Real Nashville Wedding - Sarah & Brent’s Simply Elegant Wedding

Friday, January 8, 2010

Our first featured wedding of 2010 is one that epitomizes romance and fun all at once.

Thanks Sarah and Brent for letting me feature your wedding and to Phindy Studios for the fantastic pictures!

Our first featured wedding of 2010 is one that epitomizes romance and fun all at once.

Thanks Sarah and Brent for letting me feature your wedding and to Phindy Studios for the fantastic pictures!

(Photos courtesy of Phindy Studios)

Bride - Sarah

Groom - Brent

Ceremony & Reception location - Riverwood Mansion

Guests - 185

Wedding Style:

My wedding style
Timeless and elegant yet simple

My colors and why I choose them
Most of what we did was in shades of green and white.  We wanted to compliment the beautiful garden where we were married, which was lush and green in late August with subtle white accents.  The girls wore champagne and the boys wore navy suits.

Personal touches
Instead of table numbers, each table was assigned a song title.  We picked our favorite love songs as well as a few that would make the guests assigned to that table laugh.

We served Mexican popsicles from Las Paletas for dessert.  I’m not a huge fan of wedding cake (although we had a small one just for the photo opp) and Las Paletas are my absolute favorite!  Also, I knew we were taking a risk with the potential heat by getting married in Nashville in August.  What is better than a refreshing popsicle on a hot summer night in Nashville?!

Wedding wow factor
Our guests loved the photobooth. The photos kept getting funnier and funnier as the night went on.

Favors
We didn’t have typical favors, but the photoboth gave the guests two “photo strips” - one for the guest to keep/take home and one for them to put in our guest book with a note.

We actually put the favor budget toward serving sliders as a “snack” after dancing at the reception. Everyone had worked up an appetite!

Gifts for bridesmaids / Groomsmen
Bathrobes with their names embroidered on them for the bridesmaids and for the groomsmen meat trays/cutting boards with their initials carved in them.

Most special moment for me?
Our first dance was such a perfect moment! Getting all of our friends/family on the dance floor at one time was pretty fun as well.

My Wedding Vendors:
Photographers: Phindy Studios
Dress: Faccio Bridal (the dress was Rivini)
Bridesmaids dresses: Vineyard dresses that I bought at Bella Bridesmaids
Hair & Makeup: Erin Pruitt of Studio BBC
Flowers: East Garden
Ceremony Music: Nashville Chamber Players
Reception Band: Pat Patrick Showband
Photobooth: Photobooth Nashville
Desert: Las Paletas
Invitations: A family friend of my husband has her own company, Curly Girl Design
Programs: Custom-Programs.com
Hotel for out of town guests: Hilton downtown: We had a lot of guests from out of town so it was important for us to have a great hotel where we could host other “events.”

My faves - Highly recommend
Our photographers, Phindy Studios, were very easy to work with, fun and are amazing at what they do!

Hilton Downtown: we hosted a cocktail hour after rehearsal dinner to “welcome” guests the night before our wedding before our guests left as well as a Sunday brunch before our guests left. Everything went smoothly and our guests loved staying at the Hilton.

I loved working with Faccio as well. The ladies there are wonderful! They were very helpful with my dress and so much more.

My Wedding Rewind:

What I would do differently if planning again?
I would have delegated more and taken on less myself. I loved planning but it was a bit stressful.

Biggest waste of time or money?
Based on our contract with our ceremony/reception site, we were to use their catering company. This was nice because we did not have to shop around for a caterer, but, in the end, we were limited in our catering options and our ability to negotiate.

Best value for the service/product?
I bought a sample dress at Faccio. I would not have been able afforded the dress if I had not bought it at such a discount. And, the sample dress was in great condition!

Also, our photographers, Phindy Studios were amazing!

Neatest find
Our programs that doubled as fans: An outdoor ceremony in Nashville in August is asking for some hot guests. So, our programs were also fans to keep guests cool during the ceremony. I looked around at several fan types but only Custom-Programs.com had exactly what I was looking for. I was nervous about ordering programs online, but they turned out perfectly!

Advice for other Nashville brides?
I think every bride should make a promise to herself to, no matter what, enjoy every minute of her wedding day. So much time, effort, details and money goes into the day. Don’t let the stress, anxiety or little things that go wrong distract you from what you have been working so hard to do – enjoy it!

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A Frugal Nashville Bride Keeps the Focus on Family and Friends

Thursday, December 3, 2009

I met Monyanita at a bridal show this year.She was really excited about her wedding! Since she attended my alma mater, (Hume-Fogg High School here in Nashville) I wanted to stay in touch.

We kept in touch and she recently sent me her wedding pictures to share with other budget brides. Forget a budget bride, Monyanita admits to being a cheap bride...which is a very rare admittance. I thought I would feature it today to give other "cheap brides" some ideas to stretch that shoestring budget:).

My word of advice to brides on a budget is reduce your guest list and save/splurge only on what matters to you the most. That way, you can have the wedding of your dreams within your budget. I especially love her idea of college alumni reception tables.

That's my advice...keep reading for Monyanita's advice.

Bride - Monyanita Hockett

Groom - Michael Henry

Our wedding details - September 12th, 2009 3:30pm

Ceremony location - Lake Providence Missionary Baptist Church

Reception location - Gordon Jewish Community Center

Guests - 250+

Wedding Style:

My wedding style


I am very traditional so I would say my wedding was classic. I didn't want to do anything too contemporary because I want to be able to look at my pics in 20-30 years and still think my wedding was timeless. I don't want it to look dated.

My colors and why I choose them

My colors were plum and olive with champagne accents. I chose them because I just love the way green and purple complement one another and champagne goes with both of those as well.

My theme I am a very family oriented person, so I just wanted a big family/fun-filled day.

Personal touches

Sept 12, is also Michael's bday, so I surprised him with his own bday cake, separate from the wedding cakes. We went to "rival" colleges so we had what we called "alumni tables" at our reception. We also had a memorial table w/pictures of loved ones that had passed away. We wanted them to still be a part of the day too.
 

Wedding wow factor
I got so many compliments on the decorations and of all things my programs. They were very unique. Everyone also told me how much fun they had at the reception. Both my husband’s fraternity brothers and my sorority sisters sang to me, then we all “strolled” and “party hopped” and a lot of people enjoyed that!

Favors
Purple and green candles in votive holders w/personalized matches

Gifts for bridesmaids / Groomsmen
I purchased their jewelry for the day and silk jewelry rolls for them to pack their jewelry when they travel. For groomsmen, my then fiance ordered wall clocks with each of the groomsmen’s favorite football teams.

What I did for the kids in my wedding
I got my flower girls mini tiaras, their shoes and socks. I got my ring bearer, bible bearer, and crier hand held electronic games.

Most special moment for me?
I had been locked away in the bridal suite the whole time, so I hadn’t seen some of the decorations. When I finally came out and turned the corner, the first thing I saw was my mother and grandfather waiting to walk me down the aisle, Then I saw the memorial table and my great-grandparents and brother were smiling back at me. I miss them a lot and to see them on the table and know that they were “there” in spirit was very emotional for me.

My Wedding Vendors:

Wedding Directors - Vicki Jones- A Brownie Affair and Cheryl Williams
Videographer: AHA Video Productions
Floral Design & Decorations: Flowers by D
Bride’s Make-up: MAC Cool Springs
Bride’s Hair: Danielle Carter- Acts of Faith Hair Studio
Bride’s Dress: A Bride’s Storey
Groom’s Attire: Bridals and Formals by RJS
Attendants Attire: Bridals and Formal by RJS
Reception Entertainment: DJ C-Lo
Limousine Service: Niles Limo
Programs: JJ Graphics
Rings: Tiffany’s/Platinum Jewelers in Franklin

My faves
All of my vendors were great…and VERY personable.

My Wedding Rewind:

What I would do differently if planning again?
I would make sure I had a FULL understanding with my vendors. I had a small misunderstanding with my reception site. They had a few rules and customs that I wasn’t aware of because of the differences in our faiths. The JCC has a beautiful facility, and a nice big place to have a reception. Just make sure they explain the rules of the kitchen if you decide to use it.

Biggest waste of time or money?
Nothing… I was frugal….almost just plain cheap

Best value for the service/product?
Our cakes without a doubt. I didn’t want to spend $4 for a thin slice of cake so I really had to look around. Ms. Pat was VERY reasonable and nice to work with and not only were my cakes beautiful, they tasted great!!! My cake had three flavors (strawberry, French vanilla, and white chocolate) and the groom’s cake was a melt in your mouth dark chocolate cake with a whipped milk chocolate filing and covered in ganache. It was, for lack of better words, off the CHAIN!!

Neatest find
I got the jewelry for my bridesmaids at www.glamourgoddess.com. I really suggest this site. I also got my cake topper from EVENTistas which I found on www.etsy.com.

Advice for other Nashville brides?
You don’t have to spend a lot of money to make your wedding nice. Always look for the sale!! I used artificial flowers, which I went to purchase myself. I waited until Joanne’s, Michaels, and Hobby Lobby had their flowers on sale for 50% off. That saved me tons. After the wedding, we gave kept one of the alter arrangements, then gave the others away as gifts. I also got my favors on sale from Hobby Lobby and put them together myself with help from my matrons of honor, mother, and aunt. I also waited until the matches went on sale on weddingchannel.com they eventually got down to $16.99/100. Lastly, don’t be afraid to go outside of Nashville-area to find your vendors. My vendors came from all over TN (Springfield, Springhill, Memphis, Gallatin, etc) and it really saved us money.

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Posted by Ashley | Filed under: DIY & Budget Wed Finds, Real Nashville Weddings 0 comments »

The Color Purple, A Lovely Nashville Wedding at Nashville’s Union Station

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Today, I'm continuing my real wedding week, celebrating the love (and lovely weddings) of Nashville couples:). This wedding quickly caught my attention for two reasons: 1) the incredible photography and 2) the pretty purple - which I love!

Purple isnt an easy couple, you've got to know what you're doing or it can be too much.  This couple got it right!  It's breathtaking and elegant yet simple. I know you will LOVE this wedding that Phindy Studios featured on their blog last week...Just had to share it.

Featured Favorite Blog Phindy Studios, a Nashville-based Wedding Photography Company http://www.phindystudios.com/

I am so excited to share with you Andrew & Rose's wedding.  They were married this Fall at Union Station in a beautiful ceremony officiated by Andrew's grandfather.  He is a full blown Air Force Colonel, so for those of you who know us, that was pretty exciting, especially for Phil.  Andrew is currently serving in the army and it was very touching how that was incorporated into the day.  These are two very special & sweet people and we could not have been more honored to be apart of their day.  Rose, you are crazy talented (she made the majority of her jewelry & bridesmaid jewelry, added the details to the top of her dress, made her hair clip-pretty much put her touch on every detail!) and we look forward to seeing what you do in the future

I've highlighted some of my favorites from their wedding but visit the Phindy Studios Blog for more pics from this wedding and to see more amazing weddings they've photographed.

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Posted by Ashley | Filed under: Real Nashville Weddings 0 comments »

Real Nashville Wedding: Andrea and Mitch’s Traditional Parthenon Wedding

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

I know that this wedding is from last year ago but I wanted to share it to give you an idea of how a classic wedding...is always classic.  Plus, I absolutely love The Parthenon.

Special thanks to Weddings by Helen for allowing me to feature her lovely couple, Andrea and Mitch.

Bride - Andrea Homan

Groom - Mitch Davis

Our wedding details - July 12, 2008 6:00pm

Ceremony location - Brentwood Methodist Church

Reception location - Parthenon

Guests - 320

Wedding Style:

My wedding style Very traditional, as well as classy.  I wanted a large wedding.  I wanted it to be the wedding that everyone would remember.  The church had several stain glass windows and had a very elegant setting.  We had several candle operas at the front of the church along with a few large, colorful floral arrangements.  The place we had it...the Parthenon was a treat for out of town guests.  Even in town guests had never been there before.

My colors and why I choose them My favorite color is (barbie) pink.  It has been my favorite color since I was two.  I had to incorporate that color.  My bridesmaids wore pink. I also wanted my sister(maid of honor) to have a special part in my wedding, so I chose champagne for her.  I wanted her to be in a different color than my bridesmaids.  Every bridesmaid wore the same dress, but my maid of honor wore a different color.

Personal touches Holding everyone in the lower part of the Parthenon (museum) until Mitch and I arrived there.  We made an appearance at the front of the Parthenon.  The large doors were kept closed until we arrived.  I thought it was a great way to introduce the bride and groom.

Wedding wow factor Everyone loved the bridesmaid dresses and the soloists.  One of my friends sang Ava Maria and the Lords Prayer.  I had two other vocalists sing: the Prayer. Everyone loved that song.  It sent chills up everyone's spine. Favors We didn't do favors. Gifts for bridesmaids / Groomsmen The bridesmaids received a cotton bag with their initial on them, pearl earrings for the wedding, a Coach coin purse, Nail polish (so everyone had matching colors), a monogrammed beach towel, a scented candle, and flip flops(so they could be comfortable at the wedding reception). They groomsmen all got a men's monogrammed jewelry box. Most special moment for me? Our private moment at the church.  Since we saw each other before the wedding, we planned a private moment together before the ceremony.  It took the edge off before the ceremony and let me enjoy the experience a little bit more.

My Wedding Vendors: Planner: Helen Morisette Cake: Homestyle Bakery Cater: Chef Works Photography: Derrick Pierce Photography Invitations: Buchanan Ink Bridal Gown: The White Room (but Karen Hendrix added on some original pieces to make my gown different than anyone else. She is a wedding gown designer. She also designed my rehearsal dinner dress, a one-piece, corset, strapless, full A-line gown. The bodice features a fitted dropped waistline romantically embellished with an embroidered, beaded motif comprised of Swarovski crystals, bugle beads, seed beads, glass beads, and sequins. The skirt features royal embellishments detailing the caught up accents. The skirt back boasts caught up accents cascading into a bubble hem chapel train. Bridesmaid dresses: Watters and Watters Tuxes: American Tuxedo Rings: Mine - Merchandise Mart in Atlanta, His: Genesis Diamonds, Music: Max Headroom Florist: Terry White My faves I highly recommend my band, caterer and photographer

How I found my wedding vendors I went to the Nashville Bridal show to find my cake. My wedding planner (who was the biggest part of my wedding came from a recommendation from the Parthenon) was the best, most dependable, had the best ideas, and saved us the most amount of money. My photographer came from rec's from wedding planner ( loved him and his wife). They captured photos that no one else could ever get and I will have those memories forever. Florist (Terry White)- came from wedding planner. He was the best. He had wonderful and beautiful flowers and arrangements everywhere. I would recommend my wedding planner, florist, and photographer to anyone that wants a wedding that they will remember forever! My Wedding Rewind: What I would do differently if planning again? I wish I was a little more organized on my end. Best value for the service/product? My wedding planner. She took all of the stress off my mother and I. She was always there when we needed her. She had all of the connections, discounts, and always guided us in the right direction. We would recommend her to anyone who wanted the job done right the first time. Neatest find The "D" wedding cake topper. It was in diamonds and really added a personal touch to our wedding cake. Also, we had UT pom pom shakers at the wedding. Everyone was cheering for us as we left the reception. We are going to frame the picture in black and white and keep the UT shakers in orange and white. Since we both went to the University of Tennessee, we thought this would always be a picture we could have forever. Advice for other Nashville brides? Always hire a wedding planner to help plan your wedding. They handle most of the stress and let you enjoy the experience. Don't spend a lot of money on a cake. Mine tasted great, was beautiful, and was the least expensive. Hire a great band. This is who keeps the party alive and keeps the guests dancing. Have a private moment with each other before you walk down the aisle. It takes a lot of the stress off and is more relaxing experience.

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