A Classic Black-Tie Wedding at Historic Nashville Estate

As a wedding writer, I knew that, to bring this dream day into fruition, we had to set the tone for guests immediately with the proper invitations. We worked with Designs in Paper to create this all-white invitation suite, printed with clean, black serif font. The serif alternated in size and italics to create movement, while sleek, black stripes created a polished detail. The suite was wrapped in a milky velum jacket, tied with ivory string and stamped with a statement-making ivory wax seal. The vintage crescent moon design was used to nod towards our song, Fly Me to the Moon by Frank Sinatra.

Our wedding and reception took place at the Historic Cedarwood Estate in Nashville, Tennessee. We knew this was "the" venue as soon as we pulled up the drive to this handsome 1835 Antebellum home. There was something purely magical about the lush landscaping, the rolling hills and the dreamy Mooncake Lake. On June 2nd, Cedarwood Weddings’ dynamic design team used lush greenery to create a striking arch against the home’s white facade and draped elegant ivory curtains along the covered side porch, as a lavish touch.

We kept with tradition and asked guests to sign a white and gold guest book upon arrival. Pro tip: Plan to provide pretty pens. Our design team made good use of our glam golden set and repurposed them as props for some of our detail photos.

My engagement ring is an heirloom, first given to my great-grandmother Anna Maria, by a handsome fellow named Joseph Pagnotta in 1932. Eight-six years later Anna Maria’s namesake (me!) wore the same ring to marry another very handsome fellow named Joseph. Our serendipitous and intertwined love stories inspired us to pull from their era, and our shared ring, to design our day. The ring showcases the art deco period, and all its glitz and glamour, with an old European cut stone set within a geometric diamond halo, milgrain detailing and intricate, geometric engravings cascading along the band.