Your Ultimate Guide to Nashville Wedding Planning
Throwing a wedding in Nashville? Use this as your go-to guide for all of your planning needs. From event spaces and planners to flowers and invitations, we have you covered.
If you are planning a Nashville wedding this year, stress no more! We have created a field guide to all of the best wedding resources the city has to offer, with tips to help you relax and make the most of your time. From picking the perfect venue for you reception to finding the best hair stylist for you and your bridal party, this listΒ has everything you need to make your wedding dreams come true.
1. Make a guest list before you pick a venue.
If you are planning a large wedding, youβll want your reception to be in a sizeable place that allows for traffic to flow between eating or sitting areas and the dance floor. If you are having an intimate wedding, you want to avoid venuesΒ that willΒ dwarf your party and make the space feel empty. Pick a space that suits your party size and style. For anΒ urban setting,Β Acme Feed & Seed,Β The Bridge BuildingΒ andΒ The Bell TowerΒ offer great views of downtown. For pastoral charm, considerΒ Cheekwood Botanical GardensΒ orΒ The Harding House,Β which are set in the lush neighborhood of Belle Meade. For a more modern feel,Β some city-wideΒ favorites areΒ OZ Arts,Β Marathon Music Works,Β City Winery,Β Ruby,Β AerialΒ andΒ Houston Station. And for a rustic setting, Green Door Gourmet is an ideal spot off of River Road in West Nashville.
Related:Β Your Ultimate Guide to Nashvilleβs Event Spaces
2. Avoid black-out dates.
Nearly every weekend in Nashville is busyΒ with a sporting event, concert or beer fest, leaving little availabilityΒ in some of the cityβs best hotels. When planning your wedding, be sure to consult a local events calendar to ensure that you will be able to reserve enough hotel rooms for your out-of-town guests. TheΒ Hutton Hotel,Β The Hermitage HotelΒ andΒ Union StationΒ are some of Nashvilleβs most beautiful and unique hotels offering easy access to the city.
3. Let someone else lead the way.
Planning a wedding may sound like a dream, but itβs a process that can get hectic and overwhelming before you know it. Instead of tackling every detail yourself, pick a wedding planner to help coordinate each step, which will leave you with time to relax and relish time with your family and friends.Β AmosΒ Gott, an award-winning event planner, is one of the cityβs best and tackles everything from florals to place settings.Β Deanna Burks EventsΒ is also an incredible resourceΒ thatΒ creates extraordinary events!
4. ChooseΒ custom invitations.
Designing invitations can be such a fun part of the wedding planning process, but some brides dread it.Β From save-the-date cards to personalized programs for guests, there are lots of decisions to be made around paper. To achieve a professional look, consultΒ The Paper PlaceΒ orΒ Ink Nashville, both ofΒ whom have some incredible designs.Β Valorie Ward Cole CalligraphyΒ is also a great resource for hand-done calligraphy, which takes formal wedding invites to the next level.
5. Make a meal plan.
Food is an essential part of all wedding celebrations, and there are countless ways to construct a wedding feast, from buffets with carving stations to build-your-own biscuit bars. To help prepare a menu that is fresh, sophisticated and guaranteed to satisfy even the pickiest of guests, seek assistance from the food pros atΒ TinwingsΒ orΒ Kristen Winston Catering, regarded as one of the best catering chefs in the city.
6. Find flowers to fit your style.
Whether you are picking floralΒ designs for a bridesmaid luncheon or the wedding ceremony itself, you want to have a diversity of options so that you can create arrangements that speak to the season.Β Rebel Hill FloristΒ andΒ Flower MartΒ are two of the most trusted local resources for beautifulΒ flowers. The knowledgeable staff at both businesses can helpΒ you make decisions that reflect your personal style.
7. Summon the fashion police.
Choosing the bridesmaidsβ dresses and corresponding accessories can be one of the tougher decisionsΒ for a bride, because it can be challenging to find a style that suits all of her bridal party. In order to make this easier, make an appointment atΒ Bella BridesmaidsΒ and go with your wedding party to the boutique. That way, you can all decide onΒ a shape and color that pleases the majority. It can be a great opportunity to spend some quality time with your girlfriends. Plus, the staff at Bella Bridesmaids makes it super easy to order.
8. RegisterΒ for gifts.
Your family and friends will be pleased to know that youβve made a detailed inventory of desired wedding gifts. In order to ensure you get stylish, tasteful and unique items that you wonβt find at just any store, visitΒ AshBlueΒ andΒ Epergne. For beautiful china, dishware and keepsake items, checkoutΒ Corzine & Co.,Β The RegistryΒ andΒ Harpeth GalleryΒ to find timeless pieces that will last a lifetime.Β
9. Capture the moment.
Every bride wants beautiful photographs to help them remember their special day. To capture all of the great moments with the groom, the bridal party, family and friends, have one of theΒ best professional photographers on hand throughout the day and into the evening.Β Leila Grossman,Β Ashley Hylbert,Β Tausha AnnΒ andΒ Heather SisemoreΒ are responsible for all of the gorgeous photography on StyleBlueprint, and their wedding portfolios are just as impressive!
10. Let them eat cake.
When you have a cake created by a local bakery, such asΒ Dessert Designs, itβs likely to be the centerpiece of the wedding reception. These intricate andΒ detailed cakes are works of art and addΒ another element of sophistication to your celebration. They also taste incredible andΒ are baked and iced with only gourmet ingredients.
11. Schedule a hair trial.
Thereβs nothing worse than getting your hair done for an event and hating the results. In order to avoid a wedding hair mishap, schedule a trial run several weeks before the wedding to test out a style or two. Be sure to bring your veil or crown to ensure that the style can accommodate it comfortably. When it comes to the big day, youβll be grateful that you did a test run before walking down the aisle!
12. Apply the finishing touch.
Your wedding makeup has to feel just so β sophisticated but not overdone, elegant but not dated. Fortunately, Nashville has a handful of amazing cosmetic stores that offer incredible makeup services for special events. In Green Hills alone, youβll findΒ Daniel Cole Collection,Β Private Edition,Β Woo Skincare,Β The Cosmetic MarketΒ andΒ Therapy Systems, all of which pride themselves on incredible products and amazing application by trained artists.
With your wedding day field guide at the ready, making the decisions for your big day should be easy as pie. Remember to slow down and enjoy it, and call in the experts to do what they do best. Youβll be glad you did!
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Best wishesΒ to all of our brides-to-be out there! To discover more great wedding ideas, checkout SB on Pinterest! And click here to look atΒ some of the most beautiful weddings in the South!
