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Martha Stewart Weddings

Destination Weddings

Destination Wedding: Sharon and Francis, Bristol, Tennessee

  • Sharon and Francis
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    Sharon and Francis

    Sharon and Francis were leading typically time-crunched lives when they met in Manhattan, but a few emails, phone messages, and a batch of Sharon's chocolate-chunk cookies brought the two together.
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    Invitations

    Sharon, a graphic designer, chose shades of pink, gray, and white and a modern motif of patterns inspired by Japanese textiles for the wedding stationery she designed.
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    Bridal Party

    Sharon asked each of her five bridesmaids to pick a dress to her liking in a shade of coral or pink.
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    Groomsmen

    Francis is flanked by his groomsmen, who are family or friends from his childhood and university days; Francis's brother Tom wears a kilt in the family tartan.
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    The Groom's Family

    The newlyweds take a photo with Francis's family, including brother Tom and his wife, Sue, and his parents, Robin and Marian.
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    Bouquet

    Sharon's hand-tied cascade bouquet mixes pale-pink peonies, sweetpeas, azaleas, white mock orange, bell-shaped campanula, clematis, and garden roses; it's secured with a sash of vintage kimono silk.
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    The Happy Couple

    Glassine flowers and tissue dots shower the newlyweds as they emerge from the church. The confetti was distributed in envelopes before the ceremony.
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    After the Ceremony

    Sharon and Francis share a special moment before the reception.
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    The Reception

    The couple crosses the lawn to join their guests on the porch of the Virginian, a farm turned golf club.
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    Porch Decorations

    On the porch, white paper accordion lanterns and wooden birdcages are suspended above the tables.
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    Cocktail Hour

    Two cocktails honor the heritages of bride and groom -- Pimm's Cup, a British favorite, and Tennessee Tea, which Sharon created using Jack Daniels, Triple Sec, Coke, sweet-and-sour mix, and lemonade.
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    Table Arrangements

    Free-form centerpieces set in low wooden trays combine peonies, viburnum, dogwood, green parrot tulips, spirea, sweetpeas, double lilacs, maidenhair fern, and fiddleheads.
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    Father-and-Daughter Dance

    The bride dances with her dad.
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    Special Wishes

    Note cards with guests' messages to the newlyweds are dropped into a beribboned fishbowl set among others bearing water plants and river stones.
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    Favors

    Taped to the lid of a favor box is a recipe for the chocolate-chunk cookies, nestled inside, that helped Sharon win Francis's heart. Labels run through a sticker machine wrap the pink boxes.
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    The Wedding Cake

    The bride and groom cut the almond cake with buttercream frosting.
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    Just Married

    The couple prepare to depart in a vintage convertible festooned with pale-gray ribbon.

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    Sources

    Ceremony Location: First Presbyterian Church, Bristol, Tennessee
    Reception Venue: The Virginian Golf Club, Bristol, Virginia
    Flowers: Livia Cetti for the Green Vase
    Wedding Gown: Rochas
    Custom Headpiece: Ellen Christine
    Hair: Rick Burleson of Grow Salon
    Bride's Shoes: Rickard Shah
    Stationery: Sharon Slaughter for Yours, etc.
    Calligraphy: Maybelle Imasa-Stukuls
    Printing: Manifesto Letterpress
    Car Rental: Rumbles

  • Sharon and Francis
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