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| April 11 2012 + birmingham vintage eclectic garden wedding – michelle + grant |

Words cannot express how much I adore this sweet couple.  From the moment I met Michelle and got a since of her vision, I knew we were going to knock this one out of the park.  Michelle dreamed of getting married at her parent’s home in Vincent, Alabama.  The setting was perfect for the vintage, eclectic garden wedding she envisioned.  After meeting with Michelle and listening to her wonderful ideas, I knew that Mandy Majerik with Hothouse Design Studio was the designer who would help take Michelle’s vision from drawings and photos to a stunning reality.

Michelle purchased her beautiful, vintage-inspired gown at Ivory & White Bridal Salon in Crestline (are you looking for a fabulous wedding gown – Brooke, Lauren, and Molly will help you find “the one”!) The dynamic husband and wife photography duo, Wes and Emma Teague of W+E Photographie photographed the day and captured all the beautiful details.

Michelle asked her bridesmaids to wear dresses that matched her color palette. As for the design – they could choose their own (which we love!).  The bride envisioned a bright, playful color palette of pinks, oranges, and yellows – ideal for a late summer garden wedding.

Unfortunately, on the day of the wedding, Hurricane Lee was passing through Birmingham – that’s right, we had a 100% chance of rain and an outdoor ceremony and reception.  Luckily, our photographers were able to catch a few beautiful photos of the bridal party outdoors in between storms. Without hesitation, we switched to our backup plan – the fellowship hall of nearby Macedonia Baptist Church.  Cahaba River Strings joined us for the ceremony and provided the beautiful music.

After the ceremony, guests were invited back to the bride’s parent’s beautiful home to celebrate with Michelle and Grant. Even though it was raining throughout most of the reception, we utilized the wrap around porch for guest seating.  The back porch featured a stunning estate table  full of yummy details. Design Productions outlined the porch with cafe lights for an intimate atmosphere. Kay Reed and her fabulous team from Cafe Iz catered a delicious southern menu including items such as shrimp and grits and fried green tomatoes.

Diane Olexa of Olexa’s Cafe designed the delicious cakes.  Michelle and Grant chose two of the most fabulous and unique cakes we have ever seen.  Michelle’s four tier cake was Diane’s signature vanilla buttercreme cake, while Grant chose a traditional chocolate cake with a yummy ganache drizzle.

Guests danced the night away to DJ extraordinaire, Danny Brewer with Feel The Beat Entertainment. At the end of the evening, guests lined the sidewalk as Michelle and Grant ran through a tunnel of sparklers.

We had such a blast working with this sweet couple…Michelle and Grant, we wish you all the happiness that this world has to offer!

 

 

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| April 3 2012 + mt. laurel engagement session – holly + murray |

Holly and Murray were married this past Saturday at The Grand Hotel in Point Clear, but we couldn’t resist posting a few of their stunning engagement photos from Daniel Taylor Photography.  The happy couple headed out to the quaint Mt. Laurel neighborhood in North Shelby County on a beautiful winter day.  M. Elizabeth Events loved planning Holly and Murray’s special day, and we can’t wait to share it with you in a few weeks!

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| March 15 2012 + ross bride resort wedding – summer + chris |

Summer and Chris were married on a beautiful June day at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral in downtown Birmingham, with a stunning reception at The Renaissance Ross Bridge Resort. Our great friends over at Daniel Taylor Photography referred this wonderful couple to us, and we could not have been more excited.

Summer purchased her beautiful bridal gown at Bella Couture in Mt. Laurel. She was more than pleased with the wonderful service she received from owner, Colleen, and manager, Carol. Summer chose one of our favorite accessories to wear on her wedding day – gorgeous 4 inch Jimmy Choos.

Summer hired one of Birmingham’s most experienced and highly recognized floral designers, Dorothy McDaniel of Dorothy McDaniel’s Flower Market.  Her bright and colorful color palette was perfect for the season.  Summer carried a modified cascading bouquet of peonies, garden roses, and orchids.  Dorothy even added in a few small broaches for a touch of “bling.”  The bridesmaids bouquets were absolutely stunning – peony, cockscomb, roses, and green hanging amaranthus – how yummy!

One of the grand staircases at Ross Bridge provided the perfect backdrop for Summer and Chris’ “first look” since they opted to see each other prior to the ceremony. Utilizing the gorgeous backdrop of the resort made for gorgeous photos of the bridal party before they headed to the church in transportation provided by Executive Shuttle.

The beautiful ceremony was held at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral in downtown Birmingham.  As always, Dorothy McDaniel did a beautiful job with the floral decor…and the colors matched the cathedral perfectly.

After the couple exchanged vows, guests headed to the Renaissance Ross Bridge Resort for a cocktail hour and formal seated dinner. At each place setting was a dinner menu, created by the bride, and a luggage tag, serving as the favor for the evening. A beautiful ice sculpture at the bar served as a martini luge, and was a huge hit among guests.

The popular band, II Da Maxx entertained guests throughout the evening.  Baskets of flip flops were placed around the reception to encourage guests to put on their dancing shoes and dance the night away!

The beautiful bride’s cake was designed by Evelyn Criswell.  In lieu of a groom’s cake, Chris opted for a chocolate station with homemade chocolates and candies by the talented Julie Hendricks of Sweet Magnolia.

Congratulations Summer and Chris!  We hope you are enjoying your first year as husband and wife.  It was a pleasure to get to know you and be apart of your beautiful wedding day!

 

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| March 14 2012 + downtown birmingham engagement session – tamika + bernard |

We met Tamika at the Perfect Wedding Guide Bridal Market at Rosewood Hall in early January, and became fast friends. Tamika and her precious fiance, Bernard, are getting married at their dream venue, The Birmingham Museum of Art, over Labor Day weekend this fall. We introduced Tamika to Alisha Crossley, a wonderful Birmingham-area photographer, and they instantly hit it off.  Alisha took these fabulous engagement photos of Tamika and Bernard on a beautiful winter day in downtown Birmingham. We are looking forward to seeing their stunning wedding come together, so check back with us later this fall for more photos of this darling couple!

Posted in birmingham, al weddings, engagements, outdoor engagement session | 1 Comment »

| March 7 2012 + the sonnet house wedding recap – heather + kenny |

We adored coordinating the wedding for this sweet, gracious couple.  Heather and Kenny were married in late October at The Sonnet House. Heather chose a rich color palette of plum, ivory, and sage green which Carol Riley of Lillie’s designed beautifully. Alisha Crossley spent the day with us and provided us with these amazing photographs!

The weather in late October in the south can often times be unpredictable; however, on this Saturday afternoon, the temperature could not have been more perfect. Heather and Kenny were able to say “I Do” outside on the grand ceremonial stage at The Sonnet House. Paul Hicks, a classical guitarist, provided the music for the ceremony.

After the ceremony, guests were invited inside for a wonderful, southern dinner catered by Jim N Nicks.  In keeping with the southern theme, all the centerpieces were placed in mint julep cups.  Wanting to incorporate a touch of fall, Heather and her mom found beautiful white pumpkins to place around the reception.

Both cakes were designed by Jan O’Donnell. The bride’s cake was a classic design with hints of purple, while the groom’s cake was a nod to Kenny’s love for the University of Kentucky basketball team.

Total Entertainment strung beautiful Italian canopy lights over the back patio of The Sonnet House, which also served as the dance floor.  Total Entertainment also served as the DJ for the reception, and did a phenomenal job of keeping the guests on the dance floor as the temperature began to drop.

Congratulations to Heather and Kenny! We loved getting to know both of you, and were honored to be apart of your wedding day!

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| March 2 2012 + pensacola engagement session – amber + rod |

Amber and Rod met in Pensacola during spring break while they were both in college and have been inseparable ever since.  After Rod proposed last summer, they knew immediately that they wanted to return to the place where they met to tie the knot.  For their engagement session, Birmingham-based photographer, David Bley, traveled to Pensacola to spend the day with the couple.  Unfortunately, the day called for severe thunderstorms, but Amber and Rod had a day they will never forget as they spent 4 hours running around in Pensacola in the rain. We think the photos came out beautifully!  Check back with us later this summer for a full wedding recap!

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| February 27 2012 + american village wedding recap – miranda + roger |

Miranda and Roger were married on a beautiful August day at American Village, and M. Elizabeth Events was so glad to be apart! Miranda hired long time friend, Mandy Majerik, owner of HotHouse Design Studio, to help create her rustic, yet lush green and white color palette. One of the many reasons we love working with Mandy is her attention to detail – I mean, look at the containers the bouquets were delivered in! Thank you to Tiffany Hughes of Lucky Photography for sharing these fabulous photos of Miranda and Roger’s wedding day with us!

Roger and Miranda were married in the Colonial Chapel, which is inspired by one of America’s oldest churches, Bruton Parish Church of Williamsburg, Virginia.  Not only does the chapel boast a 100 foot tall steeple, and a combination of both arched and round windows making it a photographers dream, but it also has a beautiful antique wooden pulpit imported from a church in England.

After the ceremony, guests were invited to the reception in the American-style barn that once inside has beautiful exposed beams and wood-hewn walls.  Guests were entertained throughout the night by DJ Wayne Ingram.  We absolutely adored the natural and organic centerpieces that Mandy created.  They each were so fitting not only for the bride and groom’s personalities, but for the venue. Bamboo chairs, rented from Party Time, also added to the decor perfectly.

Happy Catering created a delicious menu, full of crowd-pleasing items such as their ever popular pinwheels and hamburger sliders.  One of the things we love about Happy Catering is their full and luscious food displays – doesn’t it look delicious?!

The always wonderful, Barb Sullivan, of Barb’s Cakes designed the bride and groom’s cakes.  Miranda chose a classic four-tier vanilla almond cake with smooth buttercream, and green satin ribbon adorning each layer.  Barb piped a green “S” on the third tier for their new married initial.  Roger, an avid fisherman, opted for a three-tier chocolate cake, topped with chocolate ganache and a life-sized bass made out of modeling chocolate.

As their favors, guests chose from a variety of delicious candies from the candy station.  Sticking with greens, Miranda and Roger chose some of their favorite apple-flavored candies such as ring pops, apple licorice, and rock candy.  The brown paper bags were the perfect detail to add to their rustic reception.

Thank you Roger and Miranda for letting M. Elizabeth Events be apart of your special day!  We had an absolute blast working with the two of you! Best Wishes!

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| February 24 2012 + shoal creek club wedding recap – mcclain + frank |

M. Elizabeth Events was so excited when McClain called us from Nashville to help plan her August wedding to her high school sweetheart, Chris.  McClain and Chris decided to have somewhat of a destination wedding, when they chose to have their wedding ceremony and reception at the exclusive Shoal Creek Club, where the groom’s father is a member. McClain immediately took our suggestion to hire Arden Photography to capture their big day, and we think the photos just turned out perfectly.  Also on hand all day was Main Street Productions, to capture all the special moments on video.

The bride wore a stunning gown that was purchased at B. Hughes Bridal in Nashville, while the bridesmaids wore silk taffeta dresses from JCrew.  McClain’s fabulous Jimmy Choo’s matched their dresses perfectly.

The beautiful ceremony took place in the Shoal Creek Town Hall.  The beautiful flowers were designed by Queen Anne’s Lace, located in Nashville.  The bride was given in marriage by her mother, and the couple said “I Do” in front of 250 friends and family.

After the ceremony, guests were invited into the clubhouse for a wonderful reception celebrating the new husband and wife. The 5-tier wedding cake was designed by Dulce Desserts, also from Nashville.  Seating was spread throughout the clubhouse, but the real party took place on a lower terrace, where the band, Burning Las Vegas, kept the dance floor full. Design Productions covered the dance floor with Italian globe lights, as well as placed pink LED bars in the upper terrace for extra ambiance once the sun set.

At the end of the evening, McClain and Chris left through a tunnel of sparklers, and rode away in a 1963 Rolls Royce Silver Cloud III, provided by Coats Classic Cars.

McClain and Chris, we loved working with you both.  Best Wishes for a life filled with happiness and love!

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| February 23 2012 + panama city beach wedding recap – cristin + chad |

Cristin and Chad were married in their hometown of Panama City Beach, Florida.  Cristin wanted an elegant and fabulously chic wedding day, and all the details came together to achieve just that. Cristin and Chad became husband and wife at First Baptist Church Panama City on a beautiful summer afternoon in late August.  The fabulous Leslee Mitchell spent several days in Panama City Beach to photograph the entire wedding weekend.

Cristin’s stunning custom invitations were designed by Carrie Beth Taylor of Sugar B Designs. Calligrapher, Allison Banks, designed the custom monogram that was included in the invitation suite.

The bride’s stunning Monique Lhullier gown was purchased from Ivory & White in Birmingham. The bridesmaid’s dresses, from Bella Bridesmaid, were a soft shade of blush. The maids of honor wore a richer shade of pink.

After the ceremony, guests arrived at the Bay Point Marriott to celebrate with the couple.  Kirby Holt, owner of Blossoms, designed the lush and romantic floral palette.

Design Productions created a drape divider for one portion of the ballroom.  Guests enjoyed a cocktail hour for the first portion of the evening on one side of the curtain, which was highlighted by the bride and groom’s married monogram.  Once the bridal party finished taking photos, the curtains opened and revealed the beautiful reception.  Guests were treated to a delicious menu, full of the freshest seafood from the Gulf.

Award winning cake designer, Rhonda Joodi, of Confections on the Coast designed both the bride and groom’s cake. The bride’s cake was designed to mimic the bride’s beautiful gown.  The groom’s cake was a representation of Chad’s love for baseball, and his growth from a college baseball player to his success in the minor leagues.

After the traditional formal dances, and the cutting of the cakes, guests hit the dance floor to one of our favorite bands, Musical Fantasy.

As favors, Cristin selected her favorite pink candy, and set up a fun candy display outside the ballroom.  Each bag was adorned with a small sticker with the couple’s married monogram.

As Cristin and Chad left the reception, guests showered them with Flutter Fetti, a biodegradable confetti for a wonderful end to a magical night!

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Posted in beach/lake weddings, destination weddings, southern weddings, weddings | 1 Comment »

| February 21 2012 + south highland presbyterian & matt jones gallery wedding recap – julia + elliot |

We had the wonderful privilege of helping coordinate the wedding of this wonderful couple, Julia and Elliot.  They were married in mid-September at South Highlands Presbyterian Church, with a reception following at the popular Matt Jones Gallery.  Stephen DeVries photographed the wedding, and we are so thankful he provided us with these stunning photographs.

Longtime Birmingham floral designer, Carol Sullivan of Lagniappe Designs, designed the beautiful southern, chic florals that surrounded the bride and groom on their wedding day. Each of the eight bridesmaids wore a different floor-length grey dresses from Bella Bridesmaids.  The groomsmen wore traditional black tuxedos from Mr. Burch Formalwear. After the ceremony, the newlyweds departed the church in a 1954 Rolls Royce Silver Wraith, driven by one of the fabulous chauffeurs at Coats Classic Cars.

Once at the reception, two 6 foot candle trees, adorned with moss and florals, flanked either side of the front doors of the downtown Birmingham art gallery.  As guests entered they were greeted with the fabulous sounds of Music Garden’s hit band, 2nd Coming.  Chris Hastings and his staff did a wonderful job catering the event with a delicious southern menu, filled with favorites from the well known restaurant, Hot & Hot Fish Club.

Continuing with the southern, chic theme, each of the 12 centerpieces consisted of silver trays that belonged to the bride’s mother.  All of the trays were pieces that were passed down in her family over many years. On top of each tray sat a collection of mercury glass containers ranging from mint julep cups to antique pitchers.

Diane Olexa, owner of Olexa’s Cafe, designed the wedding cake, along with the groom’s cake. Julia’s wedding cake was a traditional four-tier stucco design with cascading flowers. The groom’s cake was was a two-tier chocolate cake. Cascading down the cake were red velvet baby bites from Pastry Art, the groom’s favorite dessert.

At the end of the reception, Julia and Elliot ran through a shower of rose petals, back to their 1954 Rolls Royce, and headed to Ross Bridge Resort to spend their first night as husband and wife. Congratulations Julia and Elliot! Thank you for letting us be apart of your special day!

 

 

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