She may have a New York zip code, but Grace Bonney followed her heart south of the Mason-Dixon line to throw the wedding her dreams. "I wanted a celebration to be very 'Brooklyn meets Deep South,'" says Virginia native, who met her now husband, Aaron Coles, shortly after she moved to New York City. After four and a half years of dating, the couple decided to have their wedding in Savannah, Georgia. "The city is a really saturated and dialed-up version of the South, and it was one of our top picks for a wedding destination," says Grace. "We absolutely love it there."
Here, newlyweds Aaron and Grace share a sweet kiss under an old oak tree in Savannah's Orleans Square.
Invitations were screen-printed by Bird & Banner on vintage linens; some handkerchiefs were bought in Savannah, and others belonged to family ("I was obsessed with matching the right invitation to the right person," says Grace).
Custom stenciled hankies, Sian Keegan.
A Llubav ring pillow echoes the gardenia in Grace's hair.
Ring pillow, Llubav Choy Duerr.
Silhouettes of the couple and their two cats adorn the fans.
Fans, art by Julia Rothman; printed by foryourparty.com.
Iced-tea tables at the ceremony are dressed with beige linen and paper flowers made by friend Erin Heath.
Signs, Betsy Dunlap Calligraphy.
Glasses of sweet tea with banner-bearing straws greet guests at the ceremony.
Flag straws, Aardvark Paper Straws.
Cocktail napkins, art by the Paper Moon Project; printed by foryourparty.com.
Sheets of paper, printed with the same motif as the napkin rings, stand in for a formal guest book.
Custom garlands and chalkboard, Erin Heath.
Grace and Aaron take their first turn as a married couple to Sam Cooke's "Bring It On Home to Me."
A recipe for General Oglethorpe's shrimp and grits (he was the founder of Savannah) is paired with grits from a local farm, and fastened with a custom-made button by Busy Beaver Button Company.
Custom buttons, Busy Beaver Button Company.
Bride's Wedding Band: The Clay Pot
Groom's Wedding Band: Blue Nile
Lighting: Bamco Productions
Prop Rentals: The Paris Market & Brocante, and @home Vintage General
Photobooth Rental: Photo Booth Scrapbooks
Vintage Parker Pens: vintagepens.com
Wooden Buttons: M&J Trimming
1/2-lb. Natural Kraft Tin-Tie Bags: (#300950M), Nashville Wraps
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Does anyone know where they got the bridesmaid dresses? I love that they are so different, but go together! I am trying to do the same for my wedding, but having a really hard time!
this is so cute! I love Grace's blog... this wedding displyas how awesomely creative she is