Annie Stoppelbein relocated from Charleston to Nashville on a whim, and ended up just down the road from Garrett Vangilder. Turns out, it was one of the best moves she’s ever made. “Our relationship blossomed due to the close proximity,” says Annie. “Our friends became friends and everything felt right.” Two years later, Garrett proposed, and the couple, who by then had moved back to the Holy City, aimed nearby for their fantasy wedding location—the Gibbes Museum of Art. With her favorite color, red, on the mind and a winter wedding on the books, the bride handed the rest over to Gregory Blake Sams Events. “We trusted them,” says Annie simply. Days before their nuptials, however, tragedy hit when the bride’s father unexpectedly passed away. “I knew he would have wanted me to go through with the wedding,” says Annie. “It ended up being a blessing that everyone in my life that I love was in the same spot in this moment of extreme grief and also extreme joy.”
Top Tips From This Wedding
• Eat like you do. Being a vegan herself, Annie wanted guests to enjoy a luxe plant-based menu. “We actually saved a good bit by not offering animal products at our wedding,” she says.
• Don’t shy from a patriotic palette. Red, white, and blue in the right designer’s hands can be sophisticated and impart nary a hint of Fourth of July. Mix bold (single-hue arrangements) and subtle touches (red-edged menus and watercolored napkins), and toss in neutrals (like these tablecloths, rattan light fixtures, and sleek chairs).
• Keep family close. The bride danced to her dearly departed father’s favorite band, The Beatles, while in her brother’s arms.
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