Wednesday, August 24, 2016
Fighting the crowds on any given night in downtown Nashville is an experience in itself. But doing it on a Friday night for your engagement photo session, is quite the feat! And that's exactly what Shanna + Zachary did with their photographer Jon Riendl Photography. Capturing the shots from the pedestrian bridge, to Broadway, the couple was not afraid to show their affection for the city and for each other! Since Zachary himself is a musician, the focus on Music City was a must! Check out their fun and flirty downtown Nashville engagement session:
Shanna Bas + Zachary Ballard
Proposal Date | December 25, 2015
Wedding Date | April 8, 2017
How did you get engaged? Tell us about your proposal:
Shanna: Zachary proposed to me on Christmas morning. We had spent Christmas Eve night over at his parents' house in the bedroom that Zachary grew up in. We were still in our Christmas PJs, getting ready to go open gifts with his family. Before we went downstairs, Zachary said he wanted to give me something privately. He got down on one knee & popped the question! It was a sweet, private moment & we were then able to spend the rest of Christmas Day & the week ahead celebrating together & with family.
How many guests are you expecting?
Shanna: Approximately 150... have not finalized the guest list yet!
Who have you hired for your wedding team so far?
Shanna: - Jon Reindl Photography, a friend/bridesmaid of Shanna's is baking the cake (Chelsea Mason), A friend of Shanna's is doing the girls' makeup (Jessica Reutzel, Mary Kay), A friend of Zachary's is DJing (Todd Hackett). That's about it so far! We are having lots of help from friends & family. Still working on the caterer & some other details.
What’s your wedding style?
Shanna: Vintage, simple, romantic
What’s your most fun purchase/hire to date?
Shanna: The dress was of course a lot of fun to pick out! (USA Bridal). All the decor has also been a lot of fun to pick out as well. There will be a lot of DIY! We have lots of creative people in the family.
What aspect of being engaged has surprised you the most?
Shanna: We have been totally, 100% comfortable with each other. I, personally, don't feel the same insecurities as I did when we were just dating... I feel more at ease & like I can totally be myself without judgement.
What have you most enjoyed about being engaged?
Shanna: Getting to know each other on a deeper level & having that total commitment & relationship security. There's nothing better than planning for the future with your partner & knowing that they want the same things as you.
Tell us about your engagement session. Where did it take place?
Shanna: Our engagement session was done by Jon Reindl Photography. We took photos all around downtown Nashville, TN. We started at the riverfront park by the Cumberland River & got some fun, casual shots. Then we changed outfits into a more "going out" style & walked around the streets downtown among all the people. It was a busy Friday evening so it was kind of funny stopping to pose in front of everyone. Someone even yelled out to us "Get a room!" We ended the session on the Pedestrian Bridge at sunset, overlooking the Nashville skyline. We had a blast.
What’s the significance of the location(s)?
Shanna: Nashville is Music City. Zachary is a professional musician (drummer of the Jasmine Cain band). We just thought it'd be fun to utilize the lights & styles of the Music City. There were also tons of great options to use, from the waterfront park to the bridge to the great architecture to the street signs. Not to mention we met in Nashville as well.
What was it like working with your photographer?
Shanna: Jon Reindl was very professional & creative! He took the time to really get to know us & he got tons of shots. We were excited to hire him to cover the wedding as well.
What did you like most about the session?
Shanna: I loved that we could be ourselves. Jon gave us some tips & tricks as far as posing but totally allowed our personalities to shine. We laughed through a lot of it & those were some of our best shots!
Would you recommend the photographer and why?
Shanna: I would absolutely recommend Jon Reindl. He gave us lots of options & we just really enjoyed working together. We can't wait to see the how the wedding photos turn out!
Thank you Jon, Shanna + Zachary for giving us a glimpse into this engagement session!
You can check out more of Jon's work on Amy + Josh's Cheekwood engagement session!
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Posted by Alyssa |
Filed under: Engagements & Proposals,
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Tuesday, August 23, 2016
The Summer Olympics are in full swing! And although I'm not that into sports, the Olympics are my jam. It's crazy to see how each athlete gets a few minutes to perform their best after 4 years of training... the excitement is so overwhelming! So I've been inspired to put together an Olympics wedding inspiration post for you today. But there's a twist - I'm taking it back to where it all began... in Ancient Greece! From gold to olive leaves to the simply elegant gown draping, I'm bringing you the gold metal best in Greecian-inspired weddings!
1) Go for the gold with bold leaf wedding shoes! Playful shoes underneath your long draped gown is always a first place win in my book. Olive leaves draped along the bride and groom's chairs symbolizing togetherness and peace is a great way to add an Olympic touch to your wedding. Top your chiavari chairs off with ivory draping to capture the Greek Goddess inspiration.
Photos by Aaron and Jillian Photography +
2) Accents of gold and ivory are sure to bring out the Mediterranean theme! A gold leaf embellishment outlining your initials on your wedding cake alongside braided accents are victories in this Greecian look.
Photo by Xanny Bakes
3) Watercolor olive branch table numbers sitting atop a wine cork brings the Greek to your guest tables. Natural elements with leaves and soft draped linen are key!
Photo by Noony Art
4) A bronze filligree hairpiece with soft and loose tucked hair is a must. And we're LOVING the idea of having your flower girl sprinkle olive leaves along the aisle instead of rose petals!
Photos by Amy Fanton Photography + Hello Moment
5) Ruched and draped bridesmaid dresses in cool Santorini blues are perfect to keep the Olympic spirit! Simple Greek words and phrases spelled out on each place setting or on your menu cards are fun ways to give your guests a conversation piece during your wedding.
Photo by Jessie Holloway Photography
Loving our take on the Greek Olympic wedding? Then you'll definitley want to take a look at this Nashville-based Greek-inspired photo shoot at Bloomsbury Farm!
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Posted by Alyssa |
Filed under: Inspiration & Trends,
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Monday, August 22, 2016
Brides - if you're looking to add more wedding professionals to your #weddingteam, then attending the Here Come the Brides Bridal Show at the end of September is the answer! With dozens of Nashville area wedding professionals, Here Come the Brides will give you an opportunity to have face to face interviews with Nashville's best. From cake tastings to fashion shows, Here Come the Brides prides themselves on being the fun show in town. With audience participation in Bride Wars games, free weekender totes for the first 100 brides and over $20,000 in giveaways, you won't want to miss it!
Here Come The Brides
Embassy Suites Cool Springs
Sunday, September 26th
1pm-5pm
Make sure you register for the show here! And follow them on Facebook for the latest scoop!
Be sure to check out our Events tab for more upcoming bridal shows, open houses and more!
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Posted by Alyssa |
Filed under: Bridal Shows & Events,
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Friday, August 19, 2016
Today we have a VERY special real wedding... and I say this because it's one of ABG's long-time contributors, Shab's wedding! Many of you may know her from reading her posts - she's offered up some great advice on planning your wedding. Needless to say, she knows the Nashville wedding business like the back of her hand. And this is how she kept her budget in check! We're loving the world and travel theme - mixing Persian and American traditions with their love of nature gave guests an experience like no other. So from the bottom of our hearts, congrats to Shab on a very beautiful wedding - we wish you the very best!
Shabnam Etemadi + Alan Brady
March 20, 2016
The Lodge
200 Guests
Budget | $10,000 - $20,000
Wedding Team
Venue | The Lodge
Day of Coordination | Lottie Brady of Just Lottie’s Weddings
Photographer + Videographer | Bear Wallow Film Co.
Gown | Oleg Cassini
Bride’s Accessories | French Cathedral Veil for Ceremony and Turkish Hair Jewelry for Reception.
Earrings were my something old from my childhood in Iran, Bracelet from my husband that was his grandmother’s--my something borrowed.
The theme for jewelry for the wedding was all Persian Gold.
Men’s Attire | Men’s Wearhouse
Bridesmaids’ Attire | David’s Bridal, Vera Wang
Hair + Makeup | Unique Johnson
Stationery + Invitations | Developed by Bear Wallow Film Co., Printed by Midtown Printing
Calligraphy | Amore Hand Lettering
Program Design | YourLifeStoryDesign on Etsy
Caterer | CJ’s Restaurant & Catering
Cake Artist | Constance Grant
Groom’s Cake | Homestyle Bakery
Floral Designer | Margaret Flowers
Bridal Bouquet | Emma’s Flowers & Gifts
DJ + Photo Booth | F.A.D.D.S. Entertainment
Guest Accommodations | Hampton Inn Suites
How would you describe your style as a couple?
Shabnam: Our style is God, Family, & Travel. We knew we would have a huge wedding because we have a lot of family and friends that are pretty much family. We simply wanted to have a beautiful, but fun wedding, our Big FAT Persian-American wedding.
Where did you get your inspiration?
Shabnam: Our inspiration for style, décor, and colors for our wedding were our personalities mixed with both of our cultures. We have and are still traveling the world together and we love hiking! Our venue focused on nature for us and we chose to have a travel-themed wedding. After all, Alan did propose to me in Venice, Italy.
How did you incorporate that style into your wedding?
Shabnam: We chose favorites, such as purple, gold, and orchids. We wanted a Spring wedding because Persian New Year is always on the first day of Spring representing a new beginning, our marriage. We made sure to have a Persian and American ceremony honoring both of our cultures. We had a Persian “Sofreh Aghd” and we jumped the broom. Combining our 2 cultures with our love for travel & nature was a priority in celebrating our big day.
We fell in love with the Lodge because it is nature-focused by the lake and trees.
What was your (or your guests’) favorite aspect of your wedding?
Shabnam: Our guests all have told us that the cultural component of having a Persian and American ceremony with African traditions were their favorite aspect along with all of the DANCING we did. Everyone told us it was one of the most fun weddings they had attended, which is what we wanted…to dance the night away with our guests!
Where did you splurge? Where did you save/DIY?
Shabnam: We didn’t splurge on one single thing. We budgeted incredibly well with all vendors and décor. I highly recommend attending wedding shows! I won half off a couple of vendors by doing so, which helped balance our budget. We saved on centerpieces/linens. It was more affordable for us to buy them than to rent and to use Etsy for our travel-themed place cards and programs.
Who were your favorite vendors and what made them exceptional?
Shabnam: We were so blessed with so many amazing vendors! One that was with us for our entire wedding process was our photographer & videographer: Bear Wallow Film Co. They did so much for us starting with our engagement photos. We recommend every vendor we used. They were all reliable, professional, and made our day exceptional!
Now that the wedding day is over, is there anything about your planning process you feel you could have done differently?
Shabnam: No. We did the best we could with our crazy schedules. My husband was the best teammate I could have asked for in planning our special day.
In one sentence, what words of advice do you have for couples in the midst of their planning?
Shabnam: Be sure to have a day of coordinator and remember this celebration of love is about you and your soon-to-be husband/wife and no one else.
Thank you for sharing your day with us, Shab!
If you love Shab's wedding, check out Trista + Doug's Art Deco Wedding!
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Posted by Alyssa |
Filed under: Multicultural, African-American weddings, Real Nashville Brides,
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Thursday, August 18, 2016
When it comes to your wedding day, it's THE day you want to make lasting memories. With most weddings, the memories last through photos and video. However, Lyrical Memories adds one more special moment to your wedding day: an original song. We interviewed Paul, the founder and owner of Lyrical Memories to learn more about how they can make your wedding day one-of-a-kind. I dare you not to tear up while watching this video!
My Princess Video HD from [email protected] on Vimeo.
Tell us about Lyrical Memories!
Paul: Lyrical Memories connects professional songwriters with wedding clients and planners to compose totally original music and lyrics to commemorate the event. An original song tells the story of the couple in a unique, heartfelt way that carries a huge emotional impact when presented to the couple and to the surprised guests. Every wedding we have done, the consistent comment is, "That is the coolest thing I have ever seen at a wedding!"
How long have you been in business?
Paul: We officially launched Lyrical Memories in April, 2016 after a year of research and trial runs.
How did you get started in weddings?
Paul: Lyrical Memories was started when I had original songs written for two of my daughters' weddings. The emotional impact of the surprise, the fact their father did this for the bride and groom, and the stunned reaction of the audience told me this idea "had legs".
What's the philosophy behind your company?
Paul: Our tagline says it all, "Transforming Special Moments into Lasting Memories Through Original Music."
What are your strengths compared to others in your category?
Paul: Our strength is our organization combined with the stable of very successful songwriters. Finding songwriters for anyone in Nashville isn't hard. What is hard to find is a company who has multiple writers available depending on the genre of music desired and the documentation in place to assure the job is done on time and you're happy with the song before paying. We manage the process from beginning until the presentation of the song at the wedding or reception.
What attracts brides to your business?
Paul: Its uniqueness. Brides are always looking for ways to make their wedding different and have an emotional impact. Lyrical Memories gets their story told in a way that is remembered and not just through photos and speeches.
Describe the bride who is most attracted to your company.
Paul: The bride most attracted to Lyrical Memories is someone who understands the power of a well-written song to convey their union uniquely and in memorable way. The bride who understands that music can stay with them and their audience much longer than what is said in speech or toast.
How is Lyrical Memories unique to the Father of the Bride?
Paul: While we do contract directly with brides to do these original songs, the fathers seem to be the ideal client. Often they are on the sidelines of wedding planning with mothers and daughters dominating the planning and decision making. A father doing this as a surprise for his daughter and new husband has 100% of the time been a massive hit. Also fathers, who will rarely win the many "discussions" of why are we spending so much on flowers, for example, can see where this not only delivers a powerful message to his daughter, it becomes a lasting keepsake. Something that can last forever compared to those flowers that are dying the next day and are much more expensive that an original song.
How does the process work?
Paul: The song is done in a studio and the recording is often what is played at the event. Alternatively, these songs can be learned by the band in advance, can be done by the songwriter, or could be learned and performed by a talented friend of the family. I've seen each of these methods work wonderfully well.
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If you're looking into unique wedding ideas, then this is it! Contact Lyrical Memories and set up an appointment. Or follow them on Instagram here!
You can always find more of their original work and songs on their website here.
All photos by Kristyn Hogan Photography.
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Posted by Alyssa |
Filed under: Bands, DJs, Music, Unique Wedding Ideas,
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