Emily & Robby

September 1

Knoxville, Tennessee

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Q & A with the Bride:

1. What was the one thing about your venue that made you know it was the one?

We were married at the Episcopal Church of the Resurrection, my family’s church. Honestly, I had always dreamed of being married there. My grandmother is a founding member of the church, and the original church services were actually held in her home. There is a lot of family history in that building! Rob and I really felt at home there and that is all that really mattered to us!

Our reception was held at the Reserve at Bluebird Hill. I knew the moment I met Jan Hall, owner of the Reserve, that I wanted my reception at Bluebird Hill. She is a wonderful person and her location is just as beautiful as her! I loved working with her and our reception was beautiful.

2. Which three details from your wedding were your favorites?

My Dad surprised me the day of the wedding with a few mementos for me. The one that stands out the most is his father’s, my Opa’s, dog tags. He put them on the inside of my bouquet so all day I could look down and remember my Opa. I also was wearing my Nana’s wedding ring on my right hand. She was very sick leading up to our wedding, and we were all afraid she wouldn’t be there to see it, but we all got an answered prayer and her health is now better than ever!

But, my favorite detail of our wedding was actually at our reception. Both of my grandfathers have passed, so I wanted to remember throughout the day that they were there with us. Rob is a guitarist, so we decided that for the father-daughter dance Rob would play our song on my Papa’s guitar. I remember him best when he was playing his guitar. So, Rob learned to play “Mr. Roboto” by Styx for my Dad. Which was another detail that was equally as hilarious as it was memorable!

3. Give us the one moment in your wedding you can’t stop thinking about.

At our ceremony, at the very end, we had our organist, Reuben Weaver, play and sing “Grow Old With Me” by John Lennon. During that song, Rob and I just got to be together. It was the very first moment that we were married. It was just such an awesome feeling! And the song was just so beautiful. I will never forget that moment.

Jeniece & Jeffry

October 29

Sonoma, California

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Q & A with the Bride:

What was the one thing about your venue that made you know it was the one?

I fell in love with the winery when I was in California with my Mom for a girls trip.  When Jeff  and I started to plan our wedding and we went out to California to get ideas and I never thought I would stumble across the same winery considering there are so many out there to visit.  So I knew that when we drove up how much I loved the scenery, the rolling hills in the background, and of course the beautiful vineyard. It was just so peaceful and relaxing when we were there wine tasting and that’s when we just knew this is what we wanted for our special day.  

Which three details from your wedding were your favorite?

1. The table setting that our event designer Jolene Sullivan helped create was absolutely stunning with the long wooden table set for 18 (just family). It was just so intimate with the candles and flowers and the perfect settings
2. The vineyard, I enjoyed just having fun taking pictures with Jeff and I and being creative with our photographer
   
3. When Jeff and I chose our colors and he picked out his tie, I went and purchased ties for all the men (Father and Brothers) that went along the same color scheme as Jeff’s tie.  They were all different but matched when we took photos. I also chose to wear the same color shoes and then men’s ties – eggplant.

Give us the one moment in your wedding day you can’t stop thinking about.

I loved loved loved that Jeff and I chose to do a “First Look.” Instead of walking down the aisle we chose to see each other before the wedding.  We chose a location at the vineyard that had these wooden doors and I was behind the doors and he opened them and I will never forget that moment.  It was just the two of us, for us to have that special moment that I will never forget.  It was just perfect and we have some of the best photos taken during that time and right after.  

Sarah & Richard

November 24

Brenham, Texas

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Q & A with the Bride:

What was the one thing about your venue that made you know it was the one?

The horse barn. I had said from the very beginning that I wanted to get married in a barn and it was the perfect combination of rustic elegance meets country. 

Which three details from your wedding were your favorites?

My dress, it was the first one I tried on

The tree we were married under was full of wonderful fall colors

A last-minute sign that my dad and Richard made for the entrance to our venue.

If you could offer one piece of advice for other couples planning their wedding, what would it be?

Be flexible. No matter how much you plan, something will always go wrong but just embrace it.  

Give us the one moment in your wedding day you can’t stop thinking about.

This is a tough one. it would have to be between when I saw my husband for the first time during our sneak peek or listening to all the toasts made by sweet friends and family. It meant the world to us to have all the ones we hold close to our hearts at our wedding. 

If you’re getting married in the summer you’ve probably heard this mantra when it comes to choosing your gown: Pick a lightweight style so you’ll stay comfortable in the heat. We wholeheartedly agree with this premise, however, that doesn’t mean that you have to wear a dress that’s fit for the beach (although it’s certainly appropriate!); there are lots of gown styles that are summery and airy, whether you’re looking for something grand, romantic, or modern.

Dresses by (clockwise from top left): David’s Bridal; Amsale; Ivy & Aster; Jenny Lee. David’s Bridal, Amsale, and Lee photos by Dan Lecca; Ivy & Aster photo by Robert Mitra

Beachy: Flowy, Grecian-inspired styles like this gown by David’s Bridal are perfect for beach weddings. A bit of sparkle is also appropriate, but don’t go overboard with the heavy beading.

Classic: If you’re hosting a formal wedding in the summertime, by all means wear a classic ballgown or A-line style, like this Amsale creation. Just choose a fabric that’s relatively lightweight, like organza or tulle.

Short: Obviously, short wedding dresses are made for summer weddings – we particularly love styles with touches of feminine lace, like this dress by Ivy & Aster. Jazz things up with a fun pair of shoes.

Romantic: Lace and ruffled chiffon wedding dresses are perfect for outdoor weddings in the summertime. This style, by Jenny Lee, has a garden fairy vibe that we just adore.

Want to see more? We have lots more summer wedding dresses for you to check out!

Katie & Joe

April 27

Dardanelle, Arkansas

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Q & A with the Bride:

1. What was the one thing about your venue that made you know it was the one?

Let me start off with I’m from Arkansas, the “Natural State.” We have abundant trees and wildlife everywhere you look. The barn for me really encompassed the love I have for my state and natural surroundings. To get to the barn you take the “backroads” through beautiful wildflower pastures that have scattered trees that have stood the passage of time. You then travel down a dirt road with almost a perfect tunnel of blooming and green trees. You are greeted with a rustic and large barn, even though they constructed this barn about a year ago, it holds such an aged grandeur, it really makes you feel something special.  A connection to something you saw a long time ago, a place you always wanted to visit.  The area it is surrounded by has skillfully constructed stone garden beds with all colors and shapes of flowers. It also has a bonfire area and huge flatbed swing.  All of these things made me feel comfortable and at home. They made me feel proud that I could live in such a place full of beauty. The Barn at Twin Oaks Ranch is a place where I believe many couples could find a serene but lively venue to create their perfect wedding memories.

2. Which three details from your wedding were your favorites?

1. Altar

2. Cake

3. Koozies

3. Give us the one moment from your wedding that you can’t stop thinking about.

All day long it was supposed to rain on my wedding. The sky was gray and the sun was hidden. I was terrified that this would be the death of my dream outdoor wedding.  Of course, the barn had planned an inside move if needed, but I was still nervous. The rain held off and when it finally started to drizzle, while Joe and I were exchanging our vows under the arbor, the rain sprinkled in a perfect circle around us. It was the trees shaking off the collected drops in such a manner it looked planned. After the trees cleared their branches, the sun jumped out from a cloud and shined through these trees right on to us. It was seriously like something out of a movie.  Although we dated for six years prior to our wedding, this made me feel like this was proof that rain or shine we were meant to be together.