I love COLOR - and I love when a bride wants a colorful wedding! From the color to the ceremony, everything about Sally and RG’s wedding was special and a bit different. See, they were engaged on St. Patrick’s weekend, just before Mississippi and most of the country shut down due to COVID-19. Both were finishing their senior year at Ole Miss and on the Gulf Coast for the weekend, when RG surprised Sally with a diamond and a proposal.
So, this engagement that started in the beginnings of a pandemic was also destined to have a wedding during one - May 30, 2020. Sally and RG were headed to the DC area after graduation and wanted start their life there as husband and wife. They wanted to get married basically in Sally’s front yard – really the parking circle in her precious Ocean Springs neighborhood. With the backdrop of a gorgeous tree, a neighborhood swing and her family’s home, we began plans to turn the neighborhood circle into a wedding ceremony site. And since her many friends and family couldn’t gather together, the couple planned to live-stream their big day on Facebook, so plans began to create a beautiful focal point.
Sally wanted a bold, bright and gorgeous arch dripping with her favorite colors - hot pink and coral. What we couldn’t predict were how many people would be able to attend or participate and where the reception would f the planning phase were no events larger than 10 and no in-person restaurant dining. Plans went back and forth for a few weeks, but ultimately thtake place. The mandate at the beginnings ois mandate was lifted and just over 25 family members gathered in the circle to celebrate Sally and RG’s beautiful day. Others socially distanced in near-by yards and on neighbors’ porches.
As a harpist played, guests were seated and then Sally and her dad walked out of their front door and down an aisle lined with lanterns and enhanced with petals of hot pink and coral. Under an arch covered with Pink Floyd and Free Spirit roses, fuchsia and pink stock, hot pink spray roses and the seasonal boronia (a heart shaped hot pink beautiful filler only available in the spring), RG’s dad married he and Sally. Her colorful bouquet featured coral and pink peonies, hot pink anemones, more stunning roses and yes, more boronia (one of my favorites) all hand wrapped with her house mother’s antique handkerchief.
The couple had the most incredible going away vehicle ever – her late grandfather’s restored Ford Bronco – orange no less! Perfect color to go with the wedding florals. The guests then retreated downtown to Eat Drink Love to celebrate the new Mr. and Mrs. Pickering. Tables were garnished with salal garlands highlighted with pops of bright roses and mercury glass candles. Sally’s mom had gathered her china and an antique family pattern that both featured touches of coral and hot pink to bring it all together (did I mention how much I love family china?!?!). Her stunning two-layer cake was highlighted with gold fondant and again, bright tones on a beautiful Annieglass platter.
I’m not sure a wedding could have been more perfect for such an amazing couple who wanted to start their life together – pandemic or not. Weddings may be a bit smaller these days, but love and marriage are not cancelled.
