"My Best Friend's Wedding"

On October 15, 2016, I had the honor of being a bridesmaid in my best friend's wedding at Oak Hollow Farm in Fairhope, Alabama. The entire weekend was magical ,full of  love and Southern sophistication! What I love about Megan and Drew's wedding was how they both collaborated and compromised on the date and details of their special day. #FutureSouthernBrides In order to protect your peace and to ensure that your groom and his company are happy, always plan your wedding on a by-week for your favorite football team or follow Megan's lead and have the game playing in the groomsmen rooms while they are getting dressed with plenty of snacks for them to enjoy. #YouGoGirl What I love about Megan's  planning of her wedding was how she consciously considered the cost of her wedding over the class of the wedding. Our beautiful navy couture bridesmaids dresses were from #BellaBridesmaids in Mobile, Alabama and because of excellent execution in planning, we were given a very reasonable time to save for the costs of the dresses and were afforded perks for ordering early.  We adorned our dresses with rose gold jewelry and Megan gave us the option to wear comfortable taupe shoes so that we could fully embrace every experience of the day! 
      Now go with me as I take you on a journey to relive the visions of love from Megan's special day. Beginning with the rehearsal dinner on the day before, the wedding party was served a full spread Southern style dinner that consisted of steak, potatoes, a garden salad, corn on the cob, shrimp and a delicate vegetable stir-fry followed by hot peach cobbler for dessert (delish)! Upon arrival to the rehearsal dinner, each bridesmaid was gifted with a beautiful rose gold bracelet and a framed picture of a special memory that we each shared with Megan. We were serenaded by a local talent guitarist and his wife and Megan honored us with her musical gift of song by singing a classic, "When the Right One Comes Along." 
          On the morning of the Hodges' big day, the wedding party had fellowship and breakfast in the guest house on the property of the venue. We partook in Chick-fil-A chicken biscuit bites, fruit trays, cheese trays and my favorite mimosas! We had such an amazing time catching up and sharing our memories of childhood, college experiences, motherhood, careers, and the #2016Election. I thoroughly enjoyed hearing diverse perspectives from Megan's Maid of Honor Shelley from Australia and Ellen from New York.  Upon the time of the wedding, Megan and Drew did a "First Look" (a moment between the bride and groom before the ceremony) and there were no dry eyes to say the least! I was not open to the concept but after witnessing it, my heart is open to the collaboration. The wedding was held at dusk behind the venue in a mystical wooded area clothed with oak trees, lights and southern style benches for the guests to witness the union. The pastor opened the ceremony so beautifully by telling the bride and groom and guests about the sacredness of marriage and how the wedding finger is the only finger that has a vein that goes directly to the heart (how amazing is that)!! I also loved how the pastor was attentive to details and perfectly intertwined Megan's love for Harry Potter by ending the ceremony with a quote from one of the novels, " You are protected, in short, by your ability to love." What a beautiful way to end a beautiful day!  The wedding reception was nothing short of amazing! Guests were treated upon arrival to Southern sweet lemonade, an open bar, sounds from an amazing band called "The Shade of Giants" and a Southern Style BBQ and Fish Fry all in one beautifully decorated barn! We indulged in prime rib, fried catfish, grits and mashed potato bar, salad, cheese, fruit tray, and squash casserole.  After a full night of festivities, Megan and Drew spent a few days of restoration at one of Baldwin County's historic and beautiful venues, "The Grand Hotel" where they enjoyed a Sunday brunch and all of the amenities that the gift of love affords.