Everything was absolutely PERFECT! Better than we ever dreamed.
Daria was simply amazing. Her attention to detail, organization, professionalism, and kindness really helped make our wedding go so smoothly. We knew we were in great hands the whole time, and no one had to worry about anything. It was just what we were hoping for and then some! ~ Sam
I’ve been looking forward to Sam and Patrick’s wedding – we’ve had so much fun working together that I knew the wedding would be a blast. What a day we had! It was the kind of gorgeous fall day that just makes you feel wonderful. Sam and Patrick had their First Look photos in one of the pocket parks along Ponce de Leon.
The ceremony and reception took place at Fernbank, with the ceremony in an amazingly transformed cafe, cocktails on the terrace, and the reception in the Great Hall with the dinosaurs.
Since 95% of their guests traveled from the northeast, Sam really wanted to play up the South – thus her peach theme, taken several steps beyond the norm by the fabulous designers at Bold American Events. The escort card table was my favorite – some cards were hanging from candle trees with fresh peaches at the base, and others were perched atop more peaches in crates. Two of Sam’s many bright ideas: the reuse of the special Georgia peach crate (first as the program box and later as the card box); and the Mad Libs! Regular followers of this blog know I just can’t resist a great cake! Sam and Patrick had the best of both worlds: a gorgeous cake AND cupcakes in a variety of flavors! And, my favorite detail: The baker brought a very cool rotating turntable! This way guests could choose exactly the cupcake they wanted!
DJ Joel started the dancing early and rocked the house until the very last minute – ending the night with a special request from the groom: Walk The Dinosaur!
My Favorite Moment
The Anniversary Dance is always a sweet tradition. In this case, it was made even sweeter by the fact that Patrick’s great-great aunt and uncle “won,” having been married for 50 years (wow). Once it became clear that they were the last ones left on the floor, they continued to entertain the crowd with a ballroom-style dance. It was one of those moments where everyone was spellbound – perhaps reflecting, as I was, on the dichotomy of the newlyweds dancing right next to a couple who had honed the skill for 50 years. Their advice to Sam and Patrick? Keep dancing together…and you’ll keep laughing together, and that’s the key to a happy marriage. Wise words, indeed!
Now, how about some advice from the newlyweds?
Sam and Patrick’s Wedding Planning Tips
Follow a check-list. It helps you stay on task, and is comforting to know what you need to do, in what order. Planning an entire wedding can feel overwhelming at first!
Take time out from wedding planning to enjoy being engaged. It goes by so quickly! Give yourselves a break every now and then from constantly talking and thinking about the wedding.
Definitely hire a wedding coordinator. It just makes everything so much easier! You always have a neutral party to answer questions, help coordinate with vendors, and run the wedding on the big day. That way the couple and family members don’t have to worry about it. It was huge for us, since all of our guests were coming in from out of town. Everyone was able to show up and have a great time, without having to worry about any of the details. (Thanks, y’all – it was my pleasure!)
Trust that the wedding day is going to go well, or at least well enough that if something small does go wrong, you’ll be the only one who knows about it. The guests are truly just there to celebrate with you, eat, dance and have a great time. People kept telling us that throughout the wedding process, but it never really sank it until we were all having a blast on the dance floor.
And here’s my very favorite piece of advice. So practical!
Write a little number on the back of each RSVP card you send to your guests, and keep a corresponding list of the names. This was a saving grace. Sometimes you can’t read the handwriting, and some guests even put them in the mail without writing their names on them at all!
Congratulations, Sam and Patrick, and thank you for being a Circle of Love Weddings couple! I had such a wonderful time with your peach of a wedding! Wishing you a lifetime of love.
Photos courtesy of Vue Photography
Venue and Services
Ceremony and Reception Fernbank Museum of Natural History
Officiant Reverend Dawn Camacho
Photographer Vue Photography
Caterer Bold American
Baker Frosted Pumpkin
Florist Bold American
Ceremony Music Allegro Strings
DJ Lethal Rhythms
Hair and Makeup Grow Salon
Transportation Atlantic Limousine
Host Hotel Courtyard by Marriott Decatur
