Wedding Details Part Two

In the spirit of keeping true to our roots, we decided on a Kentucky Derby style rehearsal dinner. Set on several acres at the Pepper Tree Farmhouse, guests donned big hats, sipped mint juleps, dined on down home cookin', and enjoyed the sounds of country music. My mother-in-law designed these adorable invitations and crafted up all of the decor (run for the roses centerpieces, horseshoe chocolates, mini derby pies, & mint julep cupcakes). 

a mock up of the grooms cake...the real pics to come later 

complete with a mint julep recipe card 

yummy in my tummy

simple yet elegant, topped off with a green ribbon around the mint julep cup

derby coasters by Mellen Designs

The eve of our wedding also happened to be the 60th birthday of my parents' best friend Willie Williamson. Wanting to add a fun flare to the celebration while honoring him, I put together a top secret surprise for the night. None other than a Happy Birthday song by...

Marilyn Monroe...or a look alike ;)

Moving on to the BIG DAY...


I searched high and low for a one of a kind wedding program that would of course match the theme. I found Jen over at Jax Bean Stalks and could not be happier with her handmade programs. 100 programs made by hand to perfection.

so detailed

Wineries are a wonderful place to get married with a setting beyond words, but there are a few minor drawbacks. One being that you are not allowed to throw confetti, bird seed, sparklers, so on and so forth. I was almost at a loss for what personal touch to add to the ceremony & getaway when I was rescued by the butterflies. As Ryan kissed his bride (me ;) ), our guests released 100's of butterflies from neatly wrapped boxes. I can't wait to see the pics Shana snapped of the beautiful moment...

for now, please use your imagination!

In true winery fashion, our tables were named after types of wine (of course!). The table names and place cards were complete with a vineyard background (as were the menus). The place cards were set in Lincourt wine corks and inside a box with faith, hope, & love quoted all around.

Again the craftiness of my MIL came in handy as she hand stitched a "T" into each napkin and made flower napkin ring holders. Also, the back of each chair was decorated with a string of handmade paper butterflies. Chair sashes were too formal for an outdoor wedding so we kept it casual and butterfly-esque!

**not the actual butterfly strands ;)

handmade napkin rings & napkins

While photo booths and candy buffets are all the rage these days, we decided to add our own spice of additional entertainment: a caricaturist. Entera, a local artist, drew great sketches of our guests for them to take home and remember the evening.

great favors!

My baby sister, Tay Tay, has her own crafty niche which proved to be extremely helpful and fun with our rustic painted signs: cocktails, caricaturist, photo booth, powder room, & dancin'. These were hung throughout the venue to help direct guests and add a personal touch.

Mr & Mrs 

courtesy of Ms. Tay Tay Christine 

love her craftiness

I can't wait to share the professional pics with you once we return from our honeymoon!!