Rosie Maguire and Matt Robinson don’t remember exactly when they met, but that doesn’t really matter. They ran in the same circles in college even though they attended different schools, and at some point or another, they became Facebook friends. Years later, Rosie was living in Montevallo when she had a job interview in Livingston, and she somewhat randomly reached out to Matt, who was living in Tuscaloosa, to see if he wanted to meet up for a drink on her way home. Rosie says she got cold feet and tried to back out at the last minute, but it’s a good thing she didn’t. These two were destined for a fun and funky fall wedding — and a wonderful life together.
One Saturday morning several years later, Rosie, a teacher, grabbed cinnamon rolls from a local bakery on the way home from a cross country meet she was helping to coach. “Matt did not seem to be that interested in the cinnamon rolls, which really confused me because they are his favorite,” Rosie says. Instead, he told her to look at their cat, Samson. Samson was wearing a new collar and a tag that said: “Marry Me!” Needless to say, with a proposal that darling, she said yes.
Rosie and Matt dreamed up a wooded wedding. They weren’t concerned with tradition or typical expectations, opting instead to create an experience that fit their personalities perfectly and would provide a fun evening for their guests. The venue would be key in creating that experience, and on a day of venue shopping, they found something that they thought fit the bill — until they pulled up to Blackberry Lane Farm. The cozy cabin in the middle of the woods was exactly what they had in mind, plus there were goats! They booked the venue for early November 2017 and began planning.
Rosie found her whimsical color palette for the day in a pretty unexpected place — on a floral shirt one of her students wore to class. She snapped a photo of the pattern and began building the palette for the day around it. She shared the color story with her bridesmaids and asked them each to find a dress that made them feel comfortable and beautiful. The end result is a knock-out collection of confident ladies in shades of mustard, blush, lilac and mint. More muted seasonal tones came into play in the bouquets the ladies carried; creamy white roses, seeded eucalyptus and white poppies with moody black centers were the perfect finishing touches.
RELATED: A Lovely Backyard Wedding in Mountain Brook
Rosie and her bridal party spent the morning of the wedding wrapped in matching floral print robes, getting ready in the little cabin on the Blackberry Lane Farm property in Chelsea. When the bride was ready, with delicate sprigs of flowers tucked into her hair, she went to meet her groom in the woods for the dreamiest first look with an extra special guest: their pup Zula. “She’s a huge part of our lives, and we couldn’t imagine doing it without her,” Rosie says. “The pictures with Zula are our favorites.”
At 4 p.m. that afternoon, family and friends gathered on the hillside at Blackberry Lane Farm to witness Rosie and Matt’s beautiful and perfectly personal ceremony. The groom entered to The National’s “I Need My Girl,” followed by the wedding party, who walked down the aisle to “New Orleans Instrumental No. 1” by R.E.M. Then, the congregation rose to their feet as Rosie’s bridal processional, “Song for Zula” by Phosphorescent, played. Rosie’s maid of honor and best friend also served as their officiant and led the bride and groom as they exchanged vows and rings. “We had a little panic moment about two months out when our original plans for an officiant didn’t work out,” Rosie says. “I somewhat jokingly asked my best friend, who was already acting as a maid of honor, if she would marry us. She got ordained online and ended up executing the most perfect and personal ceremony I could have ever dreamed of.” The finishing touches on a beautiful ceremony were the abundant smiles as Rosie’s brother and sister-in-law sang Bryan Adams’ “Everything I Do, I Do It For You.” The bride and groom shared their first kiss as husband and wife and recessed up the aisle to the admittedly completely-not-romantic “No Children” by The Mountain Goats.
RELATED: A Beautiful, Southern Midsummer Night’s Dream Wedding
The reception was teeming with the same personal touches found in the ceremony. Guests enjoyed dinner under the twinkle lights outside and gathered around the fire. Friends and family made toasts to the bride and groom before the new Mr. and Mrs. took the dance floor to “Cover Me Up” by Jason Isbell. In lieu of a wedding cake, the bride and groom opted for a delectable mountain of Hero Doughnuts, a decision equal parts delicious and fun. They danced all night and were sent off with sparklers, with those signature newlywed grins on their faces.
Thanks for giving us a little peek into your utterly charming day, Rosie and Matt! Cheers to many joyful days ahead!
RESOURCES:
- Photography: Mary Margaret Smith Photography
- Wedding dress: Lillian West from Imperial Formalwear
- Groom and groomsmen attire: Imperial Formalwear
- Ties: Lindsey Brook Designs
- Doughnuts: Hero Doughnuts
- Flowers: Jess Green
- Venue: Blackberry Lane Farm
- Catering: The Hot Tag
- Bridal hair: Lynsey Buckelew
- Save the dates: Hannah Adamson
- Dress alterations: Hollow to Hem
**********
For more dreamy weddings, find our wedding section here!
