This wedding had me at hello. Well, actually it had me at two high school sweethearts tying the knot in a drop-dead gorgeous modern meets vintage masterpiece, but you get the point… I love every last second of this sweet, sweet day captured by Eclectic Exposures. And once you dive into all of this whimsical + DIY pretty, you’ll see exactly what I mean. Because this isn’t just any Southern-inspired day of lovely. It’s a day chock-full of beautiful stylings from The Conservatory at Waterstone and a whole lot of happy. See it all in the full gallery.
From the Bride… From the moment I agreed to go to an independent professional wrestling show our junior year of high school to watch him wrestle, I knew Kyle was going to be the one. Nine years, one high school and college graduation and one simple Christmas Eve proposal that perfectly fit our relationship style later, I was walking down the aisle to marry the man I’ve loved for so long. Kyle and I had actually been friends since 9th grade, but 11th grade chemistry is where our love started blossoming. Funny thing is, to this day we still find ourselves acting like we did during those first high school moments.
We knew we would be sharing this special day with so many of our loved ones that have grown over the years with our relationship so we wanted to make sure our day incorporated everyone. We chose to get married at the Conservatory at Waterstone (which used to be an old restaurant before it was turned into a wedding venue) in the quaint downtown area of Acworth, GA. We did some researching for venues online prior to choosing, but the Conservatory was the first and last venue that we visited. Everything about it from the cobblestone floors to the walls and back down to the wrought iron details made this venue incredibly inspiring. The Conservatory provides an all-inclusive package as well which played a major role in our tight wedding budget.
The venue really inspired the “vintage-modern” theme of our wedding. We spent the next year and a half searching yard sales, flea markets, estate sales, Four Inch Fold vintage rental shop … everywhere to collect bottles, glasses, jars, any assortment of items to put flowers in. We knew we wanted the flowers to be arranged in a very simple and minimalist technique throughout the 35+ tables at the Conservatory. Along with bottles, we collected trunks, old coke crates, windows and other used and re-purposed odds and ends to complete our venue’s modern vintage feel. We also completed several DIY projects throughout the process including the Yarn M nailed to wood, beautifully hand-written signs (courtesy of my maid of honor) throughout the Conservatory, several dyed paper doilies, our window program sign, guestbook canvas and the menu signs made out of pallets and chalkboard paint to name a few. Kyle and I really enjoyed adding these meaningful touches throughout our wedding.
Before the ceremony, rather than going by tradition and not seeing each other up until I’m walking down the aisle, we chose to write each other letters and do a first look in a garden location that Amber, our photographer chose near the ceremony site. It was definitely a special and personal moment for us both.
My personal favorite detail for our entire wedding day was actually a site not even seen, it was our selection of music throughout the night. Here are a few from our list:
Wedding Party Entrance – Falling Slowly by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova; Bride’s Entrance – Harvest Moon by Neil Young (I listened to this song on tape over and over again with my mom as a child); Unity Candle Ceremony – I Won’t Give Up by Jason Mraz; Ceremony Exit – Send Me On My Way by Rusted Root; Wedding Party Reception Entrance – Let’s Get Married by Jagged Edge (we had each pair do a dance as they were announced in); First Dance – At Last by Etta James; Father/Daughter Dance – Landslide by Fleetwood Mac.
Truth be told, nothing can compare to hearing our close friend and pastor pronounce us husband and wife. However, all of the well-thought out details of our wedding and our team of wedding day extraordinaires made this an unforgettable day for everyone.
Photography: Eclectic Exposures | Event Design: The Conservatory at Waterstone | Event Planning: The Conservatory at Waterstone | Floral Design: The Conservatory at Waterstone | Wedding Dress: David's Bridal | Cake: The Conservatory at Waterstone | Invitations: Swirl Creative | Ceremony Location: The Conservatory at Waterstone | Reception Location: The Conservatory at Waterstone | Bridesmaid Dresses: Alfred Sung | Rentals: Four Inch Fold