Nicole + Cal Spark Nostalgia, Wow Wedding Guests with New Orleans-Style Food + Music
Friday, August 28, 2015
It is always an exciting time when your closest family and friends come together to celebrate your love. It's an even better day when you can incorporate your roots to make everyone feel at home!
Nicole and Cal were able to do just that with the help of some exceptional wedding vendors who helped them incorporate food and tradition from New Orleans, their childhood home. Nicole and Cal then worked closely with Allison at ONE at Cannery Ballroom to create the perfect backdrop for their nuptials. Read more below about their big day!
Nicole + Cal
Wedding Date: March 28, 2015
Ceremony & Reception Venue: ONE at Cannery Ballroom
Guests: 140
Budget: $40,000 - $50,000
Wedding Team
Planner | Bride
Day-Of Coordinator | Allison Jones
Photographer | The Collection, Erin Lee
Videographer | Toy Box Productions
Gown & Accessories | Tara Keely gown from Finery Bridal Boutique
Shoes | TOMS
Men’s Attire | Men’s Warehouse, Tie Bar, Nordstroms
Bridesmaids’ Attire | Chose own dresses based on color swatch
Hair/Makeup | Sarah Terry from Huntsville, AL
Stationery | Quality Quick Print in Huntsville, AL
Caterer | A Dream Come True
Cake Artist | Frosted Affair by Jay Qualls
Floral Designer | Lauren Marie Atkinson Designs
Ceremony Musicians | Phyllis Sparks, harpist
Reception Band/DJ | The Respectables
Rentals/Lighting/Draping | Music City Tents and Events
Transportation | Metro Livery
Rehearsal Dinner | Merchants
Bridesmaids Lunch | The Pfunky Griddle
Bride’s engagement ring and wedding band | Tiffany & Co.
Send off Sparklers | Superior Celebrations
Koozies | Totally Promotion
Guest Welcome Gift Bags | Paper Mart
Candles | Quick Candles
How would you describe your style as a couple?
FUN!!!! Simple, elegant, and go-with-the-flow.
Where did you get your inspiration?
Cal was born and raised in New Orleans. I was born and raised in southern Mississippi and we spent a lot of time in New Orleans. Then my family moved to New Orleans when I was in junior high and I lived there through college. New Orleans traditions and culture were very important to us so our inspiration began there. We wanted simple and elegant. Our goal was to ensure our guests had fun and would be talking about our wedding for years to come. We wanted everything about our wedding to be personal, not just a bunch of standard traditions. He graduated from UT and asked if we could somehow incorporate orange. Since I am a HUGE Auburn fan, I thought "Sure." So I came up with the creamsicle orange and light teal combo.
How did you incorporate that style into your wedding?
We had to make a few adjustments and plan according to some major health problems that I started experiencing in Oct. 2014. I began having extreme tremors in my hands, arms, feet, and legs. They have changed my daily life. Simple everyday tasks are very difficult. Cal, my then fiancé, now husband, is the most supportive and amazing man (as are both our families and friends). He has stood by my side and does whatever it takes to help me get through it. So all of that came into play when planning our wedding. We knew I’d be shaking my way down the aisle. I wanted mostly cream and neutral colors with little pops of our colors here and there, and lots and lots of candles!! Our ceremony was personal, short, sweet, and to the point. We incorporated the traditional wedding second line to get our guests from the cocktail hour back into the reception space and then had the formal wedding party and our introduction. I also had the charm cake pull for my bridesmaids and a few additional special girl friends. Our food was based on Creole/Cajun style. It was important to have authentic food since a lot of our family and friends were also from New Orleans.
What was your (or your guests’) favorite aspect of your wedding?
Oh, that’s a tough question! We loved everything about our wedding. It was exactly what we wanted, and we have both said there is nothing we would change about our Big Day! Well, actually the one thing we would change is that it lasted longer (and it was 5 hours)!! It’s not to say we didn’t have a couple of hiccups. Our flower girl was to be pulled down the aisle by her brother in a red wagon that I had decorated but the night before at the rehearsal they were playing in it and she fell out. So on the wedding day she wanted nothing to do with it lol. My ring bearer still wanted to carry the sign that said “Cal here comes your bride.” It had been super glued in Styrofoam so he carried the sign down the aisle and was as proud as could be. Our flower girl was then carried by her mother who was my matron of honor. At the end of the ceremony, I was so focused on my new hubby I forgot to grab my bouquet from my mom and Erin captured a picture of her extending it out to me as Cal and I start the recessional!
Our guests raved about the venue, the food, and the band. We have been told on numerous occasions about how much fun they had, and several have placed our wedding in their top five weddings of all time!
Where did you splurge?
Photography and videography.
Where did you save/DIY?
Décor. I did DIY quite a few things including a huge sign that my mom and Cal made together. We left it at the venue and it’s already been used in a few weddings there since ours.
Who were your favorite vendors and what made them exceptional?
Again, how do I choose?? I was fortunate and Jay Qualls is a friend of mine. I knew years ago when the day came he would make my cake. He is phenomenal Not only are his cakes beautiful, they taste amazing! Since he is a friend of mine I asked his advice on several other vendors.
Erin Lee…wow what can I say? She is simply amazing! She has become more than our engagement session/wedding photographer; I consider her a friend.
Toy Box Productions: Cal is a sports videographer and worked with them in the news industry when he was in DC before they started Toy Box Productions. Once Cal showed me their work, we knew no one else would measure up to our expectations. We’ve gotten a sneak peak of the video and we both cried. They did a tribute to Cal’s dad at the end that we were not expecting (it’s explained in one of the sections below but his dad was unable to attend the wedding and has since passed away).
A Dream Come True Catering: They NAILED the food! They were so good to work with us when we realized we needed to keep the budget here down as much as possible. Jessica was so nice and easy to work with! If I ever have the need to cater anything I will definitely hire them again.
Finery Bridal Boutique: They make the bridal experience of finding the "perfect dress” unique. They do not over-schedule appointments, and they give you all the attention. The experience that Madeline (owner) and her staff have created is truly exceptional.
Lauren Marie Atkinson: I showed her some pictures that I loved, and then she put together an inspiration board that perfectly captured my vision. She was so great to work with.
Sarah Terry: She did a fabulous job on our hair and makeup. I met with her a couple of times and we had our trial. She did exactly what I asked for. The day of the wedding, the girls chose their own hair styles and makeup choices. Sarah was a blast and made the process fun.
The Respectables: They were fabulous to work with and they did an amazing job! They had everyone on the dance floor! When they took their breaks they had a DJ so the fun NEVER stopped. They were right on with their MC-ing too! I HIGHLY recommend them for any event but especially a wedding.
Last but not least, I cannot say enough great things about Allison Jones at ONE. She made the process stress free! I am a very OCD person, but in working with her I trusted her; she knows what she is doing, and I had NO problem leaving things in her hands. She was amazing with all of those details (tables, linens, lighting, draping, bar, flipping the space from ceremony to reception, set up the day of). We did hire her to be our day-of coordinator and that was a HUGE help and relief because I didn’t stress about anything that day. She is simply the best at what she does!!!!
Now that the wedding day is over, is there anything about your planning process you feel you could have done differently?
Cal’s dad fell out of his wheelchair leaving Merchants the night of the rehearsal dinner (they weren’t directed out the handicap entrance/exit and so they exited out the front door of which there is a slight step and he tumbled forward). He ended up in the hospital and was unable to make it to the wedding. He unfortunately has passed away since our wedding. If I could have changed anything it would be that he would’ve been there.
As far as the planning, I wouldn’t have changed a thing. I stayed organized. I made a binder divided it into sections and kept all of the contracts, contact information, and everything associated with the wedding in it and organized.
Our vendors were so amazing. They really helped make things easy.
In one sentence, what words of advice do you have for couples in the midst of their planning?
Find your vendors, trust them, have fun, and enjoy the process! Don’t worry about trying to make everything “perfect.” It will be perfect because it’ll be your day. That’s what’s important – you and your groom!
About the Author:
send
Posted on August 28, 2015 |
Filed under: Real Nashville Weddings,
