Emma Grace and Nathan had one request: Let’s make this wedding as sustainable as possible! Nathan works in the agricultural industry, and it was important to the couple that their wedding be environmentally friendly. So naturally Acme Feed & Seed and Kelsey Gray Events were the perfect choices to handle their wedding.
Acme Feed & Seed is at the very heart of downtown Nashville, actually sitting on Broadway and 1st Avenue. It’s an often overlooked wedding venue, but it is easily in my top 5 favorite Nashville venues, and is the perfect place for a destination wedding due to its location. The venue offers in-house catering and bartending, with an aim towards sustainable processing and minimal waste. It’s also a great location for downtown couples photos.
This couple planned their wedding as a destination wedding from Virginia, and Emma Grace and I had to hug the first time we met because we had been working together for two years and never actually been in the same room. The wedding was originally planned for summer 2020 and unfortunately had to be postponed due to Covid-19. We were so bummed to make that decision, but it all came together in July 2021 and was better than ever. Emma Grace wouldn’t have had these gorgeous blue shoes if we had stuck with 2020, and they were the perfect keepsake from the day, as Nathan actually counted the steps down the aisle and wrote them on the bottom of her shoes.
So white weddings are beautiful, but I have to admit that I get a little thrill when a couple tells me that they actually want some color. I had the pleasure of designing the room and the flowers for this wedding, and we chose a very colorful palette of blues, burgundy, and pinks. Flowers included ferns, roses in varying shades, and blue delphinium. This wedding was 100% floral-foam free, and flowers were collected after the event, repurposed into smaller mason jar arrangements, and donated per the bride’s request.
Sometimes spending a little on production can go a long way in your design. Nashville Lighting and Production came in to hang these chandeliers and help me add greenery to them, and I couldn’t be happier with the result.
Now, Nathan had one more request for me, and this was that he was very particular that he did not want to have a “boring” boutonniere. Why do brides get to have all of the fun with flowers? Well, I think we delivered with this pocket square boutonniere, and I have to say it’s my new favorite style for men.
Unique aspects of this wedding included an ice cream “cutting” instead of cake and a paper airplane exit. Guests wrote messages on the airplanes and sent them flying at the bride and groom. The airplanes were collected after the event and saved to create a guestbook keepsake.
Thanks to all of the vendors that made this day so amazing!
Venue, catering, & alcohol: Acme Feed & Seed
Photographer: John Myers Photography
Rentals: Music City Events
Lighting: Nashville Lighting & Production
DJ & live musician: Premier
Hair & make-up: Blowout Co
Transportation: Signature Transportation
Planning & Flowers by Kelsey Gray Events
“Kelsey was our coordinator, designer, and florist, and I almost wish I had hired her for more. I’m not a great planner, and my husband and I have very busy jobs. She was so patient and helpful throughout the original planning and our postponement, she even sent us a care package on our original date. I’m in near tears just remembering how beautiful everything was, even on Polaroids. Another thing we LOVED is her focus on sustainability and creating less waste, which is who we are as a couple. She did however offer to use the flower blocks, but emphasized how amazing it could be without. She also donated our flowers after! From the original communication and planning, to design and floral work, to the seamlessness of our day, Kelsey was one of the best choices we made. She was willing to try something new and truly listened to everything we wanted, and it was a scatter brained nearly 2 years! We love you, Kelsey! I’ll send pictures when we get them!” – Bride Emma Grace on Google Reviews
