Tyler proposed to me at The Biltmore in November of 2013, and I've been making plans for the big day ever since! It was not an easy process, and I couldn't have done it without help from my mom and sister. They helped me with every decision I made, big and small.
Wedding Beauty Prep
The week (okay.. month) leading up to the wedding was nothing short of hectic. I told my mom that a wedding is like prom on steroids. You have to get fresh highlights, schedule hair and makeup appointments, get a spray tan, and get a mani/pedi. It is a lot to do! My mom always did those things with me when I got ready for my high school proms and formals, so it was only appropriate for her to be by my side for all the beauty wedding prep as well! She took me to Charleston a few days before the wedding and treated me to a facial and a mani/pedi. The facial was amazing and made my skin so soft and smooth. I got the color Pedal Faster Suzi on my nails and toes which was the perfect blush pink color. Beth, my long time beautician and family friend, did a practice run on my hair. She took an ordinary wedding bun and turned it into an intricate up do. I loved it! Sydney, one of the girls that did makeup for the day of the wedding, also did a practice makeup run on me to perfect the winged eyeliner look. I can't thank them enough for everything they did for me before the wedding and the day of. All of the girls felt so glamorous and looked like superstars!
The Rehearsal
Our rehearsal was such a fun and exciting day; however, I believe it was much more stressful than the wedding day itself! Almost the entire bridal party is from out of town, so traveling made some of them late (including the groom!) I just have to put this day into perspective for ya'll. So first of all, I wore my mawmaw Ellen's wedding dress to my rehearsal. It is a gorgeous cream cocktail dress with a lace skirt. I couldn't have found a more appropriate dress for the occasion, and it meant the world to me to wear something that was hers on such a special event in my life! The dress was in mint condition UNTIL I RIPPED A HOLE IN THE ARMPIT (sorry mawmaw). Fortunately, my JuJu was able to sew it up right before I walked out the door to head to Charleston. Now on the way there, mom and I got a little hungry, so we made a quick pit stop for some KFC fried hot wings with ranch dressing and potatoe wedges (you can take the girl out of Logan county, but...) After our quick snack, we calmly and safely drove to the country club. I'm kidding. Mom ran off the road listening to me read off a set list that our wedding band gave us and almost killed us both. As you can see, the day was already off to a rocky start. Berry Hills is kind of hard to find if you don't know what you're looking for, so my dad had some wedding signs made for us to guide our guests in the right direction. My sweet mother got out of the car in her blue Lilly dress and Micheal Kors wedges and staked those signs in the ground. By the time we made it to the country club, we had dirt all over our hands, feet, and faces. It was about 4:30 when we arrived, and I had lots to do. My mom, sister, and I set up all the decorations and waited on everyone to arrive. My wedding photographer also came to the rehearsal to get a few pictures of Tyler and me. I wanted to make sure I had pictures made of me in my mawmaw's dress. After the madness of getting everyone to Berry Hills and doing a few practice rounds, it was finally time to eat and enjoy the company of our friends. Rhonda and Kip hosted a wonderful rehearsal dinner for everyone at Fazio's. The food and service was phenomenal. I had never eaten there before, but I knew it was a local favorite. It was delicious, and all of the bridal party and their dates seemed to think so too!
The Venue
I searched high and low to find the perfect venue for us to be married. I love all things southern, and I always wanted to have a very traditional wedding. This left me with a plethora of options: a church or chapel, an old plantation home, a resort, or a country club wedding. All of these things provided me with a southern feel. I looked into so many options. I believe I emailed about 25 different places to get information about their site. I looked in Charleston, SC, Lexington, Charleston, WV, and places in Virginia. Some of the places I inquired about included Boone Hall Plantation, Griffon Gate, and The Homestead. I was beside myself trying to decide on the location. This was so important because it had to be aesthetically pleasing, a reasonable drive for our family and bridal party, and allow me to have flexibility in the decor, food, and entertainment I wanted. One dreary day in March, my dad suggested I go look at Berry Hills Country Club, where we are members. Tyler and I pulled up to the front door, and when we walked in, we saw beautiful flooring, a large gold mirror, an intricate chandelier, and a beautiful flower arrangement on a dark wooden table. I thought to myself, "Honey, I'm home!" From that moment on, the decision had been made for Berry Hills to be our wedding venue. They were exceptional to work with. The venue itself is covered in all things pink. It is decorated in a typical southern resort style with busy colors and patterns, but that "Dorothy Draper" type style really melts my butter! It may not be some people's taste, but I just love it! The room we selected for the ceremony was the grand ballroom. It has gorgeous hardwood floors, deep pink walls, big windows that let in lots of sunlight, crown molding, and several stunning chandeliers. It was breathtaking. Since we had a small wedding, the reception was in two rooms. Dinner was served in the Formal Dining Room which is donned in varying shades of pinks and greens. The floor to ceiling windows overlook the manicured lawns of the golf course. The windows are dressed with plaid drapes and floral valences. It didn't need very much decoration because the room speaks for itself! After dinner, we had dancing in the garden lounge. This room resembles a sunroom and opens up onto a large patio. It is decorated in yellows and pinks - again in a mixture of plaid and floral patterns that don't compete but complement each other. I am so happy with the venue I selected, and many of the guests commented on how Berry Hills was very "me." Isn't that just what you want for your wedding? I was very pleased.
Wedding Stationary
For our wedding stationary, I did a mix of DIY and custom made. I used Etsy, Shutterfly, and Wedding Paper Divas. For our Save the Dates, I used pictures from our engagement session at Magnolia Plantation by the amazing MellBell. I found a template on Shutterfly and created our Save the Dates myself. For the actual invitation, I picked a design of pale pinks and gold from Wedding Paper Divas and ordered the entire set, which they customized for Tyler and me. I also had a poster size wedding welcome sign made, a seating chart, programs, signs for the guestbook, finding your seat, and an Instagram hashtag, as well as place cards made by Clearly Lane Weddings. She was awesome to work with and was always available if I needed help tweaking the designs. This was an easy and more budget friendly way for me to have everything I wanted!
The Ceremony
I wanted a very traditional ceremony, and I wanted to make it apparent that God is the center of our marriage especially since we weren't being married in a church. My mom got me a Unity Cross for my wedding shower gift, and it was my favorite part of the ceremony. The Unity Cross symbolizes the joining of the man and woman (2 crosses and one is placed inside the other) and the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit holding it all together (3 pegs that secure the two crosses together). It is a beautiful display of what we think marriage should be, and it is something from the wedding that we can keep in our home forever. I absolutely love it! The decorations for the ceremony were simple: two large flower arrangements and a lace aisle runner. White chairs lined each side of the aisle, and the string quartet that played the ceremony music sat in the back of the room. When I entered the room, it took my breath away. It was everything I had hoped it would be! The string quartet, Riverside Quartet from Morgantown, was phenomenal! They played for 30 minutes while the guests were arriving, and they also played a few songs as they left the room after the ceremony. During the wedding, they played the Wedding Cannon as the groom, groomsmen, and parents entered. The bridesmaids walked down alone to Bittersweet Symphony, and I walked down the aisle with my dad to the Wedding March. Dr. John Hatton, the pastor from Tyler's family's church in Paintsville, was the officiant, and he was wonderful. He kept us at ease the entire time and did a beautiful homily on a Bible verse Tyler and I chose to represent our marriage. After we were pronounced as husband and wife, we exited the ceremony while the quartet played the Wedding Recessional. It was like a dream!
The Food and Cake
Berry Hills did a spectacular job with all of the meals we ate on the wedding day. Around 11:30, all of the girls started the day with lunch at the clubhouse. The boys had their lunch later that day around 1:30. We had delicious club sandwiches, hamburgers, and the sweetest tea ever (thank you Jesus because I needed it that day LOL). The one thing I knew I wanted for the reception was a plated dinner. I knew I would be exhausted, and our families would be too considering they would have been at the country club for most of the day. I just wanted to sit down, relax, and enjoy my meal. Berry Hills did a phenomenal job at all of the food they provided. For cocktail hour, they served passed hors d'oeuvres, which consisted of jalapeño poppers and four different styles of bruschetta. For dinner, we had salad, a dual entree of steak and chicken, mashed potatoes, and vegetables, and key lime pie or wedding cake for dessert. The wedding cake was delicious AND beautiful. It was a traditional cream and lace cake with a personalized twist on the cake toppers. The groom had a golf bag over his shoulder, and the bride was blowing him a kiss with a Lilly Pulitzer shopping bag at her feet. It was so us! The cake itself was strawberry enhanced with strawberry preserves and topped with a light buttercream frosting. Petra at Cakes by Appointment did our wedding cake and the treats at my bridal shower, and she also made Tyler a marble flavored UK groom's cake which he and his groomsmen enjoyed during lunch the day of the wedding. I found the idea for the cake on Pinterest, and Petra replicated it perfectly!
The Decor
The decor, like the stationary, was a mixture of store bought and DIY items. The ceremony flowers were done by Winter Florals and Antiques, and they were breathtaking. Steve did an awesome job at listening to what I wanted and making my vision come to life. He was able to tell me what would look good or what wouldn't. He has a great eye, and I loved all of the arrangements and bouquets. He also took the time to do something extra special to my boquet, which I'll talk about a little later (hint: it was my something old). The center pieces for the reception were made by my mom, my grandmother, and me. I waited until Hobby Lobby had a 50% off sale on their florals and purchased silk hydrangeas, white lilac sprays, and vases. I made 15 arrangements and ended up having 14 tables. When we arrived with the center pieces the day of the rehearsal, someone at Berry Hills asked us if we needed water for our flowers. That made me happy LOL That meant they looked real! Berry Hills ordered ivory table linens with raspberry colored napkins, and I rented chair covers and raspberry sashes from Lois at Elegant Chair Covers. She was a doll and so incredibly helpful the day of my wedding. I also had a table set up with sparklers for the grand exit, a sign that read: Let Love Sparkle, a bowl full of "The Perfect Match" matchbooks, and the seating chart. The seating chart was so difficult to do because I knew we had limited seating. The formal dining room sat 70, and with our immediate family and bridal party, we had 67. Tyler and I made 69 people total. I had to arrange the room so families and friends could sit together. It was no easy task! One thing I did do to add a little flare and keep with the southern country club theme was to name every table after a well known golf course. My dad helped me come up with the names, so that was a way I could involve him in the wedding planning. It turned out great, and I loved that little detail! Another little "extra" that I ordered was raspberry pink cocktail napkins to keep at the bar that said, "Fore Love" with a golf flag, our names, and wedding date in a silver foil print. Little touches like these were inexpensive but added a personal feel to the reception.
Favors and Gifts
I wanted to keep with the southern country club theme, so I got online to find golf themed wedding favors. Initially, I wanted to do a golf ball shaped Christmas ornament with our names and wedding date on it; however, since our wedding was in June, a Christmas ornament didn't make much sense. I found a shop on Etsy, Candy Cottage, that handmade white chocolate golf ball shaped suckers, and they looked awesome. They were so realistic! She wrapped each golf ball in cellophane and tied a raspberry pink ribbon to each one. I added an extra touch by attaching a small personalized card to each sucker. We placed a favor at each guests' seat for them to enjoy. For Tyler's groomsmen, he paid for a portion of everyone's tuxedos. Many of his groomsmen made long trips just to come to the wedding which can get expensive, so I think they appreciated him helping with the tuxes! The gentleman that helped us at Men's Wearhouse said he had never seen anyone do that before and thought it was a great idea. For my girls, I wanted the whole day to be as special to them as it was to me! I got us all matching monogrammed robes to get ready in, and I also purchased their jewelry for the big day. We had 2 girls come in and do everyone's makeup, and they did an amazing job! I wanted to treat the girls to something special that would make us all feel glamorous! For my mom, mother in love, and sister, I found a special little gift. I got each of us, myself included, a single pearl on a gold chain necklace. The card read, "With time, patience, and a little help from mother nature, a pearl grows into an object of beauty and simplicity. Pearls represent the best in us... something beautiful that comes from within. Wear your necklace as a reminder that you are incredibly loved." I thought it would be special if we could each have a piece of jewelry that we can always wear and remind us of the special bond we have! Now, I wasn't the only one giving gifts. I received many special presents on the big day as well! Besides all of the wonderful gifts people generously gave at my bridal shower, we received more cards, gift cards, and money from our families. We were not expecting that at all, but it means so much to us to have our families want to help us out as we begin creating our life together! My sweet friend Ashton is always so thoughtful. She made a picture frame which all of the girls signed with their names and a kiss. It is adorable! We took a kissy picture during the reception to put in that frame! Also, Nancy, Ashton's mom, made me some special sugar cookies. There were some shaped like wedding gowns, bridesmaid gowns, high heels, and my new monogram. They were so beautiful that I didn't want to eat them, but I did anyway because they are as tasty as they are pretty! I don't think there was a single cookie left! One of the most meaningful gifts I received was from my sister. She gave it to me the night before the wedding. It was a book she put together filled with letters from my family and friends. I cried my eyes out. I know how much each of those people mean to me and how much I love and care for them, but to read in writing how they feel about Tyler and me was so touching. That is a gift I will forever cherish.
Here is a little video clip of me opening my AWESOME gift from my groom!
The Entertainment
One evening while in Lexington, Tyler and I ate at a restaurant downtown called Parlay Social. They had live music playing, and we absolutely loved the band. I thought to myself, "They would be awesome for a wedding." MY wedding to be exact. Tyler gave his business card to our waiter and told him to give it to the band to contact us when they finished playing. We didn't expect to hear back from them since we didn't get to talk to them directly, but they did contact us! I was so excited! They play a variety of songs, both old and new, and they have a lot of energy. They played during our cocktail hour, had soft background music for dinner, and kept people on the dance floor by playing well known sing-along hits all night! I can't say enough great things about Boogie G and the Titanics. They went above and beyond for us! They play live music, but they can also play any song you'd like just like a DJ would. They announced our bridal party before dinner and set up a podium for people to give toasts and speeches. They were terrific and one of the best investments we made for the wedding reception!
Bridal Party Attire
When I planned my wedding, I had a vision in mind. I saw classic black and white with hints of deep pink giving a pop of color. Tyler and the guys wore black and white tuxedos. The groomsmen had black bow ties while Tyler's was ivory. We also set Tyler apart by giving him an ivory boutineer and all the others had a deep pink. The best man, Justin, had a blush pink to make him stand out as well. The girls wore floor length raspberry pink dresses that looked absolutely stunning on each of them. I'm not kidding when I say all of them looked gorgeous in those dresses! The designer was Alexander Sung. The top of the dress mimicked the top of my wedding dress, so it sort of matched. Their flowers were a mixture of cream and blush pink roses and peonies. My wedding dress was purchased from Lara's Bridal in Ashland. It was originally an A-line shape, but I had it altered to fit more like a mermaid style. I am in love with my dress. It had everything I wanted. It was lace, had rhinestones, a train, and the little buttons all down the back. I felt like it was made for me when I tried it on! I'm usually indecisive, but from the moment I put it on I knew it was the one! It was only the second dress I had ever tried on, but I just knew that was MY dress.
Capturing the Moment
I have to say this is probably the most important part of a wedding day: finding someone to capture everything. People aren't kidding when they say it flies by! I feel like I barely remember anything! The whole day was a whirlwind, and emotions and adrenaline were running high. Fortunately, I had hired Staci Long, my photographer, and McComas Video Productions, my videographer, to capture everything. I particularly liked the idea of a video because they were able to get footage of things I didn't get to see the day of like Tyler getting ready and the guests arriving and enjoying the cocktail hour. Both Staci and the two gentlemen with McComas Video made sure they got footage of anything and everything. The videographers were there practically all day long, and I can't tell them how much I appreciate it! I've seen their work before because they did some of my sorority sisters' weddings, so I can't wait to see what they come up with for me! They have a variety of packages and add ons, and you get a short video with highlights that you can share on social media as well as a documentary style movie of the entire day. Staci also went above and beyond by coming to the rehearsal and wedding day to take pictures that I will cherish forever. I cannot wait to see the finished products from Staci and McComas Video!
Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue
As many of you know, I like to keep with tradition. I knew I wanted to have something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue on me as I walked down the aisle, and I also knew I wanted each of the items to have some sentimental value. I wanted to incorporate things that belong to my mom and two grandmas to honor them and show them how much they mean to me. I wore my mawmaw Ellen's wedding dress that she wore 52 years ago to my rehearsal dinner. It fit me perfectly, and it meant so much to me to be able to wear her beautiful dress. My something old was rhinestone butterflies on my boquet that were taken from my mom's wedding veil. They were such a beautiful touch to my flowers, and I loved having something on me that my mom wore when she walked down the aisle. Of course, my dress, shoes, and veil were all new. My JuJu let me borrow her gorgeous cocktail ring that she always wears. I wore it on my right hand during the ceremony, and it was the perfect piece of jewelry for my something borrowed on the big day. My something blue was a blue heart that was sewn into my wedding dress above my heart. The fabric was taken from Tyler's father's blue shirt. Tyler's dad passed away when he was younger, so I wanted to make him feel like his dad was there with us that day. Tyler's dad would be so proud of him and all of his accomplishments, and I know he was looking down on us that day smiling.
Sorry for the long post, but I wanted to document everything that went into making our special day magical for us. I plan on doing another post on the happenings of the day after I get pictures back from Staci! I thought our wedding day was perfect, and I had so much fun. Planning a wedding is something you can't really explain to someone that hasn't done it. When I was single, I would say how I wanted a huge, over-the-top wedding, but when it came right down to it, I just couldn't handle all the time, effort, and planning that went into it. Granted, I was trying to finish the didactic portion of pharmacy school and wedding plan at the same time, but even if I had all the free time in the world, it still would've been a daunting task. Would I do it all over again? No. Do I have any regrets? No. It is just one of those things. I know my sister saw all the stress it put on me, and I wouldn't do it again myself BUT I wouldn't change a thing about what I did. I will always have the wonderful memories from such a special and important day in my life. I am glad the stress is over, but I wouldn't trade the memories made on that day for anything! It isn't going to be easy no matter what kind of wedding you decide to have, but it will be worth it!
Love. Love. Love.
ReplyDeleteThank you! Finally I can post all about the wedding!! LOL
DeleteI enjoyed the pictures and sentiments concerning your beautiful wedding. What an awesome way to "document" the occasion and preserve your memories........
ReplyDelete