When music is your thing and you get married in Music City, you go big or go home! That was definitely the case with Katie + Jose’s wedding. They enlisted the help of Nashville wedding planner, Angela Proffiitt to create the most elegant winter wedding with the best music. As you saw from their rehearsal dinner yesterday, their classic meets elegant style is nothing less than impressive! The couple decided to wed at The Schermerhorn Symphony Center – the one place in Nashville that has the best acoustics. All their music was live – from strings, to a big band and even the bride sang a customized cover tune as a surprise for her groom. See it all of Erin Lee Allender‘s photos below along with our interview with the bride, Katie!
Tell us your proposal story!
Katie’s side of the story: I knew he had a surprise for me, but I had no clue what it could be. We got in the car and headed towards Murfreesboro, and after 40 minutes or so, we pulled into Arrington Vineyards! He took me to this beautiful vineyard, and we had the most perfect spot. He got a picnic basket filled with a full Italian meal and wine samples for us to try. We had steak, potatoes, yellow peppers, Tuscan-style bread, mozzarella balls with cherry tomatoes, and chocolate cake, along with our perfect white and red wines. After we ate, we laid on the picnic blanket for a while. We were completely alone on top of one of the hills that overlooked a valley filled with growing grape vines. We could see the sun setting over the hill. He disappeared, saying he was going to go wash his face, and I thought he wasn’t feeling well. He was burning up and sweating like crazy. I was honestly a little disappointed at this point thinking, “Today would’ve been the perfect day to propose… How will he top this?” He got back and asked if I wanted to walk around. We cleaned up our little picnic area, but when I picked up my purse, he took it out of my hands, set it down, and said, “There’s actually another reason why we’re here.” He pulled me to the side, took both of my hands, and at that moment, it all hit me. It really was the perfect day to propose! After telling me how much he loved me, he got down on one knee, and I said yes!!
Tell us about the vision for your wedding!
Katie: In our very first meeting, Angela Proffitt asked us to describe our wedding in 3 words. We said: Classy, Elegant, Sparkle. We imagined glamorous red roses surrounded by sparkle with Frank Sinatra as the soundtrack. I always wanted a winter wedding, so deep silvers, charcoal, and black with pops of red was the vision. Also, live music was in the top 3 most important things. For the ceremony location, we looked at a few churches, but we wanted the gorgeous stonework as the scenery. Also, having an organ and room for an orchestra was an absolute MUST. Scarritt Bennett became the perfect choice with its gorgeous Wightman Chapel. For the reception location… What is the most beautiful and glamorous venue in Nashville that was built to have perfect acoustics? The Schermerhorn Symphony Center. We did not look into any other venues. Actually, we planned our wedding date around the Schermerhorn‘s schedule.
What was most important important to the two of you while planning?
Katie: The most important thing to Jose was making sure we had time to do everything we hoped to do. We added a lot of little details, such as a special tango, and he wanted to make sure we could do it all. For me, it was the music. Everything had to be live. We also had specific songs that were important – Every song in our ceremony had a specific meaning. Also, the music transition went from a classical orchestra in the ceremony to a Big Band/Jazz band in the reception. We definitely splurged on the music, reception venue, and decor.
What were your favorite parts of the day?
Katie: Our absolute favorite part was the first look. It was extremely romantic and emotional. We were both more excited about seeing each other during that moment than anything else the whole day.
Jose: My favorite moment was definitely special. One of the many things i love about my wife, is her voice. I love just listening to her sing. So during our reception, she surprised me with a rendition of “Hallelujah”. One of my favorite songs, and she used our life and engagement story as part of the lyrics. It was just beautiful and i couldn’t help but smile the whole time. With so much going on during the wedding planning, i don’t know how she found time to work on the song.It amazed me and i was totally surprised. i loved the whole moment and it meant a lot to me.
We also shared very special moments with our groomsmen and bridesmaids. One of Katie’s bridesmaids made her garter and toss garter while getting ready. One of her other bridesmaids copied down the lyrics to Katie’s song for Jose on a piece of scrap paper while Katie got her hair done. One of Jose’s groomsman made sure that Jose took his medicine (he was coming down with a cold!). Another helped Jose with his belt.
Moments with our parents were very special as well. Our moms had a heart to heart, both in tears in the hallway of the Schermerhorn, talking about their babies getting married. Katie’s first look with her dad was a very special moment – probably her hardest of the day! And having Katie’s grandmother be a part of helping her get dressed was also an exceptional moment for the family.
Do you have any advice for couples planning their wedding now?
Katie: Enjoy every second of it. Yes, the guest list will be your worst enemy. But besides that, fully embrace the joy of planning. Being engaged is one of the most beautiful and exciting times in your life. Do not let the stress of planning get in the way of this exciting time. If planning stresses you out, hire a wedding planner, even if that planner is only to be used for specific things. Your wedding is the most important celebration you will ever have… So make sure you celebrate in the planning as well!
But the simple advice we have: Hire Angela Proffitt.
Thanks for sharing this beautiful winter wedding with us, Erin! You can check out more on Erin Lee Allender here online. Also be sure to check out more of her work on Instagram!
Sources
Erin Lee Allender/Scarritt Bennett/The Schermerhorn Symphony Center/Angela Proffitt/LMA Designs/Dear Addie Stationery/Zane Karl Studios/Jay Qualls/Music City Tents & Events/Connie Duglin/BBJ Linen/Nuage Designs/Karen Hendrix Couture/Nashville Event Lighting/Katie Russo/Chef’s Market/Craig Duncan Music/Please Be Seated/Quest Drape/Matchless Transportation/Noteable Blends/Kleinfeld Bridal/Street Tuxedo/Badgley Mishka/Southern Belle Rose/Little Dreamers Tutus
