Venue of the Week: Southall Eden, A Beautiful, Rustic Tennessee Farm

Monday, October 18, 2010

Tennessee really is a beautiful state.  This time of year, it's especially gorgeous with all the colors of nature just brightening up the landscape.  We're so lucky that we have many great outdoor venues at which we can celebrate our wedding.  Southall Eden is one such venue that offers you the option of bringing your vows outside to be exchanged under a tree, or set in an awesome barn loft. 

If you are a bride seeking a wonderful wedding venue, here's all you need to know about Southall Eden, our wedding venue of the week.

Contact Info
Name: Southall Eden
Website: southalleden.com
Address: 3270 Southall Rd., Franklin, TN 37064
Area of Town: Leiper’s Fork
Main Contact: Shannon O’Kelley
Phone Number: 615-775-4080
Email Address: Shannon at southalleden dot com
 

Overview of Venue
Southall Eden is a 5 acre farm located in the rolling hills of middle Tennessee, just two miles from the picturesque village of Leiper's Fork and minutes from historic downtown Franklin. Its hillside setting offers views of the rolling pastures and horse farms, while its 1904 farmhouse and turn of the century barn create an authentic farm atmosphere. Its rustic charm makes it a perfect location for those seeking a natural yet elegant setting for their wedding.

Year your business was established: 2009

Your motto/philosophy: It’s YOUR big day. Create the wedding you’ve always dreamed of, and your guests will love it too.

Payment options accepted: Cash, check, credit card (with small processing fee)

What options does your venue offer?
~ Ceremony? yes
~ Reception? yes
~ Showers? yes (30 person minimum)
~ Parties? yes (30 person minimum)
~ Guest Accommodations? no

What type of room(s) is available?
This is an outdoor venue. Some couples use a tent for their event, while others chose an open air setting. The big red barn can be used for ceremonies, receptions, or music and dancing. The Party Shed and Pavilion are also available for buffets, dancing, and lounge seating.

How many people can you accommodate?
Tent or open air without flooring- 250
Tent or open air with flooring- 400+
Seated barn loft dinner- 75

How many events do you take per day? 1

Is outside alcohol allowed? Yes. We do not charge a corkage fee.

Is an on-site event coordinator available? Yes

What is your pricing model? The property is $2,500 for Saturdays and $2,800 for holidays.

We also have an inventory of specialty décor items that are available for an additional cost.

Which bride budget do you serve? Moderate and Luxury

How far in advance should a bride book your venue? 9-12 months

When is the initial deposit/final payment due? 50% deposit to reserve date, 50% due 60 days prior to event

What else should brides know about your venue?
We only do a limited number of weddings at the farm each year, but we also offer all-inclusive rehearsal dinner packages in the barn for couples who are not able to have their wedding here. In addition to this, we rent out the farm on an hourly basis for bridal portraits and/ or engagement photos. Our paperie can also design custom invitations and accessories for your wedding regardless of where you are getting married.

This is a private residence, so an appointment is always required and tours are available for serious inquiries only.

What makes your venue so unique? What do you pride yourself on?
We are fortunate to be located in exclusive Leiper’s Fork, known for its beautiful horse farms, celebrity homes, and charming art galleries. The area is ideal for couples wanting to give their out of town guests a true Tennessee experience. We pride ourselves on creating a setting that has rustic charm, but that also lends itself to classy, upscale weddings. The venue is a constant work in progress, with new features being added all the time. We are also constantly adding to our inventory of carefully selected rental décor items.

A simple burlap runner completes the table setting.

For "budget savvy" brides, what's the one thing you think should always make it into a budget?
No matter what your budget is or where you get married, hire a good wedding planner! If she does her job well, she will be able to do everything from prevent headaches and unnecessary expenses to advise on how to avoid family drama. Many people think that wedding planners are a luxury, but this is simply not true. Even though they are an additional expense, a good planner will be able to use her knowledge and contacts to save you money in so many other areas that she may pay for herself. Having a planner doesn’t mean you have to relinquish control of your wedding and not have a say in the creative process. It simply means you have someone working FOR you who does this every weekend and will think of all the things that you don’t. And believe me, there will be many things you don’t think of.

What advice would you give to brides on the wedding planning process in general?
Don’t sweat the small stuff! Too often brides let themselves get so stressed out about all the little details of their big day that they forget the reason for occasion, which is YOU ARE GETTING MARRIED! By all means choose a venue you love, choose good quality vendors you can rely on, and hire a fantastic photographer to capture it all so that your grandchildren can enjoy the photos 100 years from now. But through it all, keep in mind that the absolute most important decision you will make is choosing your groom!!! If you make a good decision there, everything will fall into place

You can follow Southall Eden on Twitter, or show them how much you love their venue by liking them on Facebook!  Visit the Southall Eden website for more information and to schedule your appointment for a site visit with Shannon O'Kelley.

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Posted by Tabitha | Filed under: Wedding Venues and Locations0 comments »

Let Them Eat Cake? Alternatives to Wedding Cake by Down South Delights

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Don't you love options?  Yesterday we shared a different but just as classy way of decorating for your reception.  Today we're relying on Down South Delights Catering to help us think outside the cake plateau.

Recently, the catering company shared options via their blog for brides who seek different dessert and sweets for their guests.  These brides still have cake, what 's a wedding without at least one pretty cake?? But sometimes, not every person wants cake and offering many options can really surprise and thrill guests.  If this is something you've toyed with, here's some insight...

Featured Favorite Blog Post: Let Them Eat Cake - Down South Delights Catering

Fresh peach crumble & brandied apple tarts (Tabitha: Um, yes please)

A very popular trend emerging is for brides to opt not to have a large wedding cake for guests as a dessert option. Instead, a smaller ceremonial cake for the bride and groom to cut for photos then a different dessert for the guests. This year we have had many brides ask us to create mini dessert displays, ice cream buffets, southern inspired dessert tables, and many other decadent options.

This past weekend, we had the oppurtunity to cater at Wolf Dens Farms in Brentwood for a large southern inspired family style meal. The bride chose to have pumpkin & apple pies along with cheesecakes with an array of toppings. Guests were much more interested in these options than the typical cake.

Several weddings that I have attended on the east coast always have a large cookie buffet of homemade cookies from recipes from family members. The cookie buffets double as both dessert and the favor with personalized take home bags, similar to candy buffets. If a large cake is not in your reception plans, below are some yummy options to consider.

Cheesecake truffles and Makers Mark bourbon balls

Banana pudding shots

Toasted almond cookies and Spumoni mousse parfait

Fresh key lime tarts, Coconut creme bites & Oreo mousse

Their blog is full of delicious desserts and dishes and I found a few more dessert alternative to cake that I would, personally, have at my wedding!

Fruit tart with shortbread crust and lemon pastry cream (Tabitha: There isn't one thing in this that I would not want to eat)

Visit Down South Delights' website and check out their picture gallery, and look for more inspirational dishes and catering ideas on the Down South Delights blog.  I will warn you to not read on an empty stomach!

(All pictures courtesy of Down South Delights Catering)

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Posted by Tabitha | Filed under: Cakes & Catering1 comment »

Transform Your Wedding Reception with Lounge Seating.  Here’s How:

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

At bridal shows, we're always blown away with the latest in wedding guest seating.  Now, you can really wow your guests with a wedding reception area that goes beyond the typical 60" round banquet tables with chairs around them.  Why not make your wedding look and feel like you've invited your guests into your home?  Comfy, cozy lounge seating makes it easier for people to gather and mingle.  If you're a little apprehensive about stepping out of that box, Julie Hurst of Liberty Party Rental has the tips and ideas for the hottest lounge seating trends for your wedding.

Expert Advice - Lounge Seating from Liberty Party Rental

Lounge seating comprises of several elements, the most distinct of which are banquettes and axis furniture.  Banquettes are the larger, bench seats you will recognize, a lot of times with a taller back to them almost like you're at a chic, L.A. club.  Axis furniture are the smaller, 2.5 foot by 2.5 foot sectional pieces that come in a corner piece, a chair or ottoman.  "Both are just as nice, they're all very versatile.  Some people have used both banquettes and axis seating, but a majority of clients go with one or the other," advised Julie.

Liberty Party Rental is the only rental company in Nashville that carries their banquettes.  "They come in  four different colors (black, brown, ivory and white) and some of our brides have brought in their own fabric which we can wrap around the banquettes for a smaller extra cost."  This is such a great idea, since lots of wedding decor is based on color schemes so this way, your furniture could complement your palette if you want to branch out beyond the four basic colors offered.

So what are some ways that lounge seating has been used?  One way is what Julie has dubbed a Quiet Room. "Brides had a bar set up separate from the dance are, where people could mingle away from loud music, filled with lounge furniture instead of tables and chairs they had banquettes and butcher block coffee tables and groupings of axis furniture. They created an actual lounge.

Left: Banquettes.  Right: coffee table for a more relaxed option

Estate Style is when banquettes are set up on one side with chairs set across a long dinner table.  This also works for plated dinners where guests don't constantly have to get up to get more food. 

Estate style seating. I love how it lends a touch of elegance to a garden style party.

Using a punch of color with colored pillows is also a fun way to complement your wedding's theme.  Julie tells me that what's been popular among brides is renting the white or natural seating and having pillows as accent to pull their colors in.  Liberty Party Rental has pillows available in an array of colors.  You can see what your options are under "Creations" on the Liberty Party Rental site under the "Elements Collection" that is a list of all the items that go into lounge decor. If you can't find a color that works, you could also find pillows you do love to use. "Depending on the colors, some brides have purchased pillows themselves to use as accents to match their color scheme."

"Lounge furniture has become the trend with weddings – even if brides are on a tight budget they’re figuring out how to splurge to have at least a section of lounge furniture. More and more people are doing the lounge because it’s becoming a décor item. It’s a focal point, like if they have a dance floor, they surround the dance floor with axis furniture."  Julie and her team at Liberty Party Rental will work with you to make sure you're making full use of your budget, whether or not lounge seating is what appeals to you.  And if it is, you've definitely gone to the right place for it.  Click here to visit their website if you haven't already found a great rental company with which to work for your wedding!

And if you're a bride who has used lounge seating for your wedding, we would love to see your pictures!! You can email us, or if you have a blog, let us know how to find you! We'd love to see what inspired you.

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Posted by Tabitha | Filed under: Details, Design & Florals, Luxury Wed Finds, Wedding Resources1 comment »

Kerri {of Kerried Away Couture} Weds and Wows with a Sweet and Stunning Wedding

Friday, October 8, 2010

I often wondered what a dress designer would dresses their bridal party.  I am sure there's great pressure to make the dresses perfect...while planning your wedding.  Not an easy task.  But apparently, they stop nothing short of wow for their bridal party, as Kerri of Kerried Away Couture did!   I didn't expect anything less but I also didnt expect to absolutely fall IN LOVE with her bridesmaid long, black, one shoulder gowns.  Of course she designed and made them, making her girls super fab!

This summer, Kerri walked down the aisle and said "I do" to her (now) husband Lucas.  Their beautiful wedding took place at Scarritt Bennett, followed by a reception at War Memorial Auditorium.  We wish Kerri and Lucas all the best, and we're so glad they could share pictures from their day with us!

Kerri of Kerried Away Couture Shares Her Nashville Wedding!

How would you describe the "theme" of your wedding?
I would say our wedding was traditional and classic with touches of glamour and full of fun! (A great band and a really fun photo booth added lots of entertainment to the evening. I still love looking through the guest book with all the notes and photobooth photos!)

What inspired the design/look/feel of your wedding?
I would say alot of my favorite things and some of my husbands inpsired our wedding. We chose our venues because we both like the look and feel of older historic buildings, we also both love living in the city thus the War Memorial Auditorium downtown and Scarritt Bennett were perfect. We had our rehearsal dinner at The Hermitage Hotel because we actually got engaged on the veranda there. I love pink and white together so I decided these would be my colors. I wanted to bring in an evening feel so I added black and silver to the mix. For flowers I think the side of me that likes the look of symetry showed through. Almost all the the centerpieces were various sizes of round rose and hydragea balls. During our cocktail reception outside we wanted a more relaxed feel so we had black and white floral table clothes with pink sashes on high tops and served mini burgers and grilled cheese. Inside we wanted to create a more formal feel so we used white jeweled overlays on half of the tables and solid light pink on the others with touches of black and silver throughout.

Where did you get your gown?
I got my gown at Saks Fifth Avenue Bridal Salon right before it closed in Atlanta. The dresses were all between 50%-70% off. I ended up getting a beautiful Kenneth Pool gown.

How did you come up with the design for your bridesmaids dresses?
I wanted a dress that was formal, traditional, that looked good on alot of body types, and that they could wear again. The one shoulder design I went with is very flattering on almost any body type. I chose black because I have always loved the traditional black dresses with black and white tuxedos - I think its stunning and classic. I made the dresses floor length to create a more formal feel and gave the girls the option to hem all the dresses off afterwards so that they had a knee length dress that maybe they could wear again. I added a large bow detail at the shoulder because I love bows and to add a little something to the dresses. However, the bow was actually detachable, so again, if they didn't want to wear the bow later all they have to do is unsnap it from the dress.

What was your favorite part/moment of the wedding?
I think I have 2 favorite moments. Seeing Lucas for the first time and our ceremony. We decided to see each other before the wedding and I am so glad we did. It gave us some time to just be spend a few moments just the two of us on our wedding day. At the ceremony, we went with traditional wedding vows and my best friend said an irish blessing - the ceremony was so special.

Absolutely beautiful! Kerried Away Couture makes custom gowns and dresses for your bridal party and if that is what you've been seeking for your wedding, visit their website and get in touch with Kerri!

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Posted by Tabitha | Filed under: Attire & Accessories0 comments »