Friday, March 9, 2012
As I write this post, it's pouring rain outside, so thankfully this real wedding is bright and full of warmth! Photographer Donald Yeager captured this pretty, yellow themed wedding at the Bluegrass Yacht and Country Club and we hope that, even though the temps are starting to drop again for the weekend, the pictures from this real Nashville wedding keep you warm and cozy. Enjoy!
Cati + Patrick
Wedding Date ~ October 8, 2011
Donald Yeager: "Cati was working at Baskin Robin's and Patrick strolled in one day to unknowingly meet the girl he was going to marry. That makes their story so sweet. Not only did they meet in her hometown, but they were also wed there. Cati was enthusiastic from the beginning of her wedding planning to the moment she walked down the aisle. Her laid back attitude and specific style made planning a breeze.
Patrick and Cati have this very special chemistry-- it was incredible just being around them. Their love radiates and it is easy to see why they belong together. This love is easily evident in the images from their big day. I was happy to be able to document the day with such a gorgeous bride and handsome groom."
ABG Notes: Love the playful nature of these pictures. The guys' dark grey suits are a pretty contrast to the light grey dresses and bright florals.
ABG Notes: Always fun to see varying styles of bridesmaids dresses in matching fabric. A good alternative if your girls are shaped differently!
Venue | Bluegrass Yacht & Country Club's Ballroom
Photographer | Donald Yeager Photography
Lighting and DJ | Spangler Entertainment
Wedding Cake | Cakes Galore
Groom's Cake | Baskin Robbins
Wedding Coordination | Nashville Event Planning
If there's one thing you can count on from Donald Yeager Photography it's pictures that exude happiness and fun. He's such a personable, friendly and sincere photographer who puts his couples at ease to get the best pictures. For more of his work visit his website at DonaldYeager.com. For more pictures from Cati and Patrick's wedding, visit the Bluegrass Yacht and Country Club's blog here.
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Posted by Tabitha |
Filed under: Photography, Real Nashville Weddings,
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Friday, March 2, 2012
Photo booths are fun! Very few people would disagree with that statement, but Amanda and Nate wholeheartedly agree. While planning their wedding and deciding on how they wanted their guests to feel, this couple kept returning to one word - fun. They decided to create a small photo booth theme to help kickstart the fun at the reception. The key: Photo Booth Nashville. Between their save the dates, a wall of photos at the reception, props around the room and mustaches at the tables, plus Photo Booth Nashville on hand... Amanda and Nate's guests not only had fun, they had a memory to take home with them.
Many thanks to the photo booth memories from Photo Booth Nashville and the photos from Shuffield Photography, which captured Amanda and Nate's fun and very personal wedding.
Amanda + Nate
Wedding Date ~ August 13, 2011
Ceremony ~ Belle Meade Plantation Garden
Reception ~ Belle Meade Plantation Carriage House
Guests ~ 250
Budget
$20,000 – $50,000
Wedding Team
Planner | The Bride
Wedding Coordinator | Cande Cook
Photographer | Shuffield Photography
Videographer | Keith Holt with KHVisuals
Photo booth | Photo Booth Nashville
Bride's Gown | Leann Belter Gown
Bride's Accessories | Christina Garcia earrings from The White Room in Birmingham, Alabama
Groom’s Attire / Groomsmen Attire | Charcoal gray suits, black ties, and suspenders found at JoS. A. Bank
Bridesmaids Attire | Gray Chiffon Dress by WToo found at Sugar Drop Inc. in Brentwood, TN
Hair & Makeup | Kimberly Myers from Hair Envy
Save the Dates | I made them myself using photo strips from Photo Booth Nashville, paperbag cardstock, and my home printer
Invitations | Printed by William Arthur designed by Amanda (the bride) at You're Invited in Nashville, TN
Ceremony Musicians | String Quartet: Innocenti Strings
Singers/Performers | Brother and sisters of the groom, and Libby Hodges
Reception Musicians | Music City Party DJ
Valet | PMC Parking
Caterer | Two Fat Men Catering
Cake Artist | B. Jackson’s Bakery
Floral Designer | Melissa Broadwell with Vintage Florals
Rentals | Southern Events
My Wedding Details
How would you describe your style as a couple? How did you incorporate that style into your wedding?
When it came time to planning our wedding, Nate and I knew we wanted it to be a day of celebration and FUN with our closest family and friends. We decided that we wanted our ceremony and reception to be in one location to maximize our time enjoying the only time in our lives where we would get to have all of our favorite people in one place!
I have always wanted to get married outside, so we then knew that Belle Meade Plantation was the perfect place to do just that and have the southern, rustic, and romantic wedding we wanted. We decided to have our ceremony in the garden behind the plantation and planned our reception to follow feet away in the Carriage house.
I stuck with natural colors: brown, ivory, gold, grays, and greens. I wanted to play off of the natural rustic and southern look of the plantation itself. Having such natural colors everywhere, I wanted the flowers to be my way of adding a pop of color to the decor. My (now) father-in-law married us under an arbor that my aunt and uncle built for us personally. It was the perfect addition and added the rustic feeling to our ceremony that I wanted! It was made of driftwood, decorated with jackson vine, grapevine, summer grasses, white wax flowers, roses, and dahlias. It was my dream arbor!
We wanted the reception to include cocktails, dinner, and LOTS of dancing. We also wanted it to include things that were significant to us, one of those being southern food...our menu included beef short ribs, mango chutney chicken, apple poppyseed coleslaw, mini stuffed potatoes, and more. For the wedding cake, I wanted a traditional 3-tiered vanilla almond cake with buttercream icing - iced like my grandmother had done it herself. In addition to the cake, we had 2 tiers of 3 different flavors of cupcakes, which was also a budget friendly aspect of our wedding. Instead of a groom's cake, Nate wanted one of his favorite desserts, Banana Pudding, which went right along with the southern theme.
Half way through the night, we requested there be a biscuit bar as a mid-night snack in honor of one of our favorite Nashville restaurants, Loveless Cafe. The bar included homemade biscuits with an assortment of homemade jams and butters accompanied by shots of milk!
We alternated brown and ivory tablecloths among the tables. Our centerpieces included birch vases holding the bridesmaids' bouquets and wrought iron stands holding the same combination of flowers with grapevine intertwined. Other tables had lanterns set on moss, accented with roses, and others had mason jars filled with flowers from the ceremony.
Being high school sweethearts, we have tons of pictures together. So we decided to clothespin pictures of us from over the years along the outside walls of the carriage house. The red "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" frame held a picture of Nate and I from our first prom together...you may notice we are holding baseball bats and have eye black on...this was in honor of the following story: I played softball in high school, and Nate played baseball. He never got to watch my games because of his own, but the first of few games Nate could watch me play, I hit my first and only homerun ever and he caught it! It was then known as the "Rainbow of Love".
Following the photo theme, we also had a photobooth at the reception. Copies of photo strips were placed in a guest book where people could sign by their picture.
There was a lot more planned and going on, but overall, our vendors and helpers made all these plans happen exactly the way we wanted! It was the most fun night of our lives and more than we could have ever dreamed of. It was definitely a celebration of our marriage and covenant to each other and we couldn't thank all who had a part in it enough.
What was the favorite aspect of your wedding?
How much fun it was! And how incredibly easy and wonderful all of our vendors were to work with and how perfectly they executed the celebration we had been planning for months!
Where did you splurge? Where did you save/DIY?
I knew from the beginning I wanted to spend the most of food, flowers, and photography, because those were the most important to me. Almost all of the decorations at the reception outside of the flower displays were personally made by myself inspired by DIY decoration ideas I found online or in magazines. Any sign hanging or on the tables were made myself. I found old mirrors and frames and made chalkboards out of them to use as additional signs. I also made our programs using a DIY template found online. We also saved money by using flowers used at the ceremony (i.e. mason jars on ceremony chairs and bridesmaids bouquets were used as table centerpieces at the reception)
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Why did you decide to have photo booth save the dates?
I decided to have photo booth save the dates once we decided to have the photobooth at the wedding as a "foreshadowing" for the fun that was to come at the reception :) and it was a different idea I could be creative with. Photobooth Nashville was great and offered it as an additional service as well.
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Why did you decide to hire a photo booth for the reception? Did it add to the reception atmosphere?
We decided to hire a photobooth because we had previously attended a wedding reception that had one and it was a blast. We wanted our reception to be fun and knew it would be a great addition. It definitely added to the reception, it was so much fun. It offered an additional activity for people to do especially if they didn't particularly like to dance. It was also an awesome favor for guests to take home, it's not everyday you get to take unlimited and free photobooth strips of yourself. I still see guests photo strips from our wedding on their refrigerators when I go to their house. We love looking at our book of all of the strips taken at the wedding, it will never get old. We are so glad we did it!
Now that the wedding day is over, is there anything about your planning process you feel you could have done differently?
I cannot think of much, but I definitely could have slept more. Planning a wedding yourself can be time consuming, but very fun!
In one sentence, what words of advice do you have for couples in the midst of their planning?
This is definitely one of the most fun seasons of life, so enjoy every moment possible from beginning to end and do not let the stress that may come with a wedding overshadow the celebration of your marriage.
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Posted by Megan |
Filed under: Real Nashville Weddings, Reception Entertainment, Photo Booths,
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Friday, February 24, 2012
There's something so interesting and exciting with weddings that happen in downtown Nashville. Not only do we have a beautiful city skyline and interesting architecture, but it's great to see how brides bring their visions to life in venues that are already decorated. It's cool to see how the couples look at their surroundings, how they incorporate their style and most of all, how the wedding pros involved help to execute. In today's real wedding, Regalo Design proves that, aside from being great planners, they're not too shabby with decor and design either!
Lisa + Eddie
Wedding Date ~ 9/10/11
Ceremony Location ~ Christ Church Cathedral
Reception Location ~ Union Station Hotel
Guests ~ 350
Video by First Dance Pictures
Tell us about the couple
Lisa and Eddie are from Huntsville, AL. They both went to school in Nashville and loved the city. They asked us to take care of the local details while they planned from out of town.
Describe their theme
Classic Elegant
Details used to enhance the theme
Colors: Eggplant, Moss Green, and Cream
Six-foot Manzanita trees laced with orchids and amaranthus in burlap wrapped planters lined the reception hall for a dramatic effect. Elegant table settings with moss green pin tuck linens, silver candlesticks, and pedestal vases completed the look.
Describe any highlights/special moments of the wedding day
The bride and groom brought their dogs with them for wedding day pictures. They had their first look on the balcony of the Union Station Hotel. And they had one of their favorite bands from their college days attend the reception to play for the evening festivities.
Tell us about the couple’s vision, special requests, unique challenges that you had to work together to overcome
The bride and groom were inspired by the Royal Wedding. They wanted a vintage Rolls Royce to drive away in and they wanted an amazing photographer.
Photography by Amelia J. Moore Photography
Vendors Hired for the Day
Planner, Florist & Event Decorator | Regalo Design
Ceremony Venue: Christ Church Cathedral
Reception Venue and Caterer | Union Station Hotel
Photographer | Amelia J. Moore
Videographer | First Dance Pictures
Baker | Dulce Desserts
Rehearsal Dinner | Cellar One
Trolley | FADDS Party Trolley
Transportation | Grand Avenue Transportation
Band | Lewis Copeland
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Posted by Tabitha |
Filed under: Luxury Nashville Wedding Finds, Real Nashville Weddings,
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Friday, February 17, 2012
In anticipation of Tuesday's Mardi Gras celebration, we thought we'd share a Stephanie and Marquez's Mardi Gras inspired, Nashville wedding. It's always so fun to see weddings with festive themes. Today's wedding planned by Music City Events takes us to the whimsical, colorful festival of Mardi Gras at Durego, one of Nashville's newer venues. We hope this wedding inspires you if a festival theme is what you're thinking of doing for yours! Enjoy!
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Stephanie + Marquez
Wedding Date ~ 11/11/11
Ceremony + Reception Venue ~ Durego
Guests ~ 100
Budget
$10,000 - $20,000
Wedding Team
Planner | Sarah Willard of Music City Events
Photographer | Leslie Emmetts of Divine Images
Gown & Accessories | The White Room (Lebanon) & Swarovski
Groom’s & Groomsmen Attire | American Tuxedo
Bridesmaids Attire | The White Room (Lebanon)
Hair | Milly Mundy at Rodelle’s
Makeup | Katy Mclaren
Stationery | Invitations from David’s Bridal, programs created by my aunt (Palace Reid)
Ceremony Musicians | Pianist- Rex Houston
Reception Musicians | Robert Luke of Robert Luke Entertainment
Transportation | Global Motorsports
Caterer | Elaine O’ Day of Moveable Feast
Cake Artist | Juanita of Dulce Desserts
Floral Designer | Belles Fleurs
Guest Accommodations | Brentwood Hilton Suites
My Wedding Details
How would you describe your style as a couple?
As a couple I think our style is all over the place. We like a little bit of every thing!
How did you incorporate that style into your wedding?
With our wedding we wanted to have fun, so we decided on a Mardi Gras theme for the reception. The wedding was simple and elegant and we incorporated all of the colors and masks into the decorations of the reception.
What was the favorite aspect of your wedding?
My favorite part of the wedding was everything! I absolutely loved the whole process from the beginning to the end!
Where did you splurge? Where did you save/DIY?
We splurged on the pictures. Our photographer was fantastic! I absolutely love my photos, she was worth every dollar!
We saved on the programs because my aunt did them. We also saved by having our wedding and reception in the same space, because we only had to decorate one space and we didn’t have to provide transportation to the reception.
Now that the wedding day is over, is there anything about your planning process you feel you could have done differently?
I loved every minute of planning my wedding. With the help of my mother and my wedding planner, we had a blast. I can’t wait to plan our vow renewal ceremony!
In one sentence, what words of advice do you have for couples in the midst of their planning?
Just make sure you enjoy the day, it’s all about you!
Thanks to Stephanie and Marquez for sharing their experience with us and Music City Events for another fabulous wedding and the great pictures from Lesli Emmetts from Divine Images. For more weddings by Music City Events visit their website here.
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Posted by Tabitha |
Filed under: Real Nashville Weddings,
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Friday, February 10, 2012
Sara and Peter, whose wedding we selected to feature today, offer great inspiration for classic Nashville brides. They chose favorite Nashville landmarks that are beautiful on their own. Then they worked with Regalo Design to complement that beauty, adding only minimal yet well-thought wedding decor.
One benefit of a downtown wedding celebration is great photos all over our beautiful city! Sara and Peter took their bridal party to Nashville landmark, Shelby Street walking bridge.
Sara + Peter
Date of Wedding ~ October 8, 2011
Ceremony Venue ~ Scarritt Bennett Wightman Chapel
Reception Venue ~ War Memorial Auditorium
Guests ~ 175
My Budget
$20,000 – 50,000
My Wedding Team
Planner | Regalo Design
Floral Designer | Regalo Design
Stationery | Regalo Design
Photographer | Skipper Photography
Gown & Accessories | Arzelle’s
Groom’s Attire / Groomsmen Attire | Men’s Wearhouse
Bridesmaids Attire | Arzelle’s
Hair | Gloss Salon
Makeup | Gloss Salon
Ceremony Musicians | Conni Ellisor - Violin/Piano, Betsy Lamb – Violin, Carole Rabinowitz – Cello, and David Hobbs - Trumpet
Reception Musicians | Band - The Downtown Band
Transportation | Signature Limousine Services
Caterer | Ribbons of Chocolate
Cake Artist | The Bake Shoppe and Sucre (of New Orleans)
Guest Accommodations | The Sheraton Hotel Downtown Nashville and The Renaissance Hotel
My Wedding Details
How would you describe your style as a couple?
Our style is classic, yet understated.
How did you incorporate that style into your wedding?
We wanted clean lines, rich colors, and minimal décor. We felt the ambiance of both of our amazing venues provided a lot of the style we were hoping for and we did not want to take away from that.
What was the favorite aspect of your wedding?
Our favorite aspect of our wedding was having a reason for all of our friends and family that we love so much to have a reason to get together in Nashville for a weekend of beautiful weather, lots of love, and many laughs. Also, the rockin’ party bus for the wedding party – by Signature Limousine Services – and the photo booth (with props!) - by Skipper Photography – provided a lot of laughs throughout the day and into the night.
Where did you splurge? Where did you save/DIY?
We splurged on the band – The Downtown Band – because music is important to us. It was definitely worth it because one of our most memorable moments from the entire weekend was when Sarah Goude, our wedding planner, brought us into to look at the reception all set up and decorate prior to the guests’ entrance into the War Memorial. The band was warming up and asked if we wanted to practice our first dance. It was the one time during the fun, event-filled weekend that we had a moment to ourselves. It was very private, intimate, and special!
We saved on our stationary and flowers thanks to our wedding planner with Regalo Design. They were able to design and print our stationary and design and arrange our flowers at cost because all of these services were included with their package.
Now that the wedding day is over, is there anything about your planning process you feel you could have done differently?
There is truly nothing we would do different because we loved the process and the entire wedding weekend. However, if we were to go back and do it all over again we would tell ourselves to trust our instincts (aka – our “guts”) when it came time to making decisions.
In one sentence, what words of advice do you have for couples in the midst of their planning?
You put so much time and energy into planning this event, so make sure you take time once the day arrives to step back, take it all it, and enjoy everyone and everything around you…it all goes by in the blink of an eye!
Photography by Skipper Photography
Absolutely beautiful! For more great pictures from Sarah and Peter's wedding visit Regalo Design's blog where you'll find more beautiful weddings they've worked on as well as links and information on their wedding planning services and packages.
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Posted by Tabitha |
Filed under: Luxury Nashville Wedding Finds, Real Nashville Weddings,
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