Bride Finds Her Venue Before She Finds Her Beau; Weds at Riverwood Mansion with Mini-Ballerinas!
Friday, June 20, 2014
“Pearls, lace and all things classy.” This was the décor scheme that bride, Lauren, envisioned for her wedding day and Lane Photography was on hand to capture that lovely vision brought to life at Riverwood Mansion.
A ballerina and dance teacher by trade, Lauren had the absolutely fabulous idea to enlist some of her students to dawn pink tutus and dance down the aisle to her favorite song – we seriously cannot get enough of those sweet little ballerinas!
While Lauren’s classic, feminine tastes were prominently featured throughout the wedding (soft pink hues and pearl studded centerpieces) the groom, Joel, got to have his cake and eat it too…literally! The groom’s cake highlighted one of his great loves, University of Tennessee Football.
From romantic, sparkling lights that twinkled above them when they said “I do” in a picturesque garden to a reception studded with pops of pink and gray (not to mention the stunning crystal chandelier and scrumptious dessert table!) , this is one wedding that you’ll swoon over time and time again.
Lauren & Joel
Wedding Date: September 28, 2013
Ceremony Venue: Riverwood Mansion Gardens
Reception Venue: Riverwood Mansion
Guests: 200
Budget: $29,000
Wedding Team
Planner | Myself. I love event planning and this was so much fun!
Photographer | Lane Photography
Videographer | With This Ring Videography
Gown | Maggie Sottero found at The White Room in Murfreesboro
Bride’s Accessories | English Tulle and Lace Veil by Oleg Cassini from The White Room, Reception floral and pearl hairpiece from A Special Touch, Swarovski Pearl Earrings, Garters by Avenue 22 Bridal on Etsy, Charmeuse Pleated Peep Toe Shoes from David’s Bridal
Men’s Attire | Tuxedo with Pewter Gray vests and ties from Street Tuxedo
Bridesmaids’ Attire | Various Styles of Jasmine Bridal dresses in Sweet Pea Pink from A White Room in Murfreesboro
Hair | Done by the talented Amanda Jensen at The French Twist
Makeup | Tiffiney Leyhew at the Powder Room
Stationery | Everything by the Write Impression
Caterer | Pam Hogancamp and staff at Ribbons of Chocolate
Cake Artist | Jo West at Jo’s Custom Cakes
Ceremony Musicians | All music done by Jimmy Mansfield at Murfreesboro DJ
Reception Musicians | Murfreesboro DJ
Rentals & Lighting | Riverwood Mansion
Lighting | Riverwood Mansion
Transportation | We drove back to our new home for the first time in Joel’s new Ford Escape
Costumes for the ballerinas | Curtain Call Costumes
Wedding Details
How would you describe your style as a couple?
We are certainly a very energetic and adventurous couple and are both still children at heart. Christ has been the center of our relationship and continues to be the driving force in our marriage.
How did you incorporate that style into your wedding?
The theme of our wedding was “Pearls, lace and all things classy,” which, in so many ways, embodies my personality and style. There were pearls in the centerpiece vases, on the flower girl’s dress, and all down my lace wedding gown. Additionally, like any other feminine, princess-loving career ballerina my favorite color has always been light pink and there was plenty of pink to be found throughout every facet of my wedding day.
Another prominent feature of our wedding day was all of our “favorite things.” Dance has always been my passion and I have been so blessed to have been a dance instructor for the past 10 years at Barfield School of Dance. The ballerinas that chasséd down the aisle to my favorite song, Variations on a Canon by George Winston, were all little dancers that I have taught since they were 2 years old.
In addition, the food at our wedding was certainly a testament to our ‘favorites’. From the UT football groom’s cake to the southern style chicken fingers and mashed potatoes, everything served was something our friends and families would recognize as very “Joel and Lauren”.
Finally, our wedding favors were packaged in pink and silver personalized boxes and were filled with all of our favorite treats. On a table with framed family recipes, we had Grandpa Horton’s fudge, Granna Shirley’s lemon cookies, Aunt Danette’s buckeyes, Mom’s chocolate icing, and Mrs. Lesley’s marshmallow brownies among other special favorite treats. Everyone adored the variety of desserts and the special importance each favor had to a different family event that Joel and I enjoyed growing up.
What was your (or your guests’) favorite aspect of your wedding?
The dance floor was always packed thanks to Jimmy Mansfield and guests were constantly commenting on the favor display, but undoubtedly one of the most entertaining aspects of the evening was the photo booth provided by Lane Photography, complete with dress up and props.
For us, the entire atmosphere was absolutely perfect. It was truly a magical day being surrounded by all of our friends and family in an absolute fantasy world of flowers, twinkling lights and delicious food.
Where did you splurge? Where did you save/DIY?
At the age of 13, I knew I wanted to get married at Riverwood Mansion in Nashville and I paid more than some would expect to pay for a ceremony venue. However, getting married in a stunning garden with an indoor back up plan in case of rain was worth every cent and having the reception on site was a HUGE benefit. Furthermore, Riverwood provided all of the rentals, from the tables to the twinkling light balls hanging in the trees, and Kimberly and the staff orchestrated the entire day making sure everything ran smoothly.
We also spent a significant amount of money on documenting this magical day. I do not recommend that any bride compromise what she wants when it comes to photography and videography. You will never be able to recreate these cherished moments and the quality of videographer/photographer you have will be, to an extent, the quality of your memories. As a bride, you can never experience all of the beautiful moments of your wedding because you can only in be one place at a time and it is the photographer/videographer’s jobs to capture all of the details you may not have time to appreciate that day.
My favorite DIY project of my wedding was my gorgeous bridal bouquet, which was designed and arranged by my grandmother, Shirley Smith. It made my wedding ensemble complete to have a bouquet made by someone so precious to me. I did have to make some sacrifices along the way to save money. For example, I would have loved having chocolate fountains, but since I wanted a photo booth, I had to make a choice.
Now that the wedding day is over, is there anything about your planning process you feel you could have done differently?
Haha! I did nine cake tastings in one day…It was a very productive day, but it ended with a very upset stomach. Even with hindsight being 20/20, I have absolutely no regrets about how I planned my wedding. The small hiccups that happened on my wedding day could have not been foreseen and no amount of planning would have prevented them. The day will not go “perfectly”, but it is important to keep in perspective what the most important thing is and that is the love and commitment you and your new husband share.
In one sentence, what words of advice do you have for couples in the midst of their planning?
This day is about you and your fiancé. Therefore, it is important that every bride stay true to herself and create the day of her dreams.
About the Author:
Newlywed Heather
Heather is a Pittsburgh, PA native who now proudly calls Nashville home. As a newlywed herself, Heather is excited to talk about the latest wedding trends and share everything she learned in planning her very own Nashville wedding (psst: don't stress...At the end of the day, you'll be married to your best friend!) with Ashley's Bride Guide's readers.
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Posted on June 20, 2014 |
Filed under: Real Nashville Weddings,
