Of course, every bride and groom deserves a moment to shine on their wedding day. At this stunning outdoor ceremony just outside Birmingham, however, the animals in attendance simply couldn’t help but turn heads. From graceful horses making surprise cameos to the couple’s adorable dogs standing proud during the ceremony, these wedding photos will melt your heart!
Alex and Tera matched on Bumble in 2019, but back then, dating apps weren’t quite as mainstream as they are now. Not wanting to make it a conversation piece among family and friends, they went with an alibi when asked how they met. “For the longest time, we told people we met at a Birmingham Barons game on a Thirsty Thursday. If you know, you know,” Tera tells us.
When it came time to propose, Alex decided to pop the question on a trip to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. The couple was vacationing with Tera’s brother and his now-fiancée, who also happens to be Tera’s best friend. Alex knew it would be the perfect opportunity for a stunning sunset proposal with those closest to Tera by her side.
With the help of Stefany Keisler of Creating Moments Wedding and Events, the couple invited 100 guests to the gorgeous Windwood Equestrian estate in Pelham for the ceremony and reception. “I knew I wanted an outdoor wedding, and the venue is stunning — elegant, European vibes, exactly what I envisioned,” Tera says.
Alex and Tera knew their dogs would be part of the big day. “They’re basically our children, so it was a no-brainer,” Tera says. “They walked down the aisle with the wedding party and somehow managed to stay up there the whole ceremony.”
Tera says the color scheme for the day came from a lifelong love of blue hydrangeas … along with hours spent on Pinterest. With light blue and white as her primary colors, her bridesmaids’ dresses added a bright pop of yellow. “My bridesmaids’ dresses were inspired by the iconic yellow dress from How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days,” Tera says.
When asked about her own dress, Tera laughs as she explains, “It was everything I thought I didn’t want.” The strapless, A-line silhouette with a high slit and long, dramatic train had not been on her vision board when she tried it on at The Something Blue Shoppe in Hartselle, AL. “I went in thinking I wanted something sleek, simple, and form-fitting,” Tera says, “but when I put it on, it just felt right. It was timeless, traditional, and felt like a true wedding dress.”
Tera and Alex did a few things their own way during the ceremony, including public and private vows. “We did private vows to each other before the ceremony, then during the ceremony we mixed in some traditional vows with a few personal touches,” Tera explains.
However, the vows didn’t exactly go as planned. “I forgot to transfer my vows from my phone to a cute notebook, so I ended up scribbling them on a sheet of paper while getting my hair and makeup done,” Tera recalls, “Meanwhile, my husband had his perfectly written in a little book.”
Luckily, the ceremony concluded just before a rain shower moved in. Guests enjoyed a cocktail hour with passed hors d’oeuvres in Windwood’s chic stables. A grand charcuterie board offered artisan breads, imported cheeses, antipasto, and fresh fruit, plus a Swiss cheese and bacon-stuffed pastry and heirloom tomato bruschetta.
Dinner was buffet-style and included all the Southern staples: smoked brisket, BBQ chicken, mac and cheese, baked beans, potatoes au gratin, cornbread, and salad. For dessert, banana pudding shooters and peach cobbler were served.
When the bride and groom walked out for their first dance as husband and wife, they were thrown a bit of a curveball. “Our first dance was to I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing by Aerosmith, but the band played the wrong version,” Tera recalls, “so we completely winged it!”
The wedding cake was simple, beautiful vanilla buttercream. Thanks to a creative touch, you might never guess it was delivered with a bright green top instead of the pale blue they’d intended! “My mom cut it off the morning of, and we just stuck flowers on top!” Tera says.
The couple made their exit as guests popped streamers for a fun send-off. But the party was just getting started. “We hopped on a party bus with our bridal party and their plus-ones to head back to Birmingham and keep the celebration going,” Tera says.
She recalls the after-party as one of the day’s highlights, saying, “I think it was because all the stress was gone. The wedding and reception were incredible, but that moment of singing and dancing with all our best friends felt so carefree and fun — it was just pure celebration.”
Even with a wedding planner, Tera says the time commitment of planning a wedding was way more than she expected, saying, “The amount of tiny details to think about was insane.” Still, she says it’s true what they say – it really is the fastest day of your life. Her advice: “Be truly present. Don’t spend hair and makeup time stressing about the ceremony, or the cocktail hour, or thinking about the reception. Enjoy each part of the day as it comes.”
RESOURCES
Planning & Design: Creating Moments
Venue: Windwood Equestrian
Catering & Bar: Happy Catering
Photography: Krista Suzanne Photography
Dress: The Something Blue Shoppe
Band, String Quartet & Jazz Band: Emerald Empire Band
Florist: Cymbidium Studios
Candles: Forever Wild Floral Company
Photobooth: Moonlighter Events
Marquee Letter: Alpha-Lit Tuscaloosa
Hair & Makeup: Brittney Ashton Artistry
Linens: Decor to Adore
STYLEBLUEPRINT RESOURCES:
Planning a wedding? Check out StyleBlueprint’s two Wedding Resource Guides. (More to come!):
- StyleBlueprint Nashville’s Wedding Resource Guide
- StyleBlueprint Birmingham’s Wedding Resource Guide
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Discover more fabulous wedding inspiration in our archives HERE!
