This Nashville Garden Wedding Had 22 Bridesmaids (and the MOST Spectacular Veil)

Joy Morgan Myers and Reynolds Spencer’s spring wedding was the kind of effortlessly elegant Nashville celebration that guests will be talking about for years. From a study hall meet-cute to a decade-long courtship to a stunning ceremony with 22 bridesmaids (22!), this couple hasn’t stopped smiling. Take a look inside their stunning garden wedding at Nashville’s Cheekwood Estate and Gardens.

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In the spring of 2024, Joy Morgan and Reynolds tied the knot in Nashville, TN, surrounded by 250 of their favorite people, spring flowers, and a whole lot of laughter. “It’s crazy to think it’s been nearly 10 years,” Joy Morgan says of their journey, which started during their junior year at Christ Presbyterian Academy. “We had every single class scheduled together except one,” she adds. Friends turned study partners turned forever — just like that.

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Now living in Chicago (Joy Morgan is finishing her anesthesiology residency at the University of Chicago Hospital, and Reynolds is in public accounting at Ernst & Young), the two took a break from spreadsheets and medical rounds to throw a gorgeous garden party that will live in their memories forever.

“Spring has always been our favorite season, and the theme for our wedding was based around the idea of a fresh and fun black-tie garden party,” says Joy Morgan. “We really wanted to lean into the warmth and joy that those first warm and sunny spring days bring. When thinking about what our perfect day looked like, we envisioned all of our beautiful friends and family enjoying wonderful food and drink on a warm spring day that turns into a crisp evening and worked from there.”

Joy Morgan found her gown at The Dress Theory in Nashville. “I wanted a wedding dress that I still felt like myself in — I usually gravitate towards a more simple, chic, and less-is-more style,” she explains. The final pick? A bias-cut silk Danielle Frankel gown with a cowl neck and a low back that moved beautifully. “I felt like it complemented my wedding-day glow perfectly and could truly go on and on about it.”

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And while the dress was stunning in its simplicity, Joy Morgan didn’t shy away from drama when it came to the veil. “Since my wedding dress was very simple, I wanted a dramatic veil to match the grandness of the day,” she says. Enter: a custom cathedral-length veil by Monvieve made from Italian lace, complete with a floral pattern and solid border. “It was truly the perfect complement to my wedding dress!”

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Wedding mornings can be a flurry of curlers and chaos, but not this one. “I spent the morning of our wedding at my family’s house on our back porch — my favorite place!” Joy Morgan says. “All my bridesmaids came over for brunch and to get ready, and we had a very relaxed morning.”

The glam squad was personal, too. “My cousin, Carolyne Myers Brown, has done wedding and event makeup in the past, so it was a no-brainer,” she says. “And my hair was done by the same person who’s been cutting my hair since I was 10 years old, Kathleen Marr.”

The morning was easy breezy — no nerves and no drama. Just carbs, friends, and a bit of hairspray.

Before the ceremony, Joy Morgan and Reynolds snuck away for a first look at Cheekwood. “It also gave us a moment to just be together before being whisked away for the rest of the day,” Joy Morgan tells us.

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“Reynolds and I have been very lucky to have friendships that have lasted through various stages in life and friends that we have shared together for many years, so we had a very large wedding party,” says Joy Morgan. And she’s not kidding. This might be one of the largest bridal parties we’ve ever seen. “I had 22 girls in my wedding party, and he had 20 guys in his,” she says of their bridesmaids and groomsmen. “These dear friends included siblings and lifelong best friends. We had such a fun crew and consider ourselves very blessed to have the friends that we do. We couldn’t imagine our day without each of them!”

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“My family lives near Cheekwood, and we went there often growing up for art exhibits and Christmas lights, so it was definitely top of mind when I envisioned my wedding,” says the bride of her chosen venue. “I was never a girl who dreamed about the details of her wedding day, but I had secretly hoped Cheekwood would be part of it when the day finally came. We toured several others in Downtown Nashville that were great, but the spring wedding date and personal connection ultimately led us to pick Cheekwood.”

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“We exchanged traditional vows in an Episcopalian ceremony,” the bride tells us. “We read private vows to each other during our first look, but loved the idea of saying the same words that so many people have said before while joining together in marriage with our friends and family as witnesses.”

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Guests enjoyed cocktail hour on the terrace, featuring passed appetizers like mini crab cakes, hot chicken bites, sweet tamale corn cakes, and truffle grilled cheeses. “The tasting for these and the dinner food was definitely our families’ favorite parts of the planning process,” Joy Morgan confesses.

“For our flowers, we worked with Vintage Florals, which was such a dream,” she tells us. “They helped us create a balance of spring-colored flowers that were whimsical, fun, and timeless. Our main floral colors were peach, yellow, white, and varying shades of orange and pink. We also used citrus fruits such as oranges, grapefruits, and lemons to complement the flowers on the tables … We used the flowers to lean into the sunny, warm spring aesthetic.”

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When it comes to reception cocktails, some brides choose champagne or a basic spritz. Not Joy Morgan. “One of our favorite bars in Oxford, MS, is the bar above City Grocery,” she says. “They have my favorite cocktail in the world — a cucumber gimlet.” Naturally, the couple served a version at the reception and renamed it “Murphy’s Gimlet” after their dog.

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Dinner was a mix of stations and seated service with options like shrimp and grits, sliders, roasted Brussels sprouts, kale salad with blackberry and sorghum vinaigrette, and late-night cheeseburger sliders with bacon and roasted tomato aioli. “We wanted a party that would have our friends dancing all night … which I think we achieved,” Joy Morgan says.

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And the cake? Swoon. “Oh my goodness, I still dream about our wedding cake!” Joy Morgan gushes. Designed by Dessert Designs by Leland, the four-tier confection had vintage piping and alternating layers of cream cheese and lemon pound cake. The groom’s cake was a nod to Ole Miss, with an edible football jersey draped across it. Even better, it was big on flavor: almond amaretto with caramel icing.

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Joy Morgan’s advice for fellow brides is refreshingly grounded. “Take a deep breath, slow down, and remember that marriage is the most important thing,” she says. “Things will almost certainly get hectic … but I found that focusing on having a good attitude helped to set the tone and energy once the wedding day arrived.”

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Thank you, Joy Morgan and Reynolds, for sharing your big day with us!

RESOURCES

Venue: Christ Church Cathedral and Cheekwood Estate and Gardens Photographer: Erin Fox Photo Videographer: Coley Spencer Video Planner: Linley Stokes Bride’s Gown: Danielle Frankel from The Dress Theory Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Each bridesmaid chose her own dress Hair & Makeup: Laura Carolyne Makeup Groom + Groomsmen’s Formalwear: Jos. A. Bank Stationery: Forget Me Not Studio Flowers: Vintage Florals Catering: Flavor Catering Entertainment: Number One Party Band Cake: Dessert Designs by Leland Lighting: Bright Event Productions Rentals: Please Be Seated Rentals Linens: BBJ La Tavola

STYLEBLUEPRINT RESOURCES:

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