This Bride's Watercolor Wedding Dress Set the Tone for This Colorful Savannah Celebration

Bold and Beautiful

With a background in creative arts, Adrienna expected to DIY multiple elements for the wedding—including her invitations. "I went to college for textile design and am constantly making and creating," she says. "I originally planned to hand-make these, but ended up ordering them from Minted! We chose a gold-foil suite that was bright and colorful." The variety of pink, blue, and mauve shades on the invitation previewed the vivid aesthetic of the wedding day. "It was important to me that they tied into the final décor," says the bride.

Splashy Hues

As a former wedding-dress boutique owner, Adrienna estimates that she had tried on "hundreds of gowns"—including many Frank saw on her—before beginning her official search. "I never really pictured myself in white," she says. "I knew I wanted something with color! I had always been obsessed with Leanne Marshall and how her watercolor dresses are works of art." Unable to travel cross-country to boutiques that carried the "Twyla"—a silk organza A-line with a transitional cape and watercolor-inspired fabric—Adrienna ordered a sample. "I tried it on in my living room with my fiancé hiding in the bedroom, my mom on Skype, and my dog lying on it the whole time," she says. "Even though it needed quite a bit of work to fit—I'm only 4'11"!—I knew it was the one instantly and didn't try on any other gowns!"

She took the gown to Love Lives Here for alterations, where a seamstress reconstructed the entire piece. "It couldn't be hemmed due to the watercolor fabric, so she took each piece off, resewed them to the bodice, and created a custom bustle so that the cape became this voluminous masterpiece for the reception," says Adrienna. "My seamstress shares a studio with an accessory designer, so I had her make me a custom sash. She included lavender crystals and sewed it in." Statement earrings from The Pink Reef and a bracelet that belonged to her grandmother added a dose of sparkle.

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Cape Crusade

"The cape was my favorite part of the gown, and made me feel like a goddess on my wedding day," says Adrienna. "My seamstress created the most incredible design for the cape, and had it bustled for the reception, creating volume and showcasing the watercolor work. I honestly have never felt so beautiful!"

Prints Charming

Frank chose a custom tuxedo from Men's Wearhouse, pairing a wine-colored velvet jacket with classic black pants. "He had a custom colorful lining for some fun, as well as our wedding date embroidered inside," says Adrienna. Divvy Up socks printed with pictures of the couple's pets were a wedding-day gift from the bride.

Back to the Start

Adrienna and Frank chose Columbia Square, where they had eloped a year before, for their first look. "I was already so nervous, so knew I wanted to see him," says Adrienna. "I didn't think I would be nervous, or cry, but boy, I did."

A Big, Bright Bouquet

The bride enlisted her friend—and former event company employee—from Hey Jude Florals to create bouquets and arrangements. "I gave her an idea of the color palette and shape and let her design using her creativity," says Adrienna. Her bouquet of pink peonies, purple tulips, peach lisianthus, blue delphinium, snapdragons, larkspur, poppies, ranunculus, and lavender was "big, colorful, freeform, and had a hand-picked feel," and was tied with charms that included her grandparents' photos.

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In Black and White

Groomsmen wore black suits with floral Frank and Buck ties, and though Adrienna initially envisioned adding more color to the day with vibrant bridesmaids' gowns, she decided to keep it simple. "With my gown having hand-painted watercolor, I wanted the bridesmaids to wear white so that the colorful elements could stand out," she says. "Paired with the black suits, it made the colorful event a little more formal."

Around Town

A classic trolley from Old Savannah Tours shuttled the bridal party—and, later, the guests—around town. "It was so much fun!" says the bride. "We also had it pick up guests to take them to the reception, and everyone loved how fun and 'Savannah' it was. I also loved our trolley tide back downtown after the wedding—it was packed with guests, and we sang show tunes the whole ride!"

Locally Grown

Adrienna requested "a large backdrop with a few aisle markers" for the indoor ceremony space, but otherwise gave her florist the freedom to "create the installation with whatever she felt would look beautiful," says the bride.

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Colorful Arch

"She hand-dyed fresh pampas grass she got from the islands around Savannah. Of course, some of our flowers didn't arrive in time (thanks, COVID!), but it was perfect anyway—when I saw the ceremony backdrop she created, I was in awe! It was absolutely incredible!" says Adrienna.

In Their Own Words

April Hayes of Savannah Custom Weddings and Elopements led the couple through a ceremony that included personalized vows. "I am religious, Frank not so much, so we had a nice balance," says Adrienna. "My love language is words of affirmation, so hearing Frank's vows was really, really meaningful."

Pet Project

Adrienna and Frank honored their dog and cat with custom bar signs listing their two signature drinks—a spiked lavender lemonade and "The Swipe Right," a whiskey smash. "The signs are on display in our at-home bar!" says the bride.

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Let the Light In

The couple picked their venue without ever seeing it in person, in part because of the large windows and pretty views. "I knew I wanted a space that was bright, filled with light, and let guests enjoy the beautiful outdoors—but was air-conditioned!" says Adrienna. "Since we had a short and sweet ceremony, the focus of the design went to the reception. We added cafe lights to the ceiling, and pipe and drape along one of the walls to soften the sunset glow. For our head table, I wanted white washed farm tables, with a 10-foot lavender runner and greenery."

Featured Flowers

Pandemic safety rules prevented the couple from pre-setting plates, so Adrienna added lavender napkins and plenty of candles. Pristine blooms in low white vessels stood out against the white tables, walls, and draping in the room.

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Perfect Harmony

While planning the wedding, Frank kept his focus on the music selections, provided by All About You Entertainment. "Our first dance was a huge deal for my husband—it was one of the most important things to him!" says Adrienna. They opted for Ryan Hurd's "Diamonds or Twine," and then opened the dance floor with Kesha's "Your Love Is My Drug." "Frank's number one dream for the wedding was good food, good music, and guests having a fantastic time," says Adrienna. "He wanted the dance floor to be non-stop, all night long. He succeeded!"

So Sweet

Adrienna and Frank opted not to serve wedding cake, and instead treated guests to an ice cream cart from Leopold's, the Savannah spot where they had dessert on their first date. "As a former wedding planner, I saw countless weddings where half of the cake was thrown out and not eaten, so we wanted something we knew our guests would love," says Adrienna. Ice cream flavors included butter pecan, mint chocolate chip, strawberry lemonade sorbet, birthday cake, mocha chocolate chip, and blueberry cheesecake. "We had chocolate chip cookies for sandwiches, and that was what we had for our 'cake!'" says the bride.

Sources

Photography, Amanda Olivia
Venue and catering, Westin Savannah
Event planning, Adrienna McDermott
Flowers, Hey Jude Florals
Videography, Jeff Bush Videography
Officiant, April Hayes, Savannah Custom Weddings and Elopements
Stationery, Minted
Music and day-of coordination, All About You Entertainment
Rentals, EventWorks
Bride's gown, Leeanne Marshall
Bride's accessories, Nine West shoes; Jaxie Bridal sash; Bright Crystal Wedding hair pins; The Pink Reef earrings
Hair and makeup, Beyond Beautiful by Heather
Groom's suit, Men's Wearhouse
Men's ties, Frank and Buck
Groom's socks, Divvy Up
Lighting, JLK Events
Transportation, Old Savannah Tours
Alterations, Love Lives Here
Bar menus, Z Create Design
Draping, D. Vine Weddings and Events
Engagement ring, Heidi Gibson
Guest book, B Gregory Design
Ice cream, Leopold's Ice Cream
To-go cups, For Your Party
Vow books, Plum Paper Co.
Wedding rings, Kay Jewelers (groom); Olive Avenue Jewelry (bride)