Photo Credits:
Shoe: Christian Louboutin
Dress: Twelve by Twelve Shop
Clutch purse: yensew’s Etsy shop
Throw pillow: Westelm
Bow tie: xoelle’s Etsy shop
Chrysanthemum hair piece: sarahderagon’s Etsy shop
Sparklers: Ann Wade Parrish Photography
How did the two of you meet? Tell us your story:
Terrence: We met at a bar. But it’s not what you think. Really. In September 2000, we attended the Sunbelt Job Fair at the Crown Plaza Suites in Dallas, Texas. I was coming down from an interview in a glass elevator, when I spotted a beautiful lady sitting at the bar. I got off of the elevator, and made my way over to the bar. To my good fortune, my best friend was talking to this beautiful lady, Monica. I conveniently injected myself into the conversation, and we immediately hit it off. Monica was not only beautiful, but funny and intelligent as well. The good news is that we both landed jobs – Monica in Dallas, and I in New York. The not-so-good news is that we had to wait 4 1/2 years before seeing each again.
What was the theme or design inspiration for your wedding?
From the very beginning, our goal was to have a wedding that was elegant and classy. But at the same time, we wanted to establish a laid-back atmosphere that everyone would enjoy.
Tell us about the attire for both bride and groom:
Monica: I wore a Maggie Sottero A-line gown with a floral motif and a corset closure. I had a custom veil designed using flowers from the dress. I accessorized with a pair of gold Jimmy Choo heels and a pearl necklace and bracelet (a present from my Terrance) by Mikimoto.
Terrance wore a classic Jones New York two-button black tuxedo and vest, accessorized with a David Donahue textured champagne silk necktie and handkerchief, and silver Movado Sapphire timepiece (a present from me).
Favorite design element of your big day:
Monica: This is such a hard question to answer, because there were so many elements about our wedding that we loved. But, if we had to pick a favorite, it would probably be the fact that we had not one, but three rooms for our reception! We incorporated different shades of our colors, pink and gold, to create a different atmosphere in each room. The reception began with a cocktail hour in a room decorated in soft pink and champagne, which exuded an understated elegant atmosphere. The room had an adjoining patio area where our band, Full of Soul, began their first set with light jazz. After the cocktail hour, our guests moved to a second room where a seated dinner was served. This room had mirrored walls and was filled with round tables covered in huge bouquets of flowers, candles, and crystal candle holders. We also had pink lighting that cast a beautiful glow across the room. Aiming to achieve that laid-back feeling that we hoped that our guests would enjoy, the third and final room was decorated in hot pink, gold, and leopard print. It was funky, but tastefully done. A perfect room for dancing!
We would be remiss if we didn’t also mention the photo booth, which was a great hit. I absolutely LOVE photo booths, and I always drag Terrance and Moriah into them every chance I get. We provided silly hats, glasses, and boas. Glue, scissors, and markers were available for our guests, to add some of their photos to a scrapbook with words of advice.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding?
Terrance and I really wanted to give our guests an amazing experience, but we had to work with constraints, namely money. In order to achieve this goal, we had to keep the wedding very small, fifty guests to be exact. It was very challenging for us to decide which twenty-five of our closest friends and family to invite. It was also very difficult explaining to those friends and family who were not invited that we had to keep the wedding small for budgetary reasons.
What advice do you have for a couple planning their wedding?
Select a wedding date which will provide you with sufficient time to plan and save for your special day. A long engagement can be a good thing. Identify the aspects of the wedding that are most important to each of you, and be supportive of each other in achieving those goals. And, finally, make a realistic budget, and stick to your budget.
Best advice someone told you at the wedding?
Terrance: always listen to your wife.
Monica: take a little bit of time each day to remember why you married him.
Any specific reasons behind certain choices you made for your wedding? Maybe flowers that were your mom’s favorite, or your first dance song was the first song you ever heard together..that kind of thing?
It was important for us to incorporate our children, Moriah (10) and T.J. (11) into the wedding ceremony. Because our guest list was so small, we felt it unnecessary to have a large wedding party. Instead, we tapped Moriah as “little maiden of honor/flower girl” and T.J. as “little best man/ring bearer.” During the ceremony, we made special vows to the children and presented them with tokens of our commitment to them.
In addition, the kids were each able to invite one friend to the wedding, and we had a special table set up for the kids, complete with kid-friendly food (pizza, fries, fruit, and burgers), toys (clay, colored-pencils, cars), and enough candy to feed a small army.
Tell me something about your photographer, Kelly Moore.
We love everything about our photographer, from her creativity to her ability to capture the essence of a moment. Kelly was absolutely amazing and we can’t wait to work with her again for Moriah’s wedding.
Wedding Vendors:
Wedding Planner: Shari Johns of As You Wish
Venue: (Ceremony) Perkins Chapel (Reception) Four Seasons Las Colinas
Music: Full of Soul
Officiant: Marty Younkin of Love Notes
Florist: Wildflower
Photo Booth: boothBOOTH
We’re proud to say boothBOOTH is a mywedding.com member.
Why have one wedding dress when you can have two? Kylie and Jaclyn both selected gorgeous dresses, and I can’t decide which one is my favorite. Surrounded by friends and family, their wedding was at a great ranch in San Ramon, CA. Check out the details below, all captured by the talented Drozian Photoworks.
What details did you really enjoy?
We went with a Tiffany Blue and Black theme. As a same sex couple, two brides, we had a total of 16 bridesmaids. We thought it would be fun and look great to have one bridal party wear Tiffany Blue dresses with a black flower pin, and the other bridal party wore Black dresses with a Tiffany Blue flower pin. Same dresses, just opposite colors on each side. The colors complemented each other perfectly!
We also bought sparklers and tied custom made match boxes (with our names and wedding date engraved on them) to each sparkler. We set these at each guest’s seat and had everyone light their sparklers while we cut the cake. It was spectacular and so special!
Did your wedding location hold a specific significance to you?
The Ranch at Little Hills was the 2nd venue we looked at. We fell in love with it and booked it immediately. It’s a gorgeous venue, very outdoorsy and rustic. We just kept saying “this is so us.”
What was the most meaningful part of your day?
Our wedding day was truly the best day of our lives. One of the most meaningful moments of the day was when we saw each other for the very first time when Jaclyn was walking down the aisle with her Dad. We were both a nervous wreck, but once we made eye contact for the first time that day, we realized how special this really was and it was like there was no one else there for that moment except the two of us, and we were just so happy.
Did anything funny or out of the ordinary happen?
One of the funnier moments on our wedding day was our secret dance. Halfway through our first dance, the music cut into “You’re the One That I Want,” from Grease, and we busted out a short choreographed dance that absolutely took everybody by surprise, we hadn’t told one person about it. We got a great response from all the guests when we did that!
We also had a photobooth at our wedding. This is something I would recommend to any couple getting married. The guests loved this feature and had so much fun with it! The guests got to keep one copy, and we had them paste the other copy in a scrapbook and write us a message. Needless to say, there were some very funny pictures!
Tell us about your rehearsal dinner.
As most people know, weddings can be stressful. Once we hit the day before the wedding, we wanted to make sure that we were as stress-free as possible. With such a large bridal party, we made sure that everyone knew “what, where, why, when, etc.” We had the rehearsal at the venue, and then we headed over to a family friend’s community clubhouse for rehearsal dinner. We had about 60 friends and family attend this event. We had the amazing Los Panchos cater the event, we brought lots of wine and beer for all, and enjoyed lots of great conversations; the place was full of love and laughter. One of our bridesmaids then passed out tank tops that said “Love is Love”, which meant a lot to us as a same sex couple, and it meant even more because that is truly why everyone we love was in one room that evening and would be celebrating our union to one another the next day.
How did you know your partner was “the one”?
There’s a certain feeling you get when you realize you’ve met “the one.” It’s a feeling that you can’t really explain or put into words. She is the most important person to me and I couldn’t picture my life without her. I know she is the one because my main goal in life is to make her happy.
Any advice you’d give new brides who are just getting started?
Wedding planning is tough. You need to sit down before it all begins and make sure that you and your partner are on the same page and that you are both willing to work together to make this amazing event come together. Take it one step at a time; don’t get ahead of yourself. There will be stressful times, so don’t be afraid to ask for help and advice from others. Keep reminding yourself that it will all be worth it in the end, because IT WILL BE. On the day of the wedding, don’t sweat the small stuff, because typically the only person that will know if something has gone wrong is YOU. Most important advice of all, have fun with it! This will be the best day of your life!
Vendors:
Photographer: Drozian Photoworks
Venue: The Ranch at Little Hills
Dress: Bella Mia Bride
Shoes: Macy’s
Flowers: The Rose Girls Florist
How did the two of you meet? Tell us your story:
We met in the ninth grade (Jordan was 15 and Heather was 14). We didn’t take much notice of one another until a year later; we each started to appreciate the other while going out with friends or planning school activities. Then one day at age 16, while trying to think of a Homecoming dance date, Heather thought about asking Jordan and butterflies flew in her stomach. She’s been in love ever since. It only took two weeks for Jordan to ask Heather out on a date, Halloween six years ago this October. Only two months later Jordan was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease and spent the next year in and out of the hospital, undergoing several surgeries. That time, more than anything, brought us together. After getting through “sickness and health,” the rest was a cake walk.
What was the theme or design inspiration for your wedding?
The Sharpe family ranch is far away from any main roads and distractions and at sunset, the views are so breathtaking it feels like magic could happen! We wanted people to take that all in, the raw beauty of the mountains and the array of colors that turn as the sun sets. We loved how the bright flowers (that matched the sunset) popped on the green grass so we brought that green inside with the tablecloths. The rest of the magic came alive at night with tons of candles, pin-spotting, and up-lighting.
Tell us about the bridal attire:
I (Heather) refused to look like Cinderella at the Ball, but every time I tried on a vintage style dress my mother cried, “My daughter wants to get married in a nightgown!” I decided on a drop-waist white gown with a mid-length train. Touches of lace and bead work made the dress feel old fashioned while the fitted cut felt much more contemporary. It was the perfect dress for me because it felt elegant and formal but I still felt like myself when I wore it. An antique bracelet (borrowed) from my mom, earrings from Nordstrom and a dash of Chanel and I was ready to go.
Favorite design element of your big day:
I absolutely adored our flowers! In addition to the lush arrangements our florist brought in, we also planted hundreds of rose bushes in our wedding colors all over the property, bringing the theme full circle. I especially loved my bouquet – it was so romantic and felt just right for our location.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding?
In addition to hiring certain vendors to cover our wedding, we also took a less expensive route with other elements and put them together like a patchwork quilt by hiring individuals and then connecting the dots between them. We hired a company for the lighting and generators, a duo for the microphones, monitors and other sound equipment, had the rental company cover the stage, and hired each of the musicians individually through a friend from church. In the end we saved a lot of money and successfully turned out an incredible and flawless reception! However, we did lose a lot of sleep over loose ends!
What advice would you give to a couple planning their wedding?
Don’t stress over your “theme.” It will just work out along the way. Rather, focus on other elements like how you want your ceremony to feel, your favorite foods and your favorite flowers. You may surprise yourself by ending up with a completely different wedding than the one you thought you wanted!
Best advice someone told you at the wedding?
Jordan’s 93-year-old grandfather gave us a charge during our wedding ceremony and told us that in all his years of marriage, he’s learned the magic words that will always get you through whenever you make a mistake, “I’m sorry. Please forgive me.”
Any specific reasons behind certain choices you made for your wedding?
We were open to many ideas, new and old, whimsical and traditional, except when it came to our cake. While it feels like most couples compete for the most amount of flowers on a cake, the highest layers or the hardest to construct, geometrical masterpieces, we just had to have ours old fashioned! We had an all-white cake with minimal detailing, complete with bride and groom cake topper (the cute kind, not the kind where the bride is dragging the groom to the top!) The layers alternated between devil’s food with chocolate ganache and strawberry shortcake. Yum!
Tell me something about your photographer, Cameron Ingalls.
We loved everything about our photographer! He insisted on getting to know us before the wedding, a real delight as most vendors are more concerned with the budget or other details. The day of, Cameron was completely in the moment with us the whole way…perfectly capturing every detail and yet never making us feel like we were involved in more than a great conversation. But the real treat didn’t come until we received our personalized photo archive box (with a 5×7 of every photo) and our album-quality proof book inside! Plus family who ordered photos got them within days. Everyone is in love now!
Wedding Vendors:
Venue: Family Property at Huasna
Flowers: Camilla Svensson Burns Couture Floral & Event Design
Coordination Services: Creative Events Etc.
Kris and Kristen’s wedding is another one of those weddings that is jam-packed with details; there’s the cupcake bar, the hilarious napkins, the beer kozy favors, the out-of-this-world centerpieces…
I have to say though, what really made me fall in love with this wedding were the bride and groom photos. Adding a Vespa, some balloons, a very cool sign, and, at one point, a couple of musicians, Alea Moore’s shots are little bit quirky, totally pretty and capture a couple that looks like they have a great time together.
Make sure to keep reading to hear Kristen’s advice to brides just getting started.
The most meaningful part of our wedding day was our first dance. My husband is a huge Metallica fan and really wanted our first dance to be to the song “Nothing Else Matters.” We found an instrumental version by Apacalytica and performed a Viennese Waltz that took us six months to learn. Not only did we have a beautiful first dance but we found a new hobby that we can do together. We continue to take dance lessons with the instructors at Arthur Murray Dance Studios in Atlanta, GA.
The best advice I can offer new brides is stay organized and book vendors early. I saved a lot of money booking vendors a year in advance. Plus, it gives you plenty of time to pay for the wedding allowing you to not be in debt after the big day.
Wedding Planner: Summer Mclane of My Simply Perfect Weddings
Ceremony Site: Mary’s Falls Cottage
Reception Site/Catering: The Lazy Goat
Photographer: Alea Moore Photography
DJ: Alley Cats DJ Service
Florist/Decor: Fire Fly Studios
Hair and Makeup: Head Quarters Salon
Transportation: The Scooter Shop
Wedding Dress: New Natalie’s
Bridesmaids and Flower Girls Dresses: Bel Fiore
Officiant: Mayor Larry Abernathy, Clemson, SC
To see the rest of the photos from Kris and Kristen’s wedding by Alea Moore Photography, click here.
See more Raleigh Photographers
Get ready to be wowed by some gorgeous wedding details! This Atlanta wedding by ABJ Photo is a stunner. The bride, Danielle, chose a pink and navy color combo which resulted in an elegant take on a traditionally preppy color palette. And for those brides out there who just can’t seem to choose their very favorite gown, take a cue from Danielle and change dresses after the ceremony (I understand why she had such a hard time–both are equally beautiful)!
What was the most meaningful part of your day?
Being able to share this special moment with the friends and family we love, and seeing everyone really having a good time. It was very important to us that our guests enjoy themselves on our wedding day as much as we enjoyed sharing it with them.
Did anything funny or out of the ordinary happen?
Like a lot of weddings, it’s always interesting seeing how the bouquet toss will turn out. So once I tossed it over my head and heard the commotion, I turned around to see my maid of honor diving across the floor to catch the bouquet! It was hilarious.
Tell us details of the events surrounding the wedding…
With our wedding taking place on a Sunday, we spent that Saturday doing various things with our bridal party. The gentlemen enjoyed a round of golf that morning, while the ladies got together for a bridesmaid luncheon early that afternoon. Later in the day, the rehearsal took place followed by the rehearsal dinner at Paschal’s, a historic Atlanta restaurant.
How did you know your partner was “the one”?
I knew my husband was the one for me when he traveled with me and my family to visit a relative in the hospital that he had never met. His willingness to spend that time with me and my family on the road really showed that he was committed to our relationship and really loved me.
Any advice you’d give new brides who are just getting started?
I would encourage them to draft a list of attendees first and foremost so that you can have an accurate idea of how many people you will need to accomadate on your wedding day. This number sets the tone for all of your major decisions.
Vendors:
Photographer: ABJ Photography
Venue: Callanwolde
Dress: Maggie Sottero (Ceremony) and Priscilla of Boston (Reception)
Shoes: Badgley Mishka
Groom’s Attire: Wilke-Rodriguez tux via Men’s Warehouse
Groomsmen’s Attire: Wilke-Rodriguez tux via Men’s Warehouse
Catering: Carol Parks Catering
Event Planning: Fabienne Lautuer-Gordon
Flowers: Carithers
DJ: DJ Bruckup, T-12 Entertainment
Blog Giveaway: Awesome New Journal from Chronicle Books, “The Story of Us”
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Wedding Cake Advice from Popular Bakeries in Austin, TX
Mandalay Bay’s Dream Wedding Sweepstakes!
Newlywed Perspective: Anne Learns How to Build a Fire
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Miki and Rachel's San Diego Engagement Session
Cool Wedding Ideas From Around the Nation (and Canada!)
An Inspiration Board That’s All About the Ruffle
Vintage Wedding Cake Toppers that Will Take Your Breath Away
Comfy, Vintage-Inspired Shoes from Hey Lady
Johanna Johnson’s New Wedding Dress Collection: Easy and Glamorous
Sun-Filled, New Zealand Nuptials from Jacin at Lovely Little Details
Color Board: Greens
Enter to Win a Chance to Have Brendan James Sing at Your Wedding!
Lama and Faisal’s Very Stylish Engagement Shoot
Color Board: Orange Dreamsicles
Color Board: Apple & Blackberry
Gorgeous Utah Inspiration Shoot from Gideon Photography
Register Green with Green Bride Guide
An Aruba Destination Wedding from Aregrayline Photography
Newlywed’s Perspective: Erica and Living with the Idea of “Normal”
Inspiration Board: Vintage Details
