Featured Wedding: Marissa & Henry

Everyone looks gorgeous on their wedding day. It's a mixture of all of the joy, adrenaline, and, for us ladies, spending more than 5 hurried minutes on our makeup! Marissa and Henry, though, have to be one of the most gorgeous couples in the history of weddings, and they are so loving and trusting of each other that it makes them beautiful people on the inside and out. 

Marissa and Henry are also world travelers! During their entire wedding planning process, they were living in Dubai, so we had a lot of Skype sessions to make sure that they had the wedding they wanted even though they couldn't be here to do it all themselves. It was an ideal spring wedding, full of soft colors, a little, lucky rain shower, and this happy couple, who took off the next day for their Sri Lanka honeymoon! If you love what you see, be sure to scroll all the way down for the list of their rock star wedding vendors!

Seriously, they look like they could be models! Their wedding photos  are so dreamy!

Marissa chose soft greens and purples for her wedding colors, and we're enchanted with her bouquet!

Then there's our trusty golf cart! It's not a Hermitage wedding unless you get an a ride around the grounds!

Marissa and Henry wanted to tie the knot outside and chose to do so under one of our largest trees. A little sprinkle started during the ceremony, but the wedding party and most of the guests were completely sheltered by the canopy of leaves above them. The light rain made it feel like a moment out of a romantic movie.

Apparently, Henry likes donkeys, so he had to get a quick picture with Homer, who's stomping grounds are on site.

Marissa and Henry are history buffs and wanted to incorporate the history of the Hermitage into their wedding somehow. They chose to organize their seating chart with presidents instead of numbers, so guests could look up their name to find out if they were at the Thomas Jefferson or Teddy Roosevelt tables. The images of the presidents even had a subtle purple tint so they would match the decor! 

Since this was a destination wedding for everyone, Henry and Marissa wanted to stick with some classic Southern food. Everyone got a taste of Nashville!

The swagged lights Marissa decided to add in the Cabin looked amazing and added just a little more magic to the evening.

It was such a perfect day for this amazing couple, and we're so glad we got to be a part of it!

Here are the wedding vendors who helped make their day perfect:

Venue: Andrew Jackson's Hermitage- Cabin by the Spring 

Planning: Emily Piepenbrink at Andrew Jackson's Hermitage

Photography: Emily Lester Photography

Rentals: Liberty Party Rentals

Lighting: Nashville Audio Visual

Catering: Two Fat Men

Florals: GreenFinch Floral Design

Cake: Dulce Desserts

Ceremony Music: Avery Bright

DJ: Nashville Party Authority

5 Stateside Honeymoons We'd Take Right Now

There is no end to amazing honeymoon locations, am I right? The problem is the cash it costs to make Bora Bora or the Himalayas work. So for brides on a budget or unable to get all those extra vacation days from work, here’s a few stateside honeymoon destinations that are truly amazing.

1.       Charleston

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If you’d been thinking of a romantic, historic honeymoon locale, then have a look at Charleston. Everything you wanted but without having to exchange currency! Founded in 1670 as Charles Town, the town’s history is evident in every cobblestone street. Check out the historic homes, Fort Sumter, the beautifully painted homes of Rainbow Row, and so much more. You can even take a horse-drawn carriage tour through the city from Palmetto Carriage. After a fun day of wandering, eat some fabulous food at Bowens Island out on the inter-coastal waters or Fat Hen farther inland. The trip wouldn’t be complete until you lounge on the white sands of Kiawah Island!

2.       Jackson Hole

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This stateside honeymoon is definitely made for the mountain lovers. This is the perfect honeymoon for a couple who loves a little adventure. If you’re honeymooning in the winter, you can enjoy snow skiing, sleigh rides, and all sorts of walks through a winter wonderland. If you’re planning a summer honeymoon, you can enjoy a canoe ride for two, hikes through the woods, and campfires at night. There are tons of cabins or four star resorts to stay at, so you’ll definitely find something that fits your budget and style! There’s also a charming town square full of delicious, well-reviewed restaurants.

3.       Savannah

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Another famous southern city, Savannah is perfect for the lazy honeymooner, who wants to do a little strolling, a little eating, and a lot of sitting on a beach! The older parts of town are full of small parks, statues, and gorgeous ivy-covered historic homes. You can even take a ghost tour of the city if you’re looking for something a little more dramatic. Then on those days where you don’t want to do a darn thing but relax and enjoy some time together, take a quick trip out to Tybee Island to sit on the beach and look at the lighthouse. There’s tons of great dining in Savannah, but one of the most popular is The Pirate House which has been a dining establishment since 1753.

4.       Napa Valley

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Hello boozy honeymooners, this is the spot for you! The only requirement is that you must love wine and sunshine no matter the time of year! After spending the night in your choice of one of the many amazing hotels or lodges, you can spend the day on a bike tour of some amazing vineyards. And, don’t worry, the ride isn’t anything strenuous! Plan on dinners with fabulous cuisines and local wines as you look out over the vineyards.

5.       Cape Cod

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This is a great honeymoon destination for the couple who wants something easy but a little different than a hot, southern beach. Couples can enjoy the water by deep sea fishing, riding a duck boat, or whale watching. After long walks on a beach, you can partake is some of the best seafood in the US by dining at The Lobster Pot and Brewster Fish House. Because of the town’s popularity with travelers there’s no end to great places to stay. 

Featured Wedding: Sharon & Andrew

Let's talk about a wedding that knows how to have fun! Sharon and Andrew and their awesome group of friends and family were some of the happiest, silliest people I've gotten a chance to work with at The Hermitage, and that's exactly the kind of fun atmosphere the couple wanted! Sharon and Andrew, who reside in Georgia, decided to plan a destination wedding so that all of their guests could enjoy a relaxing getaway in Nashville, Tennessee! It's pretty easy to see from the pictures that Sharon and Andrew's wedding was not only gorgeous and romantic, but that everyone had a great time!

Check out all of the details of their big day below, and a list of their vendors at the bottom of the post.

Sharon looked amazing on her big day, and the weather did too! It was a perfect sunny, spring day. Besides being a kind, beautiful lady, Sharon is also a nationally ranked racquetball player. Since I knew Sharon was such an awesome athlete, I thought she might enjoy throwing out the first pitch at the Vintage Baseball game happening on site at The Hermitage that afternoon. She threw a strike!

Sharon and Andrew decided to tie the knot at the Hermitage Church built in 1824. In the classic, little white church, they said "I do."

Don't you love that Sharon asked her grandma to be her flower girl? She had so much fun, and we didn't have to worry about tears and tantrums like with most flower girls! 

Sharon and Andrew's joy was so contagious! It makes their photos so genuine and special.

I told you they were fun, right? After the ceremony, the party started at the Cabin by the Spring! Sharon and Andrew wanted to keep the atmosphere fun and casual, and they did so with a live band, mac n cheese bar, and cupcakes for dessert!

Sharon's color scheme was blush and navy, so we decided on these vintage blue and white plates with blush glasses for dinner. It added so much color and sparkle to the dining rooms.

One of Sharon's guests made the bride and groom (both alums of 'Bama) some Roll Tide aprons for dinner, which the couple wore with pride.

The bride's mom made jars of her blue ribbon jams for guest favors. 

There was so much love and happiness at this wedding, that Sharon and Andrew are sure to live happily ever after!

Here are the wedding vendors who helped make their day perfect:

Venue: Andrew Jackson's Hermitage- Cabin by the Spring & Hermitage Church

Planning: Emily Piepenbrink at Andrew Jackson's Hermitage

Photography: George Street Photo

Rentals: Liberty Party Rentals

Vintage Rentals: Two Monkeys Vintage

Catering: Ribbons of Chocolate

Florals: GreenFinch Floral Design

Bartending: Julie's Bartending

Cake: Cupcake Collection

Band: Douglas Warren Band

All About The Bustle

You know that gorgeous gown you bought? Or the one you’ve been cyber-stalking for months? The one you see yourself getting married in? Yeah, that gorgeous gown. While I’m sure you’ve long-considered the price, the lace, the neckline, have you given much thought to how you’d like it bustled? Your gown will actually spend most of its time in view of your guests bustled, so it’s something that you might want to give a little thought. The info below will give you all sorts of ideas for how to bustle your wedding dress and some photos to help you imagine it.

1.       The only dresses that need to be bustled are those with a train.

If you went with a floor-length gown or shorter, you don’t have to concern yourself with bustling. Get back to your flower arranging! If you’ve chosen a long show-stopper, you’ll definitely want to have a seamstress add a bustle to your gown. She can do this so easily while finishing all of your other alterations. At your fitting she can even show you what each of these bustle styles would look like with your dress, and some seamstresses can draw you a little cheat sheet to give you a reminder of how to bustle it. But with that long train you will definitely want to bustle your gown so that you don’t have guests stepping all over your dress on your big day.

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2.       The non-bustling, bustling options.

Yeah, that’s confusing. Let me explain, since a bustle is a particular way of shortening the dress by adding ties or hooks to the back, there are other ways to shorten your dress. Unfortunately, there’s just not a great term for them. So we’ll call them the non-bustling bustling options. You with me?

So here’s the first: carrying your dress over your arm. This is not a great option as it only leaves you with one hand available to hug people, drink, toss your bouquet, etc. I mention it though because it does look incredibly lovely and delicate in photos. Also, you’d need a gown with a crazy long train to be able to do this.

The second option is a wrist tie. This is the little loop that’s sewn into the dress lining that you can hook over one wrist. It creates a beautiful drape to your dress, and most dresses already have them sewn in. The pitfall is that you are having to hoist the weight of your dress’s train all night. It might seem light for half an hour, but if you’re planning on a longer reception, be prepared to have a really sore arm the next day!

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3.       The American Bustle.

The American bustle is also called the “outer bustle” because the train of your dress is lifted up and attached to the outer side of your dress. Imagine picking a spot in the middle of your train and lifting it up so that the train becomes the same length as the front of your dress. Your seamstress can pick one lift point or several. This style usually gives the dress a little flare in the back.

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4.       The French Bustle.

The French bustle is otherwise known as the “under bustle” because the train is tucked up and tied under the back of your gown. So your seamstress will pick a spot in the middle of your train, push it up and under the fabric above it, and attach it. This gives a kind of pillow-y or folded look in the back with the bottom of the train falling to the floor underneath.

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5.       The Ballroom Bustle.

The ballroom bustle is a less popular bustle because it takes quite a bit more work and it often loses the “drama” of the dress. This style is called the “flip under” because your seamstress will put in a row of buttons or ties all along the inside of your dress so that you can button up the train so that your dress looks just like a floor-length gown. All of the train fabric is hidden by buttoning it up on the underside of the dress.

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Wedding Advice From a Recent Bride

Hello! My name is Chelsea. I’m with the events staff here at The Hermitage. I absolutely love working on the weddings here and am so honored I get to be a part of so many. On April 2nd I reversed my usual role and got to be the one walking down the aisle! I had the wedding of my dreams, and I wanted to share my wedding planning experience as a bride with you!

Hardest/Easiest Part of Planning

Hardest-

• Deciding on a general direction- Let’s be honest, there are SO many cool ideas out there. You should have seen my Pinterest board. It was a hodgepodge of beautiful randomness. I didn’t know if I wanted a rustic, boho, or a woodland feel. It just gets overwhelming. I say this to encourage you to sit down with your fiancé and decide on what kind of wedding you want. What kind of feel do you both want? What is representative of you two? Decide on a theme--a point in time, a painting, a movie, something. Find photos for inspiration, get creative, and then run with it.
• Keeping up with all of the details- Lists will become your best friend. They’ll be on legal pads, post-it notes, voice memos, and the occasional text to yourself. The minor details seem never ending. How do you want your napkins folded? What will you be using for a send-off? Where are guest favors to be placed? The list goes on and on. However, as your big day gets closer the list will get shorter and shorter… I promise!
• Seeing the big picture- Sometimes it’s difficult to see how everything is going to flow or look together. No matter how many times you layout all of your décor on your living room floor it is still difficult to envision how your guest sign-in table is going to look with linens, flowers, candles, and all. Just relax and trust your planner to have it all come together!

 Easiest-

• Having a planner do the big stuff- A planner will save you so much time and more importantly, stress! They will make hotel blocks for your out-of-town guests, create all of the floor plans, and will organize the ever so frantic bridal party to make sure everyone walks down the aisle at the right time (That’s some sort of magic if you ask me!). They will also set-up and tear-down all of the décor that you brought. They’re there so you can enjoy your wedding day with your loved ones and not have to run around worrying about the little things. This is the time to focus on yourself and the next step you and your fiancé are about to take, not on how many seconds should pass between each bridesmaid walking down the aisle.
• Vendor meetings- No need to stress! These are so much fun! Whether you’re trying food, playing with table settings, or talking with a photographer or DJ, this is your time to reveal to them what the wedding of your dreams looks like. Have any questions or possibly odd requests? Do NOT be afraid to ask. You’d be surprised what certain vendors are able to tailor. Let them know what is important to YOU because each bride likes to emphasize different aspects of their wedding.
• Budgeting (can be stressful, but it is easy when you’re on top of it!)- Don’t be afraid to shop around for vendors and get quotes. Plus, you’ll be able to see who fits your wedding style the best. If I could only give one piece of advice it would be to decide on your top 3 most important parts of your wedding and splurge on those. If you are dreaming of pretty flowers and greens, then do it! There are corners that can be cut in just about every category. And when spending keep everything logged, keep every receipt, and don’t impulse buy. Little things add up quickly and you don’t want to be left with a bunch of unneeded items.

Head Table- Why not sit in throne chairs and drink out of brass goblets?! Oh, and you can't have a royal table without a garland!

Mistakes I think I made during planning

• Time management- Do not, I repeat, DO NOT wait until right before the wedding to get “small stuff” done. If I could go back I would have had everything done at least 3- 4 weeks out. But of course I was still making my guest favors the night before…oops! Granted, I didn’t have the help I needed until everyone was in town to help me out, but I did think that I had a lot more done that I actually did. I guess I bit off a little bit more than I could chew. Thankfully, I had some amazing people to help me get everything together without being crazy stressed!
• Choosing vendors that I really didn’t trust- The bottom line is don’t choose to work with someone if you don’t trust them completely. You will waste time worrying and trying to micromanage what they do. Know that it’s okay NOT to book after a vendor meeting. And don’t just book because they are a family friend or gave you a good deal. You want to trust your vendors in full to provide the best service for your big day!

Favorite aspects of your wedding

• The guests- After plus ones we only had 85 guests and it was PERFECT. Originally we made a long list that included long lost family and friends to people we got to know at our gym. The both of us then sat down and decided that our criteria was that we will not invite anyone that we wouldn’t take out for coffee. Sure, we ended up running into some people that we marked off of our list, but we still had no regrets. It made our wedding intimate, loads of fun, and not to mention cheaper!
• Make it personal- Do not be afraid to do something different! We started off our ceremony with a “warming of the rings” where our rings were placed inside a wooden box and were passed around for our guests to see and to put their wishes, blessings, and prayers over. I’ve had people continuously commenting how unique and sweet of a gesture it was. And now looking back my fiancé and I are so happy to have been able to involve our loved ones in our ceremony.

Escort Cards- We had table "animals" rather than table numbers. Our guests loved finding out which animal they were going to be at for the night!

What I wish I would have known

• Some little things just don’t matter- At the end of the day it’s about you and your husband. No one is going to remember every little detail. For example, last minute we decided to not drape the doorways at our cocktail hour to save some money. And you know what?  I never caught a glimpse of my cocktail hour! And the while planning the whole time I was very adamant on draping those doorways that I would have never seen. If I knew this little thing wasn’t such a big deal I would have never been so hung up on the drapes (see what I did there). But seriously, focus on the bigger things that you find truly important.
• How fast it goes by- Oh my, your wedding day is over in a blink of an eye. My final advice would be to enjoy every moment of it and please, please, please if you’re going to splurge on anything, splurge on an amazing photographer! You will have these photos for you to remember this quick, but special day for the rest of your life. Make sure that it is captured in the best way possible. It makes all of the difference.

Table Setting- I love a colored table cloth rather than sticking to a traditional ivory. And I couldn't resist these wooden chargers!