Tennessee Weddings

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Church On Main Rehearsal Dinner + WIUP!

From the stunning bride… My idols are Doris Day, Natalie Wood and Audrey Hepburn. Their music and films were the foundation of my childhood. I am a romantic and value the power and emotion they can evoke. I love to sing, bake and indulge in a great bottle of wine. Nick is in graduate school at Vanderbilt, pursuing a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering. He is a rational thinker that values vintage and classic things proven to stand the test of time.

We met six years ago while pursuing our undergraduate degrees. Over time, we became casual acquaintances, and I mentioned to Nick that I was having trouble keeping up in a calculus class. Being the mathematically-oriented guy that he is, Nick worked out a tutoring arrangement. Nick shares, “Around the third or fourth tutoring session, I realized that Lauren didn’t really need tutoring, and was actually quite capable at calculus. I also found that I was starting to look forward to those early-morning tutoring sessions more and more as the semester wore on, so I tried to keep them going.” Little did Nick know, I already had an A in the class and our “tutoring sessions” were simply a way for me to see him on a regular basis! Eventually, we began to find all sorts of excuses to be at the same places at the same time and one thing lead to another, and we fell in love. In the course of one year, our relationship went from typical to long distance when Nick started graduate studies at Vanderbilt and I moved over a thousand miles away to pursue a Master’s degree in Connecticut. The distance apart was difficult, which is to be expected, but because of it, we realize that we were made for each other and should never take our love and time together for granted. Four years later, we were engaged to be married with plans to make Nashville our home.

Instead of a large wedding, we chose to have one solely focused on our commitment to each other. We fell in love with the elegance and rustic charm Cedarwood offers, and the fact that this venue caters custom designs events for couples who wish to walk away from their wedding feeling excited, stress-free, and with beautiful memories and photographs.

My personal style is classic, with simple silhouettes and fun accessories, and I love finding ways to add color, whether it’s an occasional electric blue skirt or red shoes, to keep my style fun and vibrant. At the same time, I also love pearls and classic design, for their simplicity and elegance. We wanted to be married outside with a natural backdrop where we will exchange our own personally-written vows and a place with lots of character developed over time. Nick and I are determined to be together for the rest of our lives, so it is symbolic to be married in a place that reflects those same qualities. Cedarwood is a stately antebellum estate with the dignity and beauty of a historic landmark.

I wanted a wedding with a1940s-inspired vintage Hollywood theme. The staff at Cedarwood went out of their way to add touches of this theme throughout all of the decorations. The walkup from the parking lot was a red carpet, the guest book was a repurposed film reel, and paper goods, cake and almost every detail fit our taste, and Cedarwood made sure to incorporate lots of personal touches to the celebration. It exceeded all of my expectations. Everything was well executed, and that is really what made the day. It was easy, beautiful and fun.

Before we send you off into the weekend, we’ve got a little something special. A pre-wedding affair filled to the gills with Southern charm and pops of coral. Designed by Catherine Davis and captured through the lens of Bamber Photography, it’s a perfect way to wrap up the week. Psssst: We’ve got winners, discounts and giveaway reminders waiting down below!

It was such an honor to be asked to plan the rehearsal dinner for Brad and Liz, even more so because I am the groom’s sister-in-law! I love working on all events, but the stakes were a little higher on this one and my fate in the family rested in the execution of a seamless and fun evening to kick off the wedding weekend. Though Brad and Liz grew up in Chattanooga and shared mutual friends, their paths didn’t cross until they were living in Atlanta many years later when they were introduced by a dear friend’s mother. Though the timing wasn’t right during their first courtship, their love story should give many romantics hope in second chances. When Brad and Liz were reunited several years later, they didn’t skip a beat and it was only a matter of months before they were happily engaged.

Their wedding was in their hometown of Chattanooga and the quest for a venue that could accommodate a large size for their rehearsal dinner and match the “Garden & Gun” inspired event that Brad was hoping for proved to be a little challenging. Luckily, we stumbled upon a beautiful, old church that had been repurposed for events and the bride, groom and groom’s family fell in love instantly with the exposed beams and brickwork. The Church on Main was the perfect backdrop for this southern chic soiree that incorporated yards of seersucker (a must for all southern affairs), antique silver and milk glass (which were family heirlooms or antiques I’ve collected over the years), khaki and pops of coral.

I’ve worked with the Written Word for over 8 years on everything from wedding invitations to baby announcements and they never disappoint in their creativity and attention to detail. When I approached them about the event, Marti and Paul immediately went to work and produced a beautiful letterpressed invitation from their presses in West Virginia and complimentary menu cards. Seersucker adorned all the paper products, down to hand tied “bow ties” on the escort cards and place cards.

The menu was a wonderful collaboration with the talented Michelle Huffman of Events with Taste. From the “Dixie Cup” signature cocktail using none other than Tennessee’s own bourbon whiskey to the prosciutto wrapped duck hors d’oeuvres (a homage to the groom’s hobby as a hunter) to the “Brown Shu-gha” Ice Cream imported from Jake’s Ice Cream in Atlanta- it all perfectly reflected Brad and Liz.

The entire event was a family affair, with the mother of the groom tying seersucker ribbons and the father of the groom de-thorning and trimming garden roses in their sunroom-turned-florist-shop as I busily completed two dozen arrangements for the dinner. We all had a great time working together in the days leading up to the dinner, but more importantly, we had a fabulous evening in honor of my sweet brother-in-law and his beautiful bride-to-be.

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A few discounts from….

Love by Lynzie Weddings + Events
Mugshots Photography
PF Films
Toronto Bridal Style
Unique Visions Studio
The Georgia Club
Four Nineteen Weddings
Fourth Love
Lauren Michelle
Pear Tree Greetings
Postable
Smock Notebooks
Lookmatic
Shine Wedding Invitations

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Last chance giveaway + event reminders for…

$250 in bridal accessories to Ceremony

Bridal by the Bay Event at Chesapeake Bay Beach Club

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And now what we’ve ALL been waiting for. This week’s winners!

Big hooray for Aly – the winner of a $250 gift card towards Wedding Paper Diva’s!

Another congrats goes to MVP 22 who’s won one a gorgeous headpiece from Island Bridal!

And last but not least, Linda S. is the lucky duck taking home $100 to Paper Source!

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Happy weekend, loves! XOXO

Bluebird Christmas Tree Farm Inspiration Shoot

I adore the holidays more than I should probably admit, so this time of year I am like a little sponge for any and all inspiration. So when I come across something as gorgeous as this Bluebird Christmas Tree Farm shoot from JoPhoto, L.B. Floral, The Bride Link and Custom Love Gifts I feel like I’ve hit the holiday jackpot. It’s picture after picture of pin-worthy prettiness, and you can see even more here.

From JoPhoto…With visions of joining the class of an elegant Christmas dining table with rustic beauty of the outdoors, The Bride Link and Custom Love Gifts designed this merry Christmas tablescape, photographed by JoPhoto. There was not a more appropriate location to complete the vision than Bluebird Christmas Tree Farm in Blaine, Tenn. The graceful rows of Christmas trees offered warmth and intimacy as well as a stylish entryway to the tablescape.

The table’s floral décor by L.B. Floral was the star of the show! The tall centerpiece added tasteful drama to the table, and the cascading, floral runner offered a truly unforgettable accent piece. Plaid placemats were layered with red fabric bordered with lace to incorporate this season’s oh-so popular, country-inspired pattern. Silver goblets are the essence of class and style and perfectly matched the plates and Christmas themed butter knives.

Custom Love Gifts provided not only design for the shoot but also the adorable favors and nametags for each place setting. Clear globes filled with fake snow topped red-painted candlesticks for the perfect name holder. Custom Love Gifts’ famous jammed-filled jars offered a tasty and beautiful favor item for each guest to take home.

The handsome groom sported clothing from Coachman’s Clothier in Knoxville, Tenn. that perfectly combined class and masculinity. The designers wanted to showcase a look that was suitable for a wedding yet blended well with the feel of the outdoors. His plaid bowtie and navy-teal vest offered a rustic feel yet combined nicely with the navy suite and silk handkerchief.

The stunning bride complemented the groom’s fashion beautifully with a stunning A-line gown from White Lave & Promises bridal shop, topped with a sparkly, lace attachment for her bodice. Her fashion was styled to match accents on the table such as the lace, rimmed placemats, and red spray roses. Her red lip and the stunning white peonies in her bouquet added the perfect Christmas style to her wedding day look.

Davies Manor Plantation Wedding

You might remember this bride from her fabulous watercolor bridal shower. It was an event of the prettiest proportions, so the fact that her wedding was equally amazing came as no surprise. Think causal boho meets southern tradition all brought together by Haute Horticulture and Everbloom Designs. Thank you kindly to Annabella Charles for the gallery of photo goodies, and you can pay a visit right here.

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Bohemian

From the Bride… When I was planning our wedding, I knew I wanted to bring in a lot of who my husband and I are…our personal taste, our heritage, and family definitely was a very important aspect of our day. I picked the mint green and gold for the colors because they’ve always been some of my favorite colors and I knew it would bring in such a soft, happy and romantic feel to the day. I’ve always had a slight obsession with owls and we thought it would be fun to incorporate them in a whimsical way. But I still wanted it to have a personal touch, so I made the cake toppers and the boutonnieres for the groom and groomsmen out of little owls that I found at craft supply stores.

I did a few more DIY projects from the dessert table sign to the “Senor” & “Senora” (Mr. & Mrs.) signs on the back of our reception chairs, we just wanted our fingerprint on every detail of the day. Bringing in our family and heritage was also very important to us. The rose petals that were used on the communion table during the ceremony were actually given to me from my Great Aunt Paula before she passed away, she had been saving them from her garden for years to give to me to use at my wedding. Some of the lace dollies used on the reception tablea were also given to me from her and it was so sweet to have her be a part of this special day. The earrings I wore were my Great Grandmother’s and my “something borrowed”. And having my brother officiate the wedding made it even more special and is something I will never forget.

Lastly, we knew we wanted to exit our wedding in an unique way because being an assistant to a wedding photographer, I’ve definitely seen it all as far as exits and just really wanted to do something completely different. We thought it would be awesome to incorporate both our Hispanic backgrounds (his side Puerto Rican and my side Mexican) by using maracas for the exit and they also doubled as our favors for all the guests to take home from the wedding. Our day couldn’t have been anymore perfect from the incredible weather, to having our family and close friends there to experience this milestone with us, there was so much warmth and love from everyone surrounding us and that is exactly how we wanted our day to feel.

Blackberry Farm Wedding

From the moment I opened this Blackberry Farm beauty captured by Sharon of Smitten Photography I was in love. Head over heels in love. It has that sweet and intimate feel that I adore while being sophisticated and stylish all at the same time. It’s casual elegance at it’s very finest, and you can see it all here.

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Nashville Wedding at Mint Springs Farm from Teale Photography

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Classic Weddings

From Shannon Clark of Smitten Photography…The wedding was at Blackberry Farm on April 27, 2013, in Walland, Tennessee. A misty and rainy day produced a picture perfect setting for the wedding in the boat house. This couple chose to have their family and siblings surround them as they said their vows and celebrate their love. The clouds sat low on top of the mountains surrounding the lake and the farm. The brides relaxed yet elegant style radiates throughout the wedding day. It is always and honor to document intimate weddings and this one was exceptional in every way.

A Nashville destination wedding is one idea that I can most definitely get on board with. I mean, not only is Nashville one of the coolest cities on earth, it also happens to be a pretty amazing place to host a wedding. Case in point? This pretty little affair captured by Teale Photography, a rustic meets romantic celebration with the perfect amount of whimsy. I’m talking a gorgeous pink Elizabeth Dye gown (YES), lace table runners and peonies a plenty. Start your swoon-fest right here in the full gallery.

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Nashville Wedding from Michelle Lange Photography

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Al Fresco Rustic

From the Bride… While I had cherished every single moment we had ever shared, I’d been waiting six years, four months, and four days for this one – I got to say “I do” to my very best friend and it couldn’t have been more perfect! The road to get here was long, filled with beauty, adventure, mystery, and a few forks, but worth every mile. Chad and I have been surrounded by the most wonderful family and friends along the way, and to be able to share this most special celebration with them meant the absolute world to us. We knew we wanted this day to be one big LOVEFEST!

Chad and I had separately moved to San Diego about seven years ago, leaving behind many friends and family on the east coast, and making many new ones on the west. We decided the best way to get everyone together in one place would be to have a destination wedding. Music has had a large influence in both of our lives and so it wasn’t long before we decided that Nashville had exactly what we were looking for – somewhat centrally located, a city with an enormous energy, and beautiful landscapes in every direction!

We knew our venue was “the one” before we even entered the property! With its rolling hills, immaculate barn, crystal clear lake, and countless chandeliers, Mint Springs Farm just took our breathe away from start to finish. They executed each and every detail with such beauty and perfection. Despite the difficulty of coordinating a wedding from out-of-state, Brandy, our Mint Springs liaison, completely captured the Rustic-Chic vibe we were going for, just based on my Pinterest board and a few conversations. The tables were filled with vintage books, containers of all shapes and sizes, romantic floral arrangements complimented with beautiful mint green succulents, and lots and lots of peaches! We chose to use postcards from all of the places we’ve visited together as table names and more peaches as escort cards – one of my favorite DIY projects from the wedding!

But as much as I loved all the little details, I must say that it was the moments throughout the day that made our wedding so special. From our Beatles-themed ceremony music as a tribute to my late father and our extremely personalized ceremony, to walking down the aisle with my mom by my side and having a family member as each ceremony participant (including my brother as the officiant), to having Chad’s mom be able to join us via FaceTime for the whole ceremony and reception as her health did not allow her to be present, to being the subject of the worlds most amazing FLASH MOB and to all the laughter created from our DIY photobooth – we were able to share our love with all those around us, which is what we wanted most. Our love, our adventure, has always been deepened by the people we have gotten to share it with. We are so grateful to all of our incredible vendors for helping us create and capture memories that we’ll all share for a lifetime!

We always tell brides that your wedding photographer should feel like a friend. But Michelle Lange? She took it one step further. Because when this photographer turned matchmaker set up these sweeties on a chance blind date, she proved nothing is out of her realm of awesome. Cedarwood Weddings planned the day to a T, with Designs in Paper behind every paper pretty. So go ahead and lose yourself in this Nashville destination soiree with a trip to the full gallery right here.

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Nashville Wedding from Ariel Renae

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Classic Weddings

From the Bride… When Matt proposed to me at the most beautiful castle (called Casa Loma) in Toronto, Canada, I did not think anything could top how romantic and beautiful that moment was for the both of us. Well, I was wrong! Our wedding day at the Historic Cedarwood home in Nashville, TN was a day we will never forget.

Matt and I met on a blind date in New York City back in May of 2009. A mutual friend, Michelle Lange, set us up; who lucky for us offered to be our wedding photographer 4 years later! Matt is from upstate NY and I am from St. Louis, MO, so when we started to talk about where we would like to be married we knew right away that we wanted to do a destination wedding. We had always loved the city of Nashville and with Matt’s music background, we began our search for the perfect wedding venue. I had done lots of online research and narrowed down a few places to visit. The Historic Cedarwood home had caught my attention as I stalked their blog pictures the days leading up to our first visit. As soon as Matt and I pulled into the parking lot and saw the beautiful white antebellum home and its amazing property, we immediately said “this is it!” It was love at first sight for us on that blind date and that initial visit to what would end up being our wedding venue!

We immediately picked a date and sent out our save the dates. As this hockey life is ever changing and with a lockout looming, we made the decision to move overseas to Zurich, Switzerland for the 2012/2013-hockey season. Planning a wedding from overseas is not an easy task, but fortunately the ladies at Historic Cedarwood were so accommodating and made our dream wedding come to life! They had me set up a Pinterest board that they followed to get a feel for our style and kept in touch with us via email and Skype throughout the year. They truly are amazing at what they do!

The day before our wedding we had to decide if we wanted to tent where our guests would be dining due to a chance of rain. I had not worried about rain up until a few days before and was disappointed that we had to make the decision to tent it. My emotions were way off because the tent ended up making our reception that much more intimate and romantic. It also didn’t end up raining and turned out to be the most beautiful 80-degree weather Nashville had seen in weeks!

My most favorite moment of that day was when Matt and I pulled up in a trolley and walked into our fairytale. Everything had been planned exactly how we wanted! We also had planned a surprise for our guests and performed a song by the Pistol Annie’s called “I Hope You’re The End of My Story”. I will never forget the feeling of singing with my new husband in front of all of our family and friends. Looking back on our day, I would not change one thing about it. It was absolutely the most perfect day and one that we will cherish for the rest of our lives!

These Featured Designers are members of our Look Book.
For membership information, click here

Mikaella

Spring 2018 Collection

Spring 2017 Collection

Fall 2017 Collection

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I don’t usually start my Monday mornings out in happy tears, but after pressing “play” on Red Carousel Films’ capture of this Cedarwood Weddings soiree, I didn’t have a choice. You see, when you come across bride and groom so deeply, madly, truly in love, it’s all you can do not to wipe away a tear or two yourself. Ariel Renae filled up a gallery of crazy gorgeous photos, and you can see lots more of this rustic chic day right over here.

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Tennessee Farm Wedding from Brooke Boling

From Cedarwood Weddings… Jessica and Johnathan are a Renaissance couple with sophisticated tastes that bridge European Old World to Modern Chic styling. Jessica envisioned her wedding in shades of white – white fluffy flowers, fabrics and candlelight. She wanted an elegant, classic foundation to their wedding decor so that she and Johnathan could incorporate aspects unique to them as a couple. The setting at Cedarwood was dignified yet relaxed, with a ‘shot of Southern’ courtesy of cocktail hour in the Cedarwood barn.

Jonathan’s career spans music and fashion, and Jessica is his beautiful Southern muse who enchanted him when they met on a rock music cruise in Miami. Jessica resided in Nashville at the time, and Johnathan in Los Angeles. He flew to Music City to visit Jessica a few weeks later and they shared their first kiss overlooking Nashville’s downtown skyline. After several cross country visits, Johnathan and Jessica knew they were destined to spend their lives together and Jessica joined him in Los Angeles in 2011. Johnathan proposed to Jessica in butterfly fluttering fashion. On one of their visits to Nashville, Johnathan set up a surprise ‘date’ for Jessica. When she opened her eyes they were standing in the exact spot of their first kiss, only this time he proposed, surrounded by the friends and family Johnathan had gathered to celebrate the moment.

From the Bride… We were really set on having a romantic, evening, outdoor wedding. We also wanted a location that would be somewhat convenient for our friends and family. When Cedarwood was recommend we both instantly feel in love with charm of the property and the gorgeous grounds. It was beautiful and inviting, but not too formal – exactly the feel we were looking for.

The incredible thing about Cedarwood is how versatile a canvas it can be for so many design options. We saw so many ideas from past wedding held at the venue, but really worked off our own visions. It was important for it to have a romantic, classic feel, but still have it represent us as a couple. We designed our own alter, save the dates, invitations, rings, and wedding dress so that they would be exactly what we wanted. Johnathan has incredible taste that I have been fortunate enough to benefit from. We had a surprisingly easy time agreeing on our decor and details of the wedding. We were so happy with what we created on the day of the wedding – of course, with the incredible help of the Cedarwood team.

There are too many to list. I think for both Johnathan and I the top of our list would be seeing each other for the first time during the ceremony. It was such a powerful moment for both of us. We are both so blessed to have the most wonderful family and friends and seeing them gathered together to celebrate us was amazing. Our friends and family got along so well that we ended up celebrating until the wee hours of the morning.

Try and enjoy the whole engagement stage. We waited a few months to start planning so that we could just celebrate and enjoy the engagement before the chaos of wedding planning. Johnathan was incredibly involved in all aspects of the planning, partially because his experience in event planning, but also out of his desire to give us (me) a beautiful day to remember always. We truly tried to enjoy the whole experience of the engagement and wedding planning with a realization that it was such an incredibly special time that would pass by quickly. Of course we wanted a beautiful wedding, but the marriage was what excited us the most. We were planning our big day, but focused on all the days to follow it. We stayed really laid back and relaxed throughout the entire experience. This is a once and a lifetime experience, enjoy it.

There isn’t a gosh darn thing I don’t LOVE about this day. Think a simple yet fiercely gorgeous take on the beloved farm affair, with a soft, muted palette that could cause even the most color happy bride to reconsider. Jaclyn Journey’s florals only add to the pretty and Brooke Boling’s photos tell the tale. Watch it all unfold right over here.

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Historic Cedarwood Wedding from Krista Lee Photography

From Brooke Boling… Neely + Rob were married at Front Porch Farms in Charlotte, TN. Every single detail was amazing from the beautiful flowers by Jaclyn Journey, wedding singer Nicole Serrano, and amazing food by Chef’s market. Neely, the bride, is a photographer + designer so we just knew the details were going to be beautiful. My personal favorite touch were olive branches placed just about everywhere you looked.

The guest played bocce ball, horseshoes and ate southern biscuits with ham in true southern fashion. They also signed an original map of Tennessee for the guest book to hang later on their wall.

About the couple: He sings to her every morning, pretends her extremely novice cooking is gourmet, and always supports her dreams. She has a heart for others, is easy going, and always thinks his jokes are funny.

Just like any good love story, Neely and rob met in a bar in Nashville, Tennessee. It was during the 2010 World cup and the USA was playing Ghana. The bar was crazy crowded with shoulder-to-shoulder red, white and blue enthusiasts. Who knew Nashville was so patriotic? Neely’s friends had the cleaver idea of bringing their own camping chairs into the bar so that they’d have a place to sit right up front by the TVs. Rob made his way down front to compliment their resourcefulness and they’ve been on the same team ever since. Team Tabor!

These Featured Designers are members of our Look Book.
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Bridesmaid Dresses

Lela Rose

2014 Bridesmaid

Fall 2014

Spring 2015

Fall 2016

Spring 2016

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As I was flipping through every gorgeous image (is that light insane or what?) from Krista Lee Photography, I fell in love with the love. The love that brought about a wedding so spectacular from Cedarwood Weddings. When I read the couple’s story, it only solidified what I already knew… these two are something special. And their wedding? Amazing.

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Pan-Seared Ribeye Steak from JoPhoto

From the planners… Our bride Lisa wanted a neutral toned, vintage-inspired wedding. When we met, her ideas ran the gamut from rustic-chic burlap, lace and mason jars to elegant photos of antique crystal and candlelight. In order to synthesis a spectrum of ideas into a cohesive plan, we start with a couples relationship dynamic. Mike is a music producer, touring musician, and songwriter. Lisa has a love for all things vintage and antique. She restores old pieces of furniture and has a passion for interior design. They met in British Columbia when Mike saw Lisa in the audience while playing guitar onstage, and they say, “Our love is the love they make movies about.” How romantic is that?

When we learned that Lisa planned to wear a birdcage veil, wave curls and red lipstick with her low back mermaid cut gown, it was a clear leap to the roaring 20s high-style vintage styling. We blended vintage elements into a stunning Great Gatsby-esque celebration at our southern historic estate, reminiscent of a lavish summer lawn party. Dramatic sheer drapes bellowing in the breeze, European caf lights strung between massive trees on an antebellum lawn, crystal chandeliers, florals with orchids, gardenias, pearls and feathers, an antique Victorola, and an art-deco champagne bar transformed Cedarwood into a timeless luxury summer celebration.

From the bride & groom… Lisa: Mike and I met 12 years ago when he was touring in British Columbia Canada.

Mike: I remember it like it was yesterday. Lisa was the single most beautiful woman I had ever seen and even though I was on stage, I could not keep my eyes off her.

Lisa: After the show he found me and we ended up being together until he resumed his tour for a few months. We dated off and on but his career was kicking off and I wasnt about to get serious with a band guy.

Mike: I knew that I loved her and for all the years since we met, I wrote and called her and sometimes she’d respond and sometimes not at all. She was the love of my life and I was afraid the one that got away. In 2012 I decided to write one last time. Fast forward, she told me to come visit her in Canada and I did immediately. The instant I saw her again I knew there would never be another for me.

Lisa: Since then we have been inseparable. I always say our love is movie love. Mike is my soul mate, my whole heart and the love of my life. Everyday I am reminded how lucky I am to have someone love me as much as he does. Being with Mike for the rest of my life is all my dreams come true.

Truth be told, I’m not much of a steak eater. But when I do indulge, I indulge hard and I make sure to do it right. Sauteed mushrooms, a pad of butter, medium rare and straight off the grill (kind of making myself hungry here)… It never really occurred to me that there was any other way to do it. But after drooling over Kevin & Jo‘s recipe for a pan-seared version, I think I may have to change my ways.

Pan Seared Rib Eye Steak

prep time
10 Minute/s

cook time
15 Minute/s

total time
25 Minute/s

Ingredients

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. fresh thyme leaves, whole
3 each garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
1 Tbsp. black peppercorns, whole
2 each ribeye steaks
to taste kosher salt/fresh ground black pepper
3 Tbsp. grapeseed oil
2 Tbsp. whole butter

Instructions

Remove thyme leaves from stems. Start at the top of the sprig and pull downward toward the bottom.
Remove the skin from garlic cloves and mince.
To crack whole peppercorns, place peppercorns between a folded clean kitchen towel. Press firmly (give it a good whack) with a mallet or back of a skillet to crack in half.
Combine first seven ingredients into a plastic freezer bag and toss to coat. Allow steaks to marinate for a minimum of 2-4 hours for optimum flavor.
Heat black skillet on medium high. Add grapeseed oil. Once oil is hot, add seasoned steaks and allow to sear for 2-4 minutes.
Flip the steaks and cook for another 2-4 minutes cooking to desired internal temperature.
Prior to removing from skillet add whole butter to pan and spoon over the meat to create a sauce and an enriched, buttery flavor!

Photography: JoPhoto | Chef & Recipe: Kevin Green

Recipes on SMP Living:

Donuts

Cheesecake

Grilled Cheese

Champagne Mojitos

Lavender Martini

Tequila Lime Chicken

Jacquelyn Clark

French Farm Inspired Photo Shoot from Kristyn Hogan + Cedarwood Weddings

Taking rustic farm inspiration and raising it to a level that shines through with elegance is the name of this photo shoot’s game. And it’s infused with a dash of French flair for good measure because, really, who doesn’t love a little dose of Frenchy goodness? With Kristyn Hogan behind the camera, Cedarwood Weddings behind all the design and decor and Designs in Paper crafting the prettiest of stationery, there’s so much more where this came from right here in the full gallery.

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Historic Cedarwood Wedding from Rachel Moore Photography

From Cedarwood Weddings…We created a farm reception with an organic feel that represents wholesome values and the simple pleasures of life. Influnced by the French Farm asthestic (and being a historic farm venue ourselves), we paired rustic wood elements with the patina of weathered furniture, containers and pots. We used minimal flowers and let our herb garden provide most of the materials for the bridal bouquet, centerpieces and the twine-wrapped bouquet garni table top favors.

Boots and simple cotton dresses for the bride and her flower girls express beauty in simplicity, while the farms resident puppies reflect the sheer joy of celebrating in wide open spaces. Eco-friendly unbleached cotton napkins, ticking table runners and pillows add a touch of humble sophistication to the natural eventscape which we repeated in invitations and paper goods. Our goal was to create an organically elegant, un-fussy environment reminiscent of European countryside celebrations that evoke a longing to kick back and stay a while.

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I’ve got a big case of the warm fuzzies after spending more time with this wedding than I’m willing to admit. Designs in Paper drew me and (I presume) every single guest into a day which can only be described as beautiful. Cedarwood Weddings put it’s stamp on the soiree, so of course you know it’s stunning. Rachel Moore Photography‘s images are visual proof.

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RT Lodge Wedding from Watson-Studios

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Classic Weddings

From the blishing bride… I think what made our wedding day so unique and special was all of the people that were there to celebrate with us. My mom and dad currently live in Indonesia and most of our friends are from all over the world, while Scott’s family and friends are all from the East Coast, so it meant a lot to us that almost all of our friends and family would travel from so far to be there with us. That said Scott and I really wanted to incorporate our time in Nashville together, but also all the things that had defined our relationship and hope to define our marriage and we did that through the favors, heritage photos, and all the small details throughout the wedding day!

I think what inspired my wedding style was the idea of laid-back elegance. I wanted every guest to feel at home, but at the same time really get to enjoy the beauty that Cedarwood has to offer. I love shades of coral and tangerine because I think that they are warm and inviting but still pop with energy. Cedarwood was wonderful in that they fully embraced my idea of incorporating candlelight and crystals throughout the night to give everything a soft sparkle. I wanted our wedding to have a little bit of magic to the night.

Scott and I knew Cedarwood was what we were looking for the second we walked onto the property. The historic house, the wrap-around porch, and gorgeous grounds were just what had imagined for our big day. And the part that sealed the deal for Scott were the mason jars filled with candles found throughout the property in the trees! It was an outdoor venue that was gorgeous!

My favorite memory of the day was actually standing up on the altar exchanging vows with Scott. I can’t really remember all the vows (ha ha), but the grin across his face made me smile so much I couldn’t stop smiling either. It was just that moment I realized Scott and I were actually getting married!

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You know you chose right on Pick Your BFF Day when your wedding planner bestie books your dream wedding venue, RT Lodge, in secret, before you’re even engaged. Oh yeah. That’s a good wedding planner. And an even better best friend. Watson-Studios captured a wedding so lovely and personal, it could have only come from a duo (we’re talking bride + planner here) who has known each other since middle school. The bride and groom are pretty darn lovely together too.

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Vintage Nashville Wedding from Brandon Chesbro

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Lodge

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Romantic

From the planner… Whitney has been my best friend for over twelve years now. We met in middle school, became best friends in high school, were college roommates and pledged the same sorority. She has always been my partner in crime! She is one of the most easy going people I know and was never one of those girl’s who had their weddings planned – She used to joke, long before I was in the wedding industry, that she would let me plan the whole thing!

When Jonny told me he was proposing to Whitney in December I was ecstatic! Jonny is the perfect match for Whitney! As soon as I stopped celebrating I went into planning mode. She had always talked about an October wedding, which happens to be a prime wedding month here in East Tennessee (venues book over a year in advance!). So I did what any wedding planner would do for her best friend- I made a secret call to Whitney’s dream venue and held her date in October. Ha!

Jonny planned a secret engagement party for the night of the proposal. He was smart enough to plan it right around her birthday so that if she became suspicious of his odd behavior she would assume it was a birthday party. She took the bait and even called me to let me know she had figured out Jonny’s birthday surprise. She called me immediately after proposal to tell me the good news – I had told her I had a wedding that night so she apologized for calling me while I was working! Little did she know that I was in Memphis with her entire family waiting to surprise her just minutes later. I will never forget how excited and shocked she was when she walked into the party and saw us all there. It was the happiest I had ever seen her! Jonny’s sweet plan was a success!

The next ten months were spent long distance planning with Whitney and Jonny. The entire wedding weekend was perfect, and I will never forget standing beside my best friend on her wedding day. I am so happy she found such an amazing husband!

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Wedding Dresses

Badgley Mischka

Spring 2014 Bridal

2014 Bridesmaids

Spring 2014 Accessories

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Bari Jay

Spring 2015

Fall 2015

Bari Jay Sequins

Spring 2016

Fall 2016

Flower Girls Spring 2017

Spring 2017

Junior Bridesmaids Spring 2017

Fall 2017

Spring 2018

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Something special happens when Brandon Chesbro steps behind the camera. The simple becomes spectacular and pretty weddings become works of arts. So when you cross Brandon’s crazy talent with the expertise of The Enchanted Florist and CJ’s Off the Square…let’s just say it’s a wedding well beyond your average “I do.” With delicate, ethereal details and a vintage inspired design, this Nashville soiree will have your heart from the very first look.

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Garden Weddings

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Knoxville Wedding from JoPhoto

From the Bride… I envisioned the style of our wedding being a cross between the aesthetic of a Wes Anderson film and the Great Gatsby. I also wanted to incorporate a lot of natural elements such as tree branches and moss. My goal was to create a romantic, quirky, personal, and ethereal environment. A large part of why I chose CJ’s Off the Square was because of their already-established romantic environment, and the capability of their design team. Amy, our wedding planner, was able to listen to my ideas and then flawlessly bring them to life. We couldn’t have been more thrilled with the outcome!

Aside from walking down the aisle and our ceremony, it is hard to pin point which parts of the day were most memorable. I especially enjoyed hanging out with my bridesmaids before the wedding just listening to music, drinking champagne, and getting pampered. It was such a fun and relaxing morning with my closest friends. I also had a blast dancing to our band, The Wooten Brothers. Jon and I fell in love at Bonnaroo, and music has always played a large part in our relationship. So, having such an amazing band to play at our wedding was absolutely phenomenal. I know it sounds cliché and cheesy, but the entire day truly was like a fairy tale.

If I had one piece of advice for brides that are currently planning, it would be this: don’t sweat the small stuff. It is inevitable that something will go wrong somewhere along the way. But it’s how you handle the bumps and drama that counts.

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Wedding Dresses

Vera Wang

Spring 2015

Fall 2014

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Wedding Dresses

Claire Pettibone

Couture Bridal

Fall 2015 Romantique

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Some weddings come along and put a smile on my face. Other weddings put a tear in my eye. And then, sometimes, a wedding so special comes across my computer screen and I can’t help but grin a wicked big grin, let more than a few tears out, and squeal a little in glee. JoPhoto sent us the latter, and we’re sharing it with you today. You will love it.

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Historic Cedarwood Wedding from Love is a Big Deal

From the gorgeous bride… Cody and I were coworkers at Pier 1 Imports when we met. We are as opposite as two people can be but we felt an instant connection and as cheesy as it sounds, knew we wanted to spend the rest of our lives together. We had been dating about 10 months when Cody asked me to go on an early morning hunting trip with him in his hometown of Livingston, Tennessee. Since he was a regular hunter I didn’t think anything about him wanting me to tag along. We made our way down to the tree stand and Cody said that he was going to go check another spot. When he came back he had changed out of his hunting clothes and into dress clothes. I was so surprised and couldn’t believe at this moment I was decked out in CAMO! He got down on one knee and popped the question—of course I was more than happy to say YES!

As we started the wedding planning process, we knew that we wanted a wedding that would reflect both of our personalities—Cody needed a country feel and I knew that a rustic wedding would be perfect for the two of us. We searched for the right venue for what seemed like forever. From the minute we saw the Reserve at Bluebird Hill we knew that was it! It had everything we wanted with the farm-like feel and rustic ceremony/reception hall.

As we picked our wedding colors we knew that we wanted to incorporate ivory and burlap brown as accent colors. We stumbled on a beautiful smoky purple and fell in love with it! From the beginning of the planning process, an essential part of our day was to wear our cowboy boots. This was one of the most special things for us because the first gift Cody ever purchased for me was my cowboy boots—and they were the same boots that I wore on our wedding day!

Throughout our wedding we stayed consistent with our rustic/diy theme by using mason jars and old barn wood flower boxes that were handmade by the groom. We covered our tables in ivory linens and burlap cloths. The tables held one of our favorite accents—our favors! We had adorable cookies handmade in the shape of ball mason jars and left them for each guest. Throughout the ceremony/reception we used gorgeous hydrangeas, pallets, crates, lace votives and baby’s breath. Our wedding was almost completely diy thanks to many hours put in by our family and friends!

Our wedding day finally arrived and it was a rainy Sunday but we were fortunate enough for the rain to stop long enough to take some wonderful pictures all over the Reserve. Some of our favorite pictures were taken by the teal and white barn. Our photographers captured so many beautiful moments that we have a hard time picking our favorites! We love the intimate shots taken during our ceremony and our first dance.

Our wedding was absolutely perfect for us. It had just the right combination of rustic and chic elements to show off each of our personalities. If we had to do it all over again, we would not change one thing!

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Wedding Dresses

Allure

Allure Bridals Fall 2014

Allure Couture Fall 2014

Allure Romance Fall 2014

Allure Bridals Spring 2015

Allure Romance Spring 2015

Allure Couture Spring 2015

Allure Bridals Fall 2015

Allure Couture Fall 2015

Allure Romance Fall 2015

Allure Bridals Spring 2016

Allure Couture Spring 2016

Allure Romance Spring 2016

Allure Bridals Fall 2016

Allure Couture Fall 2016

Allure Romance Fall 2016

Allure Romance Spring 2017

Allure Couture Spring 2017

Allure Bridals Spring 2017

Allure Couture Fall 2017

Allure Fall 2017

Allure Romance Fall 2017

Wilderly Collection

Allure Bridals Spring 2018

Allure Romance Spring 2018

Wilderly Collection

Allure Couture Spring 2018

Wilderly Collection 2019

Allure Couture Spring 2019

Allure Bridals Spring 2019

Allure Romance Spring 2019

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Today we have a lesson in Southern weddings done right. Of course, Cedarwood Weddings is a must, and with the added mason jars, beautiful blooms, and amazing cupcake tower (seriously… how great is that?), this wedding from Love is a Big Deal is kind of my favorite. It’s sweet, it’s hospitable, and it’s filled with so much Southern Charm. You’re going to adore it.

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Historic Cedarwood Wedding from Frenzel Studios

From the beautiful bride… Daniel and I wanted two main things for our wedding – a beautiful outdoor setting and a fun, casual experience for our guests. We found both at Cedarwood.

Historic Cedarwood was the first and only location we looked at when searching for a wedding venue. Since most of my family was flying in from New England, we wanted to find somewhere that we could have both the ceremony and reception in order to cut down on travel for out-of-town guests. Cedarwood had several beautiful options for ceremony sites and the covered patio allowed us a place to dance and set up food and drinks without having to worry about the weather.

Since the first meeting with the Cedarwood team, we could tell our wedding was going to turn out exactly as we had pictured it. Cedarwood has amazing floral designs and lots of vintage pieces to use in ceremony and reception decor. They worked with us to make our vision come to life, and it turned out just the way we had hoped.

I moved to Nashville from New Jersey several years ago and fell in love with Tennessee and living in the south. Daniel grew up in Tennessee and we both wanted the wedding to have a laid-back southern feel to it. The mason jars, lace, burlap and old barn helped us to accomplish that.

We wanted the entire day to have a romantic look, so we chose light pink, peach and aqua as our main colors. We accented with lace, burlap and vintage blue pieces. The bridesmaids wore long dresses and the groomsmen had matching blue ties. The wedding party was stunning.

In order to provide a fun atmosphere at the reception, went with an 80’s band that had everyone up and dancing the entire night. We also chose to go with an informal invitation and set up a photo booth, which proved to be very entertaining. Our photographers – Love is a Big Deal – were there to capture all of the fun on camera, and they did so beautifully.

Overall, Daniel and I just wanted our wedding to be a night that our family and friends really enjoyed. It was everything we hoped it would be, and a year later we still look back and pictures and talk about what a great time it was. Our vendors were some of the best ones in Tennessee, and we are truly thankful to all of them for helping to make our special day so perfect.

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Wedding Dresses

Jim Hjelm

Fall 2015

Spring 2016 Collection

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As a lover of all things wedding and a new mother to boot, it’s not hard to get me teary eyed. I got a little misty eyed the other day over a car commercial. But this couple has me straight up weeping. Frenzel Studios captured a love so pure, I didn’t even have to read their story to know they were madly and deeply in love. But then I read their story. And oh my goodness, pass the tissues. This is a Cedarwood Weddings soiree at heart (and you know how much we love those!) but it’s even a little more special that normal. Click here to see it all!

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Cedarwood Wedding from Love Is A Big Deal

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Casual

From the groom … I grew up admiring my parents’ marriage, and that of the seven aunts and uncles on my dad’s side of the family, and the six on my mom’s side. So from a young age, I knew I wanted to be married and have kids. I was shy and insecure, and so I spent years focused on school and work—things I was good at and comfortable doing. When I reached my 30‘s, I decided to focus more on finding love and I made a mess of it. I couldn’t meet anyone who I loved, or made me feel loved. Then, I met Angela. We met online and wrote long emails to each other. I knew right away I would fall in love with Angela and I did. She is talented, smart, witty, and stunning, but what I love (and fell in love with) most is her kindness, patience, and courage. I admire, adore, and love her. All the things I’ve wanted for myself—marriage, kids, a family, a home—are more tangible and real now that I’m with her. One of the things I’m most proud of is that a woman like Angela loves me. I want to marry her, and spend the rest of my life repaying her for that feeling.

From the beautiful bride … Prior to moving to Austin in 2010, I lived in Nashville for 18 years. I was in long relationship throughout my youth & twenties, resulting in a failed engagement and a lot of heartache. I worked in the music business until I was diagnosed with a chronic heart disease at age 26 and unable to continue working. For several years after becoming sick, I felt like my hopes for the future had changed irreparably. I spent 3 years alone, in and out of hospitals, learning to live with and treat my condition. I reluctantly signed up for Match.com in March of 2012. I received Damon’s email within hours of activating my account; his sincerity immediately set him apart. We exchanged letters for a week before meeting at the Butterfly Gardens for our first date. He was the only person I met online, and I closed my account a week later. We both knew from our letters that we had found the person we would marry. It was simple and effortless. On our first date, I told him about my heart condition and he was un-phased by the limitations that I face in daily life or the challenges that we face as a couple because of my illness. His selfless spirit has given me back the future, and family that I had hoped to have. Being his first love has revitalized my love of being in love.

We both find romance in history and vintage things. Our vision for our wedding was an experience that was artistic, rustic, whimsical, classic, warm, simple, timeless, playful, and incredibly sentimental – and we could not have imagined a more memorable event than the one that Cedarwood created for us. The romance was in the finest details, and the staff was incredibly attentive to our every need and move – guiding us seamlessly through the day. The setting was like a storybook, everywhere we turned were little reminders of us. The styling Cedarwood created was more personalized than anything we could have imagined or done ourselves. It was unforgettable.

We got married on the same date as my grandparents 45 years prior. We honored their love and the bonds of family by presenting my grandmother (Grammy) with an antique brooch and photo from her wedding day as a reminder to everyone present that “love is patient, love is kind and love is preserving.”

We are alike in a lot of ways, but also very different in others. Damon is a lawyer- studious, stylish, and classic (loves J.Crew). I am an artist/ illustrator with a more playful, colorful, understated style (love Anthropology & Madewell). We both wanted a simple, romantic, vintage themed wedding that would be an intimate experience with the people closest to us, but we didn’t know how to go about it. We tirelessly searched the web for ways to bring it together in Austin, San Antonio, Houston, or Nashville – the places that mean something to us. Then we discovered Cedarwood in Nashville, TN. We knew immediately that we wanted the team at Cedarwood to design our wedding because their attention to detail was obvious and we knew just from what we saw online that their vintage inspired styling would compliment our love of antiques, rustic settings, and all things whimsical.

Cedarwood incorporated my illustrations throughout our event styling. We love little birds (which I use as a logo in my business) and so there were little birds perched all around. Also, our first date at the butterfly gardens in Austin, TX was represented with vintage butterflies on our cake! In fact, every detail we specified, from hazelnut flavoring in the cake to the cool mint color that complimented our wedding invites, became part of our wedding décor and design.

What I haven’t mentioned already is how incredibly attentive and thoughtful the staff was to any needs our guests had. The bride’s father was on crutches and he said that every time he turned around someone was taking his crutches off his hands, or handing them to him as he needed them again. Our smallest guest, a 5 year old boy named Brayden was saddened to see that the other little boys had flowers pinned to their suits and he did not. After asking everyone why he didn’t get one – one of the sweet staff members came to the rescue with a little flower to pin to his suit…which he then stared at the whole night. There are so many examples of the staff being leaps and bounds ahead of our needs, including arranging an all vegetarian menu. With my heart condition as a constant factor in everything we do – from getting dressed, to running errands, to making plans – the peace of mind that Cedarwood provided during this important time in our life is invaluable.

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Now this is what I call a wedding… and no surprises here, it was planned, designed, flora’d and housed at Cedarwood Weddings. But aside from the gorgeous locale, this whole day pulls at my heartstrings. The bride wore pearls, gifted to her by her mother in law before she passed away, while dancing with her love to bluegrass played by her grandfather. A beautiful wedding, captured fabulously by Love is a Big Deal!

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Nashville Wedding Inspiration from Nathan Westerfield + Brocade Designs

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Romantic Rustic

From the beautiful bride… More than anything, Justin and I wanted our wedding to have a sense of place. Both our families have lived in Tennessee for generations, and we wanted this day to reflect the South the way that we see it. Instead of a groom’s cake we served apple pie and we filled the barn with bluegrass music, some of which was played by my late grandfather, Benny Sims. We had a custom mixture of vintage stamps for our invitations that tied in the color scheme and southern touches of the wedding day. We couldn’t imagine a better venue than Cedarwood for this. The full hydrangea blooms, white-washed walls, and shady barn were a perfect backdrop for our Southern theme. Of course there were other things that I loved. We had milk and cookies from Justin’s favorite cookie shop and an incredible dinner from Nashville’s Copper Kettle. Also, I loved the succulents in the boutonnieres so much I potted a few for my back porch. Most special, though, were the pearls I wore—a gift from Justin’s late mother for me to wear when I married him. Our wedding day was full of so many sweet memories and we left feeling we had shared a little bit of our home and ourselves with our guests.

From Cedarwood Weddings… We love Emily and Justin’s story. In true Southern style, they met in sixth grade and Emily says although she liked Justin from the first moment she saw him, he needed about four years of friendship before he realized she was perfect! Their courtship began in high school and continued through college at Belmont University in Nashville and then on to graduate school for Justin and Dental school for Emily in Memphis.

Their Southern Home Style Wedding in rich blue, gray and soft pastel florals featured gorgeous paper goods and hand lettered calligraphy. The celebration can be condensed into the message printed on reception table placemats: “It may have taken them ten years but Justin and Emily are thankful you came to join in the celebration! They wanted an evening filled with southern hospitality from the freshly baked pies to the hanging mason jars. The day is full of special touches for both of them. Emily is wearing pearls that Justin’s mother gave them as a family heirloom. The bluegrass played during the cocktail hour honors Emily’s late grandfather Benton Sims, who can even be heard playing fiddle on some of the tracks. The Suiters are blessed to share this night with such wonderful friends and family. Now eat up, drink up, and dance!”

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Wedding Dresses

Jim Hjelm

Fall 2015

Spring 2016 Collection

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Brides and grooms to be, take note. A wedding modeled after this inspiration shoot from Brocade Designs + Stockroom Vintage is top of my “Must See” list. Nathan Westerfield captured a shoot so beautiful I’m sweetly requesting an invite – with gorgeous calligraphy from HardInk Calligraphy – if any of you decide to recreate something as timelessly elegant as this. And if you choose to do so, we’ve got a gallery filled with so much gorgeous inspiration (the chair ties? Genius)!

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Winter Weddings

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