On the evening of January 3, Abby Jones wed Grayson Simmons, her boyfriend since the age of 15. Their winter wedding was a culmination of many years of friendship and love. The ceremony was held at Brentwood Hills Church of Christ followed by a wedding reception at Ravenswood Mansion. But before we get too far into the big day, let’s get a look at the backstory …
The duo started as friends on the dance floor at a friend’s Sweet 16 birthday party. (Grayson hates to dance now as much as he did then.) From then on, their relationship invariably felt simple and right. Maybe they always knew it would culminate in marriage, but that was never their focus. Their focus shifted, however, in the summer of 2014, after the pair graduated from Auburn University, when Grayson surprised Abby with a proposal. On what Abby assumed to be a normal day, they headed to Grayson’s family home where a table was set up with decorations, lights and nods to their most treasured shared memories. Friends and family were on-site, which made for an impromptu engagement party. See the details below of their winter wedding, which took place just a few months later.
The couple chose not to see each other before Abby walked down the aisle. Prior to the ceremony, they exchanged letters and talked for a brief moment. Abby relished the time they first saw each other as her dad walked her down the aisle to give her away.
Through her own creativity and insights, and resources gleaned from her father’s experience as a wedding photographer (Tim Jones Portraiture), Abby handled the planning. In an effort to highlight their simple, classic tastes, the pair decided on Ravenswood Mansion, which they found perfectly elegant. Nestled in the forested hills of Brentwood, the mansion is surrounded by spectacular views and wildlife. This idyllic setting was enhanced by the simplistic colors and details they chose—Abby decided upon floral arrangements by trolling Pinterest and landed on in-season winter flowers in hues of cream and green. The unembellished black bridesmaids’ dresses and charcoal gray suits for the men formed a clean backdrop to the subtle colors in the floral arrangements.
While Abby initially had a flowy dress in mind, Ravenswood Mansion inspired her to change her direction to something classic and elegant with clean lines. Once she put the dress on, she knew it was the one, and her mom, mother-in-law and seven bridesmaids agreed.
Abby, Grayson and the wedding party added a touch of flair to their wedding day outfits. Grayson, who works at The Oxford Shop, added color to his custom-made suit and matched it with a pair of socks. Abby, who is known for her love of classic leopard print, let a fun pair of shoes poke out under her dress.
Following a traditional ceremony, friends and family traveled a few miles down the road to the reception location. While the wedding party made its way to the venue, the 275 guests enjoyed small bites, wine and beer. The pair opted for a smaller dinner that included a pasta bar, carving station and Southern comfort food. In addition to dishes catered by A Dream Come True, one of Abby’s uncles, Don Boaz, supplied smoked hams (made using the secret family recipe), and another uncle, Jeffery Jones of The Dairy King in Nashville, supplied late-night mini cheeseburgers. After Abby shared a dance to “Let It Be Me,” by Ray LaMontagne, with Grayson, and another with her father to Frank Sinatra’s “The Way You Look Tonight,” the party officially began, and dinner segued into a long night of dancing.
The wedding cake was buttercream, and the groom’s cake was a Leland Riggins caramel cake, the best cake in town, according to the couple.
The couple spent the night on the dance floor with their friends and family before they headed off for their honeymoon in Key West, FL.
Thank you to Abby and Grayson for sharing your big day with us. Here are the vendors they chose to make their day special and easy:
RESOURCES
Ceremony: Brentwood Hills Church of Christ
Reception venue: Ravenswood Mansion
Photographer: Elizabeth Bacon
Caterer/event organizer: Rebecca Annastas, A Dream Come True Events and Catering
Florist: Extremely talented family friends, Nan Hensley and Terry Bates
Bridal attire: Pronovias Onix gown from Village Bridal, Sam Edelman leopard pumps
Groom’s attire: Custom suit from The Oxford Shop
Bridesmaids’ dresses: Watters from B. Hughes
Groomsmen’s suits: Combatant Gentlemen
Videographer: Tori Sant (See the video here.)
