Being a Bride: Megan

Megan is one of my sorority sisters who was recently married in the most beautiful of venues. She's helping me kick off a new feature, Being a Bride. Enjoy! 

Bride Name: Megan Smith
Groom Name: Frank Smith
Wedding Date: October 31, 2015
Total number in wedding party: 23
Total guests: 150
Venue: Biltmore Ballrooms- Atlanta 

How you met & the proposal: Frank and I met in high school. He sat behind me in homeroom relentlessly bugging me. Over the years, the bugging subsided and we became close friends. After graduation, we both set off to college and went our own ways. In the spring of 2012 we reconnected and by that summer we were dating.

On Friday February 27, 2015, Frank took me out to one of our favorite dinner spots, Blue Ridge Grille, in Buckhead. Frank loves a good cordial and we had wanted to go snag drinks at the St. Regis for some time. I obliged and off we went. As we headed up the gorgeous staircase to the bar, Frank made a sharp left turn towards a fireplace lined with rose petals, candles and champagne. He quickly got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. Soon after, hotel staff delivered macaroons and sabered the bottle of champagne. To my delight, both of our families arrived to celebrate with us. We sipped champagne and shared plans late into the night.

What was something your bridesmaids or family members did for you that made your day or pre-planning experience special?   The day after our engagement my parents hosted Frank’s family at our house to celebrate. He had a chef prepare a special meal and played a slideshow he had created that included pictures of Frank and I growing up.  Friends of my parents threw a fabulous bridal shower at their home. I felt so special having family members fly in from California, co-workers, sorority sisters and old family friends come to celebrate with me. Frank’s family friends threw us a spectacular engagement shower at their gorgeous home. Last but not least, my bridesmaids braved hurricane Joaquin to throw me an eventful bachelorette weekend that included some of my most favorite memories. 

What inspired your wedding day (theme/look/feel): The Biltmore Ballrooms are each painted in beautiful pastels. The ballroom where we planned to marry in was painted a hue of yellow while the ballroom where reception was to be held was a powdered blue. I knew that typical fall colors would not be compatible with the venue’s walls. I opted for a color pallet of blush, gold, and an off-white color with hints of sea-foam green. In months leading up to the big day, I was asked by vendors to describe the feel of our wedding. Eventually I was able to pinpoint a phrase to accurately describe our theme: old southern glam.

What was the best wedding gift you received?  Frank’s grandma, Grandmommy, sent us a precious package containing a Bible, devotional, and a bookmark that she and Frank’s late grandfather once used. Inside the front cover of the bible she wrote us a note providing marriage advice, life lessons, and a prayer for Frank and I as we started our new life together.  

If you have any wedding décor DIY tips/tutorials, or money saving suggestions, please share:

1. Hire a wedding planner or have a close friend/bridesmaid/family member that is willing to help you secure vendors. I wasn’t prepared for the hundreds of phone calls and numerous contracts I had to keep up with. Someone to help follow up with vendors throughout the months leading up to the big day is essential.
2. DO NOT purchase anything until you have the venue secure and have come up with a complete vision of your big day. The look and feel of your venue and the flowers in season will make up a big part of the overall “feel” of your wedding. Once you choose those two things then it is safe start thinking about colors and design accents.
3. Do your research! Read vendor reviews, ask people you know for recommendations, stalk wedding websites. I spent hours on the computer looking at vendor reviews and it paid off. You can find well-rounded vendors in any budget if you take the time to do your research. I attribute everything going smoothly due to great vendors.
4. Look for wholesale items or things you can re-purpose. Wedding decor can be very pricey and nobody wants to spend a lot of money on an item they can use one time. We found our place card frames on a whole sale website which saved us a lot of money. I also found that renting items is not cost effective.  Our candelabra came from an antique store in Chattanooga. We were able to repaint it and use it during the lighting of our unity candle. Re-purposing items can save you big bucks.