SARAH & JOE
FORD PLANTATION WEDDING
April 30, 2016
Richmond Hill, Georgia
Tell us how you met: We met while we were both living in New York City. Sarah’s best friend, Jacqueline, married Joe’s best friend from high school, Peter - and the two introduced us when Sarah moved up to New York from Atlanta in 2010.
Proposal Details: Joe proposed to Sarah at the Gramercy Park Hotel, on a very very cold day in New York City on January 31st 2015. After a dinner with our parents (Sarah’s parents flew up from Atlanta to surprise her), Joe surprised Sarah with a celebration with friends at the Rose Bar at the Gramercy Park Hotel (Sarah’s favorite bar in New York City).
How did you select your venue? Sarah had two requirements when looking for a venue, on the water and in the great state of Georgia where she grew up. The Ford was the first place we toured and after that nothing compared. Aside from being one of the most beautiful places we had ever seen, the hospitality and overall feel of the place instantly made it our top choice. (They greeted us with lemonade and warm chocolate chip cookies, the chef gave us a tour of the entire property, this day in and of itself was truly special). The picture included below is truly everything we wanted!
Did you decide on a first look? Yes we decided to do a first look so that we would have more time to enjoy our cocktail hour with our guests and calm our nerves! So many people flew in for the occasion and we really wanted to spend every minute at our own wedding versus taking pictures during the reception.
Tell us about your dress shopping experience. Went to several different stores around NY and Atlanta with my mom and at one point or another best friends, sister and mother in law came along. The dress I ultimately chose was Oscar de la Renta from Saks Fifth Avenue Bridal. I knew I wanted something classic and simple with a twist. It was the perfect dress.
Describe your hair and makeup: All natural makeup, hair half up.
How did you decide on your aesthetic + color palette: I wanted a very rustic look to contrast with the elegance of the property. Anything too formal would have made the wedding too stuffy for our taste so with a rustic / antique aesthetic we wanted to make the mood very relaxed and simple yet elegant. The color palette was peach and moss to complement the outdoor setting and highlight the Spanish moss trees. Each place setting was also different to give a more vintage classic feel.
Ceremony Details: The ceremony was held on the front lawn of the Main House at the Ford Plantation. A string trio performed as guests were seated and one of the best moments of the wedding was immediately following the ceremony when a gospel choir surprised everyone with an amazing performance of “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” to lead everyone to the back lawn for cocktail hour. Guests were seated in church pews adorned with rose petal filled baskets.
Guest Count: approx. 200
The Favors: Guest welcome baskets were very “Savannah” based and included Savannah honey, fireball whiskey, sunglasses, koozies and Georgia peanuts
Bridesmaids Attire: I let the bridesmaids choose their own dresses. The inspiration was the Amsale dove color but I wanted a variety of textures and colors to not look too uniform.
What was on the menu for the evening? We offered a filet of beef or sea bass with southern inspired side dishes including sweet potato succotash. The Ford Plantation has its own vegetable farm so the food was farm to table, so fresh and well prepared.
Late Night Snacks: Pimento cheese grilled sandwiches
The Invitation + Paper Details: Invitation was made from scratch and designed by the bride. Kraft paper envelopes with white calligraphy, inside a simple invitation wrapped in a moss paper band and peach circle tag with S&J hanging. Each envelope had vintage Connecticut and Georgia stamps.
Describe your cake and or sweets: We are not the most traditional couple so this was a place we could add our own twist on a ‘normal’ wedding. Instead of a traditional wedding cake we had (and cut) a grooms cake that was made to look like our dog little dog Finley. We wanted him to be there in some way, so this was the best and most creative way possible. We also had a table with bite sized deserts that were a huge hit (mini bread pudding, lemon bars and cheesecakes that were a huge hit).
Describe your flowers: The flowers were truly unbelievable. Hydrangeas, peach and pink roses, and so much greenery! The ceremony entrance had large whiskey barrels with huge flowing arrangements (brides favorite part!), additionally the top of the tent was clear, we wanted it to feel like there was no tent at all. The chandeliers were wooden with draping greenery. The center chandelier over the wedding party table was so beautiful it was covered in draping greenery with hanging votives.
Personal Touches: Each table had a different lace runner that was picked out by the bride individually. Additionally, each place setting was different than the next for an overall mix and match theme. The bride’s something borrowed was her best friend Jacqueline’s bracelet that she wore on her wedding day (same best friend that introduced us!). All the flowers were wrapped in handkerchiefs that belonged to the bride’s late grandmother Kitty Pearl Baxley. She also wore her grandmothers wedding ring.
What was your first dance song? Van Morrison, Tupelo Honey
What were the most important elements about your wedding day to you and your husband?We really loved the speeches and the band (so amazing). Joe also performed two songs with the band which were a big hit – Your Song by Elton John and All Night Long by Lionel Richie.
Ceremony & Reception Venue: Ford Plantation l Photographer: Tim Willoughby l Planning: Caroline Carter Events l Florist: Garden on the Square l Videographer: Tim Willoughby l Cake and Sweets: KM Cake Design l Catering: Juan Carlos @ Ford Plantation l Bride’s Gown Designer: Oscar de la Renta l Dress Shop: Saks Fifth Avenue, New York l Hair & Makeup Stylist: Erik Hendrick and Nina Ladd of Lotus Hair Artisans (Atlanta, GA) l Groom & Groomsmen Attire: J. Crew Tuxedo l Rentals: Amazing Event Rentals l Invitations: Chrissy Skutnik (Savannah GA) l Transporation: Coastal Georgia Trailways l Band: The Perfect 10 Band l Welcome Party: Soho South Cafe l Officiant: Reverend Steven Schulte
