Two huge contests end tonight at midnight... the Southern Weddings Comment Contest and the fabulous SATC Design Carrie's Wedding Contest.  Have fun!   

By the way, {Elizabeth Anne Designs} has a fabulous Southern bride, Erin, guest blogging this week.  Definitely worth checking out.   Erin also has her own beautiful blog, {Blue Eyed Bride}.  She posted this gorgeous inspiration board for her wedding yesterday that I fell in love with!

From Shannon at {Table 6 Productions}... "The tent was decked out with rhinestones and crystals hanging from the ceiling while multiple lounge areas with custom "bling" coffee tables and lampshades graced the area. The Pool on this beautiful waterfront estate had Floral Pool Floats and lots of exotic lighting. The dance floor was custom covered in a diamond shaped hologram wrap and above the dance floor hung rhinestones and flowers. The spectacular cake, which sat on a plexus cube with rhinestones and diamonds and dendrobium orchids suspended inside, was five tiers with a layer of diamonds between each cake tier. The food stations were Florida-inspired for the guests to peruse at their leisure as they cocktailed around this beautiful estate. The custom built ice bar had 2 illuminated luges in the shape of diamond rings. Even the cocktail napkins had rhinestones on them so guests feel like royalty. When the bride and groom cut the cake, a 5 minute fireworks display surprised the guests and kicked off a fabulous night of dancing!"

Describe your wedding cake: My wedding cake cost more than my dress! It was 6 layers high with layers of crystals and rhinestones between each layer. I was a masterpiece and a major focal point to my event.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? Trying to finish school at the same time. I was taking seven classes to get my Bachelor’s done in two years. Then immediately on to pursuing my MBA.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? Seeing my future husband for the first time. And staring at him during the fireworks.
Scariest moment? When the guests started arriving way too early.
Why do you love your husband? He makes me a better person and can always make me smile. I tend to be very high strung and he always calms me down and I know everything will be alright.
Three adjectives that describe the day are: Glamorous, Sparkly, Fun!!!
What advice would you give to someone planning their wedding? Don’t get too caught up in having the “perfect” day; things will go wrong. Most of all, be sure to take a moment with your new husband to look over the party and just enjoy it!

Amy + Ryan's wedding will be featured on WE TV's Platinum Weddings.  Congratulations, newlyweds, and to Shannon and her team at {Table 6}!  Thank you so much for sharing this glamorous wedding with us.  Be sure to check out the {Table 6 BLOG} for more eye candy and details from Amy and Ryan's big day.   

The fabulous event designers from {Table 6 Productions} sent us this glitz and glamour-filled wedding. Shot by {Jacquelyn Marie Photography}, Amy + Ryan were all about the bling on their big day!  From Shannon at {Table 6}... "This wedding had more bling than P-Diddy! From the rhinestone encrusted silk charmeuse wedding gown, to the miniature silver Mercedes SL 300 that the ring bearer drove down the aisle announcing "here comes the bride ", to the sparkling signature cocktail rimmed with crystal sugar, Amy and Ryan went all out! The ceremony programs were placed on each seat and weighted down with a small "faux" diamond that acted as a favor as well. The bridal bouquet was made just for the bride with layers wrapping layers of open cut calla lilies."

Planner – Shannon Wilson with {Table 6 Productions}, Florist and Décor {ConceptBAIT}, Ceremony and Reception Venue - Private Residence, Photographer {Jacquelyn Marie Photography}, Linens {Cloth Connection}, Stationery {Cweid Paper Boutique}, Entertainment {Advancing Entertainment}

The weather was: Perfect! We were a little worried, but we couldn’t have imagined a more perfect day. It was in the upper 70’s and not a chance of rain in site!
What was the design inspiration for your wedding? Diamonds and Pearls meet South Beach, Miami. I wanted it girly but modern, edgy, AND with a lot of BLING!
What colors did you choose for your wedding? Black, White, and Silver
Describe your wedding flowers: They were fabulous! The round tables were designed tall with an array of white flowers with rhinestones and pearls and at the base were small paves of each flower individually in different vessels with several faux diamonds scattered. The square tables were curvy vases with stems of white cymbidium orchids submerged inside with a modern lamp shade on top. Again this design was adorned with rhinestones and small paves of different flowers around the base.
How did the two of you meet? We met through our younger sisters, who have been friends for over eight years.
Describe your engagement: Ryan tied the ring around my puppy’s neck, and had her run in and wake me up one morning.
What attracted me to my husband was : His sense of humor, how family oriented he is, and his fabulous looks J
What attracted me to my wife was: She is beautiful on the outside, as well as the inside. She is smart, caring, and loving.

Check back later for Part II of Amy + Ryan...

I have quickly fallen in love with {Drew B}'s work.  She captures details so beautifully.  How great are those shoes!?  Drew even created a fabulous site called {J’adore Details} along with three of my absolute favorite wedding photographers, {Trista Lerit}, {Amelia Lyon}, and {Jasmine*}.  Amazing!  As if that weren't enough eye candy to keep you satisfied for the rest of the year, you have to see the rest of Ashley + Tyson's wedding!  Enjoy~

I told you this was a MEGA contest week!  You have until tomorrow at midnight to enter the Southern Weddings Comment Contest and the fabulous SATC Design Carrie's Wedding Contest.  Now, you have a third contest to enter! 

Southern brides know the importance of being gracious and saying thank you for those wooden plates.  (Southern brides, you know what I mean!  Wooden dishes are more valuable than Konigliche Porzellan Manufaktur place settings around these parts.   Check out the woodenware collection from one of our fav local stores, {Artesana})   The F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S folks at {Wedding Paper Divas} have generously offered the lucky winner a set of 75 thank you notes from their gorgeous signature line.  To enter, just leave a comment here telling us what you think makes a wedding "Southern".  Contest ends next Monday the 14th at midnight, so get those comments in!  You may enter as many comments as you wish.  Wedding Paper Divas also hosts one of our favorite blogs, {Diva Dialogue}.  Check out these incredible (and affordable) invitations from {Wedding Paper Divas}... gorgeous!

I love this color palette.  The flowers are gorgeous!  From {Mi Belle Wedding Photography}.  For more of Susan + David's big day, visit the {Mi Belle BLOG}.  Happy Monday! Enjoy~

I have to admit getting a little teary eyed when I read the comments on the Mega News, Mega Contest post.  We love what we get the honor of doing here on the SW Blog and we are so excited that people love southern weddings as much as we do!  Thank you to everyone who reads this blog!   This delicious slice of red velvet cake is from the sweet southern wedding of Melissa + Josh shot by {Altmix Photography}. 

OK, one huge favor to ask of those of you who have been kind enough to link to us.  Will you update your links from the old magazine title to the new one?  If you didn't see the BIG ANNOUNCEMENT and Mega Contest that came with it, CLICK HERE.  We've extended this contest to Tuesday along with the SATC Contest.   We are so grateful that you even took the time to link us (I know what a pain it is to change links... I'm terrible at updating ours!) but we would so appreciate you changing them to Southern Weddings. 

I hope everyone had a great 4th and that the festivities are still continuing!  Here is a little family fun from some phenomenal wedding photographers for your Saturday enjoyment...  click here, here and definitely click here--so fun! 

This is a big contest week for us.  We are announcing yet another big contest on Monday.  Have a great weekend~  

Be sure to check out the {Whitebox BLOG} for Part II of Abby + Kevin. Thank you so much, Melanie and Sara, for sharing this amazing wedding with us! Have a fabulous weekend!

Our favorite detail of the wedding was: Kevin set up a photo booth with chalkboards for our guests to write messages to us and take their own photos by remote control. Whitebox let our guests use their props (wigs, sunglasses, and fake mustaches) so everyone had a blast taking funny photos. We ended up with over 400 photos that make us laugh every time we look at them!
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? Agreeing on all the little details. Kevin and I both had our own creative ideas and vision.
Funniest moment? We told Whitebox that we love props for photos so we knew they were bringing some but we totally didn’t expect the mustaches! The Whitebox girls pulled out the fake mustaches for the bridal party to put on and I almost peed in my pants when I saw my BMs with their mustaches on. One of the girls has dark hair and dark eyebrows and her mustache look soooo real! It cracked all of us up! I still laugh about it!
What were your something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue items? For the something blue, I bought light blue alphabet stickers at the craft store and spelled “I DO” on the bottom of my wedding shoes. One shoe had the letter “I” and the other “DO”. I didn’t have something new, old, and borrowed.
How was your wedding different than the way you’d always imagined it would be? It was sooo much more fun than we ever imagined. Kevin and I were excited knowing that all of our family and friends from MN and all over NC would be together in a town that we both adore. To have our closest friends and family together and meet for the first time had to be the best part of the weekend. We had such a blast with everyone. It was probably the only time everyone would be together.
What advice would you give to someone planning their wedding? Spend the extra money on an awesome photographer. It’s probably the most memorable day of your lives so why wouldn’t you want the photos that are just as amazing?!! Also, allow plenty of time between the ceremony and reception for family and bridal party photos! This is the time when your photographer can get the best shots of the newlyweds together and fun shots with the bridal party.

Sara & Melanie from North Carolina-based {Whitebox Weddings} are so creative and always produce compelling (and just pure fun!) images. The second we saw Abby + Kevin's wedding, we knew this was a very special couple. Reception: {The Balcony on Dock Street}, Floral Design: Jennifer Rose-Sandy of {Salt Harbor Designs}, Cake: Nancy Hearne.  Be sure to check out the {Whitebox BLOG} for Part I of this super-fun wedding. Happy 4th!

The weather was: Gorgeous spring weather! Sunny, breezy, mid 80s, no humidity.
Occupations: Abby is Senior Quality Analyst at PPD, Inc., a clinical research organization headquartered in Wilmington, NC but works in the RTP office. Kevin is a self-employed wedding photographer – { www.kevinmilz.com }.
What was your design inspiration for the wedding? Southern, spring wedding with bright colors. I guess you could call it a Southern Contemporary wedding. We just wanted unique details and bright colors. The loft where the reception was held was the perfect setting for the urban feel we were going for. The florist had these awesome black benches with pillows that made it feel like a lounge.
What colors did you choose for your wedding? Chartreuse and hot pink. From looking at tons of wedding photos from weddings Kevin has photographed, I knew that contrasting colors that pop look the best in photos.
Describe your wedding flowers: I LOVED my wedding flowers! I knew right away that I wanted Kermit mums for the bridesmaid bouquets so they would stand out against the fuchsia/hot pink bridesmaid’s dresses. The florist also added green spider mums to add more volume. The bride’s bouquet was pink peonies. The flower girl (grooms niece) carried a pomander ball made with Kermit mums. The 2 ring bearers (brides nephew and grooms nephew) each carried a ring bearer pillow made with Kermit mums. The boutonnières were Kermit mums and the corsages were a mix of Kermit mums and mini bright pink roses. The reception flowers were a mix of simple bud vases with a single spider mum, Bells of Ireland, and pink tulips. I told the florist that I wanted just a mix of green and pink flowers and Jennifer did a fabulous job!!! All the guests raved about the food and flowers!
Describe your wedding cake: A middle layer of chocolate cake with Khalua filling, and two layers of white cake and strawberry filling all covered in rich, dark, decadent, chocolate ganache icing. Each tier had a chartreuse satin ribbon around the base.
How did you meet? Kevin was a friend of my coworker. A group of us went out after work for happy hour and Kevin met up with us. We ended up talking that night and exchanged emails throughout the next week. We started dating the week afterwards and were inseparable for the next 5 years.
Describe your engagement: We went to dinner at the Herons in The Umstead Hotel in Cary, NC. After dinner he surprised me with a suite for the weekend! He proposed to me while playing “Songbird” by Eva Cassidy which is the same song that he played when he first told me he loved me and became our “first dance” song.
What attracted me to my husband was: His gorgeous blue eyes and baby face. Then once we got past the physical attraction and I found it he was a photographer, I was attracted to his creativity and artistic side.
What attracted me to my wife was: her beauty and sense of humor
A date we went on that we’ll always remember: all of them!

Check back for Part II of Abby + Kevin.... 

WOW!  Check out this stunning and extremely  well-thought-out entry from Stephanie:

Carrie would shine like the top of the Chrysler building!! There would be a slight chill in the air like the episode that was dedicated to the great city of NY after 9-11.

DETAILS:
BACHELORETTE PARTY--  CARRIE-"wing" dress with metallic embroidery from Alexander McQueen (NET-A-PORTER)
Ladies would paint the town and hit up  hot new places like the kitschy Rusty Knot and not forget the old by hitting up the Russian Samovar founded by Mikhail Baryshnikov.  -Aleksandr is still in Paris, right?
CEREMONY-- would say their vows on a private double decker tour bus with wedding party and Carrie's picture on the side
DRESS- J. Mendel scalloped organza dress (New York Magazine Weddings). Scallop motif would also be seen in bridesmaids accessories!
SHOES-- Prada beautiful architectural deco pumps with crystals  (Neiman Marcus)
EARRINGS-- Unique like this Renee Lewis pair (Barneys NY)
RING - Something old. Ring from estate sale--(Doyle and Doyle)
HANDBAG--"Hope is the thing with feathers. " Ostrich evening bag (Balenciaga)
HAIR-- worn down and "wild" with a bit pulled back with a  beautiful hair accessory from {Jennifer Behr}. Carrie would change into something short and sweet like this white bow waist dress from Dior. (Neiman Marcus)
GUESTBOOK-- Instead  of a guestbook guests would bring a  swatch of fabric from a favourite old frock (one that  was difficult to part with) to write a message with fabric pens. Swatches would be stitched together into a bohemian patchwork of designer labels-- the perfect blanket for a chilly fall night!
FLOWERS-- Something less traditional than calla lilies- isn't Carrie a "Katie" girl and a bit more complicated? (Katie in The Way We Were) Quirky like this bouquet with lady slipper orchids from Artfool (New York Magazine Weddings). Paper/lazer cut flowers and centerpieces would be beautiful.  Paper flower sculpture by Matthew Sporzynski of Couturier de Cardboard Inc.. seen in Real Simple Magazine! Bridesmaids  would wear monochromatic corsages  that would coordinate with their dresses. These women are arbiters of style! Bouquets are fussy and would interfere too much with their amazing handbags!
MUSIC- Full New Orleans styles Jazz band and slightly cheesy dancing at Tavern on the Green.. Jazz rendition of Mancini's Moon River! Some Sinatra as Big tends to like the older stuff.
FOOD- Manchego with marcona almonds and green olives with cocktails (Gourmet Magazine); Lobster cobb salad for brunch; Japanese Shima-aji Ceviche- hearts of Hawaiian peach palm, rhubarb, yuzu citrus, thai basil, jalapeno oil  (Gilt NYC); Crispy Black Sea Bass piperade with chorizo, red bliss potatoes, garlic aioli, saffron mussel broth (Gilt NYC); Mini tarts and  Hot Chocolate Gratin-- with caramelized bananas, coffee kahlua ice cream (Gilt NYC) AND mini Vosges chocolate bars for later--and of course stopping for  pretzels on a carriage ride through the park! It would also be interesting to offer scaled up versions of their favourite take-out Chinese food--Grand Marnier Prawns from Shun Lee Palace for late night nibbles at the Hotel on Rivington
COLOR-- Whites, neutrals with a bit of green (wouldn't interfere with guests ensembles)  and rich reds for edgy downtown party

TABLES- Dinner at the PLAZA hotel. It would be elegant and theatrical.  Wedgewood "Ethereal" china from the Conran Shop
Tables would consist of white candles, candles, candles from Bergdorf's  and seasonal fall fruit.  3-Dimensional paper sculptures and bird shaped menus by Matthew Sporzynski. Love this private event at the Harvard Club.  Candles, Tables, red flowers, photos of tree branches all from David Stark, Wedgewood "Ethereal" china from the Conran Shop. Trees would mimic the outdoor views of neighboring central park and tavern on the green. Dinner at Plaza followed by a corny but awesome carriage ride to Tavern on the Green. Then Carrie and wedding party would cab it downtown to Bijoux, the lounge below Merkato 55 that is accessed through a “private” door and a service hallway, followed by an edgier party at the Hotel on Rivington.
DRINKS--- Open bar plus signature cocktails...  VIPERA---D’Anjou-pear-and-apple-infused Herradura silver tequila, Yellow Chartreuse, Laird’s applejack (New York Magazine NY Weddings); Traveling Brit - gin/pernod/lime/fresh mint (The Smith restaurant, NY); DIRTY JANE-  vodka martini, no vermouth A splash of the pickle brine makes it ''dirty,'' pickled green tomato (NY Times); GINGER PEG- Freemans- The mix of homemade ginger ale with brandy and orange bitters makes it impossible to drink just one. (NY Mag); COMING UP ROSES for the toast! Rose Water, Rose Syrup, Rose Petals and Champagne. (NY Mag); WINE  from Big's Napa winery!
FAVORS- John Derian collectible decoupage trays and donations to breast cancer research, copies of Carrie's book (Letterpress bookmarks inside of books would state that a donation to breast cancer had been made in each guest's name), John Derian flower circular tray 

The SATC Girls:
SAMANTHA--  Full-length Cavalli gown - with diamanté embellishment and a thigh high split,  Alexis Bittar bangle, Christian Louboutin shoes and a Stella McCartney clutch. (NET-A-PORTER); Leopard print Blumarine dress to go  out  on the town (Style.com)
Gold Fendi bag (Bluefly)  and whimsical "heart" Marni bag  (NET-A-PORTER), Loewe  "Screwdriver" stilettos , Cavalli snake bangle (NET-A-PORTER) ,  Cavalli glass ring (NET-A-PORTER)
MIRANDA- Dresses from Malandrino., (Style.com) Ultra Luxe Darby Scott clutch,  Quilted purple "Mary" bag by Marc Jacobs,Valentino pumps,  Cathy Waterman citrine scalloped earrings (Barneys NY),  Erickson Beamon arcade ring. (NET-A-PORTER) Caiman wrap around "Rock Star" clutch in cobalt  (Barneys NY)  
CHARLOTTE- Gown from Oscar de la Renta. (Style.com)  Velvet evening dress from Ralph Lauren.  (Style.com) Chanel clutch, Chanel evening sandals with pearls,  Balenciaga painterly handbag; Burberry Soft Drawstring Satchel in goldstone, Vivienne Westwood Red Label Orb drop earrings (NET-A-PORTER),  Chanel feather hair comb

I think we do this {almost} every time we do a contest.  We schedule it to end on a holiday or right after one and we get a slew of emails about extending it.  We will be sure to not mix Mr. Big and fireworks next time ; )  SO.... The SATC Design Carrie's Wedding Contest ends on Tuesday at midnight and we will announce the finalists next Friday for judging by our FABULOUS panel of judges...  Event guru, Sasha Souza, of {Sparkliatti}, Janie from {The Bride's Cafe}, Kathryn from {Snippet and Ink}, the ladies of {Elizabeth Anne Designs}, the {Bliss Event Group} girls, the {DC Nearlyweds}, and Maria from {Ritzy Bee}.  So enjoy some fireworks and barbecue this weekend and get your SATC thinking cap on! 

Here is Alissa's beautiful entry:  "I think there's a balance between an over-the-top extravagant affair and the quiet courthouse. There is a close group of friends at a gorgeous restaurant with a view of the city they love. The best food and drinks are served. Everything is warm, elegant and intimate. And of course, there is a fabulous dress."

Chandelier from flickr ( www.flickr.com /photos/mr_analog/923544862 ); Food from photographer Elizabeth Messina ( www.elizabethmessina.com ) ; Bar from www.hospitalityholdings.com ; Invitation by Smock Paper ( www.smockpaper.com ) ; Dress by Hannibal Laguna ( www.hannibal-laguna.com/ ) ; Skyline from flickr ( www.flickr.com/ photos/harold_stern/20219405 ) ; Flowers from photgrapher Denise Bonenti ( www.denisebonenti.it )
 

There are so many fun details in this wedding!  Shot by fabulous photographer {Jon Koch}, you can tell this beautiful bride put her heart into every part of the design inspiration.  Click over to Jon's {BLOG} to see the rest of  Ellen + Jeremy's gorgeous celebration.  Wait till you see the groom's cuff links... definitely some puppy love in this wedding!  Thank you, Jon, for sharing these inspiring details with us.  Enjoy~   

How southern and gorgeous is this Wilmington, NC wedding!?  Be sure to check out the rest of Lauren + Will's big day on the {Walters and Walters BLOG}

Ray Soemarsono and Erwin Darmali of {Apertura Photography} thrilled us with Brie-Ann + Rick's wedding!  We have a series of Details features to come from this awesome photography duo.  How beautiful is Brie-Ann!?  Some women could make a living as beautiful brides... she is certainly one of them!  Be sure to check out the {Apertura BLOG} for the rest of this stunning affair.  Thank you, Ray and Erwin, for sharing these beautiful details with us!

I love this Ocean Isle, NC, wedding from {Millie Holloman}!  Gorgeous blooms by {Salt Harbor Designs}. Be sure to check out {Millie's BLOG} for more of Kinsey + Corey's beautiful big day.

The weather was: Overcast and windy. We ended up moving our ceremony from the beach to the backyard of our beach house. The overcast conditions made for amazing pictures.
What was the design inspiration for your wedding? Our vision from the beginning was to have a laid back beach wedding in a beach town where our friends and relatives could stay within walking distance to our house, the ceremony and reception. We incorporated this theme throughout, including the bridal party attire, rehearsal bbq, and reception location, {Isles Restaurant}.
What colors did you choose for your wedding? Chocolate Brown, Orange & Green. We wanted a neutral pallet so that the orange and green could really come to life.
Describe your wedding flowers: Absolutely gorgeous. I knew Jennifer Rose Sandy from {Salt Harbor Designs} would do a beautiful job, but was just blown away when I saw the bouquets and table arrangements. The table arrangements consisted of tulips in large vases and Fuji mum’s in small vases; simple, yet elegant.
Describe your wedding cake: Elegant, beautiful and created with love by someone very special to us. Our cake had 3 square tiers and was filled and iced with butter cream icing. It was then decorated with a mixture of white, milk and dark chocolate shells, starfish and sand dollars. We love chocolate!
How did you meet? We met through a mutual friend. It was love at first sight. We couldn’t get enough of each other and still can’t!
Describe your engagement: He created a scrapbook of our relationships as an Easter gift. One of the last pages in the book read, “Our Future…,” so I turned to see what was next and saw a beautiful ring. I turned to see Corey, smiling nervously, asking me to marry him.
What attracted me to my husband was: His personality, values and athleticism. I am so lucky to spend the rest of my life with him.
What attracted me to my wife was: Her sense of humor, compassion and beauty.
A date we went on that we’ll always remember : Our first date; a Cubs game.
Our favorite detail of the wedding was : Too many to choose from; the white benches, beautiful cake, flowers and candy bar are a few favorites. We also loved our invitations {Bella Custom Invitations} and wedding programs {Katia Designs} (608-825-9530)
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? Coordinating accommodations so that our friends and family could stay within walking distance of our beach house and the ceremony/reception.
Were there any special family traditions you included in the wedding? We had a memory table to honor our loved ones who were there with us in spirit.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? How we couldn’t stop smiling at each other and the overwhelming feeling of love and happiness we felt from everyone.
Scariest moment? Compared to the beginning of the week, there was nothing scary at all about our wedding day.
Funniest moment? Instead of saying, “With this ring, I thee wed,” Corey said, “With this ring, I be wed.” He didn’t believe he said it that way until we watched the wedding video from {Life Stage Videography}.
Most unexpected moment? As described by Millie... "This was a surprise for Kinsey... I counted to three and the girls pulled up their dresses, Kinsey was laughing so hard! I warned them that this one would for sure hit the blog!"

What were your something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue items? My mom used some of my great grandmother’s crystals in the earrings and necklace that she made for me. It was so special to not only wear her crystals, but to also wear something handmade by my mom.
Did you write your own vows? We intended to write our own vows, but then decided to use traditional vows.
What advice would you give to someone planning their wedding? Let your wedding be a reflection of your personalities and don’t be afraid to ask for help. We are so grateful to have had so many wonderful and talented friends, family and professional vendors assist us with the details for our wedding. {Salt Harbor Designs} did an amazing job with the flowers and reception décor. It’s so important to find people to work with who you know will help bring your vision to life.