Friday, December 16, 2011
With the temperatures rapidly falling, we thought we'd share a wedding that will warm you up a little - both from how joyful the day was and from the gorgeous pictures taken by Lotus Blossom Photography at Cajun Lake Lodge. The venue really provides a beautiful backdrop to a wedding and its sprawling grounds make for a great venue where festivities can take place both inside and out. We hope you enjoy today's real wedding feature!
Garrett + Whitney
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Ceremony Venue ~ Cajun Lake Lodge
Reception Venue ~ Cajun Lake Lodge “Bon Ton Pavilion”
Guests ~125
Budget: $10,000
Did you end up over or under budget?
We ended up going a little over budget with last minute details that we hadn’t really planned for.
Were there any items/services that were gifted/discounted? How did you find those deals?
Yes, we got a discount on our photography for mentioning Ashley’s Bride Guide. Also, the lady who did my flowers gave us a great deal.
Wedding Team
Photographer | Lotus Blossom Photography
Bridal gown & accessories | Petals & Lace
Groom’s tux/suit | JoS. A. Bank of Green Hills
Bridesmaids dresses | Bridal Warehouse
Groomsmen suits | JoS. A. Bank
Hair | House of Style
Makeup | House of Style
Stationery | David’s Bridal
Officiant | Robert Wetterau
Transportation | We left in our own vehicle, but Cajun Lake shuttled us around the venue in one of their “Electric Cars” or golf carts. They also shuttled any guests that had trouble getting from the ceremony to the reception.
Caterer | Sandra’s Catering of Kingston Springs
Baker | Billie Mochow
Florist | Regina Bullion
DJ | Jamie Sellers
Guest Accommodations | All of our guests were local, however, Cajun Lake had space available if anyone needed it.
The Wedding
How would you describe your style as a couple?
I guess I would say we are kind of classic and timeless and dress it up in the details.
How did you incorporate that style into your wedding
We loved the venue because it offered everything we love (nature trails, a creek, lakes, fishing). It was just a naturally beautiful place, so I was able to dress it up with just a few personal details and decorations. I wanted to capture a timeless romantic feel at the reception, so since it was an evening wedding I added lots of candles to all of the tables. I attempted to add a vintage/chic touch by adding a white wash to signs and picture frames, as well as roughing everything up with sand paper so that it looked old and worn.
We chose the colors just based on some of our favorite colors. I am attracted to pretty neutral colors, which is why I chose the chocolate brown and then we chose the turquoise just to add little pops of color. The great part is that all the details I added to our wedding worked well in our house as well. Cajun Lake was so wonderful in the fact that for the ceremony we hardly had to add any decorations at all. The ceremony overlooked a gorgeous lake so there wasn’t really any need for lots of flowers and decorations. We just added a couple of lanterns and a cute table for our sand ceremony and that was really all that was needed. The overall theme we tried to go with was southern, romantic, vintage chic.
Now that the wedding day is over, is there anything about your planning process you feel you could have done differently?
No, everything about our wedding day turned out perfectly.
In one sentence, what words of advice do you have for couples in the midst of their planning?
Just relax, enjoy the process, and take everything in.
Thank you to Amber Vongsamphanh of Lotus Blossom Photography for sharing the beautiful pictures from the wedding day. It looked like such a tranquil, intimate event. For more images from the wedding visit the Lotus Blossom Photography blog.
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Posted by Tabitha |
Filed under: Real Nashville Weddings
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Monday, December 5, 2011
First, we featured their amazing engagement shoot by Ace Photography, and now we bring you the "I Do's" of Miranda and Grant. If you don't remember the first post - Grant propsed to Miranda three times before she said yes! Each time was equally romantic and sweet....but Miranda knew that the timing had to be right. And their wedding photos show that the time was definitely right! These two couldn't be more in love and happy together. Their love and style eminate in their wedding day, with a strong mix of eclectic flair in their intimate, downtown Franklin ceremony.
Ace Photography was the first vendor that Miranda and Grant chose, and from the engagement photos to capturing their wedding day, they definitely picked the right fit!
Miranda + Grant
Wedding Date ~ May 14, 2011
Ceremony & Reception ~ CJ’s Off The Square
Guests ~ 61
Wedding Team
Stationery - Design + Invite | Southall Eden Paperie
Stationery - Programs | Williamson County Weddings and Events
Gown & Sash | Blue by Enzoani
Bride's Jewelry | Sorrelli
Bride's & Groom's Shoes | TOMS
Groom’s Suit | Topman
Groom's Vest & Shirt | Express
Groom's Bow Tie | Otis James
Bridesmaids/Groomsmen outfits
Matron of Honor Dress | Watters & Watters - Wtoo Collection
Honorary Bridesmaids | They were asked to wear a black dress of their choosing
Best Man's Attire | Vest- Express, Necktie- Forever21, all else was requested by color from his closet
Honorary Groomsmen | Necktie- Express, everything else was requested by color from their closets
Hair & Makeup | Amy Lynn Larwig, reviews
Officiant | Bride’s father- Robert Ward Jr.
Ceremony musicians | Bride’s cousin- Andrew Smith
Transportation | Tandem Bicycle
Caterer | A Catered Affair, reviews
Baker | The Bake Shoppe, reviews
Florist | The Enchanted Florist, reviews
Specialty drinks | ‘My Jones’ Jones Soda
Photographer & Videographer | Ace Photography, reviews
Reception Musicians | Notable Occasions
How would you describe your style as a couple?
Eclectic
How did you incorporate that style into your wedding?
Our overall theme was to bring the inside out, with vintage heirlooms/furniture, silhouettes, and mismatched textures.
What was the favorite aspect of your wedding?
How extensively involved our family was throughout the day... The ceremony began with my father, Robert Ward Jr., walking me down the aisle to be received by my eldest brother, Robert Ward III. The crowd was in tears until my brother lightened the mood by quoting, in full character, the priest’s excerpt from the movie, “The Princess Bride”. After my father gave his blessing, he then took the role of officiant. My mother, Yvonne Ward, read beautifully written personal remarks that had me sentimentally weeping.
During the lighting of the unity candle, my cousin, Andrew Smith, performed an impressive rendition of Elijah Wyman’s song, “Firm Foundation”, on acoustic guitar. Before we were pronounced man and wife, the countdown began with The Flaming Lips’ song, “Do You Realize?” as the garden bell tolled. One of the most special elements of the reception, was the interlude to the father/daughter dance. I played a track of a recording I had made for my father as a young girl called, “I Want To Marry Daddy When I Grow Up”.
Where did you splurge?
Photography and venue
Where did you save/DIY?
Bridal party attire, favors, and officiant
Now that the wedding day is over, is there anything about your planning process you feel you could have done differently?
No, CJ’s Off The Square’s dedicated staff made the planning experience enjoyable and kept us on track every step of the way. (Which is saying a lot due to the fact we planned our wedding in only five months.) Hiring them exceeded our expectations because they served not only as a venue but our professional wedding planners.
In one sentence, what words of advice do you have for couples in the midst of their planning?
Bride’s advice: I recommend keeping your wedding intimate; it gives you more time to focus on what’s important- your groom/bride, your love, and your day, instead of having to entertain and mingle.
Groom’s advice: Enjoy the time planning with your significant other as much as possible, because when it’s over, you’ll never have that experience again.
Thanks for sharing your wedding with us! We love the flair and intimacy of your entire day!
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Posted by Megan |
Filed under: Real Nashville Weddings
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Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Since we are in the South, we of course love plantation weddings! So when Mere Bulles brought Jayna and David's wedding to us, we were just a bit excited! Why? Because we also love the new trend of having food trucks at weddings! (and we wished we could have been there - Mere Bulles is yum!) This is a perfect example of Old South meeting modern trends - you really can mix the two. Whether you choose, as Jayna did, to have the food truck act as your typical caterer, or have a selection of trucks serve your guests from their windows, this a trend we are seeing increase in popularity. We love the variety you can choose from and the fact that you have fresh, hot food cooked on the spot - but it's a huge step away from the hotel conference room food!
The other fun twist on Jayna's wedding - she's a wedding planner and did some extreme DIY work to complete her Old South meets modern garden wedding. Jeremy Binns did a great job in capturing all of the details from the night. Enjoy!!
Jayna + David
Wedding Date ~ June 11, 2011
Ceremony & Reception ~ Carnton Plantation
Guests ~ 300
Budget
$30,000 - $50,000
Wedding Team
Planner | Jayna Goedecke Designs
Photographer | Jeremy Binns Photography
Videographer | Cesar Cisneros (ambientpictures.com)
Gown & Accessories | David’s Bridal
Groom’s Attire & Groomsmen Attire | Men’s Warehouse
Bridesmaids Attire | David’s Bridal
Hair | Ryan Simpson
Makeup | I did it myself!
Stationery | Jayna Goedecke Designs
Ceremony Musicians | Family and my sorority sisters
Reception Musicians | Tumbleweed Band
Caterer | Mere Bulles Food Truck
Cake Artist | French Confection
Floral Designer | Jayna Goedecke Designs
Guest Accommodations | Hilton Suites in Brentwood
My Wedding Details
How would you describe your style as a couple?
I would describe our wedding as Simple Southern Garden and DIY. Personal touches were key for our day!
How did you incorporate that style into your wedding?
The color scheme that we chose was mostly due to the fact that we are both huge Alabama fans and red is my favorite color! We got married at Carnton Plantation in Franklin. The ceremony was held in their one-acre 1847 restored garden under a magnificent 150 year-old Osage Orange Tree. The minute that we visited Carnton Plantation, we knew it was the perfect place, the beautiful gardens and Orange tree were the perfect background for our southern garden theme. The centerpieces (lanterns with flowers) brought the garden theme into the reception. And all the personal touches truly made the event reflect who we are as a couple.
What was the favorite aspect of your wedding?
The fact that everything at the wedding reflected who we are as individuals and as a couple and how everyone was joined together! It was so great to spend our day with our close family and friends.
Where did you splurge? Where did you save/DIY?
I would say that the place that I splurged the most was in rentals. I have been to many weddings where the couple saved on rentals by renting the cheaper things, and it shows. So I went with the padded chairs, the real wood bar, two tents, and fans. Going with the nicer rentals really made a difference.
The rest of the wedding was DIY. I designed the whole wedding down to the flower girls headband. My grandmother (Nonnie) handmade many items in the wedding, which was very special to me. She handmade the flower girl basket, ring bearer pillow, flower girl headband, embellishment and flower that went around each of our 200 invitations, a tablecloth that was placed on the “In Memory” table which showed pictures of my passed grandfather and David’s passed grandfather, a table runner that was placed on the "Welcome" table, and my Alabama garter! All of her special touches truly made our day perfect!
I designed our stationery - invitations and programs. I also created the ceremony and reception décor, including our centerpieces; our welcome baskets. And I did all of the florist work for our bouquets and boutonnières (including my bridal bouquet).
I wrapped one of my grandfather's (whom was my father figure my whole life) monogrammed handkerchiefs around the base of my bouquet so that he was holding my hand every time I was holding my bouquet. Being able to combine all of our ideas and design them myself made our day exactly what we wanted.
What made you chose a food truck over your traditional caterer?
For the fact that the food was being cooked right then instead of being cooked earlier and then heated up. The food was so fresh.
Do you think that your guests enjoyed the food truck experience?
They loved it! I am still getting comments on the food. By having the truck, the food was so fresh and delicious! We had a salad bar (which was a hit), 2 meats, and 2 vegetables. Most guests went back for seconds!
Now that the wedding day is over, is there anything about your planning process you feel you could have done differently?
I think everything went great! There is nothing that I would have changed about the process.
In one sentence, what words of advice do you have for couples in the midst of their planning?
Don’t forget that the purpose of having this event is to marry the love of your life, so don’t sweat the small stuff!
Thanks to Mere Bulles for telling us about Jayna's wedding!! And thanks to Jayna and David for sharing your special day with us! If you're interested in having the Mere Bulles Food Truck at your wedding, contact them today and be sure to mention that you found them on ABG!
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Posted by Megan |
Filed under: Real Nashville Weddings
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Friday, November 25, 2011
We hope you're having a relaxing Thanksgiving weekend and that Black Friday hasn't been too frenzied. If you're shopping around for ideas and inspiration you've come to the right place. Today's real wedding is from Regalo Design - featuring a gorgeous wedding at the Governor's Club in Brentwood, TN. The bride and groom, Brittney and Zach, were planning their big day from Knoxville so the bride's mother put Regalo Design to the task of planning it from start to finish, and the end result? A perfect, worry-free day, with lots of joy.
From Regalo Design: "Brittney and Zach were married on June 4 at The Governors Club in Brentwood, Tennessee. Regalo Design provided full service planning, flowers and decor to create a beautiful day for for bride and groom. Here are some pictures from the big day!"
From the Mother of the Bride: “We hired Sarah and Regalo Design when we realized it was getting too stressful for my daughter in Knoxville and planning a wedding in Nashville. The stress disappeared the moment that we met and hired her, which was worth every penny. So great to work with. So very professional yet sooooo much fun to work with. The attention to detail was perfect. She met and exceeded our every expectation. I wish we had another wedding to plan just so we could work together again. I recommend her for every girl's perfect day.”
For more pictures from this beautiful wedding visit Regalo Design's blog here. Thanks to Jonathon Campbell Photography for the pictures.
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Posted by Tabitha |
Filed under: Real Nashville Weddings, Wedding Planners & Coordinators
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Monday, October 17, 2011
Fall is in here. The air is crisper and the leaves are changing. To welcome the change in season, Emily from Simply Yours Weddings has shared with us the wedding she coordinated for Rachel and Eric. This romantic, southern wedding was planned in just 11 weeks (you read that right!)! Not only are we impressed by Emily's skill, which is shown in the photos by Matt Andrews Photography, but we love the colors and overall Fall-ness!! How fun to have the "flower girl" through leaves! And take photos in golden leaves... Well, we hope you enjoy it as much as we have!
Rachel + Eric
Wedding ~ Sunday, November 14, 2010
Ceremony + Reception ~ Travellers Rest Plantation
Guest ~ 220
About the couple:
Eric and Rachel are two of the sweetest, funniest, and most warm and loving people. It makes sense for them to get married in the Fall when all of creation is bursting at the seams with color and life. I think something that stands out to me about both Eric and Rachel is how much family means to both of them. They're incredibly loyal and they worked so hard to make sure everyone that mattered to them felt a part of their beautiful day. Their wedding was so romantic and joyful, just like them!
Their theme:
It was all things Fall! They loved the look of lovely southern romance you find at Travellers Rest and the beauty that surrounds you from the minute you set foot on the property. The beautiful, but massive tree where their ceremony took place provided the perfect altar and the simple but inviting atmosphere of the barn made for a great spot to dance, eat Two Fat Men's wonderful food and top it off with some hot cider. Even with the brisk touch of Fall's coolness in the air, every part of the day was bursting with color and joy and warmth.
What details were used to enhance the theme?
Like I said, Eric and Rachel are such incredibly warm and loving people. Their colors spoke so true of that. The bright tangerine colored bridesmaids dresses and the smooth semi-chocolate suits for the groomsmen were the perfect blend of fun but also a beautiful pallet to play off of. These are some of my favorite flowers that I've ever seen Hillary from Brocade Designs create for a fall wedding because the textures and colors just flowed so perfectly with the wedding party's look. And the flowers were peppered there, in the most intentionally sporadic ways, through the ceremony and into the reception.
We were totally surrounded by color in the trees and all over the grounds. Everywhere there were yellows, greens, oranges. So in our scheme, other than the girl's dresses, we tried to keep it really neutral and soft. But not boring. Eric and Rachel are anything but boring!
Describe any highlights/special moments of the wedding day:
I'm not gonna lie... its kind of a selfish moment.
I had the privilege of getting to know Rachel and her family when I was working on her older sister's wedding in 2008. So, when Rachel got engaged, her sister, Holly, called and said “we're not doing anything until we meet with you!” Both of Rachel and Eric's families had a lot going on: graduations, moving, babies on the way (Holly was preggo!) holidays were coming... they were really interested in getting married before all of the chaos got started.
So, when we met on August 30th, we started working our butts off and 11 weeks later, I was standing at the reception, watching them have their first dance. Their Mom, Mary Kay, looked at me and put her arm around me and said “Well, we did it again.” That moment... still brings tears to my eyes. Their day was so beautiful thanks to the fantastic vendor team who worked so hard, and both of their families were radiant with joy. It all coming together... that's my selfish highlight =)
Side note: I do not recommend planning an entire wedding in less than 80 days to anyone unless you are willing to work so hard and fast and are surrounded by support. This entire family was so flexible, intentional, honest, and constant troopers.
Wedding Team
Planner/Coordinator | Emily Humphries of Simply Yours Weddings
Photographer | Matt Andrews Photography
Cake | The Bake Shoppe
Caterer | Two Fat Men Catering
Florist | Hillary Yeager of Brocade Designs
Gown | Bridal Warehouse in Goodletsville
Groom's Suit | Purchased from JCPenney (seriously!)
Bridesmaids attire | David's Bridal
Groomsman attire | Purchased from JCPenney
Music | Friends of the family performed at both the ceremony and reception
Lighting | Nashville Audio Visual
Rentals | Liberty Party Rentals
Stationary | Designs in Paper
Videographers | First Image Films (out of Cincinnati)
Congrats again to Rachel and Eric who are about to celebrate their anniversary! And many thanks to the couple and to Emily for sharing such a gorgeous wedding with us! If you are just as impressed and want Emily to plan your wedding, make sure to mention ABG when you book with her to receive complimentary rehearsal dinner planning by Simply Yours Weddings!
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Posted by Megan |
Filed under: Real Nashville Weddings
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