Tiffany + Kevin {Washington Wedding}

I love when I open my inbox and I see a completed questionnaire from one of our brides.  I think it's so easy to get caught up in all the craziness that wedding planning brings and it's not until after the wedding that you can take a step back and really see what is truly important.  I'm excited to share today's Washington Wedding from CALIMA Portraits along with Bride Tiffany's heartfelt answers.  The photography is just beautiful and Tiffany + Kevin are a precious couple.  Make sure you read which image is her favorite...it made me tear up a bit!

Tell us a little bit about how you met your husband... 

Kevin and I are from the same hometown and have a lot of mutual friends, so we saw each other here and there throughout the past 7 years. We didn’t become close though until about 4 years ago when I moved back home and was looking for a place to live, he conveniently had a room to rent in his new house and we quickly became inseparable.

Tell us about the proposal...

We were staying at a nice resort a couple days before Thanksgiving, at the end of the night we were just laying in bed talking about our life together and he pulled the ring out. It was sweet and great timing. I found out later that he had been trying so hard the whole day/night to find the perfect moment. We were engaged for 1.5 years before the wedding.

Your wedding was filled with tons of gorgeous details.  Did any have special meaning? What was your favorite part? 

That is tough. Having such a homemade wedding, most of the details were personal. A couple of my favorite things were writing our own vows and having a good friend officiate, our arbor made by my dad and brother, and our table runners that I worked on with my mother in law.

Out of the entire day, what was the most memorable moment?

Another hard question.  I think the most memorable part for me was walking down the aisle and seeing my husband's face, even though we had our first look pictures it was like seeing him for the first time.  He normally isn't a very emotional guy, but he was sobbing.  I remember thinking, 'this is it, this is forever.'  Our whole wedding was extremely emotional and heartfelt.  It was exactly what I wanted.

How did you choose your venue?   

We were on a pretty strict budget and we preferred an outdoor wedding. The park had everything we were looking for, a gorgeous backdrop, wide open space, and the freedom to bring in our own food, etc.

Tell us about the menu...

Another very personal part of our wedding was the food.  There was sooo much of it.  A family friend barbecued, we had ribs, pulled pork and chicken.  Then our moms and aunts made a bunch of different kinds of salads.  Our cake was made by one of my bridesmaids, and my mother-in-law and aunt made about 20 pies.  Then my mom also made cookies and brownies.  It was over the top!

What’s your favorite picture from your wedding? 

I love all of our pictures, and it's hard not to choose one of Kevin at the alter or our first dance.  Part of dreaming about my wedding has always been the daddy/daughter dance and my dad giving me away.  I felt like I was a little girl again.  I think this picture captures the emotion perfectly. 

Knowing what you know now, is there any advice you would give to future brides? 

It is never too early to start planning, or to get started on projects.  I thought I had all the time in the world with a year and a half to plan, but it goes by fast and you want to enjoy the days leading up to the wedding.  Also, as everyone says, the day is a complete blur, take that time to enjoy yourself and your new husband.  Don't stress the little details that people won't ever notice.

 

Vendors

photographer: calima portraits  /  hair stylist: gene juarez salon  / 

floral designer: valley nursery  /  reception venue: city of bremerton parks & recreation  / 

dress store: benita's  /  shoes: seychelle's  /    bridesmaid dresses:  nordstrom



Martina + Volker: Rheingau, Germany Wedding

I've got a little European treat for you today from Gasoline Photography :)  Martina + Volker were married this past summer in the breathtaking region of Rheingau, Germany.  Rheingau is known for its beautiful vineyards, gorgeous scenery and amazing wines..all of which the couple made sure to incorporate into their big day.  The reception took place at the stunning Burg Schwarzenstein Restaurant & Hotel (seriously, you have to take a look at this place).  This chic location provided a joyful atmosphere where the guests danced and dined into the evening hours.  They ended the night with a celebratory fireworks display over the vineyards.

Vendors

photographer: gasoline photography  /  dress designer: pronovias  /   floral designer: blumenmeer & mehr  /  reception venue: burg schwarzenstein  /  dj: mobydisc  /  shoes: lodi  / jewelry: bulgari

Brianne + Garner: Florida Engagement Session

So you know here at A Lowcountry Wedding we're all about anything coastal and today I'm diggin' Brianne + Garner's classic Florida Engagement Session from Meg Baisden Photography.  Their choice of attire mixed with the different locations they've chosen has made for some beautifully timeless and vivid images.  I love that the ended the day oceanside, enjoying the sunset...

Images via Two Bright Lights

Lily + Jonathan: Louisiana Wedding

Hope you caught this mornings Caribbean Comfort Shoot from Bliss by Sam.  It made me want to grab a Red Stripe and put my toes in the sand!  Next up, we're sharing a Louisiana beauty from local Charleston photographer, Taylor Rae.  Bride Lily has shared a little extra detail about her Deep South nuptials.

Tell us a little bit about how you met your husband...

Jonathan and I met at Wheaton College in our first class our Freshman year. We became friends our first semester and started dating a the beginning of the Spring semester. We’ve known each other for five years and have been married for one of those.

How did he propose?  How long were you engaged for? 

The summer after our junior year of college I did a study abroad program in England so we were apart for the whole summer. When I got back I was at my parents’ home in Louisiana for two weeks before going back up to Illinois for school. Jonathan was with his family in Ohio. One afternoon he called me and said he was just missing me so much that day and that he just couldn’t wait to see me and to start this next year together. I said I really missed him too and couldn’t wait to see him either. Then he said, “Really? Well why don’t you come outside.” He had flown down from Ohio that morning and was in my backyard with a beautiful bouquet of flowers and a gorgeous ring he had picked out all by himself. He got down on one knee and asked me to spend forever with him.  We were engaged for 10 months and were married in June 2010 just after we both graduated from college.

How did you choose your venue? What elements drew you to it?

I knew that I wanted to have an outdoor wedding, but being in Louisiana in June, preferred to have a reception somewhere air-conditioned. I also knew that I wanted it to have a vintage feel. This venue was perfect because it has a great courtyard for the outdoor ceremony and the restaurant is in a beautiful old house with lots of old wood and brick and the back wall is made entirely of this huge collage of windows in all shapes and sizes. It fit the feel of the wedding and came with everything I needed so I didn’t have to worry about coordinating a lot of separate vendors.

Your wedding was filled with gorgeous details.  Did any have special meaning? What was your favorite?

Although we aren’t Jewish, I really wanted to be married under a chuppah because it symbolizes the new home that the couple will build together. This one was particularly special to me because my brother and sister-in-law built it for me.  My favorite element was the foot-washing we did as part of the ceremony. In the New Testament Jesus washes the feet of his disciples as a symbol of his willingness to serve them. We chose to do this in our ceremony as a way of showing that through our marriage we were committing to serve one another.

Almost every detail was made by hand by me and by other friends and family members and because of that I truly felt that my friends and family were a part of our wedding day and of our marriage.

Out of the entire day, what was the most memorable moment?

Without question, the look on my husband’s face when he saw me in my dress for the first time, walking down the aisle to become his wife. I have never felt so beautiful and treasured and so confident that I was making the right decision.

   

   

What’s your favorite picture from your wedding?


By far this pic of us kissing in front of the restaurant with my dress held out behind me.

Tell us a little bit about your menu.

Because our venue was actually an incredible restaurant we were able to do a sit-down dinner with a choice of soup or salad and chicken, steak, or fish entrée options. There were a lot of Cajun influences in the food since we were deep in South Louisiana. Everyone thought it was delicious.

Looking back on your engagement and wedding, is there any advice you would give to brides in the planning process?

Don’t let yourself get stressed out about the details of the wedding. The important thing is your marriage to this man that you adore. It doesn’t have to meet anyone else’s standards, it needs to be meaningful to you. The things you will remember are not how good your cake looked or whether your bridesmaids’ shoes were all exactly the same color, it’s how it felt to walk down that aisle toward the man you love and the fun of celebrating with your friends and your family.

 

Vendors

photographer: taylor rae photography