There are some Nashville weddings that hit our inbox that we can’t help, but just keep smiling photo after photo. That’s exactly how we felt about Laura and John Robert’s wedding day at The Bell Tower. With elegant blue and gold wedding colors accented with beautiful foliage, their day was so romantic. However, it’s their love that took the spotlight. We’d be lying if we said we didn’t shed a tear or two looking through their photos by Rebecca Denton Photography and watching their wedding video by White Heart Wedding Films. Prepare to feel the love as you see it all below!
Laura + John Robert
5.5.2019
Scarritt Bennett Center + The Bell Tower
Guest Count: 150
Budget: $50,000 – 60,000
How did you guys meet?
Laura: John Robert and I are a Bumble success story!!! Per Bumble’s rules, I messaged John Robert first. Fortunately for John Robert, the topic of my message was football, as his Bumble profile listed football as one of his interests. Unfortunately for John Robert, I am not a huge football fan and soon stopped replying to his football-themed messages. A couple months later, John Robert decided to message me again, this time skipping small talk and being more direct. He told me his full name, expressed interest in taking me out on a coffee date, and asked for my number. I replied yes, “coffee is always a good idea!”
On our first date, we talked for hours, only leaving the coffee shop (Barista Parlor in the Gulch) when its employees began to close for the night. Wanting to continue our time together, John Robert suggested we go for ice cream at Jeni’s and walk around the 12 South neighborhood. By evening’s end, we both had a feeling this would be our last first date.
Tell us about your engagement!
Laura: John Robert proposed to me in front of the Bridge Building facing the downtown Nashville skyline. He asked some of my girlfriends to invite me to a “work event” that was going to take place at the Schermerhorn. One of my best friends came over to my apartment before the “event” and helped me pick out my outfit. She was on strict orders to make sure it was something that looked timeless and I would like looking back on in pictures for years to come. I was so excited for a girls night out at such a beautiful venue!!
On our way to the Schermerhorn, one of the girls called to ask if we could pick her up at the Bridge Building since she was wrapping up work there and wanted to leave her car in the lot. As we were waiting for her to get in the Uber, John Robert appeared and knocked on my window. I was so surprised to see him and couldn’t believe I had been tricked. He handed me a bouquet of roses and walked me to the front of the Bridge Building where he proceeded to get down on one knee and propose. He then had me turn around to face the Pedestrian bridge where “Laura, will you marry me?”” was illuminated on one of the pillars of the bridge outlined in a pink heart. Our favorite long song, Ed Sheeran’s “Perfect” began playing and we danced under the stars as an engaged couple.
A few minutes later both of our families came out from the side of building and we popped a bottle of champagne. John Robert hired one of our friends to photograph the engagement so we have beautiful pictures to document the most magical evening. Afterwards, we all went over to a friend’s house where John Robert had coordinated a engagement party with our closest friends and family. It was one of the best days of my life!!
What was the vision for your wedding?
Laura: I wanted our wedding to tell the story of us and honor our guests. We chose to get married in Nashville because it was the city where we met and fell in love. We had our rehearsal dinner at the historic Vanderbilt alumni hall because that is where John Robert works. Our Christian faith is extremely important to us both so we wanted to have our ceremony in a church and recite traditional vows.
We opted for a downtown reception so we could celebrate our marriage with dinner, drinks, and dancing. We had a shuttle that transported guests to and from the Scarritt Bennett Center to The Bell Tower because we wanted to make it easy for our guests to make it to and from the reception. We had hors d’oeuvres, liquor, beer, and wine, and dinner provided at the reception. We wanted our guests to feel our heartfelt “thank you” for coming to our wedding and commemorating our union.
What details were used to create your theme?
Laura: The color scheme was icy blue, shades of light green foliage, and cream. The reception decor include both gold and silver pieces. We had beautiful floral arrangements that were primarily white flowers, greenery, and hints of blue.
Where did you splurge? Where did you save/DIY?
Laura: We splurged on our videographer, photographer, and band. I knew the day would fly by so I wanted to make sure all of our memories were captured in video and through pictures. I was also passionate about having an incredible band that would get everyone on the dance floor!!! We saved money by researching our own vendors and comparing prices in the Nashville market. The Bell Tower offers vendor coordination, but we opted to look around and pick our own. Ultimately that saved us thousands of dollars. We also did not do wedding favors for our guests, have a photo booth, or a groom’s cake.
What words of advice do you have for couples in the midst of their planning?
Laura: My advice to couples would be to regularly take time off from planning and go on dates with your fiance! It really is a short, sweet, beautiful time when you’re engaged and you don’t want to look back at it and only remember the stress. I also recommend getting a wedding planner if you can afford it. I didn’t realize how much went into a wedding until we were already in too deep to get a professional coordinator.
Can you share any special moments or highlights from your wedding day?
Laura: 1. John Robert bought me a beautiful diamond necklace that his mom presented to me on our wedding day. I wore it for our wedding and he loved seeing it one me when we had our first look. 2. Right after we had our first look we prayed together thanking God that He had brought us together. 3. I did a “first look” with my dad. He wrote me a letter and read it to me before the wedding. It’s a memory I will cherish forever. 4. John Robert’s dad officiated our wedding. 5. After we had the traditional first dances, my brother (with downsydrome) started the dance party by having a solo breakout dance on the dance floor. 6. I loved getting ready with my bridesmaids and my mom at Lunatic Fringe Salon. We listened to music, drank mimosas, and danced to Taylor Swift. 7. I got on stage and sang “Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue” with one of my best friends from high school. We hadn’t seen each other in almost 10 years prior to that. 8. My cousins sang ” In Christ Alone” during our ceremony. It’s a special song to both John Robert and I. 9. I walked down the aisle to “Can’t Help Falling in Love” but first the traditional wedding march was played as they opened the doors for my dad and I to come out. 10. John Robert cried (sobbed) as I walked down the aisle. 11. My dad loves the song “From Now On” from The Greatest Showman. I requested the band to play it and it was a surprise for my dad. The bad knocked it out of the park and it was an incredible moment on the dance floor.
Is there anything else you’d like to share about your wedding?
Laura: I want to do it all over again!!!
From the photographer, Rebecca: We went to the Taylor Swift mural on the last day before it was taken down to get a picture. Laura is a huge Taylor Swift fan, and she really wanted to work that in. We were so lucky to get a photo at the mural on the last day – and the people in line were gracious enough to let Laura and John Robert hop in front of the line for a quick photo!
So timeless and beautiful! Thank you so much to Laura and John Roberts for sharing their story with us and to Rebecca Denton Photography for sharing all special moments captured throughout their day! We absolutely loved featuring this elegant blue and gold wedding at The Bell Tower!
