A French Country Wedding … Nashville Style
A Nashville-style French country-themed wedding has us dreaming of lush floral arrangements, elegant chandeliers and rustic food. The perfect inspiration as we head into fall!
When Nashville native Jordan Hein met Hunter Grubbs at her own 18th birthday party, they were both dating other people, and she could barely see his face past the two black eyes and broken nose he had from an ATV accident. It might not have been love at first sight, but 13 months later, a mutual friend reintroduced them during a weekend lake house trip, and they were smitten. Jordan, whoβs in social media marketing, and Hunter, whoβs finishing up his nursing degree, spent the weekend playing guitars and bonding. Once the festivities were over, dating was the natural next step.
The couple officially got engaged on October 13, 2018, but Hunter couldnβt resist tricking Jordan into thinking his proposal plans were underway the week before. βI was visiting him in Paducah, KY (Hunterβs hometown),β Jordan tells us. βHe planned a full day of doing his favorite things, and I thought, I think heβs going to propose. He even bought me nail polish.β When Hunter got down on one knee at a local pumpkin patch, Jordan was sure the moment had arrived. Instead, her future husband asked if heβd picked out a good pumpkin. βHe totally tricked me that week into thinking he was going to propose and then didnβt,β laughs the bride. But the next week proved to be a different story. While Jordan, who enjoys performing on the side, was playing an acoustic show at Opry Mills mall, Hunter hopped up on the stage to surprise her. This time, when he got down on one knee, his intentions were clear, and he proposed right then and there. With her mom in the audience videoing the entire event, Jordan said βyesβ and then finished playing her last two songs. After all, the show must go on β even after a marriage proposal!
A nearly two-year-long engagement gave Jordan and Hunter plenty of time to plan, and they started diving into the process about a year before their big day. βWe were planning a smaller-ish wedding in Paducah, but I work for The Estate at Cherokee Dock,β explains the bride. βMy work caught wind that I was engaged, and they were like, βYou should have it here!β They took the reins, which is fantastic because Iβve heard how stressful wedding planning can be.β With that in mind, Jordan turned the bulk of the strategizing over to her coworkers, who reached out to phenomenal event planners Hugh Howser and Kate Steele of H Three Events. After choosing her color scheme and handing over her Pinterest vision board, Jordan sat back and watched the magic happen. βThere is nothing better than free reign!β exclaims Hugh of the ability to take Jordanβs ideas and run with them. βItβs a designerβs dream.Β That way, you can make your eventΒ come to life without piecing somethingΒ together thatΒ isnβt cohesive.β
Using blue β Jordanβs color of choice β as a foundation, the event planning team moved forward with putting together a French country garden-themed wedding: elegant and classic with natural elements and oodles of greenery mixed in. While Hugh and Kate were busy lining up an array of white and green florals, lush linens to pull in the brideβs color palette, and even timely details such as hand sanitizer placeholders, Jordan concentrated on finding her dress. βMy dress was so pretty,β the bride gushes about her Olia Zavozina gown with a nearly 15-foot train. βWe went [to her store], and my mom, two grandmothers, and two of my bridesmaids were there, and I tried on three dresses that Iβd seen on the website. They were all stunning, but my mom didnβt cry over any of them β you know, the cry test.β Thankfully, the final dress was a winner. βThe dress had sparkles, there were little flowers everywhere, and it fit me perfectly,β says Jordan. βOh, and my mom started bawling. Thatβs when I knew it was the one.β
RELATED: What Is A Micro Wedding?
August 1, 2020, marked Jordan and Hunterβs long-awaited special day, and even COVID couldnβt stop them. Since they held their event at a private venue outside of Davidson county, the rules and regulations allowed for a more significant affair. Some family members, such as Hunterβs grandparents, werenβt able to attend due to safety concerns. Nevertheless, 120 guests joined together at the estate to celebrate the beautiful couple. βOur videographer live-streamed it so people who werenβt able to be there because of COVID could see it, too,β says the bride.
Though they intended to wed by the water, rain prompted them to go with Plan B. Instead, a tent outside of the estate stables served as an enchanting oasis for the wedding party and guests. One of the brideβs favorite moments of the day was walking out and seeing the incredible ceremonial floral ring where she and Hunter would be saying I do. βI hadnβtΒ seen it before then,β she recalls. βI was so disappointed that it rained, and I was afraid it wasnβt going to be as pretty, but when I walked out and saw the gorgeous flowers on the flower circle, it was just amazing.β
The ceremony was short and sweet. The couple exchanged traditional vows and made it through their ceremony in only seven minutes, then walked back up the aisle as husband and wife, stealing a few more kisses along the way.
RELATED: The Dreamiest Small Wedding Ever (in Italy, of course!)
After the ceremony, the newlyweds enjoyed a private dinner inside the house, savoring a quiet moment to sit and sample delicious offerings from Chef Edgar of Haute Iron Co.Β While guests enjoyed the cocktail hour and feasted on appetizers such as peach ceviche, pork belly on toast, and watermelon with pistachios served on rustic platters, the couple held hands, tasted the exquisite fare, and sipped their signature drinks. βIt was such a special moment,β recalls the bride, βand we were so hungry! We got so nervous we didnβt eat before the wedding. Afterward, it was so relaxing to have that time together.β
After their mini culinary extravaganza for two, Jordan and Hunter joined their guests for the seated meal. Outdoor firepits brought an air of woodsy charm and hearty food to the reception, with cedar plank salmon, roasted honey mustard chicken, New York strip and root vegetables leading the way. Upon entry to the reception, guests signed the pages of a copy of Jon Meachamβs Nashville: Scenes from the New American South, which now serves as the perfect Nashville-centric memory to adorn the coupleβs coffee table. βIβm a Nashville native, so I love everything Nashville,β says Jordan. But aside from the guestbook, the bride and groom opted not to partake in many of the typical wedding traditions, skipping the bouquet and garter tosses, and trading in the cake cutting for pre-cut slices of berry Chantilly cake from Whole Foods β the brideβs personal favorite. They even did speeches at the rehearsal dinner rather than the wedding reception, which left more time for dining and dancing. A pretty little lounge area provided intimate seating and offered older guests a front-row seat to the dance space β a custom-painted midnight blue floor embellished with French tulips along the edge that they certainly put to good use. After the bride and groom shared their first dance to βPut Your Head on My Shoulder,β the DJ had the guests rocking late into the evening. After a long night, boxes of Krystal burgers showed up for the hungry partygoers.
With their plans for a honeymoon in Ireland thwarted by pandemic travel restrictions, the newly married Mr. and Mrs. Grubbs enjoyed a sparkler send-off and then headed to an Airbnb in Chattanooga for some rest and relaxation. Being closer to home offered an unexpected relief β more time to recuperate instead of being in transit. βHunter and I love food and hiking, and there are a ton of great food and hiking places in Chattanooga, so it was perfect,β Jordan says of their vacation, adding, βBeing so tired after the wedding weekend, it was great only having to drive two hours. We were sort of happy not to go to Ireland at that point.β
βThe wedding weekend was fantastic,β says the bride of their three-day affair. She recommends taking the time to stretch out your celebration, if at all possible, using it as an opportunity to focus on whatβs important. βIt slowed everything down so we could enjoy it,β she adds. βIt was really stressful with wedding planning and COVID and doing my senior year online while all of this was going on.β Her laidback approach made it easier to brave the challenges, and Jordan hopes she can encourage other future brides to follow suit. βGo with the flow, and donβt let the little things get you,β she offers. βThe most important thing is that youβre getting married β your wedding is only one day, but the marriage is the rest of your life.β
We wish you a bright and beautiful future together, Mr. and Mrs. Grubbs. Thank you for sharing your wedding day story with us, and special thanks to Becca Cannon for the photography.
RESOURCES
Ceremony and reception venues: The Estate at Cherokee Dock
Photography: Becca Cannon for Cannon Weddings
Videographer: Josh Curd of Little Josh Productions
Wedding planners: Hugh Howser and Kate Steele for H Three Events
Brideβs hair and makeup: One10 Beauty
Florals: Tim Riffle Environments
Cake: Whole Foods
Invitations: Joyner and Hogan
Menus and programs: Youβre Invited
Calligraphy: Valorie Ward Cole Calligraphy
Brideβs gown: Olia Zavozina
Brideβs shoes: Vans
Bridesmaidsβ dresses: Azazie
Groomβs tux and shoes: The Black Tux
Caterer: Chef Edgar Pendley for Haute Iron Co.
Cocktail Service: Aperitif Events and Cocktails
DJ: Aaron Traylor of Premier Entertainment
Linens: La Tavola
Rentals: Please Be Seated
Custom vinyl dance floor: Inkredible Floors
**********
Explore more dreamy wedding inspiration in our archives!
Jenna von Oy Bratcher
Jenna von Oy Bratcher is StyleBlueprint's Editorial Operations Manager and Lead Content Editor. The East Coast native moved to Nashville almost two decades ago, by way of Los Angeles. She is a lover of dogs, strong coffee, traveling, and exploring the local restaurant scene bite by bite.