Blogging Bride: Kate Bringardner

We have the pleasure of announcing our first ever bride-blogger. Kate and Ryan got married on February 28, 2009 and held their reception here at the Sweetwater Branch Inn. Kate volunteered to write a blog post for us and we can't be more excited! She had some amazing details including dancing shoes and late night pizza! Check out her post complete with photos, great advice and tips from her big day:

Our Love Story:

Ryan and I met when we were students at the University of Florida in May 2004. I was finishing graduate school and had accepted a job teaching in Atlanta a week before I met him; the cliché that you meet someone when you are least looking was true for me! After a great summer together, I moved to Atlanta as planned, and we had a two-year long distance relationship before I moved back to Gainesville. December 2007, Ryan proposed on a ski lift in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. We were married February 28, 2009.

Why the Sweetwater Branch Inn?

When I first started planning, I knew I wanted our reception to have a classic simplicity; I wanted guests to feel relaxed and comfortable as if they were at a dinner party at our home. The Sweetwater provided a gorgeous, intimate venue. From my first visit, I could imagine McKenzie hall decorated exactly as I wanted with white hydrangeas and our friends and family laughing underneath the lights on the patio.

More practically, everyone at the Sweetwater was so gracious. That really confirmed my decision, which was absolutely the best wedding decision I made.

Favorite details:

Ryan and I wanted the reception to be very “us.” In lieu of wedding favors, we gave a donation to the Susan G. Komen foundation, which is very personal to me because my mom is a breast cancer survivor. Macaroni and cheese has been my favorite food my whole life, so I insisted on having it at my wedding (Ryan contributed the idea of having bacon in it); it was delicious! Ryan wanted milk served with our incredible carrot cake by Jenny. We gave flip-flops as dancing shoes for when women’s high heels because uncomfortable. At the end of the night, we had pizza delivered as a late night snack.

Happiest memories:

My happiest memory of the whole day was actually saying my vows! I loved dancing my first dance with Ryan and the Father-Daughter dance with my dad. We actually had 96% attendance rate, which was higher than anticipated; Ryan and I were very touched that so many people wanted to support our wedding. We really felt loved, both by one another and all our guests.

Before the wedding, I had the most fun morning with my mom, mother-in-law, sister, and sisters-in-law at Mode Salon.

Advice for future brides:

Enjoy this time! Your wedding should be unique to you and your future husband. Planning a wedding takes a lot of time, but don’t lose focus on your future marriage.

Consider the vendors you will actually spend time with on your wedding day thoughtfully. It is one of the most important days of your life, and you want to feel as comfortable as possible. Try to talk to former clients about their experiences.

Late night pizza!


-L