1. Real Weddings

A Casual DIY Wedding at The McGarity House in Temple, Georgia

It's thanks to mutual friends that Emily Hollis (19 and a nanny) started dating Keith Bohannon (27 and a dispatcher). On a rainy day in May, Keith too

It's thanks to mutual friends that Emily Hollis (19 and a nanny) started dating Keith Bohannon (27 and a dispatcher). On a rainy day in May, Keith took Emily to the Atlanta Botanical Gardens and led her under a pergola. "We started dancing and the whole time I was thinking 'This would be the perfect time for him to propose' but I didn't think he was going to," says Emily. "He usually isn't good with surprises, but he pulled this one off amazingly and caught me completely off guard!" As they started planning their summer affair, the pair knew from the beginning that they wanted a venue that would allow them to use their own caterer in order to maximize their budget. After countless weekends searching, they came across The McGarity House in Temple, Georgia and immediately booked the country home with natural landscaping. The couple's wedding colors started out as pink and gray but quickly transformed into an array of the Emily's favorite colors. "I got bored with our original colors and tried adding navy blue," says Emily. "Then I forsook the color palette all together and just went for pretty things that matched!" From DIY flower arrangements to mini pies made by the bride's younger brother, the casual affair embraced personal touches and a laid-back feel.

Understated Outdoor Ceremony Decor
"After trying on about 50 dresses of the style I thought I wanted—backless lace, I went with the style my husband said he would love to see me in," says Emily. "I'm glad I did because it was a light, breezy, Grecian gown it was 105 degrees the day we got married!"
Emily and Keith's Outdoor Summer Ceremony
"Our flower girl, my niece, was only a year and a half at the time of our wedding, so instead of entrusting her with a basket of flowers I just gave her a peony from my bouquet to hold," says Emily. "That child would not put the peony down all evening!"
The McGarity House Backyard Wedding Vows
Emily and Keith's Vows
The couple's wedding colors started out as pink and gray but quickly transformed into an array of the bride's favorite colors. "I got bored with our original colors and tried adding navy blue," says Emily. "Then I forsook the color palette all together and just went for pretty things that matched!"
Rustic Chalkboard Ceremony Sign
"We wanted a venue that didn't mandate you use their caterer, that was affordable, convenient and showed off our personalities," says Emily. "It only took one visit for us to know that The McGarity House was the one for us!"
A barn on the venue's property was used for the couple's after party where guests were treated with popsicles from The King of Pops.
The night before the wedding, the bride made hors doeuvres from cucumber, dill, cream cheese and salmon and had Maggiano's cater the rest of the celebration.