Jeannine and Dan’s wedding at Reynolds Plantation

Jeannine and Dan’s close friends set them up—TWICE—and upon their second meeting two years after the first it stuck. The rest is history—and a spectacular wedding, of course! The couple chose The Ritz Carlton Lodge Reynolds Plantation for the beautiful scenery and with the help of planner Drake Social and florist Andy Beach & Company they celebrated with a breathtaking tented reception decked out from peak-to-floor in florals and greenery. Anna Shackleford Photography was on hand to capture all the beauty in these stunning images.

What made the wedding special and unique?

One of the main goals of our wedding, aside from getting married of course, was that our friends and family have a wonderful time celebrating with us. We selected The Ritz Carlton Lake Oconee for many reasons including the amazingly beautiful setting and the fact that our guests had the option to stay on site or conveniently nearby in Reynolds Plantation. Having everyone stay within close proximity contributed to the overall sense of togetherness for the wedding weekend. Almost every guest was traveling from out of town, so making sure each person had a great visit was of utmost importance to us! Fortunately, many of our closest friends and family were able to be with us on our wedding day, making it all the more memorable.

Tell us about the gown and where/how you found it!

My wedding gown was Romona Keveza and I knew it was “the dress” from the moment I put it on. It was also the dress that caused my mother to cry the hardest, which I took as a good sign! I wanted a classic and simple look with a modern touch and I think the dress fit that description perfectly. I purchased the dress from Carine’s Bridal Atelier in Georgetown, Washington DC.

What were some touches added to make the wedding personal?

Courtney Drake of Drake Social (planner), Andy Beach (floral and décor), and Anna and Daniel Shackleford (photography) were amazing. Courtney ensured that everything ran smoothly leading up to the wedding and on the day of, and also kept me sane throughout the planning process! Andy Beach transformed a standard wedding tent into the most beautiful romantic space with tons of greenery, fantastic florals, warm lighting and inviting seating areas for guests to take a break from dancing! Anna and Daniel did such a great job of making my husband Dan and I feel at ease during picture taking. Neither of us especially loves being photographed but Anna and Daniel’s coaching, reassurance and patience made the process fun and painless-not to mention the gorgeous photographs we will have forever.

What was the most memorable part of the day?

There were so many it’s difficult to narrow down to one moment! Safe to say we both had an absolute blast at the reception, partying and dancing with all of our friends and family. For me, I think walking down the aisle with my brother George, who kindly stood in for my father Fred who passed away in 2013, and seeing Dan, the church and our smiling guests, was an incredible feeling. For Dan, dancing with his mother Mary Pat for the Mother/Son dance, was a definite high point of the day.

Tell us how you met and became engaged.

Dan and I met the first time in 2013, when I was in DC visiting from New York City where I was working towards a Master’s Degree in Nursing. Our close friends in DC, Hillary and Brad Wilner, attempted to set us up, however the timing wasn’t right. Luckily Hillary and Brad were persistent and on another DC visit, which happened to be on Valentine’s Day 2015, they set us up again and this time, it stuck! I relocated from New York City to DC in December 2015 and Dan proposed during a Florida visit to see my mom in January 2017. I was caught completely off guard and as Dan likes to tell it, I almost got proposed to with curlers still in my hair!

Photography: Anna Shackleford Photography // Wedding Planner: Drake Social // Floral & Decor: Andy Beach & Company // Stationery: Paper Source, William Arthur // Ceremony Venue: Christ Our King and Savior Church // Reception Venue: The Ritz Carlton Lodge Reynolds Plantation // Dress: Romona Keveza, Carine’s Bridal Atelier // Beauty: Jennifer C Nieman // Rentals: Lake Oconee Rental // Entertainment: Music Garden Bands,The Main Attraction Band // Transportation: Southeast Limo // Ring Box: The Mrs. Box