Earlier this summer, I received the sweetest email from Savannah, a new wedding planner in the area. She gushed to me about an editorial she was planning under the company she was soon to be launching.

Savannah studied hospitality and event planning at UF (go Gators!) before accepting a full-time position with an event design group that had offices in DC and on the Central Coast of California. After a year, she decided to get out of planning because she wanted her weekends back, however, she couldn’t shake her love for weddings. Next, she ended up working for WeddingWire and the Knot for two years! COVID brought Savannah back to her family’s farm and allowed her the space in her schedule to assist a family friend with her wedding day! This also resulted in Savannah pursuing the desires of her heart and moving forward with finally opening her own planning company.

As part of her debut, Savannah designed an editorial that focused on pink florals with bright, green tones coming through from the vintage goblets and flatware. The reception table was styled under a tall oak tree where the Spanish moss hung down, almost touching the table. So romantic. French chairs were styled around the whitewashed farmhouse table. The real MVP of this shoot was the property, with those rolling hills and big oak trees dripping with spanish moss. Can you believe that Savannah’s parents get to live there?! So beautiful. Keep scrolling to see all the pretty that Savannah designed.

Vendors who made this day extra special…Bride’s Dress: OML Bridal | Film Processing: The Find Lab | Florals: Baug-haus  | Hair: Blake with Alissa & Crew for Your I Do | Invitation Suite: Baug-haus | Makeup: Steph Moser Makeup | Model: Blake Chapman | Planner & Designer: Shindigco| Flatware: Casa de Perrin | Rentals:  A Chair Affair 

What was your design inspiration for this shoot? I built the whole design around the plates, actually! As I was starting to dream up a vendor team, I had an idea of what I wanted on the table, but couldn’t seem to find the right fit. Out of curiosity, I hopped onto Casa de Perrin’s website because it’s hard to beat their quality and variety. I saw their Royal Crown Derby line on there and couldn’t shake it… ended up piecing together the full tablescape based on their inventory, all to realize a few hours in that they don’t ship for styled shoots. “Never hurts to ask,” I thought, and I’m so glad I did. Their team was an absolute dream to work with and the pieces they shipped over were simply stunning. 

For this look, I wanted something light, airy, simple, and romantic. I knew that I wanted it to have a bit of a Southern feel and that I wanted to shoot the table under this beautiful oak tree on my family’s farm. I lean into pops of color with the flatware (which I am beyond obsessed with!) and the green goblets. 

What was the inspiration behind the colors and the textures you selected? The plates and flatware definitely drove the decisions on color. I initially didn’t want anything too bright or too pink, so the muted blush from the plates was perfectly pulled into the florals and taper candles.

The flatware that was styled with this was actually going to be used for a different look, but I realized a pop of color wouldn’t hurt this table. The pop of color came from the mismatched depression glass goblets. I styled all of this on a whitewashed table so that the colors would pop even more. It completely changed the original look I was going for with the design, but I’m so pleased with the result. 

As far as texture goes, I am all about including as much as possible. We added a runner to soften the table and give it a more airy look, but the real star of the show here is Jenna’s floral runner! She added baby’s breath (anyone else loving that baby’s breath is making a comeback right now?), and it flawlessly elevated these arrangements–that was all her genius, nothing I mentioned. I love that it added a ton of texture while not overshadowing the blooms placed around it. 

What was your favorite detail from the shoot? I feel like I’ve mentioned the flatware so many times, but I really loved it so much! Outside of that, I’d have to say the location. This shoot took place on the farm where I grew up. It meant a lot to me for my first styled shoot, under my own brand, to be held in a location that is so special to me.

Were there anything unique or funny stories from the planning process/or the day? Oh, goodness! There are a few. First and foremost, planning anything in the midst of a global pandemic is going to be anxiety-inducing. The week before the shoot, our model couple tested positive for COVID. This sent us scramblings as we had already ordered their attire. Ericka from OML Bridal told me that we didn’t need to worry that she would dress whoever we found to fill the spot. My cousin, Blake (who was styling hair for the shoot) graciously agreed to model for us, and it was beyond perfect. (the original couple are absolutely fine and they are healthy) A few days later, Ingrid was exposed to someone who had a fever. Luckily, she was absolutely fine and tested negative, but that was a scare as we didn’t know if Ingrid was going to get to shoot.

After all the COVID scares, we made it to the day-of only to check the weather and see that there were thunderstorms in the forecast all day long. We thankfully ended up getting to shoot the table before a total downpour drenched everything.

What an honor to partner with Savannah’s first project. If you’re planning a wedding in North Florida, you should really consider having Shindig Co graciously offer a hand with her generous southern hospitality and her professional expertise.