Georgia Weddings

It’s just doesn’t get sweeter than the obvious love between these two cuties. It just seems to seep through each and every image snapped up by Laura Barnes Photo – and their darling barn wedding? Just as sweet. It’s enough to charm your socks right off, and you can see every last moment right here.

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From Laura Barnes Photo…I absolutely loved photographing Becky & Josh’s wedding on June 15th! These two are one of the sweetest couples with whom I’ve had the pleasure of working. They’ve dated for ten years and were surrounded by an incredible group of supportive friends and family (plus their pup Rudy!) Becky and Josh opted to do a first look so we were able to photograph most of their portraits before the ceremony – their first look was my favorite part of the day!

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Photography: Laura Barnes Photo | Venue + Catering: Foxwoods | Floral Design: Sunday Richie (family friend) | Bakery: McEntyre’s Bakery | DJ: DJ Rock, Scott Garner | Cellist + Violinist: Cobalt Strings, Amber Dobbs

Virgil Bunao can do no wrong in my book. The second I see his name alongside a wedding, I get more excited than I care to admit. And it’s because of weddings like this one. Weddings that started with the sweetest of love stories, and then topped off with a fête filled with heart all captured so beautifully I could cry. It’s image after image of pure lovely, and it’s all waiting for you right here.

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From the Bride… We met on a spring day in 2008 thanks to Duncan, a dog who decided to have an adventure and escape his yard. He went to the park where he found Allie and her dog Bowman. Allie called the number on his tag, Bernard picked up his dog and later that night asked for a date. Not straying far from the theme of adventure, 2 years later Bernard proposed at the summit of Angel’s Landing in Zion National Park.

We share a love for the coast and exploring unique, obscure islands. Allie is a graduate of Clemson and since college she has always wanted an intimate southern wedding. Sapelo, a barrier island in the Emerald Isles, with it’s pristine beaches, towering oak trees, Spanish moss and 19th century R.J. Reynolds mansion was the perfect place to host our wedding. Because our families and friends were coming from all over the U.S, and Bernard’s immediate family from Belgium, we envisioned a place where we could celebrate and be together for an entire weekend. The island proved to have some logistical challenges. It is accessible by ferry only twice a day and is undeveloped with no stores or hotels, however this was a draw for us – we had the place to ourselves! Our families filled the mansion to capacity while the rest of our guests stayed in nearby Hogg Hammock – one of the last remaining Geechee communities in the U.S.
Our wedding took place on April 22nd – Earth Day.

We wanted a DIY wedding that reflected our love for the outdoors, each other and family. Together we crafted almost everything for the big day: summer evenings were spent making blueberry lemon and peach lavender jams, our fingers were stained for days after making welcome bags, hours were spent picking out our font for stationery and even more hours photo-shopping and printing! Props to the groom who even sewed all the table runners and napkins from a piece of linen fabric we liked. Allie’s mom took the role of wedding planner, complete with color-coded folders and her trusty binder. The woman knows how to antique! She tirelessly searched for the gorgeous milk glass and depression glass dishes that decked out our desert bar. Having a DIY wedding made the planning and decision making enjoyable – it was a crash course on a lifetime of compromise and communication.

We wanted the style and feel of our wedding to be simple and natural with a southern twist. The Mansion was the perfect backdrop – the grounds are gorgeous featuring a lagoon pool, old oaks draped with Spanish moss and a patio ornamented with period tiles. The design, architecture and history created the ambiance – all we had to do was add the personalized details. One of the favorites was our take on the “guest book” that Bernard painted using watercolors. We wanted to dress up the mansion’s living room since it was attached to the patio where our reception took place. Three generations of family wedding photos, topiaries and moss-covered monograms added the personal touch we were looking for.

We decided to say our vows in the morning, in front of the pool, under the moss covered oaks and couldn’t have had better luck when it came to avoiding an imminent storm. Guests were seated to an instrumental version of Ella Fitzgerald’s “Dream A Little Dream of Me”. Allie walked down the aisle to her brother singing and playing guitar to Jeff Buckley’s “Hallelujah” for which he had modified the lyrics for the occasion. The intimate ceremony was officiated by Allie’s campus minister and long time friend, Tim Willis. The reception included fried chicken and other traditional southern sides such as green beans, squash casserole and corn bread. Bellini’s were served for the toasts in honor of Georgia’s peaches and the family’s Italian heritage. Sweet tea was sipped from mason jars. The dessert table included cookies and chocolates hand delivered from Belgium by the Bernard’s parents as well as several cakes, candies and peach cobbler. Guests spent the afternoon playing games on the lawn, hiking the nature trail or combing nearby Nanny Goat Beach for sand dollars. The celebration was capped with a birthday hoedown for the bride in the Mansion’s third floor Circus Room, lasting late into the night.

Our inspiration and goal was all about the intent of creating an intimate island escape weekend for everyone. We wanted to keep it unique to us but at the same time create something everyone could enjoy. In an attempt to stay unique and true to us we made a promise to each other that any idea we found, we would put our own spin on it. One of our favorites was the idea of a directional sign. We wanted to recognize how far everyone traveled to be with us on our wedding day so we made a post that had every state guests traveled from, including the distance in miles from Sapelo Island. We got a lot of compliments on how special it was that we made everything ourselves, and even more “thank-you’s” for such a fun, laid back weekend. That was the best gift we could have received!

Looking back on the weekend, it’s hard to choose a favorite moment. For Allie, walking down the aisle was pretty amazing. She remembers the amount of love and happiness she felt walking toward Bernard while seeing everyone who was there to support and celebrate their new life together. We really enjoyed the toasts as well – it was touching to hear how much thought and love went into the wishes that our guests had for us. Finally, our rehearsal dinner was a great time-we invited everyone who was already on the island for the wedding to the Nanny Goat Beach pavilion and had a traditional low country boil under the stars. Upon returning to the mansion we danced, bowled and played pool in the pirate-themed basement.

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Wedding Photography: Virgil Bunao | Wedding Venue + Catering: R.J. Reynolds Mansion | Floral Design: Doodle Bugs Florist | Wedding Cakes: Addy B’s Cakes | Wedding Dress: Galina Signature | Brides Shoes: Kate Spade | Hair + Make-up: Eternity Salon and Day Spa | Groom’s Attire: Calvin Klein | Officiant: Tim Willis | Music: Brandon Slavinski

Bidding adieu to a week at SMP is never, ever easy. So we decided to kick things up a notch by squeezing in one last totally gorgeous “I do” before we send you off into the weekend. With Ashley Baber Weddings working hard behind the scenes and Our Labor of Love capturing the results, there’s one thing that’s for darn certain — this color-happy affair was an absolute hit.

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From Ashley Baber Weddings…Erin and Rich were married in the Spring just outside of Atlanta at Barnsley Gardens. The bright + fresh color palette and endless creative details make this wedding truly memorable. Some of our favorite details:

+vibrant color palette
+maids in different color and style dresses
+stunning florals and lots of decor details– see the massive collection of vintage hanging bottles with colorful blossoms hanging from the tree at the ceremony site
+pre-ceremony drink cart
+chalk board ceremony program
+the bride’s dramatic entrance on a vintage rickshaw driven by her father
+the bulb light fixture over the dance floor in the reception tent
…and so much more!

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Photography: Kendrick + David for Our Labor of Love | Cinematography: Wages Films | Floral Design: Amy Osaba | Event Design: Amy Osaba + Erica Loesing | Event Planning: Ashley Baber Weddings | Ceremony + Reception Location: Barnsley Gardens | Invitations: Miss Pickles Press | Calligraphy: Moya Minns of MM Ink

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Time to reveal this week’s lucky duck winners!

Big hooray for Justine Farrow who will receive a BHLDN gift card allowing her to order the dress or item(s) of her dreams! 

And congrats to Vanessa who won a two-hour portrait session at Chateau Cocomar!

If you didn’t snag a prize this week, fear not lovelies, because there’s still time to enter Domaine Carneros’ “Sparkling Ever After” sweepstakes. What’s at stake? A $500 kate spade new york gift card, a signed copy of Style Me Pretty Weddings by our very own Abby Larson, $545 in Paperless Post credits AND four cases of Domaine Carneros for kate spade new york special-edition sparkling brut rosé! Get all the entry how-tos right here!

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Enjoy every second of this sunshiny weekend — we’ll meet you back on Monday! xoxo

I love 3Ring Weddings… and not just because they know how to capture the pretty.  No, it’s more than that.  It’s their ability to really dive into the wedding; to share the real essence of the duo getting married. And when you combine their talents with a breathtaking day like with this sweet Atlanta affair held at the stunning Crowne Plaza Ravinia, it’s like the best three minutes you’ll ever see.  (Literally.)  Press play for every last second of lovely, and then stay tuned for one devastatingly gorgeous image after another from the amazing Scobey Photography.  Happy, happy Friday, indeed.

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From 3Ring Weddings… Introduced long distance via family friends, Geetika and Peter were friends first because, as Peter told her during their first phone conversation, he wanted “no strings attached.” They talked once per week after that. Geetika said she enjoyed the pressure-free friendship and they were comfortable in the friend zone for quite awhile.

Peter traveled from Georgia to Arizona to meet Geetika face to face. He visited her a couple more times before meeting her parents. At this point, even though they were still just friends, they began talking and texting almost every day. And while Peter is the one who initiated the “no strings attached,” he admits he knew from day one that they were meant to be together. But he also knew that Geetika needed more time and so he waited. “His perseverance to really rough it out and to never give up” is one of the qualities about Peter that Geetika admires most.

“She has a lot more kindness in her heart than I’ve seen in most people,” Peter says. “She doesn’t like to hurt anybody and she won’t say anything bad against anybody. That takes a lot… She’ll say, ‘Well, it’s not for me to put somebody down.’ That’s a big quality that I like in her. A quality that I don’t have.”

The couple had very different childhoods and thus they see the world differently. Yet Peter asserts, “Different people can come together.” The more Geetika and Peter talked, the more they felt they had a great deal in common. “Sometimes, even though we are so different, our differences can actually make it stronger,” Geetika explains. “We’ve learned a lot in these last six months. It makes the relationship even more stronger. You do have to work in every relationship, but it should come naturally and I think at this point it does come naturally.” They strove to make the most of their differences and work through them. When you look at life with “no strings attached” to your biases, you can overcome just about any obstacle.

“I think we all have dreams, but then… with him, I saw much more than I expected, in so many ways. It was more; it was never less,” Geetika muses. “Yes, we have our differences, but we can overcome them. They’re really insignificant when you take the whole picture. He was more than what I would dream of – in a lot of ways. You can’t get it all, but what you get is kind of priceless.”

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Photography: Scobey Photography | Cinematography: 3Ring Weddings | Ceremony Venue: St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, Atlanta | Reception Venue: Crowne Plaza Ravinia, Atlanta | Event Planning + Hair + Makeup: Scoobie West | DJ – DJ Jaz | Event + Floral Design: Charles Vance of Jackson Durham

Oh my, this Bride and I are kindred spirits. And the fact that her hubby asked for her hand in the gardens of Versailles makes my heart skip a beat. They planned their beautiful day with the French countryside in mind, and the result was a day where I could easily spend all my days. It’s all around lovely, and captured to perfection by Christopher Helm – making this one seriously gorgeous gallery.

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From Christopher Helms… Cloverleaf Farm is a new venue just outside of Athens, Georgia. The house is an interesting 1860’s antebellum mansion in the true southern style. The couple was really sweet, and a pleasure to work with. Erin has a great sense of style and really put a lot of work into the details. She successfully mixed her French style with the southern atmosphere of the house and surrounding pecan groves. Gavin is one of the sweetest guys in the world and a true gentleman. These guys are truly happy and in love.

From the Bride… My husband and I met in the workplace– a high school in Athens, Georgia. I traveled the world throughout my 20’s, even lived in Japan for two years, only to meet the man of my dreams in the classroom next door. We both teach economics and history which meant that we spent a lot of time together collaborating on lesson plans. We had great chemistry together, similar senses of humor, and deep down we were both super dorky. Not to mention my husband is easily one of the kindest, most sincere and hardworking people I’ve ever met. Over time we became good friends and it seemed only natural that we would end up becoming much more! I knew almost immediately that we would be getting married– at nearly 30 years old I knew that I had found someone incredibly special. He proposed in the gardens of Versailles, one of my favorite places on Earth, and so when the wedding planning started I knew I had to incorporate some aspects of Versailles and the palace’s most famous queen: Marie Antoinette.

And therein was the difficulty: we didn’t want too much of a rococo influence, with its gilded gold opulence. This level of formality and excess simply just isn’t our style (or fit with our wedding budget). We are both down-to-earth people who enjoy all things informal. This meant that we were drawn to images of the peaceful countryside but with a touch of aristocracy. Luckily, I knew just where to look for inspiration.

In order to escape the rigid court life of Versailles, Marie Antoinette had an idyllic country village created at her private palace, the Petit Trianon. It is a 30-minute walk from the main palace of Versailles and often overlooked by tourists. This beautiful garden provided the inspiration for our wedding with a ceremony under the trees and whimsical floral arrangements in soft pastel colors that evoke the colors of gowns Marie Antoinette herself might have worn in the gardens. The same theme also appears in our paper goods, with our cameos appearing both on our save-the-date postcards and our program fans. I even added a wide blue sash (handmade by my mother) to my whimsical Jim Hjelm gown in order to pay homage to the chemise a la reine style of dress made popular by Marie Antoinette.

The wedding was truly a lot of fun for us to plan. We spent over a year collecting milk glass vases, mirrored vanity trays, and tarnished silver platters to use in our wedding décor. This meant many trips to thrift shops, antique stores, and garage sales– a fun weekend tradition that I hope we will maintain even now that the wedding is over. I threw myself into many DIY projects including designing all of our paper goods, designing our website, hand-stamping and filling lavender toss bags, and creating all of our wedding day signage.

In the end the day was more beautiful and magical than I ever imagined. Everything came together perfectly. I was so happy to see that my vision of a relaxed, countryside wedding (with some Marie Antoinette flair thrown in for good measure) was realized so perfectly. And the outpouring of love and support from our friends and family was the icing on the cake. And that is how two teachers, so very in love, ended up with a fairytale wedding.

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 Wedding Photography: Christopher Helm | Wedding Venue: Cloverleaf Farm | Floral Design: Gardenia Floral Design | Stationery: Bride | Cakes + Desserts: Cecilia’s Cakes | Catering: A Divine Event | Wedding Dress: Jim Hjelm | Bride’s Shoes: Lola Cruz | Hair + Makeup: City Salon and Spa

This bride has a style all her own.  A downright fabulous style that combines her serious beauty with a gorgeous Barbara Allin gown and a crazy amazing Anthropologie headpiece.  It’s the kind of style that lights up the room with every last smile and, when set against a breathtaking Tybee Island backdrop, it’s almost too pretty to believe.  L’Art Orange Photography captured every gorgeous moment and it’s what we’re calling the epitome of bridal session lovely.  See it all in the full gallery.

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From L’Art Orange Photography… There’s something liberating about these images with messy beach hair and salty waves, they’re unpretentious and whimsical.  This session was focused on Gaby’s beauty and a gorgeous summer sunset at the beach.  Sometimes accessories overcrowd sessions and brides get lost in all the flowers and settings.  The truth is that simple beauty is candid and free. These images are all about her, who she is, and her love for the ocean.  You’re only young once, so why not celebrate at the beach and playing with the waves while wearing a gorgeous dress? Gaby lives in Savannah and her session was done on a gorgeous summer evening at Tybee Island, GA.

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Photography: L’Art Orange Photography | Location: Tybee Island Beach | Dress: Barbara Allin  | Hair accessories: Anthropologie | Model: Gaby Gonzalez |

Sometimes a wedding looks like soooo much fun, it’s contagious.  Like you can’t help but smile, because every last person is grinning from ear to ear and, well… love is just that darn wonderful.  This is one of those weddings.  A beautiful day set against the gorgeous Sea Island Resort with a preppy meets classic style and enough pretty to last a lifetime.  Add in one seriously adorable duo (oh, are they ever) and an entire gallery of pretty from Scott Hopkins Photography and it’s a joy-filled day in the full gallery.  Join me there for every last ounce of lovely.

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From Melissa & Scott Hopkins… Betsy and Greg were married in the luxurious Sea Island Resorts in Sea Island, Georgia. They were wed at the Chapel on the grounds of the Cloister at Sea Island. Betsy wore a beautiful LulaKate gown and her bouquet adorned a bible that has been passed down and used in weddings. After the ceremony, guests made their way to Sea Island’s private beach club for dinner and dancing. Dinner and dancing was held in the Ocean Room . The tables for dinner were adorned with beautiful flowers that matched her bouquet. Betsy and Greg then departed via golf cart through a grand sparkler exit.

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Wedding Photography: Melissa and Scott of Scott Hopkins Photography | Event Planning + Design + Flowers: Sea Island Resort | Ceremony Venue: Cloister Chapel at Sea Island | Reception Venue: Sea Island Beach Club | Dress: LulaKate

Every once in a while, a classically elegant wedding comes along and sweeps me off my wedding loving feet. Like Prince Charming, it’s traditionally stunning with ball gowns and roses, a white cake and candles, and I just eat it right up. Artstar by Laura Stone captured said wedding and tied it up in a pretty blue and green bow. It’s perfect for a day like today.

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From the beautiful bride… Our meeting was pure happenstance, as we had been working in the same office complex for several years before we ever met. A chance meeting in the cafeteria, and the rest is history! We soon learned that the stars had aligned in our favor. We discovered that we had many similarities. For example, our fathers had worked for the same company for many years, we each had a brother named John (Jim’s brother John was ironically married to a woman with the same name as me), and we both had a sibling with special needs. The coincidences continued to pile up until it became clear that we were truly meant to be.

Jim’s proposal was heartfelt and personal. On a Wednesday evening in August, he arranged to arrive at my apartment before I got home from work where he had flower petals everywhere, roses and champagne waiting, and most importantly a ring tied around my pug, Bella’s neck. When I walked in from work that night, Bella ran right to me and I knew as I saw the pink ribbon around her neck, with a shiny diamond ring attached, what was coming. Jim got down on one knee and of course I said yes!

So, let the planning begin! We knew we wanted a ceremony and reception that was classic, elegant, and traditional but also with some unique elements. We decided to get married in Atlanta because it had meaning to us. Jim grew up here and this is where we met and now call home. For the ceremony, I chose a variation of my favorite color scheme: blue, green and white. We worked with a local vendor on our invitations to incorporate our colors and taste. The bridesmaids wore blue dresses with green and white flowers and I had an off white dress with traditional flowers. I wore my grandmother’s garter as my something old. We had a small wedding party that consisted of our close friends and family. Our ring bearer and flower girl were the son and daughter of my bridesmaids. We had our cousin’s hand out the order of worship. We decided in lieu of traditional wedding favors to make donations to organizations in honor of our brothers with special needs.

We were wed in the church by which we both belong (Peachtree Presbyterian) and by our minister, whom we hope to have baptize our kids someday! It was a beautiful traditional service in a warm and familiar setting. This was the easy part of our planning!

Finding a reception venue proved much more difficult as there were so many choices in so many different styles. Jim and I wanted something with indoor-outdoor access, city skyline and water view (not to much to ask, right)?! We happened to stumble upon what we believe to be the best venue in the city – Greystone at Piedmont Park. A hidden gem within one of the cities most beautiful parks, set in a picturesque section bordering a small lake, a pool and the midtown skyline. We knew the second we saw it that this was the place for us.

Looking back on our wedding day, we think of many wonderful memories. One that we will cherish forever is walking down the aisle and seeing each other for the first time, since we chose not to do a first look. We had a gorgeous, classic Rolls Royce drive us through the city to our reception, bag pipes lead us in to be introduced as husband and wife, King of Pops (a local popsicle vendor) on the outside balcony overlooking the pool, and spending time with our family and friends as we danced the night away. Couldn’t have been a more perfect day!

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Photographer: Artstar by Laura Stone | Videographer: Ryan Rodinis | Floral Designer: Tulip Blooming Creations | Event Designer/Planner: Nicole Fantz of Peachtree Wedding and Events | Invitation Designer: Avie Designs | Calligraphy: MM Ink | Desserts: Classic Cheesecakes and Cakes and King of Pops | Wedding Gown Designer: Amsale | Bridesmaids’ Dress Designer: J.Crew | Hair Brooch: Scott Antique Market | Hair and Makeup: Formal Faces | Venue: Greystone at Piedmont Park

When I scroll through a wedding and an uncontrollable smile starts to form on my face, I just know it needs to grace the pages of SMP ASAP. And that’s precisely what happened with this gorgeous Georgia fête from Amy Arrington Photography. Her stunning images tell the sweet story of a super in love couple on they day they say I do, and it’s all topped it all off with a puppy that is just as cute as they come – making this one smile-inducing post. See it all here.

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From Amy Arrington… Sarah + Trey were married at Smithgall Woods on April 20, 2013. One of my favorite parts of their wedding was their choice of ceremony music. They hired a harpist to play, and it was the perfect choice with the accompanying sounds of nature in the background –  creek water rushing, birds singing, and trees blowing in the wind. Another favorite part of their wedding was their adorable ring bearer – their beloved beagle trotted down the aisle carrying the wedding bands in a box tied from her collar. [dotted]

Wedding Photography: Amy Arrington Photography | Wedding Venue: Smithgall Woods State Park | Catering: Food Factory on Main | Cakes: Memorable Creations Cake Shop | Cupcakes: Truelove Celebrations | Hair + Make Up: Creative Visions Salon + Tammy Shirley | Floral Design + Decor: Judy J. Thomas of En Plein Air Floral Designs (ivory-j@hotmail.com) | Wedding Invitations: Palmetto Peaches | Harpist: Jan Fairies | Rentals: Lanier Tent Rental

In case you hadn’t noticed, we take this whole “wrapping up the week in style” thing very seriously here at SMP.  So serious, in fact, that we thought we’d send a little something extra special your way this lovely Friday morning.  A little something we like to call “engagement session perfection” with a totally adorable Atlanta duo and an entire gallery of pretty captured by Altmix Photography.  Start your weekend off right in the full gallery.  It’s beyond lovely.

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From the Bride-to-Be… Josh and I met at work. We had little interaction for almost a year until he commented on some pictures I had taken at an abandoned warehouse that a friend took me to when I got my “fancy” camera. Josh asked if I could take him there and one Sunday afternoon in July, I did. That afternoon is what we consider our first date. When Josh said he wanted to go back to the warehouse to take our engagement pictures, I was nervous about how pictures of two people in love in front of dilapidated and graffitied buildings would turn out. I asked him why he wanted to take pictures there and he recalled that during our first photo shoot, he was looking through his viewfinder at me and there was a moment where he “knew he was in trouble.” It was so romantic that I had to agree and I’m so glad I did. Our amazing photographers, Kate & Matt of Altmix Photography, loved the idea and ended up loving the warehouse venue. We spent hours wandering around the buildings and uncovering new places to shoot. Before we lost the light, we were able to hop over to the bridge by Josh and my house, which has the best view of downtown Atlanta. This shoot represents not only our style, as a couple but also the lesser known and more interesting places Atlanta has to offer. I hope that it inspires others to explore their neighborhood to find unique places to take pictures.

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Photography: Matt + Kate Altmix, Altmix Photography

I’m about to show you what can only be described as the cutest couple. They way they just adore each other is my favorite. The love is so transparent, the chemistry so strong, but that adoration? Man, I’m weak in the knees over the way they look at each other. 3Ring Weddings captured the essence of this couple, and their gorgeous wedding from Ashley Baber Weddings… I’m so excited to share it with you!

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From the cinematographer… Whether Emory and Katie are sitting at their favorite neighborhood bar or listening to the Avett Brothers as they cook, it is evident they simply love spending time together. From the moment they met both of them recognized they had something truly special. Katie commented, “I didn’t have any expectations for him and then there he was…he naturally became my fairy tale.”

Emory was also enchanted by Katie. “I never knew I would feel so confident about finding someone I wanted to spend the rest of my life with…Yeah it’s just truly special.” Although Katie and Emory have a “happily forever after” essence to their relationship, they define it by hard work and communication. From the beginning they took a no nonsense approach by asking difficult questions and really seeking to see one another for the person they are. They quickly saw their romance had fire and self awareness in it and that they were intrigued, challenged, and simply enjoyed being with each other at all hours of the day.

It is evident this couple loves each other for who they are. Emory mentioned he loves how opinionated and enthusiastic Katie is and how she approached their friendship from a “take it or leave it” mentality. Happy as a bride can be, Katie explained, “For all the ways that he knows life is not perfect and people are not perfect that makes him perfect to me…that allows me space to really just be myself.”

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Venue: White Provision | Planner: Ashley Baber Weddings | Photographer: David Christensen Photography | Videographer: 3Ring Weddings | Band: Mo Sol

There is the perfect amount of elegance and the perfect amount of fun in this Sea Island soiree captured by Scott Hopkins Photography. With it’s gorgeous setting, classic style and stunning couple, it has all the elements for one gorgeous wedding…and trust me when I say, it doesn’t dissappoint. It’s the best possible version of beach chic, and you can see it all right here.

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From Scott Hopkins Photography…Carolyn and Ed were married in the luxurious Sea Island Resorts in Sea Island, Georgia. They were wed (along with their dog Lacey)  in the gardens on the grounds of the Cloister at Sea Island. Carolyn wore a stunning Rivini gown and Stuart Weitzman heels while her groom his groomsmen looked dapper in their tuxes. After the ceremony, guests made their way to Sea Island’s private beach club for dinner and dancing. Entertainment was provided by the band the Moxie Band. Dinner was held in the Ocean Room while dancing took place the starts of the beach club’s courtyard overlooking the water. The tables for dinner were adorned with beautiful mercury glass centerpieces that matched her bouquet.  Carolyn and Ed then departed via golf cart through a grand sparkler exit.

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Photography: Melissa + Scott, Scott Hopkins Photography | Venue, Catering, Event + Floral Design: Sea Island | Band: The Moxie Band | Hair + Makeup: Image Artisans Salon | Wedding Dress: Rivini | Shoes: Stuart Weitzman

DIY weddings ooze charm to me. I find myself in complete awe over all the details couples dream up (and whip up) all on their own, and this sweet soiree is the perfect example. The duo in the center of it all, not only planned this day to complete perfection with The Southern Tree Plantation – they also performed for their guests, officially them making them 100 times more talented than myself. Which I happen to love. So settle in with all these pretty images from Raebeam Photography – they are a treat for sure. Click here for even more.

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From Raebeam Photography…This couple is in a band together! So what did they do at their DIY, simple, but awesome wedding? They gave a concert to their guests during the reception. It was a perfect sunny day in Blairsville, GA at The Southern Tree Plantation.

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Photography: Raebeam Photography | Event Planning: The Southern Tree Plantation | Ceremony + Reception Location: The Southern Tree Plantation

If you’ve ever stopped to wonder why we here at SMP are sooo obsessed with Georgia weddings, the answer is simple: they are awesome.  Awesome in the way that only sweet Southern affairs can be, with the perfect mix of traditional and rustic and enough pretty to fill the entire Peach State.  It’s the tried and true formula shining brightly in this darling Rome soiree, a DIY extravaganza with the fab stylings of one very talented bride and a stunning Farm backdrop that will, put simply, take your breath away.  See every last moment captured perfectly by Scobey Photography in the full gallery.

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From the Bride… From an unconventional beginning on PlentyOfFish.com came the greatest gift I could have imagined, a man whose love, determination, and selflessness envelops me every day. Matt asked me to be his wife at a castle in Scotland. Almost immediately we started talking about our wedding and how we wanted it to look. We both agreed, we did not want a cookie cutter wedding. We wanted a wedding that would be a reflection of us, it would be a personalized wedding everyone would remember. We wanted something that seamlessly melded my love for all things vintage and antique, Matt’s love of the outdoors, and incorporated our mutual love of the mountains. Our vision blossomed when we found our venue, a farm emanating a rustic elegance, nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Georgia; a place where you can see the stars shine at night, and most cell phone service ceases to exist… our version of perfect.

As a lover of DIY projects, I knew this was the way I would create a wedding that would stand out. In an effort to keep every element personalized I wanted to incorporate something into our centerpieces that would be a conversation starter, it came in the form of tea cups. Our floral centerpieces were housed in my grandmothers 100-year-old tea cups, gifted to her by her mother. I also wanted to DIY our favors, so from my love of baking the idea of bottling homemade vanilla extract for favors (a six month process) was born. We documented the process through photos and displayed these at the wedding. I wanted our table settings to tie in the soft peach, and smokey blues found throughout the day, so I cut fabric strips for napkin rings and attached sparkled buttons. We even painted and re-purposed an old table we found in the garbage and used it as vessel to showcase our family’s wedding photos. In addition we tea-stained and hand-stamped tags for our invitations and favors, and created table names out of wooden birds, moss and dowels. The satisfaction and pride I had decorating the venue was amazing, as I placed each little detail where it belonged I couldn’t wait for our friends and family to see what we had created.

My beautiful Mom only tried on one wedding dress and fell in love, after she told me the story I found myself rolling my eyes thinking that will never happen to me. As it turns out, like mother like daughter, I bought the first dress I tried on. To me, that dress was magic, in just the right light it flashed the slightest hue of peach, the separate lace overlay added a vintage charm, and the belt enhanced the peach undertone of the dress. This dress was an extension rather that a departure of my normal wardrobe. I often layer jackets and belts, and with the layers in the dress it allowed the dress to change throughout the night by removing the overlay. The bridesmaids’ dresses were not as easy. I had a very specific blue in mind, not baby blue, not bright blue, but a soft smokey antique blue. I held out until I found it, and I am so glad I did.

As our wedding day approached, as most brides, I had my eyes on the weather, 100% chance of rain. Really? I had never seen the weather report so certain. Well it did rain, but it rained just as our guests were enjoying the cocktail hour inside of the covered stables, some even sitting in rocking chairs looking out over the vast farm as the rain poured down; the thunder and lightning didn’t stop until morning. As the rain pounded the tin roof of the barn at the end of the night, someone said to me “aren’t you sad its all over.” I remember thinking to myself, no, I am not sad its over, because this was not an end, this was our beginning. I think the most important thing Matt and I did throughout the planning was never loosing sight of what this day really meant, it was the celebration of our beginning. Our wedding day was perfect, I will cherish my memories of that day, the planning, and all the wonderful projects and details, but most of all each day I cherish my patient, loving, honest, husband, my greatest gift in this world.

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Photography: Scobey Photography | Cinematography: Jeremy Tucker of Cinema Bliss | Band: Chris Wold of 7 Sharp 9 | Wedding Cake: Kate White of Honeymoon Bakery | Cake Topper: Shauna Hullender of Lava Gifts | Bar Service: Sharon Gregory of Bar None of Rome | Catering: Deborah Rothman of Harvest Moon Cafe | Floral Design: Bussey’s Florist | Bridal Party Bouquets: Heidi Belmont of Burlap and Bling Studio | Groomsmen Boutonnieres: DIY by the Bride | Event Design & Decor: The Bride | Event Planning: The Bride assisted by Dixie Bagley of The Farm | Wedding Ceremony Location: St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church | Wedding Reception Location: The Farm in Rome, Georgia | Wedding Invitations: Jen Simpson of Jen Simpson Design | Groomsmen Suits: Perry Ellis | Groom’s Tie: Kohl’s | Groomsmen Ties: Marc Anthony via Kohl’s | Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Jasmine Bridal (B2) via Bride Beautiful | Wedding Dress: Martina Lianavia via Bride Beautiful | Bride’s Shoes: Alex Marie | Groom’s Shoes: Sonoma | Rings: D. Geller & Son | Vintage Ring: Heirloom, Bride’s Grandmother | Bride’s Necklace & Bracelet: Borrowed, Mother of the Bride | Bride’s Earrings: Borrowed, Cousin of the Bride | Bridesmaids’ Necklaces: Cute Actually by Narin B | Garter: Garters by Kristi | Bride’s Perfume: La Vie Est Belle By Lancome | Bridal Hair & Makeup: Amber Grey + The Bride Bride’s | Headband: Icing | Bridal Party Hair: Christina Burton (Christina.Burton@nch.com) | Favors: Homemade Vanilla Extract, DIY by the Bride & Groom | Favor Labels: Vista Print | Table Numbers: DIY by the Bride | Napkin Rings: DIY by the Bride

Okay… I know I say this all of the time, but you lovelies out there in SMP-land?  You floor me.  You floor me with your serious creativity and your downright awesome crafting abilities.  And as someone who is a self-described non-DIYer, I am in a constant state of awe over your darling weddings.  Case in point?  This beyond fabulous day captured by Jayne B. Photography; a day that is boasting beautiful florals from Bloomin’ Bouquets, some crazy gorgeous orange hues and, of course, a whole lot of DIY goodness crafted by the uber-talented bride and groom, plus amazing friends and family.  Don’t miss a minute of pretty in the full gallery.  It’s a must-see.

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From the Bride… Jonathan and I had been on several romantic weekend getaways to Savannah in the past, we fell in love with the charming squares, cobblestone streets, and history of the city. So, after he proposed on the steps of a Savannah church we decided we would share the joy the town brought us with our families, and get married there.

With a small budget and a love for crafting, I decided to design and create as much as I could for the wedding on my own (and with the help of family and friends). I immediately got to work making reserved signs for tables and chairs, navy and white table runners, and mason jars with chalkboard hearts as favors. When it came time to pick out invitations, I realized that I could spend less and get exactly what I want by creating them myself. One of my favorite DIY wedding projects was the program. It showed our personalities while entertaining the guests… we hope.

The bluff of the Charles H. Morris Center was the perfect backdrop for the ceremony. Bloomin’ Bouquets, close friends and my florist, brought my vision to life. They created beautiful centerpieces using pieces of wood, lanterns, candles, wooden boxes my uncle made, and a variety of orange flowers. My sister made signs for the cupcake table and for the favors using navy frames and burlap flowers.  Jonathan and I enjoyed dancing and celebrating with our loved ones, but one of our favorite memories was a surprise. We took the party outside to enjoy the fireworks show that the city of Savannah does on the first Friday of every month.  When the night was over we exited through a tunnel of orange streamers and Auburn flags to a pedi-cab and began our journey together.

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Photography: Jayne B. Photography | Floral Design: Bloomin’ Bouquets | Event Design + Invitations: The Bride | Ceremony + Reception Location: The Charles H. Morris Center | Catering: Paul Kennedy Catering |Band: The Vistas | Cake: Gigi’s Cupcakes | Hair: B Street Salon | Shoes + Jewelry: Etsy | Wedding Dress: Allure Bridal 

This wedding is exactly the reason I love contemporary weddings.  The reason I go absolutely crazy for industrial spaces with exposed brick walls and steel beam ceilings, for chevron-striped linens and crazy beautiful ranunculus bouquets.  It’s a wedding that, put simply, screams chic with the fab stylings + florals of Juli Vaughn Designs and an entire gallery of pretty captured by Alea Moore Photography.  Join me there for every last ounce of amazing.

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From the Bride… I’ve always wanted to get married in a large open warehouse space and the Foundry at Puritan Mill was perfect. We fell in love with it’s high ceilings with exposed beams and brick walls immediately. As for the design, yellow has always been my favorite color and I wanted to incorporate it somehow into the design of the wedding. I felt, however, that since we were having a winter wedding we needed a color or two to temper the brightness of the yellow and navy and gray did just that. After that I showed Juli one picture with the colors and the hanging lanterns and she completely ran with the design. I told her that I wanted something warm, different and fabulous and she did just that. The only other thing I explicitly wanted was for my bouquet to be exclusively yellow ranunculus. It was spectacular! I was so sad that I only got to enjoy it for that one day.

Our wedding day was a perfect blur. The moment that I saw Mike for the first time as I was walking down the aisle is crystal clear in my memory. I will never forget the look of pure joy on his face and the sweet tears rolling down his cheeks. My other favorite moment was the daddy-daughter dance. The song my dad picked was a surprise and when the band started playing “Sweet Home Alabama” I was so excited. My dad and I danced our hearts out… it was such a sweet moment for us. Most importantly though, at the end of the night, I was so thankful to being leaving with my husband as Mrs. Michael Francesconi.

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Photography: Alea Moore Photography | Floral + Event Design: Juli Vaughn Designs | Day-Of Coordination: Amanda Ready of Atlanta Event Studio | Ceremony + Reception Venue: The Foundry at Puritan Mill | Catering: Sally’s Events

This shoot makes me long for a Southern vacation.  A seersucker-infused, romance laden Southern vacation set against a beautiful garden paradise with bright pops of color surrounding me every step of the way.  (To be exact.)  And while I touch base with a little old site called Priceline, you should see just why I am craving all things Southern pretty by feasting your eyes on every last image from Michelle White Photography.  Because this, my friends, is a shoot seriously dripping with lovely from Divine Occasions and if you can’t be there in person, well… the gallery is the next best thing.  Join me there for so much more.

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From Michelle White Photography… The inspiration behind the Seersucker-inspired photo shoot was to capture the beauty of the gardens for a Spring/Summer wedding day highlighting the use of vintage furnishings and pieces, heirloom jewelry with a hint of Southern charm for our couple, Kristen and Andrew!

Our couple’s love story… Kristen and Andrew meet their freshmen year at the University of Georgia. Kristen is a true Georgia peach, who is a native Atlantan. She loves a bottle of ice cold Coca-Cola, pecan pie, the great outdoors, and all things beautiful and vintage. Her sweetheart Andrew, is a true Southern gentleman, who was born and raised in Valdosta, GA. The only thing he loves more than Kristen are his Georgia Dawgs! His favorite things in the world… sweet tea, His Grandma’s buttermilk biscuits and the great outdoors. Kristen and Andrew often refer to themselves as “Old Souls” because they spend hours talking and they both share a favorite pastime, hiking! One of the things Andrew is most proud of is giving the love of his life a family treasured heirloom, his grandmother’s wedding ring as her engagement ring. For Kristen, she has always envisioned a beautiful garden wedding in her hometown with her husband-to-be wearing true Southern gentlemen attire, a Seersucker Suit!

Inspiration behind the shoot… In this shoot, we wanted to capture all the of elements of Kristen and Andrew’s personalities, in this Spring/Summer Seersucker Photo Shoot with a hint of vintage southern charm! Our Bride’s flowing “Sweetness” Wedding Gown from Anya Bridal was the perfect compliment to our groom’s traditional Seersucker Suit by Ralph Lauren. The chosen color palette of blue, coral pink, orange, yellow and natural greenery of the garden came alive! Our selected location, Cator Woolford Gardens proved to be the perfect backdrop! The lush beauty of the gardens offered natural décor accents for our ceremony set-up as well as the reception and sweetheart table. In this photo shoot, you will see from the Wedding Cake (Ms. D’s Cakes) to the reception, we incorporated the blues of the traditional Seersucker Suit along with accent colors of Coral pink, Orange and Yellow. Hints of vintage and southern charm can be found in the linen (Tabletoppers), glass and flatware as well as furnishings (Vogue Vintage Event Rental) to bring in the vintage feel to the shoot.

The beauty of the gardens and grounds along with the historic mansion offer the southern charm. Overall, this Seersucker Shoot offers the perfect inspiration for couples seeking to celebrate their wedding day in the Spring or Summer in an outdoor setting. Our Seersucker Photo Shoot offers the perfect inspiration for the couple who love to highlight traditional southern charm and have their guests enjoy the beauty of found vintage pieces.

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Photography: Michelle White Photography | Planning, Design & Floral: Divine Occasions | Venue: Cator Woolford Gardens | Models: Click Models of Atlanta | Bride’s Gown and Headpiece: Anya Bridal | Groom’s Suit: Ralph Lauren | Heirloom Engagement Ring: Groom’s Family | Bride’s Heirloom Earrings and Necklace: Bride’s Family | Wedding Cake: Cakes by DSW | Linen: Tabletoppers Inc. | Chiavari Chairs: Sweet Seats Atlanta | Vintage Rentals: Vintage Vogue Event Rentals | Wedding Stationery: Paper Cuts | Make-up Artist: Kim Kelley Blushed Makeup Artist | Hair Stylist: Kimberly Cade

I couldn’t possibly put my finger on what I love most about this wedding captured by Scarlett and Stephen. And it’s not because there isn’t plenty to love, it’s because everything blends perfectly together to make for one seriously fabulous celebration. It’s the vintage glamour mixed with the love of family. It’s the perfect planning by Emily Burton Designs. It’s the way this Bride’s boys (her son and new hubby) look at her. It’s all the sweetness sitting in this gallery. So perhaps I have put my finger on what I love most – everything. See it all here.

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From the Bride… After the proposal, we started planning right away.  One of the biggest challenges we faced was finding a venue. In my mind, I had a vision of an old Southern plantation. Such a place did not exist in our small town so I knew that I would have to create my own venue. We decided on my sister’s 30-acre farm, Maeford Manor, which was perfect for us because I grew up on a tobacco farm, and my husband and his family are blueberry farmers. Maeford Manor had a gorgeous oak tree that would be perfect for the ceremony, as well as the acreage needed for a large tent and dance floor and blueberry bushes. With that in mind we knew we had our work cut out for us and it was going to take all hands on deck to get the farm ready for the big day.

Overall, we wanted the wedding to reflect who we were as individually and as a couple. I love antiques and had a vision of vintage glamour throughout the wedding day details. I wanted to also incorporate a rustic feel that was a reflection of my husband, who is a farmer who loves to hunt and fish.  Not only does my husband farm, but he is also a musician and has a rock and roll edgy side. Trying to make all these concepts flow was overwhelming and therefore, I hired Emily Burton designs to ensure that my vision was carried out perfectly, and it was!

My mother and I share a love of antiques and visit thrift stores often. After the engagement, we began looking through our collection to see what items we could use to get me closer to my wedding day look.  I sent the word out to family and friends that I was looking for vintage china as well as antiques to display.  Everyone came together and we were lucky enough to be able to cobble together enough plates for dinner, saucers for the wedding cake and cups for coffee. The vintage china along with the lace and burlap table clothes made my vision come to life.

My husband’s family is musically talented and therefore it was important to us that everyone to play a role in our wedding. My husband’s cousin played the piano as I walked down the aisle to Stevie Wonder’s “Isn’t she Lovely,” as well as sang our first dance song, “Unforgettable.”  My father-in-law’s band, The Bushmen, kept everyone moving on the dance floor during our reception. My niece, sister-in-law and even my husband were on stage singing to celebrate one of the happiest days of our lives. It was as if we were at a family concert!

We brainstormed on wedding favors for our guests and came up with two that were a hit with everyone! As blueberry farmers, we spend the majority of our time in the fields preparing our crops for the next harvest; therefore, we wanted to share our pride and joy with others by making wine with our berries.  My uncle learned to make wine from my maternal grandfather with whom I was very close so it was important to use his secret recipe for the process. My uncle prepared the wine and my husband and I along with other family and friends rolled up our sleeves and bottled all 150 gallons! Our wine labels were designed to match our wedding invites. We had heard from others that the day goes by so fast, with that in mind we decided on a photo booth in order to capture candid moments from our guests, give them as keepsake from our celebration and allow us to have an album of all our guests. The vintage photo booth with props was loved by all, especially the kids! Our son especially, he was in nearly every photo with our guests!

Some of my favorite moments included, the first time my husband laid eyes on me, as tears rolled down his face, his response was “Wow, it was so worth it!” Getting ready with my favorite girls in the world, my son running to me and grabbing me when he saw me in my gown for the first time, and hugging my maternal grandmother as she rolled up in her wheelchair only staying long enough to see me get married. My vision of walking through untouched nature to marry my best friend, while surrounded by my closest family and friends, under a beautiful oak tree came true.  My ceremony was soft and romantic and as I walked to the reception there was pops of color, chandeliers, candelabras, vintage seating areas, string lights and a rustic bar with a TV installed so that everyone did not miss out on the SEC championship game that the GA Bulldogs played the night of our wedding.  Everywhere I looked were all the details that I had imagined for so long. As we passed by the memory tree I was reminded that I truly did have everyone there that day that has made such an impact on our lives. Emily Burton designs had taken my dream and made it a reality.

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Photography: Scarlett and Stephen | Coordination: Emily Burton Designs | Floral Design: Johnson’s Town and Country Florist | Ceremeony + Reception Venue: Maeford Manor, Private Home | Band: The Bushmen | Catering: McClain House | Cinematography: Joel Rozier | Makeup: Paulina Perez | Hair: Mane Objective Salon + Paulina Perez | Cake: Savannah Custom Cakes | Wedding Dress: Lazaro | Shoes: Nina | Headpiece: Maria Elena Headpieces

I get the happiest little ants in my pants when I see an engagement shoot like this one from Brita Photography. Why? Because when I see an e-sesh this adorable, I get all sorts of excited for what their wedding will be like.That thought leads my brain down a path of imaginary prettiness, and all from looking at the sweetness sitting in this gallery. It’s one adorable collection of images, and leaves me anxious to see what their wedding day has in store! See why here.

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We met in the middle of Piedmont Park and walked all around the park. Jeff and Lauren are so sweet with each other…not to mention, they were so natural in front of the camera. There were only a few minutes during the late afternoon, when the sun was setting and glowing orange on the buildings. I’m so glad the timing was right and we captured amazing, “golden light” images. It’s one of our favorite engagement sessions to date![dotted]

Photography: Brita Photography | Location: Piedmont Park, Atlanta, Georgia

Rustic weddings make me happy.  Very, very happy.  So to say that I get a little excited when a sweet rustic soiree comes our way is, well… a serious understatement.  Especially when that aforementioned bundle of rustic goodness is a sparkling gem like this darling Starrsville Plantation affair from Holly L. Robbins and Ezell’s Studios; a day so full of darling details and smiling faces, it will brighten your entire Monday. (Seriously.)  Get your pretty on in the full gallery.

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From Holly L. Robbins Photography, Inc.… Julie met Ty when she was just a little girl while her baby sitter was taking care of her. I think that sentence alone tells you just how far back this story goes!  WAAAAAY back. They have always known each other but Julie and Ty didn’t see each other “that way” until years later.

On June 1, 2013 Julie + Ty surrounded themselves with friends and family and all of their favorite things! A day filled with love, a vintage plate collection, cotton balls, a sneak peek through an old barn wall and passing sweet, sweet notes, sorority sisters and a whole lot of heart melting goodness.

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Wedding Photography: Holly L. Robbins Photography, Inc. + Gary Ezell of Ezell’s Studios | Event Design: Southern Style with Cindy Wilborn | Wedding Venue: Starrsville Plantation, Covington, Georgia | Invitations: Party City (Printables)