Sara + Jordan

Sara and Jordan’s wedding day did not disappoint! 

These two college sweethearts wanted an intimate, intentional wedding that honored and celebrated their love for each other. 

We were so excited to travel to Tennessee to bring their vision to life. And it was definitely worth the drive-look at that view! 

The ceremony and reception took place at the beautiful Trillium Venue in Sevierville. The ceremony overlooked the  Smoky Mountains foothills. Between the scenery and the couple- it was simply breathtaking. 

These florals by Vintage Floral Designs were absolutely stunning. The warm, moody colors paired perfectly with the greenery of the mountainside. 

The reception was full of energy, with music by Smoky Mountain Sounds making sure everyone stayed on the dance floor!  That is, when they weren’t enjoying the delicious food by Rothchild catering. 

Sara and Jordan’s day was incredible- from the breathtaking views to the heartwarming moments with their family and friends. Every detail and shared moment came together to make it a truly magical day. 

Congratulations to the Gillenwaters! 

Love ,

Grace & Truth

Kaitlyn + Layton

Sometimes, it’s the smallest details that come together that make the most spectacular moments. Kaitlyn and Layton’s day was a perfect example- a celebration filled with classic elegance and intentional touches that told their story.

Set against the backdrop of the always lovely Oak Meadow venue, their day was the perfect combination of romantic and timeless. With soft blue hues, delicate white florals and a vintage getaway car, every detail flowed perfectly.

One of our favorite details? The absolutely stunning chair decor for the ceremony. The blue drapes and white florals helped create the perfect background for them to say “I do”. 

From the first stages of planning to the last dance of the night, every moment reflected the love Kaitlyn and Layton share. It was such a joy to help this couple put together a day that was absolutely magical and completely and uniquely theirs.

Congratulations to the Lamberts!

Vendors:

Photographer/ Videographer: StoryHouse

Florals: Simply Sage

Catering: Tre Luna

Venue: Oak Meadow

Scarlett + Alec

Timeless.

Joyful. 

Breathtaking.

Scarlett and Alec’s wedding was the perfect way to celebrate the love they share! Filled with thoughtful details, from tiny disco balls, beautiful florals, to custom koozies featuring their dogs, Toby and Cooper, this day was the perfect combination of elegance and fun. 

 Both Scarlett and Alec (we love to hear from our grooms, too!) wanted to make sure that their wedding was an amazing experience for their guests, and it was such a joy to help make that day special for them. 

At the end of the day, these two were absolutely overjoyed to be married to each other- and that genuine happiness made their wedding day truly magical.

Congratulations to the Laceys!

Congratulations to the Laceys!

Vendors:

Planning: Grace and Truth Weddings

Venue: BridgeStreet Gallery and Loft

Florist: Shirley’s Florist

Catering: Tre Luna

Hair/Makeup: Amber Kennedy

DJ: Platinum Entertainment

Rentals: Decor to Adore

Photography: Erica Dortch Photography

Cakes: Pen and Pastry

Lauren + Beau

Lauren and Beau were a long time coming friendship to relationship! A day she had been dreaming of forever, she a very specific vision for each detail of their day, and through her 2 year engagement period we worked hard to make sure all the i’s were dotted and t’s were crossed to bring it to life for them. Shout out to Taylor at Ridge Pointe Event Venue for making Lauren’s swing pictures a reality and their entire staff being so helpful on the day!

Vendors:

Planning: Grace and Truth Weddings

Venue: Ridge Pointe Event Venue

Florist: Florals by Samantha and Missy

Catering and Bar: Kathy G’s

Rentals: Decor to Adore, JLT Events, Say It In Lights

Hair and Makeup: Sara Elizabeth Artistry

DJ: Superior Sound Entertainment

Photography: The Wipplers

Videography: Chandler Smith Films

Cakes: Barb’s Cake

Sarah + Josiah

These Air Force Academy sweethearts tied the knot at Park Crest Event Facility on January 6, 2024. With neither of them being from Alabama, but Sarah being stationed in Montgomery they decided Birmingham was as good a spot of any to get married. They had friends and family travel in to Birmingham from all around the country. The goal was to have an intimate gathering of their closest friends and family to celebrate their entering the covenant of marriage. And then….a GREAT party. Their love was so clear throughout the planning process and the entire day. Sarah getting down to the cotton-eyed joe is a core memory for us!

VENDORS

Planning: Grace and Truth Weddings

Venue: Park Crest Event Facility

Hair and Makeup: Hair and Makeup by Cat and Cayla

Photography and Videography: Scotty Simpkins

Catering: Park Crest

Florist: Simply Sage

DJ: Q up the mic with Karli

Cake: Publix

Doughnuts: Shipley’s

How We Handle Family Dynamics

Just thinking about writing this one makes me cringe a little. Family dynamics are hands-down, the introvert’s nightmare as a wedding coordinator. They can be hard and awkward and sometimes anxiety inducing. But everyone has them. Even on our smoothest wedding days with families that get along on both sides, there is always “that person” that at best can be described as eccentric, and at worst described as a loose cannon. 

There are a million examples that came to my head for “that person” but I don’t need to spell it out. You know who it is in your family. And if you’re one of our past brides, we know who it is too! 

Family dynamics is one of the most difficult things sometimes as a bride or groom to anticipate. You don’t know if “they” will be on their best behavior. They’re a loose cannon. A wild card. The way we navigate family dynamics is, a lot of times, one of the first questions we get asked at consultations. 

For those of you that are new here, we are Grace and Truth Weddings. We are named grace and truth for a reason. One of us has a more natural propensity towards grace, one of us has a more natural propensity towards truth. Some people label it as “too nice” or “savage” (<-- my favorite). But the reality is that when dealing with family you absolutely need both and we are the perfect, non-family buffer to put a little space between you and them and put your mind at ease leading up to and on your wedding day. We have done it all. We keep divorced parents at least 100 feet away from each other, we make sure someone doesn’t just jump into pictures, we make sure they don’t get a microphone from the DJ, we cut them off at the bar. 

The way we handle family dynamics is individual to you and your family. Every family has their stuff. Our goal is to find out what you as the bride and groom are worried about, and take that off your plate. More often than not, family members are on their best behavior on your wedding day. They are there to celebrate you, the love you share, and the excitement of the future. But in case they aren’t, we will be there!

Tips and Gratuities: The Do's and Don'ts

Tips and Gratuities can be an awkward thing when it comes to your wedding. Who is expecting one? How much should it be? Will they be offended if they don’t get one? It can be a stressful thing to think about, especially when you’re getting close and the budget is tight. 

But don’t worry! We have compiled a list of vendors and suggested amounts that you can use as a guide when thinking about tips and gratuities. 

Ceremony Vendors: 

Officiant: Always cover their travel expenses (flight/hotel etc.). Additionally, a personal note and $50-$100 gift is a nice touch depending on the relationship you have with this person.

Ceremony Musicians (if separate from reception musicians): You can tip a flat rate of 15% of the total payment, or $5-$20 per person. 

Reception Vendors:

Bartenders: Are usually tipped as a group at 15% of total liquor bill 

Catering: The headwaiter/catering manager should receive 1 - 3% of the contracted food bill. Individual waiters should each receive about $20 or more.

DJ: 15% of the total payment.

Musicians: $25 - $50 per musician. This tip is larger than the ceremony per-person because they are playing for a longer time.

Drivers or chauffeurs: 15% of the total payment.

Valet: Also tipped as a group at 15% of the total payment. 

Other Professional Services

Hair / Make-up: 20% of the fee

Florist, Photographer, Videographer, On-Site Coordinators: It is not customary to tip these vendors but we have seen an increase in these vendors being tipped so they aren’t left out. After all, it is a team effort to bring your wedding vision to life!

The Bottom Line: Tips of any amount are never expected, but always appreciated.

**Always always always make sure that the tip/gratuity is not included in your contract or invoice total!

The Pink Bride August 2019: A Debrief

Photo by Love + Legacy Studios

It’s safe to say we were both a little nervous for the Pink Bride Wedding Show a month ago. We had done the final Birmingham Bridal Show when it was still owned by Elite Events. We actually met Fred and Donna Jacob at that show, not knowing they were looking to buy it and come into the Birmingham market from Tennessee. Through our last two years of business we have had to do a lot of soul searching to find what is best for us. We have found individually and as business partners that the Lord doesn’t often call us to choose between good or bad decisions. That sometimes we have to find the differences between better and best. This was the case in several areas of our business. It was a little nerve wracking to pursue something and not have it work out for one reason or another. But through it all we were convinced the Lord was shutting doors and opening others and very clearly showing us what we should be doing and affirming us along the way. 

As we prepared for the Pink Bride show we felt it necessary and the right time to rebrand and re-structure G&T. This consisted of late night commutes and conversations about where we see G&T going, our now two (plus) years of experience, and what we could change to make our vision become a reality. Ally and her husband came up with a vision for our booth at the Pink Bride that really captured our new and improved style and motif. They worked tirelessly to make a killer booth that we both love and feel really captures the essence of what we want our brides to feel. 

Ally and I process stress a lot differently than each other. Which is good. Because if we both processed the same way then we would be stressed at the same time. Ally gets stressed out further from an event. In the planning stages I would say. Leading up to weddings she gets amped up weeks out which drives us to make the timelines, over communicate with vendors, and our brides/families/bridal parties. Jourdan gets stressed closer to the event. Like probably right before and during. On wedding days this drives us to get where we need to be with whom we need to be with and doing what we need to do. Our differences are what make us a great team. 

It was no different leading up to and during the bridal show. It came to a head about an hour before the doors opened. We were both feeling the pressure for it to be a success. So we decided to pray. We prayed that the Lord would make our path clear and affirm our passion and the road we had decided to pursue. 

It’s no surprise that He provided. We met brides that we loved and instantly connected with. We booked a few contracts and made connections with some cool vendors. It’s always interesting to see exactly how the Lord provides and affirms you. We are just grateful that this time, it happened in a way that was undeniable and clear. 

We had a great show and we look forward to seeing you on January 19, 2020!