Victoria + Neil Williams

|| I Doo! ||

Neil and Victoria booked the Keith Glen at Burdoc Farms for their wedding ceremony and reception the day after they got engaged. It was the first and last venue that they looked at. Victoria was sold the moment she saw the completely glass back wall of the Keith Glen. Their wedding colors of burgundy, navy, and gold were present throughout the wedding in the bridal party’s attire and florals. It was important to them that their wedding was simple, sentimental, and the best get together of 2020. They wanted it small enough to be intimate, but big enough for everyone to have fun. It was most important that all of their favorite people were in the same place. The table décor consisted of olive branches, a symbol of peace and harmony, representing the joining of their families and friends. Each setting included a preset glass of water, mini hand sanitizer, and customized napkin that listed five fun facts about the bride and groom, all to ensure the comfortability of every guest. Victoria’s dress was a long illusion sleeve, Galina Signature ball gown with a crystal-beaded waistband, long train, jeweled button illusion back, and sparkling lace appliques on the skirt. Her train length veil included matching lace appliques. The bridal bouquet included a beautiful array of eucalyptus, red and white roses, sunflowers, lilies, and a charm honoring Victoria’s late grandfather. Their cake was a simple two tier, naked vanilla cake made by Sonya Castagna Catering that sat on a marble and antique gold magnolia cake stand. Jessica Travis Photography and Southern Raw Photos beautifully captured every important aspect of the wedding from Victoria’s first look with her dad, Neil’s reaction when seeing Victoria walk down the isle, to their family and friends having a dance party. Victoria and Neil’s best advice for soon-to-be wed couples is to make your wedding a representation of you as a couple. Stick to what you want and what is important to you. It is your day! Distinctivelysouthernwedding.com 24

Victoria Marie Minton and Neil Thomas Williams III

October 24, 2020

VENDORS Venue // Burdoc Farms | Crofton, Kentucky Wedding Dress // Galina Signature - David's Bridal Menswear // Calvin Klein - Men's Warehouse Hair & Makeup // Morgan Robertson (Blush Bridal Team) Photographer // Jessica Travis Photography / Southern Raw Photos DJ / Band // Sean Fawkes - DJ Sound Services Catering // Sonya Castagna Catering Floral // Hannah Hinze (hanmadebyhinze) Cake / Desserts // Sonya Castagna Catering

Ultimate Covid-Friendly Wedding Guide

Of all the content ideas we’ve passed around over the years, never did we ever think we’d be running an article about having a wedding during a pandemic (thank you, 2020). But, alas, here we are! With everything this year has brought, we would be amiss if we didn’t talk about this unprecedented hurdle facing brides and grooms today. Although it may not be exactly how you imagined planning your big day, don’t stress! We’re here to help. Here is everything you need to know about planning, moving or attending a Covid-friendly wedding.

Changing Your Date

It’s probably easier said than done, but we still should say first and foremost, don’t panic! By now, plenty of people will have had to move their wedding due to Covid, but this is good news for you. Why? Because now, vendors, couples and guests alike have become accustomed to pivoting. Moving your date isn’t an easy decision, but given the current circumstances, it’s likely people will be more than understanding. The first step in changing your date would be to contact your wedding planner. They have the relationship with your vendors already established and will be able to reach out to them to move things around if possible. If you don’t have a wedding planner, then you should contact your vendors directly. Again, most vendors are going to understand your predicament and will be happy to discuss booking another day with you. If you’re worried about your preferred vendors not being available on your new date, call them before you officially change it and work the day around when they are available.

After your vendors are rebooked and you’ve set a new date, be sure to inform your guests as soon as possible. Remember that they’ve also set aside the time to be there for your big day, so give them as much as a heads up as you can so they too can rearrange their plans. If you have a little extra money in your budget to spend, you could consider sending out “Change the Date” cards. Or, for something more time-friendly, you could also send a digital one via email to your guests and update your wedding website if you have one.

Planning a Covid-Friendly Wedding

If you’re just getting engaged this year, congrats! While it’s probably not how you imagined planning a wedding, consider yourself lucky that there are plenty of resources available to help you by now. When you start researching vendors and booking venues, keep in mind that there might not be as much flexibility as there typically would be. Vendors are now dealing with not only new brides, but an influx of re-booking’s as well. That being said, have more than a few dates in mind as ideas. The more you have, the better the chance that one will be available! To increase your chances, you could also have a couple of non-traditional wedding dates on your list, such as Sunday’s or weekdays. It’s hard to know what the status of the pandemic will be a year from now, or even a few months from now! However, erring on the side of caution never hurt. In fact, there are a lot of precautions you can plan for that wouldn’t make a significant difference if you ended up not needing them. For example, plan the wedding outdoors or in a larger indoor space to allow guests to spread out. If Covid isn’t as much as a concern by the day of, then you can just move the chairs closer together and no one will ever know the difference. Things like masks and hand sanitizing stations are easy to get coordinated closer to time.

For the most part, any restrictions you may have, should be communicated to you by your vendors. You should anticipate venues potentially having capacity limitations, caterers working with a smaller staff and that things such as wedding invites, alterations or shipping might take a little longer than they normally would. To alleviate stress, give yourself plenty of time to plan and be prepared.

Attending or Not Attending A Wedding During Covid

As a wedding guest, RSVPing in a timely fashion is always important. But in the midst of a pandemic, it’s even more crucial. While it might be tempting to put it off due to not knowing what the future may hold, it’s important out of respect for the bride and groom, to let them know as soon as possible. You should know that if you don’t feel comfortable going to a wedding now, that’s totally okay. You have to do what’s best for you and your family. But if that’s the case, be sure to communicate that in a timely fashion. If you do feel comfortable going, be sure to keep an eye on the wedding website and invitations for updates. You should be prepared to take any extra precautions that the bride and groom are requesting, such as wearing a mask, gloves, social distancing, extra sanitizing, etc.

Despite how much it’s been said, these are truly unprecedented times, and everyone is just doing the best they can. Cut yourself some slack, take a deep breath and just remember that everything is going to be okay!

The Rehearsal Dinner

with Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse Nashville

A private rehearsal dinner at Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse exudes style and sophistication. Tastefully appointed with Art Deco details, our three luxurious private spaces provide the perfect backdrop for everything from intimate gatherings to large dinner celebrations.

The Speakeasy Room is ideal for gatherings of up to ten guests. As its name implies, you’ll be transported back in time as you enter the room through an authentic Speakeasy door – don’t worry, no secret knocks needed here! Featured inside the room are a century-old antique apothecary cabinet housing our premium liquor selection and a round glass tabletop with an iron base made of Roman numerals from a London clocktower.

Our namesake Jeff Ruby Room, rich with burgundy tones and velvet accents, features a long, wooden antique table suitable for fourteen guests. A white marble fireplace anchors this space as a true focal point providing the perfect background for photographs.

The Music City Room features soaring ceilings with glistening chandeliers and décor that celebrates what the Music City is all about. One-of-a-kind items like Al Capone’s fireplace facade, and artifacts from country music’s biggest stars like Conway Twitty and Tammy Wynette create a setting rich with history

and elegance. Spacious at approximately 1,300 square feet, parties of up to sixty-six guests may celebrate in this room. (Note: current gathering guidelines limit this space to twenty-five guests.)

Each of these spaces have an attached semi-private patio that can be added to your package for enjoying the occasional cigar, breath of fresh air, or colorful Nashville sunset.

Our professional Sales & Relationship Manager will expertly guide you through the entire planning process to make it effortless for you. Prix-fixe menus include everything from hors d’oeuvres to dessert and can be customized to fit your tastes, needs and theme.

Our Beverage team is blessed to be guided by our very own Advanced Sommelier and will provide you with wonderful wine selections from our wine list. We’re proud of our achievement of being honored with Wine Spectator’s Best of Award of Excellence for 2020. We recommend choosing two red and two white wine varietals to complement your menu choices and offer your guests variety. Many brides and grooms choose to feature a specialty cocktail for the evening and our team can

JEFF RUBY ROOM Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse Nashville 300 4th Avenue North Nashville, TN 37219

615.465.0275

jeffruby.com

customize a cocktail named just for your event.

Next, a rehearsal dinner cannot be perfect without our amazing service team. Our Servers and Servers Assistants take pride in providing the pinnacle of Nashville dining: The Jeff Ruby Experience.

We’ve long believed that live entertainment is essential to the ambiance of every dinner; so much so that we have our very own piano man playing live music while perched on the stage above our bar. In addition, we have extensive playlists curated by our Director of Hospitality creating the perfect mood and keeping the vibe lively for your night on the town. Additionally, guests in all of our Private Rooms have the option of connecting to Bluetooth speakers to stream your very own playlist. Each room also has either a flat screen or drop-down screen with laptop connection to play a photograph slideshow of you and your loved ones through the years.

Finally, we want you to feel as if our spaces were created just for you and your guests - we will happily customize the floorplan to your party size. We often recommend round tables topped with fine white table linen for a neutral palate to showcase your special colors. You may bring personalized décor and we are happy to assist with place-cards, flowers, candles and more to complete your perfect setting.

When you are looking for the perfect rehearsal dinner, look no further than Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse in downtown Nashville. We would be honored to host you and your guests for the Jeff Ruby Experience.

|| I Doo! ||

Desiree Alexandria Collier and Steven Michael Fox September 7, 2019

It was the winter of 2014 at the University of Chattanooga, where fate brought Desiree Collier and Steven Fox together. Both were from Hendersonville, Tennessee but did not met until college. What had started as a great friendship of four years, blossomed into romance after graduation, when their careers brought them back together in Nashville. Steven invited Desiree to attend a professional golf event with him, hoping to become more than just friends, as he was looking for her to be his wife in the future. Romance blossomed and on May 19, 2018 Steven popped the question. Right away, Desiree knew she wanted to have her dream wedding at the beautiful Bluegrass Yacht & Country Club in Hendersonville. The wedding was timeless, classic and romantic with all the feels, as they were surrounded by their family and friends. They spared no time planning the wedding they had dreamed of with the assistance of Jennifer Turrill, Private Event Director at Bluegrass Country Club.

Desiree purchased her stunning gown at Posh Bridal Boutique and could not wait to be photographed with the “yes to the dress” sign. She felt like a princess as she wore the beautiful ballroom gown with cathedral train, designed with a subtle, timeless soft lace and a tiny silk bow around her waist. Her bouquet was a gorgeous arrangement of vibrant colors with pink and white garden roses. Desiree and Steven

VENDORS Venue // Bluegrass Yacht & Country Club | Hendersonville, Tennessee Wedding Dress // Posh Bridal, Nashville Menswear // Street Tuxedo Hair & Makeup // Hannah Calton Beauty Photographer // Amy Collier - Dream a Little Dream Catering // Bluegrass Yacht & Country Club Floral // Malone Legacy Cake / Desserts // Publix Distinctivelysouthernwedding.com 30

were married under a spectacular arch of flowers also designed by Malone Legacy.

The outdoor ceremony took place on September 7, 2019 on the grounds by the seventh green, overlooking the beautiful course of Bluegrass Yacht & Country Club. Desiree was overjoyed with excitement to finally marry the man she loved. They exchanged vows and after photos with their families, they were off with their photographer to have their romantic portraits taken while the family and guests enjoyed the delicious hors d’oeuvres and drinks on the back patio overlooking a beautiful sunset on the eighteenth green. They were photographed at many of their favorite locations, as the course provided dreamy backdrops to include the lush, romantic willow trees, a sparkling pond and luxurious greens at sunset with a clubhouse view in the background. It was gorgeous and was a fun and romantic experience.

After photos, the bride and groom joined the family for an honorary toast to their loved ones who could not attend their special day. The bride and groom enjoyed a private dinner prepared by BGCC before joining friends and family in the reception ballroom. Finally, the wedding party joined family and friends at the reception for a grand celebration to include a buffet style pasta bar, first dance, cake cutting and dancing. It was an unforgettable evening filled with love, joy and fun!

Let’s Plan the Honeymoon! with Franklin Travel Services – A Rejuvia Travel Company

Our travel experts specialize in honeymoons all over the world. What is your honeymoon style? Relax in an overwater bungalow in Bora Bora, or do you want to embark on an adventure exploring the beaches and jungle of Costa Rica? Some couples enjoy a romantic villa stay in Tuscany and others have always dreamed of an African safari. From an all-inclusive Caribbean resort or a cruise sailing the Caribbean Sea, we can take you there.

Here are some tips for couples dreaming of their perfect honeymoon:

• Be sure to communicate about your dream destination. This should be the most exciting time of your life and the most relaxing and fun vacation as you start your married life.

• Plan ahead and budget. Decide what you will splurge on and where you will save. Our travel advisors can help you get the most value for your honeymoon package. Pamper yourself when possible

• Finalize and book the nine - twelve months in advance. Shop and pack at least one to two weeks before the trip. • Leave at least one day off between the wedding and the honeymoon.

• Bride should verify the name used on all travel documents is the same.

• Apply for passports when you start planning your trip. If you already have passports, be sure to check for the expiration date when you start planning.

• Register your honeymoon with Rejuvia Travel so family and friends can shop for gifts conveniently from home 24/7.

• For stress-free planning, consult with a travel professional. We are looking forward to meeting with you to create the honeymoon of your dreams.

Franklin Travel Services – A Rejuvia Travel Company 1284 West Main Street Franklin, TN 37064 615.791.4690 rejuviatravel.com

WARM UP YOUR WINTER IN THE CARIBBEAN

Nestled in the lush landscapes set upon one of the most picturesque islands in the Caribbean, Royalton Saint Lucia welcomes each guest on a vacation in upscale style and comfort. Discover modern facilities, warm staff and an exhilarating locale, rich with culture and world-class cuisine, which creates the perfect backdrop for an unforgettable All-In Luxury® escape.

Designed for travelers of all ages, this modern resort features three distinct sections offering a family friendly vacation experience in the general resort, Diamond ClubTM for premium butler service as well as exclusive pool, beach and dining areas and Hideaway, an adults-only oasis.

WHAT IS ALL- IN LUXURY: All-in Luxury® features include elegantly styled suites with a balcony of terrace in every room, world class reservation free dining and exceptional amenities within this luxury property. Royalton St Lucia’s All-in Luxury® concept includes 352 modern luxury rooms and suites boasting twenty-four-hour room service with Royalton signature DreamBedTM with high thread count sheets, All-In ConnectivityTM with free high-speed Wi-Fi resort wide for all your devices, in-room Bluetooth speakers, USB charging stations, and free calls to North America and most of Europe, the Royalton signature rain shower, satellite television with specialty channels, and Sports Event GuaranteeTM. The All-in Luxury® concept includes daily entertainment and nightly shows, non-motorized watersports, and a fitness center with modern equipment.

The resort includes unlimited reservation-free dining, premium drinks and handcrafted cocktails, non-motorized watersports, fitness center with modern equipment, and daily entertainment and nightly shows. While on your All-in Luxury® vacation, enjoy the many included daily activities and nightly entertainment as well as non-motorized watersports such as snorkeling, kayaking and an introductory scuba diving lesson. Families will also appreciate the on-site splash park.

RELAX WITH FAMILY: Royalton St Lucia’s Kids Adventure Program includes the Clubhouse Kids Club where children ages four to twelve can enjoy innovative daily activities at the supervised kids’ clubs, featuring games, cartoons and a playground. The Hangout Teens Club offers teens ages thirteenseventeen, the opportunity to enjoy their own space in a lounge with video games, billiards, table tennis, and free Wi-Fi.

MAKE IT A BUSINESS TRIP WITH PERKS: If you’re planning a business meeting or incentive trip, their professional event planners will be on-site to ensure no detail is overlooked. Air-conditioned conference and banquet facilities can comfortably host meetings, events, private dinners and functions.

IT’S TIME TO SPA: The Royal Spa is the ideal place to relax and rejuvenate while on vacation. Spend a few hours getting pampered with their comprehensive spa packages or drop in for a thirty-minute express treatment. The Royal Spa has a hydrotherapy circuit and a full range of massage, body and facial treatments. The beauty center offers luxurious manicure, pedicure, waxing, make-up and hairstyling services.

Or get ROYALTON FIT TM Royalton Saint Lucia enhanced their All-in Luxury® concept to include Royalton FitTM, a program that brings guests a variety of fitness and wellness classes taught by professional and certified instructors. Royalton FitTM offers nearly 120 classes a week, through fitness programming tailored to all levels of fitness, guests can look forward to classes that include Aqua Fit to Cross Fit, TRX, cycling, yoga, Zumba and so much more. Royalton Saint Lucia offers guests a host of inclusions to support wellness that ranges from a dedicated gluten-free area in the buffet, to smoothie stations and insuite wellness features.

LUXURY DINING: Treat your taste buds to a flavor sensation as you feast on eclectic cuisines from around the world at their eight restaurants.

HIDEAWAY AT ROYALTON ST LUCIA: Discover Hideaway at Royalton Saint Lucia, the perfect place to open yourself up to an elegant adults only vacation experience. Savor gourmet cuisine, artfully prepared cocktails and enjoy the impossibly blue ocean, doing as much or as little as you’d like. Delight in the freedom of spontaneity with the perfect mix of daily water sports, fitness programs, yoga on the beach, or mixology classes beside the pool and unforgettable evenings of sunset champagne toasts, worldclass dining and incomparable entertainment. All-in Luxury® features 166 elegantly styled luxury suites, world class reservation free dining and exceptional amenities within this luxury property. Unwind in your preferential accommodations where suites feature aromatherapy to greet you each time you enter, a spacious Jacuzzi tub for two to enjoy, Royalton premium DreamBedTM, high thread count sheets, twenty-fourhour room service and a selection of in room premium spirits. Hideaway guests are promised elevated privacy and a premium butler service plus extras which include afternoon hors d’oeuvres, exclusive á la carte restaurants, and personalized beach bags.

Some luxury additions offered exclusively to all Hideaway guests are personalized check-in and check-out, in room aromatherapy, custom hideaway beach bag, upgraded room service menu, afternoon hors d’oeuvres served poolside and exclusive bar and beach area with waiter service. While relaxing poolside or by the beach, enjoy complimentary five-minute shiatsu/thai massages, fresh towels and water spritzers.

Exclusive to Hideaway is the Dorado Seafood & Grill, where you can watch the sun rise over the ocean in the morning or relax in the cool evening ambiance of this elevated beach- front restaurant. Specialties are fresh smoothies, light ceviche and garden salads with fresh seafood and grilled items.

ROYALTON WEDDINGS: Royalton Saint Lucia offers multiple wedding packages each tailored for a couples’ taste and budget. Royalton offers six wedding packages: Free, Love, Dream, Paradise, Just the Two of Us and a Vow Renewal. The Royalton Wedding team is experienced in coordinating religious ceremonies from planning to execution. Royalton offers special

Hindu ceremonies, Jewish ceremonies and Catholic ceremonies. A couple can add different experiences to truly customize their special day. Additions such as the Bridal Party Spa Experience, Grooms Experience, Romantic Dinner for Two, Late Night Food Station, Welcome Party Experience and Candy Bar Experience are available at an additional cost.

Royalton Luxury Resorts also offers a romantic honeymoon package for any couple that has been married within the past six months. This package includes a VIP welcome, newlywed room upgrade, couples’ massage and private dinner with a butler.

SAFETY ASSURED VACATIONS: Advanced sanitation measures, new physical distancing guidelines, a 360º Clean Approach and an International Safety Assurance Team are in place to prioritize well-being across every area and touchpoint of Royalton Luxury Resort properties. To help protect both guests and staff members, the new and enhanced Safety-Assured Vacations protocols will adhere to the guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO), as well as the local and national Ministries of Health.

BEAUTIFUL ST LUCIA: Saint Lucia is a sovereign island country in the eastern Caribbean Sea on the boundary with the Atlantic Ocean, boasting beautiful Caribbean blue waters and a lush inland featuring towering mountains, rain forests, and fertile valleys, filled with acres of banana plantations. The Pitons—twin peaks that soar high above the ocean floor on the southwest coast; distinguish St. Lucia from the other islands in the Caribbean. Saint Lucia has a relatively large and lucrative tourism industry, attracting an estimated 350,000 visitors per year.

Epitomizing modern elegance, award-winning Royalton Luxury Resorts offer All-In Luxury® vacations in some of the world’s most popular tropical destinations including Antigua, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, Saint Lucia, Mexico, Grenada and Cuba. Boasting an array of world-class all-inclusive features including the premium, handcrafted DreamBed™, unlimited reservation-free luxury dining, a Sports Event Guarantee™ and more. Many of the resorts cater equally to families and couples alike, with industry-leading supervised kids and teen activities offered at no additional cost combined with family-friendly accommodation and dining options

|| I Doo! ||

Elizabeth Morton Isaacs and Charles Baker Woodall, Jr.

January 11, 2020

Both natives of Williamson County, Lizzy and Baker’s story began in 2010 when they met through mutual friends. After being friends for many years, Baker and Lizzy finally began dating in 2017. In June 2019, Baker took Lizzy to their favorite park with their dog, and this is where he proposed. They were married on January 11, 2020 at Clementine in Nashville. It started as a rainy day, but the weather cleared up right in time for the beautiful photos taken by Molly Peach Photography. It ended up being a seventy degree day in January.

The guests were welcomed to the ceremony with a warm Apple Cider Bourbon drink prepared by South Fork Catering. Dr. Judy Skeen, a longtime family friend of the Woodall’s, officiated the wedding. After the ceremony, the guests were treated to station-style buffets and live music by Erik Blue Band. The dance floor was full all evening! It was a magical day.

VENDORS Venue // Clementine | Nashville, Tennessee Wedding Dress // Olia Zovazina Menswear // Menguin Hair // One 10 Beauty Makeup // Jessica Vaughn / Primp This Rentals // Please Be Seated Photographer // Molly Peach DJ / Band // Erik Blue Band Catering // South Fork Catering Floral // Garden Delights Cake / Desserts // Dessert Designs By Leland Wedding Planner // Summer Sheldon Distinctively Southern Wedding Fall - Winter // issue five 37

Making Your Own Traditions

From the ceremony and reception, to the presence of friends and family, your wedding day will, no doubt, be one of the most memorable of your life. But even more exciting, you have the rest of your life with your partner to look forward to. When thinking of ways to make your big day more personalized, consider using it as an opportunity to start one of these traditions that you can look forward to every year!

Write Letters It’s common for brides and grooms to write each other a letter to read before meeting at the altar. However, you could easily turn this into a tradition by pre-writing letters to open in the future. Consider writing letters to your future selves to open on your first anniversary, bigger celebrations or even words of encouragement to open when times get tough. The words you write will serve as a great reminder of why you chose to get married in the first place and how far you’ve come as a couple. Meaningful Music You’ll be shocked at the little details you’ll remember most about your wedding day, and one of them is definitely music! While you may be thinking that the only important song selection is for your first dances, that’s not the case! Take time to consider the songs you select to play throughout the day. When you hear them ten years down the road, they’ll be surprise reminders of those special moments! Create a Keepsake Box A lot of work goes into a wedding, and for a lot of couples, it starts the day you get engaged. To help remember those exciting times, try creating a keepsake box. You can fill it with things such as an invitation, your save-the-dates, engagement photos, your garter, dried flowers or even a napkin from your place settings. Not only is it something you and your spouse can use to reminisce in years to come, but it’ll also be something you can share with your future children and grandchildren. Photos There are several ways to use photos to create traditions. First and most obviously, you can fill a photo album with your wedding photos. This would be great to pull out on anniversaries or when you just want to reminisce. In addition, you can also take a new picture of yourselves on each anniversary. It could be a session with a photographer, but it could also be as simple as snapping a picture on your phone. Over the years, it’ll be fun to look back on photos from previous anniversaries to see how you’ve evolved as a couple. Honeymoon Destination After the stress of making sure everything was perfect on you big day, you’ll probably be looking forward to your honeymoon! From foreign beaches to cruise ships, your options are pretty much endless! While it can be tempting to choose somewhere pricey and exotic to treat yourself, consider choosing somewhere more practical. Why? Because, if it’s somewhere that’s more accessible (both physically and financially), it would be a great tradition to go back there on your anniversary each year. Or, if that’s not feasible, you can always go back for the big ones! Revisiting that destination every year will be a great reminder of your big day and a special treat to look forward to. Save a Bottle If you’re looking for another way to treat your future self while celebrating your anniversary, nothing says celebration like a cocktail! On your wedding, tuck a bottle of you and your partner’s favorite wine, champagne, liquor, etc. away. You can even add a little note in there if you want. On your anniversary, whether it be your first, fifth or tenth, pull it out and make a special toast to yourselves for making it so far. You deserve it!