I really don’t think I could love this romantic fall wedding from Alisha Crossley more. From the stunning paper goods to the lush florals, it is all what makes a garden wedding so dreamy. The stationery is my absolute favorite, especially their cute hashtag card. So fun!
Kevin and I wanted to have a fall wedding – which in the South can certainly be a risky move. Nevertheless, we love that time of year with its brilliant coloring and crispness in the air and feel that fall is by far Birmingham, Alabama’s best season. With the anticipation of many out of town guests, we wanted a location that could serve as both the ceremony and reception site to alleviate any potential travel stress to our family and friends on the day of. The decision to get married at Aldridge Gardens was an easy one. It was both a familiar and special place where we would frequent on weekends to walk around and we were certain that it would provide the perfect backdrop for a romantic outdoor garden wedding and fun-filled evening under the rustic wooden pavilion and globe lighting.
Our paper suite was a custom watercolor greenery and floral design with gold foil by the sweet Stalnak sisters of Empress Stationery. We really wanted our wedding paper suite to encompass the romantic garden theme and the color palette as a way to provide an amazing first impression of our wedding to our guests! Empress Stationery also designed our programs and Instagram hashtag signs to tie it all together.
Incorporating my late grandmother’s diamond bracelet into my wedding day attire was so special to me. I wanted to honor her memory and feel close to her on such a memorable day.
Although we were having a fall wedding, I knew that I wanted to have a color pallet that was soft and natural and would easily blend with the already gorgeous surroundings of the gardens. Colors such as sage green, peach, blush, and gold were constant hues we strived to incorporate throughout with flowers, linens and décor to create a cohesive theme for the entire wedding day. I am originally from Georgia so integrating peach – both color and actual fruit – was a personal theme that I really wanted to include in as many aspects of our wedding as possible.
While we were both excited and eager to share our wedding day with family and friends, we also knew that we wanted our marriage and the lifelong commitment that we were making among those witnesses to remain the focus. After we got engaged, Kevin actually requested that we not make any wedding decisions or plans for a period of a few weeks. Even though this self-proclaimed Type-A planner and task lover wanted to hit the ground running with all things wedding, I honored his request and we enjoyed the stillness of being engaged. I truly believe those few weeks allowed us to grow in our relationship and prepared us to embrace the many changes and challenges that the wedding planning process and marriage itself brings.
We wanted to be intentional about the vendors we selected to work alongside us in creating and carrying out a wedding day that would be perfect and memorable for both ourselves as well as our family and friends. With help from our top-notch wedding planner, Becky Baker, we surrounded ourselves with people who genuinely shared in our joy and many of whom have since become our close friends.
Being a native of Georgia, a natural love for peaches exists and I wanted to share that with our family and friends. We sent our guests off with handmade peach jams in mason jars with a personalized label as favors. It was a perfect way to help “spread the love” among everyone! Wooden signs used throughout the wedding were handcrafted by several artists on Etsy. The wooden sign on our welcome table was one of my favorites and was the first thing that our guests saw as they arrived.
Kevin and I met at a best friend’s wedding and danced the night away so for us, procuring a fun band and spending the majority of the reception cutting the rug with our family and friends was a must! It was so great looking around that evening and seeing everyone from our grandparents to our childhood friends dancing and laughing until the last song was played. We felt so loved and overwhelmed to have the people who meant the most to us share in our joy and celebrate with us. We wanted our wedding to be a small gift for all that they had done to support, encourage and love on us throughout our lives.
Photography | Alisha Crossley Photography | Venue | Aldridge Gardens | Planning | Becky’s Brides | Florals | HotHouse Design Studio | Cake | Cakes by Kim | Caterer | Happy Catering Co. | Paper Goods | Empress Stationery | Rentals | Decor to Adore | Videography | Awaken Films | Gown | Allure Bridals from Bella’s Bridal & Formal | Shoes | Badgley Mischka | Bridesmaid Dresses | Watters | Hair & Makeup | Morgan Ashley Salon | Groomswear | J.Crew | Lighting | A.G. Lighting | Band | 4 Barrel Funk | Favors | Southern Jams and Jelly
