1. Real Weddings

A Casual Wedding in Santa Rosa Beach, FL

Shelley was sure she had met the man she was going to marry at a concert. One month later, the guy from that show, Sanner, told Shelley he loved her.

Shelley was sure she had met the man she was going to marry at a concert. One month later, the guy from that show, Sanner, told Shelley he loved her. Over the next several months, the two drove five hours each way to visit each other at their colleges. The Bride Shelley Parker, 22, new business development specialist The Groom Sanner Holmes, 25, document solutions specialist The Date May 17 One weekend, Shelley’s friend’s dad, a jeweler, invited her to borrow an item to wear to her friend’s wedding. Shelley and Sanner headed over to his store. There, Shelley spotted a gorgeous engagement ring and showed it to Sanner, not expecting his next move: He was down on one knee, proposing. (Oh, and he bought her that ring!)

In honor of the bride’s hometown, guests took home Chattanooga thumbprint cookies, a local favorite.
Each tier of the couple’s topsy-turvy wedding cake had a different design. The mixed styles worked because they all incorporated the same blue, brown, and white color scheme.
A seersucker-like wrap was a beachy accent to the bride’s bouquet of hydrangeas, peonies, and ranunculus.
Acrylic containers holding candles and coral spruced up the hutch near the guest book. The coral brought out the wedding day’s beach theme.
So that Shelley wouldn’t cry, her dad wore a set of fake, rotten teeth before they made their way down the aisle. “Instead of blubbering, I giggled the whole way to the altar,” says Shelley.
The satin material of the bridesmaid dresses was formal, while the knee length was fun. A bow at the Empire waist and a cutout at the neckline played up the group’s youth.
Shelley and Sanner took a spin to the country song, “Forever I Do,” by Lou Rawls. The Motown band that played it had the checkered dance floor packed after that.
Sea-worm wrapping made the phalaenopsis orchid arrangements look crisp and contemporary. Shorter bouquets of peonies and ranunculus added texture.
Out-of-town guests got a glimpse of the wedding’s sea-inspired color palette from their welcome boxes. The logo on the outside appeared on many of the other wedding elements.
The couple made the church their own by hanging carnation pomanders from the wall sconces. The ribbon brought the ocean into the all-white church.
Guests mingled around a pool at the laid-back outdoor reception. Instead of a plated dinner, guests picked up their food from four themed stations.
Before changing into a pair of ballet flats for dancing, the bride wore three-inch heels. A thin row of crystals gave the sandals just enough sparkle.