Nashville Wedding Planner | A Delightful Day Event Planning Blog

Nashville Wedding Planning- Brides Event

I certainly know how overwhelming looking at Nashville venues can be for a new bride! Wouldn't it be wonderful if there was an event to see many great options for your wedding, reception or rehearsal dinner in one weekend, let alone one day??? Here is the solution for that problem:

StudioWed and AshleysBrideGuide.com is rolling out with Nashville brides!

StudioWed and Ashley’s Bride Guide have teamed up to host a bus tour of Nashville wedding venues.  Save time, save gas, and see Nashville's favorite wedding venues (and vendors) in one day! Our venues are rolling out the red carpet for our brides!

For modern or eclectic weddings: visit http://venuetours-modern.eventbrite.com for details and to purchase tickets for the modern wedding venue tour on Sept 17.
 
For rustic or vintage weddings: http://venuetours-vintage.eventbrite.com/ to purchase tickets for the vintage wedding venue tour on Sept 18. 
 
- Our tour will be like a bridal show on wheels, complete with venues AND vendors that would be great for your big day.  Plus, you'll get a chance to meet other brides and grooms. 
- Cost is $15 per person or $25 per couple and includes breakfast, transportation, a StudioWed/Ashley’s Bride Guide swag bag and special offers.
Seats are very limited and so is this $5 coupon code, which expires soon – Coupon Codes: ABGBride or SWBride

We hope to see you there!

~ Mary Alice, Nashville Wedding Planner

A Delightful Day

Venue Spotlight: Butterfly Meadows

I had the wonderful pleasure of visiting with the owner of Butterfly Meadows Bed & Breakfast this evening, Darlene, and learn about the birth of their new business. It is a GORGEOUS place full of character and screams relaxation and seclusion. Whether you use it for a rehearsal dinner location, as we are in November, a bridesmaid's weekend away, or a group event, it can hold up to 100 guests for an event and 22 total guests. Located 20 minutes outside of Franklin, it is an easy 40 minute drive from Nashville, yet you feel you're hundreds of miles away. Check out their website at www.butterflymeadowsinn.com for more pictures and details on their rooms. In the meantime, check out some beautiful pictures of the location:

~ Mary Alice

Nashville Wedding Planner

A Delightful Day

Vendor Spotlight: Front Porch Farms

Are you a bride who is looking for a picturesque setting? Room to roam? An all-inclusive location for both ceremony and reception? Front Porch Farms is your beautiful location located just 40 minutes outside of downtown Nashville! I made the trip out to Front Porch back several months ago and LOVED what I saw! So many ways that you can make the outdoor spaces your own. At this time they have a beautiful stationary tent and pool side setting, but will be creating an enclosed pavilion in the near future to provide a permanent indoor space. Also, one fun note, Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert just had their rockin' engagement party there that our own StudioWed member, Kristyn Hogan shot. There's some fun images from their party as well below. Enjoy the gorgeous shots and get to know the grounds of Front Porch Farms. You can visit their website, www.frontporchfarmstn.com, to get more information and to set up a walk through with Kathy! 

The adorable owners, Kathy and Brian!

See more incredible pictures on the StudioWed Nashville blog by clicking here! 

~ Mary Alice

Nashville Wedding Planner

A Delightful Day

Maje' + Michael= Downtown Nashville Wedding

Maje' and Michael married on April 10th and had a very glamorous, fuschia and black wedding. After a traditional Catholic ceremony at St. Ann's Catholic Church, the guests enjoyed a very modern reception at The Frist Museum. Enjoy the wonderful pictures telling the story of Maje' and Michael taken by Gregory Byerline .

Other fabulous vendors who made this day beautiful:

-Florals: Rhonda Patton Designs

-Rentals: Classic Party Rental

-Lighting: Nashville Audio Visual

-Cakes: The Bake Shoppe

-Catering: Chef's Market

-Brides Dress: B. Hughes 

-Make up: Amy Lynn Larwig

-DJ: Robert Luke 

-Papergoods: Sweet Life Designs

A girl has to have two pairs of shoes, one white and traditional for ceremony, hot pink for reception!

 

 

 

Maje' honored her father by carrying him down the aisle, a picture of him was enclosed in the locket attached to her bouquet!

 

Michael did an amazing tribute to the other "Michael". I have never seen anyone dance or sing Michael Jackson like he did!

Congratulations Maje' and Michael and we wish you two years and years of happiness in North Carolina! You two were such a glamorous couple and we loved working with you!

~Mary Alice

A Delightful Day

Nashville Wedding Planner

Sarah+Chris= Downtown Nashville Wedding

Sarah and Chris were one of the most delightful couples to work with!! They trusted every decision, loved what we did, and had the best time on their day just relaxing, getting married, and spending time with family and friends! It was a beautiful day in April and the day flowed just perfectly. Enjoy beautiful images from Chris and Adrienne Scott, which by the way are fabulous, and watch Sarah and Chris' day unfold!

The other fabulous vendors who made this day happen:

-Venues: Benton Chapel (on Vandy's campus) and Country Music Hall of Fame

-Floral: Brocade Design Arts

-Wedding Dress: Faccio

-Catering and Rentals: Country Music Hall of Fame

-Limo: Niles Limo's

-Videography: Nashville Wedding Videos

-Lighting: Nashville Event Lighting

-Band: NashVegas AllStars

-Cake: The Bake Shoppe

-Ceremony Musicians: Wedding Musicians Company

-Makeup and hair: Amy Lynn Larwig

-Papergoods: Sweet Life Designs 

-Escort Card and Cake table linens: BBJ Linens

-Custom Cake stand: A Delightful Day

Sarah and her bridesmaid's had a morning of pampering across the street from the reception site at the Hilton Downtown where Amy Lynn Larwig joined them for hair and makeup! 

All of Sarah and Chris adorably fun papergoods were created by Sweet Life Designs. 

Congratulations Sarah and Chris!!! It was a beautiful day and I truly don't think this process and day could have gone any smoother! Enjoy many, many years of happiness together!!

~Mary Alice

A Delightful Day

Nashville Wedding Planner

Kimberly + Rashad= Downtown Nashville Wedding

I am so happily thrilled to share the wedding of Kimberly and Rashad with you! They were married on March 13th and I couldn't have been happier for these two to FINALLY be husband and wife! After months and months of us working to plan this day, it was finally here to celebrate. I have never seen a couple more in love with each other and it was truly evident to their families and friends. Enjoy the beautiful shots taken by Dove Wedding Photography. ***Forewarning: I just couldn't pick my typically 15-20 images, so sit back, relax, and enjoy!

The wonderful vendors who made this beautiful day happen:

- Venue and Catering: Hutton Hotel

-Videography: McNeal Wedding Films

-Florals: Rhonda Patton Designs 

-Cake- Maples Wedding Cakes

-Linens- White Table 

-Lighting: Nashville Audio Visual

-Papergoods- Sweet Life Designs

-Makeup Artists- Amy Lynn Larwig; Airbrush Makeup by Brook Sweet of Wax Nashville 

Usually our bridal parties completely make up this large a group.... this being only the guys, Kimberly and Rashad had a lot of very special people as a part of their day! 

I love when couples personalize! Kimberly and Rashad made their guest book out of things that were relevant to their dating life and how they became "Kimberly and Rashad"! 

The ceremony itself was fit for Broadway! A "wedding set" was completely erected just for Kimberly and Rashad, down to the monogram on the wall and the golden scroll work on the staircases. Amazing!

We saw this huge smile ALL NIGHT LONG!!

McNeal Wedding Films had many roles in the wedding, one was doing a "Love Story" prior to the wedding day with Kimberly and Rashad to share with their guests how they came to be. Also, a day of video was created to show at the reception as well from all of the previous hours footage. It was a great element of sharing earlier in the day with their guests. 

I had to share this, looks like a young Michael Jackson out there dancing, huh? :)

Yummy cookie favorites of the bride and groom were given out at the end of the night as their favor. Don't waste your money on trinkets, always go with something they can eat! Always a winner!

Congratulations Kimberly and Rashad! We absolutely loved working with you two and your love is truly inspirational! We wish you many, many years of happiness, joy, and love!

~ Mary Alice

Nashville Wedding Planner

A Delightful Day

Sneha + Lee=Sneak Peak!!!

We were so thrilled when these initial sneak peak pictures came out on the McLellan Style blog and we are so excited to share these with you! Look for a full event post when all pictures are complete, but for now, feast your eyes on this gorgeous wedding eye candy! The fabulous vendors that made it happen:

Planning: A Delightful Day

Venue: Hutton Hotel 

Photographer: McLellan Style

Florist: Oshi

Lighting: Nashville Event Lighting 

Chandelier rental: Visual Elements

Cake: Maples Wedding Cakes

Ice Sculpture: Specialty Ice Carvings

The beautiful Sneha and handsome Lee admiring each other in the fabulous lobby of the Hutton.

Thanks so much for these initial shots, Sean and Mel, and we can't WAIT to see the rest!

Happy Planning!

~ Mary Alice

Nashville Wedding Planner

A Delightful Day

How to Plan Your Rehearsal Dinner

 
 
 picture courtesy of southernweddingsblog

Planning Your Rehearsal Dinner

The rehearsal dinner is the party before The Party.  While it seems that every detail of your actual wedding has to be completely perfect, the rehearsal dinner is considerably more forgiving.  It's more intimate, a little more laidback, and allows everyone to have a good time with less pressure.  You and your dear wedding party will get the opportunity to do a trial run of the ceremony and work out the logistics, and then it's time for revelry.  It may even be the first time your and your betrothed’s families get to meet each other and spend time together!  To plan a seamlessly smooth event, follow these tips and have yourself a grand time!

What happens?

-   The Rehearsal itself is held at the ceremony site, and reviews the processional of your families and bridal party, followed by the grand entrance of the bride and an overview of how the ceremony will go.  You’ll probably opt not to go over every utterance and vow, but getting an idea of when things go will help ease your mind about the wedding.

-   Once all that is taken care of, you and your guests will gather somewhere to eat and enjoy one another’s company.  You’ll get the chance to thank your guests for making it to your special day(s) and may even use this opportunity to give your bridal party small gifts.  There are typically informal toasts or speeches in your honor (and perhaps a couple of slightly inappropriate anecdotes recalled, if your dearest friends want to spare you of some embarrassment at your actual wedding reception!).  The good thing about a rehearsal dinner is the lack of set agendas!

Who pays?

-   It is customary for the groom’s family to pay for the rehearsal dinner, but this isn’t always the case.  Especially for couples who marry later in life and can afford to take on the expenses themselves, it’s not unusual for them to foot the bill.  This also happens when the couple wants to handle the rehearsal planning on their own.

Who comes?

-   Tradition dictates that those actively involved in the ceremony must be invited to the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner.  It’s perfectly acceptable to invite any other guests you’d like to attend, especially out-of-town guests who made a trip out of your wedding weekend (however, you’re not obliged to do so!).  If it’s not financially feasible to invite all of them to the dinner, you could consider hosting a smaller event for them (perhaps drinks and appetizers or dessert?).  Regardless of what you decide, the guest list is ultimately up to your discretion.

Planning tips and local venue suggestions?

-   If the planning itself is up to you and your S.O., feel free to be creative and make it match your personalities!  If you both love pizza and don’t like making a fuss, why not have a pizza-and-beer dinner at Mafiaoza’s or Pie in the Sky?  If you want your rehearsal to complement your elegant wedding in design, you could rent out Margot Café & Bar in East Nashville.  Want to ensure your fun-loving family and friends have a blast?  Reserve a private room at Dave & Buster’s and spend the evening playing arcade games in between meal courses.  CJ’s Off the Square has beautiful spaces for big and small parties, for a classy affair.  There aren’t a lot of limits on what you can do, from having a get-together at someone’s house to renting out your favorite hole-in-the-wall restaurant.  Do what you love, have a marvelous time, and revel in the days-long celebration of your future marriage!

 

 picture courtesy of southernweddingsblog

Happy Planning!

Kelly

A Delightful Day

HER Nashville Bridal Brunch

Join us in debuting StudioWed Nashville this weekend at the HER Nashville Bridal Brunch at the Noah Liff Opera Center, featuring heavy hors d'oeuvres, champagne, a fashion show, and plenty of wonderful wedding vendors this Sunday, the 31st from 11:00-2:00p.m. For our wonderful blog readers, enter code scbridal50 and receive 50% off your ticket admission by going to www.hernashville.com. Don't wait until the last minute, spots are limited and are going quickly. We look forward to seeing you there!

Happy Planning!

~ Mary Alice, Nashville Wedding Planner

A Delightful Day

Fall Love in Nashville: Amanda + Chad

My favorite time of the year is fall... if I wouldn't have had such a long engagement, I would have gotten married in the fall. It's such a perfect time of year, gorgeous tree color, crisp air, cool breezes, and all of these reasons, plus the fact that Amanda and Chad are so in love with each other, made October a perfect time for a wedding at Belle Meade Plantation. Amanda and Chad have to be one of the most in love couples that we have ever had the pleasure to work with! They were constantly kissing each other, smiling, saying " I love you", and everyone that was there to celebrate with them knew it. They began their day with tenderly spoken vows at the Scarritt Bennett Wightman Chapel. Afterwards their guests joined them for food and fun in the crisp, fall air. Enjoy the beautiful pictures taken by the always wonderful Phindy Studios!

 

Amanda was super lucky in her dress find... Bridal Warehouse.

We saw this smile ALL day!

Chad and Amanda opted to see each other in a private moment inside the chapel, so after the ceremony they could enjoy their party and their guests. I always love to see when couples do this; it relieves stress, sets the tone, and you get to take each other in all alone rather than in front of a large group of people.

 
 The beautiful altar table and draping for the reception was created by Events Plus.

The gorgeous, crisp fall colored florals were created by Vintage Florals.  

Delicious Godiva wedding cake chocolates for favors... yummy! I must admit, I think I had two! :)

The beautiful cake, which was inspired by the invitation, was created by Maples Wedding Cakes.    

The band rocked the evening! NashVegas All Stars gave us a great "nashvegas" show!     

Bacon and Caviar provided the delicious southern comfort foods on the buffet!

The stylin' getaway Jag was provided by Matchless Limo.  

 
Amanda and Chad, we wish you two many, many years of joy! I can truly see you two sitting on your front porch, hand and hand, at eighty years old still very much in love! Best wishes and thanks for the opportunity to work with you!

Happy Planning!

~ Mary Alice, Nashville Wedding Planner

A Delightful Day