Jennifer + Ray

We think we might be about to blow your mind. Because for the first time, in a very long time, we're featuring a wedding where we did more than just the catering. That's right, we're not a one trick pony, and when the amazing Jennifer + Ray came to us for a consultation, we knew it was a perfect match. Not only between them, but for us to provide coordination, flowers, and design for this lovely little laid back couple. The creative guru Max LeBlanc rolled up his sleeves and pulled every swatch from the book to create Jennifer's dream textures and color palates, and just like that SIMB took the reigns of Jennifer + Ray's wedding. Our first wedding at Heritage Sandy Springs was a big project, but we're pretty pleased with the outcome, and with Amanda Summerlin behind the lens, we've got the photos to let you see what we mean.

Jennifer + Ray's wedding flowers were designed with an ethereal and elegant, yet casual, feel in mind. They were married under "cloud" of manzanita branches, garden roses, ranunculus, anemones and hanging lanterns. For her bouquet, Jennifer wanted a soft, snowy, loose arrangement, wrapped in a personal scarf for an heirloom effect. Our always ingenious Alison Lueker hit the nail on the head and delivered the day-of, finding the perfect balance between elegant romance and casual whimsy with Jennifer + Ray's floral designs.

When it came to the food for their festivities, Jennifer + Ray went for a buffet style dinner and butler passed hors d'oeuvres. Fried green tomatoes with horseradish cream sauce and caramelized onions, and miniature New England crab cakes topped with ancho chili aioli were passed throughout the garden are after the ceremony. Tomato napoleon with fresh basil and buffalo mozzarella with a green goddess dressing, and coriander + cumin grilled shrimp served curried mango sauce were part of the dinner menu. Along with grain mustard and aged balsamic pork tenderloin and roasted cauliflower + dried cherries + toasted pine nuts. After dinner Jennifer + Ray cut their creative cake from Cakes by Darcy, delicious desserts from our pastry department were passed around, and guests broke it down on the dance floor, until the happy couple was swept away into the night.

What a special celebration! And we hear this happy duo became a trio not too long ago! Check out Amanda Summerlin's most recent photo shoot with Jennifer + Ray! Congratulations, and a million thanks for letting SIMB play such a big role in your wedding day!

Cheers,

SIMB

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

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

Maria + Craig

Maria + Craig's wedding is a perfect example of how to tailor a wedding celebration into a reflection of your heritage, beliefs, and relationship. Soft hues, romantic fleurs, and vintage keepsakes makes it easy to imagine this ceremony and reception took place in the French countryside, but we're happy to say we didn't have to travel that far to achieve this amazing experience. Maria + Craig's ceremony took place at the absolutely breathtaking Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, on Peachtree, while the ethereal reception was set at Callanwolde, just a skip and a jump away from the cafe.

One of our favorite parts of Callanwolde may be its ability to transform from a center of visual and performing arts by day, to a fully functional event space by night, without ever missing a beat. Full of history, charm, and beauty, Callanwolde Fine Arts Center was a perfect match for Maria + Craig's wedding. Speaking of perfect matches, Katy Bee's Event and Design coordinated Maria + Craig's wedding, making sure every element was perfectly in place, and Victory Blooms floral designs were classic and romantic. These lovely local vendors shined bright on Maria + Craig's wedding day, and My Life Photography captured this seemingly effortlessly beautiful occasion in these images.

One of the themes of Maria + Craig's celebration was local fare, as it was important to the couple to support businesses in their community, and take advantage of seasonal and regional food. Their seated and served dinner menu consisted of several courses, starting with a local greens salad topped with fried vidalia onions and homegrown tomatoes. For their entrees, Maria + Craig chose a pepper seared filet with a burgundy demi glaze and our free-range chicken served with a bourbon + pecan butter sauce. And for dessert, as a nod to Maria's heritage, petit fours from Douceur de France and tres leches cake from Art By Liud were served.

Another wonderful wedding for the books! Merci to Maria + Craig for allowing SIMB to be a part of this heart-warming celebration!

Cheers,

SIMB

Italian Coast Wedding Shoot

Wedding inspiration can come from so many different sources, but what better than an amazing trip? For this sweet styled shoot at Summerour Studio, we were inspired by the sunny, lush, and rustic villages along the coast of Italy. 
With creeping vines over stone walls, fresh citrus at your fingertips, and limoncello for days, scenes from cities like Sorrento and Naples were brought to life in the heart of Atlanta. This playful photo shoot, coordinated by Andrea Carter and shot by Hollie at Lytle Foto, was filled to the brim with character and perfectly corresponding details. Andrea's citrus chandelier, Sophia Loren inspired styling, and simple coastal Italian accents set this shoot into motion. Che bella!  When Andrea asked us to join forces for this shoot, it was a no brainer. First of all, we love Summerour; it may be one of our top picks for true Atlanta venues. It's the perfect mix or modern and rustic, and truly feels like a little slice of Italy-- dripping in charm! Secondly, have you noticed the talent these vendors bring to the table?! Let's begin with the legendary Juli Vaughn, responsible for the lush florals and clever styling behind this shoot. From creating gorgeous garland, to finding the perfect way to display citrus accents in the trees, bouquets and centerpieces, Juli brilliantly pulled all the Italian elements together in the most beautiful way we could have imagined. Our dear friend, Erica Loesing, took this shoot to the next level with Yes Ma'am's paper goods. The golden and citrus hues in the invitation suite and the Italian word paper cuts were darling. Eileen Carter Creation's cake was adorned with lemons and kumquats and also sported one of Erica's laser cuts as a topper, and found a perfect spot on a vintage bar cart from Crush Event Rentals. Too perfect!  For our menu, Alison focused on simple, rustic flavors and let the freshness of the food really sing. Local tomato bruschetta created an ideal color palette and taste profile for a light bite, while a yellow and green caprese salad was a fresh twist on a traditional dish. Alison's linguine with mussels, garlic, peppers and green cauliflower was a feast for our eyes and stomachs. To top it all off, Whitney created a citrus sorbet with an outstanding presentation that still makes our mouth water just looking at these images.What an incredible collaboration! We loved working with these ladies and will be dreaming about the Italian coast for some time to come. If you can't get enough either, check out more of Lytle Foto's work on Pottery Barn's wedding blog. 

Salute,

SIMB

Credits | Coordination + Hair + Makeup- Andrea Carter Artistry  | Styling + Floral Design- Juli Vaughn Designs | Photography- Lytle Foto | Paper Goods + Calligraphy- Yes Ma'am | Food + Drink- Sun in my Belly | Cake- Eileen Carter Creations |  Furniture - Crush Event Rentals | Bride's Gown- The Sentimentalist | Men's Fashion- The Modern Gent | Venue- Summerour Studio

Ali + Chris

Oh, my heavens! We're back with more of Ali + Chris' wedding celebration, and we are aiming to please. We filled you in on the basics of this extraordinary celebration at Lullwater Estate last week, but this is the real-deal, no-holding-back, gush-fest, about all the gloriousness that filled Ali + Chris' special day. The gorgeous images, courtesy of Heidi at Our Labor of Love, are so lovely and take us right back to this intimate and tender day. So special for us!

Dreamy, huh? Heidi's shots are nothing short of spectacular. Really, such a talented lady, and always a treat to work with, it's no wonder Heidi's images of Ali + Chris' wedding were recently featured on Weddings Unveiled.  Take an already ridiculously beautiful property, and fill it to the brim with the most amazing details from vendors that are beyond our wildest dreams, and what do you get? Ali + Chris' wedding! Amy Osaba created the most amazing lush bouquet for our statuesque bride, and adorned the farm tables with fresh produce, bright buds, and fun textures to create whimsical and elegant centerpieces. Blue Eyed Yonder's vintage lounge pieces and farm tables where the perfect fit for Lullwater's historic setting, and Event Rentals Unlimited's vineyard chairs and Goodwin Event's bistro lights created the perfect ambiance for an intimate dinner.

When your life revolves around good company and great food, you definitely know how to host a party. As SIMB's founder, head chef, and co-owner, Alison Lueker-Ritter surely didn't disappoint, filling every nook and cranny of her and Chris' wedding day with delicious food. As guests arrived, they noshed off a beautiful charcuterie display, deviled eggs, and nippy dip, a family recipe that is a staple at Ali's family gatherings. After the sun-kissed ceremony, butternut squash soup shots with miniature grilled cheese and smoked trout served atop beet chips with creme fraiche were passed to mingling guests. Ali designed a four-course meal that featured some of her favorite flavors for dinner, and encouraged guests to swap stories and sip wine for hours under the twinkling lights.

The happy couple skipped the traditional wedding cake and filled their guests bellies with an assortment of pies from Southern Sweets and Sun in my Belly. After guests couldn't bare to eat another bite, they made their way to the patio dance floor and boogied down to Yvonne Monet's mixes. Between piling into the Smilebooth and cutting a rug, Ali + Chris' evening was jammed full of fun, family, friends, and the fondest of memories.

To this fabulous couple and our fearless leader, a million congratulations to you and a wishing you an amazing life full of love and adventures, of the everyday and the epic.

Check out more from this unforgettable day on Weddings Unveiled's blog.

Cheers,

SIMB

Sneak Peek-- Ali + Chris

Very few weddings are as precious as this one is to the SIMB family: our very own executive chef, and co-owner Alison's wedding to her love, Chris and oh boy, it is a doozy! The intimate ceremony, dinner, and dance party were held at Lullwater, a gorgeous estate and private venue managed by Sun in my Belly, and Ali + Chris's home. Beyond being incredibly sentimental for the location, Ali had a hand in every element of the wedding's design, filling every detail with thoughtfulness and love. We are so thrilled to share some of those details with you today and can't wait to bring you more of Ali + Chris' wedding celebration in the coming weeks.

Ali grew up in New Mexico, so the subtle turquoise accents, brought in with family heirlooms like this necklace, were full of nostalgia.

We are just bursting at the seams with joy and pride. What an amazing day! And this is only the beginning. Sit tight and get ready for round two of Ali + Chris at Lullwater, coming soon!

Cheers,

SIMB

Vendors | Creative Direction + Styling: Alison Lueker-Ritter at Sun in my Belly | Photography: Heidi Gelhauser at Our Labor of Love | Venue: Lullwater Acres | Wedding Cordination: Emily Gomez at Sun in my Belly | Floral Design:  Amy Osaba floral.event.design | Catering + Honey Pies: Sun in my Belly | Rentals: Event Rentals Unlimited | Bistro Lighting: Goodwin Events  | Lounge Furniture + Farm Tables: Blue Eyed Yonder | Linens: Party Tables | DJ: Yvonne Monet | Paper Goods: Yes Ma'am