A couple of months ago, Whitney had the great pleasure of actually meeting Matthew Robbins while he was in our neck of the woods. We’ve long enjoyed the weddings and events he’s worked on. From elegant to effortless, glamorous to modern, he can create a beautiful space under any design theme.

Just flipping through his work inspired me to make this pale garden inspiration board. Full of the lush and gorgeous arrangements that we love him for and his clean and elegant presentation, I think it’s perfect for a spring garden wedding. And yes, all of those images came from weddings Matthew designed!

Image credits (from left to right): top row by Mel Barlow, Christian Oth, Karen Hill middle row by Christian Oth, Terry Michael, bottom row by Roey Yohai, Christian Oth

As pretty as these designs may be, you know that we love weddings with meaningful details here at Southern Weddings. That’s why we had to share Matthew’s new book, Matthew Robbins’ Inspired Weddings: Designing Your Big Day with Favorite Objects and Family Treasures! In the book, Matthew shows you how to build a full design based around something significant to you as a couple and he shares some industry tips and secrets! Plus, a bride in lace on the cover? So Southern.

To Enter: There are two ways to enter!
1. Comment below and tell us what you’re more looking forward to about your wedding day!
2. Tweet “I just entered the @mrobbinsdesign giveaway on @iloveswmag!” Then come back here and a leave a SEPARATE comment telling us you did so!

Win: A copy of Matthew Robbins’ Inspired Weddings

This giveaway closes on April 19. Good luck!

Please tell me y’all are having as much hair-envy from these photos as I am! The elusive “Southern Bump” is my favorite hair do ever, after all. Not familiar with the SB? Why, it’s the style with the perfect amount of sweet and classic mixed with just the right amount of pouf (to make it sassy!). When I got married, of course, I asked my hair dresser for the Bump, and to make me look like a vintage Bridget Bardot and not like Marge Simpson. And yes, it is a very fine line!

Credits, from top to bottom: clip from Tessa Kim, photo by Harwell Photography, unknown, Jasmine Star via Style Me Pretty, Adam Barnes via Southern Weddings

Achieving the perfect Southern Bump does not happen by chance – oh no. It takes practice and the right tools! On your wedding day, I would advise leaving it to the professionals, and bringing in lots of photos the show what you want. Also, be sure your hair is longer than you think you’ll need, because the teasing needed to get that perfect bump will eat up the length of your hair quickly.

If you’re brave enough to try the bump at home, I suggest investing in the right products. I am a HUGE fan of Big Sexy Hair’s What a Tease – this stuff really works. You flip over the dry hair you want to pouf, and spray this super sticky hairspray-like concoction on the underside. Let it dry, then flip the hair back over. Viola! Instant backcombing without the damage. If you want more bump or hold, I suggest teasing before spraying in the What a Tease. Also in the big hair arsenal? A teasing comb and good dry shampoo.

Credits, from top to bottom: Heather Kincaid, Crystal Genes via Southern Weddings, Justin & Mary, and The Youngrens via SMP

Once last tip that one of our dear readers shared with me: if you have fine hair, using big ol’ hot rollers instead of a curling iron helps create the initial volume needed for just the right amount of pouf.

Have you got the Southern Bump down to an art? Share your secrets with us in the comment section below! Please! I am always looking to learn how to better work this hair!

P.S. If you’re looking for a how to video for teasing, hop over to Katie’s blog (that I’m obsessed with) here for a quick tutorial! Happy teasin’, y’all!

Harwell Photography and Adam Barnes are fabulous members of our Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory!

Did you know that I used to hate pink? I can’t pinpoint when, exactly, it became my now third favorite color (second only to orange and orange-red!), but I can’t get enough of it. I love how pink grants ordinary things either a fun and preppy demeanor or a romantic and wispy character. Somehow, Crystal + Trip’s wedding manages to do a little bit of both! The gorgeous bride met her handsome beau at the Oaks Plantation to say their “I do’s” and we love the pretty images from Kim Box and Josh Moates of Kim Box Photography that resulted.

P.S. Make sure you ladies check out the bridesmaid dresses – I know you’ll love them!

Hello gorgeous! Crystal’s favorite flowers are peonies, so they were found throughout the wedding. According to the bride, “My bouquet consisted of pink and white peonies and roses. We were married under a gorgeous archway adorned with pink peonies, roses, green hydrangeas, orchids, branches and hanging crystals. We had a variety of different centerpieces but these were the main flowers used throughout.”

Tell us about finding your wedding dress: It was definitely a process but I knew when I found it that my heart would melt as it did! After scouring various bridal boutiques, I thought I had found my dress at a place in Montgomery. I was not completely in love with it but I felt it was the closest to what I was looking for. I decided to put the dress on hold and drove to Birmingham with my mom to pick up a satin sash that I found while trying on dresses there. I thought it would give the dress more pizazz. We stopped into The White Room in Birmingham to purchase the sash and I told my mom I was going to just look at the dresses there one more time. Lo and behold, I saw it! Lace, lace and more lace! This Rivini gown was poking out of the rack like it knew I was headed its way. It was perfect so I picked it up and had to try it on. I knew when I put it on and began crying that this was my dress!

Did you decide to do a “first look”? Why or why not? No. Trip was more adamant than I was about keeping that tradition. He wanted to be surprised.
What readings, if any, did you have at your ceremony? Colossians 3:12-17
Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding. We had The Lamb Family play violins throughout the ceremony. They are amazingly talented! I also was so blessed to have my cousin sing two solos, “This is the Day” by Brown and The Lord’s Prayer.

What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? I wanted a good mix of Southern yet whimsical flair. Our food was definitely Southern, as well as our venue. We had the ceremony and reception at an old, gorgeous plantation home in the country. With its mile-long driveway and beautiful oak trees, I felt that it definitely set the mood and tone I was looking for. We had a large hay bale placed at the entrance with our last initial made of pink peonies and branches. I wanted our food to be something that everyone would enjoy and that would give guests that Southern comfort feeling. We had fried green tomatoes, fried okra, fried chicken fingers, fresh fruits, vegetables and cheeses, a ham carving station, green bean bundles, cornbread in mini iron skillets, a mashed potato bar with sweet and regular potatoes with all the good fixin’s, chicken, shrimp and beef skewers, banana pudding shooters and much more. I wanted to do something different for guest gifts so I had a popcorn bar with all different flavors. From caramel to butter and even fun confetti popcorn in all different colors and flavors, guests had plenty to take home in personalized bags. Another Southern detail were the buckets of flip flops I had for guests, making sure they knew to kick off their shoes, relax, dance and have a good time.

How did the two of you meet? Tell us your story. Trip and I actually met in high school and began dating in the ninth grade when we were only 14. We stayed together throughout high school and both attended Auburn University, where we got engaged our senior year. I know you are probably wondering, but we have never broken up!
Describe the proposal. Trip’s family had planned a New Year’s Day lunch at his sister’s house in Birmingham and we were on our way there when he told me that we had to stop by their family farm in Clay County at the base of Mt. Cheaha to pick up something for his dad. When we arrived, he said he wanted to take me on a walk. We took a short walk up to the tallest point overlooking their property and the beautiful mountains of North Alabama. He got really silent once we reached the top and walked behind me. I turned around and he was down on one knee, saying the sweetest things. All I can remember is grabbing the ring from him ecstatically and saying, “YES!” We decided to wait until after our graduation in December to start planning our wedding.
In what month did you get married? June
How many guests attended your wedding? About 400
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: Oh goodness, we loved every minute of it, from the flowers to the amazing food and our dance party reception! I absolutely love repurposing furniture, so I decided to take an old screen door, paint it and pin pictures of me and Trip, beginning with baby pictures all the way through college. It was so much fun going through old pictures of us when we were younger. Our friends and family loved seeing us through the years and how young we were when we started dating.
Describe your wedding cake or dessert: I had a five-tiered white buttercream cake with raspberry filling laced with a pink and lime ribbon. Trip had the famous chocolate peanut butter fudge cake.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? The most memorable was definitely seeing Trip for the first time as I walked down the aisle and hearing him tell me that I looked beautiful. Time just stood still. Another memorable moment was the poem that all of my girlfriends sang to me at my reception. It was hysterical and definitely something I will never forget!
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? Enjoy every minute of it! Do not get stressed over the little things. Anything goes nowadays so do exactly what you want to do!
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you looking forward to in the future? We are absolutely loving being married and just looking forward to what God has in store for us!

Photographer: Kim Box Photography // Videographer: Darren Freeman Videography // Planner: Jackie Bennett of Dana’s Floral Design and RSVP Montgomery // Venue: The Oaks Plantation // Florist: Jackie Bennett of Dana’s Floral Design // Wedding Cake Baker: Peggy McKinney // Caterer: Tammy Griffin of A Catered Affair // Rentals: Brendle Rentals // Linens: BBJ Linens // Lighting: Design Productions // Paper Products: invitations by Alan’s Invitations, programs by Lovett Printing // Bride’s Dress: Rivini “Aria” via The White Room // Veil and Earrings: The White Room // Bride’s Shoes: Gianni Bini // Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Lula Kate via Bella Bridesmaid “Christy” in umber with pink flamingo sash // Hair and Makeup: Melissa Moore Bogardus // Music: The Lamb Family Violin Ensemble and 2nd Coming // Groom/Groomsmen attire: Jos A. Banks

Love pink? You might like these weddings, too!
Shelley + Greg’s preppy Charleston wedding here and here.
Katie + Nathan’s romantic Southern wedding here and here.
Katie + Clark’s pink + white beach wedding here + here (similar bridesmaid dresses!)

Amelia + Dan are the first to admit that they’re not very traditional. To be honest, I love that about them. While all of the girls in the office adore a great tradition (have you been keeping up with our Southern Traditions series?), we also appreciate when couples put their own spin what a wedding should be. It shows us so much more about their personality as a couple and opens our eyes to new details! I love that Amelia wanted to give this advice to brides currently planning their weddings: Stay true to you! Make sure you are planning the wedding of your dreams. Sure, we’ve heard that many times in unique weddings, but Amelia + Dan really show us that you don’t need a white gown or flowers to create a gorgeous celebration.

How perfect is this vintage key and burlap boutonniere? Would have been perfect for our burlap Ultimate Southern Challenge! From Amelia: The boutonnieres encompassed the vintage Southern vibe we were hoping to achieve, with an antique key backed with burlap and lace ribbon all connected with a button and twine. In my family, buttons represent my grandmother, because she collected buttons. That was another neat way to represent our family in the wedding.

Oh yes, we have some fabulous fashion in store for you today. From Amelia, on her wedding gown: Because of my love of fashion, I am one to make a statement with my dress, and I refused to settle for any dress that wasn’t exactly what I imagined. At first, I wanted a black wedding dress, and Daniel and I had quite the back and forth over what black represented to him and what black represented to me. I told him I hadn’t even found it yet, so don’t go fretting so soon! While most people thought my dress would be all black, or hot pink, or some crazy pattern, I left it a secret until the wedding day. Instead of a traditional bridal shop, my Mom and I went shopping at Nordstrom. I tried on many dresses, all within my theme of black and cream, and there was one that stood above the others. It had an exposed back, halter front (I wanted a dress with straps) and pockets! (I am teacher, and pockets are my best friend!) It was perfect.

Daniel and I asked a very close friend of ours, Todd, to play guitar during our ceremony. I walked down the aisle with my dad to the song that Daniel and I had our first dance to, “Come Back When You Can” by Barcelona. We kicked it up a notch on the way down the aisle as a married couple with “I Believe in a Thing Called Love” by The Darkness.

Did you decide to do a “first look”? Why or why not? Yes! Let’s be honest: At this point, it is obvious that Daniel and I are anything but traditional! We envisioned ourselves dolled up, walking around beautiful and historic Charleston taking pictures with our photographer. It was absolutely worth it. The other positive to seeing each other before the wedding was that it let Daniel get acclimated to my dress. He was more thankful he saw me beforehand not because of the color of my dress, but more for him to get all the tears out before the ceremony.

Amelia is a self-described “non flower person” (at least at weddings), so it was not surprising that they chose a unique route for their reception centerpieces. On what made her wedding Southern: We chose cotton to be present in our ceremony and reception and of course, and we had to indulge in the Lowcountry fare that Charleston offers, especially that of Good Food Catering! We centered each table with mason jars and doilies and had two large buffets that hosted our memorial area and vintage items. Each buffet was dripping with pearls and doilies. We covered the arches in the walk-throughs with pennant banners. We loved the idea of dried naturals instead of flowers to pull the natural setting of The Rice Mill Building together.

How did the two of you meet? Tell us your story. Daniel and I were introduced by his roommate, whom I knew from college. We met at our apartment’s summer pool party. Being a teacher, I was fortunate enough to have the summer off from school. Daniel was finishing up his summer class load. We spent all of our free time hanging out and getting to know one another. Daniel used his adorable charm to woo me and the rest is history. Little did I know that “the boy from downstairs” would quickly become my best friend and then my husband.
Describe the proposal. Daniel and I had been wanting to take a mini vacation, so I threw out the idea of driving to Austin, Texas for a weekend to get away. Little did I know, he was hoping I would suggest a trip to Austin because that was where he wanted to propose. He knows me well enough to know that if he just booked us a trip to Austin on his own, I would immediately suspect something. Once we arrived, we started getting ready for our dinner date when I noticed he had already downed half of the bottle of champagne we brought with us. I figured he was just excited to be on vacation. He kept asking me over and over again if I was ready yet. I finally threw on my lipstick and told him I was ready to go. Then, he looked at me told me he had something for me. I sighed and though, “now he is the one keeping us from dinner. What could be so important to delay sushi?!” He pulled something out of his pocket and started telling me how much he loves me and how I would make him happy for the rest of his life. I didn’t understand what was happening until he had the ring in his hand and was getting down on a knee. The words are a bit of a blur now, but I just remember looking startled and surprised! After the ring was securely on my hand, I couldn’t stop looking at it. Daniel says I didn’t look at him the rest of the trip!
In what month did you get married? March!
How many guests attended your wedding? 100
Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line? No, we chose to repeat traditional vows. One reason being that my twin brother, the family lawyer, married us.
What readings, if any, did you have at your ceremony? We did not have readings, but my brother brought in his and my philosophy major by quoting a few excerpts from our favorite philosopher, Kant.
Describe your wedding cake or dessert: We chose to have many various flavors of cakes instead of a tiered traditional cake. Thanks to Sugar Bakery, we had one nine-inch cake, our “wedding cake,” along with eleven six-inch cakes, all in various yummy flavors.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? Planning a wedding out-of-state! My mom and I took a full week to visit the venue, bakery, hotel and hospitality room. I fell in love with the venue just from viewing it online and read rave reviews of the bakers online as well. It was a jam packed week, but one I will never forget. Thankfully, my mom and I had the help of my new mother and sister-in-law to help us along the way. Beside that one week visit, we relied mostly on the graciousness of our vendors to be sure our ideas would fit perfectly.
What is the one thing you are most happy you splurged on? Photography, for sure. It lasts forever and we knew Nathan would fit the bill perfectly.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? Enjoying our dinner at the reception with our parents and best friends. We were actually able to eat our entire dinner. I think that small amount of downtime was good for Daniel and I to soak it all in.
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you looking forward to in the future? We are most looking forward to buying a house within the next year, here in Dallas. We house hunt every weekend…and every night online.

Photographer: Nathan Westerfield // Venue: The Rice Mill Building // Caterer: Good Food Catering // Rentals: lighting and heart warmers from Snyder Event Rentals, china from Ooh Events and Shop Out of Hand // Linens: Snyder Event Rentals // Invitations: David’s Bridal (online) // Bride’s Dress: BCBG // Bride’s Headpiece: Tasha, Nordstrom’s // Bride’s Shoes: Badgley Mischka // Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Anthropologie, Blue lace overlay

Ooh Events is a fabulous member of our Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory!

Loving this wedding? Take a look at these, too!
Rebecca + Colin’s charming Charleston wedding here.
Jessica + Derek’s fashionable and blue wedding here.
Jennifer + Kyle’s black and white and feathered wedding here and here.

Hi ladies! How exciting is this??? Our very first reader model call for V5! We’ve had so much success casting readers in fabulous settings in the past that you just know we were itching to do it again.

As you may recall, we featured several sets of readers in V4. We hosted eight readers in Charleston:

Photos by Corbin Gurkin from Southern Weddings

We met three more lovely belles in Williamsburg…

Photos by Katie Stoops from Southern Weddings

And we finally met up with two more young ladies – and a polo-playing groom! – in Charleston.

Photos by A Bryan Photo from Southern Weddings

This time, we’re actually shooting outside the South, in upstate New York! Northerners and transplanted Southerners, this is your chance!

If you’re free for a Monday, May 21 adventure in Vernon, NY, we’d love for you to email a head shot (doesn’t have to be professional, just a good shot of your face!), a few recent candids, and your height to howdy at iloveswmag.com.

We are looking for a bride and groom pair, and several bridesmaids! In return, we promise gorgeous photos by a certain fabulous photographer, and, of course, a chance to be a part of Southern Weddings history!

We can’t wait to hear from you!