Kate and Adam wanted an earthy, casual and romantic wedding. They chose Pleasant Hill Vineyards with it’s quick access to Knoxville and gorgeous sweeping views of the Smoky Mountains. Kate gleaned inspiration from one of her favorite books, Pride and Prejudice. She infused the day with the wild and whimsical elements of the mountains, mixed with the refined and romantic elements of the literary classic. Romance experts JoPhoto was on hand to capture every perfect moment and detail.
Kate + Adam
Pleasant Hill Vineyards
May, 7, 2016
Wedding day weather: Clear skies with lots of sun and wind
Number of guests: 150
Your budget: “Smart spending”
Biggest splurge: We ended up having 3 large dessert options because we couldn’t decide on just one: a wedding cake, a grooms cake, and banana pudding. In the end it may have been a little excessive…
Biggest savings: Only serving beer and wine at the cocktail hour and reception saved us a significant amount – less alcohol, mixers, and glassware that we needed to purchase.
Why did you choose the Mountains for your wedding?
Our location was in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains. It was the perfect mix of beauty, solitude and accessibility. We enjoyed mountain views for the wedding and reception, then headed to downtown Knoxville on buses to keep the party going.
Wedding day theme:
I can’t quite put my finger on any specific theme. However, casual, earthy, and romantic are words that come to mind. My bridesmaids wore light pastels. We added gray accents, mercury glass, and heavy greenery to provide more fine, elegant tones.
Where did you find your inspiration?
I found inspiration from both the mountains and a favorite book – Pride and Prejudice. I wanted to mix the wild and whimsical elements of the mountains with the refined and romantic elements of the literary classic.
Of course I found many of my ideas through Pinterest and blogs. But, I developed an addiction to wedding magazines. The palpable inspiration was just too enticing, and any time I went to grocery stores, convenience stores, book stores, etc. I just had to pick up another one.
How did you choose to personalize your wedding?
Adam and I designed a logo for our koozies inspired by the Sweetwater Brewing logo. It had our names in the banner and ‘Rocky Top, Tennessee’ underneath. Of course, the rainbow trout being the iconic portion of the logo and so appropriate given our love for fly fishing. We had it printed on the koozies and made into a rubber stamp, which we used on the goody bags of trail mix.
Also, we displayed a 16 foot Chesapeake Light Craft wooden canoe built by hand by Adam’s father. I loved getting to incorporate Adam’s Chesapeake Bay and boating heritage into the wedding. We had our florist decorate it with heavy shag greenery and used it as our gift ‘bucket’. Then we had our guests sign paddles for the guestbook.
What was your favorite part of the reception?
Two parts come to mind:
First, cutting the grooms cake. We forgot to cut it earlier in the evening so we took a break from dancing late in the evening for a minute to filet the trout shaped cake. It was a low key moment with minimal audience. Adam was being particularly goofy and I remember feeling so relaxed and happy – remembering why we did this in the first place.
Second, the time during our sparkler exit. We ran up and down the line of people at least 3 or 4 times. That rush of endorphins you get when you run, mixed with a little alcohol, and so much happiness. It was so exhilarating.
What are three things you’re super glad you did?
- First look – our initial motivation for doing a first look was so that we could participate in the cocktail hour rather than be taking pictures. Later, we would realize this was absolutely the best choice for us. Gave us some time to decompress and boo-hoo in private.
- Last minute tie change – Adam and I were at Jos. A Bank 6 days before the wedding and I realized I no longer liked the ties I had picked out. Another tie in the store was calling my name so we spent the rest of the day going to different stores to round up all 7 ties. In the end, it was worth it. The guys looked so handsome.
- Choosing JoPhoto for our photographer – they made my vision come to light.
Anything you wished you hadn’t worried about?
- The decorations – I spent a lot of time shopping around for trinkets and details to add to the decor. Turns out the best details revealed themselves naturally. Besides, it was so windy that day we couldn’t keep the decorations on the table. Apparently there were actual cocktail tables, floating like tumbleweed across the lawn
- The fit of the gown – only you can see those faultlines.
- The weather – it is what it is. We were very fortunate though.
What was the biggest challenge in planning your mountain wedding and how did you overcome it?
The biggest challenge? The whole process was very stressful. I think just successfully having the wedding was so rewarding. As for overcoming the stress? Take long walks outside with the future hubs – it’s surprising how many details can get hashed out. Just keep swimming…
How did you find and choose your vendors?
I found JoPhoto on Mountainside Bride. Kathleen and Joe pretty much guided from there on…
What is your best piece of advice to other mountain brides who are planning their weddings?
Be true to yourself. Find something that makes you smile and incorporate that into your day. Once you’ve got the ball rolling stop looking at Pinterest unless you need a specific idea. Browsing too much often lead me to more confusion and stress.
Have fun with it! You only wed once!