinking this recipe might be my best bet. But, I also love this healthier version as well!

Have you tried your hand at homemade FGT’s? Or do you have a fabulous recipe for someone who is a bit culinarily challenged? I’d love it if you’d share it with me!

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

Describe your wedding flowers. 
Our wedding flowers were definitely a do-it-yourself project! We ordered yellow craspedia, white scabiosa, red gerrando daisies, and thistles. The boutonnieres were craspedia and feathers. We also gathered Queen Anne’s lace for arrangements at the reception. We planted wheatgrass in barnwood boxes my dad had made to go on the tables at the reception to tie in with the grass in the field. We planted a swath of red poppies along the side of the barn, and they were blooming gorgeously just in time for the wedding! A really special little detail to me was that in the sea of red poppies, there was one little sweet pink poppy that mysteriously came up. My Nannie (grandmother) had always planted those same pink poppies so it was like a little piece of her was there!

Our favorite detail of the wedding was: 
There were so many! My dad made chandeliers out of mason jars to hang in the reception barn that were amazing. I’m still using the barnwood boxes he made, too. I loved the feathers on my dress, and how we incorporated chicken feathers throughout the flower girls threw chicken feathers instead of flower petals and when we left, everyone threw feathers instead of rice! We had some beautiful real chickens in a pen at the reception for kids to feed. Also, we had our rings placed inside blown egg shells and cracked them open when the time came to exchange them (much to the surprise of our guests!). It was nice to have a funny little lighthearted detail in the ceremony!

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. 
My cousins had grown up with Zane, so I had always heard about him but had never actually met him until we were 17 and 18. The moment we met, I was sitting on a bench with my cousin and he very sweetly stood so the sun wouldn’t be in my eyes a real Southern man! It was just a few weeks before we both knew we would get married one day. We dated (long distance the whole time!) for four and a half years.
Tell us all about the proposal! 
It was over Christmas break and we were at my parents’ house (down the road from my grandparents’ farm). Early one morning, Zane asked if I wanted to go for a walk out in the field. I was really tired but he was so intent on going on a walk, so I went. We walked through the beautiful dew-covered fields to a big oak tree that I have always loved. He had hung several vintage lanterns in the tree and they were gently swinging in the breeze. As we neared the tree, I knew it was about to happen. Then he turned around, got down on one knee, and pulled a little white box out of his pocket and asked me to marry him. It was the perfect moment! We had openly talked about getting married and we knew we would get married, but he still made the proposal special. I was so glad we got to tell my Nannie that we were engaged! She passed away a couple of weeks later. She had always said Zane was easy to love! We ended up getting married near the site of the proposal on my grandparents’ farm in their hayfield with the reception in their old chicken house, the barn.

When did y’all get married? 
May 16th, 2009 at 9:30 am

How many friends, family, and loved ones attended your wedding? 
About 200

What readings, if any, did you have at your ceremony? 
No readings really. We were thankful that one of our ministers said a prayer and our friend officiating the ceremony said some really nice things.

Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them.
Planning the music was Zane’s department! I thought he did the best job of it and made it so special. We really didn’t use any traditional wedding music. He found songs that fit us and the feel of the wedding beautifully. The wedding party walked in to Norman Blake’s “Fields of November” and the recessional was “Greenleaf Fancy,” both of which were played at Zane’s parents wedding as well! We are thankful to know some really talented musicians. My uncles and cousin, as well as Zane’s sisters and brother-in-law all performed. My dad and I walked in to Jerry Douglas’ “A Tribute to Peador O’Donnell,” which I think is one of the most beautiful and moving instrumental songs there is! We had a really meaningful hymn printed on the program that all our guests sang together. Zane’s sisters and brother-in-law sang, “As Long as There’s You” by the Cluster Pluckers. We looked for a long time for the perfect wedding song and when we heard that, we knew it was the one! I think they did a beautiful job. We also included cards in our invitations to all of our musically inclined friends to bring their guitars, dobros, fiddles, and mandolins for the reception and had some bluegrass picking under the trees.

What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? 
Our biggest challenge was definitely finding the time to get it all done! Zane and I were both in our last year of college we graduated one weekend and got married the next weekend. With finishing school, finding jobs, moving 600 miles away, and wedding planning, we had a lot going on in a few short weeks, especially for a predominantly DIY wedding! Thank goodness for my amazing parents who did so much work to get everything done!

What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? 
There were so many! The whole day was amazing, but I think we most remember the feeling of walking back down the aisle and actually being married!

What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? 
Our advice is without a doubt to do what’s “you!” If traditions are meaningful to you, by all means do them. If they aren’t meaningful to you, create your own traditions! Don’t do anything just because “that’s how it’s done.” You’ll be happiest (and your guests, who love you, will be thrilled too) if your wedding is an expression of you as a couple. We love all things farm-related, so we went with that because that’s where we are the happiest. Some of our friends love skeet shooting, so at their wedding we threw (empty) shotgun shells instead of rice I loved that because it was so “them!”

What’s next for you as a couple? What are you looking forward to in the future? 
After our wedding, we honeymooned in the mountains of Montana (which is so gorgeous in the spring!). Zane had found a job in Virginia Beach, VA, so we moved up here. We are now living in Portsmouth, VA and have two sweet kids, Camden and Lark. We live in the city now, but hope to live on a farm again one day!