Carl + Frances – Backyard Reception

March 28th, 2019

When he proposes at her family lake house, what better way to keep the wedding just as personal than to have the reception in his backyard? You know what they say: location, location, location. Yes, that is mostly used in real estate, but the same is true for weddings. Carl and Frances really embraced the sentiment of the at-home wedding. From the prominence of roses that mirrored the gardens to the lounge area on the landing over the swimming pool, they kept the perfect touch of backyard elegance and romanticism of the at-home wedding. 

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The Couple: Carl + Frances Grote

Wedding Date: September 8, 2018

Location: St. Georges and Home of the Groom, Nashville

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Tell us “your story” in a few sentences. We were in the same friend group in high school and our families have been friends forever. So we have known each other for a while just as friends, he went to MBA and I went to Harpeth Hall. After college we met up again at a New Years Eve Party at The Ruby and talked to one another all night. The following day he asked me out on our first date and we have been together ever since.

Pick three ways you would describe your wedding. Romantic, garden-feel, and classic/southern.

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Tell us a little bit about your aesthetic. I really wanted to embrace the location, at home weddings are so special. There were tons of roses in the garden so our main flower was the garden rose. We used pale pink, tan, and greens in the flowers. We also used a lot of tan koko loco roses from California, which were amazing. The colors for the wedding were tan, white, and sage. Bridesmaid dresses were sage and looked lovely with all the greenery. We had custom painted bars from Please Be Seated in tan and white, and a custom brown and white dance floor. Also, the pool was partially floored to make a “landing” with lounge furniture.

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What was your favorite detail from the day? Carl is an amazing dancer, so our first dance was my favorite part, “Hallelujah I just love her so”, by Ray Charles. Second, his college band played the final song of the night “Good Lovin’”, which was amazing. Carl played the piano and it was a huge hit.

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What is one thing you wish you would’ve known before you started planning your wedding? I am a meeting and event manager and have coordinated weddings before. So I was pretty familiar with the process, but I would say just knowing your style is good and being confident and decisive about your decisions. (Don’t over complicate it!)

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Tell us why you love EOH custom paper lovelies! Emily did an amazing job on my invitations. The paper was a nice linen finish, so thick, and the letterpress was perfect. We needed a nice taupe gray color to blend with our wedding colors. Fabulous job. 

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Frances is the epitome of the classic southern bride. She is simply lovely! Lovely to work with, has lovely style and planned a lovely wedding with wedding planner Jenny Corts. (Can we mention the gorgeous flowers and the lounge area over the pool!! To die for!) Frances was a joy to work for and design with.  It is always helpful when a bride knows what she wants and what she does not want. I always encourage brides to tell me ‘no’ or  suggest another font…only helpful because the end result is always better! We want our brides to LOVE their wedding suites and feel pride in sending them to their guests. For the wedding suite, we used a luxurious paper with a custom taupe letterpress ink. Letterpress is a classic printing method, where each invitation is pressed by hand and leaves a stunning impression in the paper. It portrays elegance and let’s the guests know that they are in for a wedding that will be timeless! There are so many talented vendors in Nashville and we were honored to have been chosen to work with Frances and Carl! Cheers to the Grotes!!

DRESS Isabelle Armstrong // VENUE St. George’s Episcopal Church // PHOTOGRAPHER Kristin Sweeting // WEDDING PLANNER Jenny Corts // PAPER Emily O. Holmes // FLOWERS Flwr Shop // CATERER Dani Kates // CAKE Leland Riggins // RENTALS Nashville Tent and Awning & Quest Nashville & Bright Event Productions & La Tavola & Lendable Linens & Please Be Seated // HAIR AND MAKEUP Debbie Dover

Holiday House Show

November 9th, 2015

Nashville friends and family (or those passing through),

You are cordially invited to a one-of-a-kind Holiday market at our lovely EOH’s home for all of your holiday shopping needs. We have chosen some amazing artists and creators this year to help you find your perfect gift + Christmas card. We wanted to give you a glimpse of all of our amazing vendors before you come sip, shop, and mingle.

Here are the party details: Saturday, November 14th from 4:00 to 8:00 in the evening! 4416 Milesdale Court, Nashville, Tennessee.  Bring your fellas and friends! Come by to shop, mingle and continue your convo by the fire-pit! See you there!

 

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Olivia Terrell Jewelry and Metals –We love that Olivia places so much emphasis on creation and process of metalworking and fine jewelry. Every piece is handmade, simple, and eye-catching. Check out her lookbooks before heading on over to the party. We can’t wait to see it all in person and try on a few pieces ourselves.

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Georganna Greene– An essential part of our EOH team, Georganna works diligently on cultivating new designs and ideas for upcoming projects. Although EOH is such a fun project for her, Georganna also is an independent Nashville artist, working through her own mediums and creating amazing pieces unique to her personality. For our holiday show, Georganna will be showcasing some of her own artwork and selling her abstract paintings. We are so proud of her and her amazing work. Check out her website by clicking here!

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Mary Dea Heldman – Featured in an In Good. Co feature, Mary Dea has been collaborating with EOH for a few years, and we have loved seeing her develop as an artist, calligrapher, and photographer. At the party, you will have the chance to view her amazing artwork and charming calligraphy prints. Her charming quotes and images add the perfect flare to any nursery, bedroom, or kitchen. Custom work also available by the talented MD!

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Mimi Heldman – One of our dearest friends and last year’s holiday hostess extraordinaire, we love Mimi’s original paintings which reflect the best and warmest version of our Nashville. These adorable works of art have such grace and personality that they will be adored by anyone that enters your home. We’re anxious to see Mimi’s new painting in watercolor and oil. (Ask how she customize a painting to be a beautiful addition to your home!)

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Anna Ward Barnes– Another EOH team member, Anna Barnes is a detailed artist and meticulous sewer, she will be featuring some of her products which include custom tags, garland, baby guilts and sewn goodies for your little ones! As a talented quilt-maker and full time momma, Anna knows the perfect go-to gift for your pals plus she makes custom tee-pees! We are so excited that she will be partnering with us at this event showing her adorable products!

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Emily O. Holmes – We are so excited to help you select your 2015 Christmas card! Emily will be showing her brand new line + old favorites at the party! Make it an easier process by coming early for private appointments with Emily or talk custom right there at the party! Our gathering will feature our special offer that last until November 11th—order a one-sided card & get a second side FREE!

We are so excited to see you all at this event! I hope you have your shopping lists ready after reading about these talented artisans! Check the postcard below for the details you need to know. We can’t wait to see you there!

 

Meet + Greet: Mary Beth Mebane

October 6th, 2015

 

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Better late then never…and last but not AT ALL least…let’s talk about our production master….Mary Beth. This summer and continuing into the fall, EOH took on a whole new dynamic as we added quite a few members to our company. Each of these women had unique gifts that allowed them to contribute to our team as a whole. We are so grateful to be advocates and learners of each other’s talents, and as such, we want to share a little bit about the hearts, drives, and passions of those behind the scenes at EOH. So, let’s meet and greet EOH’s humble and helpful assistant, Mary Beth Mebane. 

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Mary Beth has a servant-heart, one that looks for opportunities to assist, explore, and progress a process or opportunity. She is an amazing cheerleader, standing on the sidelines of Emily O. Holmes, and even doing a bit of the grunt work when it comes to your party invitations. She is a participant in the final product that is stuck into the mailbox, arriving with a bow and lots of love. She helps us include the tiniest details in order to make the whole picture feel complete. We are so grateful for her heart and attention to detail. We loved stepping into her home and snapping a few pictures to help draw out the full picture of Mary Beth Mebane.

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What is your role here at EOH Custom Paper Lovelies?

My role here at EOH is primarily production—meaning that I see to the physical assembly of the custom paper lovelies that Emily designs. Everything from pasting watercolored envelope liners to wax-sealing monogrammed invitations to stamping-n-sealing-shipping is my day to day work. I also have the opportunity to meet with a wide variety of talented calligraphers & wedding planners–and, of course, with the immensely gifted Emily herself. 

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What is your biggest passion in life?

One of my biggest passions in life is cultivating beauty & celebrating milestones in people’s lives. EOH allows me a unique avenue for participating in some of folks’ most important moments—a graduation, a new marriage, a first child. It’s a privilege to lend a little loveliness to these occasions by crafting the cards that help make these days memorable.

What would the “perfect” day look like for you?

The perfect day would begin with a slow morning—all cozied up in a sweater drinking coffee on my back porch. A full day of romping with best buds in the crisp fall air, followed by a lovely (& lengthy) dinner just before a big city festival of some kind—Shakespeare in the Park, a Hot Air Balloon Glow, Food Truck Fridays, swing dancing, an international festival—so long as its got gobs of people, I’m there! The evening would end with a nightcap around a fire pit with a few of my dearest friends. 

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What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned this past year?

Bloom where you’re planted—that’s probably among the top lessons that I’ve learned this past year. As a first year transplant to Nashville, putting down new roots can be hard—especially when you’ve just ripped up deep ones in another place, with other people, other sights, sounds, smells of home…But growing in gratitude for the imperfect, incomplete seedling forms of new friendships in a new city has made this place feel more like home. I’m thankful for the people who have stuck with me in the messy days & weeks (when I have been anything but grateful), continuing to help me blossom here. 

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What is one word that describes your personality?

Idealistic dreamer (sometimes to a fault)

Thanks so much for meeting and greeting our newest EOH team member. We are so thankful to share Mary Beth with you for a bit! Stay tuned for more introductions, so you can get to know more of the wonderful people at Team EOH.  
Photos Courtesy of Jocelyn Youngdahl

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