April 24th, 2017
There’s something enchanting about the lush, rolling Tennessee hills at the start of Fall. Those long summer days still seem to linger, setting evenings aglow with their soft, fading light. When you add a stunning couple and a crisp reflection pond to the landscape, you get a dazzling, dreamy, modern-day fairytale. Liz and Warren’s October wedding perfectly combined natural beauty with touches of simple and sophisticated elegance. While they let their breathtaking location take center stage, it was the sheer and radiant love of this couple that stole the show.
The Happy Couple’s Names: Liz and Warren Beck
Wedding Date: October 8, 2016
Location: Cheekwood Botanical Garden & Museum of Art (ceremony) and Belle Meade Country Club (reception)
Tell us “your story” in a few sentences.
Warren and I met during the first semester of our freshman year at Auburn University. We ran in the same group of friends but dated other people until I asked Warren to be my date to a sorority function in November of our junior year (his friends were going with my friends so a few of my pledge sisters suggested I bring him along), and the rest is history! After graduation, we backpacked through Europe for two months before landing in Nashville, my hometown. Warren proposed in December 2015 in the Germantown condo we had just closed on.
Pick three words you would use to describe your wedding.
Elegant, uncomplicated, fun!
We chose to feature your wedding, which means we love your style! Tell us a little bit about your wedding aesthetics (colors, inspiration, personal style, etc).
My style is very simple and classic, so I wanted to draw most of our inspiration from the natural colors, textures, and beauty surrounding Cheekwood’s reflection pool—encompassed by decades-old boxwoods, beautiful stone statues throughout and sweeping views of the hillside— where our small ceremony took place. Since the ceremony location is so breathtaking, we let those surroundings take center stage and simply set out white chairs along the pool and put out an oversized flower arrangement to mark the entrance. My amazing wedding planner and florist incorporated that casual, intimate garden vibe through to the 250-person reception at Belle Meade Country Club with family-style tables in the dining room and beautifully styled vignettes throughout of wildflowers, loosely arranged florals, and lots of greenery, including the vine-covered Italian string lights over the outdoor dance floor.
What was your favorite detail from the day?
There were many, but I most loved the details that added a personal touch to the day, from the Tennessee and Alabama flags that hung at the entrance of Belle Meade Country Club to the birthday candles that were lit on our four-tier wedding cake (October 8 also happens to be my birthday). There was also a moment at the beginning of the reception during the cocktail hour when my wedding planner told me to grab my mom and look around before the craziness of the night took off. I’m so glad we had that moment alone to walk around and see how everything came together after months of planning.
What’s one thing you wish you would have known before you started wedding planning?
I wish I had taken a month or so to enjoy being engaged and mentally prepare for the planning process. It seems like as soon as you get engaged, you immediately hit the ground running on planning. It’s sometimes hard to come down from the excitement of being newly engaged and jump into the reality of wedding planning, which is a lot of juggling, budgeting and decision making, and things don’t always work out the way you envision.
Tell us why you love EOH custom paper lovelies!
Emily was so amazing to work with! We went into the paper suite process without much of an idea of what we wanted—just that we knew what we didn’t want—and Emily was so helpful and patient as we went through zillions of options. We ended up going with a simple but classic look. Emily was also able to incorporate a watercolor that my mom painted into the design, which was one of my favorite personal touches of our whole wedding. The final product was a beautiful suite, and I can’t say enough how much I appreciated how easy and stress-free the whole process was.
Liz and Warren’s beautiful wedding was also featured on Once Wed.
Vendor Information
Dress: The Dress Theory (Nashville)
Accessories: Branch belt from The Dress Theory; veil from Etsy; diamond stud earrings were my “something borrowed” from my aunt; silver twist stacker from Consider the Wldflwrs; antique pearl and sapphire ring that was an older gift from my mom.
Venue: Ceremony at Cheekwood Botanical Garden & Museum of Art, reception at Belle Meade Country Club
Photography: Cassidy Carson Photography
Wedding Planner: Jessica Sloane
Paper: Emily Holmes
Flowers: Melissa Broadwell at Vintage Florals
Caterer: Belle Meade Country Club
Cake: Leland Riggan at Dessert Designs by Leland
Rentals: Liberty Party Rental, Please Be Seated
Bridesmaid Attire: Joanna August, from Bella Bridesmaids
Groomsmen Attire: Combatant Gentleman
Make-up: Hannah Farmer
Band: Number One Party Band
February 1st, 2017
Stacy and I have been friends since college – the year was… 1997-98. We met at our sorority house, Chi Omega, at the University of Florida. Our friendship blossomed the next year during our sophomore year along with the rest of our super fun house, but specifically for a group of 9 girls. We are all still friends to this day! For my young readers who are in college or haven’t been out long enough to know – it is a true gift and treasure when you can walk through life with friends (near and far) who have known you since your mess-up and down days of college. We try to get together each year (or close to it) to reconnect since we live in 8 different states, and we always pick up exactly where we left off as if no time has passed. I can’t fully express my love for this group of girls, and Stacy is right in the mix. Stacy is a realist. She can bring you back down to earth at the drop of a hat (which we all need), but she can also laugh and cry with you in an instant. She loves Jesus and her friends and family with her whole heart, and she has a passion and compassion for life that is inspiring. She also never seems to age one bit (how is that?!), while I sit over here with more grey hair and wrinkles! Dear beautiful Stacy, I am honored to have been a small part of your blessed day, and even more so a friend through the years. Cheers to many more, my dear Hammertime!
The Happy Couple’s Names: Stacy and Billy Preisler
Wedding Date: September 30, 2016
Location: The Grove, Aubrey, TX
Tell us “your story” in a few sentences.
A mutual friend introduced Billy and me over Facebook, but we actually met face-to-face six months later. A friend and I were riding bikes when I realized my back tire was flat. We spotted a lone truck in a parking lot along the trail and decided to ask the driver for help—this was really my only option to ride safely. Within five feet of approaching the driver, I thought I recognized him and had a sneaking suspicion that he could be my knight in shining armor. (Spoiler alert— it was Billy!) I was shy, hiding behind my glasses and bike helmet; Billy was too nervous to look me in the eye. But he fixed my tire, sent me on my way, and thought, “She would make a nice girlfriend.” We reconnected through Facebook soon after. As they say, the rest is history!
How would you describe your wedding aesthetic?
I was going for simple, natural elegance.
We chose to feature your wedding, which means we love your style! Tell us a little bit more about your wedding aesthetics (colors, inspiration, personal style, etc).
Billy and I are both big fans of natural beauty—Billy actually found the location of our wedding during one of his bike rides. It is within a mile of where he came to my rescue! The setting just felt right as soon as we drove the long, tree lined entrance to the 40+ acre property. The oak trees also remind me of my upbringing in central Florida. Choosing the setting helped to inspire using white/ivory, navy, and gold. We wanted to use colors that would actually be found in and complement the environment where we going to say “I do.” I wanted the day to feel timeless, so the colors we chose had to be timeless and classy, too.
What was your favorite detail from the day?
My favorite detail is how loved we felt all day! I had some very selfless friends and family who gave of their time and resources to help make our day peaceful and beautiful. It was very special to have Billy’s dad officiate our wedding, and we will forever treasure that memory. We felt so blessed by our Creator because we had beautiful weather, and in Texas, it was kind of a gamble to get married outside in September!
What’s one thing you wish you would have known before you started wedding planning?
That even my simple ideas for a wedding still require lots of planning. I am a fairly organized person, but there are so many details that even the simplest of weddings require. I was thankful to have a day-of coordinator and I highly recommend one to help you really enjoy the day! Working with wedding vendors that you click with like EOH will make it much easier to get all the details worked out beautifully!
Tell us why you love EOH custom paper lovelies!
EOH custom paper lovelies was such a delight to work with. I have admired their work for a while and was so delighted to use their art for my wedding paper. I never thought I’d want to frame a wedding invitation, but my wedding suite really was one of my favorite parts of the entire wedding process. I had the idea to use my mother’s handwriting for the script, and Emily was patient to work with the samples provided via email. Her design is something that I’m so excited to frame, because now I can see my mom’s writing (which also favors my late grandmother’s writing) for many years to come.
Dress: Bridal Image, San Francisco
Accessories: My aunt’s pearls
Venue: The Grove, Aubrey, TX
Photography: Genna V Photography
Videographer: Cherished Moments Video
Wedding Planner: Bobbie Jantz
Paper: EOH
Flowers: Flourish Floral Design
Caterer: The Emerald Bee Flowers, Catering, and Gifts
Cake: Market Street
DJ: Jake at LeForce Entertainment
Bridesmaid Attire: RENZ Bridal
Groomsmen Attire: Macy’s
Make-up: Divine Inspirations at SOHO Salon
Garland for reception site: Select Growers, De Leon Springs, Florida
Special thanks to our dear friends and family, especially Laura and Melanie, who turned my vision of bringing nature into the reception site a beautiful reality.
And a big shout-out to these beautiful, talented, and life-giving friends. No matter how long it’s been since we’ve connected, you will always be soul sisters. Miss you, love you. Can’t wait till our next reunion!
November 4th, 2016
One of the most exciting parts of the creative process is the opportunity to tell stories. With each custom order we design, we hope to portray something that is uniquely yours. For some clients, this means lots of color and floral graphics; for others, it might be clean lines and a neutral palette. Regardless of your style or taste, we love the task of illustrating your journey! A custom-designed map as a Save the Date or insert in your wedding suite is a fun and unique way to invite friends and family into the story you’re writing. It shows them where you’ve been, where you’re going, and how they get to be part of that journey.
The elements and purpose of a map are entirely up to you. It might serve as a guide for your wedding guests, providing a brief orientation of your wedding weekend. It might also chronicle your relationship through significant moments and the places that landmark them. It might do both! Whatever your story, we’d love to hear it and help you share it with the ones you hold dear.
Fun elements you might include: Hometowns, where you met, first date, first kiss, proposal site, wedding/reception venues, honeymoon, or really any memory that’s special to you!
If you’re interested in a map for your save the date or as part of your wedding suite, visit our save the dates page. We would be honored to help tell your story – contact us today!
