Nashville Wedding Pros Inspire Brides with a Bold, Betsey Johnson-Style Wedding Theme

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

When it comes to your wedding, the sky truly is the limit in a city like Nashville where talent abounds. Our city attracts the best of the best when it comes to talent, due to our strong music scene and central location. All of this bustling creativity makes our wedding scene on par with cities 2-3 times our size.

That's why I love wedding photo shoots. Most of the time, pros are restricted by what brides and grooms want. And what you want is usually what you have seen on other blogs, in magazines, or on Pinterest. A wedding shoot is a collaboration between a team of wedding pros who come together to inspire us to think beyond what we see all around us and to imagine something more. These shoots leave us with ideas for our own wedding and allow us to see the enormous creativity that wedding professionals possess.

Such is the Betsey Johnson-inspired shoot. This shoot was one of my favorite examples that dare couples to be different. It's wild, chock-full with crazy bold colors; every aspect is inventive, vibrant and alive! The photos are rich, the venue is spectacular. All of the vendors involved are truly inspiring.

My favorite photos from this fantasy shoot are below, but be sure to visit Gregory Byerline Photographer (click here) for full details on how they put the shoot together and to see even more incredible photos.  

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Posted by Ashley of Ashley's Bride Guide | Filed under: Inspiration & Trends, Luxury Nashville Wedding Finds, Photography, Wedding Planners & Coordinators, Wedding Venues and Locations 1 comment »

Discover Weddings at Country Music Hall of Fame; World Renown Landmark + Wed Venue

Monday, June 11, 2012

There is no doubt that the Country Music Hall of Fame is a Nashville landmark that is known the world over. It is a visual representation for the music that made our city famous and houses much of our city's history. It draws tourists and celebrities from all over the world and is a popular local destination for events and tours. But what you may not have known is that is is an INCREDIBLE wedding venue that offers everything you need for a stunning Nashville wedding, steeped in history, that invites your wedding guests to get a wonderful taste of Nashville.

If you are not familiar with weddings at the Country Music Hall of Fame, take few minutes to learn more about their venue and all of the services they offer to handle every aspect of your big day, from full catering to Hatch Show Print invitations.

Photos: Dove Wedding Photography

About Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum

Main Contact: Jo Ellen Drennon
Phone Number: (615) 416-2001
Email Address: info{at}CountryMusicHallofFame{dot}org
Follow via Twitter: @CountryMusicHOF
Like them to learn more via their Facebook fan page: www.Facebook.com/CountryMusicHOF

How many years have you been in business?
We have been at our current facility since 2001.

How did you get started in weddings?
As such a unique Nashville attraction, we wanted to be able to let brides hold their weddings at a one-of-a-kind location. We hold so much music history within our walls and have a gorgeous view of downtown Nashville - a very special combination.

Photo left: Kristyn Hogan; photo right: Austin Gros

Photos: Joy Marie Photography

Photos: Dove Wedding Photography

Photos: Dove Wedding Photography

What do you like most about weddings?
It gives us the chance to be a part of someone’s special day. We take our role in a weddings very seriously. “Will the Circle Be Unbroken,” etched in our rotunda space, lends itself to weddings, and we take pride in our ability to share and assist in the beginning of a couple’s journey together.

What are your strengths compared to others in your category? Why should a bride hire you?
We are a one-stop-shop, we will coordinate everything from your catering, to your red carpet entrance, to a customized Hatch Show Print poster, to your getaway car.

We have galleries that contain artifacts from country music history, beautiful spaces, lighting options, and an entertainment manager who has connections to book so many different kinds of bands (as there is so much talent to draw from in Nashville!) We can also provide other services like valet, red carpet arrivals, (we know it best!), and the bride and groom will always have a wait staff member “shadowing” them for any services that they need throughout the night.

We also have our in-house catering, Two Twenty-Two Grill & Catering, and our chef Jeremy Foy will work with the bride and groom to customize a menu that fits their taste and style. Our team has extensive knowledge and experience to create the perfect wedding day.

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Posted by Ashley of Ashley's Bride Guide | Filed under: Helpful Vendor Interviews!, Cakes & Food, Luxury Nashville Wedding Finds, Wedding Venues and Locations 1 comment »

Rhonda Patton Weddings Shares 4 Floral + Design Trends for the Sophisticated, Modern Bride

Thursday, May 31, 2012

We love to know what's trending in weddings, and whenever we have questions in floral trends, we look to Rhonda Patton Weddings & Events. Rhonda is a self-proclaimed "fashion-forward, FLORALnista astute with premium fashion and modern floral intelligence." She's in-the-know because she wants to be and she takes the time to study the trends that will appeal to her brides.

Rhonda has shared with us information on what is trending for the "Sophisticated, Modern Bride," as she gleaned from the interests along the East and West Coasts.

Trend 1: Color Inventions

Color plays a vital role in this invention - strong, rich saturated colors are essential.

My color raves for 2012 and beyond....

• Purples make me Plum Crazy!
• Beautiful Blues: Indigo, Royal, Cobalt, Lapis and Teal...are all a thrill!
• Haute Pink is Poppin! (I heart haute pink and metallic gold color combos)
• Jewel Tones are Jammin'
• Red Reeks with Excellence!
• I'm Musing over Metallics!
• Neutral Palettes deserve a round of Applause! (I'm falling in love with the all white weddings too...)

Fashion is a pre-requisite to the wedding industry and ironically my color raves are are the popular choice.

Color palettes from Pantone; first sketch is a Pantone composite by Dexigner.com; second sketch composite by InStyle

Trend 2: Element Inventions

• Acrylic or lucite (which are both major players in the event industry)
• Mirrored or opague elements
• Upholstered elements
• Blinged (crystal) enchanced elements

Photo: Rhonda Patton's blog

Photo by The Collection

Trend 3: Flower Inventions

• Layering of textures
• Groupings (of one sort of flower)
• Swaying flowers (flowers sway out of a vase to the left or right versus stems completely submerged into a vase)
• Flower sculptures
• Flower contouring

Photo by Kristyn Hogan

Photo by Kristen Steele Photography

Photo by Divine Images

Photo by J. Stemmer Photography.  See more from this wedding on Karen Tran's blog here.

Trend 4: Candy Station Inventions

Robust candy or dessert stations to include color coordinated sweet treats. Candy bars remain trendy and I predict this trend will be a popular choice for modern brides for 2012 and beyond.

Photo by Roland's Photography

Photo by Kristyn Hogan

Photo by The Collection

If you're loving these new trends and want to know what Rhonda Patton can do for your wedding design, contact Rhonda Patton at 615-727-4429.

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Posted by Megan | Filed under: Florals, Details & Design , Inspiration & Trends, Luxury Nashville Wedding Finds 1 comment »

Jazz Era Elegance Abounds at This Music-Filled Wedding at Nashville’s Schermerhorn Symphony Center

Friday, May 4, 2012

A real wedding straight from the bride... Brittany actually contacted us herself before Regalo Design could even think to tell us about this beautiful wedding! Regalo acted as the event planners, floral designers, provided rentals, and saved the day when unexpected rain forced the ceremony indoors. Whether from the bride or the vendor, we are just happy to share this wedding with you.

Brittany and Brandon met at his parents house shortly after she moved to Nashville. His parents hosted guests at church for lunch and she attended. Brittany described why this chance meeting lead to a lifelong commitment: "We started spending a lot of time together after that and it didn't take us long to realize how much of an undeniable connection we had. We had so much fun together- we could laugh and talk about absolutely anything. No one had ever made me feel so unconditionally loved or cared about and our individual qualities made each other better." Their sweet love can be seen in their photos... Enjoy!

Brittany + Brandon
Wedding Date ~ September 4, 2011
Ceremony + Reception Venue ~ Schermerhorn Symphony Center
Guests ~ 250

Wedding Team

Planner, Florals, Decor + Rentals | Regalo Design
Photographer | Aubrey Joy Photography
Videographer | Catchlight Cinema 
Wedding Gown + Bridesmaid Attire | The White Room
Bride’s Accessories | Vintage shoes, Swarovski crystal + freshwater pearl earrings from my mom, other jewelry from Etsy.com
Rings | Genesis Diamonds
Groom’s Attire + Groomsmen Attire | Street Tuxedo
Hair & Makeup | Marian Carden of Trade Secret, Green Hills Mall
Stationery | Invitations & Calligraphy - Anibella Ink + Paper
Caterer | Schermerhorn Symphony Center
Cake Artist | The Bake Shoppe
Ceremony + Reception Musicians | Nashville Jazz Orchestra
Vintage Furniture Rentals | Four Inch Fold
Transportation | Nashville Wedding Cars (1939 Packard)

My Wedding Details

How would you describe your style as a couple? How did you incorporate that style into your wedding?

I adore the elegance and class of the classic jazz era so I really had fun searching for a band with that sound, a getaway car, and little details that were reminiscent of that period.

The vintage furniture section of our reception was, by far, my favorite, in terms of décor. Mao Thao of FourInchFold vintage rentals did an amazing job styling it and I added old family wedding photos and set up our “Polaroid”-style guest book there. Our guests really enjoyed the personal touches.

I also followed wedding blogs to get a feel for what I really wanted because I wasn’t that girl who started planning her wedding at 5 years old. If I liked something, I tried to incorporate it, whether it was vintage or new, eclectic or traditional. I’m glad I did that. Trying to make each little thing fit into a certain theme is very restricting.

Although our “theme” was elegant and jazzy with some vintage touches, I threw in “Oh The Places You’ll Go” by Dr. Seuss as one of our ceremony readings because I read it and it was silly and exciting and I decided I wanted it read at our wedding! It should always be about what you love and what makes you happy.

Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue....

My something old was my grandmother’s pearl brooch pinned to my bouquet and the earrings from my mom were new. I borrowed my great great grandmother’s handkerchief - I carried just in case I got emotional during my vows…which was bound to happen since I can’t get through an episode of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition without crying my eyes out. And for something blue, I had vintage soft blue heels decorated with a flower shoe clip from Etsy.

My husband also had a “something old” from his mom. She doesn’t have any daughters so she took a piece of her wedding dress and stitched it to hold a small coin that was engraved with “With God, All Things Are Possible.”

What was your most memorable or favorite moment?

We were so glad we decided to do first glance pictures. It was the only part of the day that we had all to ourselves, and definitely one of the most special moments between us. Having him tell me how beautiful I looked and having a chance to talk about our morning was very calming before all of the people descended on us.

Our ceremony was supposed to be outside so the rain was heartbreaking. I had to readjust my vision for the day and it turned out to be possibly more beautiful than I had imagined and no one ever knew it was supposed to be outside. So many other little things weren’t quite right but I think I was the only one who really knew. When you’ve planned every tiny detail, it can be hard to look at the big picture but it’s worth it to just let it all go and enjoy the day.

Our first dance song was “Misty” by Sarah Vaughan. Misty is my favorite song and my dad is an amazing jazz musician and played the saxophone with the band as we danced. It was special to me because he claims he’s not much of a dancer so that was our father-daughter moment.

Where did you splurge? Where did you save/DIY?

We planned for 250 and decided a $25,000 budget, which we didn’t exactly achieve. But, we saved SO much money (like thousands!!) with Regalo Design. Everything we booked in their name was tax free and they are master negotiators! The most we saved was on the venue.

I splurged on the band because it was important to me to have live music and the vintage furniture rentals and décor that was set up in our reception space. It was well worth it because that little vintage section was my favorite part of all the décor.

I had high hopes of DIY-ing my accessories and table decorations but, as a medical student, there was just no way I could make that happen. I wanted to make my girls’ birdcage veils as well as my own. I wanted to learn calligraphy for our thank you sign to use for thank you post cards. None of this happened but I had a lot of fun browsing Ebay for the vintage items that I used as table decorations and Etsy for my accessories.

Now that the wedding day is over, is there anything about your planning process you feel you could have done differently?

The day of our wedding, it rained ALL day! So, all of the meticulous planning was kind of pointless. I wish I had been able to just relax more and not worry about the tiny details during the planning process and even on the actual day. I would advise any bride to just enjoy the process and the day and focus more on the love that you’ve found instead of miniscule details because you really have no idea how it will all turn out. And no matter how it turns out, it’s always beautiful because it’s your wedding day and you’re in love and celebrating and nothing else matters!

Thank you dearly to the couple for sharing their day with us!! We're so glad we could provide inspiration in your process and share the outcome! To see more photos of their wedding day, visit Aubrey Joy's blog. And if you are looking for your wedding to go smoothly, even in the face of setbacks or catastrophe, be sure to contact Regalo Design! They've proved their capable here, while their florals and design are just a stunning mirror of the day.

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Posted by Megan | Filed under: Luxury Nashville Wedding Finds, Real Nashville Weddings, Wedding Planners & Coordinators 0 comments »