Lisa Rivera & James Peebles 10.30.10
our love story: Howell and I met through mutual friends shortly after we both graduated from UT Knoxville. He is my best friend! Howell asked me to marry him the morning of Christmas Eve. I was in complete shock! the big day: It was amazing to have all of our friends and family in one place at the same time! Most of my family lives in Puerto Rico and has never visited Tennessee. I was so overwhelmed with joy that they could be here for my wedding! I cried when my dad stopped by the girl’s cabin to see me before the ceremony, and I cried when I read a card Howell sent over to me while I got ready. I laughed until I cried getting into my dress. It took my mom, sister, and best friend, who got stuck inside of the dress and wound up in the middle with me! And I laughed and cried while my bridesmaids sang crazy songs to me to keep me from crying before I walked down the aisle. planning for the wedding: We were engaged for 10 months. I did most of the planning with the help of my mom, sister, and of course, the groom! We also had some help from friends and family. We hired Peggy Love as our “day-of” coordinator. The most important thing for me was the ceremony itself. I wanted to be in the moment and take in the the vows and the beauty and excitement of a promise made before God, friends, and family. We felt so blessed to have so much love surrounding us on our special day. details: We wanted a whimsical outdoor wedding with a romantic and elegant feel. We knew we wanted to get married outside in the Fall and our location was perfect! The bridesmaid’s belts were handmade by my family. The mother of the groom made delicious cookies as our party favors. We used mainly earth tones like nude, ivory, and chocolate brown with hints of purple and green. advice for brides-to-be: My advice is to pick a date before the wedding after which you will delegate anything beyond that point. We were exhausted! Also, factor in extra guests when you make you initial budget. Otherwise, you might choose vendors based on a number that ends up being much higher than you originally anticipated. Also, we were so excited to get to Italy for our honeymoon, but it would have been nice to have a day or two in between to rest and pack so the days leading up to the wedding would be less stressful.
Behind the Story
Photographer Erin Browne Photography, Day of Coordinator Plan it With Love, Florist Lisa Foster Floral Design, Caterer Abner’s Attic, Reception Music Sound Force