Southern Wedding Traditions

Ya’ll, there are just so many things to love about living in the South!  Sweet tea.  Southern hospitality.  The best comfort food in the country.  A slower pace.  And of course, a Southern wedding just can’t be beat!

The South has brought us some of the best wedding traditions because if there is one thing that we love to do, (and do it well!) it’s celebrate!

Here are a few of our favorite Southern wedding traditions that make Southern weddings so much fun to be a part of.  You might want to adopt these traditions for your own wedding, whether you are planning a wedding down South or not!

Rustic charm

There is just something so romantic about two people in love, surrounded by the friends and the family that love them, sealing their vows to each other in a gorgeous rustic setting.  Many Southern weddings take place in a secluded outdoor setting, underneath the towering trees or beside a tranquil lake.  The bride and groom clasp hands and confess their love and vow to stay true to one another for their whole lives through beneath a simple rustic arch made of branches, maybe adorned with flowers.  Then, as the sun sinks down the party will move indoors to a charming barn alight with hundreds of fairy lights as the wedding party dances the night away.

The best Southern wedding venues, such as our singularly stunning property at Spring Lake Events,  combine both a beautiful outdoor setting and the availability to move the party indoors.

Vintage décor

Southern brides were doing vintage before vintage was in!  A Southern wedding may be beautifully decorated with lots of little vintage details that make for a sweet and homey feel.  Little touches such as Flowers nestled in mason jars wrapped in burlap, rustic wooden signs, or an old bicycle basket holding programs set the stage for a memorable wedding full of personality and love.

Southern brides and grooms also love to incorporate family heirlooms into their wedding décor too.  What could be a better way of honoring your sweet family and where you came from than by using your great grandmother’s china for the reception!

Huge wedding parties

There is nothing more important than friends and family to a Southern bride and groom, and what better way to include them by having them stand up with you at your wedding!  So, if your wedding party outnumbers your guests, you might just have a Southern wedding on your hands!

Comfort food

Is there anything better than comfort food?  We really don’t think so.  So what better way to celebrate than by relishing some mac and cheese, fried chicken, barbeque, or whatever it is that fills your belly, and your heart, with joy.

Bridesmaid luncheon

This is a really fun tradition that is Southern through and through.  A few days before the wedding the bride and her family throw a luncheon for all of the bridesmaids to attend.  That way the bride gets to spend some special time with each of them in a more relaxed setting and thank them for everything that they have done.  Just another example of how a Southern wedding puts friends and family first!

Groom’s cake

The groom’s cake will sit right alongside the fancy tiered wedding cake at the wedding, and will often be something funny, like this weird armadillo cake, or something close to the groom’s heart, like this Memphis grizzlies cake.  It should be obvious to everyone why we love this tradition so much, more cake!

Weekend of wedding

Oftentimes a Southern wedding won’t just last a few hours on a Saturday afternoon, or even just linger a little longer into Saturday night.  A true Southern wedding will roar on throughout the entire weekend, with brunches and barbecues and a whole slew of festive gatherings where friends and family can really celebrate the happy couple and just being together.  Who doesn’t love an extended party weekend?

Feel like family

The very best thing about a Southern wedding is that when you attend one you will feel like you are one of the family, even when you aren’t.  Southerners know how to treat a guest, and a wedding is one of the best times to go all out.  That is really what is at the heart of all of these traditions and is really our favorite part of a Southern wedding.

This is why we are so honored and blessed to be a part of making the vintage Southern wedding of your dreams come true!  When you plan your wedding with us you, and all of your guests, will feel like you are a part of our family, and we wouldn’t want it any other way!