Part 2: Heather & Michael Throw Nashville Bash With Honky Tonks, Dancing & Cookie Bar
Friday, August 22, 2014
We’re elated to feature the wedding of our very own blogger, Heather. Heather’s big day in Nashville focused on music, dancing and family-style food. This Nashville wedding was packed full of entertainment for the couple's family and friends.
To see their Hawaii Pre-Wedding Beach Photo Shoot in Part 1, click here. To see all of the details from Heather and Michael’s wedding, and to hear about their planning process, keep reading!
Heather & Michael
Wedding Date: May 31st, 2013
Ceremony Venue: Fellowship Bible Church
Reception Venue: aVenue
Guests: 150
What was your favorite part of planning your Nashville wedding?
I really enjoyed weaving elements that were both fun and meaningful to my husband and I:
- Taking photos with our wedding party at Legends on Broadway. The very first night I met my husband we went to Legends with a group of friends and he whisked me around the dance floor all night. I knew I wanted to marry him that very night on that very dance floor, so it obviously holds quite the special place in our hearts!
- A seated, family-style meal. I grew up in a big Italian family and some of my fondest memories were sitting around the table sharing delicious food. I wanted to let my guests in on that tradition while allowing them to really get to know each other – no better way to do that than sharing food! We received SO many compliments on this unique serving style.
- Distinctive desserts. Instead of a traditional wedding cake, we treated our guests to an interactive s’mores station, which is one of our favorite desserts, and a “ Pittsburgh Cookie Table” which is a popular wedding tradition in my hometown of Pittsburgh, PA.
- Pizza, Pizza. My husband is a pizza FANATIC, so I knew pizza had to be included somewhere on our big day. I surprised him by having his favorite pizza delivered after we cut our cake, so we were able to feed each other that as well. It definitely made for some funny photos!
What challenges did you run into while planning your wedding?
Honestly? Other people’s opinions. My biggest advice to brides is to decide from the beginning what is most important to you and your fiancé and stay true to that. Once we realized this, the process became a much more pleasant one and we actually started to enjoy it.
Why did you ultimately choose to get married in Nashville?
Initially, we wanted to have a destination wedding but after many visits to many out of town venues we decided that Nashville, the city that we met and fell in love in, was the way to go. I am SO thankful that we did this because we made so many amazing memories on our wedding day that we can relive again and again by just making a ten-minute trip downtown!
What was your most memorable moment at your wedding?
Other than my husband becoming my husband (!), it was a pretty cloudy/rainy day and our ceremony was outdoors. (Hello, bride’s worst nightmare.) Thankfully the rain held off, allowing us to keep our ceremony outside, but the clouds were not budging. As my dad and I were walking down the aisle to “Here Comes The Sun,” he looked up and noticed, for the first time all day…the sun! My dad said something very special in that moment that I will never forget and thankfully our photographer captured that exact moment. It is something that I will always hold close to my heart.
Did you have any secret/sentimental details that you included, that might not be that obvious to someone who doesn't know you well?
My dad surprised me a few months before the wedding with an extremely sentimental item. He had saved his blue hospital shirt from the day that I was born, planning all these years for this to be my “something blue.” I was absolutely floored and unbelievably touched. I promptly had the pocket of the shirt embroidered onto the inside of my gown.
Where did you splurge? Where did you save/DIY?
I would say that we splurged on the delicious catering, amazing live band, and unique lighting/decor elements but all of those were a MUST for us so it didn’t necessarily feel like a splurge. I am definitely not a talented DIY’er but luckily I have very talented friends (and groom!) who helped make the table runners that adorned each and every table, menu cards, and my favorite: the sparkly “Yay!” signs that our wedding party carried when they entered the reception!
Is there anything that you wish you had done differently in your planning process?
I would have made big decisions a little sooner. We were engaged for a year and a half, which allowed me to change my mind way to many times. Get those big decisions (venue, caterer, band, dress, ect…) out of the way in the beginning! I promise, the stress level will be much lower once these details are finalized.
What made you want to continue to help Nashville brides by writing for ABG?
I never thought I’d be “that girl” that adored weddings even after I was married. Well, you know what? I love them even more now! It is literally the most memorable and special day of your life and I am absolutely thrilled to be able to be a small part of the process for Nashville brides.
Wedding Team
Venue, Planner & Rentals | Sarah-Ann Miller @ aVenue
Photographer | CMP Photography
Gown & Accessories | Arzelle’s
Men’s Attire | Jos A Bank
Bridesmaids’ Attire | Donna Morgan
Hair & Makeup | Taylor Roark
Stationery | Minted & Sarah Ann Miller
Caterer | Chef’s Market
Cake Artist | Puffy Muffin
Floral Designer | Sarah Ann Miller/Import Flowers
Reception Musicians | The Downtown Band
Lighting | Bright Event Productions
Transportation | Metro Livery
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Posted on August 22, 2014 |
Filed under: Real Nashville Weddings,
