This Couple Mixed Modern and Natural for Their Nashville Nuptials
These high school sweethearts said "I do" back home in Tennessee.
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Photography: Lauren Kinsey1 of 19
Brooke and Nick
Brooke Windsor and Nick Losh were sixteen and at a high school football game in Chattanooga, Tennessee, when they first met. The stadium's power blew, and due to sheer boredom, they started tossing a plastic football back and forth. This is when their forever crush began and led to their status as high school sweethearts—cemented by going to prom together.
Their paths diverged as they went off to college, but they found themselves back together four years later, dating long distance, with Brooke in New York City, and Nick back home in Tennessee. And while on a trip to Martha's Vineyard, he popped the question. It was a resounding yes, and a surprise engagement party followed in Brooklyn, with their immediate families. Moving the relationship right along, Nick bought a house for them in Nashville, drove to the Big Apple a few months later to pack up all of Brooke's belongings, and moved in together.
The couple was engaged for a year-and-a-half before another surprise—Brooke was pregnant. It was an added bonus for their October 22, 2016, wedding at Bloomsbury Farm. "Nothing changed," Brooke says of the wedding plans. "We just had more to celebrate and be thankful for! We were so excited to be having a baby."
And so, with 125 guests (and little Amelia Anne on the way) and help from their planner and event designer Jessica Sloane, Brooke and Nick took the next step and got hitched, with a wedding that highlighted the farm's natural setting with some modern touches, and the love that sparked during their teenage years.
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Photography: Lauren Kinsey2 of 19
The Stationery
The couple turned a "Viridian" save-the-date by Venamour, which fused bold type, illustrated greenery, and a watercolored crest by Feast Fine Art and Calligraphy, into their wedding invitation. The crest (which also graced the ceremony programs) incorporated some of the florals used in the wedding day's décor, the date, and the couple's initials. The final painted piece of art has since been framed and put on display in the couple's home.
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Photography: Lauren Kinsey3 of 19
The Location
Nestled in the hills between Smyrna and Nolensville, Tennessee, Bloomsbury Farm is a working farm and not only provided a stunning backdrop for a wedding, but several of the ingredients for the reception.
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Photography: Lauren Kinsey4 of 19
Getting Ready
The bridal party got ready in the loft at the farm, wearing monogrammed robes (and a J.Crew pajama set for Brooke) and hopping on the bed for a group photo before changing into their formalwear.
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Photography: Lauren Kinsey5 of 19
The First Look
"So much love, planning, and anticipation went into this day, it became hard for me to wrap my head around it all, but when I first saw Nick, all my anxiousness went away," Brooke recalls. "I was able to relax and just be present. He was my most memorable moment of the day."
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Photography: Lauren Kinsey6 of 19
The Attire
Nick went with a custom black suit, paired with a J.Crew bow tie and white pocket square.
Brooke donned a simple ivory column dress with bell sleeves by Roksanda, thanks to a bridesmaid texting a photo of it along with the words "I found it." The message came after Brooke and her mom had visited a few boutiques and the bride-to-be tried on a few gowns, to no success. But now the problem was that this dress was sold out on Net-a-Porter, and everywhere else in the States. "I immediately called my friend in London and said he must go to the boutique to see if they have this dress," Brooke says. "He did and they had one left. We had it shipped the next day. No returns, but I knew it was the one. It was perfect."
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Photography: Lauren Kinsey7 of 19
Her Finishing Touches
"I loved the idea of a sculptural, low chignon, and my hair stylist, Amanda Gros, created the most beautiful, simple knot," Brooke says. Vintage Art Deco earrings scored at the bride's favorite antique store in Brooklyn rounded out her look.
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Photography: Lauren Kinsey8 of 19
The Bridal Bouquet
Vintage Florals made the bridal bouquet using chocolate cosmos, Queen Anne's lace, anemones, garden roses, cymbidium orchids, ferns, olive branches, and a mix of colored foliage.
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Photography: Lauren Kinsey9 of 19
The Bridal Party
The ladies in Brooke's bridal party picked out their own black dresses. Her mom served as matron of honor, and the bridesmaids included Nick's sister, one childhood friend, and two college pals.
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Photography: Lauren Kinsey10 of 19
The Smallest Attendants
The junior bridesmaid (who carried a bouquet) and flower girls (who wore flower crowns and scattered petals down the aisle) sported simple J.Crew dresses.
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Photography: Lauren Kinsey11 of 19
The Guys
Like Brooke, Nick had a parent in a special role—his dad served as best man. Nick's brother-in-law, a pair of childhood friends, and nephew rounded out the groomsmen.
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Photography: Lauren Kinsey12 of 19
Taking a Moment
"Before my father and mother walked me down the aisle we all stood together, reflecting on the time leading up to this particular moment," Brooke recalls. "Looking at all our family and friends waiting for us, we were in awe. It was more of a moment full of smiles, hugs and tears of joy."
Here, after entering the ceremony, Brooke's father lifts her veil.
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Photography: Lauren Kinsey13 of 19
An Outdoor Ceremony
The Christian-based service, led by Nick's cousin, incorporated a scripture reading and the Lord's Prayer, before the couple recessed to Natalie Cole's "This Will Be." In the background, the hills showed off with their fall foliage in full effect.
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Photography: Lauren Kinsey14 of 19
Cocktail Hour
Following the early-evening ceremony, everyone moved over to the pavilion for cocktail hour by the fireplace, where they sipped on the couple's favorite whiskeys and local wines and beers, helped themselves at a table of raw seasonal vegetables and spiced yogurt (the newlyweds love crudité), and noshed on corncakes and lamb sliders.
They later returned to the space for post-dinner dancing.
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Photography: Lauren Kinsey15 of 19
The Reception Tables
Farm tables and wooden bistro chairs set the scene in the clear reception tent, with a larger table with unfinished edges serving as the head table. "We wanted to create a feeling of romantic moodiness," says planner and event designer Jessica Sloane. So touches of black (like the taper candles) were used, along with mixed metals courtesy of vintage brass candlesticks collected by the bride and copper chargers. Tons of greenery and individual blooms were sprinkled about in bud vases.
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Photography: Lauren Kinsey16 of 19
The Place Settings
Designing with an aesthetic that was organic, casual, a bit wild, and somewhat moody, the centerpieces mixed soft flowers with variegated foliage, atop a canvas runner and surrounded by gold and copper accents.
Simple menus tucked into the folded napkins outlined the meal, which began with sourdough rolls, blackberry jam, and salted butter, plus a curly kale Caesar salad with toasted pumpkin seeds and shaved parmesan cheese. The second course was fire-grilled flank steak with chimichurri and pickled red onions, and hot smoked Norwegian salmon with horseradish brown butter, shallots, and fresh dill. More local ingredients appeared in the sides: charred Bloomsbury Farm root vegetables, and warm potato salad with soft-cooked farm egg and French grain mustard vinaigrette. South Fork Catering Co. prepared the multi-course feast using ingredients from the location and four neighboring farms, as they believe that food tastes best when it is raised nearby. The dishes were cooked over an open flame for all to see.
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Photography: Lauren Kinsey17 of 19
All Aglow
"I took a moment at the reception to step outside of the pavilion and into the grass alone," Nick says of one of his favorite parts of the day. "I looked around at all of our most important people in one spot and soaked it all in."
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Photography: Lauren Kinsey18 of 19
The Wedding Cake
Sour cream pound cake and meringue icing came together in a three-tier cake by Dessert Designs by Leland. Scraped icing gave it an unfinished, exposed look, and sprigs of thyme surrounded the base of each layer.
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Photography: Lauren Kinsey19 of 19
Sources
Photography, Lauren Kinsey
Location, Bloomsbury Farm
Event planning and design, Jessica Sloane
Catering, South Fork Catering Co.
Flowers, Vintage Florals
Videography, Needle & Thread
Stationery, Venamour
Calligraphy and Crest, Fine Feast Calligraphy
Cake, Dessert Designs by Leland
Music, Corwin Trio; The Maleman Show Band
Rentals, Liberty Party Rental; Southern Social
Bride's gown, Roksanda
Hair and Makeup, Amanda Gros
Flower Girl dresses, J.Crew
Groom's tuxedo, J.Crew
Lighting, Nashville Event Lighting
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