Tuesday, August 9, 2016
A day at Arrington Vineyards is not one to forget! Especially when you spend it taking your engagement photos. And that's exactly how the story went for Kayla and Matthew! It was instant chemistry with these two and you can tell in their photos by Christina Pugh Photography. It was so instant that the couple decided to elope a month later! I'll let Kayla take it from here...
Kayla + Matthew
Photographer | Christina Pugh Photography
Engagement Shoot Location | Arrington Vineyards
Engagement Shoot Date | April 24, 2016
Elopement Date | May 28, 2016
How did you guys meet?
Kayla: Matt and I met through a mutual friend during the summer of 2015 at the beach. We quickly saw the connection and enjoyed each other's presence. We decided to start dating despite the 12 hours and several states that separated us. We could see quickly that we were both blessings from God to each other.
Tell us about your proposal!
Kayla: After about a month, Matt already knew that I was the one he wanted to marry. Crazy. After about four months of dating, Matt proposed to me in a small town in Texas with my best friend capturing the moment beneath Christmas lights.
What inspired your engagement session with Christina Pugh Photography?
Kayla: During our engagement, I was living in Nashville teaching for my graduate program. Matt came down from Pennsylvania often to visit, so we couldn't think of anywhere as picturesque to have our engagement session. We talked with our photographer and thought it could be a fun date and photo opportunity to go to a local Nashville vineyard. We got to walk around, hear some live music, taste some wine, and eat snacks in the glow of the sunset.
What are your wedding plans?
Kaya: Shortly after our engagement session, we had the pleasure of eloping on May 28th at State College in Pennsylvania with our immediate families. We can't wait to celebrate with the rest of our friends and family at a reception in August. We have been very blessed!
Thanks so much for sharing your photos, Kayla + Matthew! We wish you the best!
All photos by Christina Pugh Photography.
Like this post? Check out Valerie + John's Nashville engagement sessions here.
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Posted by Alyssa |
Filed under: Engagements & Proposals, Photography, Real Nashville Brides,
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Friday, August 5, 2016
I love a Houston Station wedding! And it's so fun to see how each and every couple transforms the space to compliment their personalities and personal style. Hannah + Dan's wedding has a Nashville flair with an elegant twist - and Houston Station is the perfect venue for that! With cowboy boot coozies next to sheer draping, Hannah and Dan's personal style melded into one magnificent party! Hannah reveals more behind the scenes info about her Houston Station wedding below...
Hannah + Dan
February 27, 2016
Houston Station
130 Guests
$20,000-$30,000 Budget
Wedding Team
Day of Coordinator | Events Nashville
Photographer | Lane Photography
Photobooth | Let's Booth It
Wedding Gown | Augusta Jones from Elegance by Roya
Bride’s Accessories | BHLDN
Hair/Makeup | Katie Russo Beauty
Save the Dates | Darby Cards
Invitations | Minted
Programs | Design by Bride
Caterer | Bacon & Caviar
Cake Artist | Dulce Desserts
Floral Designer | Abigail Curtis at Import Flowers
Ceremony/Cocktail Hours Musicians | Honeyboy and Boots
Reception Musicians | JD's Music
Rentals | Liberty Party Rental
Lighting + Draping | Southern Sky Event Lighting
Transportation | Shuttle Buses from Matchless Transportation
Guest Accommodations | Courtyard Nashville Downtown, Embassy Suites Nashville, and Hampton Inn Nashville/Vanderbilt
Rehearsal Dinner Location | Merchants on Broadway
How would you describe your style as a couple?
Hannah: We are both a laid back and fun couple. We enjoy grabbing drinks with friends or entertaining at our place. We are also content with staying in and cooking a meal while listening to some music.
Where did you get your wedding inspiration?
Hannah: I got a lot of my inspiration from all kinds of outlets, but mainly Pinterest and A Practical Wedding. Since we were having a winter wedding, I wanted things to feel warm. That's how I chose the color scheme of blush and champagne. We wanted to keep things pretty simple and make sure our budget was going to the right things. Having lavish decorations wasn't important to me, so we went with pretty simple centerpieces at the tables. I also love the idea of being able to reuse something. Our cake holders and the mason jars we used as decorations everywhere were from my grandmother. We also had our wedding party choose their outfits in hopes that they could wear them again.
How did you incorporate that style into your wedding?
Hannah: We really wanted our wedding to feel more like a big party than a wedding. It was the majority of our guests first time in Nashville (Dan's family is from the New Jersey/Connecticut area), so it was important to us to have that laid-back and fun feel you get with Nashville. Our main focus was making sure we had good food, plenty of drinks, and good music to dance to. We let the rest just fall into place. Decoration wise, you don't need much with a venue like Houston Station. I loved the rustic look that Houston Station gives with the exposed brick and wooden beams. It's proximity to downtown was also nice because it allowed guests to continue to celebrate downtown after the reception.
What was your (or your guests’) favorite aspect of your wedding?
Hannah: We got a ton of compliments on the food and to go along with our simple/laid back theme, we went with BBQ from Bacon and Caviar. We also did a buffet instead of a formal sit down. This allowed guests to go back for seconds if they wanted to.
We also got a lot of compliments on the party favors. As our party favors, I had coozies made in the shape of a boot. A lot of our guests had a mission to get boots during their visit to Nashville, so they loved the idea that now their drinks had boots too.
Tell us about your cakes!
Hannah: We had a two tier cake and then did 4 additional 8" cakes to make up a cake buffet. Juanita with Dulce Desserts presented the idea to us as a more economical option than a 3 tier (or more) cake. It ended up being much more fun because of the variable flavors and finish textures.
Where did you splurge? Where did you save/DIY?
Hannah: While everything seemed like a splurge (this is definitely the most expensive party I've ever thrown), the two last minute things that we ended up going for that we hadn't planned on due to the extra costs were the bar back and Farmtable for the head table. For the bar, we were originally just going to do table and cloth, but last minute decided to splurge on the beautiful wood bar from Liberty.
We saved on flowers and alcohol. For our head table, we used the flowers from my Bridesmaid luncheon that my Aunt Lucy and Aunt Susan hosted for me. For the rest of the tables, we kept the flower arrangements simple with baby's-breath placed in Mason jars that we got from my grandmother. We also used some of the Bridesmaid's bouquets throughout to help with the decorations during the reception.
I loved that you could bring your own alcohol in Houston Station. It allowed us to shop around for the best prices on the different types of alcohol. We got the liquor from Frugal's, the wine from Colonial, and the beer, believe it or not, from Wal-Mart. Frugal's and Colonial would buy back whatever wasn't opened which was nice.
Who were your favorite vendors and what made them exceptional?
Hannah: All of the vendors were fantastic to work with. Everyone was so pleasant and nice that it made the process so easy. The two vendors that just stood out the most were the folks at Houston Station and Lane Photography.
Elizabeth, Sam, and Sarah are a dream team! They were the main ones running the show the day of our wedding and I can't tell you of anything that went wrong. I know my mom sure enjoyed them the month leading up to the wedding. She was probably in contact with them every other day and they were so good at helping her.
The whole process of working with Scott and Kristin at Lane Photography has been awesome. We first met them at our engagement session, and I felt like we were laughing the whole time. Scott is really good at getting you to relax and feel comfortable. He's also got an incredible talent. I absolutely loved the action shots he got during the reception.
Now that the wedding day is over, is there anything about your planning process you feel you could have done differently?
Hannah: Absolutely not! That was one of the best days of our lives. I was on cloud nine for like a whole month after our wedding. While we definitely had some stressful moments during the planning period (especially planning it from DC), it was all totally worth it.
In one sentence, what words of advice do you have for couples in the midst of their planning?
Hannah: Don't let yourself get stressed out in the small unnecessary details. In the end, everyone that attends is there to support you and celebrate this huge chapter in your life!
Thanks to Hannah and Lane Photography for sharing these beautiful photos! Happy Friday!
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Posted by Alyssa |
Filed under: Advice & Planning, Real Nashville Brides, Wedding Venues and Locations, Wedding Style - Rustic, Farm ,
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Friday, July 8, 2016
My heart skipped a beat when I saw Rojeen and Hamza's wedding photos by Stephanie Sorenson. A gorgeous couple in a gorgeous downtown setting - what more could you ask for in a Nashville wedding? I'll leave it to Rojeen to tell the rest of the story:
Rojeen + Hamza
5.28.16
Venue | Hutton Hotel
Photographer | Stephanie Sorenson
Rentals | Liberty Party Rental
Lighting and Draping | Nashville Audio Visual
Cake | Nashville Sweets
Flowers | Weddings by Kayln
Bride's Makeup | Artofficial Makeup
Bride's Hair | Babe Beauty Bar
Wedding Gown and Hair Piece | Olia Zavozina
Groom's Suit | J.Crew Mens
Tell us about you as a couple.
Rojeen: Hamza had no idea walking into the YMCA at Green Hills three years ago would change his life forever. He walked in, as he routinely did, to do some cardio and lift some weights. He had no idea that his future was waiting for him. He saw me working out and immediately knew there was something different about me. Three years later, we are married! I am a Kurdish-American kindergarten teacher. I loves many things, but my true passions are teaching (in any form), family and of course, fitness. Hamza is a Pakistani-American med-school student. He hopes one day to become a surgeon. Hamza loves to be in the hospital, watch and play sports and spend time with his family. We both still go to the gym together, go mountain biking, and enjoy sushi on the weekends. We have shown a commitment to each other within the last three years that many people do not get to experience in a lifetime. We were lucky to find each other that day at the gym and have never looked back.
Tell us about your vision.
Rojeen: The vision was to unite three cultures into one! We had to implement part Kurdish, Pakistani and American culture into the wedding to truly make it a night we could enjoy that represented us. At first, this seemed impossible. All three cultures are so vibrant and have their own intricacies in respect to weddings. We tried to find similarities between all three to try and tie them all together. I think we did an amazing job finally finding a great mix of all cultures. It was a night to remember with all the cultures coming together as one. Just as Rojeen and Hamza did.
What was their theme and what inspired it?
Rojeen: The theme was a combination of Kurdish/Bollywood and a traditional American wedding all tossed together. Dancing is a huge part of all cultures, but especially Middle Eastern. It is how people celebrate for the bride and groom. So the arrangement of everything had to be dance-friendly. We tried to have an elegant theme with a modern touch.
Can you share any special moments or highlights of your wedding day?
Rojeen: There were so many special moments. To list a few, I would start out by talking about the first time we walked in as a couple. It was grand! Everyone was around us cheering and dancing. It was definitely a special moment in a very happy environment. I think the speeches were also a very special moment. They were not rehearsed and from the heart. Those are always the best. All in all, the entire night was amazing! It was all one big highlight. I danced all night, so many pictures were taken, it was just a magical evening.
With 3 absolutely stunning dress changes, a beautiful city backdrop and soft, elegant decor, Rojeen and Hamza's wedding was definitely a night to remember!
All photos by Stephanie Sorenson Photography.
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Posted by Alyssa |
Filed under: Multicultural, African-American weddings, Real Nashville Brides,
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Monday, July 4, 2016
We're taking the day off and spending it with family and friends! We hope you're enjoying your long weekend as well - whether it's planning your wedding, enjoying the fireworks, or even making memories on your big day! Thank you to our military brides and grooms for your service on this very special day.
Photo by Wild Cotton Photography from Laura + Todd's Avenue Wedding.
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Posted by Alyssa |
Filed under: Real Nashville Brides,
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Friday, June 24, 2016
I was overjoyed hearing the news that my friend Valerie got engaged to her teen sweetheart John! They are an adorable couple - and they've weathered much of their relationship long-distance. And after 8 years of dating, John popped the question! It was a special day and I have Valerie here to tell the rest of their love story...
Valerie + John
Proposal Date: December 5, 2015
Wedding Date: September 25, 2016
Wedding Location: Belle Meade Plantation
How did you get engaged?
Valerie: On Saturday, December 5, John asked if I wanted to have a 'date day'. I really didn't suspect a thing! We had a leisurely brunch at Marchè, saw Christmas lights at Cheekwood, and picked out our very first live Christmas tree.
In the midst of our date, my sister, Laura, texted me about a double date she was planning with one of our best friends, Meegen. She asked if I'd like to get ready with them before my dinner date with John. Meegen is one of the top hair and makeup artists for country music celebrities, and every time she works her magic on me I feel like a queen. I excitedly joined in the fun. What a treat! Laura and Meegen sat me down and insisted I get ready first, saying that their dinner reservation was much later than mine.
Over a wonderful dinner at Margot, John asked if I'd like to see the Christmas lights at Opryland later that night. We had been talking about this for weeks and I really did want to go. Naturally, I sent texts to our friends asking if they wanted to join. I didn't hear back from anyone - which was very strange. I hadn't even heard from Laura in hours.
The traffic heading to Opryland was at a near standstill. I suggested maybe we go another night - the traffic wouldn't be so bad and our friends would probably want to go too.
John was really adamant about going to Opryland. He's usually pretty flexible and likes to go with the flow - but he was insistent about this. Then his phone pinged with a text - and he tried to hide the screen. Not soon enough! "ETA?" from Laura Howard. What! She was supposed to be on a date and still hadn't answered my text asking where she was going for dinner.
We inched along on the exit ramp to Opryland and everything started coming together. My nails were manicured, I looked glamorous (thanks Meegen!) and all of my friends were hiding from me. Something was up - my nerves shot through the roof!
As John marched through the maze of lights at Opryland, I followed behind in a daze. I don't think I saw a single light. I was anxious, excited, nervous, over the moon, terrified and head over heels in love. The first thing I really did see was Laura, standing in front of the lit up gazebo. Her eyes were huge, realizing that we were making eye contact. She turned quickly and practically dove into the bushes.
When we got to the gazebo, John got down on one knee and we both started crying. After 8 years of dating, this boy I met at Starbucks when I was a 16 year old barista was asking me to be his wife forever!
You can read more about our engagement here on my blog: http://www.thetwentiescrisis.com
How many guests are you expecting at your wedding?
Valerie: 300
What’s your wedding budget?
Valerie: We didn’t establish an exact number. We are just trying to make things as cost effective as possible.
Who have you hired for your wedding team so far?
Valerie: Lighting: Bright Event Productions
Photographer: Anna Rebecca Weddings
Catering: Actual Food (Dan Forberg)
Cake: Yummy Cakes
Hair & Makeup: Libby Barnes and Meegen Pearson
We’re bringing people on one at a time for our budget's sake.
What’s your wedding style?
Valerie: Fun, whimsical and rustic.
What’s your most fun purchase/hire to date?
Valerie: All of them!
Bright Events: John actually worked at Bright Events when he first moved to Nashville. He loved the team and he especially loved working for the owners, Clint and Abby. During his time at Bright he set up lights for a lot of weddings. He got to see first-hand how great lighting transforms each venue. When we got engaged, John knew exactly where he wanted to get married and that Bright could create a perfect atmosphere for the wedding. Bright was the first vendor John wanted to meet with and so far they have taken incredible care of us!
Actual Food: I met Dan Forberg because he does a lot of artist’ catering for tour rehearsals. I fell in LOVE with his food, but also him as a person. He uses as much local products as he can and all fresh ingredients. He is a game changer and I begged him to do the wedding!
Yummy Cakes: Jackie Lewenski, She is a therapist by day, and a baker by hobby. For every cake she makes, she donates a cake to those who can’t afford a birthday cake. She gave us a huge list of cake flavors, icings, and fillings and we chose 5 flavors to have a variety of cupcakes. She is also baking a smaller wedding cake for us to cut!
Libby Barnes and Meegen Pearson: They are the best of the best hair and makeup artists! I have never felt more confident or beautiful then when I am in their presence. They are also some of the funniest people I know.
And of course Anna Rebecca Weddings: We knew we wanted to work with her from the moment we met her for an introductory coffee. She immediately put us at ease, talked us through our dreams and fears, and worked with our budget. She is everything we could have dreamed of in a photographer.
What aspect of being engaged has surprised you the most?
Valerie: I had no idea how much closer John and I could get throughout the process of planning a wedding. All of the decisions that have to be made are daunting, but it has been incredible learning how to make decisions with someone else. I’m a very independent, strong willed person, so learning how to be interdependent has been challenging and super rewarding.
What have you most enjoyed about being engaged?
Valerie: I LOVE how much our friends are involved in planning the wedding. John and I are so lucky to be surrounded by the best people and it has been so fun to see their love intertwine with ours.
Tell us about your engagement session. Where did it take place?
Valerie: Revelater Coffee and Jeni’s Ice Cream in Hillsboro Village and Centennial Park.
What’s the significance of the location(s)?
Valerie: We combined our favorite things, coffee, ice cream and Nashville. I live in Hillsboro Village so it was extra special to include my neighborhood.
Who shot your engagement session?
Valerie: Anna Rebecca Weddings
What was it like working with your photographer?
Valerie: She was absolutely incredible! We felt like we won the lottery working with her. She had an amazing eye for detail and provided so much direction (which we really needed haha).
What did you like most about the session?
Valerie: We felt completely spoiled. Libby Barnes did our glam and came with us to all of the locations. John and I felt like we got to give everyone a peek into our normal lives (except with a professional makeup artist and a great photographer following us around, haha). It was so personal and so sweet. Anna encouraged us to be us - which is competitive and fun.
We really had a power team. Libby and Anna Rebecca provided great insight and direction, but they also kept reminded us to soak every bit in.
Would you recommend the photographer and why?
Valerie: Absolutely. Anna Rebecca has an incredible way of mirroring your personality and bringing the best out. She is encouraging, hilarious, and great at providing direction. She asked what our favorite things were and where we wanted to shoot, and then she picked everything else. She is extremely fast at finding where and how she wants to shoot to capture the best lighting. We felt confident and comfortable in her hands!
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Thank you so much for sharing your engagement story, Valerie + John! We love how she incorporated many Nashville hot-spots to make the photos truly "them"! We cannot wait to see photos from their wedding!
All photos by Anna Rebecca
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Posted by Alyssa |
Filed under: Engagements & Proposals, Real Nashville Brides,
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