Elegant Spring Wedding at Lake Oconee

Molly grew up visiting her grandparents at Lake Oconee so when Patrick proposed to her they decided it would be the perfect place to share their love of the lake and the outdoors with the rest of their friends and family. They wanted to make sure their gorgeous barn venue didn’t come off as too rustic, so their planner, Amy for Chancey Charm Atlanta, helped them create a truly elegant event where all their guests could feel comfortable to enjoy the beautiful setting, play lawn games, or flip through the the couple’s guest book (a book of National Parks—a nod to their love of parks and their first vacation together to Zion). Designs by Kent created stunning floral arrangements, from the Molly’s soft white bouquet filled with lush greenery to the gorgeous textured centerpieces in the most perfect spring color palette for the reception. Enjoy all the beauty of their big day in these fabulous photos by Danielle Hulsey and read more in the bride’s words below!

How did you meet?

Patrick and I lived in the same apartment complex. It was a pretty small world that it took us a while to cross paths since our apartments were literally 200 feet away from one another. After we initially connected, we started to plan our first actual date which happened to be around the holiday season when we both were off of work between Christmas and New Years.  On our first date, we met up for a quick coffee which turned into 4 hours of conversation and laughing. After that, we were near inseparable and continued to meet up almost daily for dog walks, dinners, and keeping one another company. 

What is your proposal story?

On a Saturday afternoon Molly went on a cleaning spree around the house. It made Patrick very anxious as she was going to be working on organizing the office where the engagement ring was hidden. Not the original engagement plan, but in an effort to keep her from finding the ring on her own, Patrick waited until after a home-cooked meal they ate together to try to propose on their back deck of the house they had made home with their two loving pups. Right when he was about to ask her to marry him, it began to rain and they had to bring the dogs in before the bottom fell out. With so much anticipation and the anxiety of the ring burning a hole in his pocket, Patrick pulled the ring out while they were admiring the treasures they had harvested from their garden and asked Molly to be his wife. She happily said yes!

What was the most important to the two of you while planning? Was there anything that you chose to splurge on or skip?

We definitely were in agreement that having good food was at the top of our priority list. Picking out the food was a highlight for everyone, especially Molly’s dad! Patrick does not drink, so we also wanted there to be non-alcoholic drink options such as n/a beer and our favorite local Atlanta kombucha. We wanted there to be different spaces/nooks for people to enjoy the party the way they wanted, so we opted for some seating areas for people who wanted to sit and enjoy from a distance inside and outside the barn and also created plenty of space for those wanting to be in the crowd dancing. We know weddings are the only times a lot of old friends and family members get to catch up and wanted to make space for people to be able to enjoy one another’s company. We were both pretty adamant about wanting a live band. We both enjoy music a lot! We skipped out on a videographer because it wasn’t important for us, but chose to invest in a great photographer that had a style that was what we were looking for. 

What were your favorite parts of the day?

The day was pretty relaxing. Girls getting ready takes a while, so it was nice to sit and relax with my friends, mom, sisters-in-law, and mother-in-law. I was the last to do hair and makeup, so I just got to chat with everyone. We are not the most traditional or superstitious couple, so we did stay together the night before the wedding. We knew that’s what we were used to and didn’t want to separate and not sleep as well apart. It was special to start the day together and enjoy a coffee before the crazy day began! We also forgot that we needed to write letters to each other and our parents, so we actually wrote them sitting in bed together. It was sweet to get to see in real time what each of us said to our parents. Our planner and photographer pulled us away for a few pictures right at the beginning of dinner to catch the sun going down by the water. It was nice to get to watch the dinner/event happen from a distance and just have a moment alone. 

What did you do for favors?

When it came to favors we really wanted to be mindful that we weren’t just giving people things they would throw out and never use again. At the wedding, we had cookies that also donned the family crest on them and matchboxes with our name, date, and location of wedding on them. 

Did you include any family heirlooms or special traditions?

We used the knife and cake server from Molly’s parents’ wedding. It now bears both couples sets of initials and wedding dates. We also toasted with champagne glasses that they received at their wedding. During weddings on Patrick’s side of the family, Gumby hats have been a tradition for the last few decades. They are little hats made out of napkins that get made and worn by family and friends alike. A familiar practice for Currans, Molly made rounds to friends and family at the reception that people were going to give them napkin hats and that they should just roll with it and wear them. It’s a fun tradition, you just have to warn your catering people you are going to need an extra 100+ napkins that aren’t for dinner :) 

Do you have any advice for couples planning their weddings now?

Neither of us loves being the center of attention and it was odd to ‘soak it all’ in as all eyes are on you. It was so nice to see how many people love us and were there for us. Just take it in, everyone is supposed to be looking at you and it’s for a good reason – they love your love. We planned our whole wedding in the span of 8 months. We are glad we didn’t drag it out and moved quickly. With 2 years to plan you’ll likely use all 2 years and lose out on time for other things. It was nice that we planned and executed and were able to move on to the aftermath of the wedding quickly. Cutting cake while people watch feels weird. Cut it, eat it, and move on to the next thing! Don’t feel pressured to do things just because other people do them or it’s always been done. We didn’t do a garter toss, bouquet toss, or any sort of unity ceremony simply because we didn’t want to. We combined mother/son and father/daughter dances and wrote our own unique vows together so we could express exactly what we wanted to promise one another. It’s ok to do or not do exactly what you want. The worst thing that can happen is someone wants you to do it and if it’s something someone else cares about enough they can do it at their own wedding. 

Why a Mountain Wedding?

Being outdoors was important to us. We wanted to enjoy a nice Georgia spring before things got too hot out. 

What’s your biggest piece of advice for other couples planning a mountain wedding?

When planning a similar wedding, we’d offer the advice to make sure there are outdoor and indoor spaces. We can both be introverted, so we sometimes don’t always like to be in the middle of things at a wedding, and instead take time to chat with friends and family. Make spaces that allow that to happen. At the end of the day you’ll be just as married no matter what does or doesn’t happen. The marriage is the best part, wedding is secondary. 

Event Credits

PhotographyDanielle Hulsey
Wedding CakeDulce Vegan Bakery
LinensBBJ Linen
Other ServicesPublished + Pretty
Other ServicesSipSip Hooray
Table RunnerLino and Co.
Other ServicesGolda Kombucha
Table Numbers1801 & Co.
Wedding DressKelly’s Closet
Wedding DressJenny Packham
Groom’s Bow TieKnotty Tie Co
Bridesmaid DressesRevelry
Groom’s AttireErmenegildo Zegna