I want to say on the front end, that although this may be difficult to believe, Fanta & Ian’s wedding is not staged, and they are NOT models (that I know of anyway..). But holy smokes are there some pin worthy details and gobs of gorgeous images from Sarah Esther Photography! First of all, Ian’s bowtie is all swagger, which we love. Fanta and her ‘maids are knockouts in their gowns and her bouquet is the stuff of dreams. Top it all off with a reception under the glittering chandelier’s of 200 Peachtree and you’ve got one heck of a celebration…
Can you give us an overview of the event? The wedding and reception took place at The Grand Atrium at 200 Peachtree, the former location of Davidson’s department store, and subsequently Macy’s. An elegant and lofty space, the venue’s marble floors and grand chandeliers were accented beautifully by decor in coral, gold and champagne.
What were your playful twists that made your event unique? As a personal touch, there were excerpts from various letters Fanta and Ian had written one another over the years displayed in the venue, a subtle nod to the fact that much of their relationship after college had been spent in separate cities. There were periods of time while Ian was in law school and Fanta was in medical school that those written correspondences were the only thing that they had to sustain them. They served as a testament to the immense reward reaped from abiding in love, despite adversity.
Tell us about the food and desserts! The dinner, catered by Black Tie Atlanta, was absolutely delicious and began with a mixed greens salad with peaches, feta cheese, onions, and berry vinaigrette, followed by an entree of bone-In Braised Short Rib or Smoked Salmon served with roasted red potatoes seasoned with rosemary and fresh parmesan, and grilled asparagus. The wedding cake, designed by Couture Cakes, featured buttercream icing and red velvet, vanilla and chocolate cake layers.
Tell us how you met! Fanta and Ian met during their sophomore year at Spelman College and Morehouse College, respectively, at a weekly block party on Spelman College’s campus. Although Fanta was in a relationship at the time, the two took note of one another during that first meeting. Due to mutual friends, the two of them began to run into one another at various social gatherings and events and a friendship ensued. During their senior year, when they returned to their campuses after summer break, they realized that they were ready to be more than just friends and soon began a romantic relationship
Now for the proposal…details! After disguising a vacation to Napa Valley as a joint 30th birthday trip, Ian took Fanta on a surprise private tour of several vineyards. At the last stop on their tour, atop Springer Mountain which overlooked the valley, Ian gave Fanta a gift he made especially for her – a personal rendition of the popular “Five Love Languages” book, which she had been urging him to read. His book included five separate pages of events, activities and snippets of intimate phrases they had shared throughout their relationship that exemplied each of the five love languages- Acts of Service, Physical Touch, Words of Affirmation, Quality Time, and Gifts. Fanta read through each page and when she got to the the last love language, “Gifts”, Ian presented her with a wonderful gift- a proposal to spend the rest of their lives together.
What is the best advice you received? The best wedding advice we received was to always put one another first and to always laugh together.
Tell us about your wedding dress, and what your wedding party wore. The wedding gown was designed by Modern Trousseau and was an ivory, strapless dress that featured a sweet-heart neckline and a fit and flare silhouette. The upper portion of the dress was silk ruching and the bottom of the dress was a soft cascade of laser-cut silk organza layers. The wedding party wore long A-line gowns by Ava Collection by Mori Lee in a coffee color.
What were the honeymoon plans? Ian planned the entire honeymoon and kept it as a surprise for Fanta. They vacationed in the beautiful Zijuatanejo/Ixtapa, Mexico.
Photographer: Sarah Esther Photography | Videographer: Three Ring Media | Venue: The Grand Atrium at 200 Peachtree | Floral Designer: Randi Lawrence Moore | Design / Event Designer/Planner: Randi Lawrence Moore | Design / Stationery Designers: Lucky & Lovely & Sandi Spells Designs | Make-up Artist: Shawna Elizabeth Enterprise | Hair: Virginia Beasley | Caterer: Black Tie Barbecue | Cake: Couture Cakes | Band: Livin’ Large Band | Transportation: Georgia Trolley Service | Wedding Gown Designer: Modern Trousseau | Bridesmaid’s Dress Designer: Ava Collection by Mori Lee
Callie | May 4th, 2012 | See all posts by Callie
