City meets Country & Country meets City

Being from Texas.. if I wasn't getting married at the beach, I'd totally get married in our barn! haha. I could give you ideas, but everyone has a diffrent idea of "southern" or "country".

Amanda, ill take any ideas and I thought of the barn thing.

Some southern traditions are displaying a Bridal Portrait at the reception and the Groom's cake. The cake was originally cut up and given to single women to put under their pillows the night of the wedding for luck, but today most brides use it to show off the personality of the Groom since so much of the wedding is usually based on the bride's taste. The bridal portrait is usually placed on the gift table. Living in Tennesse I'm sure you can find a great venue with Southern Charm. I hope that helps. I know your from New York so I don't know if you want to go as far as country music, fried chicken, bar-b-que, and mac and cheese. That's my idea of a southern wedding, but I don't know if it will work with you and your guests. My groom is definately a city boy. I've been trying to work him and his families tastes into the types of weddings that I'm used too. Since his Mom's side of the family is from detroit I'm trying to work in some MO Town.

Http://mississippi.myscoop.us/index.cfm?event=news.view&id=06FA4138-19B9-E2F5-460C1D6556D3CA3E

http://www.projectwedding.com/photo/browse?tag=reception rustic

mason jars, sunflowers, yellow, cornflower blue, wood (barnwood)

When I think of southern hospitality, I think of food (collard greens, black eyed peas, mashed or baked potatos, macaroni and cheese, cobbler, green beans, etc.) and sweet tea. Maybe a "Welcome, Yall" sign? lol

If you do the barn thing or even if you dont, you could use haybales and mason jars to decorate with. Not only is it cute, but its inexpensive also. Lanterns can also be kind of country. I am having an outside ceremony and instead of renting chairs I am getting square haybales from the farm and covering them with white material and using potted flowers along the aisle. I am also doing a white birch idea and taking the white birch twigs and putting them in black vases since my colors are black and white. You could get really pretty twigs that are covered in ice cylce looking stuff and really sparkley also. I have black lanterns as my centerpieces. I am also doing my archway with a fence running off the sides.

One thing that the South and the City have in common is that they like to do things BIG. Go big or go home so to speak. I think you should use drama to tie everything together. The south is very hearth and homey, and the city is very trendy. It can be tricky combining such opposites, but the outcome will look amazing! You can serve special cocktails southern style! You kow how those city folk like their cocktails? LOL! Try something like "Long Island Sweet Tea" (I just made that up, you can put whatever you want in it, but you get the idea. Having taken a bartending course I would personally just add vodka and rum to it) and Mint Juleps served in martini glasses. Have FUN with it! One thing that is really trendy right now are cake shots, so that is an element you might consider adding. Also having crystal (or just plain glass) and doing things by candlelight is a very sophisticated and unintrusive way of adding city glam to southern chic. Here are a few ideas:

Some southern ideas:

If you give me some specifics on what you are thinking, I will be more than happy to find you some images that might help inspire you, or help you make choices =) let me know!

Http://blog.weddingwire.com/index.php/weddings/real-eco-chic-wedding-courtney-and-jason/

I LOVE this blog, This is basically what I would've done for our wedding if we'd had it at home.

I love all the great advice. I'm convince that this will definitely be my theme.

There is also a song by that name City, Country, City by War. Fast rush of the city life and then the mellow music of country. http://new.music.yahoo.com/war/tracks/city-country-city--873466

Thank you Mom N.