I want to become a society lady Rockin' a new rock?!
  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5

Real Weddings:

Tori and Adam’s wedding at Barnsley Resort

photography by Davy Whitener

MAJOR fall vibes in Tori and Adam’s gorgeous wedding day Barnsley Resort. The couple tied the knot on a chilly November day while guests snuggled under luxe throws at a ceremony in the round, under a clear top tent beside historic manor house ruins of the north Georgia venue. Designed by Molly McKinley Designs, the stunning details shine in a fall palette featuring peacock, slate, olive, and silver and include florals by Andy Beach & Co. and invitations and day-of paper by Foglio Press. Rain added even more style to an already-gorgeous day and it’s all captured here by our friend Davy Whitener.

Click to expand for more

From the planner: Tori and Adam’s wedding weekend began with a color palette as fun and vibrant as this couple themselves, featuring peacock, slate, olive, and silver. The wedding suite by Foglio Press hinted many of the design textures and colors to come: an embossed herringbone border, duck blue envelopes, a peacock velvet ribbon, silver wreathed wax seal, textured grey liners, and a sketch of the historic Barnsley ruins.

When guests arrived on site at Barnsley, each was given a gift box with classic local food items from many cities significant to Tori and Adam. Tori’s bouquet featured calla lilies, which were in her mom’s bridal bouquet, in addition to peonies, dahlia, eucalyptus, white stock, and brunia berries.

Tori and Adam tied the knot on a chilly November day. Guests snuggled under luxe throws at a ceremony in the round, under a clear top tent beside historic Barnsley Resort manor house ruins. The natural square arbor of flowering branches surrounded the couple as they said their vows. Flower girls held floral hoops, a creative take on flower girl baskets, in addition to sparkling sneakers and custom jean jackets painted with their names.

Cocktail hour was held on the terrace and rotunda of the Georgian Hall. Tori and Adam wanted guests to get to know each other and understand how cherished they were to be present at their wedding weekend, so each person found their seat with an escort card featuring their photo, and signed a guest book that included an information page dedicated to each guest. The family Bible, old photo albums and framed wedding portraits, decorated cocktail hour tables.

After cocktail hour, the band initiated a parade to gather guests and lead them from cocktail hour into the reception space. As guests entered Savannah Hall, a large brick fireplace and towering greenery trees made a dramatic statement in the ballroom. Cane back chairs and oval farm tables brought an intimate dinner party feel, while lush greenery runners and grey velvet linens made the atmosphere luxe and warm. Custom wood bars and stage surround of herringbone pattern mirrored the herringbone brick pattern of Barnsley fireplace.

Sweet tooths, Tori and Adam, cut the pale blue wedding cake, in addition to several flavors of wedding pie, and a groom’s cake featuring Boston sports teams.

Later in the evening, Tori donned a painted denim jacket matching those gifted to the flower girls, scripted with her newly married name. The newlyweds ran through friends, waving LED lighted balloons, before hopping on a golf cart for their grand exit.

Photography: Davy Whitener // Planning + Design: Molly McKinley Designs // Florals + Rentals: Andy Beach & Co. // Invitations + Day of Stationery: Foglio Press  // Venue + Catering: Barnsley Resort // Videography: Oak & Willow // Hair + Makeup: Jennifer C. Nieman // Band: Perfect 10 // Wedding Cake: Lush Cakery // Pies + Groom’s Cake: Honeymoon Bakery // Wedding Painter: Maggie Smith Kuhn // Ring Box: The Mrs. Box

 

We like
our sponsors

We think you will too.

Real Weddings:

Jen and Kyle’s Fall Charleston Wedding

featuring Sophie Brendle

Jen and Kyle were both born and raised in Southern California, but having recently relocated to Charleston, South Carolina, the couple wanted to combine the romance and charm of the South with the laid back fun of their West Coast roots. With the help of Grey Collective member Ooh! Events, the couple personalized their autumnal celebration at Boone Hall with a pizza truck, corn hole, giant jenga, late-night biscuit bar and southern spread and jams. Beautiful, sentimental details honoring the bride’s parents who’ve passed away included a photo locket tie to her bouquet and a gorgeous floral wall of roses by florist Out of the Garden. You can see all the lovely, moody fall moments from this intimate wedding in these lovely images by Sophie Brendle.

Click to expand for more

What were some touches added to make the wedding personal, special and unique?

When planning our day we wanted it to be as true to both of us as a couple as possible! We tried to let go of the idea of what you “have” to have at a wedding. Kyle and I are both born and raised in Southern California but relocated to Charleston, SC a year ago for him to attend Law School. We wanted to combine the romance and charm of the South with the laid back fun of our West Coast roots. We had First Name Basis Catering Pizza truck, corn hole, and giant jenga. We also had “late night bites” of Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit bar with spreads and jams to give our west coast friends and family a taste of the South as their guest favors. Instead of a traditional guest book we had friends and family “sign a piece of our love story” that were framed maps of important places in our relationship. There was Irvine, California for where we met, South Africa for where we were engaged, and Charleston for where we were married.

We knew we had to have our two pugs, Leroy and Winston, be a part of our big day since they are family. We had our groomsmen and maid of honor walk them down the aisle so they could stand next to us while we were pronounced husband and wife. We even had our signature drinks named after them! The Leroy was a champagne grapefruit cocktail with fresh rosemary. The Winston was an Old Fashioned.

My parents both passed away when I was younger which made planning our big day bittersweet. I wanted to incorporate them whenever I could throughout our day. My little sister, Jess, who is 10 years younger than me walked me down the aisle which was one of my favorite parts of the day. We had a table with photos of my parents from their wedding day right next to our guestbook. My mom’s best friend, Chris, who has become a second mother to me surprised me with the most incredible wedding day gift. She had a locket made with pictures of my parents and me in them. I ended up tying the locket around my bridal bouquet. My mom and sister’s middle name is “Rose” and roses were always the flowers my dad would buy my mom. For that reason our florist was able to do an entire wall of a beautiful rose garden as a backdrop to our sweetheart table.

Another random fun moment from the day was at the moment we were pronounced husband and wife and shared our first kiss, a bald eagle flew across the water on the Cotton Dock directly behind us. We didn’t believe it when guests told us but the videographer was able to capture it in our wedding video!

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

I knew I wanted a more “boho” flowy gown and immediately fell in love with the designer Rue De Seine. While my childhood best friend and Maid of Honor, Corinne, was in town visiting me in Charleston, we made an appointment at Lovely Bride downtown. The Fox Gown by Rue De Seine was the second dress I tried on and I just knew it was the one. I immediately said “this is so me!” The dress had the most beautiful lace detailing which included roses– another sign from my parents that this was the dress I was meant to wear. I had the off-the-shoulder lace sleeves made detachable so I could wear them for the ceremony but then easily take them off so I could dance during the reception!

What was the most memorable part of the day?

Hands down the most memorable part of the day for us both was walking into the ceremony and seeing our friends and family who had traveled all the way from California to be with us. We were nervous when we decided to get married in our new home of Charleston that we would miss out on having all of our loved ones with us on our day. We were so overwhelmed with the love we felt surrounded with throughout the night and are so grateful that they made the sacrifice to come out to Charleston.

Tell us how you met and became engaged.

Kyle and I met in January 2015 during a volunteer training program in Orange County, California called the “Trauma Intervention Program.” Kyle had gone to sign up for a volunteer firefighter meeting earlier that day but the program had already been filled. While he was there, they let him know about the Trauma Intervention Program that was happening that night that still needed volunteers. I am forever grateful the program he wanted to be in was full! We grew close throughout the training month and at the end of training, he asked me out on a date for grilled cheese and wine and immediately won me over. Kyle and I fell in love over our shared passion for volunteer work and travel. While on Safari in Kruger National Park South Africa, Kyle surprised me with asking to be his best friend and travel partner forever! Two pugs and three cities later, we have bought a home in

Charleston.

Jen and Kyle from Fig Jam Studio on Vimeo.

Design & Coordination: Ooh! Events // Photography: Sophie Brendle // Florist: Out of the Garden // Venue: Boone Hall // Videographer: Fig Jam Studio // Hair & makeup: Canary Rock Salon // Rentals: Ooh! Events // Catering: First Name Basis // Bar: Mix // Desserts: Sweet Lulu’s Bakery // Late Night: Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit // Entertainment: Darby Events

 

Real Weddings:

Kristen and Ben’s classic wedding at Rancho Las Lomas

featuring Mallory Dawn Photography

Rancho Las Lomas has never NOT been amazing and Kristen and Ben’s beautiful day is no exception. The couple’s quick, six-month engagement posed no problem for the expert DIY-ers and their team of talented vendors led by Monge Amore Events. We love the white and french blue palette—a natural choice based on the location’s hand-painted tiling and the florals by Bended Knee are gorgeous at every turn. A floral-dressed three-tiered cake by Flower Eggs and Butter is a true pièce de résistance tying together all the classic details. See in all in the se stunning film images by Mallory Dawn Photography.

Click to expand for more

What made the wedding special and unique? 

We got engaged in February and got married in July! I’m a teacher, so it just made sense to have the wedding during the summer…and I wasn’t about to wait until the next summer! We worked together and did a lot of the planning together. The only way we were able to get all of our vendors booked and all the details set in place in time was by tag teaming and working together.

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

My dress is from Jaclyn’s Bridal in Costa Mesa. It was the third shop I visited, so I had a pretty good idea of what type of silhouette I wanted. I had my mom and my best friend with me, and I think they were sure about the dress even before I realized I was sure. I love the sweetheart neckline and the details of the lace. I also really liked the fitted silhouette that flared out to the lace train, even if it did make the first dance a bit of a challenge!

What were some touches added to make the wedding personal? 

We made a ton of the decor ourselves. Both Ben and I are artsy and I’m also very crafty on top of that. I’m a total planner, so I just started pinning ideas and making lists of projects for us to work on and design ourselves. I made a LOT of trips to Hobby Lobby, Michael’s, and Joann – like a LOT. We bought unfinished wood signs, stained them, and used paint pens and India ink to letter them. I watercolored the foods of our menu and then scanned them into Photoshop and arranged them around our menu. I obsessed over finding pretty containers that fit exactly the correct volume of dry ingredients so that we could make our instant brownie mix favors, then designed and ordered custom labels for them. I wrote “bon appetite” in calligraphy with a dip pen and gold ink above stamps of the meal choices on hexagon tiles. When Rancho Las Lomas said they didn’t have a current map of the wildlife, I designed a map so that guests could visit the animals during cocktail hour, and we included it in the program fans that we made for guests. I wrote stories of some of our most memorable dates and we used them in place of the table numbers. I also made the cake because I’m a pastry chef and used to manage a custom cake shop that specialized in ornate wedding cakes. I taught Ben how to make sugar flowers and leaves, and he did a pretty good job – his leaves even made it onto the cake! I wanted a tiny wedding cake that was simple but elegant, so I just added a subtle pattern to the fondant for texture and focused on making lifelike sugar flowers.

What was the most memorable part of the day? 

I think it was a blur for the both of us. Everyone warned us that it would be, so we just tried to enjoy every moment that we could. For me, there was this moment that I was alone in the bridal suite. It was probably the only time I was alone the entire day and I think I remember it because I was alone with my thoughts and time slowed a bit. The wedding party was lined up to walk across the bridge and down the aisle, and I could peek out the window and see one section of the bridge. Before my brother returned from escorting my mom to her seat to walk me down the aisle, I remember seeing Ben cross the bridge and thinking that he looked so confident and dapper. He had been so excited to get married, and I think it really showed – even in that brief moment I could see him from afar.

For Ben, he said it was when he saw me walking down the aisle toward him. He said that as cliche as that answer is, he was thinking how lucky he was that it is him that gets to spend the rest of his life with me.

Tell us how you met and became engaged.

We met online! I reached out to Ben and we starting talking immediately. It’s never been complicated – it just felt easy to spend time with him. Soon enough we were inseparable, and now it feels like we’ve known each other forever!

Ben pulled a surprise engagement at the Huntington Library. It’s one of my favorite places and it had become one of his as well. When I woke up that morning to run the pancake breakfast after the 5K at the high school I teach at, I had no idea where the day was going to take me. So when Ben so nonchalantly suggested we go to the Huntington after the event, little did I know that our usual path through the gardens would be followed and documented by a professional photographer, who was of course there to capture the moment he popped the question.

Photography: Mallory Dawn Photography // Coordinator: Monge Amore Events // Florals: Bended Knee // Venue: Rancho Las Lomas // Gown: Jaclyn’s Bridal // Beauty: Design Visage // Cake: Flower Eggs and Butter // Caterer: 24 Carrots // Rentals: Found Rentals // Table-top: Signature Party Rentals // Grooms Attire: Grooms Grotto // DJ/MC: Diamond DJ’s Entertainment // Film Lab: The Goodman Film Lab

 

Real Weddings:

Clizia and Lukas’s Tuscan Wedding

featuring Stefano Santucci Studio

Clizia and Lukas’s Tuscan nuptials are what destination wedding dreams are made of. Gorgeous rolling hills and vineyards set the scene and a classic cathedral ceremony is followed by an all white al fresco reception at Conti di San Bonifacio. Wedding Planners in Tuscany by Luccaorganizza added subtle boho touches to the elegant event design which was accented with romantic floral design by Flowers Living. The always-amazing Stefano Santucci Studio captured all the joy, delight and beauty of the day in these STUNNING film photographs.

Click to expand for more

What made the wedding special and unique?

from the planners: Clizia and Lukas were interested in finding a magical place to host all their family and friends and enjoy together the time before the wedding. During the year they work a lot and they wished to stay all together for this important occasion. They were looking for a place that seemed like home, in an idyllic area with a stunning view.

They fell in love with Conti di San Bonifacio, and as soon as they found their ideal venue everything started to take shape. Also the floral arrangements were designed to respect the country chic mood of the place and to celebrate the great Tuscan beauty.

What also made this wedding unique and special this wedding is, above all, the emotion and the feeling of union among guests.

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

Clizia was looking for something not too fancy, but simple, elegant, in a precious fabric with a boho touch. She decided to contact a trusted seamstress from her city who created the wedding dress of her dreams.

What were some touches added to make the wedding personal?

Clizia decided to manage many of the details of the wedding on her own, preparing favors and many little things in the months before the wedding with the help of the groom to be. She prepared customized olive oil bottles, little jars with confetti, and prepared the seating plan using a huge vintage mirror. Together with us, she spent lot of time in deciding the ideal arrangement for tables to create a perfect Tuscan Wedding, also adding fairy lights to create a really nice atmosphere in the dinner area when the sun went down.

What was the most memorable part of the day?

The day was amazing, from the moment of the ceremony in the stunning church in Massa Marittima, to the wedding dinner and party with the magic Fabio Dex Dj at Conti di San Bonifacio. When Clizia and Lukas reached the venue after the ceremony, with their lovely vintage car, all guests were waiting for them and they welcomed the newlyweds with white balloons, and a romantic song as background. Such a sweet moment.

Photographer: Stefano Santucci Studio // Wedding Planner: Wedding Planners in Tuscany by Luccaorganizza // Flower Design: Flowers Living // Venue & Catering: Conti di San Bonifacio // Music Ceremony: Elisa Veschi, Alchimia // Band: Enola Grey Trio// DJ: Fabiodex Wedding Dj

 

Real Weddings:

Carolyn and Kyle’s Nashville Wedding

featuring Lindsay Campbell Photography

One of Carolyn and Kyle’s first serious dates was a trip together to Nashville. Needless to say, that trip went well, because a few years later, they hosted their destination wedding in Nashville to celebrate with all of their very favorite people! They enlisted The Gifford Collective to plan their big day at ONE Cannery Row —a historic venue in the city. Florists Gradient & Hue added romance to the industrial space with greenery dripping from the huge wood chandeliers and white and dusty peach arrangements. Paper goods were by Darby Cards with calligraphy by White Ink Calligraphy and the cake was by Baked in Nashville. Lucky for us, Lindsay Campbell Photography was on hand to capture all the love in ‘Music City’ in these gorgeous images.

Click to expand for more

from the photography: Carolyn and Kyle are the type of people who instantly connect with pretty much everyone they meet. They each have the most contagious smiles. The most genuine care for others. The most positive manner of speaking. When you’re with Carolyn and Kyle, they are focused on you. Present, engaged, joyful, thoughtful, and so in love with each other. They never stop grinning, and they didn’t stop grinning at each other their entire wedding day.

ONE is a historic, industrial space on Cannery Row in Nashville, and it was the perfect place for Carolyn and Kyle to celebrate their wedding. After a teary, emotional ceremony surrounded by exposed brick and lush florals, guests enjoyed views of the Nashville skyline during cocktail hour as ONE was transformed into the perfect space to eat, drink, and dance the night away. There were heartfelt speeches and romantic dances, and Carolyn and Kyle laughed and cried and took the time to thoughtfully greet each of their guests. Always grinning, and always hand-in-hand.

But their favorite part of the day was their send-off: “At the end of the night, (the MC) encouraged all the guests to come in for a group hug. Instead of dispersing, though, our guests stayed in the group hug formation and sang along with ‘Somewhere Over The Rainbow’ by Israel Kamakawiwo’Ole (“Izzy”). So there we were, standing in a circle of our dearest friends and loved ones, newly married, feeling so much love and hope and joy radiated toward us as we all sang and swayed. Truly unforgettable!”

Photography: Lindsay Campbell Photography // Planning & Design: The Gifford Collective // Floral Design: Gradient & Hue // Paper Goods: Darby Cards // Venue: ONE Cannery Row  // Calligraphy: White Ink Calligraphy // Bride’s dress: Ines Di Santo // Bridal Boutique: Wedding Salon of Manhasset // Cake: Baked in Nashville // Beauty: Annelise Carey // Hair: Brooke August // Rentals: Music City Tents // Lighting & Draping: Nashville Audio Visual // Ceremony Entertainment: The Corwin Trio // Reception Entertainment: Request Premier // Catering: G Catering