StyleBlueprint's Marketing Manager, Bailey Torkelson, dreamed of a wedding day woven with romance, whimsy, personal touches, and most importantly, fun. Look inside this uniquely enchantingly event at historic Tennessee venue, The Maybelle. Image: Lindsey Johnson Photography
It was the perfect autumn Saturday in 2014 at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. Jesse Gettinger and his friends were hosting a game-day party. Bailey Torkelson tagged along with her roommate. The pair connected within five minutes of Bailey’s arrival, and sparks flew.
PinOn May 11, 2024, at The Maybelle in Springfield, Tennessee, Bailey and Jesse Gettinger tied the knot in front of 120 of their closest friends and family — including much of the StyleBlueprint team since Bailey is the SB Marketing Manager! Image: Lindsey Johnson Photography
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In August 2022, Jesse took Bailey to the rooftop of their former apartment. A nice bottle of champagne and THE question surprised Bailey, as two of their friends stealthily photographed the scene from behind a door.
This kicked off a long, two-year engagement. “It was perfect for us. It gave me plenty of time to plan without feeling rushed to make decisions,” Bailey says.”We also just had so much fun being engaged! I highly suggest a long engagement.”
PinBailey grew up in Scottsdale, AZ, while Jesse hails from Birmingham, AL. The pair have split their time between Birmingham and Nashville for the past few years and recently made a more permanent move back to Nashville. Image: Lindsey Johnson Photography
When it was time to pick the perfect venue, they knew it’d be in Nashville. “We wanted to find something that felt very ‘us,'” Bailey says. “The area has so many beautiful farms and barn venues, but we were looking for something a little bit different — we just didn’t know what ‘different’ looked like yet.” Enter: The Maybelle.
PinThe whole feel of Bailey and Jesse’s celebration was understated, romantic, and subtly whimsical. Image: Lindsey Johnson Photography
Bailey discovered The Maybelle through Melissa Thompson, another StyleBlueprint team member. An ornate Victorian home flanked by giant trees, The Maybelle is located in Springfield, TN, about 45 minutes from Downtown Nashville. “We visited one day in November and immediately knew it was the right spot for us,” says Bailey.
PinThe Maybelle is an ornate Victorian home and event venue. The indoor spaces are moody and romantic, leading into outdoor spaces that feel very “secret garden.” Image: Lindsey Johnson PhotographyPinYou could spend an afternoon wandering The Maybelle’s interior, finding details to love. Image: Lindsey Johnson Photography
“We wanted the aesthetic of our venue to take center stage when it came to decor,” Bailey says. “It was important to me that everything felt light, fun, silly, easy, romantic, and not too traditional or stuffy,” Bailey says.
(The venue’s owner, Jessica Davis, also owns Nashville interior design firm JL Design — no wonder the space is so beautiful!)PinThe pair wanted to focus more on the general feel of the day rather than fitting into a specific color scheme. With that in mind, they opted for white florals and tablecloths paired with vintage China and glassware in variety of fun colors. Image: Lindsey Johnson Photography
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PinMismatched vintage serveware, hanging greenery, and twinkling market lights added to the ambiance. Image: Lindsey Johnson Photography
With the venue decided, next up was the dress.
“My mom, sister, and I went shopping just a few weeks after I got engaged, and I spotted the dress in the window,” Bailey says. “I told my mom I loved it, but I quickly got distracted by other options in the store. After trying on a few, my mom asked the bridal specialist about the dress in the window, and I knew right as I put it on that it was the one.”
PinThe dress Bailey ended up picking was the very first dress she saw. She gravitated to it and trusted her instinct. Image: Lindsey Johnson PhotographyPin“I loved the all-lace and felt it went well with the venue and the romantic vibe I was striving for,” Bailey says. “I also loved the low back and cap sleeves — it felt traditional without being too old school.” Image: Lindsey Johnson PhotographyPinMany people say you’ll end up going with something totally different than you thought, which was absolutely true for Bailey. Image: Lindsey Johnson PhotographyPinThe look of a sublimely happy groom, decked out in a dapper Jos. A Banks suit. Jesse’s wedding day look was complemented by his groomsmen, who wore black suits of their choosing. Image: Lindsey Johnson Photography
As planning continued, Bailey enlisted the help of event planner Lailah Street and prioritized a personal connection with as many vendors as possible. “I wanted it to feel like a celebration only Jesse and I could have thrown,” she says. The couple knew the band, the officiant, the floral team, and the glam squad! “We had a room block at The Hutton Hotel for a cool, boutique Nashville experience.”
PinBailey and Jesse’s wedding party consisted of only family — sisters, brothers, nieces, and nephews. Jesse’s dad was his best man. Image: Lindsey Johnson Photography
To start off the weekend’s events with an authentic taste of Nashville, Friday night’s rehearsal dinner and welcome party was at East Nashville’s Butcher & Bee, in their private event space, The Rose Room. “It was so beautiful and fun, and the food was AMAZING,” Bailey says. After dinner, guests mingled and mixed on Butcher & Bee’s vibey outdoor patio.
Cut to the big day. When it was time for the ceremony, guests filed onto a sunlight-drenched lawn. The scene was something straight out of a fairytale, as the happy couple exchanged traditional vows through ear-to-ear smiles. “We opted not to write our own vows,” Bailey explains. “Both Jesse and I felt nervous about being the center of attention, and sharing something so intimate scared us both.”
PinHere comes the groom! Image: Lindsey Johnson PhotographyPinBailey’s brother-in-law-turned-officiant sent the couple a questionnaire so he could include some favorite memories and tender feelings they wrote about each other. “It was sweet, funny, and special,” Bailey says. Image: Lindsey Johnson Photography
PinWe love leaning into the wedding trend of ground-level florals to frame the ceremony scene. Image: Lindsey Johnson Photography
While Bailey and Jesse took photos with family, guests enjoyed cocktails and bites in the reception space. Scrumptious Chef’s Market hors-d’oeuvres circulated: mini shredded flank tacos, mini whipped sweet potato casserole bites, and Cajun shrimp on grit cakes.
PinOnce portraits wrapped, their planner instructed all guests to form a large circle in the reception area by the giant bell — another of The Maybelle’s unique features. Image: Lindsey Johnson PhotographyPinOn the dance floor, a large vintage rug invited everyone to gather. Image: Lindsey Johnson Photography
Beneath the sunset, surrounded by their most beloved people, Jesse and Bailey first danced to “Our House” by Crosby, Stills, and Nash. “We were so nervous, and you can tell,” Bailey laughs, “but it’s cute to look back at the videos.” Jesse and his mom also danced to “Here Comes The Sun” by The Beatles.
PinThe pair hired The Wonderful Nobodies to rock the reception. “I adore Lacy Green, a former coworker and forever friend,” Bailey adds. Image: Lindsey Johnson PhotographyPinOnce the seated dinner was served, guests were greeted with a harvest salad and mini biscuits, followed by a choice of herbed pan-roasted chicken with sun-dried tomatoes and rosemary potatoes or pan-seared salmon with lemon buerre blanc. Image: Lindsey Johnson Photography
We are grateful to all our sponsors:
PinThe cake was the groom’s baby. “Jesse loved the process … from tasting to eating leftovers for days,” Bailey recalls of the Dessert Designs cake with decadent layers of caramel and sour cream. Image: Lindsey Johnson PhotographyPinThe littlest tuxedo we ever did see! Image: Lindsey Johnson Photography
Everyone danced until the band’s last note and the buses were about to leave, so there was no extraordinary departure. Bailey and Jesse bid their guests farewell and stayed behind to spend the night at The Maybelle. (This was the weekend the Northern Lights were visible in the Nashville area, so photo ops were aplenty.)
PinBailey didn’t think she’d go for a “second look”, but she found this fabulous dress and went for it. Then Jesse followed suit and ditched his suit for an Alabama jersey. “It was so funny and so him,” Bailey recalls. Image: Lindsey Johnson Photography
Like many big events, many things didn’t go as planned. “The shuttles that brought guests from Nashville to The Maybelle were a bit late, pushing back our timeline. I cried a big fat stain into my makeup. A scary tornado ripped through Springfield the night before the rehearsal dinner,” Bailey recalls. But none of it took away from the feel of the day, which Bailey prioritized over the details.
Pin“Being a bride is a good test of letting things go and remembering what matters,” Bailey says. Lindsey Johnson Photography
When I was stressed to the absolute max a month before the wedding, my sister sent me a video of my niece wearing her flower girl dress, twirling around, feeling so happy and beautiful. It was kind of this amazing moment that put everything into perspective. None of the small stuff matters in the end,” Bailey says.
PinThank you for sharing your enchantingly romantic weekend with us, Bailey! Image: Lindsey Johnson Photography
Bailey and Jesse embarked on a mini-moon in 30A for a few days following the wedding, and they plan to go to Italy — Bailey’s #1 bucket list destination — in 2025.
Congratulations, Gettingers!
Zoe is a StyleBlueprint freelance writer, Charlotte native, Washington & Lee graduate, and Nashville transplant since 2012. She teaches Pilates, helps manage recording artists, and likes to "research" Germantown's food scene.
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