Romantic Georgia Mountain Vineyard Wedding

As Hayley and Ian began planning their wedding, they agreed they wanted somewhere rustic, romantic, not too far from their home in Georgia, and where they could share their love of the mountains with their friends and family, and Blue Mountain Vineyards provided exactly that for them. They both love flowers (Ian even proposed in a garden!), so with the guidance of Soirees Southern Events their vision of garden fresh boho was flawlessly achieved in cool pastels like light pink, periwinkle, lavender, and greenery, with a nod to Hayley’s South African roots by using a king protea (the national flower of South Africa) in her bouquet. They incorporated so many details that really made their celebration personal and Glorious Moments Photography was there to capture every one of them as well as all the beauty and love from their big day. Be sure to read more in the bride’s own words below!

How did you meet?

The first night Ian and I met was a Halloween party in 2015. I soon came to realize we had many mutual friends and wondered why we had never met before. Fast forward to December 2015, a tacky Christmas party. By this time I had gotten the approval from all my friends (since they all already knew Ian) that he was a “good guy” and I should definitely go talk to him. Which I did. So, you could say that I made the first move ;) After that night we exchanged numbers, started talking, eventually went on our first date, and the rest is history.

What is your proposal story?

I had planned a girls day to Gibbs Gardens with my mom, granny, Ian’s mom Jennifer, my cousin-like-sister Lisa-Jane and her daughter Blakely. Little did I know I actually didn’t plan this day at all, Ian was behind the scenes planning everything with my family. After walking through the garden’s for about 20 minutes we got to the Rose Arbor and I suddenly realized Ian was there. I was so confused, my mind started running through scenarios- was everyone okay?, did something happen at work?, I thought I had told him this was “a girls only day”, and why on earth is he all dressed up in 90+ degrees?! As I got closer to him I realized he was really nervous and then when he grabbed my hands it hit me, he was proposing! Ian says my face was “pure shock” and he wasn’t sure what I was thinking but, when he got down on one knee and asked, I said yes and we decided on forever! This was the best surprise and easiest questions I’ve ever been asked! 

What was the most important to the two of you while planning? Was there anything that you chose to splurge on or skip?

It’s so easy to get wrapped up in all the “planning” but, at the end of the day, the most important thing to both of us was that our wedding reflected God and his love. Food and music/dancing were both super important to us as well. 

What were your favorite parts of the day?

Reading our letters to each other at our first look was something we both are so glad we did! Having dinner with just the two of us was definitely one of the best things we could have done because it allowed us to pause and take everything in. And of course dancing with all of our friends and family!

Do you have any advice for couples planning their weddings now?

This sounds so simple but, try to enjoy the planning and remember the real reason for it all! It can be so stressful and overwhelming but, it can also be such a sweet time for you and your fiancé! Lean on family, vendors, friends, etc. that are there to help! 

Why a Mountain Wedding?

There’s something so special about getting away to the mountains. One of my favorite parts was that it felt like we were somewhere far away from our daily/route/chaotic lives, but in reality we were only about 1 hour away. Mountains have always been special to us but now we have even more reason to retreat to the mountains because of the memories it brings. 

What’s your biggest piece of advice for other couples planning a mountain wedding?

Logistics!! Make sure that all of the logistics with your vendors, guests, transportation, etc are taken care of before the wedding. Some vendors aren’t comfortable with transporting services to mountain locations so make sure you check this before booking.

Event Credits