Carey + Mark sneak peek

You may have already seen some pictures from Carey and Mark's wedding feature in Nfocus this month, but if not, here's a sneak peak of one of our favorite elements from their wedding back on April 24th. As guests entered the tent, they were greeted by this table overflowing with spring flowers (tulips were even sprouting out around the base!) On the table was an offering of color coordinated pashminas for the ladies, which were quickly snapped up!

Stay tuned for more from this memorable wedding...even though it was one week before the flood, we had plenty of rain to contend with!!

We can't wait for....

....the Swan Ball Patrons Party this Friday night! It's being held at an amazingly gorgeous house, designed by the venerable McAlpine, Booth & Ferrier. What a pleasure it has been to plan this party with Peter Fleming from MBF- he is a very talented designer and we are so excited to design an event in such a wonderful space.

LOVING the selections Martha made for the arrangements! Many shades of green and white with touches of rusty orange and pink, and lots of modern shapes and textures...

A little Dusty Miller and cockscomb to spice things up!

Lion's tail is so fun :)

And you can never have too many peonies...


The great thing about the party hosts' house is that they already have fantastic vessels that we can't wait to use for our flowers- check out all the mercury glass!


Lots of glass vessels in unusual shapes


Stone urn= perfect for favors

These have a great story- Peter found these antique urns in a yucky pink color- he had the inspired idea to paint them white and use them on the entry table. They are beautiful and are screaming for one of our cascading arrangements!

We'll update you later with pics from the party so you can see how it all turns out!

Bridesmaids

We loved the bridesmaid dresses our bride Anne picked for her girls- the iridescent chocolate brown was so rich and beautiful against the color scheme of peach, light pink, and robin's egg blue. And, after admiring the girls' adorable gold ruffled heels, we were stunned to find out that they were from.....Payless! Who would have thought it??!?

Anne & Dan's centerpieces

The centerpieces we did for Anne and Dan's wedding were one of our favorites....twisting iron bases (we call them "twisted sisters") intertwined with votive candles and with a top pedestal for a spray of beautiful flowers. We love to twist branches around the iron and even nestle some flowers in at the base. Keep in mind that we at Big Events also do floral design- and in addition, many of our pieces- including the "twisted sisters"- are available to rent for your own special event!

Anne & Dan's Big Day

And now, onto the Hancock/Toomey wedding. Ceremony was at the lovely First Presbyterian Church- and how fabulous is this shot of Anne beforehand at the Cheek House??

Just had to include this pic of Anne's something blue...they were so adorable!!

Anne and Dan had a great group of family and friends. They were all such fun to be around! Anne's bridesmaids wore adorable strapless, tea-length dresses in an iridescent cocoa brown, and carried bouquets of peach and pink roses. Their flower girl was possibly the cutest one we have seen yet...she was so patient and posed like a pro!

And can we talk about this pic of the couple outside the church?!? I swear that cherry tree bloomed just for their special day, and what a spectacular photo it made! The light just glowed around them. Not to mention, the weather couldn't have been any better- 75 degrees and not a cloud in the sky. Quite different from the wedding we did two weeks later (more on that soon!)



After a beautiful wedding ceremony, the newlyweds were off to their reception at War Memorial Auditorium downtown. This is such a photogenic venue and always one of our favorites...

The reception decor consisted of gold Chiavari chairs, table linens in a soft robin's egg blue satin, and hints of spring green and chocolate brown throughout. Florals were a mix of tulips and roses in tones of ivory, apricot, soft peach, and pink perched atop twisting bases of wrought iron wrapped with branches and votive candles. We draped the entire perimeter of the auditorium in a soft, gauzy ivory sheer. Once that draping was lit....believe us....it was so romantic!


The night ended with surprise sparklers for the bride. As the couple made their exit from War Memorial through the candle-lined plaza, the guests bid them goodbye with brightly glowing showers of sparkles and peach rose petals. It was a scene to remember!

Thanks so much to the Hancock and Toomey families for being so wonderful and FUN, and to Anne and Dan, we wish you a lifetime of happiness!

Anne & Dan's Rehearsal Dinner

We had two big weddings in April at Big Events that kept us all super busy...and up first was the wedding of Anne Hancock and Dan Toomey. We had such a good time with this couple and their families from start to finish, and not only did we have the opportunity to design and plan their wedding, but we also did their adorable rehearsal dinner at Puckett's Grocery in Franklin the night before. We love this venue, so we really wanted to play off its authentic Southern charm with subtle floral arrangements and decor. To start with, one of Anne's friends (a talented friend!) designed the invitation and signage:

Each table had a name and a unique sign with seating assignment to go along:

Photography by Michael Howard, and he (as usual) did a fantastic job of capturing this great space:

Floral arrangements included groupings of red roses, yellow ranunculus, and hydrangeas in vintage Coca-Cola bottles, placed on tablecloths with a red and white ticking stripe:

Anne has collected a TON of great photos through the years, and it was important to her that we share them in some way....so each arrangement contained a grouping of those photographs framed in cream burlap:

On the stage, we set up a pair of suitcases with more pictures and cards that read "Happiness is..." that each guest filled out with their own handwritten message to the bride and groom. A card displayed on the table was printed with Anne and Dan's favorite quote: " Treasure every moment you have, and remember that time waits for no one. Happiness is a journey, not a destination." (Father Alfred D'Souza)

See the rest of the pics on Michael Howard's blog here, and come back soon for some images from Anne & Dan's wedding!

All in the Family II

One more thing about the ceremony....while wedding planners Martha and Malcolm enjoyed the experience from the other side, Denise had a secret unbeknownst to both parents and bride. As the congregation began to pray, a magnificent sound radiated through the sanctuary- the sound of two renowned soloists singing "The Prayer" in both English and Italian. It was quite a moment!



At the reception, the dance floor was lit with a monogrammed leaf gobo, a motif designed by Martha and Molly that was thougtfully threaded through the entire wedding.

It was the perfect backdrop for an absolutely magnificent cake by Leland Riggins of Dessert Designs. Composed of caramel icing between layers of sour cream pound cake and chocolate decadent cake, Martha had come up with the idea years earlier as a way for guests to have a bit of bride and groom cake all in one bite. Yum!

The War Memorial Auditorium was lit in the center by a magical chandelier dripping in crystals, and the place was literally dripping with roses and hydrangeas in peaches, pinks, greens, and whites.









We even had a surprise for the gentlemen in their restroom....!



The night ended with the happy couple departing through a shower of our absolute favorite confetti! Our first in-house wedding was definitely a night we will never forget.

All in the Family

As wedding designers, we understand the emotional roller coaster one takes while planning a wedding. We experienced it first-hand, however, for our first in-house wedding this past August.

Big Events Wedding founders Martha and Malcolm Greenwood played both designers and parents of the bride, allowing them to experience the other side! Counterpart and planner extraordinaire Denise Sikes handled all day-of duties, ensuring the Greenwoods were able to enjoy the nuptials of their daughter, Molly Greenwood, to Tommy Vester.

In sharing our work for the Greenwood-Vester wedding, take a look at time-honored traditions, coordinated with unique touches woven together into a theme, displaying Molly's personal tastes and wishes.

Wedding at Covenant Presbyterian Church. Photography by the fabulous Michael Howard.

Stay tuned...next up is the reception!

Welcome to our blog!!

Big Events Wedding, of the greater Nashville, Tennessee area, is joining you in the blogosphere world. We at Big Events aspire to create a world of utterly chic, fun, elegant, and unique events in the world of wedding styling (and we have fun in the process!) Stay tuned for frequent posts detailing our most recent events, reporting on the wedding industry in Nashville and throughout the South, and bringing you the latest and greatest ideas, trends, and products out there!