A Winter Wonderland Wedding at The Hermitage Hotel
As if the holidays aren't already magical enough, The Hermitage Hotel offers the perfect backdrop for this winter wonderland wedding with a live painter, champagne, and of course, plenty of warmly lit Christmas decor.
In a twist of trueΒ Greyβs Anatomy-style fate, Sigrid Johannesen and her now husband, Jon Ringenberg, met during their surgical residency. In fact, they were on a trauma ICU team together for rotations. Talk about a high-pressure situation! Fortunately, the couple was able to set aside all of that pressure to tie the knot in a stunning winter wedding at The Hermitage Hotel in Nashville, TN, where they kissed amid beautifully lit Christmas trees and celebrated their love with around 150 guests. Take a look at this magical exchange of vows!
The thoracic surgeon (Sigrid) and orthopedic surgeon (Jon) may not have much time to spend vacationing thanks to their busy schedules, but they were able to steal a weekend away in Guthrie, OK β which Jon used as an opportunity to propose. βWe got engaged in the garden of our favorite bed and breakfast in Guthrieβ the bride tells us. βWe stayed there several times over the years when we both had the weekend off together, which was rare. The engagement was just us. Very simple and very perfect.β
The engagement went off without a hitch, and the couple was off to the races, immediately hiring wedding coordinator Katie Osborne. βShe helped me get an idea of the type of venue I should look for and made recommendations for all the best vendors,β says Sigrid. βI would have been absolutely lost without her. Aesthetics and event planning are very outside my scope.β
With Katieβs assistance (and the help of a few friends, too!), the couple embarked on their decision-making process, selecting The Hermitage Hotel for their venue. βA couple of the women I work with at Vanderbilt had been married there in recent years, so they recommended the hotel,β says Sigrid. βOne actually came with me for the initial consultation with the Hermitageβs team to help me know what questions to ask.β
With nearly the entire guest list coming in from out of town, the bride and groom decided it would be easiest to keep the ceremony and the reception at the same location. βThe downtown location was also convenient for places to stay and sightseeing while guests were in town,β the bride explains, adding, βUltimately, though, I think The Hermitage Hotel is just one of the most beautiful places Iβve ever seen, and I knew I wanted to get married there from the minute I walked in the door.β
Adding to the aesthetic was the hotelβs seasonal decor β the perfect wintery backdrop for a classic December wedding. βAfter choosing a venue, I picked everything else based on the aesthetic of the hotel,β Sigrid tells us. βThe different shades of soft blues and gold are so stunning in the lobby. I didnβt want any of my decor to compete with that. (The 20-foot Christmas trees at The Hermitage with gold and white ornaments were an amazing bonus, too.)β
When it came to the big day, the bride got ready in a suite at The Hermitage, offering easy access when it was time for the ceremony. βI stayed in the room the night before with my maid of honor, so it was a very low-key morning getting ready with my friends and family,β she says. As they got ready, the women sipped mimosas, snacked on breakfast foods, and had their hair and makeup done professionally. βI got ready last,β says the bride, βso I got to just spend time with a lot of my favorite people as they got ready.β
But once it was her turn, Sigrid donned her gorgeous gown from LVD Bridal Shop, pairing it with her motherβs pearl earrings (something old) and her sisterβs sapphire and diamond bracelet (something borrowed and blue).
After a beautiful ceremony in front of a giant Christmas tree, guests made their way to cocktail hour, where they indulged in hors dβoeuvres and toasted with champagne. After that, it was a seated dinner with artichoke salad, braised short rib with asparagus, and garlic mashed potatoes.
Meanwhile, live painter Lauren OβBrien captured the evening on canvas β Sigridβs favorite detail of the evening. βGoing to art museums is one of my favorite things to do, so it made the day feel very personal,β she explains. βPlus, Lauren is so incredibly sweet and fun to work with. She also made us a custom-painted champagne bottle from Katie, our wedding coordinator. They both used to teach at the same school, so it was fun having both of them at the event together.β
After an exciting evening on the dance floor (which the bride and groom certainly took advantage of!), the newlyweds stepped away for some alone time. βWe had a last dance together alone after everyone left the ballroom,β Sigrid tells us of their intimate moment together. βThen we walked through the lines of people and out the door. We turned right back around and came into the hotel through a side door. It was ridiculous and hilarious trying to hide from our guests once we were back inside!β
Thanks for sharing your big day, Sigrid and Jon. And thanks to Danielle Lozeau for the beautiful photos.
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RESOURCES
Ceremony & Reception: The Hermitage Hotel
Wedding coordinator: Katie Osborne Wedding and Event Coordination
Photographer: Danielle Lozeau
Flowers: Morna Mae Florals Nashville
Stationery: Minted
Hair and makeup: Katie Dallaire with the Agency of Beauty
Brideβs gown: LVD Bridal Shop
Bridesmaidsβ dresses: Bhldn
Groomβs suit: Brooks Brothers
Catering: The Hermitage Hotel
Cakes: The Hermitage Hotel
Reception Entertainment: Hightone Entertainment
Live Painter: Lauren OβBrien Art
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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.