This is my hardest blog ever. Ever. Simply because I had about 2oo images I want to show you. Yup, 200. But I gave the amazing talent at No’ala Magazine about 130 for them to choose between for their January Bridal Edition.
See, this is no “regular” wedding. I mean, if you had been there that day, experiencing each moment with us, you wouldn’t have known the difference. The bride got her hair done, her make-up, then cried and had to get it reapplied, then calmly put on her dress before seeing her groom… just like any other wedding. But this wedding involved something just a little more for everyone there.
A year ago, Wes Wages looked at me and said, “Tera, I want to do a free wedding.” I respond with, “Ok, let’s give away a photo package.” He says, “I want something bigger. Something bigger than the two of us. I want to involve everyone. I want to show the Shoals area how spectacular a wedding event can be using the perfect couple.”
So, we set out to do that.
No’ala magazine was the fire who set this idea ablaze, and then the glue that held it together. They hosted a contest. We called it “Shoals Perfect Wedding.” Almost 40 couples entered, agreeing to get married on September 24th of that year & agreeing to being open minded and letting the experts have their say.
When Erin brought her board to our office to turn in, I literally gasped. I felt like I couldn’t breath looking at it. It was truly a dream. I could touch textures, I could smell spices that made Erin feel alive, I could see little snippets of Alex’s passion for music. I could see this couple had ideas and they wanted to bring their wedding life. There were so many couples that turned in boards that made my heart sing and brought so much happiness to me… being able to read about couples and what they dream about is one of my passions….
This day flowed flawlessly. I prayed against rain for about 5 months… it was a lot of pressure when you pick the date for someone else’s wedding! But the sun hung in the sky perfectly, and the crisp evening air was perfect for the end of September.
These images that I have chosen, I chose because they are a few of my favorite moments. I few details that I loved. But honestly, the best is yet to come. I CANNOT wait to show you more. I will talk a little about the vendors throughout the blog & more at the end. But to say that I was blown away by what took place this September is a huge understatement. I am honored to bring you the first sneak peak of Shoals Perfect Wedding.
Erin & Alex, Wes & I love you from the bottom of our hearts. You made our dreams come true on this day & I pray so hard that we did yours as well. The two of you have the ability to show so much light to the world with your love. With your centeredness. With your passions. Erin, I was with someone this week who told me about their passion for food, how it brings people together. And Alex, music can take you back to a place and help your remember exact feelings you had in a moment when the song played. Both of your talents are so unique to people. They are so special. I am so happy you have found each other, the perfect fit, to help bring these gifts to life even more. Congratulations to you both.
Of course, you know who did Erin’s make-up… at least if you follow my blog at all… the wonderful, AMAZING Natalie Faggioni. She is truly a gift to brides in the Shoals Area. The best of the best. I am honored to refer her to brides. I had a bride in May tell me after her make-up was done that just being with Natalie right before the wedding made her so calm. She is soothing & that there was something holy about spending time with her. Wow. What an amazing way to start your wedding day. 
Erin got her hair done and Andy’s Salon. I will admit, it was my first time in his salon, but probably not my last, watching the bridemaid’s get a paraffin wrap looked heavenly. To say that they got pampered is a huge understatement. I was pretty jealous. 
In the interview, Erin made the statement that one thing she wanted for her wedding was for the guests to taste something really good. Even if it is just a bite. So in that moment, Alex’s love for wings were thrown out the window. So for lunch, he made his way to Buffalo Wild Wings… haha. I thought it couldn’t be more perfect.
Erin had so many new items that were given to her for the wedding, almost everything on her body, but I love that she remembered to have her heirlooms as well. Heirlooms are one of my most favorite parts of weddings. 
Sideline Jewelry gave Erin her earrings & the bridesmaid’s earrings. They were perfect for her vintage feel. 
This set of photos makes me so happy. Love. 
Erin got her dress from Cherry Tree Lane in Downtown Florence. I was so happy to get to go with her for the experience. There were so many to choose from, Erin narrowed it down between 2 of them, she put the first one on & said it didn’t sound like what she envisioned her wedding dress sounding like. She put this one back on, and suddenly, her face changed. This was it. And it was certainly beautiful.
The bridesmaid dresses were found at Anthropologie & ModCloth. Yay for non traditional bridesmaid dresses!!!!!!!!!! I could do flips over this detail! Why look like a box when you can look like a feminine lady?
The little girls dresses were made by Alex’s mom! I was amazed by the detail! Gorgeous!!! The fabric from both the dresses & bowties were donated from Thread fabrics in Tuscumbia. It is truly one of my favorite places to shop and get inspiration. I love going and getting fabric advice from Allyson, Carra Ellen, & Shelly! 
I LOVE the wedding ceremony in the middle of the field. OH MY! Yes! And there is no tent for the reception! Love the open air feeling!!! 
Alex’s grandfather preformed the communion during the ceremony, I am obsessed with family members who play a role such as this. What a special moment to remember forever. 
Erin & Alex incorporated music throughout the theme of their wedding. They used small record sleeves as part of their guest book. The guests could write notes to them & insert it in their box. When guests have the chance to write notes to the bride and groom, it makes me so happy. I wish I could go back and read advice/love notes from the people I love most. Again, another detail that will be cherished for years to come! I can imagine little Wittscheck babies reading these notes & learning so much about their mom & dad! Oh, my heart just got full!
Erin’s mom made homemade cookies using the family recipe for the favors. Wow. Wow. Wow. They were good. This is the first time I wanted to go back to the favor table and grab all the leftovers. Amazing.
I left a lot of the reception details out for the magazine, but I HAD to share this chalkboard drawing from Maggie Crisler, the event graphic designer. WOW! I am pretty obsessed! And wait til you see the photos of the invite/save the dates/programs/menus…ect ect. Maggie contributed so much to this wedding that made it look united. A lot of times, I speak with brides who getting close to the wedding aren’t sure if their stuff fits. Maggie was the glue that made the entire event flow. She took the styling ideas from Jordyn (we will get to her) and she put it all together. This wedding had an obvious theme & flow. It made all the difference. Maggie, I am in awe. You have serious talent my friend. Serious talent. 
When I arrived at the Bluewater Polo Club on Saturday mid day the floral arrangements by Lola’s had already been set out. This was the moment I was screaming on my insides!!!!!!! I think these are my most favorite florals from a Shoals wedding hands down! The tarnished silver… the soft pinks… texture… swoon, swoon, swoon. Thank you so much to Carl & his team at Lola’s!!! 
Alex & Erin left to floating lanterns… like in Tangled!!! It was magical! Here are two photos. The one of Daniel Crisler (middle) is one of my favorites. 
Remember how I told you Erin wanted her guests to taste something really good at her wedding, well, they did. Erin didn’t just have one caterer but FOUR of the best caterers in town.
The Dish, Table 18, Sweet Magnolia & Sweet Basil all donated all of their food and serviced for the event. They showed up and showed out. It was absolutely amazing. We actually had to go buy more plates because guests wanted to experience each vendor & kept going back for more! I will let No’Ala show off some of the featured menu items. I could have literally eaten all night.
Jackie at Party Pros came in and brought this event to life. He provided all the tables, seating, linens, all of the rentals. He was also a HUGE resource to know how to make things flow and look uniform. He was so wonderful to work with! I love love love Jackie!
Also, Mefford Jewelers donated Alex’s wedding band & Jamie Hood Jewelers donated pocket watches for Alex & his groomsmen. Grogan‘s donated their get-away Rolls Royce.
These are actually just a few of the vendors, there are so many more! Check out the January No’ala for the full list!
The last person who played the largest role in making this day happen beautifully is Jordyn Dean. She styled everything from colors, to clothing, to design work, to centerpieces, to the layout, to the favors, to the ceremony layout. She worked night and day planning to make this event perfect. I will say that it was a complete success. She was so wonderful meeting with vendors and arranging everything so the process for Erin was as stress free as possible.
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you to every person who had a hand in this dream! Thank you to the Speed family & the Wittscheck’s for being so accommodating to our dreams! Thank you to Alex’s dad for staying and lending a hand to clean! Thank you to our friends who came and donated their Saturday night to help us! Erin, Adam, & Laura the three of you rock! Thank you so much! Thank you to Trent Cronin for being the most entertaining MC I have seen!
Thank you No’ala Magazine for making this all come together. David, Allen, Lyndsie, Frances, & Claire all of your hard work & patience is truly appreciated. We have so much respect for you and the talent you have brought to the Shoals, we are honored to partner with you for each and every event!
Thank you Wes Wages for always dreaming bigger than the two of us. The world is so much bigger. Thank you for broading my mind and thought process! Thank you!
Alex & Erin, we love you!
Be Happy and Love each other!
T
