Jacqueline and Tom are an adorable couple and we have the pleasure of working on their elegant wedding in October at The Carolina Inn in Chapel Hill. They both live out of state, so we have had to plan almost the entire wedding long distance, but that hasn’t slowed us down! Jacqueline (and her mom Carolyn) have been such a delight to work with! They are not able to visit North Carolina often, but when they do, we fill up their weekend with fun bridal appointments to start checking things off the list : ) They truly value our advice and opinions which has made the entire process wonderful! We could not have asked for a better couple and can’t wait for Jacqueline and Tom’s  special day.

We asked Jacqueline some questions about her upcoming wedding and the planning process thus far:

How did Tom propose?

Tom knew he wanted to marry Jacqueline after 6 months of dating her. Jacqueline knew she wanted to marry Tom when he told her he was moving to Austin, TX after four years of being inseparable in college. Jacqueline never wanted to move to Texas. She has even been quoted as saying she would “never ever be caught dead living there.” Well, as fate would have it, Teach For America had big plans for Jacqueline. She was selected to help close the achievement gap in Houston, which consequently closed the momentous gap between her and Tom to only a 3 hour distance. With hard work and dedication, they quickly discovered that this was “it.” Just like a Taylor Swift song, they were meant to be and distance only made them stronger! As Jacqueline is the big planner, she did not want to be surprised and she wanted to plan their engagement like everything else in her life. So, in August, she told Tom she was ready to be married. And Tom, who was ready to get married four years ago, just smiled and said “well I will propose right now.” A few weeks later, they told Tom’s parents who were absolutely thrilled. A week after that, Tom made sure that this would actually be allowed by asking Jacqueline’s Dad who, thankfully, said with enthusiasm “yes.” The following weekend Tom took Jacqueline to Tiffany’s. The first ring she found is the one he bought her. When the saleslady asked Jacqueline if she would wear it out, Jacqueline nodded her head and Tom quickly interjected “No, I am going to surprise her.” So sadly, Jacqueline did not leave wearing the ring. They went to see Drive right afterwards. Not the most romantic of movies but it must have done the trick because in the Audi in the parking lot of the Domain, Tom turned to Jacqueline and proposed. It was perfect. After five years, they are getting married. As they drove away, the Coldplay song Yellow came on and it made everything even more perfect.

What aspect of the wedding planning process have you enjoyed most so far?

The whole process is a journey of creativity and finding yourself in a way! The wedding day is suppose to be a representation of you and your husband. Therefore, there is a lot of collaboration and creativity in making that happen. Because my mother and Megan and have been so understanding and flexible, I have sincerely thought all parts of the process to be enjoyable. The memory that sticks out the most is finding the floral arrangements and piecing together the table settings. The rental company we used helped us put together an eclectic, yet elegant spread that really accents my personality. We went to Tre Bella for our floral arrangements and found so much variety in floral arrangements to accent my colors purple and gray. I am using all of my favorite flowers to make unique one-of-a-kind table arrangements and bouquets. Working with the creative minds that A Southern Soiree collaborates with really puts you at ease because you know, no matter what, your wedding will be fabulous!

What advice do you have for recently engaged brides in the planning process of their wedding?

TRUST that your wedding will be beautiful! Know that the team will work tirelessly to ensure your day is a success. Also, while details can be really fun, do not sweat the small stuff. Remember to focus on the big picture: You are going to marry the man of your dreams and share a wonderful life together!

On the day of the wedding, what are you and Tom most excited about and why?

There are so many wonderful things to be excited about. We are looking forward to seeing all of the beautiful pieces of the wedding come together seamlessly. We are also looking forward to having all of the most important people in our lives there to celebrate with us. However, what we are MOST thrilled about is exchanging vows and making the commitment to be partners on our journey through life. These vows that we are writing are sacred and we mean every word. We look forward to making these promises to one another and constantly referring to them when we hit bumps in life. All in all, we couldn’t be more excited for October 13th which is only 89 days away!

What made you decide to hire a planner for your wedding instead of doing all the planning yourself?

My family knew that planning a wedding would be challenging with the Bride and Groom in Texas, my parents in Maryland and the wedding venue in North Carolina! My dad was actually kind enough to offer to hire a wedding planner. He did some online research, found Megan, met with her, and told me “You are going to like her because she is sweet and organized just like you!” His words have turned out to be wonderfully true. I do not know what I would have done without having the expertise of A Southern Soiree. Since they have worked with so many vendors and know my personality so well too, they are able to set me up with vendors that will collaborate effectively with me and my family. Also, Megan handles all of the scheduling so that when I am in town for short stints, we get lots done!

 

Jacqueline and Tom – we are so thrilled to be working with you and know that you will have a lifetime of happiness ahead : ) Thank you for being an amazing couple!