I am so honored to share with you this delightfully thoughtful and completely personalized holiday wedding. Dallas, the bride outlines every charming details and exactly how she choose each vendor for this lovely holiday-inspired winter wedding.
Dallas + Glennn
December 8, 2013
Pickens, South Carolina
Why a Mountain Wedding?
We were engaged in a rustic wooden fort in Colorado so we wanted to find a similar venue such as our Table Rock Lodge. We’ve also done lots of hiking in our dating relationship and fell in love with mountain views. I am also originally from the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Where did you find your inspiration?
Our inspiration was from Colonial Williamsburg at Christmas time. This was also our first solo trip together in America. (Glennn is Australian) Inspiration from Williamsburg was all the dehydrated fruit that we used in the garlands, wreaths, and even the candles wrapped in moss. Vintage tableware, styling of the catering service, brooch bouquet, fireplaces, and fresh greenery everywhere with dried and whole fruit, some dried flowers. Smells of spice and pine.
What were some personal details you incorporated?
- Wreaths – my aunt Margaret helped me make Williamsburg inspired wreaths on twine bases with magnolia leaves tucked over twine and dried clementines, apples, oranges, and cinnamon/nuts radiating around.
- Candles – white/ivory candles wrapped in moss and twine with mini pine cone and wooden buttons
- Mason jar snow globes – colonial/vintage trinkets
- Centerpieces – wooden rounds with vintage lace were the bases. Each table had a specially styled scene that had meaning to us and our dating relationship – yet stayed within our rustic feel.
- Brooch Bouquet – brooches were gifted from family/friends and collections used from passed away loved ones. Succulents were added as well as dried fruit to keep the overall warm feel.
- Stuffed Antelope Head/Hanger – At the end of my first trip to Australia Glennn gave me a boomerang to ‘bring me back.’ I made my bridal hanger with this boomerang. There was also a stuffed antelope head that was used in one of the photos with the hanger – another gift from Glennn when we were dating.
- Lace – under the communion table and sign-in table was lace I had brought back from Australia. All the other lace used on the centerpieces was borrowed from a dear friend.
- Tableware – All the dishes used for the guests was my own vintage collection of china.
- Great Grandmother’s Candy Cabinet – we were able to use “as is” my great grandmother’s medicine cabinet repurposed for our candy cabinet with blue mason jars filled with candy — b/c all Australian’s love there chocolate/candy – including the groom
- Christmas Carols – We met at a Christmas carol Glennn put on at his church 2 years ago. To incorporate this into our wedding we picked two songs to sing – one being the last carol that was sung the night we met – Ding Dong Merrily On High.
- Special songs – Groom sang special song “I will always love you” by Don H. for bride. MOH sang “Feels Like Home” for first dance.
- Bride/Groom Gifts – bridal purse was custom made for bride by groom through Etsy – Bride made Groom a deck of 52 cards with 52 reasons why he was loved as well as knitted beards for all the guys
- Sign-in Globe and Luggage Card Collector – signifying our travels and that we met a world apart (America and Australia)
- Giant Jenga – we always played this in our dating relationship and a friend made us a giant set. So during the reception we started a giant jenga game between the guests and us.
- Anniversary Cakes and customized toppers – both of our parents celebrated milestone years – 40 and 45th. So we cut out cake then as an honor to them and their long marriages had cakes for each of them to cut.
- Dried floral Initials on entry way
- Vintage spoons on bouquet, bride/groom table, cake cutting with special sayings on each
- Communion table (wooden goblet, bread on Australian tray/lace) – the goblet was made by my MOH’s husband from local wood to my hometown. A dear friend of the families freshly baked the bread. The tray and lace were both from Australia.
What was your favorite moment?
Our favorite moment was walking down the aisle to “a moment like this.” We did it a bit differently. Instead of my dad walking me down I walked by myself hallway then Glennn came and got me. J
Three things you;re glad you did.
- Having a wedding coordinator/decorator to organize all of the moving parts. Friends to help support her role as well.
- How our ceremony was personalized – including so many different friends/family throughout the ceremony. We had our parents pray over us… friends singing…. Communion cup made by MOH’s husband and bread baked by a good friend.
- Choosing a beautiful venue with such warmth to the setting that was also rain friendly. Ceremony/Cocktail hour/Reception all in the same location.
Anything you wish you hadn’t done?
We were limited by the venue with times. This rushed our day quite a bit with the timeline and we both found it hard to relax and just enjoy the day. We had to be out by 6:30p, which is extremely early. We were just so in love with the venue we tried to make it work. We had to choose between including family in the ceremony with a later start time and having a early day within the venues open times. We chose family being in attendance.
We also wished we had called venders the night before to confirm times. The hair/makeup artist was over an hour late (she had it wrong in her calendar) – which caused stress to the timeline that wasn’t able to be made up… Hurried ‘first look’ session.
What was the best piece of wedding advice you got?
We didn’t listen – but we were told not to focus on the logistics/details but to relax and breathe in the day – enjoy all the moments.
What piece of wedding advice do you wish you followed?
We were told to have an empty schedule the week leading to the wedding. We did our best to have all “last minute” projects done a week prior but didn’t quite make that deadline. This led to family/friends helping out for a day of last minute projects like ironing linens, details on napkins, etc. Because we were a long distance relationship we also had the engagement session the week of the wedding, family catch-ups, birthday celebrations, etc. Too much!! All the projects needing done and with little time to actually communicate to everyone what was going on.
Anything you wish you hadn’t worried about?
All worries seemed valid. Hahaha
Anything you wish you had known sooner rather than later?
The caterer communication was difficult without a food tasting. We wished we would have known their “lingo” and “menu” earlier even though we tried to get this sorted early.
Also, RSVP of guests. We had many ‘cancel’ the day before via text. Hard to deal with when we had very limited seating and had to already cut our guest list short.
How did you choose your vendors?
- Venue/Lodge – reminded us of our proposal story – rustic wooden fort
- Holmes Catering – AMAAAAZING rustic/vintage rental warehouse – we were able to “pick” all elements and they had staff/trucks to make it all happen
- Cotton Hair/Makeup – referrals from the area
- Adina/Frilly Bloomers (florist) – Wedding 101 (local referral), she did the arch, put together the 30ft garland aisle, put together the brooch bouquet
- NHWoodscreations (Etsy) did all the wedding party bouquets, boutonnieres, parent’s boutonnieres, swag above the cake, D+G on entry door.
- Cake – Susan Vick (friend)
- Cake Topper DSMeeBee (Etsy) – made to look like us on our wedding day
- Favors – MonkeysOnTheRoof (Etsy) wooden round ornaments stamped with our D+G and then a separate design with a tree/heart and our date
- Birdcage Veil (Etsy) Klaxonek (Poland)
- Band: Conservation Theory (Eddie Martin)
- Musician: Derick Thomas (world renowned Christian song writer)
- Doughnuts – Bagels & Doughnuts, Boiling Springs, SC (BETTER than Krispy Kreme – NO LIE!!)
- Jewelry: Blue Nile
- Videographers: Dream Pop Media
- April, Your Perfect Day LLC. – Long time wedding planner friend from Perrysburg, OH. She did put together all the details/decorating I had planned and orchestrated the day.
- Rossi Kennedy (accordion) – Wedding 101
- Rev. Gary Long – friend of the family
- Chairs/sled/tandem bike rentals – A Darling Day, Jessica Barley – vintage
- Dress – David’s Bridal / Oleg Cassini – dress was ripped apart and completely customized. Cut in half at waist and shortened, belt added to hide seam.
- Anna Sawin Photography – long time friend (I am also a wedding photographer)
- Venue: Table Rock Lodge, Pickens, SC
Your very best advice for other mountain brides:
Pick a venue that can accommodate your guest list rain/shine and works within your timeline.
More of our story can be read here: www.weddingwire.com/dallasandglennn
Pickens South Carolina Wedding Vendors
Photographer: Anna Sawin Photography // Reception Venue: Table Rock Mountain Lodge // Submitted via Two Bright Lights