Friday, May 18, 2012
We love featuring local Nashville weddings, but Reagan, TN is local enough and this wedding just shows the importance of finding vendors you love - wherever they are located. For Kyla and John's budget-friendly wedding, Picture This Nashville really brought the fun (all the way from Nashville) and made the day for them and their guests.
Thanks to Shannon Fulton Photography for sending us photos from the ceremony and reception. Other photos are from Picture This Nashville (as marked).
Kyla and John's Picture This Guestbook cover
Kyla + John
Wedding Date ~ October 8, 2011 at 6pm
Ceremony + Reception ~ Outside of a family friend's house in Reagan, TN
Guests ~ 200
Budget
$10,000
Wedding Team
Photo Booth | Picture This Nashville
Photographer | Shannon Fulton
Gown | Allure Bridal - diamond white, one shoulder, mermaid cut
Groom’s Attire + Groomsmen Attire | Chocolate Tux from Brasher's Tuxedo in Jackson, TN
Bridesmaids Attire | Sangria dresses from David's Bridal
Hair | Maria Fucci - Tips to Toes Nail and Hair Spa
Makeup | Rachel Stricklin
Stationery | The Print Shop, Parsons, TN
Ceremony Musicians | Chase Inman, Cord Laster, and Emily Baughn
Reception Musicians | DJ - Scotty Adams
Cake Artist | Liz Whitsitt and Lila's Cake Shoppe, Lexington, TN
Floral Designer | The Flower Basket, Parsons, TN
Tent Rental | Party Pros USA, Florence, AL
My Wedding Details
How would you describe your style as a couple?
Fun and energetic, up for anything!
How did you incorporate that style into your wedding?
We had a unity firework instead of candle or sand, and we had a big screen TV to play the Tennessee/Georgia game - go Vols!
Plus, the photo booth was so much fun! The guests loved it! And instead of birdseed or bubbles, we had biodegradable confetti poppers.
What was the favorite aspect of your wedding?
The location and gorgeous fall day, beside a pond and historic log cabins.
Where did you splurge? Where did you save/DIY?
We splurged on our photo booth (Picture This) and the tent rentals (Party Pros USA). We made it work because when I saw Picture This Nashville at a bridal show I knew right then I had to have them. It was new, innovative, and it was something original which is what I wanted my whole wedding to be. I wanted people to saw "wow I've never seen this before". The photo booth was perfect for our wedding!
We saved on our food - our families made all of the food and we saved on doing the centerpieces ourselves, we borrowed tables, and table linens from our church.
Bridesmaids goofing off with the props and looking through the Picture This Nashville photos, before taking their own.
Why did you decide to hire a photo booth for the reception and at the same time make it your biggest splurge?
I wanted our guest to feel like they had a part in the guestbook instead of just a signature. I wanted them to have fun and the props totally made it fun. And I wanted them to be able to take something with them to remind them us and how fun our wedding was, the prints did that.
It really added to the atmosphere at the reception. Our reception was meant to be fun and it really made it just that; it really added that extra spark that wow'd our guests. They completely loved it and are still talking about it.
Now that the wedding day is over, is there anything about your planning process you feel you could have done differently?
We would have hired a wedding planner! It was way too stressful doing it myself.
In one sentence, what words of advice do you have for couples in the midst of their planning?
Hire a planner, you can enjoy the planning if someone else is doing it.
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Posted by Megan |
Filed under: DIY & Budget Wed Finds, Photo Booth, Reception Entertainment, Photo Booths1 comment »
Friday, May 11, 2012
When Amy, lead planner of Swizzle Events, told us about this lovely, Tennessee wedding, she started her description with, "Laura Beth and Matthew are a sweet couple with a quintessential sense of style. When we began working on their wedding plans, Laura Beth shared that she wanted a timeless, Audrey Hepburn style combined with a fun nightclub environment. Challenging? Maybe. Fun? Definitely."
Amy and the bride, Laura Beth, really speak to the day's higlights! And of course, the photos from Erin at The Collection are a perfect complement to walk you through the style and design.
Laura Beth + Matthew
Wedding Date ~ June 25, 2011
Ceremony + Reception Venue ~ Manchester - Coffee County Conference Center
Guests ~ 200
Budget
$20,000 – 50,000
Wedding Team
Planner + Floral Designer | Amy Thomas with Swizzle Events
Photographer | Erin Lee from The Collection
Gown | Paloma Blanca from Arzelle’s in Nashville
Bride’s Accessories | Lemon quartz and diamond necklace received before ceremony as a present from groom; pearl bracelet from officiate/close family friend Judge Vanessa Jackson; earrings from Arzelle’s; wedding ring custom made by Giles Dunn
Men's Attire | Custom-fit black suit with black tie; wedding band from Hammer Jewelry in Collierville, TN
Bridesmaids Attire | Blue, one-shouldered cocktail dress by The Dessy Group
Hair | Courtney from Impressive Creations Salon in Tullahoma, TN
Makeup | Meredith Wiseman
Stationery | Mrs. Post Stationery in Memphis, TN
Cake Artist | Jay Qualls
Ceremony & Reception Musicians | Burning Las Vegas
Lighting | Nashville Event Lighting
My Wedding Details
How would you describe your style as a couple?
Matthew and I are traditional and classic, so we wanted a wedding that reflected our taste and style, but we also wanted to incorporate unique elements into the ceremony.
How did you incorporate that style into your wedding?
We chose a blank ballroom as our ceremony and reception site because we wanted a large, open space for our untraditional ceremony. We also knew that Amy (our wedding planner) was a creative event designer, so we wanted to give her space to showcase her talents. Our venue was a wonderful space for this project. We wanted a cocktail hour (technically, half hour) before the ceremony began. So, the guests arrived and received cocktails and passed appetizers. Then, we asked them to create a part in the ballroom, and I entered with my dad.
We had the ceremony with our amazing family and friends surrounding us. It was like being in an intimate fishbowl. We truly felt like everyone was taking part in our vows, and that is exactly what we wanted—we wanted our day to be about us, but we also wanted it to be about our family and friends because they mean so much to us.
As for the colors, we chose a blue color palate because I love blue and white china. My mom and I have been collecting pieces since I was a kid. We’ve found odd and end plates, cups, dishes, etc. in various places, so we have a lovely collection. I wanted to incorporate the pieces into our décor, so we asked Amy to find linens, lighting, and other design elements in every shade of blue to complement the china accent pieces. Every table had gorgeous white flowers and greenery surrounded by mine and my mother’s china collection. It was not only beautiful, it was special and sentimental because it was more than just rentals—these are pieces I now incorporate into my home with Matthew. Whenever I see them, I’m reminded of our beautiful, blue wedding.
What made you choose to do a dual approach to your wedding day with traditional vows and nightclub-esque reception?
Well, I’d say that our ceremony was non-traditional. My close family friend is a judge, and, since she became a judge, I wanted her to marry me (even before I found my groom!). Since it would be inappropriate for her to stand in a church and marry us, we had to think of alternate locations. We wanted tradition and classic elements, but we also wanted an intimate setting followed by a celebration. This wedding was a perfect combination. We had traditional elements, like a bridal party and traditional vows, but we also did it with people literally standing beside us.
Also, we thought of this day as a celebration of our love and commitment to one another, so we wanted our family and friends to have a good time. That’s where the nightclub-esque feel came into play. We didn’t want to cause discomfort from formality. We wanted our guests to feel at ease in a laid-back, fun setting complete with good food, great music, and wonderful company. It was great that no one had to drive to the reception. We said “I do” and the fun instantly began. It was a magical night.
How did Swizzle Events make your vision come to life? Did you enjoy working with Swizzle?
I loved working with Amy/Swizzle. She is a dream maker. She was patient, kind, creative, and positive. Our path to the wedding was not paved with perfection; there were bumps along the way. We changed venues, we changed concepts, we changed the ceremony. Amy listened to our thoughts, and made our ideas come to life. If something we suggested wasn’t practical, she told us, but she also told us ways to make it better. She took our thoughts and turned them into something better than what we expected—you can’t always say that about event planners. Amy did wonders with lighting, rentals, and linens. We had a blank ballroom that she turned into this amazing, swanky nightclub with tall cocktail tables, elegant floral designs, and sleek white lounge furniture. It took my breath away.
What was your (or your guests’) favorite aspect of your wedding?
We had several compliments on our unique ceremony. People kept telling us that they felt like they were a part of our vows. That touched me more than I thought it would when we initially designed the ceremony. I love that people felt like they were involved in that special moment. We also had a lot of positive comments about the band. People love to dance, and Burning Las Vegas is a ball!
Where did you splurge? Where did you save/DIY?
The band, Burning Las Vegas, was the best splurge we made! They are one rocking good time. Huge crowd hit! We had to scoot people off the dance floor so we could do our exit—no one wanted to leave. While we did not save on invitations, we did choose not to do thermography, which saved money without taking away from the beautiful print. We also decided not to do individual welcome bags. Instead, we reserved one room at the guests’ hotel and filled it with food, drinks, maps, itineraries, and other goodies. We called it our hospitality suite. It became more of a “hang out” room, though, which was a great place for mingling.
Also, we gave the bridesmaids a long, large calla lily tied with a blue ribbon and surrounded with some small greenery instead of giving them each small bouquets. They were beautiful and sleek and helped us stay within our flower budget.
Now that the wedding day is over, is there anything about your planning process you feel you could have done differently?
I wish I would have taken more pictures. It all goes by so quickly!
In one sentence, what words of advice do you have for couples in the midst of their planning?
Fun is the best thing to have.
From Amy of Swizzle Events:
"Our venue gaves us a blank slate that was transformed into a fusion of classic Southern beauty and contemporary club. Sleek white lounge furniture mixed with traditional table seating provided a supper club atmosphere that allowed plenty of room for dancing. And with Burning Las Vegas on the stage, everyone danced the night away! Using even the smallest details in the design plan, we deliberately blended the two styles - classic Southern blooms of blue hydrangea alongside sophisticated white orchids, chic linens and specialty lighting for the night club feel with a menu that highlighted southern delights. A clean, classic color palette of blue, white and green provided a common thread throughout the details.
Perhaps most importantly, Laura Beth and Matthew wanted their wedding day to be remembered as a fun celebration. By keeping the ceremony efficient and succinct, the reception became the focus of their wedding. To create the sophisticated party that they wanted, we spent a great deal of time planning the flow of the evening. The timeline was precise and involved an orchestration of many subtle details and cues from lighting to music to placement of the bridal party. As the guests arrived, they enjoyed cocktails and mingled with the bridal party and family. Thirty minutes into the cocktail hour, subtle lighting changes were executed and the bridal party smoothly took their places in the center of the room. As the band played 'Unforgettable', Laura Beth was escorted into the room and met Matthew as he waited surrounded by their bridal party, family and friends. Once Matthew was told to 'kiss his bride', the celebration kicked into high gear and cocktail hour transitioned into dinner and dancing, dancing, dancing!I was truly honored to share in the planning and coordination of their fun, sophisticated wedding celebration. Laura Beth and Matthew's wedding encompassed a fusion of two distinct styles that created a memory to last a lifetime.
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Posted by Megan |
Filed under: Unique Wedding Ideas, Wedding Planners & Coordinators0 comments »
Friday, May 4, 2012
A real wedding straight from the bride... Brittany actually contacted us herself before Regalo Design could even think to tell us about this beautiful wedding! Regalo acted as the event planners, floral designers, provided rentals, and saved the day when unexpected rain forced the ceremony indoors. Whether from the bride or the vendor, we are just happy to share this wedding with you.
Brittany and Brandon met at his parents house shortly after she moved to Nashville. His parents hosted guests at church for lunch and she attended. Brittany described why this chance meeting lead to a lifelong commitment: "We started spending a lot of time together after that and it didn't take us long to realize how much of an undeniable connection we had. We had so much fun together- we could laugh and talk about absolutely anything. No one had ever made me feel so unconditionally loved or cared about and our individual qualities made each other better." Their sweet love can be seen in their photos... Enjoy!
Brittany + Brandon
Wedding Date ~ September 4, 2011
Ceremony + Reception Venue ~ Schermerhorn Symphony Center
Guests ~ 250
Wedding Team
Planner, Florals, Decor + Rentals | Regalo Design
Photographer | Aubrey Joy Photography
Videographer | Catchlight Cinema
Wedding Gown + Bridesmaid Attire | The White Room
Bride’s Accessories | Vintage shoes, Swarovski crystal + freshwater pearl earrings from my mom, other jewelry from Etsy.com
Rings | Genesis Diamonds
Groom’s Attire + Groomsmen Attire | Street Tuxedo
Hair & Makeup | Marian Carden of Trade Secret, Green Hills Mall
Stationery | Invitations & Calligraphy - Anibella Ink + Paper
Caterer | Schermerhorn Symphony Center
Cake Artist | The Bake Shoppe
Ceremony + Reception Musicians | Nashville Jazz Orchestra
Vintage Furniture Rentals | Four Inch Fold
Transportation | Nashville Wedding Cars (1939 Packard)
My Wedding Details
How would you describe your style as a couple? How did you incorporate that style into your wedding?
I adore the elegance and class of the classic jazz era so I really had fun searching for a band with that sound, a getaway car, and little details that were reminiscent of that period.
The vintage furniture section of our reception was, by far, my favorite, in terms of décor. Mao Thao of FourInchFold vintage rentals did an amazing job styling it and I added old family wedding photos and set up our “Polaroid”-style guest book there. Our guests really enjoyed the personal touches.
I also followed wedding blogs to get a feel for what I really wanted because I wasn’t that girl who started planning her wedding at 5 years old. If I liked something, I tried to incorporate it, whether it was vintage or new, eclectic or traditional. I’m glad I did that. Trying to make each little thing fit into a certain theme is very restricting.
Although our “theme” was elegant and jazzy with some vintage touches, I threw in “Oh The Places You’ll Go” by Dr. Seuss as one of our ceremony readings because I read it and it was silly and exciting and I decided I wanted it read at our wedding! It should always be about what you love and what makes you happy.
Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue....
My something old was my grandmother’s pearl brooch pinned to my bouquet and the earrings from my mom were new. I borrowed my great great grandmother’s handkerchief - I carried just in case I got emotional during my vows…which was bound to happen since I can’t get through an episode of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition without crying my eyes out. And for something blue, I had vintage soft blue heels decorated with a flower shoe clip from Etsy.
My husband also had a “something old” from his mom. She doesn’t have any daughters so she took a piece of her wedding dress and stitched it to hold a small coin that was engraved with “With God, All Things Are Possible.”
What was your most memorable or favorite moment?
We were so glad we decided to do first glance pictures. It was the only part of the day that we had all to ourselves, and definitely one of the most special moments between us. Having him tell me how beautiful I looked and having a chance to talk about our morning was very calming before all of the people descended on us.
Our ceremony was supposed to be outside so the rain was heartbreaking. I had to readjust my vision for the day and it turned out to be possibly more beautiful than I had imagined and no one ever knew it was supposed to be outside. So many other little things weren’t quite right but I think I was the only one who really knew. When you’ve planned every tiny detail, it can be hard to look at the big picture but it’s worth it to just let it all go and enjoy the day.
Our first dance song was “Misty” by Sarah Vaughan. Misty is my favorite song and my dad is an amazing jazz musician and played the saxophone with the band as we danced. It was special to me because he claims he’s not much of a dancer so that was our father-daughter moment.
Where did you splurge? Where did you save/DIY?
We planned for 250 and decided a $25,000 budget, which we didn’t exactly achieve. But, we saved SO much money (like thousands!!) with Regalo Design. Everything we booked in their name was tax free and they are master negotiators! The most we saved was on the venue.
I splurged on the band because it was important to me to have live music and the vintage furniture rentals and décor that was set up in our reception space. It was well worth it because that little vintage section was my favorite part of all the décor.
I had high hopes of DIY-ing my accessories and table decorations but, as a medical student, there was just no way I could make that happen. I wanted to make my girls’ birdcage veils as well as my own. I wanted to learn calligraphy for our thank you sign to use for thank you post cards. None of this happened but I had a lot of fun browsing Ebay for the vintage items that I used as table decorations and Etsy for my accessories.
Now that the wedding day is over, is there anything about your planning process you feel you could have done differently?
The day of our wedding, it rained ALL day! So, all of the meticulous planning was kind of pointless. I wish I had been able to just relax more and not worry about the tiny details during the planning process and even on the actual day. I would advise any bride to just enjoy the process and the day and focus more on the love that you’ve found instead of miniscule details because you really have no idea how it will all turn out. And no matter how it turns out, it’s always beautiful because it’s your wedding day and you’re in love and celebrating and nothing else matters!
Thank you dearly to the couple for sharing their day with us!! We're so glad we could provide inspiration in your process and share the outcome! To see more photos of their wedding day, visit Aubrey Joy's blog. And if you are looking for your wedding to go smoothly, even in the face of setbacks or catastrophe, be sure to contact Regalo Design! They've proved their capable here, while their florals and design are just a stunning mirror of the day.
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Posted by Megan |
Filed under: Luxury Nashville Wedding Finds, Real Nashville Weddings, Wedding Planners & Coordinators0 comments »
Friday, April 13, 2012
Kevin and Leah are graduates of our 2011 Smart Bride Bootcamp, but you may recognize them from our 2012 camp. They returned this year to share what they learned while planning their Nashville wedding. If you missed the camp, you truly missed a treat. They were lively, entertaining and very honest about what they loved and learned through the process! I can't sufficiently recap all of their nuggets of wisdom, but here's what you definitely need to know...
Kevin and Leah hired a photographer whose work they fell in love with. While he was a good photographer, he wasn't a good wedding photographer (please know that there is a difference). The photographer lost images from their wedding so they were lucky to have a family friend, Claire Marie Photo, who also took photos that day AND they had hired a pro wedding videographer.
I am happy that Kevin and Leah were still willing to share their photos and their wedding day with us. With or without all of their photos, there is sweet love and a forever marriage for Kevin and Leah and that's all that matters in the end.
Leah + Kevin
Wedding Date ~ November 6, 2011
Ceremony Venue ~ Riverside Chapel SDA Church
Reception Venue ~ Mere Bulles
Guests ~ 275
My Budget
$10,000 - $20,000
My Wedding Team
Venue + Caterer | Mere Bulles
Planner | Dayna Jaye, a family friend
Photographer | Claire Marie Photo
Videographer | FullFrame Digital Cinema
Gown & Accessories | David’s Bridal, Etsy
Groom’s Attire / Groomsmen Attire | Ambassador’s Formal
Bridesmaids Attire | The Bridal Shoppe of Murfreesboro
Hair | Sarah Purcell, friend of the bride
Makeup | Shea Moore of MAC
Stationery | Invitations were designed by Octane Designs in Lexington, Ky.
Programs were designed by the couple and printed at Copy Express in Murfreesboro
Personalized thank you notes from Design in August (see them here: designinaugust.com/stationery-hello/).
Ceremony Musicians | Seth Costner, Rich Brinsfield, Troy Logan, Travis Logan, Raffeal Sears, Deaundrea Walker, Royce Mosley, Danelle Corbin - friends of the bride and groom
Reception Musicians | George Seay, groomsman (geetheblogger.tumblr.com)
Cake Artist | Cupcake Collection
Floral Designer | The bride had her bouquet designed by a family friend
Guest Accommodations | Hilton Suites Brentwood
My Wedding Details
How would you describe your style as a couple?
We'd describe our style as modern, sophisticated, simple, classy, modest and slightly quirky.
Bride heads down the elevator to the couple's first look as friends watch from above.
How did you incorporate that style into your wedding?
Though our budget and guest list may have occasionally had more influence than we'd like, we would often sit down and think of ways to turn lemons into lemonade. By that, we mean that we worked to ensure every element felt like "us."
Before the ceremony began, we played a video that we had created a year prior to announce our engagement on Facebook. While the bridal party waited for the ceremony to begin, we had a big UNO tournament where everyone played, even the bride in her dress! Then, we expressed our love for music by having what we jokingly call a "mini-concert" with five songs performed during the ceremony. Kevin sang his wedding vows in the form of an original song. Leah even convinced the entire wedding party to collectively sing "All You Need Is Love" by The Beatles.
As for decor, we wanted the atmosphere to reflect the simplicity of the fall season with lanterns with lighted candles lining the center aisle. The flower girl tossed leaves instead of flowers.
What was the favorite aspect of your wedding?
Our wedding day was truly a day of love, family and friendship. Though there were some stressful moments leading up to the wedding day, we would not have replaced any of it for the world! We had a large bridal party – 10 bridesmaids and 10 groomsmen – and it was so great to see our friends establish lasting friendships among themselves outside of our relationships with them. Being surrounded by all of the love was definitely our favorite part of our wedding day.
Where did you splurge? Where did you save/DIY?
Our biggest splurge was our videography and our “after party,” or second reception at Mere Bulles. Before getting engaged, Leah knew that she wanted to work with Full Frame Cinema and we adjusted our budget to accommodate her wishes. And we’re so glad we did! They were everything and more that we could ever hope for in a vendor.
As far as the second reception, we knew that we were going to have a large number at the ceremony and we wanted something a bit more intimate for our bridal party and family members. We had a dessert reception at the church immediately following the ceremony for all the wedding attendees. Later, we hosted an invite-only "after party" at Mere Bulles in Brentwood, where we were able to relax, eat, dance, and spend quality time with our closest friends and family.
We saved by enlisting the help of family and friends whenever possible and appropriate. For example, Kevin's aunt is a talented artist and seamstress. She hand-made all our boutonnieres and corsages. She also contributed to several of our other ideas for decor. Other family members and friends helped us decorate the venue. A close family friend even offered to help coordinate our wedding, and it was one of the most valuable gifts we received.
Now that the wedding day is over, is there anything about your planning process you feel you could have done differently?
We would have got our coordinator involved earlier in the process, compensated more of our volunteers for the sake of increased accountability and secured references on vendors of high-ticket services. Regarding the vendors, it would've been more useful to discuss the experience of working with someone outside of only the wedding day.
In one sentence, what words of advice do you have for couples in the midst of their planning?
Pay for the aspects you consider to be priorities (i.e.. photography, videography, decor, etc.), and leave DIY projects and assistance from volunteers to details you consider flexible and less vital.
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Posted by Megan |
Filed under: Real Nashville Weddings1 comment »
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
It's a fact, Crumb de la Crumb provides delectable culinary artistry. If you aren't familar with their wedding cake designs and are still searching for your perfect wedding cake, make sure that you put Crumb de la Crumb on your top list of contenders. Not only are their cakes beautiful, but they have the experience of working with brides... and celebrities! That's right, think Taylor Swift, Lady Antebellum, and more.
Check out some of our favorite photos of their work and see for yourself!
Simple can still be gorgeous and impressive!
You can think outside of the fondant box and still get a cake that all of your guests will talk about!
Photo: Jonathon Campbell Photography
Modern or classic, they can do it all!
Crumb de la Crumb offers all of the standard cake flavors: vanilla, chocolate, marble, red velvet. But, they take their cakes to the next level with their Infusions! You can choose from cream of coconut to dulce de leche, lemon, pina colada, southern peach, and so much more. But that's just the start.... They also offer Top Shelf filling flavors which they can create from your favorite liqueur or choose from some of their options such as American honey, Bailey's Irish Cream, or vanilla rum.
But wait, there's more! Add extra personality to the standard cake flavor options with a filling! Mocha truffle, banana cream, cannoli, blueberry, peanut butter - just to name a few. To top it all off, their cakes are made from all natural ingredients - yum!
Photo: Mahalo Photography
Their cakes can be fun too! Which would be great for a bridal shower, grooms cake, or engagement party cake!
Photo right: Jonathon Campbell Photography
Contact Crumb de la Crumb for a tasting and let them know that you heard of them on AshleysBrideGuide. And enjoy the tasty treat!
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Posted by Megan |
Filed under: Cakes & Food1 comment »
