Real Nashville Wedding: Meredith and Mike
Friday, January 16, 2009
Most of my favorite Nashville weddings are at the Country Music Hall of Fame. Not only is the venue one of the best representations of Nashville (which guests love) but the venue is spectacular. So, aside from their amazing wedding venue, I like their signed guitar the most. It's totally befitting of the venue and is so very personal and memorable.
Meredith and Mike - thank you so much for taking time to share your Nashville wedding with us! It is breathtaking.
And, special thanks to Helen Morisette of Weddings by Helen for helping make this wedding one to remember!
About us:
Bride -Meredith of Nashville, TN; Harpeth Hall High School
Groom - Mike of Richmond, IN
Our wedding details:
September 6, 2008; 6:30 PM
Ceremony location
First Presbyterian Church, Nashville
Reception location
Country Music Hall of Fame, Downtown Nashville
Guests
215
Wedding Style: My wedding style Timeless, classic style with a touch of Nashville flavor to make it memorable to our guests and unique to the location My colors and why I choose them Fig bridesmaids dresses - it was such a beautiful, rich, elegant color without being too "purple". Shades of greens and ivory for flowers and linens - it ties so well with the fig dresses and neutral colors of the Country Music Hall of Fame. The deep purple throats of the orchids in the bridesmaids bouquets looked like they were just made for the event! My theme Traditional, with some memorable elements. (Bagpipes, family Bible, reception location, guitar signing, etc.) My wedding wow factor Signing the guitar at the reception, a memorable alternative to a guest book that was very unique to Nashville. The reception site itself was also a wow factor as many guests were from out of town. It's such a classic Nashville landmark, plus you get a great view of the downtown skyline whether you're inside or outside. Our guests also commented on how memorable the bagpipes were at the ceremony.
Favors Handmade chocolate guitars - a memorable Nashville treat Personal touches The McDonald family Bible, which was carried into the sanctuary by the bride's brother accompanied by bagpipe music from Steve Snoddy, has recorded family births and marriages since 1831. It originally belonged to the bride's great great grandfather of Charleston, South Carolina. Scripture selections were read by Austine McDonald Fleener, Michelle Theresa Hess, and Lauren Evelyn Melkus. It was also very personal to have the ceremony in the church where I grew up and attended elementary school. The hymn during the ceremony was actually our school hymn.
Gift for bridesmaids & groomsmen Bridesmaids received a monogrammed plush robe Groomsmen received monogrammed cuff links and a cowboy hat (to wear out on the town after the Rehearsal Dinner)
Most special moment for me I'm sure many brides say this, but I can't even describe how special it was to walk down the aisle seeing Mike at the front of the church. It was like everything and everyone else just disappeared, and it just really hit me how excited I am to spend the rest of my life with him as my husband.
My Wedding Vendors: Planner: Weddings by Helen Morisette Cake: Dessert Designs Caterer: SoBro Grill Flowers: English Garden/Terry White Photo: Mary Claire Crow Video: AndyCam Invitations: Buchanan Ink Bridal Gown: Designer: Ulla-Maija Couture; Boutique: Impressions (Atlanta boutique) Bridesmaid Dresses: Priscilla of Boston Tuxes: American Tuxedo Rings: Ascot Diamonds (private jeweler in Atlanta) Music: Groovetown (Eastcoast Entertainment)
How I found my vendors? Most of the vendors were recommendations from friends, particularly weddings that we had attended as guests ourselves. My favorite vendors We were fortunate to have a great experience with all of our vendors. They really made our night perfect! Planner: Helen Morisette (highly recommended, kept us organized and on task) Cake: Leland Riggins - the best cake I've ever had, we received so many compliments from our guests on it. Even months later, some of my friends are still talking about it. Flowers: English Garden/Terry White - he surprised us with a few lilly of the valley in the brides bouquet (it's my favorite, and we didn't think we were going to be able to get it) Photo: Mary Claire Crow- Mary Claire's timing is just impeccable, and I think that's what really makes a photographer talented - capturing those essential moments. My Wedding Rewind: What I would do differently if planning again? There's not much I would have changed, but I still can't believe how quickly the night went by. Every bride wants their wedding to be special and memorable, so you have to think about what that means to you, not necessarily what every magazine or website says. You have to let the whole planning process be an enjoyable, not stressful experience, because it will all be behind you so quickly - and the important thing is the marriage that you're about to enter, not just the night itself. Best value for the service/product Photos and videos - the evening went by so quickly, one of the most important things was to have the great moments captured so that we can see them in pictures. Biggest waste of time or money? I think we realized pretty quickly that you can't focus on every single detail. We knew that it was important to focus on the big things that were important to us, that we want to remember and not get lost in the details. Neatest find? The personal touches were what made the night unique to us. Having some family history in the ceremony (the Bible) and in my jewelry (my earrings were made from my great grandmother's diamond watch), ...and some hometown character made the night very special for everyone.
About the Author:
Ashley King
Hey - I'm Ashley! I started AshleysBrideGuide.com to give Nashville brides, or folks planning a Nashville wedding, a local resource for inspiration and resources. Hope to see you at a bridal show soon! Until then, Find me on Google+.
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Posted on January 16, 2009 |
Filed under: Real Nashville Weddings, Wedding Planners & Coordinators,
