Elegant Southern Wedding with a Stunning Jewel Tone Color Palette

Today’s Wedding Wednesday features the most romantic and elegant southern wedding details! From the prettiest jewel-toned color scheme to the most heartfelt details and the helicopter exit, this dreamy wedding is a must see!

Clark, how did you and Chris meet?

Chris and I met the old-fashioned way—on a night out with some friends. We talked for a while and connected, and then we exchanged numbers. By the next time we made plans to see each other again, we knew this was something special.

Chris, how did you pop the question:

Clark’s favorite place is NYC. I knew that’s where I would propose. In the plane that morning, I told her the theme of the trip would be a “Roof Top Hop” because she loves rooftops and city views. I kept everything else a surprise as the day went on in New York City. Clark had no idea what was coming or what was planned. We started out by checking into Arlo Nomad, a new high-rise hotel a couple blocks away from the Empire State Building with an amazing view. The whole day was planned out. We started by going to the Hudson River for lobster rolls. Then we went to another location for a nice dinner, and afterwards we watched the sunset on a rooftop overlooking the city. Clark was the happiest girl, but she still didn’t know what was coming. After watching the sunset, she was thinking the night was coming to an end and didn’t realize that there was another rooftop lounge at the top of our hotel back in the heart of the city.

I secretly had it set up for our song to start playing on my command. As soon as Clark heard the song she knew what was going on. I got down on one knee as employees were standing by in secret taking pictures. I asked her “will you marry me?”

What was your overall vision for your wedding?

Elegant and southern with meaningful touches throughout. Our goal was to enjoy the entire experience and never lose sight of the big picture. We feel like we accomplished this exponentially and wouldn’t change a thing.

What do you feel was the most special component of your wedding?

There is no way to choose just one, but among the top things would be Cameron Hizer, a jazz piano and flugelhorn player/vocalist. Cameron was playing at the restaurant in Buckhead where Chris and I had our first official date. We have been back multiple times over the years as a couple to see him. We both knew immediately that it would mean so much for Cameron to play at our wedding. I found his contact info, and we were overjoyed when he happily agreed to perform at our reception.

Chris and I did everything we possibly could together. I enjoyed some wonderful mother -daughter experiences, and Chris was involved in every way that a groom could be. We had a blast.

Why did you choose your color palette?

Elegant, classic and southern. In staying true to this style, it was crucial to both of us that everything be heartfelt and deliberate.

Chris’s mother is an artist, and we felt that she could really help make our centerpieces special and meaningful. She hand painted and decorated ivory frames with lace and pearl detail. We put a different picture of our journey and travels in each frame to place on the tables. My mother made peach preserves from Georgia peaches for the guests’ gifts. The frames and preserves were the perfect fit for the centerpieces. The tables were also sprinkled with rose petals. Finally, our sweetheart table included my parents’ Waterford crystal champagne bucket and matching flutes that they have used throughout my life to toast special occasions. We used Chris’s grandparents’ cake server for the cake cutting.

The color theme was jewel tones. With the elegance of the Tate House and the time of year, I took the opportunity to really enjoy some of my favorite colors with burgundy wine being the star.

What’s something unique to your wedding?

We lost Chris’s father Steve in December of 2016 to Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Because of this devastating loss, we were more focused than ever on bringing our families together for this happy occasion to celebrate life and love.

We kept our wedding party small, two Maids of Honor and two Best Men, and Chris’s brother Greg officiated the ceremony. We honored Chris’s father, Steve, though music from movies and artists he loved. When the men walked down the aisle, our string trio, We Three Strings, played the James Bond Theme song. Our entrance into the ballroom was to the Indiana Jones theme song that was special to Chris and his dad when they would go scuba diving in Florida. Our first dance was to one of Steve’s favorite Elvis songs, “Can’t Help Falling in Love with You.” We missed him terribly, but we knew he was watching and that he was happy.

Did you plan on doing something outside of the norm to make your wedding more of your own?

Our getaway was my surprise wedding gift to Chris. Chris is a pilot, and I knew I wanted us to leave in a helicopter. I also knew keeping it a secret would be tough. I told him that since we were having a traditional Southern wedding, I wanted to take care of the transportation as his last surprise and do something very southern and traditional. I didn’t know what he would conclude from that, but I knew he wouldn’t think of a helicopter.

No one knew except my mother and a handful of other people that helped with the execution. My father, Chris’s family, and the rest of our guests were completely surprised, and I will never forget the look on Chris’s face when he saw the helicopter! It was priceless.

Why did you choose The Tate House for your wedding venue?

I have been visiting the Tate House since the age of 4. I knew that Chris would love the venue and he adores mountains. We visited the Tate House the day after we returned from New York and both instantly agreed that this was our place and never looked anywhere else. We had an amazing city experience for our engagement and wanted an elegant, soft and southern experience for our wedding.

 

Clark and Chris’s elegant southern wedding was one of the most romantic and heartfelt Tate House weddings. We couldn’t have been more honored to host such a touching and sweet celebration! And a helicopter exit was definitely one for the books!

Congrats, Mr. and Mrs. Corso!

Photography: Mike Moon Studio