8.20.2014

Graham + Michael

 Be still our hearts! Graham + Michael's wedding is one for the books, and we couldn't be more proud to have been a part of their stunning celebration in Sharpsburg, Ga. This wedding is soaked in good ol' Southern charm, which of course means family first. Graham + Michael chose to have their ceremony and reception at Graham's family farm, where the renovated barn and rolling hills were sprinkled with rustic farm tables and mis-matched chairs, brought in by The Vintage Rental Company. And the simple and chic centerpieces and bouquets, with garden roses, Queen Anne's lace, and peonies, were made by family friends (we know, right?!?). Shot by Paige of Once Like a Spark, the photos are just the way we remember this evening...heart stopping!
Beyond being a ridiculously attractive pair, Graham and Michael are down-to-earth, laid back, and so sweet, you may get a cavity if you hang around them long enough. Their families, wedding party, and guests were just the same, which made this picturesque evening all the more perfect. Ironically though, only two hours before the ceremony, we weren't sure this wedding was going to happen at all, because it was pouring!! Setting up for a wedding in an open field with little shelter, during one of the worst summer thunderstorms we could imagine wasn't exactly ideal. But by some miracle, about an hour before the ceremony, the sky clears up, and there wasn't a cloud in sight by 6:00pm. It couldn't have been a more gorgeous night.
Sticking to their roots and knowing they'd want to spend tons of time on the dance floor, Graham + Michael chose a cocktail style menu, mixing Southern favorites and classic crowd pleasers. During cocktail hour, our all star appetizers were fried green tomatoes with spicy pimento cheese, mini crab cakes with ancho aioli, and chorizo + cheddar hand pies. While their tapas dinner stations included a mason station with build your own shrimp and grits, buttermilk fried chicken skewers, a traditional wedge salad, and our deconstructed corn muffin, carolina pulled pork, and purple slaw jars. The carving station leaned towards the traditional side, with caesar salad,  roasted seasonal vegetables, country bread, and prime rib with a yellow onion confit + horseradish sauce. The delicious desserts and cake  were provided by Blooming Flour Bakery
We are still weak in the knees over Graham + Michael's wedding. If you can't get enough either, check out Once Like a Spark's blog for more jaw dropping details. Here's to this radiant couple!

Cheers,
SIMB


8.06.2014

Smitten with Simply Charming Socials

Years ago, a bride came to us with a wedding planner in tow and right there, in a planning meeting, we fell in love! That wedding planner was Danielle Copeland, who would later partner with Kristine Cholakian, then a recent transplant from Manhattan, to create Simple Charming Socials, an Atlanta-based luxury event planning and design company, specializing in weddings, socials, styled shoots, and making us swoon. Since it's inception, Simply Charming Socials has been wowing us with their wedding coordination and perfectly breezy planning methods, and with Kristine taking the reins almost a year ago, SCS has catapulted onto a whole new level.
 With their recent sleek and romantic rebranding (which we are obsessed with, by the way!) and several years of experience in the Atlanta wedding market, Simply Charming's success isn't slowing down any time soon. Kristine recently launched Charm School: Lovely Lessons for the Blushing Bride, a series of mini sessions and workshops aimed to answer questions and give advice about everything from wedding etiquette to design inspiration. You can catch SCS's full day workshop on August 17th at Summerour.
Simply Charming Socials was one of the original members of Studio1658, and recently brought some of their charm to the studio's windows. Featuring a bevy of whimsical charm and vintage goods, as well as some of the common questions they get from future brides, that they hope to answer at Charm School. SCS's window display is just darling, but they're not the only ones posing questions. We asked Kristine a few of our own, and here's what she had to say. 
 From planning meetings, to photo shoots, and Charm School to wedding celebrations, working with Simply Charming is always such a sweet experience. We simply love the always charming SCS! 
Cheers,
SIMB