Southern Wedding

Looking for ideas, artistry, and originality? This Southern wedding is definitely inspirational! Catherine and Drew plan to tie the knot in true Southern style with colours like ivory, toffee, plum and chocolate brown. An ombre purple wedding cake is a beautiful way to top off a fun celebration.

Couples getting married in Cardiff can be inspired by the colours described here. After all, the Welsh countryside, like Margam Country Park or Bute Park and Llandaff Fields, displays these colours exactly. So take the ideas presented here and incorporate them into your nuptials!

Details for a Southern Wedding

A Southern wedding is truly a production. These are classy events that are rooted deep in tradition. The bride is the focal point of the Southern wedding, and femininity is evident in not only the colours of the wedding, but in the decor as well as in the usually large wedding party – Southern belles especially want all their friends involved in the big day.

A Southern wedding may be heavily influenced by rustic details and a vintage feel from the rehearsal dinner to the actual nuptials to the reception. Southerners were utilizing items such as Mason jars and burlap to decorate long before the style became popular. Finally, no Southerner would host a wedding party without delicious food, and tradition typically takes precedent here as well.

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Colour Palettes for a Southern Wedding

Often, a Southern wedding’s colour palette is largely influenced by the time of the year in which the event is held. Spring weddings will offer all the hues of spring flowers and the Easter season – light yellows, pinks, and blues are quite popular spring wedding colours. Summer weddings tend to have brighter colours.

Spring Southern weddings use light pinks and blues, summer Southern weddings have colours that pop, such as hot pink, purple, bright yellow, and even green. Fall Southern weddings usually feature turquoise, orange, and off-white. In winter, many Southern brides will want Christmas colours, especially red.

Of course, Southern belles know that their favourite colour is always the perfect colour for a wedding any time of year. Every colour is perfect, as is shown in the purple and brown hues chosen by Catherine and Drew.

What to Look for in a Venue for a Southern Wedding

When it comes to venues, the sky is the limit for a Southern wedding. Some brides choose their local church and fellowship hall for the wedding and the reception, but, more and more Southern brides are going outdoors for fall and spring or early summer ceremonies.

When choosing a venue, you’ll want one that offers access to a kitchen area for food, as the reception is a big part of a Southern wedding. You’ll also want to make sure that the wedding venue is the right size for the number of guests attending the ceremony as well as the reception afterward. A venue that already has access to audio/visual equipment is also a plus. If you plan to have music and dancing at the reception, you’ll want to make sure there is ample room for this as well.

Food for a Southern Wedding

Food is one of the most important parts of a Southern wedding, so choosing just the right caterer is a top priority. While a sit-down dinner is no longer a requirement for Southern weddings, you do want to have the right amount of finger foods and snacks available for your guests.

Today, brides can offer some of their own favourite foods as well as their groom’s favourites on the reception menu. However, the cake is the focal point of the reception. Most brides opt for a more traditional cake while grooms may choose a cake that showcases their hobbies or perhaps a favourite sports team.

Groom Style for a Southern Wedding

Grooms in a Southern wedding have a wide array of styles to choose from when dressing for the big day. While some weddings down South are very traditional, some weddings are very laid back and casual. The groom should choose his outfit based on the bride’s level of dress.

Of course, a Southern gentleman following tradition may wear a tuxedo with a vest and a tie that highlights the bridal colours. Tuxes may be had in traditional black for a very formal wedding, but some grooms may also choose a grey or even a navy tux.

One tradition that is taking hold in Southern weddings is a suit jacket (usually beige) and khakis. Some grooms forgo the suit jacket and opt for a beige vest with khakis or even dressy blue jeans. Under the vest, the groom can wear a white dress shirt. Ties are optional.

Wedding Cake Ideas for a Southern Wedding

So many modern Southern weddings are based on a vintage or rustic wedding style, and the cake is often decorated in this fashion. Whereas traditional cakes with intricate scrollwork and perhaps sugar roses are still in style for a Southern wedding, some brides opt for a more casual cake to match the rustic theme.

These rustic-themed cakes often have two or three tiers depending upon the number of guests expected. They may be off-white or ivory in colour, and they are often decorated with ribbons of burlap wrapped around the layers. Some brides will decorate the top of the cake with synthetic flowers similar to those in her bouquet. Other brides will opt for a “naked” cake. These cakes appear to be undecorated, but, the baker skillfully places icing between the layers and lightly on the exterior of the cake.

Reception Decor for a Southern Wedding

The decor for your Southern wedding is typically dependent on one’s venue. Outdoor venues often require simple decorations that capitalise on the beauty of nature. Indoor venues call for a different type of decor, but brides can opt for simple yet elegant or more sophisticated decor. Those who choose a more whimsical venue may bring a unique decorating style.

When Southern brides host an outdoor reception, they typically decorate based on what natural elements they have to work with. Those who marry in a garden will add rustic decor, such as Mason jars filled with flowers as centrepieces. Tables may be repurposed picnic tables covered with runners featuring wedding colours. Some brides may even host the reception in a tent, which can be decorated to the bride’s taste.

Traditional weddings may call for a fully decorated indoor venue. Brides providing a meal at the reception could have tables outfitted with white linens, fine silverware, and crystal glasses. Some traditional brides will have separate tables for the wedding cake and the groom’s cake.

Outdoor Wedding Ideas for a Southern Wedding

Outdoor weddings are highly popular in the South! Almost any location can serve as a wedding venue – a barn, a lake, a rustic cabin at a state park, or a botanical garden.

Outdoor weddings may be very casual, or they can be a black tie affair. Brides tend to choose a dress based on the weather expected for the date. Some brides wear a long, traditional gown while others opt for a sleeveless, knee-length dress.

Brides may wish to choose a theme for their outdoor wedding. A highly popular theme across the South, however, is a rustic or vintage theme. These are typically more casual weddings.

One Southern bride incorporated her brother into her wedding by allowing him to play the role of a “flower boy.” This role was indicative of the fun relationship she had with her brother, who had the audience rolling with his antics.

Wedding Reception Music for a Southern Wedding

At a Southern wedding, musical choices may greatly differ. This is usually based on the venue location. Brides who choose a traditional wedding at a church venue may not have music at the reception at all. However, brides who marry in a church but then choose a different venue for their reception might engage in a reception that involves dancing.

Brides who wish to play a few tunes while the guests eat (and save the dancing for later) will choose tunes such as “At Last” by Etta James, “How Sweet it Is” by James Taylor, or “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” by Elvis Presley. Fun songs to dance to may include “My Girl,” by the Temptations, “Then,” by Brad Paisley, and “Get Your Shine On” by Florida-Georgia Line.

At a Southern wedding, most any country song will be appropriate! Country music offers a plethora of love songs as well as some “fun” dance songs. If you plan to dance at the reception, be sure to have a line dance song or perhaps the “Cha Cha” in the rotation.

Wedding Photo Shoot Ideas for a Southern Wedding

In the South, a wedding photo shoot can take place anywhere! Southern brides love to have an engagement photo shoot as well as one the day of the wedding.

During the engagement, many brides add signage that may boast the couple’s names, the upcoming wedding date, or a play on the groom’s name. The bride and groom are dressed, but typically in dressy casual. Some photos may showcase a hobby of the couple, such as horseback riding or a pet they share.

At the wedding, brides often have special pictures dedicated to their parents. For instance, there may be a first look pic of the bride and her father. Some couples are even doing a first look of the bride and groom themselves. Pictures with friends and family are also an important part of the wedding day, as well as snapshots during the ceremony itself.

Southern Wedding (reader request)

I love getting reader requests and this one was such a winner because it’s a colour scheme I haven’t put together yet! Catherine and Drew are having an indoor wedding in December in downtown Memphis and want a southern, slightly rustic feel. Catherine’s bridesmaids will be wearing navy blue and this lovely couple wants to incorporate plum, ivory, toffee, and chocolate-brown colours in the wedding palette.

For a southern wedding I love the idea of a magnolia wedding bouquet like the one shown in this inspiration board. The off white colour is perfect and it’s definitely unique. Moonshine in mason jar wedding favours is another nice southern touch as well as using planter boxes for the floral centrepieces. DIY escort cards with cute trinkets and an ombre purple wedding cake would tie the whole look together and showcase not only the rustic southern vibe, but also the lovely plum colour in Catherine and Drew’s wedding palette!

Congratulations to Catherine and Drew on your engagement and brides-to-be: don’t forget to request your own inspiration board here!

Looking for another stunning rustic look? Be sure to check out an ode to all.

Credits: photo credits: DIY magnolia bouquet from Wedding Chicks, photographed by Jaimee Morse // moonshine favors from Southern Weddings, photographed by Melissa Schollaert // invitation suite via Southern Weddings, designed by SlideShow Press, photographed by Eric Kelley // purple ombre cake via Style Me Pretty, created by Sweet & Saucy Shop, photographed by Brandon Kidd // escort cards via Style Me Pretty, photographed by Closer to Love Photography // floral centerpiece via Style Me Pretty, design by Joy Thigpen, photographed by Jose Villa.