Saturday, September 24, 2011.  Weather doesn’t get any better than this.  It was picture perfect from early morning until evening.  It was such a pleasure working with this family who I have been privileged to know through my work at Auburn UMC where the Wesley family have been a vital part.  In fact, I had the pleasure of working with the three daughters through their days in Youth Choir and two of them work as servers at Fountainview.  It truly felt like working with family.

The bride’s choice of colors were spectacular, indigo blue and cornflower blue.  It was a lovely look.  Lauren’s exquisite gown was in ivory satin and featured elegant lace and beadwork and a cathedral train.  It was absolutely perfect on her

Lauren prepares for her grand entrance before leaving the Buckingham Suite inside the mansion.

Above are pictured the grandparents awaiting their processional. This couple was so blessed to have four sets of grandparents in excellent health be able to celebrate the day with them. They were all a delight!

Above, the wedding party begins their processional line-up. The girls dressed in their knee-length cornflower blue strapless gowns with indigo blue ties looked stunning. What a great color palette! Shades of blue continue to be very popular.

Above, the bride's mom and dad, Keith and Lisa Wesley, share a special moment together before being escorted down the aise. What a delightful mom and dad!

Florals for the wedding including beautiful shades of blue and ivory accented with pops of yellow for a touch of fall and a hint of chartreuse green for impact.  The bridal bouquet by Fountainview Mansion feature freesia, white and soft blue hydrangeas, and creamy vendella roses.

A close-up of the elegant bridal bouquet in a classic hand-tied Southern nosegay style. it was a perfect look with her beautiful traditional gown.

The bridesmaids bouquets featured more color impact and incorporated indigo iris, soft blue and green mini hydrangeas, a hint of yellow, creamy vendalla roses to blend the colors and also green hypericum berries and cymbidium orchids for color impact.

A side view of the ceremony in process with Dr. George Mathison officiating.

Immediately following the ceremony, the reception got into full swing with magnificent food by TerraCotta and delectable cakes by SonShine Cakes. 

A lovely arrangement in a vintage silver bowl grace the dining room table in the elegant Fountainview Dining Room.

The bride desired a very simple but classic three-tiered design. Lauren custom made the cake topper, an "L" initial.

The bride's cake again showed Robyn Fowler's attention to detail. Working from a photo of the bridal gown's lace appliques, the design was recreated in icing on the cake. The detail work was exquisite. It was shear elegance with each tier also surrounded with pearls to pick up that design element of Lauren's gown.

The groom's cake definitely featured a touch of whimsy and his passion for the Nintendo game. Robyn Fowler created a perfect replica of an early model controller of the popular game complete with even a plug coming from the left side of the cake. Again, Robyn hit the ball out of the park with considerable raves of delight from the guests.

After a honeymoon to the beach on the Emeral Coast, the bride and groom will beging their new life together living in the Auburn area.  Thanks so much to the Wesley and Lollis families for the joy of working with you.  It was indeed an honor and a privilege.  We with the newlyweds God’s richest blessings.

Ah, September.  What a glorious month for a wedding.  The days are warm and the evenings cooler creating a perfectly comfortable setting for a wedding.  The 5:30 ceremony took place poolside surrounded by one hundred fifty guests.  The bride chose gorgeous purple for her dominant wedding color with highlights of hot pink and chartreuse green as accent colors.

Taylor and Joe, the new Mr. and Mrs. Joe Mills

The formal bridal portrait on display in the reception foyer of Fountainview Mansion.

Several months prior to the wedding, Taylor came to Fountainview for her formal bridal portrait sitting.  This is a special thing we provide especially for our brides.  The portrait is kept covered until the bride makes her entrance down the aisle and then unveiled for the guests to admire.  Taylor looked so stunning!

The bride's cake featured bold colored flowers perfectly tying in the color plette of the wedding.

Pictured aboyve, the radiant bride tosses her bouqet from the back terrace of Fountainview Mansion.

Taylor and Jim, we wish you both all the best in your newly married life together.   Thanks for the honor of sharing in your special day.  God bless.

It was another perfect day for a wedding as Sno Todd and JaCarl exchanged vows on Saturday, September 3rd.  The 5:00 ceremony was held poolside in the garden of Fountainview Mansion’s garden.  This sweet couple had one of the largest wedding parties ever at Fountainview.  There were two maids of honors, eight bridesmaids, one matron of honor, and two junior bridesmaids plus flower girls, ringbearers and the eight groomsmen and two best men.  Everyone worked so well together to ensure the ceremony and the processionals all came off without a hitch. 

Pictured above, Sno awaits her processional accompanied by her father.

Above, the ceremony for Sno's and JaCarl's wedding shows the large wedding party which still fit perfectly on the raised platform poolside. Fountainview has such a perfect layout for weddings of all sizes.

The bride’s colors of navy blue with accents of fuchsia were stunning on all the maids and made great colors for table linens and the centerpieces crafted by the bride’s mother.  The bride selected a marvelous navy pintuck linen for the guest tables.  Pintuck is a fabulous fabric that offers great color and texture for clients desiring just a bit of a contemporary look while staying very elegant and sophisticated.

The bride's cake featured intense color and a fresh creative design. It was the perfect look Sno had dreamed of.

The groom's cake showed the groom's love for Auburn football War Eagle!

Sno, you were one of the sweetest and most delightful brides we’ve ever worked with.  It was such a delight working with you.  We wish you and JaCarl a lifetime of happiness and health and God’s richest blessings.

Judy and Jarrod were united in marriage on Saturday, August 13 surrounded by their family and friends for the 5:00 PM ceremony.  

The bride’s gown was absolutely exquisite and fit her like a glove. 

The stunning bride awaits her walk down the Fountainview aisle.

The bridal party awaits their walk down the aisle.

It was a perfect reflection of her style and personality.  One of the highlights of the ceremony with the surprise the groom provided to his bride by singing to her.  It was one of the most romantic things ever to happen during a ceremony here at Fountainview. 

The groom sings his heart out to his bride during the ceremony. What a romantic surprise. There wasn't a dry eye anywhere. Well done Jarrod!

The bride is overcome with tender emotion as the groom sings to her.

Every wedding has an inspiration.  For some it’s a color.  For others it’s a hobby or somethings the couple enjoy doing together.  For this couple, the dominant color, a rich peachy coral was inspired by Georgia peaches.  The theme of peaches and the representative color occurred in numerous places from the centerpieces complete with fresh Georgia peaches, to a peach signature drink, and also, hot peach cobbler which was one of the highlights of the evening for the guests.

The wonderful menu by chef, Billy Lee of TerraCotta included Southwestern eggrolls, cheese sliders, chicken quesadillas, black-eyed pea dip, spinach and artichoke dip, flatbread pizzas, grilled spicy sausage, mashed potato martini station, macaroni and cheese bar, and also, a huge hit, the fry station including fried green tomatoes, fried okra, fried catfish fingers, and fried dill pickles.  The guests absolutely love the menu.

The bride’s cake was displayed in the dining room where the color was a perfect backdrop for the cake.

The elegant bride's cake featured antique family broaches provided the perfect vintage feel of the bride's gown and the Southern elegance theme of the wedding.

The groom’s cake was outstanding.  As an employee of UPS, Robyn Fowler of Sonshine Cakes created a custom design of UPS packages on a handmade handcart.  It was amazing.  The attention to detail was amazing even including addresses on the packages.  What an amazing job.

The amazing groom's cake - a tribute to the groom's profession working for UPS.

A close-up view of the detail on the UPS cake. Even the labels were perfect! created on rice paper.

The florals created by Fountainview Mansion included a multitude of coral gerbera daises, the bride’s personal favorite, white hydrangeas, vendella roses, green miniature hydrangeas, and green hypericum complemented by corally peach lilies and other seasonal flowers.  Large ferns were used for the base of the arrangements for the ceremony and the reception foyer billowing with an assortment of the bridal flowers creating a full and elegant look perfect for a garden wedding.

One of the unique table arrangements inspired by the use of real peaches and other gorgeous season flowers provided a creative and colorful alternative to a traditional floral centerpiece.

The billowing arrangements using a large Boston fern for the base set the tone for the entire wedding as guests entered into the reception foyer of the mansion.

A close-up of the bridal bouquet showing the deep creamy tones of majolica spray roses, vendella roses, wax flowers, white and miniatrue green hydrangeas, green hypericum berries, and accented with coral gerbera daisies for color impact.

All in all it was a fabulous wedding with marvelous color, great weather, marvelous guests, and exquisite creative touches that so uniquely reflected the bride and groom’s love for one another.  For the honeymoon, Judy and Jarrod got the pleasure of a marvelous trip to Rome, Italy.  What an exciting way to start your new life together.  Blessings to you both.

A note from the bride:

Gary,

Thank you so much for all your help for our wedding.  It turned out
absolutely perfect!  I could not have imagined anything better.  The
flowers, tables, linens; everything was just gorgeous.  The service was
wonderful.  Thank you and your family so much for making it so easy and
memorable.  God Bless.

Judy and Jarrod Walker

How I looked forward to this wedding!  I’m so blessed to work with so many wonderful brides, each with a unique personality and joie de vivre.  Leslie was so much fun to work with from start to finish.  Plus, she chose my favorite color to work with; purple! 

The bride and her maids await their procession.

The six o’clock ceremony was held poolside graced by massive urns of brightly colored florals designed by the Fountainview staff.  They featured a plethora of birds of paradise, pink torch ginger, dendrobium orchids and pink anthrium which had been flown in from Hawaii especially for the wedding combined with a multitude of shocking versilia roses, stargazer lilies, and other lovely seasonal flowers.  The aisle was decorated with custom bows and sprays of orchids and ti leaves, elegant rose covered pomanders at the mother’s seats, and a petal-lined aisle. 

The bride escorted down the aisle by her proud brother wore a stunning couture gown in an elegant ball gown style with a magnificent beaded bodice.  What a perfect gown for her.  Her tiara was the crowning touch for this beautiful bride.  Leslie carried an artistic freeform cascade featureing dendrobium orchids, stargazer lilies, vendella and esperanza roses for the focal flowers.  The classicly elegant shape worked so well with the full and flowy skirt of her gown.  Ceremony music was provided by the always elegant Melaney Jones.

The bridesmaids wore stunning purple gowns off-the-shoulder gowns.  The gowns were knee length which made them perfectly cool and yet dramatically elegant for an August evening wedding.  Their flowers showed the creativity and flexibility of the Fountainview floral design team.  While the original plan had been a free-form hand-tied look, I made up one in the hand-tied style and another in the cascading shape.  The freeform cascade won hands down with squeals of delight by the bride and her maids.  

Focal flowers included nerine lilies (one of my personal favorites that so few people know about), dendrobium orchids, birds of paradise, spray roses, shocking versilia roses, celosia, and loops of bear grass in evoking the shape of a heart.  They were so dramatic and the girls loved them.  The bridesmaids were perfectly coiffed from head to toe complete to the elegant purple shoes and hot pink nail color.  No detail was overlooked.

No detail was overlooked.

The men wore classic black tuxes enhanced by custom boutonnieres specially created for the day incorporating a piece of the bird of paradise and purple dendrobium orchid blossom with the stems wrapped in black ribbon and silver cording.  It was a high style yet very masculine look.

The bride selected dramatic table linens in a purple crinkle taffeta which made each table look like an elegant ball gown.  The gold chiavari chairs were graced with hot pink crinkle taffeta ties which provided dramatic color contrast.  The magnificent table arrangements featured soaring tropical inspired arrangements with birds of paradise, torch ginger, curly willow, and scores of roses, stargazer lilies and other seasonal flowers.  It’s always so much fun when a client is able to do major table arrangements as the end result is so impressive and such a conversation piece for the guests. 

Catering was by Christine’s gourmet and featured a large selection of gourmet fare including carved inside round, a mashed potato martini station, chicken quesadillas, plat bread pizza, and other seasonal favorites.  

Another faboulous cake by Robyn Fowler of Sonshine Cakes completed the picture perfect reception. 

Guests were also treated to an extensive candy station which is always a hit for guests of all ages.

Following the wedding, I was blessed to received the following note from the bride’s mother which meant so much:

Gary,

Wow where do I even begin, the day we met with you and talk about all the plans for the wedding and you told us that you would take care of everything and not to worry about anything just enjoy this special day. Little did I know you meant those words from the heart. You did an amazing job on making this day very special for Leslie and James and of course me as well.  Your entire staff was so nice to everyone in the wedding party and of course all of the guests.  We have had so many compliment on the wedding how everything was so beautiful and went so smoothly.  Your smiles and hugs and telling me you have everything under control meant more to me than anything.
The day Leslie and I came over to bring some things when she was having a moment and the minute you talk to her and gave her sneak peeks of her flowers meant so much to me  that you put the biggest smile on her face and when we left she was in such a better mood.   Gary we enjoyed working with you and thank you so much for making this beautiful day so special.  I keep seeing your smiling face asking me are you okay mom and giving me those everything is fine hugs, when I thought I should be stressing out you were taking care of me and for that I thank you.  Here is a pic of you and Leslie.

Teresa Tittle

Leslie and I (Gary, owner of Fountainview) catch our breath right before heading to the ceremony. What a delightful bride!

 

It was a “grand” day for Kacey and William as they were united in marriage on Saturday, July 30^th.  The sweet couple began the wedding festivities on Friday when the wedding party and their family and friends joined for the rehearsal followed by a wonderful dinner hosted by the groom’s parents.   It was a perfect evening.

On Saturday morning, the bride and her maids and immediate family who had spent the night at the mansion gathered for breakfast in the elegant dining room.  The Orred’s were of Irish heritage and the groom was taking Kacey to Ireland for their honeymoon.  We had a lighting designer doing some work for us at Fountainview, and he also just happened to play the bagpipes.  I couldn’t resist the opportunity to help make a magical memory for Kacey.  The bagpiper entered the room and serenaded Kacey.  It was an amazing moment that started off a perfect day of memories for Kacey.  I’ll never forget the look on her face as she was moved to tears.  Ah, this is the stuff of which dreams are made….

Kacey’s gown was absolutely gorgeous featuring considerable lacework and a dramatic bow treatment in the back like I had never seen before.  The deep ivory color looked perfect with her skin tone and deep auburn hair color.  What a beautiful bride she was.   Kacey’s bridal bouquet featured her favorite flower, yellow sunflowers accompanied by miniature green hydrangeas and majolica spray roses which blended perfectly with her ivory gown.

The bride awaits her memorable entrance.

Kacey loved yellow and she loved sunflowers and both were in abundance the day of her wedding.  She selected lovely butter yellow gowns for her eight maids.  Each one looked so beautiful in the color and style of gown.  The groom and groomsmen wore brown tuxes with ivory shirts and butter yellow accessories.  It was a great look!

The bridesmaids watch the ceremony pensively dressed in their lovely butter yellow gowns.

A close-up of the cheerful and unique bridesmaid's bouquet custom created by the Fountainview Mansion design team.

The ceremony music was provided by the Auburn String Quartet lending a graceful elegance to the ceremony in the exquisite Fountainview garden.

For the reception, the yellow color palette was introduced with the linens in a butter yellow lamour.  This is a great fabric which looks so elegant without breaking a bride’s budget.  Catering by TerraCotta was a huge hit with the guests. 

The whimsical cake  by Sonshine Cakes featured a custom made cake top which re-created the bride and groom complete with a replica of the bride’s gown and a sunflower bouquet.  It was such a fun look and a perfect touch of whimsy for this sweet couple.  The cake featured an elegant cascade of sunflowers which tied the look together from top to bottom. 

The unique and creative groom's cake by Robyn Fowler of Sonshine Cakes portrayed the groom's love of camping and the outdoors complete with tent and campfire complete with a faux flickering flame. It was outstanding!

One of the most memorable highlights of the evening was the toast given by the bride’s father.  What an amazing gift of humor he has.  The families were so delightful to work with.

A great shot of Kacey and her dad just prior to going down the aisle.

Another wonderful touch for the reception was a true labor of love done by the bride as she painstakingly created individual tarts; blueberry, cherry, and apple.  They were fabulous.

Kacey and William, we truly wish you all the best.  Thanks so much for allowing us the privilege of helping make your dream wedding a reality.  God bless!

Berinda Hollis and Chike Nwakamma’s long awaited dream came true when they were wed at Fountainview on Saturday, July 23, 2011.  The couple had planned and waited for this special day for nearly a year and a half.  (Good things come to those who wait.)

The bride and groom exchange their vows in the Grand Salon of Fountainview Mansion.

The bride and groom had carefully controlled their guest count to ensure that they would have their ceremony inside which worked out perfectly for them as they exchanged their vows in the Grand Salon at 4:00 PM.  Following the ceremony, the Fountainview Staff worked their magic and re-set the room in record time (under five minutes)  We are so blessed by the excellent teamwork of our staff.

The bride’s colors were a fabulous shade of cornflower blue and horizon blue for her maids which looked fabulous on each and every one of the girls.   The maids of honor wore the horizon blue with the other maids in cornflower blue.  Shades of blue have been making a grand entrance on the wedding scene this year and the trend seems to be continuing into the fall and Spring of next year.

The Grand Salon - a perfect intimate set-up for smaller weddings.

Catering by John Hamme made for an absolutely delectable dining experience for the guests.   The couple is residing and working in the Atlanta area.  We wish you both all the best in your new life together.  Blessings to you both!

The sun was shining brightly upon Rebecca Rodger and Charlie Everett as they exchanged their vows on July 9^th.  Since our move to Auburn in 2001, we have been instant friends with the Rodger family who were former residents of Australia.  What a joy it is to work with dear friends on such a joyous occasion. 

Rebecca has always possessed a joyful personality and a radiant smile.  She is literally aglow like a ray of sunshine.  This made her color choices a perfect reflection of her. 

For her maids, Rebecca chose a beautiful  gown in a vivid maroon brick color.  It was stunning for a July wedding.  Bringing in the burst of color were vivid florals incorporating a myriad of flowers in sunshine yellow,   Focal flowers were yellow callas, multi-colored croton foliage, yellow roses, and for a touch of Australia, eucalyptus.  Oncidium orchids, golden vanda orchids, and to tie in the reddish tones, baccarat roses and deep red spray roses.  The artistic cascading shapes moved beautifully with the girls’ every move.   The color palette was so vivid and joyful.

A closeup shot of the dramatic bridemaids florals being held by the bride's beautiful sister, Katrina Rodger Paxton.

The bride’s elegant gown was perfect for her tall and slim build.  It featured elegant rouching at the bodice and waistline which then proceeded to an elegantly flowing full skirt.  She looked stunning.  Rebeccas’ freeform cascade featured white calla lilies and creamy white vendella roses, yellow roses and oncidium orchids for a touch of yellow highlighting and flowing creamy white dendrobium orchids.  White her tall silhouette, the cascading style was so perfect for her.  In keeping with the subtle hint of the family’s Australian heritage, Rebecca’s bouquet also incorporated a touch of eucalyptus which also added an intoxicating fragrance to the dramatic bouquet.  It was such a pleasure for me to design her flowers.  Rebecca and her sister Katrina have friends with our daughters since their days in middle school together.

The bride’s and groom’s cakes were both designed by Robyn Fowler, truly the best in the business in the Southeastern United States.  Truly, it is the best cake you will ever put in your mouth and her creativity and Christian witness shine in everything she does.  The bride’s cake was a classic white three-tier design with the color and drama brought in with the florals in shades of creamy white and yellow.  Again, the whole cake reflected Rebecca’s joyful spirit.  The groom’s cake was a work of art, a phone booth from Dr. Who, one of the groom’s favorite movies.  It was perfect for Charlie who is such a delightful person.  He is one of the most jovial easy going grooms I’ve ever met. 

The two are a match made in heaven.  They both look like they swallowed sunshine!

The whimsical groom's cake.

One of the highlights of the early afternoon reception was the ice cream sundae station.  What a hit it was with the guests.  It was a perfect treat for a hot July afternoon and the guests loved it! 

Catering was done by Maestro 2300 and included a multi-cultural menu beautifully presented by the Maestro staff. 

Following the reception, the happy couple whisked away in the groom’s yellow Cooper. 

Even the car looked happy!  What a great day for a very special couple.  We wish you God’s richest blessings as you begin your new life together in Tempe, Arizona.   Best wishes and thanks Rodger family for the blessing of your friendship.

Kudos to Melissa Hume of Melissa Hume Photography in Birmingham for some fabulous work.  Thanks for sharing these images with us.

Beautiful Ashley Winkler and Ryan Chism were united in marriage on Saturday, June 25^th at Auburn UMC where the Winkler family have been longtime members.  The reception was immediately following at Fountainview and what a glorious evening it was. 

The stunning bride and her handsome groom.

The bride was stunning in her classic off-the-shoulder gown.  It’s always so fun to see how each bride’s gown is such a unique reflection of her individual personality, style, and taste.  This was especially true for Ashley who is such a classic beauty.

Following the church ceremony, the bride and all her maids kicked off their heels and changed into cowboy boots for the Fountainview reception which started at 7:30 PM. 

The bride, the groom, and the bridesmaids strike a playful pose as the show their cowboy boots ready to kick up their heels for the reception.

Everything about the reception reflected classic elegance.  All the tables were dressed in classic ivory damask linen and graced with floral arrangements by Fountainview Mansion which had been individually designed incorporating silver candelabras that had been a part of the Winkler family and their friends for many years making them extra special.  The florals featured the bride’s personal favorite, pink peonies, combined with Cawsablanca lilies, esperanza and vendella roses, and Bells of Ireland.  Each arrangement was slightly different to fit the individual silver candelabra. 

One of the elegant centerpieces incorporating special silver pieces of family and friends evoking a feel of classic Southern elegance.

The catering and the cakes by TerraCotta were top notch.   Chef, Billy Lee, always does such an awesome job.  The rave reviews of the guests continue to show his commitment to quality in food as well as presentation.

The delectable groom's cake.

A wonderful treat for the night was the amazing sunset, one of the prettiest of the entire season at Fountainview.  It couldn’t have happened for a nicer family.

One of the most fabulous sunsets of the entire summer was an added gift from heaven for this special bride and groom. It was breathtaking.

Thanks to the Winkler family for the honor of working with you to help make this day possible for your sweet daughter and her groom!   

Blessings to you both, Ashley and Ryan.

Blair Stansell and Clay Yarbrough were united in marriage at Fountainview Mansion on Friday, June 24, 2011 at 6:15 in the evening.   There were so many special touches.  Blair’s love for baby’s breath inspired here bouquet which featured nothing but a her favorite flower.  It was such a dreamy and unique look for her.  As beautiful as she was, she didn’t need anything else to make her look like a princess.

Blair and some of her maids await her memorable walk down the Fountainview aisle.

Her maids wore simple but elegant gowns in deep purple.  Florals designed by Fountainview were in a freeform hand-tied design and included beautiful green hydrangeas, anemones and baby’s breath with variegated hosta foliage for contrast and a touch of the exotic.  The look against the purple gowns was stunning.

Pictured above, a close-up shot of the exquisite bridesmaid's bouquets created by the staff of Fountainview Mansion.

The men’s boutonnieres were stylish yet masculine feature feathers the groom had collected, hosta foliage, variagated pittosporum, and baby’s breath.  It was a great look for the wedding and really was a neat reflection of the couples love for the outdoors.

The radiant bride makes her magical walk down the aisle. Another dream comes true at Fountainview Mansion!

The reception also featured many special touches reflecting the personalities of this delightful couple.  The groom had cut a beautiful hickory tree with the limbs being custom cut by him for to become the base of the cake creating a custom plateau as well as the bases for the centerpieces.  Floral foam was attached to the tops of the wood pieces creating a unique an whimsical outdoorsy centerpiece.  The look was perfect for the couple.

The custom centerpieces featured wood that had been cut by the groom, feathers collected by the groom, and unique foliages including hosta and pittosporum along with clouds of baby's breath. What a neat look!

The whimsical bride's cake was placed on a massive trunk of hickory wood which had been cut specially by the groom. It was one of the most unique and creative cakes of the season.

As favors, the couple had custom t-shirts printed commemorating their special day. The guests loved them! What a neat idea that guests will enjoy for many years to come.

Clay and Blair, we wish you a lifetime of happiness and and blissful memories together.  God bless.