1. Tell us about your wedding! When it was, where it was at, and who helped put it together. 

Our wedding was at 3 p.m. on November 10, 2016 at Green Door Gourmet’s Cedar Arbor and the reception was at their Grand Barn. Kyle’s passion is music and mine is English, so I made sure to incorporate both through the whole day. I gave my mom full control over decorating for the ceremony and I busied myself with decorating for the reception. Some of the touches I’m most proud of making include the cake toppers I made from clay, the table numbers, seating charts, ring book (alternative to a ring box), glittered bottles for the tables, hand-rolled beeswax candles (favors), the programs, and our version of a guestbook.

Bouquets, boutonnieres, and corsages: https://www.etsy.com/shop/withloveandpetals

Flower crowns: https://www.etsy.com/shop/NoonOnTheMoon

Dress: Fabulous Frocks! designer Robert Bullock

Bolero: www.garnishandfrill.com

Veil: www.saragabriel.com

Food: http://www.actualfoodnashville.com/

Cake: Zoe (615-946-4600)

Rentals: http://southerneventsonline.com/

Lighting: www.brighteventproductions.com

Venue:

Photographer: http://www.mattandrewsphotography.com/

Day of Event Coordinator/Plannerr: Carlie Moore: weddings@greendoorgourmet.com

Photo booth: https://www.letsboothit.com/

DJ: http://thetcshow.com/

Alterations: http://www.altermyheart.com/

Hair & Makeup: http://www.eyedoairbrush.com/

 

 

2. How did you pick your wedding dress?

You know that feeling when you wear a brand new outfit that you love? You feel confident, maybe even beautiful, and people pick up on it. It’s not so much about what you’re wearing; it’s about how you FEEL in what you’re wearing. That is the single most important thing about picking your dress.

Like most people, I’m pretty self-conscious about my body, so feeling beautiful was the main objective. Being fairly busty, I figured that a strapless dress wouldn’t work out. I didn’t want to have to get a special bra and then end up pulling up my dress all night. I knew I wanted lace and I knew I wanted buttons down the back, but I was still open to trying every style—even the strapless ones. After all, you never know until you try!

To get a feel for what I liked and didn’t like, I unleashed my mom, now mom-in-law, and bridesmaid to pick out what they wanted to see me in. I tried a bunch on and found a few that everyone else loved but still hadn’t found the one that I loved.

Fabulous Frocks was the very first shop I went to and Amy was wonderful. After hearing my likes and dislikes with all the dresses I tried on, Amy surprised me with one that I wouldn’t have picked for myself. It was very simple: A-line, strapless, and with tiny polka-dot lace.

I stepped into the dress, pulled it up, and Amy zipped it. That’s when I had the moment all dress-seeking brides hope for. Even though there was no mirror in the fitting room, I knew it was the dress. It felt right. It fit perfectly and I felt secure in it, even without a bra on! I felt beautiful without having any idea what I looked like in it! Then Amy brought in the finishing touch, the bolero. It was boat-neck, which I wouldn’t have picked off the rack for myself, but everything about it just felt like magic. It even had buttons up the back!

 

 

3. What is your favorite memory of your wedding day?

Besides marrying the love of my life, there is one moment of that day and night that really stands out. My best friend’s brother, a 21-year-old gay man with impossibly impressive dance skills surprised my mom with a made-for-the-movies lap dance! I should also mention that she didn’t know him well and definitely didn’t know he was gay! I’ve never laughed so hard in my whole life as I did when I watched her yelling for help from my dad! She could barely get the words out she was laughing so hard that she was crying!

 

4. Any advice for future brides?

No matter how big or how small your wedding is, everyone will be vying for your attention as well as your groom’s. Try to steal away a couple quiet minutes with your new husband! Pause the night and go somewhere no one else will be. It was chilly the night of our wedding so we went outside and just hugged for a long time, talked about how surreal it all was, and how much we love each other. It may seem like such a no-brainer, but it’s easy to get carried away with all the other fun of the night—before you know it, it’s over. So make sure to make time for just the two of you <3 Oh, and absolutely have your caterer pack you guys some to-go bags so that you can chow down when the night is over!