I love, love, love Fall weddings… there’s just something about the combination of my favorite season and a bundle of wedding goodness that sends my heart into a pitter-patter every.single.time. So, it should come as no surprise that these charming Fort Valley nuptials by Jess Fouts Photography have me completely smitten… and in a big way. How could I not be madly in love with the sweet as can be venue, natural color palette, stunning lace gown and gorgeous florals by Sandra Morgan? Not to mention that every last detail of this charming affair was a labor of love by the bride and groom, plus friends and family. If that doesn’t just warm your heart with happy, I don’t know what will. Click here for even more!
Click here to see the entire gallery of images!
From the Bride… I am so excited to share our fall 2010 wedding with you, and I hope you enjoy all the handmade details. We were very lucky to have most of the elements of our wedding prepared by friends and family who designed everything according to our specific wishes and limited budget. Our wedding was full of traditional Southern details, and we were inspired by many things: my love for woodsy florals and peacock feathers (my childhood home had peacocks that roosted in the pine trees), my husband’s love for Doctor Who and vintage books (he collects first editions), traditional Southern details, and past family weddings. The entire affair was captured perfectly by Atlanta-based photographer Jess Fouts. She worked tirelessly to get every beautiful shot, and we could not be more thrilled with her work.
We were married on November 13, 2010 at Pineola Farm in Fort Valley, Georgia. The 12 acre pecan farm includes a renovated cotton barn built in 1930, formal English-style gardens, a pecan orchard, and the historic Victorian plantation home. The owners were an absolute dream to work with. Delise and Paul Knight worked so hard to give us our perfect day, and we loved many of Delise’s special touches, like the lighting and burlap accents in the cotton barn and the wraps set out for ladies to use for the evening. We decided to have our afternoon ceremony in-the-round in one of the gardens on the property. It was so special to be surrounded by the love of our family and friends while we said our vows. After photos, we had cocktail hour on the front porch of the barn, and the seated dinner and reception followed inside the barn and tent.
I knew early on that I wanted my mom’s best friend Sandra Morgan, who is not a professional florist, to do all of our flowers and centerpieces. I knew that her talent would shine through and that I could trust her to design the flowers to my specifications: woodsy colors (lots of greenery and brown berries mixed with white hydrangeas and a few feathers) with a pop of lime green from the tiny mums, to bring out the green from our peacock feathers. We spent hours at the venue trying different centerpieces, linens, and table settings and finally settled on the champagne linens with short centerpieces on top of stacks of antique books. Our bouquets were made from traditional white hydrangeas, but were a bit more woodsy and casual with the addition of brown and green elements. My bouquet was wrapped in a beautiful lace-trimmed handkerchief that was given to me when I was born. Sandra also arranged the charming boutonnieres, the stunning tall centerpiece with peacock feathers for our table, and the hydrangeas and mums that topped the wedding cake.
We coordinated with our caterer Michelle Allen, another close family friend, to use glass dinnerware and vintage champagne coupes. She prepared an appetizer display with soft cheeses, pecans, and fruit for guests to enjoy during happy hour, and we had a seated dinner with butternut squash soup, honey pecan chicken, pork tenderloin, roasted green beans, and mashed potatoes. My husband had insisted on having a hearty meal served to our guests, and we were thrilled with Michelle’s elegantly served Southern comfort food. Michelle also set up a coffee bar for our guests to enjoy after dinner. It included flavored syrups and cream, cinnamon and cocoa powder, and some of our favorite candies to enjoy with the coffee. Our favors were a local seasonal treat, small packages of praline pecans from Pearson Farm.
Our cakes were made by our multi-talented friend Ruth Masciarelli who also made my jewelry and hairpiece. Like our floral designer, Ruth is not a professional, but she did a fabulous job. I was adamant that I did not want fondant on my cakes, only her exquisite buttercream frosting to top the classic vanilla almond wedding cake. The wedding cake was our collaboration, inspired by traditional designs and the champagne and ivory colors of my wedding dress. She surprised me with my grandparents’ wedding cake topper, refurbished with a new veil and repainted to resemble us. The groom’s cake was a special surprise for my husband who loves the British sci-fi show Doctor Who. Ruth created a amazing 3D rendering of the Doctor’s Tardis, using moist chocolate cake with more buttercream frosting.
We were so happy with our perfect wedding day and so thankful for all the help we received from family and friends. Their special contributions and projects truly made our day unique and helped us to stick to our budget.
Wedding Venue: Pineola Farm / Wedding Photography: Jess Fouts Photography / Wedding Dress: David’s Bridal / Bride’s Shoes: Mia / Bridesmaid Dresses: David’s Bridal / Hair, Make-up + Nails: Seasons Spa & Salon / Bridesmaid Gifts: Plum Pretty Sugar Loungerie (robes) / Groom + Groomsmen Attire: Men’s Warehouse / Favors: Pearson Farm / Table Settings + Food: Michelle Allen Catering / Flowers + Decor: Sandra Morgan / Cakes, Bride’s Jewelry + Hairpiece: Ruth Masciarelli