Real Wedding: Valerie + Tyler’s Southern Wedding

Valerie is a wedding planner + invitation designer for Southern Fete (I actually featured one of her shoots here), so you can imagine she had lots of ideas for her wedding! She also shared some very great advice at the end of the post. A bit into the day from Valerie – thanks! :)

“My inspiration for the design was a Barq’s rootbeer can. Sounds random but I love the green, grey, black + white combo. We incorporated the greenery in the moss + banner in the invitations. I guess the main inspiration was that we really wanted to make our guests feel a part of our wedding. We created a vignette of pictures from our engagement, telling the story of how we met, became best friends + eventually fell in love. We had guests send in a marriage tip when they RSVP’d + we placed them around the room to share with guests. There was a photo booth with letters so they could spell out fun stuff.”

Really love the invitations Valerie designed – so pretty!

Favorite memory of the day: Walking down the aisle was an incredibly real feeling. That’s when it hit me. We read our own vows and it was incredibly sweet and emotional. I don’t think there was a dry eye in the house during our ceremony. Also, our amazing videographer surprised us at the end of the night with a trailer video of the day. It was amazing to share in that with all our guest.

I LOVE this idea they had for their exit – fun + totally them! On the cans it says: One day Tyler told Valerie “We’re on the same team, silly.” Valerie said “Team Silly?” The name stuck. Thank you for celebrating the official joining of team silly. Send us off with a shower of silly string.

Any advice for those planning now? Brides, as a wedding planner and invitation designer, I eat and breathe weddings but I made it a point to focus on the REASON we were getting married. We prepared for a marriage much more than we did our wedding day and I could not be happier now as a new wife!

Vendors:

Venue: Grand Opera House of the South // Caterer: Zea Restaurant // Photography: I am lucky to share an office with an amazing photographer Jason Cohen. He suggested a collaboration with friend and my other favorite photographer Mark Eric. I could not have been happier!! // Videography: BrideFilm // Event Design: me! Southern Fete // Stationery: me! Southern Fete // Cake: Crystal Weddings // Florals: Les Amis // Day-Of Coordination: my friend Hannah Trahan, coordinator for The City Club // Dress: San Patrick, Pronovias // Veil and Belt: Bethany Lorelle // DJ: Sammy Holbrook