Intimate spring restaurant wedding in Newberry, South Carolina

“Lisa and Vickie were married at Main and Nance in Newberry, South Carolina, and I had the credible honor of being their wedding photographer.

As most wedding days do, we started with the couples’ details. Both Lisa and Vicky wore gowns from one of my favorite local dress boutiques, London and Lace. I photographed their details at Main and Nance and then walked across the street to a local hotel to photograph them both getting ready for their wedding day separately. They both chose to have one special person in the room with them to get dressed, and I loved being able to share in those special moments with the couple.

After they were dressed, we set up a first look to reveal their dresses to each other. It was an incredibly emotional and joyful moment. Some of my favorite photos from Lisa and Vickie’s day happened during their first look. Lisa was even crying before she saw Vickie, and Vickie had the chance to wipe away her tears.

After a few emotional moments, we moved right into photographing their portraits as a couple together and photos of their family members with them. Lisa and Vickie decided to not have a traditional wedding party on their day, and I love how that made the day feel more unique to them and gave us more time to focus on their photos together.

After portraits, it was time to get them married! By Invitation Only…Event Planning and Design did an incredible job with turning Main and Nance into the perfect intimate spot for Lisa and Vickie’s ceremony. The couple even hosted a champagne hour before their ceremony to invite their guests early for a bubbly drink and fellowship. Lisa and Vickie had a short ceremony where they traded tearful, sincere vows and sealed their promises with a kiss.

They celebrated with their closest family and friends throughout the night after a beautiful day. We even snuck out during the reception for a few more photos of them together as a couple.

Lisa and Vickie ended their wedding day with a sparkler exit outside of Main and Nance.” —from the photographer, Jessica Hunt

Tell us about your wedding! What was the inspiration behind your day? Did you have a specific theme, style or color palette? Did you incorporate any cultural or religious traditions in any part of your day?

Vickie and I wanted to have a ceremony that was inclusive of our closest friends and family members. Nothing more. We wanted our guests to have fun and make memories along side us. Our colors were a dusty rose, a dark blue, gray and cream combination. Our very good friend officiated the ceremony. She quoted scripture out of the Bible and had our guests play a part in it.

Let’s talk about wedding decor. How did you decorate your space for the ceremony and the reception? Was any part of the decor DIY?

Since the space was so small and we had a packed house, we opted to not set the venue up in a traditional manner. We decided that in order for us and our guests to really enjoy the reception, we’d set up the tables and let them just sit down where they’d be eating after the ceremony versus waiting for chairs to be moved and tables set up. It was basically all combined. The venue has a covered porch attached so the wedding planner had that area utilized as well.

What were the florals like in your wedding? Did you use flowers in any of your design elements like the bridal bouquets, centerpieces or ceremony backdrop? Did they play an important part in the overall style of your wedding?

Lots of greenery with white flowers placed for color. Centerpieces had tall clear glass vases with the flower/greenery combo mixed in. Some tall vases on tables, some smaller clear vases with floating candles. There was a flower and vine archway that had candles on both sides that we get married in front of. Our bouquets were very simple and elegant. Lots of greenery and small flowers for Vickie. I have lots of greenery with a succulent placed right in the center of mine—an inside joke, but very beautiful!

Did you personalize the day in any way? What were some of your favorite parts of your wedding?

We had ’70s and ’80s music played. We wanted our guests to hear a song and let a memory pop in their heads like, I remember ‘x’ when I first heard this song.

Let’s talk about fashion. How did you both choose your wedding day look? Describe the looks in detail.

My dress was off-white and totally silk, had a slit up the side, sleeveless with a V-neck with spaghetti straps. Very elegant! Vickie’s dress was equally as elegant. She had combined two dresses to make hers: Sheer lace on the top, straps but they had a design in them and the ‘V’ of her dress was very low but had this material sewn into it that allowed you to see cleavage, but it was ‘church cleavage’ if that makes sense. Both dresses had a small train and the bodice on both dresses allowed for a totally different look when buttoned up.

How did you meet? Tell us about the proposal.

We’ve known each other for a dozen or so years socially. We met at a party. She and I both were seeing different people at that time. Fast forward and I am a sales rep calling the hospital she works at. Both of us had recently broken up with our partners. I got a text from her asking to meet for dinner! Nine months later, I never would have imagined that I would have met the person I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with! We talked about getting married here and there until I asked her one morning to be my wife. We had our rings made and got engaged in August 2018!

What was the most anticipated or special moment of your wedding day?

Seeing Vickie in her dress. I was fine—nothing with the wedding plans got to me—even the air conditioner breaking. But the anticipation of turning around and seeing her overwhelmed me. I broke out not only in tears and sobbing, but had hives as well! We were also really looking forward to hearing what Pat, our friend and officiant, had planned to say. It was a wonderful day. Far surpassed any childhood dreams any girl could ever have!

Do you have any wedding planning or marriage advice that you’d like to share with other couples planning their day?

TALK! About everything. Get it all out on the table and be totally open and honest. Likes and dislikes. It really is all about the two of you getting married and not all the hoopla! Really try and enjoy the planning together. And have a great wedding planner. They are really worth it. And your photographer, make sure she knows every detail you want in photos. You won’t get a second chance to take those special shots. Lastly, have a ‘higher power’ as the centerpiece of your wedding planning and especially as a part of your lives after the I do’s! It takes daily prayer and devotion to make a forever relationship work. And always say I’m sorry and I love you. Don’t take those words for granted.