Amanda and Chris’s wedding vibe? As relaxed as can be. These two have people over at their home all the time and wanted their celebration to have the same easygoing, we-are-all-family feel. That philosophy extended not just to the décor but to their guests, too. Amanda fervently believes “people are happiest when they are able to be comfortable with who they are.” So, when asked by friends and family what to wear or whether they should shave for the wedding, all she did was encourage them to be themselves!
That day, it was all smiles, all the time—especially for our sweet bride, whose 100-watt grin lights up every image. But, girls, the morning of the wedding was, as Amanda says, “a kind of a series of disasters that all came together in the most perfect way.”
More from Amanda, who shone like a star in our Astrid & Mercedes Felicity gown:
How did your sweetie propose?
“Chris proposed in the sweetest way! We both met at an advertising agency we worked for and it was my last day. He took me out to celebrate and we went to my favorite restaurant in Atlanta. We were originally supposed to go see Aretha Franklin in concert afterwards, but she had cancelled. I asked Chris if we could still go see live music afterwards and he said, “Of course, let’s just stop by the house to put our leftovers away first.” When I got upstairs, the house was completely decked out—roses and candles EVERYWHERE and champagne. He had 3 of my closest girlfriends decorate everything while we were at dinner. He got down on one knee and said, “As you close one chapter of your life, will you start another with me?” It was perfect!”
wedding dress: Astrid & Mercedes Felicity via Fabulous Frocks Atlanta | photography: The Blumes | scroll down for full vendor list
How did you choose your gown?
“I started looking on Pinterest for gowns that matched the look/feel I was trying to achieve. I found one I was obsessed with and traveled to Richmond, Virginia to go check it out. Because it was my first shop, I told the owner I still wanted to look around but that I thought I’d be back.
I went to a few places in Atlanta and with every dress I tried on, I thought that the dress in Richmond was going to be the one for me—but I still had a nagging feeling. My mom was down for the weekend and we almost cancelled my appointment with Fabulous Frocks, but we decided to go and give it a shot. It was DEFINITELY fate. hey were having a Lea-Ann Belter trunk show and when I saw my gown I knew it was the one. The fabric was unlike anything I’d seen at the other shops and the fit was perfect. Because it was a trunk show, I had to make my decision that day, but I knew with 100% of my gut that it was the dress for me!”
Tell us about your day! What inspired its look and style?
“Chris and I have people over to our house all of the time and I really like the relaxed vibe we have with our friends and family. When it came to our wedding, we didn’t want anyone to feel like they couldn’t be themselves. We got a ton of friends asking “do I need to shave, what should I wear?” and I truly believe that people are happiest when they are able to be comfortable with who they are.
We tried to balance the traditional wedding feel with more casual elements—from corn hole at the reception to our caricature cookies and arranging for most of our close friends and family to stay in Airbnbs together so that they really got to make the most of the weekend. I think the live band definitely helped get everyone on the dance floor and we got a lot of feedback from our friends about how everyone seemed to just naturally get along. It was great!”
What is your funniest wedding day memory?
“Oh gosh!! Our wedding morning was definitely the funniest (now!) part of the day. It was kind of a series of disasters that all came together in the most perfect way. My wedding coordinator got the flu a few days before the wedding, it went from a light drizzle to a full-on downpour while the vendors were setting up and the AMAZING team one of my bridesmaids called in to help when the coordinator couldn’t was running 2 hours behind due to the weather.
My sister (also MOH) went with me to the venue to see what we could try and help with. We were trying to make the call to see whether or not we could still have the ceremony outdoors—mainly because the most expensive floral piece we had purchased was a 15-ft. greenery/flower display to go over the arbor that was part of the outdoor venue. I remember her saying “I think it’s going to lighten up” and it started DOWNPOURING.
Luckily, we had incredible vendors and the rental company ended up bringing another arbor that could be used inside the Harbor Club stables. I had never imagined getting married in the stables, but after seeing how everything came together it was more perfect than I could have ever imagined.”
What was your favorite part of the day?
“My favorite part of the day started when I put on my dress and ended with me walking down the aisle. I had all of my bridesmaids and mom with me getting ready and they did everything they could to make me feel so incredibly special. I knew that I’d want a few minutes to really take it all in before the ceremony, so instead of riding with them to the venue, I had my dad pick me up. We had a “dad/daughter” first look and the most incredible ride to the venue. When I got there and saw how amazingly everything had fallen into place, I was ready to go! When I walked down the aisle, my dad had to whisper “Slow down” because I was so excited to marry Chris. It was just the most special memory!”
What was your first dance song?
“Anderson East—’This Too Shall Last’”
Describe your wedding day in 5 words or less:
“Romantic, traditional, timeless, fun, down-to-earth.”
What was your something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue?
“Something blue: my mom had our wedding date, our names and “C” for Crawford embroidered in blue and we had it sewn into the rib-cage of my dress.
Something old: This was the most special thing! Before my dad’s dad passed away, he gave him a few of his old handkerchiefs. My dad had his dad’s initials embroidered on one side, and my old/new initials and wedding date embroidered on another. My dress had pockets so that I could carry it and use it when I got teary-eyed on the big day!
Something borrowed: My aunt let me borrow a family ring that perfectly matched the earrings and shoes I had picked out.
Something new: My earrings and shoes were both new!”
Where did you go on your honeymoon?
“Chris and I had a crazy year and didn’t really have it in us to plan something else right after the wedding so instead of a big honeymoon, we rented a cabin in North Georgia and hid away for 5 days. It was great to get away and spend that time together.”
Any advice for future brides/grooms?
“You only get to go through this process together once, so make sure to take it in and enjoy the planning! Spend time together and make decisions that both of you are going to be happy with. There’s a lot of pressure to do what your family and friends suggest—make sure you don’t get so caught up in pleasing them that you lose what’s important to both of you in the process.
Try to delegate as much stuff that needs to be done about a month before the wedding to your closest friends and family. RSVPs will get lost in the mail—having a few friends who can check in with your guest list will save a lot of time when you are getting your head counts together.
Take time to savor in what you’re doing together. There are a lot of parts of the wedding industry that have become very commercialized and there are a lot of expectations for what needs to be done. Make sure you don’t lose focus on the most important part of the day—starting your new life together as husband and wife!”
Amanda + Chris’s Classic Wedding Vendors
wedding dress: Astrid & Mercedes Felicity via Fabulous Frocks Atlanta | photography: The Blumes | venue: The Stables at The Harbor Club on Lake Oconee | hair: Makeup Couture Atlanta | make-up: Mandy Michel | florals: A Delicate Petal | band: Emerald Empire Band | bride’s shoes: Badgley Mischka | bride’s earrings + bracelet: BHLDN | rings: Solomon Brothers | bridesmaid gowns: Show Me Your Mumu | tuxes: Generation Tux
