A Southern Elegant Coral and Pink Wedding

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Dec 4th

by: Lauren

This coral and pink wedding from Aislinn Kate Photography is gorgeously Southern, elegant, and filled with personality. Kelly and Michael both have a love for football, but also both went to different schools- so they incorporated this into their wedding by creating a fun “rivalry” theme! This wedding is a perfect example of infusing your personalities and a unique theme into your wedding- and Kelly is here to tell us all about it!

What (or who) helped you most in your planning process and/or on your wedding day?

The big decisions for the wedding were myself, my parents and my husband. We all met with the different vendors and looked at portfolios to make those decisions. It was really important that we not only liked their work, but also liked the people we would be working with. Once those decisions were made, my mom and I worked on all the details that were going to make the wedding special. My cousin was our officiant so he was key in the ceremony planning and he was fantastic. He hadn’t done a ceremony before, but he went above and beyond for us to make it special. The weekend of the wedding, our wedding coordinator, Mellisa Wilt, was a lifesaver. She put all of our details into place and made sure that Michael and I’s vision was carried out. She paid the vendors and took care of all the details so the rest of us could just soak in the wedding weekend.

What was the most important thing to you when deciding who to work with for your wedding?

The most important thing was probably the connection Michael and I felt to the person or the person’s work. We had in our minds what we were wanting and wanted to make sure that the vendors we were going with could understand what we were wanting and could help to carry that out. We hit off with our photographer, Aislinn Kate, right away and we were already in love with her work so that decision was easy. We searched for a band for a long time. We knew we wanted a band that was fun and played good music and was classy at the same time. We listened to dozens of bands online and finally found Nationwide Coverage and they were fantastic! For the florist, wedding coordinator and the lighting technician, we wanted people who knew our venue really well so we got some recommendations from The Grand and went from there.

What was your inspiration for your wedding details and/or design?

We had two inspirations. One was the venue. The green grass and the beautiful trees on the water. We wanted soft pinks, corals and light greens that would compliment the ceremony setting. We also really wanted to bring our personalities into it which is where the SEC part came into play. Michael went to Florida and I went to LSU and that is what initially brought us together, watching the LSU vs. Florida game when we were living in Austin, Texas. From then, we’ve always had a friendly rivalry when our schools play. The majority of our friends and family are SEC fans so we wanted to bring that in to the theme.

What was your favorite thing about your wedding?

I think I speak for both of us when I say our favorite thing was having all of our loved ones in one place for an entire weekend. Most of our guests stayed on property at The Grand so we saw them at breakfast, walking around on property, at the pool, etc.. We had a bonfire the night before that everyone was invited to so we got see most of our guests then as well. So it wasn’t just for a couple hours at the wedding, which for most couples can be overwhelming to feel like you have to try to see everyone at the reception and before you know it, it’s over and you haven’t eaten or danced. We didn’t really have that problem.

What is your best piece of advice for other brides?

I know every bride is told this, but I think the best piece of advice is to not rush anything. Enjoy planning the wedding. Enjoy putting together all the details. Enjoy all the time you will get with friends and family at showers and events. Be appreciative. And don’t rush the actual wedding. Try to move as slowly through everything as possible. Because before you know it, it will be over and you want to have lived and breathed every moment as fully as you can.

How fun is the rivalry theme they have going on? I love how the wedding is still elegant and beautiful, and the theme used in a few different places makes everything have a bit of fun quirkiness. Seriously the perfect way to incorporate a theme into a wedding!

So what do you think? Would you incorporate a theme like favorite teams? Or perhaps something else? I’d love to hear what you would do!

Vendors who made it all happen…

Photographer: Aislinn Kate Photography / Wedding Planner/Coordinator: Melissa Wilt Events / Flowers & Decor: Jubilee Flowers / Reception Venue: The Grand Hotel Marriott Resort / Cake Baker: Couture Cakes / Band: Nationwide Coverage / Videographer: Mike Wood / Lighting: Willow Bridge / Hair & Makeup: Studio 7 / Bride’s Dress: Jim Hjelm / Bridesmaid Dresses: Amsale / Groom & Groomsmen Sutis: Calvin Klein

Elegant Lakeside Blue and Green Wedding Inspiration

Category: INSPIRATION 3 Comments

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Dec 3rd

by: Lauren

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When this gorgeous lakeside blue and green wedding inspiration from Emily March Photography and Tailored Occasions graced my inbox, I instantly fell in love! From the unique blue and green color palette, to the casual-yet-elegant Southern style, I’m pretty sure you will fall in love with this inspiring wedding look too…

And an adorable behind-the-scenes video from Good Earth Films…

A Lake Side Wedding from James & Alex Gould on Vimeo.

From Emily and Allyson:

Our desire with this shoot was to mix a quintessentially elegant wedding with a down-home Southern summer night by the lake. Some of my favorite Southern memories are days spent at the lake. The combination of cooking out, bare feet, BBQ and country music blasting on a pontoon are just about as Southern as I’ve ever been! Allyson and I love the feeling of a lakeside wedding, but many of the ones we’ve seen have a backyard feel to them that’s very casual. In this shoot, we aimed to merge the idea of an elegant Southern affair with a sweet lakefront wedding. We wanted to give our lakeside reception a fancier feel with some rich blue, green and gold tones that always remind me of sunsets at the lake. We also incorporated a lot of texture, from classic grosgrain ribbon to antique lace, textures that can be both heirlooms and sophisticated details.

There’s something about this inspiration that leaves me with a sort of calmness. Perhaps it’s the color tones or the beauty of the nature surrounding everything, but I know I can certainly tell you that this look is stunning, and would be perfect for any bride wanting something that is elegant but also a little more casual.

So tell me- would you have a wedding with an elegant, yet still casual style like this inspiration shows? I definitely think I would!

Vendors who made it all happen…

Photographer: Emily March Photography / Wedding Planner/Coordinator: Tailored Occasions Event Planning & Design / Flowers & Decor: Designs North Flower Shoppe / Vintage Rentals: Simply Put Vintage / Invitations & Stationery: Smitten on Paper / Cinematography: Good Earth Films

A Modern Glam Sparkle and White Destination Wedding

Category: LOCATION, REAL WEDDINGS 1 Comments

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Dec 2nd

by: Carlee

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Okay, so maybe sparkle isn’t technically a color, but good heavens it’s amazing when paired with the shades of white in this glamorous destination wedding from Meg Baisden Photography! From the bride’s stunning ring, to the shimmer of the sea, everything about this exquisite event sparkles and shines. The beyond gorgeous bride, Katie, is here to give us her planning insight:

What (or who) helped you most in your planning process and/or on your wedding day?

For the wedding we had amazing coordinators-the Jennifers at It’s A Shore Thing. They assisted us with every last detail from finding the best vendors to helping me put my shoes on after the beach ceremony. The two of them had so many tips on how to make the day run smoothly, and were there every step of the way. Chase’s mother, Suzette, has a multitude of experience in coordinating events from her charity work and made the day perfect! She has exquisite taste and knew exactly what we were looking for on our special day. She was really the mastermind behind the entire wedding weekend and we are so thankful to her. Also, Christina from Events by Nouveau Flowers made the wedding with all of the flowers and decorations. We gave her a few pictures and ideas of what we were looking for and she went above and beyond our wildest dreams. With the menu for both the rehearsal dinner and reception, Donna at Townsend Catering was phenomenal, she took our menu and made it fabulous.

What was the most important thing to you when deciding who to work with for your wedding?

To us, it was very important to find people that we were able to work with from thousands of miles away–that meant a lot of emails and phone calls! We wanted the best for our special day, and looked at reviews online and spoke with past brides in the area to determine who that was. Before hiring any of the vendors, we also spoke with them and asked questions about what we were looking for to make sure it was a good fit.

What was your inspiration for your wedding details and/or design?

I absolutely love neutrals, so it was the only choice for us. It’s amazing though, that before we ever started planning the wedding, my mother, future mother-in-law, and myself all had the same vision–a glamorous white wedding. We utilized online blog sites, pinterest boards, and lots and lots of magazines. Christina from Nouveau Flowers really made the design cohesive. She had the most amazing decorations and knew exactly where we were going from the pictures we gave her. Christina added so many ideas to rehearsal dinner and reception, from the lush chairs Chase and I sat on to the exquisite flowers.

What was your favorite thing about your wedding?

My favorite thing about the wedding was marrying the love of my life, Chase. I am so lucky to have found such an amazing man and loved having all of our friends and family there to support us. It’s such a wonderful day, and with the destination we made it a wonderful wedding weekend. We were told by close family friends Travis and Summer McPheron to take a moment at the reception and just look around and be mindful of everyone in attendance and how they made the trip to Florida for the two of us to celebrate. It’s a treasured moment from our reception.

What is your best piece of advice for other brides?

Make the wedding day as simple as possible for yourself, and RELAX. It’s going to be a perfect day, no matter what happens because you are marrying the person of your dreams, and that’s all that matters. The fancy dress and decorations only add to the celebration of joining your lives for eternity. And definitely take that moment to appreciate all the work that your vendors and loved ones put into the event, as well as everyone who is celebrating with you. It’s just so perfect to have everyone you love in one place. In this busy life that rarely occurs.

Thank you, Katie, for the wonderful advice! One of the details I loved most from this wedding is the bottle of champagne signed by guests at the reception. How wonderful to open on a special anniversary and celebrate all over again.

Brides – are you planning something different in place of a guest book? I’d love to hear your ideas!

Happy Planning!

Carlee

Vendors who made it all happen…

Photographer: Meg Baisden Photography / Catering: Townsend Catering / Event Planner: It's a Shore Thing Wedding & Event Planning / Floral Designer: Nouveau Flowers / Venue: Rosemary Beach / Cake Designer: Confections on the Coast / Makeup Artist: Marry Me at the Beach

Vendor of the Week: Art By Ellie

Category: SPONSORS 0 Comments

Dec 1st

by: Lauren

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I’m so excited to share the work of the amazing Art by Ellie with you this week! One of the things that I think EVERY bride deserves is custom wedding invitations, and Art by Ellie can certainly make that happen for you…

Why do you see yourself as being Modern, Vintage, Classic, or Eclectic?

I love any style that is rooted in good design, and every piece I design is completely custom, suited to the bride’s unique style. I have designed pieces in all of these styles and there are elements I love about each one.

What is your favorite wedding detail you’ve ever seen or created?

I’m in love with making custom rubber stamps at the moment, and I love invitation wraps, tags and twine to tie an entire suite together. I also really love using doilies for making “paper lace” details as well. Outside of what I do, I completely love watching video trailers of the wedding day — when I see all the subtle details and candid shots behind the scenes, I really feel like I know the couple and I always get teary-eyed.

What is your favorite store or brand?

I love Whole Foods and Target for shopping. As far as branding, I think places like Crate & Barrel, Chipotle, and method cleaning products have pretty much nailed it. I get inspired by everything from billboards to business cards — even grocery store circulars from the newspaper and product packaging for hair products, beverage bottle labels or cleaning sprays. I am constantly looking at fonts wherever we go (to the point where my husband and kids think I am slightly nuts — but if being nuts about type is wrong, I don’t want to be right). :)

What is your favorite thing about weddings?

Definitely the people!

What qualities do you possess that enable you to work well with brides and grooms?

I love what I do and I hope that shows in my work. I try my best to be a good listener, helpful, accommodating, and friendly.

What steps do you take to ensure that your clients will have amazing wedding days when working with you?

I make sure the work I’m doing is all about them. Of the hundreds of weddings I’ve worked on, no two have been exactly alike. Each bride, and each invitation are completely unique and special, and there is something I love about each and every one of them.