Dahlias and Jewel Tones Filled This Family-Only Wedding at Sotto Sotto in Atlanta, Georgia
Caroline and Mike initially imagined "having a 250+ person evening winter wedding with all of our friends and family, tons of dancing, and a big bridal party. As COVID took its hold, however, we realized that we needed to shift our plans," recalls Caroline. However, the couple didn't let their reduced guest list get in the way of celebrating their marriage with a stunning, detail-packed wedding day in Atlanta, Georgia. With the help of their wedding planning team, the couple created "a small, intimate afternoon ceremony and reception with just our parents and siblings. We wanted our wedding design to be focused on a bright, cheery color palette with tons of flowers that made the entire space look like the most perfect explosion of wildflowers. The bright and colorful florals were the centerpiece of our entire wedding design. And, with a smaller-scale event in place, we were able to incorporate an enormous number of personalized details such as commissioned flower vessels that we will treasure forever, block-pressed (and hand-sewn) cloth napkins made just for us by one of our designers (Kyah Willcox), and a ketubah that features a gorgeous arrangement of flowers dried from our wedding chuppah," says Caroline of the many curated details that were woven throughout the flower-filled, jewel-tone wedding. "The overall aesthetic of our space very much resembled how I've always imagined Mary's garden at the end of 'The Secret Garden,'" notes Caroline of the flower-packed look.
Beyond planning a visually beautiful wedding celebration, it was important to Caroline and Mike that the event at Sotto Sotto "be as guest-focused as possible. Because a day of dancing didn't fit the dynamic of our itty bitty reception, we switched venues from a large event space to our favorite restaurant where we were able to enjoy an incredible five-course menu. Our guests were seated according to their three family units to maintain social distancing, with each table featuring its own color palette and design. Our tableware was rented from Tablemade and was selected to be polished yet eclectic in style (pink wine glasses, marble candle holders, and stoneware chargers). My husband and I created watercolor, collaged personalized notes that doubled as place cards for each our guests," explains Caroline of the meaningful touch she and Mike added into their reception. The couple's focus on their guests even extended all the way down to the flavors they chose for their wedding cake. The duo served a "multi-layered wedding cake that included all of our family's favorite flavors. We wanted each part of our day to be planned and intentional. We are still in love with our tiny wedding, and looking back, wouldn't want it any other way. The most special moment of our wedding day was seeing our families thoroughly enjoy spending the day together. We truly are one giant family now, something I will always treasure!"