Wedding China

Okay brides, today we’re going to delve a little bit into wedding history. Specifically wedding china. And, no, I don’t mean Chinese wedding traditions (although I’m sure that would be interesting). I’m talking about plates and bowls and platters.

Wedding registries have been around since Macy’s invented the first in 1926. It was a way of letting the wedding couple choose their style of gifts and simplifying the shopping for wedding guests. One of the most popular items to register for was china that the newlyweds would be using for all their dinner parties and hosted events. Couples chose a formal china that reflected their personal styles. Their “wedding china” would be an heirloom they could pass down to their children.

Fast forward to present day, where most couples do register for plates, but they’re much more utilitarian and for everyday use. The plates my husband and I registered for are simple white china plates, and they just as often have pizza on them as they do a home-cooked meal. Wedding china, however, is starting to make a comeback as couples think about hosting Thanksgiving dinners and other formal events throughout their lives. It’s a great, historic wedding tradition that is actually functional! My favorite kind!

I recommend picking a classic white dish with some sort of metallic accent; it will never go out of style, and you can add in colorful or seasonal plates whenever you want! If you’re thinking about registering soon, check out some of these amazing dishes as options for your wedding china:

For the monogram-lovers:

found here

The Pickard Etrusca Dinnerware Collection is available through Williams Sonoma, and is perfect for a true Southern belle. The gold pattern is vaguely equestrian, and you can add your new monogram to all your dishes! Williams Sonoma has the option to add your monogram to several different collections, so if this one isn't quite right there's probably one that's closer to your style.

For the cheerful diner:

found here

This Kate Spade Sugar Pointe style, along with other Kate Spade collections, is available through Lenox. Some gals like the classic Kate Spade polka dots or bow patterns (which are available in her china collections), but I think the very delicate, silver scalloped edge of these plates adds the perfect touch of happiness without being too juvenile! 

For the Anglophile:

found here

This Lenox Lace Couture Collection is ideal for anyone who dreams of formal teas and meals with all the proper cutlery. If you're looking to bring a modern Downton Abbey feel to your meals, this is the perfect dinnerware set for you. It's sophisticated and understated, but unparalleled in elegance.

For the modern designer:

found here

Only Monique Lhullier could've created this Stardust Dinnerware set. The brushed silver look along the edges is broken up by bright silver constellations of dots, creating an asymmetrical star pattern. If you want a formal dinner set that shows off your style without seeming too fussy, this is the best option possible.

For the formal purist:

found here

If you want your love of formal dinners to be known and talked about in reverent tones, then the Wedgewood Arris Geometric setting is for you. In china, there are few companies more loved or respected than Wedgewood. This gold-pattered set is classic, dressy, and detailed. You cannot go wrong here!

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

image source

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

image source

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

image source

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

image source

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

image source

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.

http://www.modwedding.com/2015/10/alessandra-rinaudo-wedding-dresses-2016-collection/

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!

http://www.weddingpartyapp.com/blog/2012/11/20/wedding-dress-with-sleeves-lace-gown-bridal-sleeved-dresses/

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/b6/7f/f6/b67ff69e2d2a7f212880870bc79b89e1.jpg

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.

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/ba/39/97/ba39978ce9f725e34a68a6a381f23879.jpg

https://sparklefriday.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/imgp2153.jpg

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.

http://theberry.com/2012/03/26/b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l-wedding-ideas-34-photos-2/

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/ae/05/63/ae05634aeb70a3b6fdd1d7d01bc09400.jpg

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.

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/52/08/ad/5208add195a99148addc492ab777c35e.jpg