If there is one place where gracious entertaining and a love for tradition come together, it would have to be the South. Southern brides and their mothers know how to plan a wedding that is pretty, welcoming, and rich with meaning. Get inspired by these classic Southern wedding details.
The classic Southern wedding is full of beautiful and romantic things. For most brides, this begins with the bridal gown. A traditional Southern bride has an eye for tasteful beauty, and will tend to choose a wedding dress that is more timeless than avant garde. Lace gowns are especially popular, as they exude the sense of timeless elegance that Southern ladies appreciate. A wedding dress made of exquisite lace accented with a blush pink or champagne colored sash would be an ideal style. It should be accented by classic pearl bridal jewelry and of course a veil for the marriage ceremony.
Tradition and heritage matter in the South, and brides love to incorporate family heirlooms into their weddings. There is something just so special about borrowing a treasured item from a family member, and it is a lovely way to make your wedding more meaningful. It is even better if the bride's mother or grandmother previously used the item in her own wedding. The bride could wrap her bouquet with the same lace handkerchief carried by her mom when she got married. Or the bridal veil could be passed down from the bride's grandmother. If there is a classic piece of bridal jewelry in your family, you could use it as a bouquet ornament or wear it along with new jewelry that coordinates. Some brides even sew a small piece of lace from their mother's bridal gown into the inside hem of their wedding dress for a sentimental touch.
A classic Southern wedding is usually designed with a soft, feminine color palette. Blush pink, pale yellow, champagne, soft peach, and white or ivory are among the most popular hues. You could either choose one signature color such as pink to accent white (or ivory), or blend all of the soft colors together into one palette. The gentle hues are wonderful for bridesmaid dresses, as they tend to be very flattering and easy to wear. If the men in the wedding are not wearing black tie attire, they can wear suits with bow ties in the wedding colors. For a summer wedding, seersucker suits would be especially nice.
The lush gardens of the South are justifiably famous. It is only natural that an abundance of full flowers would be used in a Southern wedding. Classic blossoms such as garden roses and peonies in white or pink are particular favorites for the bridal bouquet. Bouquets with soft natural shapes that look as though they were freshly picked from a garden that morning are perfect. Finish it off with a white ribbon bouquet wrap and pin your grandmother's favorite brooch to it for a marvelous bouquet with a Southern flair. For a distinctly Southern touch, float magnolia blossoms in bowls of water around the wedding.
No Southern wedding would be complete without a groom's cake. This is a custom that has caught on around the country in recent years, probably because it is so much fun. The groom's cake is a second cake served at the wedding. Unlike the main wedding cake, which is usually very elegant, the groom's cake is whimsical. They are usually sculpted to look like the groom's favorite pet, sport, hobby, or an emblem of his profession. The groom's cake is traditionally a surprise gift from the bride to her groom. After all, a gracious bride with "good home training" knows that a wedding is about making everyone feel special, not just the bride.
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