When Monica of Reunion Stay sent me this unbelievably gorgeous wedding, she told me the photos were so beautiful she had tears in her eyes. I've looked at hundreds and hundreds of Nashville weddings this past year and a half and it takes a lot for me to get really emotional when scrolling through photos. But let me tell you, this wedding shot by Love is a Big Deal has some of the most tear-jerking and beautiful moments I've seen in any Nashville wedding. Hearing the backstory from Casie behind her wedding day and how she lost her father at an early age brings more meaning to each and every image. Love is a Big Deal captured this day as if I were a fly on the wall or sitting in the front row of their beautiful outdoor wedding ceremony at Reunion Stay. The modern mansion in Franklin, TN gave the couple a backdrop of rolling hills, stunning property views and jaw dropping home decor to host such an occassion. Keep scrolling below to see more and, fair warning, you may have to break out your box of Kleenex!
Casie + Bryan
Reunion Stay
130 Guests
Budget: $20,000 – 30,000
Wedding Team:
Venue | Reunion Stay
Wedding Design + Coordination | Ryder + Rhoades
Photography | Love is a Big Deal
Videographer | Josh Heath
Food | Yats Catering
Cake | Bang Candy Company
Flowers | Geny's Flowers
Rentals | M&M Event Rentals
Lighting | Nashville Event Lighting
Ceremony Music | Markus Midkiff
Singer | Jessy Wilson
Makeup Artist | Annelise Carey
Hair Stylist | Stephanie Hoskins
What was the vision for your wedding?
Casie: Our vision was really just an outdoor, well lit wedding with lots and lots of flowers. We used string lights and candle light and had flowers everywhere, which I felt made it feel warm and inviting. I definitely went overboard on ordering flowers and had a quite a few left over that were unused.
What was your theme and what inspired it?
Casie: We wanted that classic vintage feel. We used lots of lace, greenery, and lighter colored flowers. My favorite flower for the vintage feel was “quicksand rose”.
Where did you splurge? Where did you save/DIY?
Casie: We definitely did DIY and had a pretty tight budget. I'd say we splurged on the flowers and venue. Both of those were key to the overall feel of our wedding. We saved on decorations and vases by shopping online at the Dollar Tree. The Dollar Tree actually had some pretty great clear hobnail vintage vases. They had the tall glass candles as well. We also saved on the food. We used Yats Catering and they were great! It was a cheaper option but the food was incredible and there was a lot of it! We used gold plastic ware as opposed to the real silverware and saved a lot on that. We found that on a lot of things it was either cheaper or cost the same to purchase as opposed to renting. So we order plastic ware, hemstitched cloth napkins, table runners, plates, cups, accent pieces like votive candles, and so on off of Amazon Prime. So, there was a lot of ordering and returning before we found the right items for us but totally worth it because of the amount we saved.
What words of advice do you have for couples in the midst of their planning?
Casie: First off, hire a planner, at least for the day of! You're going to need them for sure. Secondly, don't get caught up on the smaller detailed things. Figure out what's most important and focus on that. For us, it was the vibe or feel, which is why we splurged on flowers and venue and hired a planner. Lastly, save money on things that people don't actually remember. I know it's hard because the bride/groom want everything absolutely perfect, but think back to weddings you've attended and what do you remember most about those weddings. It wasn't what the food LOOKED like, it's just whether it tasted good or not. You don't remember if they had real or fake silverware or real plates. No one knows if you spent $5 or $1 per vase, etc, etc. Start shopping early, shop the clearance racks, and use Amazon!
Can you share any special moments or highlights from your wedding day?
Casie: My father passed away when I was younger so it was a really big deal for me to make him a part of the day. I wrote a letter about him that my brother read and as my brother was reading the letter, everything went completely still and I felt the warmest breeze come through and then it went completely still again. I won't ever forget that moment. My husband Bryan and I wrote our own vows and even though it's really tough to stand in front of people and talk, I am so glad we personalized our ceremony in that way.
Is there anything else you'd like to share about your wedding?
Casie: We had so many helping hands with our wedding. It was incredible to see people work so hard for us out of love. Our wedding wouldn't have been possible without so many friends and family pitching in on the day before and the day of to help us get it all together. As I mentioned before, we went very DIY, so there were lots of things to put together and decorate. We stayed at Reunion Stay with friends and family for 3 days. There were about 24 of us there. We had fun and hung out the first night but after that, everyone really came together, worked hard, and made this thing happen for us. It was a really special weekend, obviously because I was marrying my best friend and the love of my life, but also because we had all the people we love in one spot. I wish we could do it all over again!
Thanks so much for sharing your gorgeous wedding with us, Casie! You can find out more on Reunion Stay here on their website and be sure to follow them over on Instagram!
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