Thursday, February 4, 2016
At a recent photo shoot at the McConnell House, photographer John Myers and a select group of Nashville wedding pros came together to create a classic, styled wedding to inspire all of your brides seeking a timeless look.
The beauty of this Nashville wedding shoot is that the wedding team was smart: they chose modern elements but still managed to create an overall look that would resonate forever. Unlike super trendy designs that immediately date our events, the McConnell photo shoot works in 2016 and beyond.
I reached out to John of John Myers Photographer to learn more about the vision for the shoot - how did they approach it, why was it selected? Here's what I learned:
"We went for a modern look for the dress and tux and showcased the latest trend for each that wasn't going to date the images. Our team felt that Alex Ferguson, the bride, and Lance Garrison, the groom, had very good chemistry together so we wanted to showcase them and their on-camera attraction.
Actually our goal was timeless. Even though the style was latest fashion and looks, we went with a very classic look so that the images were dated within a few years. The McConnell House was amazing and provided us lots of locations throughout the venue that added to the overall style with the brick walls, hardwood floors and classic fixtures."
Is this classic look for you? Here's a list of the team that made it happen...
Participating Nashville Wedding Vendors
Photographer | John Myers Photographer
Venue | McConnell House, Franklin, TN
Tuxedo | Street Tuxedo
Bridal Gown | The Spoiled Lady
Florals | Always in Bloom
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Posted by Ashley King |
Filed under: Photography, Wedding Style - Classic,
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Friday, January 8, 2016
When we ask couples what inspired their wedding, we typically hear Pinterest, a sports theme, a favorite hobby. But today's featured Nashville couple, Amy and Mitch, started with a trip to the paint section at Lowe's. Now that's a girl after my own heart! I thought I was the only one who shopped paint for no reason. And would have thought that paint trip would result in a "Jane Eyre" themed wedding?
That's the thing about weddings, they planning is such a journey and it's inspired by so many unexpected things. For Amy and Mitch, they turned their classic style into a romantic day filled with their personal touches...and a perfect color palette.
Read all about their wedding day, especially their favorite wedding vendors. You might find one you love too.
Amy + Mitch
Wedding Date: June 27th, 2015
Ceremony Venue: Cathedral of the Incarnation
Reception Venue: The Fleming Center (Cathedral of the Incarnation)
Guests: 245
Budget: $40,000 – 50,000
Wedding Team
Photographer | Krista Lee Photography
Cake Artist | Signature Cakes by Vicki
Floral Designer | Branching Out Floral and Event Design
Caterer | Chef’s Market
Gown | Alvina Valenta from Arzelle’s
Men’s Attire | Vera Wang Black Collection from Men’s Warehouse
Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Jasmine from Bridal and Formal in Cincinnati
Hair + Makeup | Parlour3 Beauty Bus
Stationery | Programs provided by church; Invitations/menu/escort cards etc by Minted.com
Ceremony Musicians | Organist: Jackson Schoos, Cantor: Danielle Shea, Violinist: Amy Helman
Reception DJ | Kevin Thompson: Choice DJ’s
Rentals Lighting | Grand Central Party Rental
Transportation | Monarch Transportation for guests transportation, Grand Avenue, vintage Rolls Royce for our send off car
Rehearsal Dinner | Aerial
Wedding Details
How would you describe your style as a couple?
Our style is classic and traditional with contemporary touches. We especially love when things have meaning behind them and are one of a kind. We like a little bit of everything and our style reflects that about us.
Where did you get your inspiration?
Picking out our colors/decor was very fun and challenging for us as we really wanted to have a unique yet traditionally beautiful wedding. We started by going to Lowe's and picking out any paint swatches of colors that we liked, not with any particular theme in mind (I love color so I think we ended up picking 50 paint swatches. Haha.) We then went home, spread them all out and sorted them until we came up with our favorites and then picked what we felt went together best.
We ended up with sea glass, peach, coral, and champagne which would make for a perfectly romantic wedding! This lead us to decide on a "Jane Eyre"/Romantic Era theme for our wedding day. Some things that inspired us were flowers with special meanings behind them, unique vintage details such as my great grandmother's ring pillow used in the ceremony, and splashes of crystal mixed with raw wood elements that Mitch and I love so much.
How did you incorporate that style into your wedding?
Between my mom and I, we are SO detail oriented and don’t know how to reel ourselves in – so we incorporated our style into probably every aspect of our wedding haha. We wanted to make sure that everything coordinated really well but wasn’t corny. Our colors all flowed really well together and were everywhere such as our linens, flowers, cake, photo booth, and even having the strawberry lemonade the perfect coral/peach color to coordinate. (Did I mention we over-do everything? Haha.)
What was your (or your guests’) favorite aspect of your wedding?
I think everyone’s favorite aspect of our wedding was that it was just a really fun atmosphere. It was a giant reunion of all our family and friends from literally all over the world; combine that with amazing food and music, and it was truly the “best day ever” (as our koozie wedding favors said on them ☺).
Where did you splurge? Where did you save/DIY?
We splurged on the food and photography. The food was something we knew everyone would remember and I come from a big Italian family so good eats were very important to us ☺ Photography was also so important to us because it really is the one thing you have after the big day. We wanted classic pictures that would bring us right back to those special moments for years to come.
Our photo booth was an amazing DIY using the decorations from one of my bridal showers. Mitch’s family did such a beautiful job with the decorations so it was awesome to be able to reuse them! We knew we wanted a photobooth because they are so fun but can be expensive. Luckily our longtime neighbor is an amazing photographer and let us use her equipment for the day (check out Caturra Photography by Shannon Eggleston. She is amazing! caturra.smugmug.com.)
Who were your favorite vendors and what made them exceptional?
All our vendors were honestly phenomenal and did an amazing job at making our day everything we dreamed it would be!
Signature Cakes by Vicki – That cake. It was insane. Beyond anything that we could have ever imagined. It was truly a work of art and the most beautiful cake I have ever seen! She is so absolutely sweet, the cake tasting was so fun and she even sketched out our cake to give us an idea of what it would look like. You could tell she was really excited to work on our cake too, which made it even better! She is an extremely talented artist so we gave her a general idea of what we wanted but overall gave her creative freedom for all the flowers and final design. Everyone was absolutely blown away by the cake! Oh and it was SO DELICIOUS! I would recommend her to any and everyone!
Krista Lee Photography – Another truly talented artist. Her photography is beautiful and she was so fun to work with, super personable, and just so sweet! She made you feel very comfortable and kept everything natural, which made for pictures we will treasure for the rest of our lives. Mitch isn’t the biggest fan of having his picture taken but Krista did such an amazing job making us feel comfortable and keeping the photos moving but not feel rushed. She knows what poses and lighting will make for great photos and is a true professional. Krista was very thorough and was so on top of everything. It really helped calm my nerves because I knew I could count on her! Absolutely recommend her to any and everyone, too many great things to say about our experience with her. She will be our go-to photographer for future photography needs :)
Chef’s Market – The food was absolutely amazing and delicious; it was so unique and looked like a work of art! They were so on top of everything and are truly the best in the business. They were so quick to respond, answered all of our questions in detail, and were just so professional. Harmony was so personable and took such great care of us and made sure everything was executed perfectly on our big day!
Choice DJ’s – Kevin did a great job picking fun songs throughout the night that kept our dance floor absolutely packed from literally the first song (but really – he got everyone up and dancing on the dance floor from the very first song!) He played what the crowd wanted, was super friendly and just wanted everyone to have a great time! We were very happy with him and would definitely recommend him!
Grand Central – They have everything you could ever want for an event – a true one-stop shop! They had everything from the perfect linen colors to Italian string lights and Chivari chairs. Melody and her team were all so friendly and such a pleasure to work with – they were always willing to answer questions and even mailed us swatches of our linens so we could make sure all our décor coordinated!
Branching Out Floral and Event Design – Our bouquets were so colorful and so gorgeous! All the table arrangements made you feel like you were in a garden and really helped execute the romantic garden party look we wanted. My mom helped us select flowers with special meanings from the Victorian Language of Flowers – it made everything so special and Vicki was so helpful in making sure we could have all these specific flowers.
Parlour3 Beauty Bus – An amazing experience that really made all of my bridesmaids feel beautiful and take any stress of the day away (this was my treat to them because I wanted everyone to feel pampered and special since they are my closest friends who are so amazing and came from all over the USA to be by my side on one of the most important days of my life! Love you girls!!) Seriously though this was the coolest concept ever – having your hair and makeup brought to you in a celebrity style makeup trailer?! Perfect for the one day you really want to feel like a princess ☺
Arzelles – The best bridal shop in Nashville!! Kimya is SO sweet and made you feel so welcome and special, they have the most beautiful and current bridal styles! Highly recommend making an appointment there ☺
Now that the wedding day is over, is there anything about your planning process you feel you could have done differently?
I think I could have not stressed out so much over little details and just trusted that it would all be ok. Overall though I would not change a thing – our day turned out perfect and the creative planning process was such a fun time with my mom and I will always treasure that time together. Mitch and I really kept ourselves focused on the ceremony and the reasons why we were getting married which really made the whole day even more special.
In one sentence, what words of advice do you have for couples in the midst of their planning?
Keep each other laughing and don't forget to go on dates!
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Posted by Ashley King |
Filed under: Real Nashville Weddings, Wedding Style - Classic,
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Friday, November 20, 2015
Do you ever wonder how the wedding of a wedding professional might look? Where would they save, splurge? Who would they hire? After all, they do know the best wedding professionals around the city, right?
It's not often that the tables are turned and the pro becomes the client, but such was the case with Lindsay, an event professional who spends her days helping Nashville couples plan their wedding at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. So, when we got to ask Lindsay all about her wedding, who she hired, what she loved, we jumped at the opportunity. It was no surprise that this event expert and her Nashville native (now) husband chose to immerse their guests in all things great about Nashville.
Read all about Lindsay + Matthew's Nashville wedding, our feature of the week.
Lindsay + Matthew
Wedding Date: July 11, 2015
Ceremony Venue: Cathedral of the Incarnation
Reception Venue: Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum
Guests: 150
Wedding Team
Venue | Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum
Photographer | Josh Reeder
Videographer | Mayberry Studios
Gown | The White Room
Bride’s Accessories | b.hughes
Men’s Attire | Street Tuxedo
Bridesmaids’ Attire | Bridesmaids.com
Hair + Makeup | Amy Lynn Larwig
Stationery | Master Image (Birmingham, Ala.) and Empress Stationery (Birmingham, Ala.)
Caterer | Two Twenty Two Catering
Cake Artist | Dessert Designs
Floral Designer | Geny’s Floral
Ceremony Musicians | Evan Thomas, Elliott Thomas, Ricky Braddy
Reception Musicians | Band 24/7
Rentals | Music City Tents and Events, BBJ
Lighting + Transportation | Country Music Hall of Fame
Wedding Details
How would you describe your style as a couple?
Traditional! Matthew and I wanted a very traditional wedding and reception. The only exceptions were that we saw each other before the wedding and I did not throw a bouquet.
Where did you get your inspiration?
I knew the amazing view from the Event Hall would provide a ton of color, ambiance, and excitement for the reception. Therefore I wanted to keep everything else really clean and simple so the stunning view would remain the focal piece.
How did you incorporate that style into your wedding?
I’ve worked at the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum for almost eight years. As I assisted bride after bride with their own plans, I always dreamt of being able to host my own friends and family – the majority of whom are from out of town and have never been to Nashville, let alone the Hall – at my own wedding one day. Matthew was born and raised in Nashville, so he was also very keen on showing off our city to all of the guests that were traveling to join us. So, it was a very easy decision for us to book the Event Hall: the spectacular view combined with the amazing service, food, etc. truly made for an unforgettable night.
What was your (or your guests’) favorite aspect of your wedding?
When you host a wedding in Music City, you’d better provide some good music, and I think my guests would join me in saying that from start to finish, the music was a huge hit. I was very fortunate to have my best friend sing at the ceremony; together with two other dear friends (including his twin), they provided an a cappella version of “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” that was incredibly moving and set such a worshipful tone for our ceremony. For the reception, the Hall of Fame’s entertainment team assisted me in booking the amazing Band 24/7 to provide a variety of music: Motown, pop, rap, and they were even gracious enough to let this karaoke-lover hop on stage and surprise the audience with some Whitney Houston. I knew that not everyone would gravitate to the dance floor so easily, so I had customized tambourines and maracas distributed as the party was in full swing. It was a great way to get even the shy folks dancing to the live music.
Where did you splurge? Where did you save/DIY?
We saved on flowers: Geny’s provided our bouquets, boutonnieres and two large arrangements for the reception, and I had friends assemble the rest. We splurged on videography, which was not originally in our budget. We ended up shopping for and hiring a videographer only a month before the wedding. I’m so glad that we did! It just added an extra dimension to the many memories of the day.
Who were your favorite vendors and what made them exceptional?
The team at the Hall of Fame went above and beyond. Obviously, working with them every day, I have to say that, but very early in the wedding planning process, I realized how supremely essential it was to have full trust in your vendors if you have any intention of enjoying your wedding. I never questioned if I were in great hands with the Country Music Hall of Fame. Having such a top-notch team to execute the event and take care of everything allowed Matthew and I to really relax and delight in the reception without worrying about anything.
Now that the wedding day is over, is there anything about your planning process you feel you could have done differently?
I wouldn’t change a thing, honestly!
In one sentence, what words of advice do you have for couples in the midst of their planning?
Enjoy it! One other fun detail – Matthew’s great-grandparents were married at the Cathedral of the Incarnation, where we said “I do!” nearly 100 years later.
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Posted by Ashley King |
Filed under: Real Nashville Weddings, Wedding Style - Classic, Wedding Style - Modern,
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Friday, October 2, 2015
A romantic atmosphere is a given when it comes to weddings, but a couple that truly embodies romanticism in every aspect, well, that’s just beautiful. Dim lighting, classy colors, and the high ceilings of the Bell Tower helped this couple have a wedding that may have felt modern, but was utterly historical.
From remodeled churches to simple elegance hidden in every detail, Chelsey and Andrew’s wedding was one to have every person with a love for royal history swooning. Seriously, it looked like a fairy tale and English royalty wrapped up in one- not including the neon purple dance floor lighting!
And the food!!! The food stations left our mouths watering, and the Pinterest-worthy cupcake tower was to die for!
There are so many wonderful details that you won't want to miss a single photo.
Chelsey + Andrew
Wedding Date: June 27, 2015
Ceremony Venue: Vine Street Christian Church
Reception Venue: The Bell Tower
Guests: Around 150
Budget: $30,000 - 40,000
Wedding Team
Reception Planner | Leah Kutil with Infinity Catering and Events
Ceremony Planner | LaToya Brown with Details and Dream Events
Photographer | Erin Lee with The Collection
Gown + Veil Designer | Sareh Nouri
Bridal Shop | Kleinfelds in NYC
Men’s Attire | Men’s Wearhouse
Bridesmaids’ Attire | David’s Bridal
Hair/Makeup | Kayla Jenkins-Slater, Nashville Bridal Beauty
Invitations | Paper Mill
Programs | Etsy
Caterer | Infinity Catering and Events
Cake + Cupcakes | The Cupcake Collection
Floral Designer | Enchanted Florist
Ceremony Musicians | High Tone Entertainment
Reception DJ | Rich at Prime Source Entertainment Group
Transportation | Matchless Transportation Services
Rehearsal Dinner | The Bell Tower
Wedding Details
How would you describe your style as a couple?
We balance each other out but I would say overall our style is laid back. I think that’s why we wanted to do a big wedding, because it’s something different for us.
Where did you get your inspiration?
I wanted the style of the whole wedding to be very romantic. I love dim lighting and lots of candles! I got inspired from a little bit of everything, including Pinterest, etsy, and bridal magazines. My colors came from Pinterest where I would search for color pallets and once I decided on that, all the décor fell into place to flow with the colors I had chosen.
How did you incorporate that style into your wedding?
First I chose the venues. I loved Vine Street Christian Church because it had so much natural lighting. I didn’t use that much décor in the church because it would take away from all of its natural beauty.
For the reception, the Bell Tower was very spacious and had high ceilings, which I loved! It was perfect for the romantic theme I was going for. It was an old church that had been remodeled so it was only fitting to have our reception there.
We incorporated the colors mostly in the flowers and linens. I wanted to make sure we had the color periwinkle, so we had periwinkle thistles throughout the arrangements, which gave them a little pop of something different!
What was your (or your guests’) favorite aspect of your wedding?
Everyone loved the food but I would definitely have to say we all loved our DJ the most. I had a list of song requests from the guests and he incorporated those throughout the night. I’ve also never met a DJ who has danced the ENTIRE time. He was having as much fun as we were; it was great!
We love that you had a cake and a cupcake tower. Why did you decide to do both? Did you make your tower?
We were able to rent the tower from The Cupcake Collection, but they were also available to buy on etsy.
The reason I chose both is because not everyone likes cakes and I’ve noticed from previous weddings that the cake cutting for the guests takes a while and looks a bit messy. My main goal was to have the guests interact with things, so I chose cupcakes so they could pick which flavor they wanted or that they could grab a cupcake at any time of the night. I chose to have the two-tier cake on the top because you have to have a little something for the bride and groom and it gave the cupcake tower a little something special.
Where did you splurge? Where did you save/DIY?
I splurged on the food because when there is good food, there are always happy people. I saved on some of the little things like signs and fun interactive things for the guests like wedding poppers and glow sticks. I bought a lot of those things in bulk, which really helped in saving towards the end.
Who were your favorite vendors and what made them exceptional?
My favorite vendors were for the food and cake. They were both phenomenal! I used Infinity Catering and The Cupcake Collection.
Now that the wedding day is over, is there anything about your planning process you feel you could have done differently?
Everything went according to plan, but I would just say not to stress so much about the planning because I was one of those brides who did. I found out that everything will fall into place no matter how you plan or stress over it, and, when it comes down to the actual day, you will love everything no matter what!
In one sentence, what words of advice do you have for couples in the midst of their planning?
Enjoy EVERY MINUTE of the planning and try not to stress over it because it’s an exciting process for the both of you that goes by so quickly.
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Posted by Taylor |
Filed under: Cakes & Desserts, Florals, Details & Design , Photography, Real Nashville Weddings, Wedding Style - Classic,
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Thursday, July 30, 2015
Regalo Design has long been one of Nashville’s go-to vendors for exceptional wedding planning services, lush floral arrangements, and beautiful décor options. Starting with their own big day, Regalo’s owners, Sarah and Damon have been involved in the wedding industry for almost 10 years.
What many may not know is that Regalo Design offers full-service wedding planning options, with personalized service that ensures your day will be exactly what you’ve dreamed. To find out more about what their new full-service option provides, we recently talked with Sarah. Check out our interview with this planner extraordinaire below!
What does your full-service option provide for brides and their families?
This option provides the ability to enjoy the planning process and most importantly the wedding day. Too often we speak with brides who are overwhelmed and stressed out by the wedding planning process, which can take an emotional toll on anyone. At Regalo Design, we strive to build relationships with our clients so that we can better serve them not just on the day of, but throughout the whole experience. To us, it is more than just planning a wedding. We actually care that your day is perfect as you begin your life with the one you have chosen to spend forever.
How is this offering different from a partial planning session with Regalo?
It doesn’t matter which service a bride chooses, we still have to do the same amount of work on the day of. The difference with the partial planning package and the full-service option is time and connections. The partial planning begins two months prior to the wedding. For some brides, this is all they need, but for others, they feel overwhelmed at the thought of completing all of the details in the final months leading up to the wedding. For the full service option, at the two-month point, we are almost done with the details of the day so that they can relax and enjoy time with family, friends, and most importantly…their fiancé!
Does the full service package provide florals, linens, and rentals?
The full-service planning package includes full-service planning from engagement to wedding day, as well as our planning center, a rehearsal coordinator, day-of staff to take care of full set up and tear down, and flowers and décor such as centerpieces, draping, & lighting. We are not a rental company, so we do not have tables, chairs, tents, dance floors, linens and china. However, we do book all of that for our clients if needed through amazing rental companies. We DO have all of the embellishments such as centerpieces, arches, lanterns, table embellishments, draping, string lights, up lights, and all of the décor pieces that create the atmosphere on your wedding day.
What kinds of things do brides and their families most appreciate about going with a full-service package with Regalo?
They appreciate the fact that we are their advocate and we have their best interest in mind. Damon and I had an amazing wedding day, but that day was almost 10 years ago. Our job is not to give our clients OUR wedding day; our job is to give them THEIR wedding day! We do this by listening to what our clients want and what their needs are. It isn’t about us or anyone else on that day. It is all about the bride and groom! We truly stay focused on that and try to avoid outside factors that can ruin a bride & groom’s day.
What would you say to a bride who is considering going with a day-of package or trying to plan their wedding on their own?
At the very least, find a day-of planner. There are so many things that can happen on the day-of and it is so important to have a professional in place on the wedding day to take care of any situations that might arise.
What is your favorite part of the wedding day?
My favorite part is when I close the doors before the bride enters the ceremony. I am standing there with just the bride and whomever is walking her down the aisle. There is such peace in that moment that is unexplainable. The emotion is so raw and genuine and every week when I see a bride who is about to see her groom, it amazes me. Very few people get to experience this moment and I am so blessed to be a part of it. In that moment, we are reminded that this is what it is all about, and it is wonderful to see the bride’s love just waiting to burst through the doors to greet her groom.
To talk with Regalo Design about planning your big day, please contact Sarah and Damon by email at [email protected], by phone at 615-238-7937, or at regalodesign.com.
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Posted by Jenn Dobbins |
Filed under: Helpful Vendor Interviews!, Florals, Details & Design , Luxury Nashville Wedding Finds, Wedding Planners & Coordinators, Wedding Style - Classic, Wedding Style - Garden, Outdoor, Wedding Style - Rustic, Farm ,
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