A Classic, Romantic Wedding at Jekyll Island Club Resort in Georgia

To celebrate their relationship, which blossomed during college for these two lawyers, Natasha and Reggie planned a wedding off the coast of Georgia at Jekyll Island Club Resort (with a ceremony at Crane Cottage and a reception at the Morgan Center) filled with classic, elegant elements and a color palette of green, white and gold. The couple wanted their wedding to embody "timeless elegance" and looked to royal nuptials for inspiration for their wedding design. "Inspired by the Duchess of Sussex's royal wedding, the look and feel we wanted was simplicity with a touch of Southern charm, brightened with dusty blue and greenery."  

The wedding day began with an emotional wedding ceremony, a highlight of which was the processional. "Walking down the aisle was the most special moment of the day," recalls Natasha. "My dad walked me down the aisle to a violin and cello duet to 'Can't Help Falling in Love.' I was excited and in awe that the day was finally here and happening. With all the uncertainty of 2020, we could not believe we pulled it off. My husband and I were both smitten when we saw each other. We did not cry, rather we had the biggest smiles because we were so happy and had this sense of peace over us knowing we were about to embark on this wonderful journey together."

For Natasha and Reggie, it was paramount that the Jekyll Island wedding honor their faith and family. Their choices for an officiant and a guest book helped them do just that. "My godmother, an ordained pastor, officiated our wedding, providing the perfect blend of family and religious traditions as our two families became one," says Natasha. "We also had a custom Bible. Reggie gifted me many things on our engagement night, one of which was a 'Jones Family Bible.' We used it as part of our wedding for guests to highlight their favorite passages for us to read throughout our marriage journey rather than doing a traditional guest book."

Having the wedding decor center around ample lush greenery was a must for the couple as they sought to bring their "timeless elegance" theme to life. "My favorite design element from the wedding was the overflow of greenery," says Natasha. "While the ceremony and cocktail hour were all about the timelessness at Crane, we wanted our reception to have an indoor romantic garden feel with greenery everywhere and a touch of drapery. Our sweetheart table and lounge area were our favorite focal points because they had the perfect amount of drama to convey the romantic look we wanted. Our gold mirrored sweetheart table was draped with five feet of flowers and greenery that spilled down the side. Lit candles surrounded the foot of the sweetheart table with the grand staircase laced in loose green vines creating the perfect backdrop. As a final statement piece, we had a lush flower arrangement as the centerpiece in the middle of the staircase. On the other end of the room was the lounge which was elevated above the dance floor, lined with greenery and candles at the foot, draped in white in the back and illuminated with our custom monogram."

Natasha goes on to note that "some of our favorite parts were that our wedding was a secluded weekend getaway for our guests on Jekyll Island. We were able to create our own bubble safe for our guests with many guests staying at the resort’s cottages. Our reception then took place in the Morgan Center where guests walked into a greenery-filled ballroom, that actually, fun fact, used to be JP Morgan’s tennis court that he used when frequenting the island as a member. We had an interactive photobooth for guests, and the DJ kept the party going all night, while the resort served a three-course meal. Our reception was the highlight of the night. It was so much fun! We walked into our reception and felt like we were still outside with the garden feel. We decided to do all the formalities at the beginning of the reception including the formal dances, toasts, and cake cutting so that guests could enjoy an uninterrupted night of dancing. The night ended perfectly with a sparkler exit."