• Real Weddings

Sarah and Jared didn't let stormy weather damper they special day! Emily McCollum of Emily Grace Design, along with the rest of a simply fabulous group of vendors, played a key role in making all of Sarah's wedding dreams come true when they sprang into action when a thunderstorm threatened to ruin the festivities — and even surprised the bride and groom with a month-iversary celebration where they recreated some of the details that were missed due to the storm! There are so many details in this peach and gray wedding! Make sure you don't miss a single one and see the photos from their surprise month-iversary celebration by visiting the full gallery here, all captured by Shipra Panosian Photography.

From the Bride:I started planning my wedding when I was about 4 years old. I had no idea who my groom would be, but I could not wait to get the show on the road. After our perfect engagement, I was able to start planning the details of the wedding that I had always dreamt of! The planning process was one of my favorite seasons of life and I am so thankful I got to do it all with my amazing mom, best friends, and our wonderful event coordinator Emily, of Emily Grace Design. When we found our venue, Cypress Grove Estate House, we knew it was the place. Driving up the driveway to the house, you instantly feel like you are on a southern plantation somewhere deep in the south. The venue's southern feel was exactly what I wanted for the romantic, blush and cream colored wedding I was planning.

Trying on wedding dresses was another highlight of the process of planning. I could have tried on dresses every day for a long time and it was bittersweet when I found my dress early on. The Collection Bridal, on Park Avenue in Winter Park, Florida made the experience of finding a dress very enjoyable. The women that worked there were so kind and helpful. I wish I could buy 20 more dresses from them just because it was such a wonderful experience! The minute I put on my Lazaro dress and walked out to show my mom and one of my bridesmaids, we all knew it was the dress and popped some champagne to celebrate.

From Emily McCollum of Emily Grace Design:This wedding day started with the same buzz of every other wedding that I’ve had the pleasure of working. My staff and I were busy running around finalizing details, hanging décor, setting tables and placing centerpieces. The bride and her best friends tucked away getting their hair and makeup done — laughing, giggling, and enjoying their time together. The photographers and videographers captured all of these special moments as they came and went.

As the day progressed, the sky darkened, the wind started blowing, and we kept on working and adjusting our plans for the day. Cell phone weather warnings began alerting us that there was a tornado warning and touch downs in the area, and moments later we were in the midst of an incredible storm. We rushed to grab as much as we could, save the DJ equipment, and hurry to safety as vases flew across the grounds and visibility was down to what was directly in front of us. As the storm passed through and we could see what we were left with, and we were all left devastated. A tent pole had been snapped leaving the tent unusable, vases broken, flowers tossed everywhere, chairs broken and blown away, branches down all over and we were left powerless in more ways than just being without electricity.

What happened next was incredible — the team of vendors got to work without missing a beat, and the sun slowly started peaking its way out. It was all hands on deck and no one had one single responsibility. The DJ team was off finding generators and getting them up and running so we could still have music for the ceremony and reception. We became yardmen clearing away fallen moss, branches, and anything in the way. The staff from the venue began collecting broken chairs, and salvaging any décor that they could. It was truly a labor of love.

With just an hour before go time, we were cleaning up and readjusting and coming up with a new plan of how the day would run. We were creating new décor pieces on the fly, and decorating our hearts out all while staying positive and hopeful about what the remainder of the day would bring. What happens when your backup plans for your backup plans fall through? You figure out new ways to make things work!

Though the ceremony kicked off a few minutes late, the show went on, and it couldn’t have been more special. No, it was not as planned, but it will be in the memories of this couple, their family, and their friends forever. The ceremony happened outside (something I promised Sarah, the bride, that we would figure out a way to make happen), all of the guests stood and gathered close, and as Jared saw his beautiful bride walking towards him for the first time that day I doubt there was a dry eye watching.From the Bride:Planning this wedding was a real gift and those moments shared with my mom, friends, and future husband were priceless and will always be treasured. However, seeing my groom’s face as I walked down the aisle to him, with my dad by my side, brought me more joy than I could have ever imagined. The moment was perfect, the day was perfect, and the story is ours. I could not be more thankful for my family, friends, and vendors for rallying together during this whole process and the support they poured out on us. Most of all, I got to marry a man who is my best friend and more wonderful than anything little 4 year old Sarah could have imagined.

My mom, Emily, and I shared so many fun times creating and scheming ideas of how to decorate. Pinterest became our best friend during this time and I spent countless hours on Wedding Chicks :) Emily understood exactly the look I was going for and helped me turn my dream into a reality. There were many late nights spent with my bridesmaids creating tissue paper pom-poms, tassles, wrapping ribbon around programs, putting liners in envelopes for invitations, spray painting frames, and so on.

Our wedding day, as Emily described, did not turn out exactly as planned. Many of our ideas and plans had to be changed last minute. While it was hard to fathom during the storm how it was going to all come together, I always had faith in our amazing vendors that it would come together just fine. Our flowers by Milk & Honey turned out gorgeous and brought the soft, romantic vibe I was going for to the day. My wonderful photographer, Shipra Panosian, and videographers, White in Revery, captured every moment of the day and showed the beauty of what the day was really about.

From Emily McCollum of Emily Grace Design:With all of the challenges that we faced on that Sunday in March, something beautiful still happened. We made lifelong friendships with the vendors, family, and an amazing couple. We pulled off what seemed to be impossible as individuals and as a team. A wonderful wedding took place and a beautiful marriage began. Life and love will always bring incredible challenge, but if we learn to weather the storm, we will appreciate each ray of sunshine. Jared and Sarah faced their first storm as a married couple on their wedding day, but they faced this day with the most incredible beauty and grace.

This amazing vendor team came together exactly a month after Jared and Sarah's wedding to recreate some of details of the day that were missed out on due to the storm we faced. We were blessed with a beautiful day to celebrate two beautiful people!

You simply must watch the entire video from White in Revery. A breathtaking and memorable wedding film that we could watch over and over.

https://vimeo.com/70524743

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• Caterer: Big City Catering
• Flowers: Milk & Honey
• Groom & His Men: JoS. A. Bank
• Hair: Halo Salon
• Jewelry: Kate Spade
• Makeup: Love and Arrows Makeup by Cristina Jones
• Photographer: Shipra Panosian Photography
• Prints: Lara Casey Shop
• Second Photographer: JConn Photo
• Shoes: Toms
• Wedding Films: White In Revery