A Whimsical Green Outdoor Destination Wedding in Savannah, Georgia

September 20, 2011

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The Happy Couple

She may have a New York zip code, but Grace Bonney followed her heart south of the Mason-Dixon line to throw the wedding her dreams. "I wanted a celebration to be very 'Brooklyn meets Deep South,'" says Virginia native, who met her now husband, Aaron Coles, shortly after she moved to New York City. After four and a half years of dating, the couple decided to have their wedding in Savannah, Georgia. "The city is a really saturated and dialed-up version of the South, and it was one of our top picks for a wedding destination," says Grace. "We absolutely love it there."

Here, newlyweds Aaron and Grace share a sweet kiss under an old oak tree in Savannah's Orleans Square.

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Invitations

Invitations were screen-printed by Bird & Banner on vintage linens; some handkerchiefs were bought in Savannah, and others belonged to family ("I was obsessed with matching the right invitation to the right person," says Grace).

Custom stenciled hankies, Sian Keegan.

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The Bridesmaids

The women chose their own dresses in shades of spring green.

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Bridesmaid Bouquets

Bridesmaids' bouquets feature scabiosa, ornithogalum, snowberries, lisianthus flowers, and guinea plumage.

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Boutonnieres

Light-blue delphinium, lisianthus buds, geranium foliage, veronica tips, and button ferns make up the boutonnieres.

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Pocket Squares

At the event, the bride was surprised to see that many of the men wore the invitations as pocket squares.

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The Bride and Her Father

Grace, wearing a Junko Yoshioka dress, takes the arm of her father, Chris Bonney.

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Bouquet

Grace's sophisticated but breezy bouquet, by Garden on the Square, contains 'Polo' roses, lilacs, scabiosa, sweetpeas, jasmine vine, ornithogalum, snowberries, button ferns (painted gold), and ring-necked pheasant plumage.

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Ring Pillow

A Llubav ring pillow echoes the gardenia in Grace's hair.

Ring pillow, Llubav Choy Duerr.

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Fan Favors

Silhouettes of the couple and their two cats adorn the fans.

Fans, art by Julia Rothman; printed by foryourparty.com.

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Table Decorations

Iced-tea tables at the ceremony are dressed with beige linen and paper flowers made by friend Erin Heath.

Signs, Betsy Dunlap Calligraphy.

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Sweet Drinks

Glasses of sweet tea with banner-bearing straws greet guests at the ceremony.

Flag straws, Aardvark Paper Straws.

Cocktail napkins, art by the Paper Moon Project; printed by foryourparty.com.

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The Happy Couple

After eight months of projects big and small, Grace and Aaron couldn't have been happier with the results.

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Entering the Reception

A gorgeous floral wreath by Julie of Garden on the Square greets guests as they enter the courtyard behind Harper Fowlkes House, for the reception.

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Guest Book

Sheets of paper, printed with the same motif as the napkin rings, stand in for a formal guest book.

Custom garlands and chalkboard, Erin Heath.

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The Music

The Corduroy Road plays bluegrass.

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The New Family

The new family, from left: Leslie Coles, Ruth Coles, Grace, Aaron and Elaine Bonney.

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Centerpieces

Vintage perfume bottles and Mason jars hold daffodils, lilacs, pink Scotch broom, scabiosa, ranunculus, sea holly, rosemary, and maidenhair ferns. Table numbers were screen-printed onto old family handkerchiefs and tied around bottles of sparkling water.

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Napkin Rings

Napkin rings are made from Belgian wallpaper, wooden buttons, and twine.

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Escort Cards

Bridesmaid Julia Rothman helped create escort cards by printing the wallpaper pattern onto fabric and affixing it to the sides of a tag.

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Escort Cards on Display

The cards are clipped to a vintage petticoat drier with tiny clothespins.

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Southern Fare

The caterers from Chef Nick Mueller & Co. served smoked barbecued pulled pork with house made Vidalia onion barbecue sauce and buttermilk coleslaw.

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The Cake

A chocolate cake with buttercream icing from Back in the Day Bakery features 1920s bride-and-groom paper figurines found on eBay; artist Katie Runnels fashioned them into a cake topper.

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First Dance

Grace and Aaron take their first turn as a married couple to Sam Cooke's "Bring It On Home to Me."

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The Reception

Guests enjoy dancing alfresco.

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Romantic Setting

Vintage French chandeliers, hung from a tent frame, cast a warm glow onto the garden patio; says Grace, "everything was so romantic."

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Take-Out

A recipe for General Oglethorpe's shrimp and grits (he was the founder of Savannah) is paired with grits from a local farm, and fastened with a custom-made button by Busy Beaver Button Company.

Custom buttons, Busy Beaver Button Company.

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Sources

Help from Crafty Friends

Bride's Wedding Band: The Clay Pot
Groom's Wedding Band: Blue Nile
Lighting: Bamco Productions
Prop Rentals: The Paris Market & Brocante, and @home Vintage General
Photobooth Rental: Photo Booth Scrapbooks
Vintage Parker Pens: vintagepens.com
Wooden Buttons: M&J Trimming
1/2-lb. Natural Kraft Tin-Tie Bags: (#300950M), Nashville Wraps

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