Abbey is an interior designer by trade, so it’s no surprise she had a very specific and unique style in mind for her and Ariel’s Adairsville, Georgia destination wedding. She conveyed to her wedding planner, Christopher Confero, that she wanted a “black tie, summer camp vibe” with “perfectly imperfect” floral arrangements. Ask and you shall receive! “After sending Christopher my inspiration boards, I just watched the magic happen,” recalls the bride. “Christopher was the heart and soul of the operation and I put my full faith in him.”

In addition to the style of their nuptials, the couple also had a specific location in mind. “We didn’t want our wedding to just be another night out in the city or another traffic jam out to the Hamptons,” says Abbey. “We wanted all of our family and friends to be stuck together in the middle of nowhere, so they were forced to meet, mingle and celebrate for three days straight.” Abbey and Ariel found their dream venue just minutes from the bride’s grandparent’s home in Northern Georgia – Barnsley Resort. “We loved that we weren’t going to have a standard ballroom wedding and felt like Barnsley was worth the schlep,” explains the bride.

When the big day finally arrived, roughly 200 guests joined the couple for a traditional Jewish ceremony in a meadow with an aisle lined in baby’s breath. Following sentimental “I do’s,” the couple’s guests enjoyed a cocktail hour amongst the ground’s ruins and beneath bistro lights. As the dinner bell rang, the guests made their way to a reception on the lawn decorated with falling flower displays and dramatic greenery sprays.

Throughout the planning process, the couple was only at odds with their wedding planner once. What was their quarrel? How big the dance floor should be. Abbey and Ariel wanted it bigger and, just as the couple had expected, the dance floor was packed all night with joyous guests and celebratory steps.

When we asked the couple for their number one piece of advice, the bride said, “Don’t try to micromanage your guests – everyone is an adult and is fully capable of [taking care of] themselves.” 

VENDORS: Photographer: Donna Von Bruening, Wedding Planner & Designer: Christopher Confero Design, Ceremony/Reception Site: Barnsley Resort, Stationery: Amberly Shelton Paperie, Gown Designer: Carolina Herrera, Groom’s Clothing Designer: Alton Lane.

This article was first seen in Destination I Do’s Spring/Summer 2018 issue. You can order a copy here.