We were introduced to the wonderful winter bride, Anna Shell, through the fine ladies at Big Events Inc, Martha Greenwood and Denise Sikes. It was an easy relationship from the start! For her Nashville winter wedding invitations, Anna knew she wanted a traditional, timeless invitation with a touch of whimsy…which is right up our alley! The traditional invite was on 220lb soft crane paper, which is thick, soft and luxurious. The invitation was edged and letterpressed with charcoal ink. The whimsy came in with the reply card wording, which says ‘the gift of your reply is requested by Christmas Eve!’ How fun is that?! And the reception card might be our all time fav, ‘dinner and dancing and wild revelry to follow.’ Who would not want to attend this wedding? This was the perfect first impression to let her guest know that they were in for a sweet ceremony and a festive reception! You’ll spot classic and whimsical touches throughout the whole wedding. We love the way everything turned out, Anna! – Emily
Enjoy the beautiful photographs from Matt Andrews Photography (and the inside scoop from the bride!) below…
The (Happy!) Couple’s Names: Anna & Shane Emerson
Wedding Date: January 5th, 2013
Location: Nashville, Tennessee
Tell us “your story.” Shane and I met in college at The University of Tennessee, but we didn’t begin dating until a couple of years after college…When we did wind up together, we knew very soon that it was going to be for keeps.
Pick three words you would use to describe your wedding. Wintery, warm, and bright!
We love your style! Tell us a little bit about your aesthetic. Shane and I both wanted a winter wedding. Living in the South, we have been to our fair share of (very) warm weather events, and we wanted to do something different. However, I wanted to stay far, far away from typical winter themes. I actually made a no-no list that included things like “absolutely no: glitter, snowflakes, ‘ice blue,’ etc.”
We did not pick wedding colors. I’m not a believer in that. We…added as many pops of color as we could. The result looked beautiful in the pictures taken by our (very talented) photographer. Especially in the outdoor shots, the contrast between winter’s bareness and the colors of the wedding party looked amazing.
For both the ceremony and the reception, the focus was on firelight and candlelight. We loaded the altar at Scarritt-Bennett’s Wightman Chapel with as many candles as it would hold…There was not a single flower inside the sanctuary. Someone told me that people literally gasped when they walked into the church. At the reception, we had three lit fireplaces and more candles covering the Belle Meade Country Club. They were accented by bare branches and flowers. The result was a warm, cozy atmosphere, even in a large space. We did a fair amount of breaking with tradition in various aspects of our wedding…and I can’t recommend this enough. Be fearless in making it yours.
What was your very favorite detail from the day? My favorite part of the day was without question the ceremony. The night was cold and dark and everything got really quiet right before my dad and I walked down the aisle. The chapel bells rang six o’clock and we entered to an instrumental of Coldplay’s “Paradise.” The sanctuary was glowing with all the candlelight. We had scattered our wedding party on the altar because we are both so close to all of them… we didn’t feel the need to have the girls on one side and the guys on the other…It was like a dream. It was even more beautiful than I had imagined it could be.
One thing you wish you would’ve known before you started wedding planning…I was lucky to know a lot after hearing advice from my friends that came before me, but I wish I had been better about not procrastinating! Don’t let any wedding decision or work wait that doesn’t have to!
Tell us why you love EOH custom paper lovelies! I absolutely loved working with Emily to design my wedding suite. She was so laid-back and easy-going…We ultimately came up with a final product that fit my vision perfectly. I wanted letterpress on very heavy cotton paper to fit with the cozy winter feeling I was aiming for, and I wanted a touch of fun in the invitations too. I was introduced to Emily because she provided the letterpress option, but it ended up being the perfect match because of her unique and tasteful style. I’m a paper lover, so the invitation suite and other accessories were important to me, and Emily executed them to perfection.
Anything else you’d like to tell us?! Ultimately, your wedding depends upon the team you assemble to help you execute your dream day. EOH custom paper lovelies and the folks mentioned below (particularly our wedding planners) are the reasons me and Shane’s wedding turned out as beautifully as it did. Surround yourself with the best, and the best you shall receive!
WEDDING PLANNER & FLORIST/EVENT DESIGN Malcolm and Martha Greenwood, Denise Sikes at Big Events Wedding // PHOTOGRAPHER Matt Andrews Photography // CEREMONY VENUE Wightman Chapel at Scarritt-Bennett Center // RECEPTION VENUE/CATERING Belle Meade Country Club // BAND The Atlanta Allstars // WEDDING INVITATIONS Emily O. Holmes Custom Paper Lovelies // WEDDING CAKE Dessert Designs // BRIDAL GOWN Vera Wang from B. Hughes // BRIDESMAID DRESSES Amsale from The Bride Room // BRIDE/BRIDESMAID HAIR & MAKEUP Harlow Salon // GROOM/GROOMSMAN SUITS JoS. A. Bank // GROOM/GROOMSMAN BOW TIES Otis James
Come back soon for a party post about all things bicycles!
