I love a bride that isn’t afraid to be bold! When I met with McKenna to talk about her wedding - 3 months out from the date, mind you - she mentioned that she wanted to create something that was unique to her personal style. Which included her signature color - PINK! But she didn’t want the typical southern blush wedding. So, we turned up the color, and mixed in lots of layers and texture, all while staying true to our brides wishes for a chic, boho vibe.

I’ve done quite a few weddings on a shortened timeline. And each one always different, because each couple is different! I honestly love it. There is definitely something to be said about having a longer engagement, with plenty of time to plan and sort through ideas. But the challenge and thrill of getting 12+ months of work done within 3 months is quite thrilling for me! And trust me, shorter engagements don’t necessarily mean less work - we definitely fit in 12+ months of work into that timeframe. I honestly don’t think you can even tell for a second that we planned this wedding within 3 months.

True story: McKenna + Russ were originally planning to get married at a different venue when we first met. But after I did a venue tour of Board & Batten Events, and shared it on Instagram, she called me and asked if it would be crazy to switch venues. I didn’t think it was crazy at all - I thought it was a great idea, and we got to work immediately with a new venue in mind!

We had an all-start team that worked so hard to make sure McKenna + Russ had the best day ever. As a wedding planner + designer, your team is everything. Couples hire me to make sure that their day is as perfect as can be. So, it’s my job to make sure I assemble a killer team that can execute my couples vision and desires for their event. And trust me - this team of mine just knocked it out of the park!

McKenna + Russ were such a joy to work with. And seeing everything come together for them was so much fun! I’m excited to relive their special day and share some of my favorite photos, as well as a clip from their wedding video, below.

Oh, and we we’re published! Don’t miss our feature over on 100 Layer Cake!

Fun Fact: We flipped this room in 30 mintues from ceremony to reception!

Huge thank you to our talented team of vendors!

Planning + Design: The Graceful Host
Photography: Breathe J Photography
Flowers: New Creations Flower Company
Hair + Makeup: Lindsey Regan Thorne with Be Pretty Charlotte
VIdeography: Humming Meadow Productions
Specialty Paper: Elisabeth Rose
Cake: Abigail’s
Wedding Dress: Willow by Watters from BHLDN
Venue + Catering: Board & Batten Events

How awesome is this video from Humming Meadow Productions?! I love when our clients choose to hire a videographer. It gives couples a whole new perspective on a day that goes by way too quickly!

Thank you, McKenna + Russ, for allowing The Graceful Host to be a part of your special day! We sure do love y’all!

XO,
A.