When I was little, I was always that girl who never got tired of playing wedding with her Barbies. I even produced a film creatively entitled Barbie Dream Wedding complete with music and a decorated convertible for Barbie and Ken. #Whitegirlproblems. I soon sucked my three younger sisters into my love of all things bridal. We went through a phrase in which we would surprise one another with the perfect wedding. We would act out ceremonies with bridesmaids’ dresses and fake flowers modeling it after our latest wedding show obsession.
Now that I am older, I have calmed down a bit. I do not have a scrapbook filled with fabrics and place settings, nor do I have my future wedding dress selected. However, I must admit that I have a tentative plan for my dream wedding, which naturally revolves around my love for UNC. For example, Sugarland will make my cake and the lovely reception will be held at the Carolina Inn. My fiancĂ© better have attended UNC or he may not understand my love for all things Carolina. Â
Recently, when my friends and I got distracted during the Carrier Classic, we found another tool to aid in the wedding obsession: Southern Weddings Magazine’s website at http://iloveswmag.com/.  The site combines weddings with appreciation for Southern culture. The volume of my Southern Weddings Pinterest board is evidence enough that I am hooked.
Maybe it was the cotton boutonnieres and monogrammed mason jars that first got me. It is now my go-to website during class with a higher addiction factor than Facebook. The site allows you to peruse weddings by location and color to find styles that will most interest you. Â
Each wedding incorporates authentic southern traditions while staying classy and tasteful. It is clear that each couple put a lot of thought into making their wedding unique. Â One couple had a pie bar at their reception while another couple had a biscuit bar. I had never thought of many of these ideas, and thanks to this website, I know I am getting personalized koozies for my wedding!
Besides the beautiful wedding photos, the magazine chooses a southern bride of the month and interviews her about her fiancé and future wedding. The November bride and her fiancé became fast friends after they met in an undergraduate architecture program. One day she gathered the courage to tell him she loved him, and they immediately started dating. The staff also incorporates daily southern life into the website with their adorable “Hey Y’all” tab.  Here you can “sit a spell” with all of the contributors to the magazine. You can even flip through editions of the magazine online.
So, the next time you need a distraction from a droning professor, check out Southern Wedding Magazine’s website. Even if you hail from above the Mason-Dixon Line, you can still appreciate the attention to detail and exquisite taste represented in the featured weddings. Grab a glass of sweet tea and start planning your dream wedding, y’all!
Sources:
Wedding cake (photo): Sugarland, http://www.sugarlandchapelhill.com/cakes/cakes_gallery/
Mason Jar (photo): Jade McCully, http://www.theknot.com/contests/my-real-wedding/photo/122595/luke-and-laurens-southern-savannah-wedding
Pie Bar (photo): Kristen Gardner Photograph, Â Â http://iloveswmag.com/real-wedding/sara-bill/
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