Click here for the FULL wedding!

From Linda of Cedarwood Weddings… Liesl is from South Africa. Dean hails from Australia. They met on a yacht off the coast of Florida. After meeting, Dean moved to the Caribbean and Liesl to France. Dean visited Liesl in Europe where they spent ten amazing days in Tuscany before returning to the yacht Liesl worked on. The hand of fate worked in their favor when Dean was offered a position on the same yacht. The next three years took them all over the world: the Mediterranean, Egypt, the Caribbean, New Zealand, South Africa and Australia. Liesl and Dean chose Historic Cedarwood in Nashville, Tennessee for an intimate elopement before flying to Johannesburg for an extended honeymoon.  Their love story is so entwined in travel; it was fitting that their wedding would find expression and inspiration in global adventure. As a tribute to Tuscany where and Liesl fell in love, the Cedarwood design team styled a Tuscany-inspired reception overlooking the hills of Tennessee where guests feasted on wine, cheese and hors d’oeuvres. It was relaxed, rustic and sophisticated.

From the bride… Dean and I met on a yacht four years ago when I was working as a freelance chef. Initially, we were just friends but after some time, a real closeness developed and even after a year of working on different ends of the globe, we still couldn’t be without each other. We met up in New York City and then he joined me on a yacht in France, where we worked together for the next year. We’ve worked and traveled all over the world and are definitely what you would call an international couple. When we decided to get married, the biggest challenge was accepting that we couldn’t have our families from Australia and South Africa with us on the day and having to keep it a secret! Logistically, it was too much to ask family and friends from all over the world to fly in … especially because we (well, Cedarwood) planned the whole thing in just two weeks. One of the most touching moments of the day was calling my parents in South Africa from a Tennessee hilltop to tell them Dean and I had just gotten married. Cedarwood has the most picturesque setting on their lake — called Mooncake Lake — and it was such a romantic and perfect spot for our ceremony. Rowing their vintage wood boat on the lake was perfect for us since our love story revolves around yachting!  The most memorable moment of the day for both of us was seeing each other for the first time on the dock.

I think the most important thing to keep in mind when planning a wedding is to remember to make the day about you. This is such an unnatural characteristic for me, as I always want to make sure everyone is happy. With the coaching of Dean and close friends, I forced myself to focus on what we wanted and what was important to us, which was keeping the whole event stress free with as little anxiety as possible.  The design team did an amazing job styling the wedding around us. We describe the day as old world charm, classic and timeless. It was perfection.

Photography: Kristyn Hogan / Venue: Historic Cedarwood / Flowers, Decor, Planning + Styling: Jessica Sloane with the Design Team of Cedarwood Weddings / Cake: Patty Cakes / Paper Goods: Designs in Paper / Catering: Marche / Hair + Makeup: Betsy Briggs Cathcart of Studio BC Salon / Lighting: Uplight Events / Officiant: Ralph Griggs / Wedding Gown: Nicole Miller via Cotton Mill / Fur Stole + Necklace: Vintage, borrowed from Melissa Brown, friend of the bride / Lace Shrug, Shoes + Earrings: Vintage, borrowed from Kindy Girdley, friend of the bride / Hair: Studio BBC Salon

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2012. | Permalink | 39 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Betsy Briggs Cathcart, Designs in Paper, Historic Cedarwood, Kristyn Hogan, Marche, Nashville, Patty Cakes, Ralph Griggs, Studio BBC Salon, Tennessee, Uplight Events
Post categories: Casual Elegance, The Blog

Three adjectives that describe the day: rustic, romantic, music

The table settings were gorgeous! We loved the burlap and bling theme, it was the perfect mix of rustic country and romantic glamour. The table signs represented concert posters from the many shows Bill and I have seen together and fit in with our theme really well. The candlelit tables at sunset were really amazing and guests constantly remarked about how beautiful everything was.

The first reveal when we saw each other was incredible. I cried as I approached Bill in the front lawn but he did not get emotional until we moved to the Cedarwood porch. It was very touching and reminded me of how we support each other in our relationship. A close second was when we started rapping to the band’s performance of “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” and Chris Weaver (band’s lead singer) said we were the best rapping bride and groom he’s ever heard!

Our best advice to brides and grooms to be would be to try to accomplish something every week so tasks do not pile up at the end. Be organized because there are so many moving parts you don’t want to forget anything. Don’t hesitate to take ideas from the favorite weddings you’ve attended – your friends will be honored that you incorporated part of their wedding into your own!

Photography: Ace Photography / Venue: Historic Cedarwood / Planner, Floral Design, Decor & Event Styling: Cedarwood Weddings / Invitations & Paper Goods: Designs in Paper / Bride’s dress: Maggie Sottero from The White Room / Bride’s Boots: Old Gringo Erin / Hair: Chrissi Krause and Missy May / Tuxedos: Arzelle’s / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Dessy from Bella Bridesmaid / Wedding party gifts (hand painted stemware): Fizzy Artist / Favors: Brownie Tins from RAE’s Gourmet / Wedding Music Trio: Wedding Musicians Company / Caterer: Copper Kettle / Cake: Patty Cakes / Reception Band: Chris Weaver Band / Photo booth: Ace Photo Booths / Trolly: FADDS Party Bus / Host Hotel: Opryland Resort / Rehearsal Dinner: Mad Platter

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2012. | Permalink | 21 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Ace Photo Booths, Ace Photography, Arzelle's, Bella Bridesmaid, Burlap, Candles, Cedarwood Weddings, Chalkboards, Chris Weaver Band, Chrissi Krause, Church Pews, Color Palette Purple, Copper Kettle, Cowboy Boots, Cupcakes, Designs in Paper, Dessy, Etsy, FADDS Party Bus, Fizzy Artist, Glamourous, Historic Cedarwood, Maggie Sottero, Missy May, Nashville, Old Gringo Erin, Opryland Resort, Outdoor Ceremony, Outdoor Wedding, Patty Cakes, Pearls, RAE's Gourmet, Rustic, Rustic Chic, shabby chic, Tennessee, The White Room, Vintage Chic, Wedding Flowers, Wedding Musicians Company, Wedding Planners & Designers
Post categories: Little Black Book Blog, Vintage Chic

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride…From the moment Jeff and I got engaged, “operation wedding” was underway…from stocking our house with any and all wedding magazines to perusing blogs for inspiration, and building my own wedding planning portfolio of ideas, we kicked it into high gear. From our love of throwing parties and entertaining friends and family, Jeff and I had an exact vision of what we had envisioned our wedding looking like…timeless, understated elegance with classic tones of black and ivory with a fun summer punch of color, a perfect bright and bold yellow that screamed happiness and fun. I was even more thrilled to see how enthused Jeff was to participate…mostly for the food and cake I do believe, as he left other details up to the pro’s—my Mom, Mary Alice Sublett (our fantastic wedding planner, and me).

The background for our wedding was Scarritt Bennett Wightman Chapel, a historic church set on Vanderbit’s campus in the heart of Nashville. Unfortunately, with a waiting list for what seemed to be a mile high, we booked our wedding date 16 months in advance so we could have a summer wedding with plenty of time to plan and not stress. For our ceremony, we wanted a service focused on love, faith, and our friends and family. My favorite part of our ceremony was when our pastor asked for our bridal party to surround us and pray for our marriage, then followed in the Lord’s Prayer. It was just a small detail that had such a profound impact on us and I’ll never forget the emotion that came over me standing there with the most important people in our lives reading our vows to one another…a day every girl dreams of.

Then the real party started—we hired a local trolley to usher our bridal party around town complete with cocktails and music to get the reception underway. Once we arrived at aVenue, we were announced and everyone started to let loose to the musical stylings of Scat Springs Band—a local favorite around town for any and all Motown music. For me, the reception was like seeing a masterpiece complete for the first time. aVenue is a warehouse that was renovated as an event venue—think exposed brick, hardwood floors, and very simple. However, once our team of vendors worked their magic, it was a completely different atmosphere…romantic with lots of ivory chiffon fabric draping from the ceiling to the floors, market street lights and up-lighting to create depth and light, a custom gobo featuring our monogram as the backdrop on the stage, and gorgeous florals with different centerpieces on each of the tables for an eclectic feel. And the chiavari chairs, I could never forget the one thing I begged to have…they were perfect. The transformation was complete and it was the wedding I always hoped for.

Before Jeff and I were ever engaged, I just “happened” to stumble upon Joni AKA Chocolate Butterbean through a wedding website. As soon as I ventured to her website which showcased her gorgeous invitations suites and custom wooden signs, I knew I wanted her to design our invitations. This was the most important detail to me of our wedding, as to me the save the dates and invitations set the tone for your event. Not only did she design the most gorgeous and vintage-style southern suite I had ever seen, but she helped create a custom monogram for us to use on a number of items (invitations, napkins, gobo for the stage, etc) and it’s something we can keep forever.

As both Jeff and I were raised in Tennessee, we wanted to incorporate southern traditions into our wedding as much as possible, but with a twist. From a Jack Daniel’s groom’s cake to placing Tennessee-branded products into our out-of-town guest bags including Goo Goo Clusters, Spirit of Nashville postcards, and homemade Tennessee jam cakes, we wanted to provide our guests with little indulgences to make their stay more comfortable.

Looking back, our wedding was everything I had ever hoped it would be, and much much more. It was perfect and it made me know that 16 months of planning had paid off…the fun, the stress, the crazy and hectic scheduling—I wouldn’t change it for anything as I know it was the single most important day of our lives. Being able to throw a fun celebration for our friends and family was just icing on the cake!

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 5 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: 2 Duce 2, A Delightful Day, Amy Lynn Larwig, Arzelle's, Avenue, Badgley Mischka, Chef's Market, Chocolate Butterbean, Chris and Adrienne Scott, Enchanted Florist, Mary Malone, Melissa Sweet, Miss Pickles Press, Nashville, Scarritt Bennett Center, Scat Springs, Street Tuxedo, Tennessee, The Bake Shoppe, The Tie that Binds Weddings, Watters, Wedding Musicians Company
Post categories: The Blog, Traditional Elegance

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From Lovebird Style…When Chelsee and I met, it felt like old friends meeting over coffee.  As she described her wedding ideas and all the things she wanted to incorporate on her special day, her wedding personality was easy to “see.”  Since Chelsee is expecting, we really only had a solid three months to plan together and we worked hard at finding ways to bring her vision to life.  You may have seen Chelsee on American Idol this past season.  She’s a Nashville singer/songwriter but works as a librarian by day.  So we decided to incorporate a bit of a literary theme into the decor by using old books, a library card file guest book and garland made from book pages.  She loves things with history, so we also wanted to use her eclectic collection of doilies, lace, antique mason jars, vanity trays and other vintage pieces as table centerpieces.  My favorite detail was the dessert table which showcased a gorgeous cake, individual banana puddings, homemade pies and donut holes in a vintage suitcase as the grooms cake.  The muted color palette that we chose really gave the whole affair a romantic touch.  It was a magical evening and everyone kept saying how “Chelsee” everything was!

Event Design + Coordination: Lovebird Style / Photography: Souder Photography / Flowers: Artisan Flowers / Venue: Traveller’s Rest Plantation & Museum / Rentals:  Southern Events / Catering: Jim ‘n Nick’s Bar-B-Q

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 23 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Artisan Flowers, Jim 'n Nick's Bar-B-Q, Lovebird Style, Nashville, Souder Photography, Southern Events, Tennessee, Traveller's Rest Plantation & Museum
Post categories: The Blog, Vintage Chic

Cedarwood has a historic Old South look and feel (it was built in 1835). Since moving to the south, Chris and I have fallen in love with “Southern Culture” and we wanted our guests (mostly northerners) to ‘feel’ the south at our wedding.   Cedarwood was perfect, and they are also amazing wedding stylists and designers, so we knew we could rely on them to help us create a memorable affair with a mix of southern comfort, shabby chic décor with a touch of glam.

I knew right off the bat I did not want a lot of color present on our wedding day.  I love white, how the color conveys bridal and all things wedding.  Plus white is simply classic.  I felt I would never look back on my wedding pictures with disgust about my color choices if I kept my look classic with a twist.  Adding bling as a primary décor theme to the wedding made sense as well, I absolutely love sparkle.  In my wardrobe, home décor, jewelry choices… the more bling the better.  Around that time, I began to see burlap showing up in more décor stores and the Cedarwood design team helped me build this concept of burlap and bling – a mix of the natural burlap element and bling to dress it up a bit.  This established our styling and I began to get really excited about our décor choice.

The venue and flow of the evening truly defined our wedding day as unique.  Hosting a non-traditional, outside garden ceremony, cocktail hour in a barn, toasts on the front lawn of an antebellum style home was different.  I wanted there to be surprises for guests, such as finding their seat card on yarn hanging in the barn.  Providing a “shabby chic photo booth” set up as guests arrived to have their picture taken in lieu of guest book will hopefully be remembered as a unique experience.

There are so many wonderful memories from our wedding day.  In retrospect the heat of the day and the cicadas (although somewhat bothersome the day of) provided memories we will cherish forever.  Being that over half of our guests came down from northern states, the southern heat and cicadas were interesting talking points for guests after the big day.  We was so worried about the cicadas upon hearing they were taking over Nashville during the spring/early summer of our wedding however they provided nice background noise to our ceremony and one even landed on my dress!  Chris did a great job removing the cicada without worrying me. We also cherish the memory of our first dance under a beautiful chandelier with all our friends and family looking on.

Photographer:  Mary Rosenbaum Photographs / Ceremony and Reception Venue:  Historic Cedarwood / Floral Designer: Cedarwood Weddings / Event Designer/Planner/Director: Cedarwood Weddings / Invitation Designer: Designs in Paper / Cake/Desserts: Patty Cakes / Limo: Matchless Limo / Catering: A Dream Come True Catering / Wedding Gown Designer: Marisa, Faccio Bridal / Hair and Makeup: Angelica Smith, Style Kitchen / Groom and Groomsmen Attire: Joseph A Banks / Bridesmaid’s Dress Designer: Jim Hjelm, Faccio Bridal

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 28 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: A Dream Come True Catering, Angelica Smith, Candy Buffet, Casual Elegance, Cedarwood Weddings, Chandeliers, Color Palette White, Designs in Paper, Faccio Bridal, Historic Cedarwood, Jim Hjelm, Joseph A. Banks, Marisa, Mary Rosenbaum Photographs, Mason Jars, Matchless Limo, Nashville, Patty Cakes, Striped Straws, STyle Kitchen, Tennessee, Vintage Chic
Post categories: Little Black Book Blog, Vintage Chic

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From Cedarwood Weddings…Dramatically set against verdant natural landscapes, the bride’s Vera Wang ball gown epitomes style and sophistication.  Coral Charm Peonies, Ranunculus, Majolika Spray Roses, Astilbe, Stock, and Pink Bruina create a romantic bridal bouquet adorned with hand-made crocheted lace flowers, vintage lace wrap and a Milk Glass and Aurora Borealis Rhinestone heirloom brooch. Vintage accessories, like the bride’s hat and gloves, add a dash of southern chic. The groom looks like a true southern gentlemen in gray linen and watermelon bow tie, sporting a bold peony boutonniere.

An artisan made altar with reclaimed barn wood, antique door and bed post draped with fresh flower garlands is surrounded by hay bales with lace and burlap pillows for a Tennessee hilltop ceremony. Custom designed burlap and lace flower basket and ring pillow add an extra dose of adorable.

“Southern Supper” with elegant place sittings at one long table on the farm meadow are dressed with heirloom china, silver candelabras, lace wrapped candles and vintage milk glass overflowing with luscious fruit, herbs and flowers. The menu features local Southern fare such as fried chicken, black eyed pea salad, shrimp and grits and turkey and dressing roulades. A pie buffet, cupcakes and wedding cake in three separate locations infuse the celebration with sweetness, and a sweet tea bar including fruit and herb varieties along with bourbon mint julep tea is as southern as it gets.

Sunset in an antique wood row boat and vintage lace ‘after dress’ and parasol, and the grand farewell in a vintage Jaguar are unforgettably romantic.

Photography: Ace Photography / Venue: Historic Cedarwood / Florals, Decor + Event Styling: Cedarwood Weddings / Catering: Copper Kettle / Wedding Cake: Royal Icing Custom Cakes / Cupcakes: Cupcake Collection / Pies: Flourgirls / Linens + Rentals: Music City Party Rental / Vintage Jaguar Limo: Matchless Limousines / Invitations + Paper Goods: Designs in Paper / Bridal Gown: b.Hughes Bridal / Tuxedo: Street Tuxedo / Flower Girl’s Basket + Ring Bearer Pillow: Handmade by Cedarwood Weddings / Ceremony Altar: Custom artisan crafted using reclaimed barn wood, antique door and bed posts / Make-up + Hair: Artistry Spa Salon / Models: Jenna Peck + Travis Byous via Models, Inc. / Officiant: Ralph Griggs of Nashville Wedding Minister

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 37 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Ace Photography, Artistry Spa Salon, b.Hughes Bridal, Cedarwood Weddings, Copper Kettle, Cupcake Collection, Designs in Paper, Flourgirls, Historic Cedarwood, Inc., Matchless Limousines, Models, Music City Party Rental, Nashville, Nashville Wedding Minister, Photo Shoot, Royal Icing Custom Cakes, Street Tuxedo, Tennessee
Post categories: Photo Shoot, Vintage Chic

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride…We got engaged Dec 11th and shortly after that booked the main essentials: church, reception venue, photographer, caterer, and band. We knew that we wanted no more than a 6 month engagement and picked June 11th as our date. We both wanted to get married in a church and wanted our reception indoors. We had envisioned a rustic, antique look with a warm and inviting atmosphere. The church was gorgeous as is so we decided to utilize simple, yet distinctive touches to bring in our own personalities to the sanctuary. We made burlap cones that held wildflowers and hung on the pews. We made a cross out of vine branches from a vineyard to be placed on a table in the front of the church. We put together candle vases with stick accents for the window decorations. We made moss letters (J & L) to hang from the church doors. We used a significant amount of burlap to help emphasis our rustic theme. Instead of handing our programs, I made a chalkboard program for all to see as they entered to church.

We both love the outdoors and wanted to incorporate that idea indoors by using wildflowers, tree stumps, tree limbs, trees, etc as decorations. Over the six months we collected tree stumps off the side of the road or from friends. We used the tree stumps as table tops that held wildflowers, ferns rested on top of them, and we carved a heart with a L & J in the center of it.  We filled mason jars with peas, sand, and various beans to add a splash of woodsy color to the room. We planned to hang tree limbs from the ceiling, which would hold hanging mason jars with candles in them. We created five trees that were cemented in a bucket covered with burlap, which we decorated with lights and yarn balls and cardboard birds that we had made. Luke & I love Christmas lights and candles, so we collected them and then placed those within our wedding ceremony & reception (we hung lights from the ceiling, up poles, and on the stage). The walls were enhanced when we bought some old doors and ladders that we hung string up between them with photos. We put together a hors d’oeuvre table. My mom and I made majority of the decorations and had a lot of help setting them up by our gracious friends and family.

Wedding Photography: Smitten Photography / Wedding Dress: Pronovias / Bride’s Shoes: Steve Madden / Bride’s Sandals: TOMS / Bridesmaid Dresses: Watters / Flowers: Always in Bloom / Rehearsal Dinner: Cool Springs House in Crocket Park / Ceremony Location: Vine Street Christian Church / Reception Location: Jamison Hall at the Factory at Franklin / Catering: Stove Works in the Factory at Franklin / Wedding Cake: Diane Dougharty / Band: The Reliance Band

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 21 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Always in Bloom, Cool Springs, Crocket Park, Diane Dougharty, Factory at Franklin, Nashville, Pronovias, Rustic Wedding, Smitten Photography, Steve Madden, Tennessee, The Reliance Band, TOMs, Vine Street Christian Church, Watters
Post categories: Casual Elegance

We featured Lauren and Paschal’s absolutely gorgeous wedding invitation suite from Wiley Valentine and wedding trailer by Three Ring Media a while back on The Little Black Book Blog (right here). If you missed it, you definitely need to take a look back!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From Harwell Photography…The story of Lauren and Paschal is truly one scripted for a fairy-tale.   It wasn’t but just over a year ago that one of Paschal’s long time friends was laying gravel on the road outside of Lauren’s farm. He knew that the two had a lot in common, including organic farming, so naturally he called Lauren a week later to ask if he could bring Paschal by to meet her. Lauren accepted, and their conversation began planting seeds of a life-long commitment that these two would soon harvest.   Though patience is a virtue that these two farmers admire in one another, it wasn’t necessary during the duration of their early courtship. The two found in less than three weeks that their lifetime companion was right in front of them.

From the start, Lauren, along with her mother, Teresa and sister, Abby had a vision of what the wedding would look like; vintage, organic and romantic. Although creativity and design is inherent to the Palmer women, they solicited the assistance of Nashville event planner Dori Thornton of The Social Office to ensure that their vision was brought to life. It was obvious to all that the only proper location for this joyous affair would be the farm that first brought Lauren and Palmer together. So with Bloomsbury Farm as the chosen backdrop, Dori and Teresa got to work assembling the team to create the perfect day for Lauren and Paschal.

The ceremony took place in the exact spot where Lauren and Paschal first met, on the bluff overlooking the farm.  Teresa found an incredible vintage lace from The Iron Gate in Franklin, TN that was draped over two trees where the couple was married. The love of Lauren and Paschal was evident with their fairytale evening and shows how meeting on a gravel road can lead to a love that is organically grown.

Wedding Coordinator: Social Graces / Band: Soul Searchers / Rentals: Classic Party Rentals / Wedding Dress: b. Hughes / Wedding Cake: Dessert Designs / Draping + Decor: Visual Elements / Custom Design Items: Nico and Lala / Lighting: Nashville Audio Visual / Catering: Kristen Winston Catering / Calligraphy: Kate Page Lettering (contact Social Graces for information) / Rosemary Plants: Riverdale Nursery / Cookies: Dozen / Floral Design: Ilex for Flowers / Wedding Invitations, Hotel Baskets, and Sparklers: Social Graces / Linens: Graceful Tables / Wedding Cinematography: Three Ring Media / Wedding Photography: Harwell Photography / Location: Bloomsbury Farm / Wedding Invitations: Wiley Valentine

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 43 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: b. Hughes, Bloomsbury Farm, Classic Party Rentals, Dessert Designs, Dozen, Graceful Tables, Harwell Photography, Ilex for Flowers, Kate Lettering, Kristen Winston Catering, Nashville, Nashville Audio Visual, Nico and Lala, Riverdale Nursery, Social Graces, Soul Searchers, Tennessee, The Social Office, Three Ring Media, Visual Elements, Wiley Valentine
Post categories: Contemporary