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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Y’all know we love us some photography around these parts. We’re passionate about sharing beautiful images because we know that these photographs are the witness to the beginning of your life together, and that they will become some of the most treasured possessions you’ll ever own, something to be shared with your children and your grandchildren and their children. Y’all, that is something special!

You put so much time and thought into choosing the perfect photographer; it only makes sense that you’d want to have the best working relationship with him or her possible. Today, we’ve rounded up a few of our favorite tips and suggestions to help you do just that.

1. Consider an engagement session. A pre-wedding session will help you feel more comfortable in front of the camera (I know this was definitely true for my husband!). And, it will prepare your photographer for your wedding day by allowing her to see how you two interact, and get a feel for your best features.

2. Plan your morning carefully. I am a huge proponent of this tip. Choose a room with abundant natural light to get ready in. If possible, choose a room with neutral colors, and try to keep things neat and tidy throughout the morning. This will help your photos stay cohesive and clean-looking. If details are important to you, have everything you’d like photographed laid out and waiting for your photographer — a full invitation set, special jewelry, a vintage handkerchief, etc.

Jen Huang

3. Share your morning. This is a tip from BRV member Caroline Joy: “Specifically invite your closest loved ones to be with you when you’re getting ready for your wedding. And encourage them to get totally ready beforehand, because most people like photos of themselves more when they look their best. It could be your mom, dad, a special relative, or simply your closest friends, but I love the idea of intentionally making them feel special by sharing those moments with them.” This is a wonderful way to create an opportunity for those spontaneous, sweet, intimate moments to happen — the ones we want captured on our wedding day, but can’t really plan for.

4. Create a generous timeline. I spoke about this a bit here, but if photographs are important to you, build in as much time as possible for them. Generally speaking, the more time your photographer has with you, the better the photos she/he will be able to produce. If you’re not sure how much time you’ll need for portraits, check with your photographer.

Jemma Keech

5. Consider doing a first look. I completely respect those who want to see their significant other for the first time at the end of the aisle, but if you and your fiance are ambivalent, I’d definitely consider doing a first look. That way, you can take care of the majority, if not all, of the formal family groupings pre-ceremony, leaving extra time for bride and groom portraits or to attend cocktail hour post-ceremony.

6. Do not create a ridiculous shot list. Please, for the love of sweet tea, do not create a shot list with specific poses or moments. (You know the ones I’m talking about: they include things like “Dad whispering last minute advice to groom” and “bride’s parents whispering to each other during dinner.”) Remember why you hired your photographer, trust him, and give him room to let his creativity shine. Asking him to recreate something he or someone else has already done before will not give him the time or space to create something amazing for your special day. Instead, try showing your photographer some of your favorites from his portfolio, which will help him understand the work you’re attracted to.

Kate Murphy via Ann Street Studio

7. DO create a formal shot list. On the other hand, it’s important to think carefully about the formal groupings that you’d like captured either pre- or post-ceremony. Try to keep the list to ten or fewer combinations (i.e. bride and groom with bride’s parents, bride and groom with all siblings) to avoid impatience and stress. When you give the list to your photographer, be sure to include names — this will help her direct the portrait session smoothly and kindly!

8. Communicate with the VIPs. Once you’ve got that great shot list, be sure to share it with all the people involved. Email them a copy in advance, print out more copies for the day of – whatever it takes! Make sure they know where to be, when to be there, and what they should be wearing so you’re not scrambling after everyone on the big day.

The Nichols via Snippet & Ink

9. Plan for capturing the details. In addition to gorgeous portraits, many of y’all want your photographers to capture the details you’ve worked so hard on. This requires communication, too! If possible, work with your planner/venue/special helpers to set up the reception space as early as possible, so that your photographer can snap the details either pre-ceremony or during cocktail hour, before guests have entered the space and ideally while there’s still natural light outside.

10. Ask questions. Our last tip for working with your photographer? Ask them! “Is there anything I can do to help you do your job better?” Photographers, like all wedding vendors, try their hardest to be flexible, and they’ll do the best they can under whatever circumstances they find themselves in. But, if you do what you can to provide the optimal environment, they’ll probably produce their optimal results. And THAT is what we call a win-win :)

Sweet Little Photographs

What do you think, ladies? Anything you’d add to our list? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Caroline Joy is a delightful member of our Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory!

Eliza + Brigham look like the kind of couple you just want to squeeze (as Kristin would say) because they look so happy and in love! The two met while teaching at the same school and made every excuse to see each other during the day, from relocating distracted students to another class to borrowing Sharpies. We love how their roles as teachers made its way into their big day. Guests chose an apple to find their seating arrangements and leave sticky notes of marriage advice and the couple used fun chalkboard signage throughout the day. The details sure did make Eliza + Brigham’s venue look sweet — but it only gets better when you learn that their big day took place on Brigham’s family farm. What a perfect place to start your married life!

Giant hugs to Abby Jiu who snapped all these lovely photos of E + B’s wedding!

Tell us about finding your wedding dress. 
The whole process was much easier than I expected! I knew I wanted a simple dress that didn’t overwhelm my (very!) short frame and one that went with casual, country feel of our wedding, and was lucky to find a dress I loved right away!

It was really important to us that we were able to spend as much time with our guests as possible once they arrived, so we decided to do a “first look” so that we could get all of our photos done before the wedding began, while also making sure that we did not miss out on the magical moment of getting to see each other for the first time. While we initially made this decision for pragmatic reasons, it ended up being one of our favorite memories from the day — a moment just for us before the excitement (and chaos!) of the wedding began.

What an amazing photo! I just love the laugh Eliza and her dad are sharing before the ceremony.

We put together our own vows based on a mix of phrases and verses that spoke to us. A favorite passage from our vows is: “From this day on, I will be your partner and companion, for you are my dearest love and my best friend. I look forward to the joy we will find in each other’s separate successes, as well as in those we share. I welcome the challenge of whatever obstacles we encounter, for I know that whatever we face, we face together.”

What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? 
We got married on Brigham’s family farm in Poolesville, Maryland, so our wedding definitely had a Southern vibe built right in! We also added some “Southern details” of our own, such as using red bandanas as dinner napkins and serving comfort food like fried chicken and mac and cheese!

Our favorite detail of the wedding was: 
In keeping with our teacher theme, we had an easel to which our guests stuck post-it notes of advice for life and love.

Describe your wedding cake or dessert. 
Neither of us are big fans of wedding cake so we went with apple and chocolate pie!

What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? 
Planning a wedding in September — the busiest time of year for teachers!

What is the one thing you are most happy you splurged on? 
A fabulous band that got everyone out on the dance floor!

How did the two of you meet? Tell us your story. 
We met while teaching at the same DC charter school. The magnetism was there from the start, and we would invent every possible excuse to visit each other’s classrooms — relocating distracted students to “buddy class,” borrowing Sharpies, etc.

Describe the proposal. 
Brigham came over to my apartment after work on a Friday, and awkwardly asked me to join him for a glass of wine on the building’s rooftop deck overlooking Rock Creek Park. I found his urgency strange on a cold, windy evening, but was still shocked when he took to a knee on the roof and asked for my hand. My response was “Are you kidding me?!” which he took for a “yes.”

In what month did you get married? 
September

How many guests attended your wedding? 
225

Describe your wedding flowers. 
We went a bright mix of rustic flowers in rich fall colors that would compliment the natural beauty of the farm where we were married.

Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding. Our first dance was the Jackson 5′s “ABC,” which got the party started as only two teachers could. We relieved Brigham’s dancing anxiety and my fear of public performance by having everyone join us on the dance floor after 30 seconds or so. The band ‘Round Midnight got the party going with all our Motown favorites, and channeled everything from Van Halen to Lady Gaga.

What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? 
Looking back at all of our family and friends as we walked through the evening sunshine at the end of the ceremony!

What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? 
Try not to sweat the details so that you can really enjoy what the day is all about!

What’s next for you as a couple? What are you looking forward to in the future? We’re taking a long-awaited honeymoon to Italy this summer, then we both start in new roles at DC charter schools, which will keep us busy but growing. Our new puppy, Otis Redding Kiplinger is a trial run for the family we look forward to starting some day!

I just love when we get weddings with a surprising pop of color! Maggie + Alec’s wedding decor incorporated a lot of vintage charm, but I am just head over heels with their blue accents. It’s at once electric and romantic! If their color scheme has you pumped to see the rest of this wedding, too, I’ll go ahead and let you know that M + A don’t disappoint. With tradition in their hearts, but a love for the rolling Texas hills, the newlyweds decided to bring their ceremony outside. Maggie loved the stained glass windows at the altar and we have to agree. “The old, gothic church doors and stained glass church windows gave us the perfect combination of God’s presence in our vows and the beautiful creation,” said Maggie. Among the other heartfelt additions were the bouquet pin, gold ring and handkerchief that Maggie carried down the aisle — all belonged to her great grandmother and namesake.

Big thanks to The Nichols to sharing this lovely day with us!

Vividian Design Studio of Kerrville, Texas created much of the floral décor. The color palette was soft ivory and white with rich shades of blue and vintage silver. My bouquet was a romantic mix of white peonies, vendela roses, white majolica spray roses, white hydrangea and white ranunculus. The stems were wrapped in antique French blue ribbon that my mom had collected and a silver name pin that belonged to my great-grandmother and namesake, Maggie was added to the ribbon. My bridesmaid’s carried bouquets of blue delphinium, muscari, cornflower, dusty miller and blue anemone. Our beautiful flower girls had headbands of fresh flowers and the men worn boutonnières of white anemone. The head tables at the reception were decorated with random pieces of antique silver serving as both candleholders for the beeswax candles and unique vases for ivory roses and hydrangea. The guest tables were decorated with antique and vintage crochet, silver, cut glass, books, clocks and wedding cake toppers. These were accented with ivory hydrangea, roses, dusty miller, spray roses ranunculus and a touch of blue delphinium.

Did you decide to do a “first look”? We did not do a “first look” because we were pretty traditional in our approach to our wedding. We wanted Alec’s first look to be as I walked down the aisle with my dad. This was difficult to accomplish at an outdoor wedding on a hilltop. The church doors that we used for the ceremony were the perfect solution to the “moment” that was very important to us both. We wanted my dress to be a complete surprise so Alec never even saw the dress before the doors opened at the ceremony. His reaction was perfect!

Our wedding was filled with so many wonderful details. My personal favorite was the unique stained glass windows that stood behind us during the ceremony. The three antique stained glass church windows were narrow and ten feet tall and were simple and elegant against the background of the gorgeous Texas Hill Country vista. The windows were the only “decorations” that we had for the ceremony. On the day of our wedding, it was predicted to rain heavily and the morning was overcast and drizzling. The rain stopped just an hour or so before the ceremony and the sun broke through the clouds and lit up the stained glass just as we began our vows.

What readings, if any, did you have at your ceremony? 
We did not have any particular readings at the ceremony, but the pastor spoke at length from several scriptures. We did have one of Alec’s groomsmen sing “Ten Thousand Reasons” by Matt Redman. We love the lyrics that speak to praising the Lord for all of His blessings to us and His overwhelming love for us when we don’t deserve it.
Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding. 
We used only one song as the parents, grandparents, and my bridesmaids walked down the aisle, “How Deep the Father’s Love for Us” by Bethany Dillon. I walked down the aisle to an instrumental of “Before the Throne of God Above” by the King’s Chamber Orchestra. Adam Naylor, one of Alec’s groomsmen, sang “Ten Thousand Reasons” by Matt Redman during the ceremony. The recessional song was a mash-up of “Sweet Home Alabama” by Lynyrd Skynyrd and “God Bless Texas” by Little Texas in recognition of our heritages from the proud states of Alabama and Texas. We walked into the reception to “Crazy Little Thing called Love” by Michael Buble. Alec and I danced to “When You Say You Love Me” by Josh Groban. I picked the song I wanted for my first dance when I was in middle school. After all the years of practice dancing in the living room with my family, it was a surreal moment in my wedding to actually dance to the song with my husband. My father and I danced to “My Little Girl” by Tim McGraw and Alec and his mom danced to “Unforgettable” by Nat King Cole.

Tell us about finding your wedding dress. 
My dress was actually the first one I tried on! It was in a small bridal shop in my hometown of Boerne, Texas. I really liked it, but I didn’t want to buy the first dress I saw! After spending another day or two trying on dresses with my sister and my mom all over San Antonio, I realized that I kept choosing the exact same style of dress that I had first tried on at Beatitude. We returned home to Boerne and I purchased both the dress and the veil from my hometown store!

What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? 
Our wedding was all about the Southern details. I guess you could describe it as classic Southern elegance with charming vintage accents. The décor for the reception and the cocktail hour was tarnished antique silver, accents of old white paint pieces and the comfort of tea-stained crochet. The guests picked up an antique skeleton key tied to a tag with a clock face stamped to a specific time. The tables were decorated with ivory silk tablecloths topped with antique crocheted table accents with a combination of two centerpieces. Half of the tables were antique silver champagne buckets filled with ivory and white hydrangeas, roses, ranunculus and dusty miller surrounded by antique cut glass sherbet glasses of varying old patterns filled with floating candles. The other half of the tables were decorated with heavy antique silver trays topped with vintage wedding cake toppers from the 1940s and 1950s collected by my mom. The cake toppers were under a glass cloche and were surrounded by a ring of ivory spray roses. Each table was accented by old books of varying shades of our accent color of French blue and each table had an antique, silver Big Ben Westclox clock. The clock for each table was set to a specific time and this corresponded to the clock face stamp on the escort cards. Another Southern tradition with a twist was the ceremony. We wanted the ceremony to be in a church, but we also wanted to be outside in order to take advantage of the venue’s views of the Texas Hill Country. The old, gothic church doors and stained glass church windows gave us the perfect combination of God’s presence in our vows and the beautiful creation. It was a church without walls. I also continued the bridal traditions from my family by carrying a gold ring of my namesake and great-grandmother, Maggie Webster and a ring of my grandmother’s, Pat Webster. I also carried a tatted handkerchief made by Maggie that all my cousins have also carried on their wedding day. The greatest Southern tradition that was present at our wedding was the tremendous of amount of help we had from family and friends for setup and for cleanup. There were at least thirty people that spent hours helping to make our day perfect! We literally could not have accomplished either the setup or the clean up without their kindness and show of Southern hospitality and love.

I’m most happy we splurged on the vintage pieces from Revive Vintage Rentals, the doors and windows for the ceremony, the unique tables for the cakes, the wooden head tables, upholstered couches and chairs for seating and various accent pieces gave our wedding a warm, personalized feel as if our family had brought the furniture from our home. All of the details of this wedding were taken care of beautifully by Revive Vintage Rentals. They worked diligently to make every detail unique and so special.

It took me awhile to decide if I wanted to do just cake or cake and cupcakes. I love red velvet cupcakes, but in the end I decided just to go with a traditional cake. The bride’s cake was a simple three-layer, round, white cake with buttercream icing and a simple pattern of random linear etchings. It was topped with ivory roses and hydrangeas. The groom’s cake was a layered, square chocolate cake with chocolate icing. It was covered in crumbled Oreos and chocolate covered strawberries. We added a punch bowl of strawberries and chocolate sauce nearby for those that might want a little more or just the fruit. Both of the cakes were made by a small place in my hometown called Bumdoodler’s. It is hard to find better tasting icing or cake anywhere. My sister’s diet is gluten free and so we had a whole three-layered cake made completely from Rice Krispies, which was a huge hit with everyone.

How did the two of you meet? Tell us your story. 
Alec and I met working as counselors at Pine Cove Christian Summer Camps in Tyler, Texas. Alec went to the University of Alabama for undergrad and I went to the University of Texas at Austin. We were both counselors during the summer, but we didn’t go on our first date until the NCAA football National Championship between Alabama and Texas at the Rose Bowl in January. He asked me to go to dinner with him the night before the game and so we went on our first date in California! We officially started dating in February after he asked my father’s permission.
Describe the proposal. 
The proposal was perfect! We were on vacation in Hawaii with my family and we spent the day just relaxing on the beach. In the afternoon, the girls were treated to a massage at a nice resort and I thought Alec was snorkeling with my brother. After our massages, we drove to a new beach to pick up my brother and Alec. My dad and I walked down the beach to find their snorkeling spot and, to my great surprise, Alec was standing by a blanket on the sand all dressed up. My dad hugged me, and then Alec very humbly and sweetly asked me to marry him as the sun was setting on the Pacific. We were on the beach made famous by South Pacific on the North Shore of Kauai. We brought home a small jar of sand from the spot on the beach where I said, “Yes!”
In what month did you get married? 
March
How many guests attended your wedding? 
250
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? 
I am actually currently in my first year of medical school in San Antonio, so it was difficult to balance planning the wedding and the details with studying for school. Thankfully, my mother and bridesmaids were incredibly helpful with all the details that needed to be completed. Also, Alec was living in Alabama for the first half of our engagement, so it was difficult to coordinate some events that involved his input.
What range did your wedding budget fall into? 
$50,000-$75,000
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? 
I have so many moments from that day that I will never forget, but I have one that stands out. Our wedding ceremony was at the top of a hill on the open hillside. We had these old wooden church doors set up at the end of the aisle that were closed when I was driven up to the site. I was so nervous as I got out of the car and got ready to walk down the aisle. My dad took my arm and the ushers opened the door. All I could see was Alec’s face. He was in tears and I never lost eye contact with him as I walked toward him. All my anxiety was completely gone as soon as I saw his face.
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? Ask those around you for help. There is no way you can plan a wedding by yourself and stay sane. Use the knowledge base that is already around you. Also, figure out the details that you absolutely want and then try to be flexible on some aspects. It will make it less stressful for everyone.
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you looking forward to in the future? 
I will be in medical school for several more years and Alec found a job in the oil and gas field, which was an absolute blessing from God. We pray that as a couple we serve and bless those around us and continue to run the race that God has set out in our future.

A very special lady in our office turned the big 3-0 yesterday, so today we’re celebrating by sharing 30 of our favorite things about her! Feel free to add your own favorites in the comments! :)

From Marissa:

1. Kristin loves monograms just as much as I do.
2. She uses the term “cheeseburger hungry.”
3. She rocks cowboy boots and pearls to the office.
4. She has a heart for helping people realize their full potential.
5. She’s always game to join in on 90′s music singsongs.
6. She focuses on finding joy through gratitude, and helping others do the same.
7. Even though we live hundreds of miles apart, Kristin has become one of my best friends, which just shows how big her heart is.

From Nicole:

8. Kristin has an amazing Southern drawl.
9. She says “squeeze” instead of “hug.”
10. She loves Carolina about as much as I do.
11. She sends handwritten notes for any ole occasion, including just when she’s thinking of you.
12. She makes everyone feel comfortable as they are and treats them like a good friend.
13. She is super organized (and an Excel pro!) and she loves office supplies and the start of school, too (even though she’s no longer in school).
14. She always brings cookies when she visits the Chapel Hill office, and they are always delicious.
15. Kristin has a big, open heart and is constantly loving on everyone.
16. She rocks spring colors any time of the year.

From Emily:

17. This girl has never met a stranger. You feel like her best friend after just five minutes with her.
18. She has amazing hair!! Always. Super jealous of this fact.
19. Kristin takes her marriage seriously and is open about the sweet things she and Kyle do for each other.
20. Her excitement is contagious. She loves to be excited, especially for other people!
21. She loves to learn, and has soaked things up like a sponge since starting at SW. I feel like she’s always been a part of the team.
22. Though Kristin is incredibly well-dressed and -accessorized, she’s not too cool to sport some ridiculous pajamas or an all-out Christmas apron.
23. She’s generous with her hair teasing knowledge.

From Lara:

24. Kristin is driven and unafraid! She came up to me the first time I met her, at our first Gingerbread Barn event, and said, “Hi, my name is Kristin. I love reading your blog, I’ve had you in my prayers (I had just given birth to Grace) and I would love to work for you.”
25. She is passionate. Her energy and zest for life are contagious!
26. She is a visionary, always looking ahead to grow our company so we can help more couples celebrate love.
27. Kristin’s love of the South and her family lights my heart on fire!
28. Gracie loves her. : )
29. Kristin baked us chocolate chip cookies when she came for her first interview. She is a great baker!
30. I trust her. In every sense of the word. She has become a great friend and support and I love her dearly!

We love you, KNW! Happy 30th!