This Bride's Watercolor Wedding Dress Set the Tone for This Colorful Savannah Celebration

Adrienna McDermott had already started the process of deleting all her dating apps in November of 2016 when Frank Mozingo—whom she had matched with on both Tinder and Bumble—contacted her. "I was taking time off from the dating scene, but I gave Frank my number anyway," she says. After a weekend of texting, the two met for dinner and dessert at Savannah's Alligator Soul and Leopold's Ice Cream.

In early 2020, the couple were living in Italy while Frank completed a study-abroad program for his graduate degree. On a rooftop tour of the Duomo at sunrise, he proposed—just weeks before the couple evacuated the country due to COVID-19. Adrienna, a former wedding planner, wasted no time booking her vendors for March 27, 2021, in Savannah, but in January of  2021, she and Frank decided to postpone until the fall. "While I didn't want a summer or fall wedding in Savannah, since I dreamed of the azaleas in bloom, the fact that all of our vendors were available made it an easy choice," she says. (The couple had also already tied the knot in a private elopement—with only their parents—in October of 2020.) She moved forward with a colorful aesthetic of vibrant florals inspired by lavender tones in her watercolor wedding dress. "I always dreamed of a colorful affair," she says. "When we pushed back the wedding to September, I decided to keep the color palette bright and cheerful with a touch of velvet and wine."

On September 4, 2021, Adrienna and Frank exchanged vows in front of 70 friends and family at the Westin Savannah Club Pavilion. "While we dreamed of a big party, which was our most significant focus, we also didn't want to keep pushing it back," she says, "so while it was much smaller than planned, it was perfect."

With a background in creative arts, Adrienna expected to DIY multiple elements for the wedding—including her invitations. "I went to college for textile design and am constantly making and creating," she says. "I originally planned to hand-make these, but ended up ordering them from Minted! We chose a gold-foil suite that was bright and colorful." The variety of pink, blue, and mauve shades on the invitation previewed the vivid aesthetic of the wedding day. "It was important to me that they tied into the final décor," says the bride.

As a former wedding-dress boutique owner, Adrienna estimates that she had tried on "hundreds of gowns"—including many Frank saw on her—before beginning her official search. "I never really pictured myself in white," she says. "I knew I wanted something with color! I had always been obsessed with Leanne Marshall and how her watercolor dresses are works of art." Unable to travel cross-country to boutiques that carried the "Twyla"—a silk organza A-line with a transitional cape and watercolor-inspired fabric—Adrienna ordered a sample. "I tried it on in my living room with my fiancé hiding in the bedroom, my mom on Skype, and my dog lying on it the whole time," she says. "Even though it needed quite a bit of work to fit—I'm only 4'11"!—I knew it was the one instantly and didn't try on any other gowns!"

She took the gown to Love Lives Here for alterations, where a seamstress reconstructed the entire piece. "It couldn't be hemmed due to the watercolor fabric, so she took each piece off, resewed them to the bodice, and created a custom bustle so that the cape became this voluminous masterpiece for the reception," says Adrienna. "My seamstress shares a studio with an accessory designer, so I had her make me a custom sash. She included lavender crystals and sewed it in." Statement earrings from The Pink Reef and a bracelet that belonged to her grandmother added a dose of sparkle.

"The cape was my favorite part of the gown, and made me feel like a goddess on my wedding day," says Adrienna. "My seamstress created the most incredible design for the cape, and had it bustled for the reception, creating volume and showcasing the watercolor work. I honestly have never felt so beautiful!"

Frank chose a custom tuxedo from Men's Wearhouse, pairing a wine-colored velvet jacket with classic black pants. "He had a custom colorful lining for some fun, as well as our wedding date embroidered inside," says Adrienna. Divvy Up socks printed with pictures of the couple's pets were a wedding-day gift from the bride.

Adrienna and Frank chose Columbia Square, where they had eloped a year before, for their first look. "I was already so nervous, so knew I wanted to see him," says Adrienna. "I didn't think I would be nervous, or cry, but boy, I did."

The bride enlisted her friend—and former event company employee—from Hey Jude Florals to create bouquets and arrangements. "I gave her an idea of the color palette and shape and let her design using her creativity," says Adrienna. Her bouquet of pink peonies, purple tulips, peach lisianthus, blue delphinium, snapdragons, larkspur, poppies, ranunculus, and lavender was "big, colorful, freeform, and had a hand-picked feel," and was tied with charms that included her grandparents' photos.

Groomsmen wore black suits with floral Frank and Buck ties, and though Adrienna initially envisioned adding more color to the day with vibrant bridesmaids' gowns, she decided to keep it simple. "With my gown having hand-painted watercolor, I wanted the bridesmaids to wear white so that the colorful elements could stand out," she says. "Paired with the black suits, it made the colorful event a little more formal."

A classic trolley from Old Savannah Tours shuttled the bridal party—and, later, the guests—around town. "It was so much fun!" says the bride. "We also had it pick up guests to take them to the reception, and everyone loved how fun and 'Savannah' it was. I also loved our trolley tide back downtown after the wedding—it was packed with guests, and we sang show tunes the whole ride!"

Adrienna requested "a large backdrop with a few aisle markers" for the indoor ceremony space, but otherwise gave her florist the freedom to "create the installation with whatever she felt would look beautiful," says the bride.

"She hand-dyed fresh pampas grass she got from the islands around Savannah. Of course, some of our flowers didn't arrive in time (thanks, COVID!), but it was perfect anyway—when I saw the ceremony backdrop she created, I was in awe! It was absolutely incredible!" says Adrienna.

April Hayes of Savannah Custom Weddings and Elopements led the couple through a ceremony that included personalized vows. "I am religious, Frank not so much, so we had a nice balance," says Adrienna. "My love language is words of affirmation, so hearing Frank's vows was really, really meaningful."

Adrienna and Frank honored their dog and cat with custom bar signs listing their two signature drinks—a spiked lavender lemonade and "The Swipe Right," a whiskey smash. "The signs are on display in our at-home bar!" says the bride.

The couple picked their venue without ever seeing it in person, in part because of the large windows and pretty views. "I knew I wanted a space that was bright, filled with light, and let guests enjoy the beautiful outdoors—but was air-conditioned!" says Adrienna. "Since we had a short and sweet ceremony, the focus of the design went to the reception. We added cafe lights to the ceiling, and pipe and drape along one of the walls to soften the sunset glow. For our head table, I wanted white washed farm tables, with a 10-foot lavender runner and greenery." 

Pandemic safety rules prevented the couple from pre-setting plates, so Adrienna added lavender napkins and plenty of candles. Pristine blooms in low white vessels stood out against the white tables, walls, and draping in the room.

While planning the wedding, Frank kept his focus on the music selections, provided by All About You Entertainment. "Our first dance was a huge deal for my husband—it was one of the most important things to him!" says Adrienna. They opted for Ryan Hurd's "Diamonds or Twine," and then opened the dance floor with Kesha's "Your Love Is My Drug." "Frank's number one dream for the wedding was good food, good music, and guests having a fantastic time," says Adrienna. "He wanted the dance floor to be non-stop, all night long. He succeeded!"

Adrienna and Frank opted not to serve wedding cake, and instead treated guests to an ice cream cart from Leopold's, the Savannah spot where they had dessert on their first date. "As a former wedding planner, I saw countless weddings where half of the cake was thrown out and not eaten, so we wanted something we knew our guests would love," says Adrienna. Ice cream flavors included butter pecan, mint chocolate chip, strawberry lemonade sorbet, birthday cake, mocha chocolate chip, and blueberry cheesecake. "We had chocolate chip cookies for sandwiches, and that was what we had for our 'cake!'" says the bride.

Photography, Amanda Olivia
Venue and catering, Westin Savannah  
Event planning, Adrienna McDermott
Flowers, Hey Jude Florals 
Videography, Jeff Bush Videography
Officiant, April Hayes, Savannah Custom Weddings and Elopements
Stationery, Minted
Music and day-of coordination, All About You Entertainment  
Rentals, EventWorks
Bride's gown, Leeanne Marshall  
Bride's accessories, Nine West shoes; Jaxie Bridal sash; Bright Crystal Wedding hair pins; The Pink Reef earrings   
Hair and makeup, Beyond Beautiful by Heather  
Groom's suit, Men's Wearhouse
Men's ties, Frank and Buck
Groom's socks, Divvy Up  
Lighting, JLK Events
Transportation, Old Savannah Tours
Alterations, Love Lives Here
Bar menus, Z Create Design
Draping, D. Vine Weddings and Events
Engagement ring, Heidi Gibson
Guest book, B Gregory Design
Ice cream, Leopold's Ice Cream
To-go cups, For Your Party
Vow books, Plum Paper Co.
Wedding rings, Kay Jewelers (groom); Olive Avenue Jewelry (bride)