Weddings are all about love and fun. This Tennessee wedding is a healthy dose of both of those ingredients. Brittney Jackson and Eric Brown threw a southern style wedding with their own flair. This Tennessee based couple had a commitment to making their wedding uniquely theirs and incorporating their values of philanthropy and uniqueness. We are honored to feature their love story today.
Bride Name
Brittney Jackson
Groom Name
Eric Brown
Wedding Location
Rocketown, Nashville, TN
Wedding Date
5.23.15
Alma Mater of Bride
Purdue University
Alma Mater of Groom
American Baptist College, Vanderbilt University
Current City where you live
Nashville, TN
Hometown
Brittney- Muskegon, MI Eric- Nashville, TN
How did you meet?
Eric and Brittney met at a mutual friends housewarming party in May 2012. Having mutual friends allowed them to start a conversation and exchange phone numbers, and most importantly, twitter handles (@ConsiderEso & @burr_it_knee)
How long did you date?
We were dating for almost two years before we got engaged.
How did he propose?
After a long day of work and sitting in urgent care for chest pain (luckily, nothing was wrong!), I came home to go out to dinner with Eric. He had sent me a text earlier asking if I wanted to go to Ginger, a Thai restaurant where we had our first date. This was like any other day, but he seemed off his usual game. I had forgotten all of this by the time we got to the restaurant and finished our meal, at which point he pulled out the box that had the message inscribed- “Will you have my last name? Brown”.
When did you know he was the one?
Eric and I talked a lot about our expectations of relationships, marriage, and partners before we really started dating. I knew that we shared many values and opinions on marriage and life in general. After dating for awhile, Eric told me he loved me- and I knew he meant it. From that point on, I was sure that he was the one.
What is the cutest thing he has done for you without you asking?
I went on a cruise with my mom to the Bahamas early on in our relationship. Eric stayed at my house and kept my dog, Senator. Although he had a serious phobia of dogs, he went above and beyond to take care of her, and even put together a playroom for her in an extra bedroom. I was really impressed by his thoughtfulness and care in doing a task he had such a strong aversion to.
What is something you love about him that has completely changed your life?
Eric is a man of action. He is truly dedicated to his work, passions, and achieving excellence in all that he does. His commitment to seeing everything through really is an inspiration to me to be the best that I can be.
What part of wedding planning is making you crazy?
Decisions. I absolutely hate making the fine details decisions about what things should look like.
What part of wedding planning can you not live without?
Our check ins. Even though Eric is taking the lead on planning our wedding, it is absolutely crucial to have check ins with your future spouse about planning, but also fears, worries, and joys that are going on in your life at that time. We intentionally set aside time to be alone together to talk about our emotions during this time.
What was your first thought the day after your engagement?
WOW! My immediate first thought was that I woke up with a fiance. Eric told me he had asked my father for my hand in marriage personally during his visit. I called him that next morning because he had kept the secret from me for about 4 months! I couldn’t believe that I had no idea.
What was your favorite part about the ceremony?
Our ceremony was officiated by our friend, Nontumbi T. She sat with us to discuss the vows ahead of time. I loved the vows when we discussed them, but actually saying them to each other was so special and intimate.
What was your favorite part about the wedding?
In the words of Frank Sinatra, we did it “our way”. There are a few things to mention here. First, instead of requesting gifts in the standard fashion, we requested our friends and family to donate to the Nashville Freedom School Partnership and raised nearly $8,000 for literacy programming for underpriviledge youth in Nashville (gofundme.com/givebackwedding). Next, we were able to highlight the talents and gifts of our friends and network throughout the wedding. Everyone from our officiant to bartenders to poet to fire spinners were our friends, to name a few; it really meant so much to have these people actively engaged in the process. Overall, Eric and I agreed with each other, and that was all that mattered.
Did you do any DIY? If so, what?
NOPE! We had a great wedding planner that handled all of the details and arrangements.
VENDORS
Invites/Graphic Designer- Doug Christopher http://www.studio4five.com/
Catering
Dinner: Grooms Family catered
Dessert: The Cupcake Collection http://www.thecupcakecollection.com/
Tea Bar: Janet Walsh, Tea Tea and Company http://teateaandcompany.com/
DJ/Entertainment
DJ JRoc https://twitter.com/djjroc2000
Fire Spinners: https://www.facebook.com/firewetzel
Dress
Posh Bridal Couture, Wayzata, MN http://www.poshmn.com/
Rentals
Photo booth: http://www.cosmocreations.com/
Wedding Planner
Andre Trice, A Designers Touch http://www.adesignerstouchevents.net/
Photographer- M. Antonio Silas http://www.silas.photography/
What were your wedding colors?
Black, Ivory, Silver
What was your wedding theme?
Beauty and the Beast meets the Great Gatsby
What is your favorite part about being married to each other?
How we communicate with each other. There is a lot of sharing of ideas, opinions, and vision. Eric supports and encourages my individual growth and vice versa. We are equally focused on our collective growth. All of this is grounded in constant, honest communication.
What is your favorite thing about a Tennessee wedding?
The options. It was so easy to find multiple locations that spoke to the theme we wanted. Our location ended up enhancing our wedding vision overall, yet we could have gone so many other directions and we would have had an option to fit our needs. No type of wedding was out of the question! (Except beachfront :D)
What was a must have on your wedding menu?
Cupcakes from The Cupcake Collection! There wasn’t even a question of who we would order our cake from.
What southern traditions did you incorporate into your wedding?
The food was definitely down home cooking. One of our biggest concerns was that wedding food is A) expensive and B) usually not great! Eric’s family cooked a meal for nearly 200 people, including fried chicken, pasta salad, and macaroni and cheese. We ended up having so much food leftover, we donated about 10 full trays of food to the Nashville Rescue Mission down the street.
What did you learn about each other through the wedding planning process?
Really the planning process showcased exactly what we already knew about each other. Eric took the lead with planning the details with the planner; Brittney was brought in as needed to talk about high level themes. We shared a vision of what we expected from our wedding, and Brittney trusted Eric to make sure it was the day both of them wanted.
FULL GALLERY
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Michiel is a Black Southern Belle living a lowcountry life. I love all things fashion, home decor and southern! When I am not running around doing fun stuff for Black Southern Belle, I live in antique stores and have a minor obsession with historic homes :)
