A Rustic-Industrial Wedding at Nelson's Green Brier Distillery in Nashville, Tennessee

Kristin Hampel and Andy Nelson planned a festive New Year’s Eve fete with a subtle rustic flair for their midwinter wedding at Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery in Nashville, Tennessee. With its charming industrial-meets-pastoral appeal, Nelson's offered a cozy backdrop for the soiree. Since Andy is the whiskey maker for its pre-Prohibition era Belle Meade Bourbon, the couple felt right at home within the venue’s whiskey-barrel-lined walls. The day began with a traditional Catholic ceremony at Kristin and Andy’s local church. “Because it was the Christmas season, the church was decorated with beautiful poinsettias, garlands and twinkly white lights,” Kristin says. “Though we probably wouldn’t have selected poinsettias as our wedding flower, we embraced it for the seasonal flair it brought to our holiday wedding and because we didn’t have to pay for as many flowers.” After the “I dos,” the newlyweds joined their guests at Andy’s distillery for a fun-filled evening of dinner and dancing. Mirroring the venue’s masculine vibe, the couple lined the spacious Oak Room with long wooden farm tables draped with lush green garlands of eucalyptus to create casual, seasonal look. Dinner was served family style so guests could dine together and customize their plates. “We felt that a family-style dinner would be engaging and communal, as guests shared platters, bowls and dishes with one another,” Kristin says. Paying tribute to their Southern roots, Kristin and Andy treated guests to signature cocktails and staples such a Belle Meade Bourbon, maple old-fashioneds, Nashville-style hot chicken and pimento cheese bites. “We are both Southerners and we wanted to embrace some of the food traditions of the South,” Kristin says. “We told our caterer that we wanted Southern food but not country food. Trust me, there is a huge difference. We also wanted to weave in seasonal flavors and, of course, the beverage selection would be paramount.” As midnight approached, Kristin and Andy equipped their guests with confetti poppers and glasses of champagne to ring in the New Year. At 1 a.m., the couple made their exit under shimmery metallic streamers and hopped into the back of a vintage truck. A tip from Kristin: “Don’t be afraid to nix your to-do list or details that you originally wanted to include. It’s easy to be overwhelmed by all the things that will supposedly make your wedding day the best, but you have to be able to separate the need-to-haves from the nice-to-haves. People aren’t paying attention to all the details you're fretting about and losing sleep over. It’s easier to say that than to practice it, but just keep it in mind.” —Libby MacCarthy