Nashville Wedding with Heirloom Wedding Dresses

Mimi and Patrick’s spring wedding at Cheekwood was a garden dream, brimming with pastel blooms, family meaning, and personality at every turn. At the reception, guests were greeted by one of the day’s most meaningful design details: a display of the wedding gowns worn by both their mothers and Mimi’s grandmother, each accompanied by a photo from their wedding day. But perhaps the most unforgettable element was the cake—a massive, circular creation dreamed up by Mimi herself and lovingly baked by a close family friend after months of testing and perfecting. Decorated live at the reception by Mimi and Patrick themselves, it stood as a sweet symbol of Mimi’s love for baking and the joy of creating something together. As the evening unfolded, guests donned shimmery cowboy hats, formed a classic conga line, and filled the dance floor with laughter.

“I wore Derrick Marie by Maggie Sottero, which was purchased at Brides by Glitz. I chose this dress because of its unique fabric. It also had detachable, draped sleeves, so I was able to have two looks wearing it! Before I went dress shopping, I knew that I did not want a ballgown dress, and that’s exactly what I ended up with… It sounds very cliché, but I just knew that the dress was for me once I put it on!”

“My dad was our officiant, which was very special!”

“A design detail that was really close to my heart was honoring the women on both sides of our families. Pat and I both come from amazing, strong families, and I know the two of us would not be here today without them. We decided to display both of our mothers’ wedding dresses and one of my grandmother’s dresses on mannequins on the stairway. We also pinned a picture of each couple on their wedding day on the sides of the dress!”

“Get a good wedding planner!! Alex Bovee was truly amazing in all aspects, and she made the planning process so easy.”

“My favorite part of our wedding was our cake! I love to bake and cook, so I wanted something that would represent the love I have for creating in the kitchen on our wedding day. When I was brainstorming cake ideas, I thought of having a giant circular cake that Pat and I could decorate with berries and powdered sugar. The only downside to my big idea was that no bakery in Nashville would create a cake that size.

So, one of my family friends, Patricia Frawley, decided to create the massive cake on her own. She spent eight months trying out different recipes, cutting and building a board for the cake to sit on, and mapping out how the cake would all fit together. Having my idea come to life and knowing it was created by someone who means so much to me was definitely one of my favorite wedding day details.”