Boy do I have a fun wedding for you today! Golriz (bride) reached out to me last week and said...
"Your site was a wonderful resource for me as I was preparing for our wedding. We only had a couple of months and a very tight budget but I really feel like my fiance-now-husband, devon, and I pulled off a gorgeous, creative, and very unique wedding."
After seeing the wedding video and wedding photos from this Anthropologie-inspired wedding, I couldn't wait to share the incredible details with you. Disclaimer - the photography was not included in Golriz's budget but was a gift from the photographer friend:).
Here are just a few things that I love about her wedding - 1) it's the first Ive seen at Marathon Village (a new, edgy venue that Ive wanted to check out) 2) the couple added so many unique touches that I feel I know them 3) I love their wedding video trailer and their wedding photography, which capture all of the not-to-miss details.
This couple has a very whimiscal style and they expressed it in every aspect of their day. You should do the same! Make your wedding a day that represents you as a couple - as zany, traditional or funky as you are!
Ceremony & Reception Location: Marathon Village, Nashville, TN
Guest Count: 150
What were your top 3 priorities when planning your wedding?
1. Aesthetic - we wanted the wedding to feel intimate, creative and cozy.
2. Budget - we had a very limited budget ($5000) and we were very careful to not go over this figure.
3. Uniqueness - we really wanted to infuse as much of ourselves and our personalities into our wedding.
What was your wedding style? Whimsical and romantic
What were your colors? Why did you chose them?
White, bright yellow and turquoise blue. We felt the colors suited a spring wedding and brought in our favorite elements into our venue (sunshine and blue skies!)
Did you have a theme? What was it?
We didn't have a formal theme, but from the outset both of us said we wanted the wedding to have the vibe of 'Anthropologie'
What made your wedding creative?
We wanted every ounce of our wedding to burst with creativity, but my fiance and I were on a very tight budget. This was actually a blessing as it forced us to be really creative and think out of the box. Let's just say we became regulars at the local Goodwill store! A friend recently described our wedding as looking like a Wes Anderson movie, so I think we achieved what we were aiming for!
What did you use for inspiration?
Devon's brain! He came up with the paper chandelier idea and even created a little model out of a box so that I could understand what his vision was!
What was your budget? $5000
What was your wedding WOW factor?
The installation with the vintage TVs, 18 hanging umbrellas and lightbulbs. We had a slideshow on the TVs set to music showing pictures of ourselves as kids, and throughout our relationship. Our guests also went crazy for our homemade photo-booth.
What did you give as favors to your guests?
CD's that we had custom printed with 3 songs that Devon and I had co-wrote and recorded. We placed each of the CD's into a fabric hand-sewn case and hung them with mini clothes pegs to ribbon outside the door to the venue so guests could pick one up as they left.
How did you personalize your wedding?
Devon surprised me during the ceremony by performing a song he had written for me. The song reduced all of our guests and me to tears! It was so sweet.
What was your most special moment of the day?
Exchanging gifts with each other on the staircase. Devon got me a ukelele - an instrument I've wanted for ages but have no idea how to play (!), and I got us matching Vespa helmets.
Did you have kids at your wedding? What did you do for them?
Yes, several of our friends and family have young ones and we wanted them to enjoy the occasion. The kids loved the photobooth, the cupcakes and the easel we had where we asked each guest to paint us a heart. They also loved dancing!
What did you DIY/Do It Yourself?
We did it all ourselves with the help of our amazing friends and family!
What was your favorite DIY wedding project?
My favorite project was creating the TV/light/umbrella installation. Even going around to local thrift stores with Devon for weeks beforehand to find the perfect array of TVs was so much fun!
What were some (of the many!) other projects that you DIY’ed?
~A massive paper and twinkly light 'chandelier' above our heads, with handmade strands of fabric flower garlands hanging behind us.
~An art installation with 18 hanging umbrellas, bare lightbulbs and 9 vintage TVs. The TVs streamed a slide show of pictures of the two of us set to music.
~Our wedding favors - we printed CDs with songs that we had written & recorded and put them in hand sewn fabric sleeves.
~Our centerpieces - willow lights with hanging strips of ribbon and bright yellow button mums.
~Cake toppers - little fabric birds.
~Cake stand - instead of purchasing/renting a stand for our 150 cupcakes we built one (using Cetaphil containers and cake boards!)
What are some of the obstacles that you faced in planning a DIY wedding?
Time! Hand crafting all the decorations took up a lot of time. Thankfully a few close friends flew in early for the wedding and we put them to work creating fabric flowers, centerpieces, and the large art installations.
Wedding Resources:
~ Cupcakes: Effie Sahihi
~ Photographer: Ryan Lash Photography (gift)
~ Videographer: FullFrame Digital Cinema
~ Rings: Village Jewelers, Hillsboro Village, Nashville
~ Music: Joel Price, Professional DJ
~ Hair: Genevieve's Salon, East Nashville
~ Makeup: Neda Ferdowsi
What would you do differently if you could re-plan your wedding?
Delegate more! Devon and I both like being involved in all the little details but we could have probably delegated more of the tasks to our willing friends and family.
What was the biggest waste of time and/or money?
Spending a lot of money on a dress. My dress was from BCBG (the bottom half) and my talented mother created the top part/neckline of my dress. I was thrilled with it and I didn't spend a fortune.
What was the best value for the service and product?
Our photographer - Ryan Lash. He has a background as a professional documentary style photographer so he knows how to seem 'invisible' and capture the most intimate moments.
What was the neatest thing you found for your wedding?
I adore the fabric flower garlands that we hung in our backdrop and behind the dessert table. They added such a splash of color and brought springtime inside!
What was your biggest {and best} splurge?
Hiring videographers. We LOVE the trailer and can't wait to see the full video!
Was there one thing you wouldn’t change about your wedding?
I wouldn't change any of it! We had so much fun and our guests are still raving about the experience. It suited us perfectly and was the most amazing way to usher in this new chapter of our lives!
UPDATE:
Just when we thought we couldn't get enough of this wedding, we got the full-length video from the beautiful bride. We hope you enjoy watching it as much as we have!
What a week! Thank you to everyone who has shown such tremendous support for the upcoming Sex & The City 2 Party at Aloft Hotel. This is my first SATC party and I know I speak for Ashley and everyone involved when I say we're super pumped and so excited. You can read about the updated details here and find out what's in store - it's all quite fabulous!!
We realized that many of you check out blog daily and probably are at a loss on the weekends when we dont post:). So, we decided to highlight some of our favorite Nashville wedding blog posts this week.
#1 - McNeal Wedding Films started a great new series entitled "Things We Wish Brides Knew". We enjoyed it and think it will really help you with your wedding plans.
#3 - A Catered Affair shared a great idea for non-alcoholic beverages that we wish we could taste through the monitor! Great for a family-friendly summer wedding or luncheon or a wedding reception where alcohol may not be an option (for budget or religious reasons). Cheers!
#4 - Release your inner vixen - the lovely ladies at Photographix now offer Boudoir Photography. Ohh lah lah!
#5 - Treat your special guests and family to a rehearsal dinner experience with wine flights from Chef's Market. Um, yes please!
#6 - Lotus Blossom Photography shared helpful, honest and HILARIOUS tips on DIY wedding photography. The bottom line is DON'T. Find out why and see pictures that truly tell the story on her blog. Say, "Not cheesy!"
#7 - Brocade Designs participated in a lovely photo shoot and shared this yellow wedding bouquet captured by Chris & Adrienne Scott!
Speaking of Brocade Designs, their owner Hillary was the target of a wonderful surprise and is now going on a shopping spree in NYC courtesy of What Not To Wear!! The day was surreal for her and Ashley was right there to celebrate the experience with her!
I love when I get to feature a real wedding. Some ask - what's the difference between a real wedding and an unreal wedding? A real wedding showcases real brides, working with a real budget. An unreal wedding is a photoshoot that is provided to inspire. Budget is really no obect because you don't have guests to serve (1 table setting that is to die for) no mother to appease...get where I'm going:).
So, it is with my delight that I present today's real wedding, submitted by Kristyn Hogan, lifestyle photographer. It is a vintage, do-it-yourself winter wedding. It has some great detail and took place in Murfreesboro, using many Mboro wedding vendors.
About us -
Bride - Andrea Fisher, Murfreesboro, TN
Groom - Daniel Brame, Hopkinsville, KY
Wedding date & time -
February 6, 2010 at 5:00pm
Ceremony location -
Third Baptist Church, Murfreesboro, TN
Reception location -
The Vine, Murfreesboro, TN
Number of guests -
74
My wedding style and theme -
We had a smaller, intimate wedding since we both had family who lived out of state. We chose a vintage theme to reflect our shared aesthetic. Our reception decor was from my own collection of treasures passed down to me from my mother and grandmother, as well as items that caught my fancy at various antique stores in the community. Even our venue, The Vine, was vintage; it is a converted 1930's garage!
My colors and why I choose them?
My colors were black, ivory, and mossy greens. I really liked how classic the combined colors of black and ivory looked together, a softer version of black and white.
Wedding wow factor?
Our family and guests repeatedly admired how intensely personal and unique every detail of our wedding was. From the invitations to the first dance, we selected styles and themes that let our personalities shine through. We chose gentle, acoustic music, worship tunes, and upbeat jazz classics that were out of the ordinary for a wedding. We concluded the ceremony by having the best man read a Jewish wedding blessing from a prayer book his mother gave us, a nod to Daniel's heritage. Everyone loved the vintage theme of the reception.
Gift for bridesmaids?
I got my girls monogrammed black and white tote bags from L.L.Bean. Inside the tote bags I added little things that would come in handy, including black flip-flops, lip gloss, hand lotion, and a vintage embroidered hankie to carry during the ceremony.
Gift for groomsmen?
Daniel got his guys watches from his favorite website, http://www.ThinkGeek.com. These watches had a detachable USB memory stick. All of the men are geeks at heart in one form or another, so this was right up their alley!
Most special moment for me?
Seeing Daniel's face for the first time on our wedding day, when the doors to the sanctuary opened. The love and tenderness and awe and pure joy I saw there was something I will always carry with me.
My Wedding Vendors
Cake - Julia's Bakery
Cupcakes - Patty Collins, friend of the couple
Caterer - Goodness Gracious
Photography - KRISTYN HOGAN lifestyle photographer
Invitations - I purchased pocket folders and envelopes from http://www.cardsandpockets.com, designed the invitations myself, printed the inserts at Kinko's, and assembled them with my bridesmaids and fiance's help.
Dresses - David's Bridal- To my surprise, despite negative reviews from everyone I knew who had recently gotten married, I had a good experience at David's ... with one notable exception ... I made the serious mistake of giving them my email address; the result was an unimaginable overflow of spam.
Rings - Engagement ring - Custom vintage-inspired ring designed by Daniel, crafted by Elsa Deutsch of ElsaRings.com; Groom's band - BlueNile.com; Bride's band - Platinum Jewelers, Franklin, TN
Décor - Antique Center I & II, Antiques Unlimited, Hylabrook Antique Mall; Personal collection of bride and friends
Day-of Coordinator - Jessica D. Foster
My Favorite Vendors – Highly Recommend
Goodness Gracious Catering, Murfreesboro, TN
Impeccable, personal service. They went above and beyond for me! I had mentioned I wanted to rent some topiaries for the decor and they hunted some down they had in their personal collection and let me use them at no additional charge. The food was fantastic, plentiful, and affordable. Our guests are still raving about it.
Flowers n' More, Murfreesboro, TN
You wouldn't guess it from driving by the small storefront, but Scott, the floral designer, is a miracle worker. I gave him a fixed budget and some ideas I had clipped out of magazines, then gave him creative control. My flowers were gorgeous, and the bridal bouquet was a conversation starter due the creative use of green herbs to accent the edges--my husband even sniffed the leaves to confirm it was so!
KRISTYN HOGAN lifestyle photographer
What can I say? As the saying goes, a pictures speaks a thousand words. Kristyn's photography truly tells the story of a wedding. I met Kristyn at my brother's wedding in 2007, where she took the pictures. Two years later, I knew the first person I'd talk to about doing our photography would be her. I knew that we'd forget much of the day in the months and years following our wedding day, but our pictures would remember for us, so it was very important that we both love the style and quality of the photography, and be comfortable with the professionalism of our photographer. Kristyn delivered. She captured moments from mine that are irreplaceable.
My Wedding Rewind
What I would do differently if planning again? Hire a wedding planner!
I knew what I wanted, and I'm fiercely DIY in spirit, so I was reluctant to hand over money and/or control to another person. However, while I was able to do a lot on my own or with the help of family and friends, the fee would have been worth it when it came to thinking of and planning for the small details.
Best value for the service/product?
My decorations and my coordinator. I bought candles from another bride on Craigslist after her wedding to use in the church ceremony. One of my bridesmaids helped me make recycled cupcake and cake plate displays out of thrift shop candlesticks, glasses, and plates, as well as moss letters. The rest of the reception decor was from my own personal collection of antique/vintage items, gifts or loans from friends, and a unique collection of additional items I purchased from antique shops in Murfreesboro.
Our coordinator was a friend and freelance interior designer, Jessica D. Foster, who single-handedly ran the show for me on the day of the wedding (even doing my hair and makeup) and used the items I had collected to turn The Vine into a candle-lit vintage fairytale. I trusted her, turned her loose with the help of my family and friends, and didn't see the result until the moment we entered The Vine ... it was magical!
Neatest find?
The song I walked down the aisle to, "Butterfly Waltz." My fiance and I had looked into ceremony music and decided to both separately find several songs we liked and then compare at a listening session together to make our final picks. We both said we were very excited about a particular song, but wouldn't say what it was. When we got together, we discovered that we had both fallen in love with the same song independently! We agreed it would be "my song."
After searching his house for days, my father made the most meaningful find--my mother's handmade mantilla veil. Mom passed away in 2008 after a two year battle with colon cancer. She had made both her wedding dress and veil herself back in 1979. Wearing the veil was my way of having her presence with us during the ceremony.
A few months ago, Latrice of Opulent Couturier worked with some of Nashville's finest to create lovely tablescapes to inspire Nashville brides. Starting with an inspiration board as a source of creativity, she brought together wedding elements and created "Eco-Love", an eco-friendly tablescape that would be great for your wedding!
If you are seeking something like this for your big day or even want something completely opposite, you can work with an event stylist like Opulent Couturier to create the dream look for your day.
Image Credit: Row 1: Left: bklynbrideonline.com Middle: vintageindie.typepad.com Right: IntimateWeddings.com Row 2: Left wedding.blogdig.net Middle: IntimateWeddings.com Right: Brides.com Row 3: Left , Middle, Right - All from Brides.com
You created an inspiration board (above) and then proceeded to create the actual wedding tablescape. How did these images serve as a source of inspiration?
I get inspiration from so many things! This particular inspiration board & tablescape was inspired by a recent conversation with a friends daughter who is very eco chic. Our conversation consisted of what her dream wedding would be like, the type of decor she wanted at her eco-friendly wedding at the Biltmore Estate in North Carolina. Her vision is to incorporate lots of greenery, burlap or mosquito netting and a totally organic menu & gluten free wedding cake for their guest.
Which elements were most important?
All the elements on this table were equally important for this tablescape. I wanted to style a 100% eco friendly table with the look of elegance. The burlap linen from Connie Duglin was very important, it really set the tone for the entire tablescape. I found a awesome Etsy designer - BrooklynRehab that customized the "Eco Love" tree slice for personalized statement on the table. I was able to have a real tree trunk cut for chargers & those were placed under the clear glass plates. Hillary at Brocade Designs used small pieces of greenery under the clear plates for a added detail.
The center of the table was completely covered in moss & the tree trunk candle holders were hand made by a local designer. The candles were all 100% beeswax. Please note: that when using beeswax candles they do tend to burn much faster than normal wax candles. So if brides wanted to incorporate beeswax candles for their wedding & reception it would be helpful to have extra candles on hand!
The stationery used for the tablescape was designed by LePenn Designs. The menu cards were made of 100% recycled paper as well as the place cards. The table number for a detailed effect was framed in frayed burlap material. The topiary place card holders were from Kate Aspen.
What type of bride did you have in mind for this tablescape?
This tablescape style is definitely for the green bride that wants to track the carbon footprint for her wedding day. However it could also appeal to the bride that likes a more rustic look also!
What do you love most about the elements of this design?
I love the fact that with the exception of the glass plates, everything was 100% Eco Friendly.
What would you add if you were to do again?
Absolutely nothing! I was very please with the end result of this tablescape. It had so much character and its definitely something that was not been seen for a wedding tablescape design!!
What's the most lavish aspect of the tablescape? What's DIYable?
The rich moss greenery & tree bark candelabras created a very lavish look. The tree trunk chargers are diyable if you can operate a chainsaw to cut them equally the same width. The stationery elements could also be a diyable project.
We had so much fun at the Nashville Lifestyles Bridal Show at the Hermitage Hotel. The weather had started to improve, the sun was shining and the turnout was quite good! Lots of brides looking for great ideas and inspiration who attended with their moms and friends. We even saw a couple of grooms and that's always a good thing!
Photo source: NashvilleLifestyles.com
The highlight of the show was the luncheon with Tara Guerard. You might recognize her name from the books Southern Weddings: New Looks from the Old South and Weddings by Tara Guerard; It was exciting to hear what she had to say and she filled us in on her favorite wedding ideas and gave us predictions of trends to come.
The Hermitage Hotel - bridal registration desk
General wedding ideas / answers to attendee questions.
Traditional weddings are back! Modern weds are on the decline as couples return to the basics, focusing on important ingredients
It's a party! You want your guest to really enjoy the event. Have flip flops (summer) or wraps (fall/winter) so your guests are comfortable.
Rehearsal dinner should incorporate what the groom likes - sports, music, maybe at his favorite venue. It should also be very different (menu, vibe) than the wedding reception. If you are doing a seated dinner for wedding, try a buffet for rehearsal.
Guest books rarely get looked through by couple. Try a signed picture, wishing well or something more creative.
Most brides are sporting two wedding dresses - their wedding dress and something short for the reception.
She encouraged working with local vendors (we second that!) and thinking locally - for example, when thinking of your menu try to stick to locally product, and to be as environmentally sound as possible, create your menu with seasonal items. Which brings us to a topic I hold dear...
Food:
Small is the new big. If serving hors d'ouevres, make sure they're actually small enough where just one bite is all your guests need to take. Mini ice cream sandwiches are also a neat addition.
Provide bags for your guests to take wedding cake home (but of course, save some for yourself!)
Minimize clutter and eyesores and instead of having ugly chaffing dishes with a buffet, have serving stations or work with your caterer and florist to make the food stations pretty.
Food in martini glasses are out!
Signature drinks are still very popular and make the reception more efficient by minimizing waiting lines at the bar.
Consider station cocktail parties versus seated dinners.
Try to minimize lines by having a huge bar with ample servers and bartenders. Tara suggested one bartender/server per 50 guests.
Candy bars are still in, which we love:). For one event, she used rolling carts to travel to guests during reception.
Some great finds based on Tara's wedding forecast - Clockwise: Ice-cream sandwiches from marthastewart.com, easy bite hors d'oeuvres from Chef's Market, candy buffet by Rhonda Patton Weddings, snazzy serving station by A Catered Affair
Tara chatting with moms. Photo source: NashvilleLifestyles.com
Color:
"Blue is out" and lavender is still a hot color.
Pinks and pale peaches making their way back into color schemes.
In the fall, expect to see more jewel tones.
Do-it-Yourself:
A huge proponent of DIY, Tara had fantastic ideas for favors. She suggested using etched glass as place cards which, at the end of the night, turn into unique favors for your guests! Don't have the budget to offer every guest an etched glass? Just do etched, monogrammed glasses for the bridal party.
Monogramming is a lovely, traditional detail, and can be even more meaningful when you know an aunt or you have a grandmother who knows how to embroider. Have her monogram some linen napkins just for you and your groom. Or monogram the ribbon that's going around your bouquet for a sentimental touch.
Clockwise: Monogram hanging floral by Enchanted Florist, DIY getaway car decorations and etched glass place setting from MarthaStewart.com, DIY program by The Thirty Something Bride (thirtysomethingbride.com)
For out-of-town guests, keep it simple and print the information booklet yourself. Provide a small container or mints or just a small bag of candy and include bottles of water with labels you made yourself vs over the top, out of town guest baskets. Spend the money elsewhere.
Something creative and economical that I've seen brides do is recycling their ceremony flowers and incorporating them into reception decor but one thing I've never seen that Tara suggested was using pew markers, ribbons and all, to decorate the getaway car!
A point she reiterated was to think locally and to really work with your vendors especially your caterer and your florist - really involve them in your planning so everything goes together perfectly.
Speaking of vendors, we got to see several of Nashville's premiere companies present at the show too. Some of them made great use of their space. Wedding 101 (wedding101.net) turned their area in the hotel's lobby into a romantic seating area. It really welcomed you to their space.
Social Graces (socialgraces.com) used antique manequins and furniture to display their custom stationery.
We saw our favorite lighting company, Nashville Event Lighting and got to chat for a bit. Models glided around dressed in the prettiest gowns from the Cotton Mill while harpist Phyllis Taylor Starks filled the rooms with classic wedding music. Also there were Maples Wedding Cakes (maplesweddingcakes.com), Classic Party Rentals, the Governor’s Club (thegovernorsclub.com), King Jewelers (kings1912.com), OSHi Flowers (oshiflowers.com - fabulous florals), Feria Cinematic Imagery and American Laser Centers (http://www.americanlaser.com). We truly were in great company that day.
Thank you to all the brides who came by to say hello, it was such a pleasure to meet you all! If you picked up a 2010 Bride sticker from us that day, don't forget to submit a picture of you with the sticker on your bumper! Remember: each picture of a bride and her sticker on her car means another $5 to our relief fund to help Haiti. You can find more details about that here.
At Ashley’s Bride Guide, we’re always on the lookout for innovative and exciting wedding ideas.
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