Christy & Ryan got married at The Wren’s Nest ééò a rustic but elegant barn venue just outside of Nashville. The bride had wanted to get married outside for as long as she can remember, wanting to capitalise on the natural beauty surrounding them. It didn’t take them long to confirm their venue ééò it’s open meadow offered them everything they wanted and more, and better still it needed little decoration since the place was bursting with spring beauty. I adore the timeless elegance of these images from Kristin Sweeting.
Tell us about finding your wedding dress: I made a few appointments in Atlanta and went down for the weekend. My mom joined me and together we went from shop to shop. Initially, I thought I wanted a dress that was lacy and vintage, but as I tried on different kinds of dresses, I realized I really liked the fit and flare syle, with a bit of glam. By the third appointment, it came down to two dresses. I finally decided on the one that I felt fit my personality the best and began work with the store’s seamstress to turn the dress from an A-line style to fit and flare. I ended up canceling my fourth appointment because I had found my dress, and thank goodness for that, because finding a dress can be tiring!
Any DIY/Budget elements? We decided to go for simple elegance for the centerpieces. I found a ton of inexpensive brass candlesticks at thrift stores and ordered cream tapers in bulk. Our florist provided us with a ton of greenery and loose roses to arrange around the candlestick holders. It turned out really nice! We also decided not to go with a program to save on some money which ended up working out because I don’t think anyone missed having one.
Describe your wedding flowers: My flowers were simple and sweet: Cream, pink and peach roses with wax flowers and some greenery. My bouquet was a bit bigger with a pink peonies added in.
Favourite detail of the day: I love how we involved friends and family in every detail. It made every moment so special to see the people we love surrounding us throughout the day and working together to make the day incredibly special for us.
What advise would you give out to a couple planning their wedding? Prioritize early on in the process and stick to it. It’s so easy to get distracted or caught up in the infinite amount of possibilities. Remember the meaning of the day and let that be the driving force behind all you do in putting the day together.
Most memorable moment? Ryan and I had talked about writing letters to each other at the altar. I read mine first and I don’t think there was a dry eye in the audience! Ryan pulled out his letter and shared with me that he had written his letter before he had ever met me! It was a very special moment as we declared our love for each other in front of our closest friends and family.
Anything other details that help tell the story of your day: Our faith is important to us, so we included the act of communion in our ceremony. We also had a time of prayer and our immediate families joined us at the front for this. My grandmother closed this special time. She is an amazing woman of prayer that I have looked up to for years, so it was very special to have her there with us.
Ryan and I LOVE to dance, so it was important to us to make sure we got everyone dancing hard on that dance floor! At one point, there was a dance off between the guys and girls and the guys nailed it!
Photographer KRISTIN SWEETING / Videographer JOSIAH RASSMUSSEN / Cake BECKY HELVIG / Florist MELISSA AT ROSEBUDS EAST / Invitation design KELLY MCCLAIN & BRIDE’S MOTHER TAMMEY MONTOYAmother Tammey Montoya / Venue WREN’S NEST / Dress Designer | DEMETRIOS / Jewelry BHLDN / Hair & Make-up AMANDA GROS / Stylist JENNI PATILLO / Caterer CHRISTINA STEWART / DJ KEE
BZ / Day-of Coordinator KATIE HASKELL / Hairpiece TAMMEY MONTOYA
