An English Country Cocktail Wedding in Rural Georgia
A misunderstanding over the words “Adkins Park” nearly stopped this story before it started. When Virginia (she/her) suggested meeting there, she meant a neighbourhood bar she knew well. Kay (she/her), hearing only the name, thought she was being asked to meet in an actual park after dark and hesitated. Once the mix-up was cleared, the date went ahead, the confusion became an inside joke, and they kept seeing each other. Years later, they married on family land in rural Georgia, choosing a setting connected to family history and the relationships that had shaped their life together.
A Tinder mix up that turned into everything
After that first date finally happened, things unfolded easily. At the time, Virginia was working at an oyster bar, and Kay would meet her after late shifts. Those visits turned into longer conversations, weekend plans, and a growing sense of comfort that felt like home. Less than a year later, they moved in together, ready to build a life side by side.
Over the years, they stood together through loss, growth, and change. After moving to Florida to be closer to Kay’s family and later returning home, they came back more grounded and certain than ever. Today, they continue choosing each other with intention, growing as individuals while building a shared life rooted in support and intention.
When our venue changed and our community stepped in
Our wedding venue was incredibly important to us, so when we discovered three months into planning that there had been a miscommunication about our wedding year and the property had to be sold, we were devastated. We had been fully invested in getting married on that land.
That’s when family friends who lived next door, Steve and Lanette, stepped in as true guardian angels. They opened their home to us completely, offering space for flowers, getting ready, guest bathrooms, and a ceremony site overlooking the pasture that meant so much to us. With support from our coordinator, Sara Divine Weddings, we reworked the property to function as a full wedding venue. A sailcloth tent from Lake Oconee Event Company was positioned along the dramatic driveway leading up to the house Steve had built, and we even managed a few sunset photos on the original property, captured by Fiona Battersby.
Of course, the new location brought its own challenges. The tent site wasn’t flat and sat farther from the house, which meant rethinking logistics for guests and vendors alike. With help from family, including a golf cart brought by Kay’s mom and her best friend, everything came together through the same generosity and care that carried us through the entire day.
Choosing a place that felt like home to everyone
A wedding has always meant more to Virginia, while Kay could have happily eloped, so it was important to choose a location where both of our families and guests would feel comfortable throughout the weekend. As an Atlanta based wedding florist, Virginia had worked in nearly every local venue, so Kay toured spaces while Virginia worked. We narrowed it down to an Atlanta venue, but the idea of being outside the city kept pulling us back.
Virginia’s family farm in Bostwick, Georgia had long been a gathering place, especially for Easter celebrations that brought generations together. After Virginia’s aunt passed, we began spending time there during covid, and the farm became a place of peace, memory, and grounding. It was also our dog Bender’s favourite place and where we said goodbye to her on the porch. Holding our ceremony on private property allowed us to shape the day completely around that history, with coordination support from Sara Divine Weddings to help bring everything together.
Family has always been central to our relationship, from proposals that included our grandparents and parents to how we envisioned our wedding. The farm made sense not just emotionally, but practically, giving guests options to stay nearby, from hotels to local rentals and camping. Even the rehearsal dinner echoed that same intention, centred on comfort, ease, and being together.
How we approached our wedding budget
We started by listing everything we could think of that goes into a wedding and ranking it by importance. Whatever mattered most to us is where we chose to spend our money.
Putting everything into a spreadsheet before paying any deposits helped us see the full picture early on. Weddings have a way of making prices that once felt wild suddenly seem normal, so having realistic numbers upfront made a big difference. There will always be unforeseen costs, but this approach helped cut down on surprises.
Building a guest list that made sense for us
We each made a list with different categories, from immediate family and inner circle to parent friends and work people. After listing everyone we could think of, we started marking people off.
We decided on the wedding size first so we had a clear guest count while looking at venues, and we also had to factor in catering costs per person. Knowing that around twenty percent of guests typically cannot attend helped us settle on a number that worked with our budget. There were still a few people we felt bad not inviting, and in the end, we reached out to some of them later.
Why the right photographer mattered so much to us
Choosing a photographer was one of the most important decisions we made, and also one where Virginia didn’t have an immediate friend to hire. Many photographers we knew only shot straight couples, and while they were talented, we wanted someone who wouldn’t need the dynamics of a lesbian relationship explained to them. A past experience where we were mistaken for sisters and posed awkwardly made it clear what we didn’t want.
We were looking for someone with real experience photographing lesbian weddings, someone who wouldn’t ask questions like “which one of you is the man,” and who could photograph us in ways that felt respectful and affirming. We also wanted a more journalistic approach rather than traditional, posed images that all look the same.
After widening our search and reviewing websites, quotes, and recommendations from our planner, everything clicked when we found Fiona Battersby. Seeing her previous work with lesbian couples made all the difference, and once we spoke with her, we felt completely confident and genuinely excited about our choice.
English country, with a cocktail sensibility
We knew we wanted a country wedding, but English country rather than cowboy country. Even though the setting was rural Georgia, it mattered to us that the day still felt like a cocktail style event.
Virginia led the design, guided by a single image she had held onto for years. That inspiration shaped the colour palette of lavender, yellow, and peach, with added pops of coral and brown. As a floral designer, she brought that vision to life alongside Botanica International, blending a loose, natural approach with a more refined, European influenced sensibility. It was important that guests felt comfortable, while still creating something she could be proud of artistically.
Natural and vintage glam details tied everything together, from the sailcloth tent from Lake Oconee Event Company greeting guests along the winding driveway to the triple gold ceremony arch layered with meadow style florals. Tables were set with vintage glassware, English china from Vintage English Teacup, silver trays, candlelight, and fruit for a still life feel, while linens from I Do Linens added depth and colour. The cake by Dough and Batter LLC echoed the same garden inspired style. Dahlias were central to the design, with the wedding date chosen around their local season, alongside blooms like celosia and cosmos.
DIY in the sense of designing everything ourselves
The entire wedding was DIY, just not in the traditional glue and craft table way. Virginia designed and planned the whole day, transforming a private home into a wedding venue and thinking through everything from guest flow and getting ready spaces to floral storage, kitchen logistics, tent placement, and bathrooms.
She was surrounded by incredible wedding industry friends who stepped in to support the vision. The tent from Lake Oconee Event Company, linens by I Do Linens, vintage china from Vintage English Teacup, catering by Zest Atlanta Catering, coordination with Sara Divine Weddings, and florals led alongside Botanica International all came together through people who showed up generously and wholeheartedly. As one vendor put it, they did it because she is one of their own.
Alongside the big picture planning, we added a few personal touches, like custom water bottle labels set in an iron trough and welcome bags for hotel guests. Inside was a postcard of the southeast marked with places meaningful to us, including where we met, got engaged, lived, and where we were getting married.
Finding outfits that felt right for both of us
From the beginning, we knew what we each wanted. Virginia wanted to wear a dress, and Kay wanted a bridal jumpsuit. After trying on a range of classic styles, Virginia realised she needed something with more distinctive details. With a background in costume design, that mattered, and after visiting several salons, she chose a lace gown with sparkle and structure by Alena Leena, found at Sakred Bridal, a small town boutique near where we married.
At the same time, Kay was trying on jumpsuits online. After a few near misses and exploring ways to elevate the look, everything clicked when we found a beaded bridal jumpsuit by Eva Lendel from the same shop. It wasn’t what Kay originally pictured, but she agreed to try it on, with Virginia’s mom there for support, keeping the final look a surprise until the day.
A day shaped by intention, memory, and community
The day before the wedding, a friend captured drone footage of the property as it was being prepared. On the morning itself, florals were already underway with Virginia working alongside friends and collaborators from Botanica International, while hair and makeup unfolded in soft upstairs light with Make Me Up Georgia. Friends gathered around us as we got ready, and while we didn’t have bridesmaids, that time still felt deeply communal. The ceremony was planned to be spiritual rather than religious, with final readings chosen that morning from poems Virginia’s mom brought with her.
Virginia was brought two bouquets, one seasonal and one entirely sweet peas, and we both wore borrowed jewelry with family meaning and personal significance. We chose to do a first look, which eased the pressure and allowed us to greet loved ones as they arrived. Guests were welcomed down the long driveway by sunflower arrangements and led through the house to the ceremony site, where a floral arch overlooked the land where we had originally hoped to marry. Everyone was invited to choose a seat, not a side, with coordination support from Sara Divine Weddings and a sailcloth tent by Lake Oconee Event Company setting the tone for the celebration.
Our officiant, Kim Jackson, was one of the first people we hired, and we didn’t set a date until we knew she was available. She honoured our ancestors, our queer community, and the commitment we were making, wrapping our hands with a stole that had belonged to Virginia’s grandmother before pronouncing us wife and wife. After cocktail hour with food by Zest Atlanta Catering and signature drinks served in vintage glassware collected from Virginia’s paternal grandmother, we slipped away for sunset photos captured by Fiona Battersby. We returned for our first dance, parent dances, toasts, and a night that unfolded naturally, soundtracked by DJ Lyris Amp’d Entertainment. We ended with a private last dance before walking out through cheering friends and family and driving away together.
The moments we keep coming back to
Our final dance was one of our favourite parts of the day. “Deeper than the Holler” had become a playful song for us early in our relationship, and sharing that last dance alone in the tent gave us space to take everything in, just the two of us.
Our first look was another standout. Seeing each other fully ready made the day feel real, and the ceremony itself was deeply meaningful, especially the moment our hands were bound and Kim spoke words that united everyone present. Sneaking away for sunset photos gave us a chance to relax and have fun together.
It was also incredibly special for Virginia to know her friends were there, setting up and supporting her in the same way she has done for so many others. That sense of care and community stayed with us long after the day ended.
The people who showed up in every possible way
Anyone willing to take on an outdoor home wedding immediately stands out, and our vendors did exactly that. Our cake baker at Dough and Batter LLC went above and beyond, working closely with Virginia to create a design that felt original and true to the day. She tested flavours, developed new techniques for the watercolor finish, sourced flowers ahead of time, and timed delivery perfectly so the cake arrived fresh despite the unexpected heat.
Virginia’s floral designer friends, including collaborators from Botanica International alongside an incredible group of industry creatives, were equally generous with their time and talent. They showed up early, worked through the heat, and helped bring the full vision to life in a way that felt deeply personal rather than transactional. Friends and family also stepped in throughout the day, helping with setup, moving chairs, and supporting the planners and designers wherever they were needed.
The homeowners were the final and biggest yes. They welcomed vendors into their space without hesitation, prepared the property in countless thoughtful ways, and made every arrival feel supported and encouraged. Their openness and care set the tone for the entire weekend, and made the day feel as loved, held, and possible as it truly was.
Photography by Fiona Battersby
Caterer Zest Atlanta Catering
Cake Dough and Batter LLC
Celebrant Kim Jackson
China Vintage English Teacup
Coordinator Jessica Teagardin Estrada with Sara Divine Weddings
DJ DJ Lyris Amp’d Entertainment
Dress Boutique Sakred Bridal
Dress Designer Alena Leena
Suit Designer Eva Lendel
Veil Bridal Sense
Florals Botanica International, Ian Prosser, Ashlye McCormick, Clay Tillman, Roxanne Ferrera, Faith Flowers & C Wayman Floral and Events
Hair & Makeup Make Me Up Georgia
Linens I Do Linens
Rings Highland Diamond
Shoes Betsy Johnson & Cole Haan
Transportation W C Limousine
Tent Lake Oconee Event Company
