I’m so excited to share this lovely and intimate Southern wedding from JoPhoto. I have to say, the bride’s Rosa Clara gown is one of my favorites. The long sleeves are so classic and chic! And the monogram bouquet ribbon? The perfect detail for a sweet Southern wedding!
When Ben and I sat down to plan our wedding, we knew that we wanted the length of time between our engagement and our marriage to be short, and it was. Ben proposed on December 23 and we got married on March 15. The important part of the wedding was always the marriage. Staying focused on the gift of our marriage was immensely important. Details only become monstrous tasks when you give them too much time. We wanted formal, intimate, and classic. Anything too trendy, I felt I would eventually regret. (though I love to be creative and cute, it just wasn’t going to fly for this…) We knew we wanted to spend generously on photographs, a sit down dinner, and an open bar :)– things everyone could enjoy!
It was important to us that we keep our event intimate. Our guest list could have easily been 500, but we committed to 50 and ended up with 52 including us! We wanted our guests to be a part of the wedding, not just spectators. I had always dreamed of getting married in Church Street United Methodist, but never knew how I would make such a large church feel intimate. When we discussed having our guests surround us by sitting in the choir loft, everything clicked. And it was even more perfect than I could have ever envisioned. Ben and I were standing with each other surrounded by the people who have always been our most loving supporters. These are the people that raised us into finding one another, on the front row cheering for us along the way. Having them literally right beside us made all the sense in the world. It was a humbling and inspiring experience.
I saw, spoke to, and remember every guest. We got to enjoy our friends and family and our reception dinner, but most importantly, we got to enjoy each other. It was all about celebrating 2 journeys that were always supposed to meet. One of my favorite moments was when my sister and Matron of Honor, Rebecca made a toast describing our relationship (Ben and I) quoting Proverbs 27:17 “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” It was certainly a moment that resonated with us both. I absolutely delighted in hearing our guests marvel at the favors, especially because it was my very own brainchild, rather than Pinterest. I loved that they were walking away with something completely original, creative, and personal. I have to admit, since then, when I go to their homes and see the unopened bottle of orange soda in their kitchen, my heart skips a beat. :)
I could never describe the peace and the joy I had on that day. It was nothing like I had excepted, everything I expected, and so much more than I expected at the same time. And lucky me, at the end of it all, I got one outstanding husband.
Photography | JoPhoto | Ceremony | Church Street United Methodist Church | Reception | Crowne Plaza Knoxville | Florist | Scott Morrell | Monogram | Catherine Witt Monogramming | Gown | Rosa Clara | Alterations | Sandra G’s Alterations | Hair | Bangs and Blush | Film Lab | PhotoVision
