Real Weddings: Rebecca & Drew

This past fall, two of our very good friends were married, Rebecca and Drew. Being raised in the South (Memphis, in particular) it's no wonder that these two have known each other since they were kids: they literally grew up down the street from one another and her brother is one of his best friends and their families have known each other for years - making the celebration that much more special. There are lots of juicy details to discuss, so let's get started with

The Invitation

Rebecca was amazing to work with. On one of our initial meetings, I asked her about her color scheme. She quickly replied, "I don't have one". Huh? I was confused at first thinking that she had just not finalized one yet when she explained that she didn't want one (!) She proceeded to tell me that she was getting married on her family's home in Somerville, Tennessee (about 45 min. outside Memphis) and that she wanted to use the elements around her for most of the decor: old (yet renovated) barns with antique cars,  and horses (and miniature horses!) and mason jars juxtaposed with fine china and and an elegant, well lit tent. Country Chic is what she called it and my tongue finally fell out of my mouth onto the floor. It sounded amazing. 

In keeping with her theme, I thought that letterpressing onto kraft board with a nice chocolate brown ink would set the elegant yet rustic mood. I also thought that the mixing of formal and casual fonts would further enhance the theme. Along with the invite and reply postcard, I also designed a custom map for the wedding. Since Somerville is a super small town 45 minutes outside Memphis, Rebecca had suggested that most of their out-of-town guests stay in Downtown, Memphis. The map is a custom drawing with various attractions, eateries, bars etc. and proved extremely useful to the guests.  And, although Rebecca provided transportation for the guests to the wedding, she also wanted to include directions to Somerville for those brave enough to travel on their own without a smart phone. 

The Place

Ah, her family's house in Somerville. I'm getting all nostalgic just thinking about it... It was absolutely beautiful and every single detail was accounted for. I mean, the woman thought of everything! wildflowers mixed with seasonal blooms hung all around, rose petals on the walking paths, rustic handmade signs everywhere, mason jars with chalkboard name tags, horses, antique cars... it was beautiful. 

The Players

Both bride and groom had just a few, close members of their wedding party. The girls got to pick whatever jewel-toned dress they wanted (love!) and carried bouquets of seemingly random blooms. The boys wore classic grey suits (nice). Rebecca looked fantastic in her dress (duh) and Drew was very handsome as well (also duh). Also, please note Rebecca's awesome hair - It looked fantastic - I'm obsessed all over again!

The Ceremony

Was absolutely lovely. Father and daughter walked down a petal lined path up to the front porch of the main house. Guests gathered around in a relaxed yet meaningful ceremony.

The Party

Now let's get to the good stuff! The ceremony was so much fun! The large tent was set up away from the house (closer to the barn) and was breathtaking. All the decor and lighting was fantastic - just the right mix of elegant and rustic with a splash of whimsy. And the dessert! Muddy's cupcakes piled on the back of an old pickup truck that was parked in the middle of the tent. It was heaven. 

Rebecca's dress transformed to a short version (great idea!) and Rebecca and Drew had gold Elvis glasses for everyone to wear during the reception (so fun!) John Paul Kieth and The One Four Five's (a local Tex-Mex, garage rock, countrypolitan, mid-60's soul/pop, fiery rockabilly band) rocked the house and we were all dancing the night away!

The band was also happy to oblige when Rebecca and childhood friend Tim Regan sang a duet (The Beatles: Don't Let Me Down) Then, not to be upstaged by his bride-daughter, Pops got on stage and sang an Elvis classic: Teddy Bear. It was so much fun -we were all loving it!

There was a renovated barn not far away that had a seating area, separate bar, photo booth and the Tennessee game on (I told you she thought of everything!) Oh (after she changed into her cowboy boots) Rebecca decided she wanted to feed the horses (and miniature horses!). Silly girl.

It really was an amazing night and I am so happy that I was able to be a part of it! Congratulations Rebecca and Drew! I would wish you lifetime of happiness!

Photography: Good Golly Photography

Florist: Dawn Edwards

Invites: JPress Designs (duh)

Hair and Makeup: Mary Miller Brown

Tent: Mahaffey Tent Rentals

Dessert: Muddy's Bakeshop

Band: John Paul Keith and The One Four Five's 

Photo Booth Madness!

A few weeks ago my dear friends, Rebecca and Drew, got hitched! Their wedding was absolutely  beautiful and I'll definitely be doing a post using the formal photos - but while we wait for editing, let us feast on the photo booth picts! The fabulous Molly Kennedy was the mastermind (duh) and these photos are bound to make you smile (especially on a gray Monday morning such as this...)

The photos start off nice and easy...

Some nice family shots...

and then people start drinking...

 awwwwwww!

and then people REALLY start drinking!

love this guy!

hee hee!

Oh wait! She's 7 months pregnant! 

Now it's just getting ridiculous...

The wedding was an absolute blast and I can't wait to share the other photos with you! Happy Monday!

Real Weddings: Kim & Derek

You might remember Kim and Derek from a while back (she: the savory - he: the sweet). Well, those two lovebirds got married a little bit ago and I'm here today to share their awesome wedding with you!

I've gotten to know Kim and Derek quite well over the past years, so I didn't expect them to go the "traditional wedding" route with, and - as always -  Kim and Derek did not disappoint! 

The Invite

Kim and Derek decided early on that they wanted to celebrate their devotion to one another through their shared love of baseball and junk food - so (naturally) their reception was to be held at a Memphis Redbirds game! I drew attention to that fact by mimicking a ticket for the invitation design (complete with a tear-off reply card!) 

Simple and classic, yet with a touch of whimsy. Perfect for those two!

The Place

The ceremony was held at Memphis WaterWorks, a 100 year old restored lumber shed that holds one of the largest selections of garden hardscapes in the city.

Love the K and D on the door!

The Chicks

Kim wore a gorgeous sheath dress from J. Crew paired with classic pearls (something borrowed) and silky, purple flats (so Kim). The whole ensemble really came together with the birdcage veil and peacock feathers. Since her main color was purple, she let the ladies pick out "any purple dress" they wanted (love that concept!).

I just adore the purple and green color palette!

The Dudes

Simple, classic suits paired with purple ties and black Chuck Taylors - love!

Love her.

The Ceremony

The ceremony was lovely. The constant burbles from the 100's of water fountains created a serene background din while all of the lights and doors and rustic knick-nacks all around created a beautiful backdrop.

 Kim and Derek share a quiet moment together after the ceremony.

The Party

Being the crazy kids they are, Kim and Derek held their reception at a Redbirds game! It was awesome!

Getting there

Love the ombre cake and baseball wedding favors!

Love those two. 

Derek steals a dramatic kiss. And gets a hi-five for it!

Well, the wedding was absolutely amazing and I was so glad I could be a part of it! Congratulations Kim and Derek and I wish you a lifetime of happiness!

All photography by Good Golly Photography (duh). 

Sweet & Savory

Don't you just love awesome couples who are truly in love and have a blast with each other? If your answer is yes, then let me introduce you to Kim and Derek - a super fun couple, both extreme foodies and 2 of my dear friends. 

They are both chef instructors at L'École Culinaire, a culinary institution here in Memphis. Kim specializes on the savory side of things while Derek focuses on the sweet (opposites attract, right?). They met at work a couple of years ago and have been cookin' it up ever since! 

Once Derek popped the question (with his Grandmother's incredible vintage engagement ring!) they got right to the planning and asked me to design their save the dates!

The ceremony is going to be held at Memphis Water Works, an impressive garden hardscapes space in the heart of the city with the ambience of a 100-year-old restored lumber shed (which makes it perfect for weddings!) And the reception is going to be at a Memphis Redbirds baseball game (on a fireworks night! I can't wait!) 

To reflect the awesomely fun and exciting elements of their wedding - I decided to focus on the fireworks for the design. I thought it would be a great way to introduce her colors (aubergine and bright blue) and set the tone for a relaxed yet energetic event!

Click here to view on Etsy!

Also, they had their engagement photos taken by (the amazing) Molly Kennedy of Good Golly Photography! This first round was taken in the kitchens of L'École (where they fell in love!) 

love the American Gothic spoof!

Molly sure does have a way of capturing the spirit of the couple! She's so incredibly talented and I absolutely love these pictures!

Happy Friday!