Tim and Natasha were inspired by the city of Savannah itself for their October wedding. They wanted an intimate, destination wedding to celebrate simply with their closest friends in a manner that was true to them and the things they enjoy; great food, craft cocktails and fun! “The city of Savannah was the perfect setting for our vision of an intimate, darkly romantic celebration,” said Natasha.
They skipped most traditional wedding elements like invitations, a cake and gifts, instead focusing on creating a memorable experience to enjoy with their friends. Rather than a formal reception, the ceremony was followed by drinks at a nearby lounge, then dinner and they wrapped up the evening with a haunted pub crawl.
Everything – their attire, accessories, bouquet, and even Natasha’s rings – was purchased online. They used many small, independent vendors and Etsy stores, which is not only important to them to support small businesses, but also saved them money.
The ceremony itself also deviated from the traditional vows, and instead focused on a balanced partnership (“love, and honour, but let’s skip ‘obey’”), and reverence to nature. It was held outdoors in the pouring rain in one of Savannah’s many squares, and reflected their Pagan-Humanist beliefs. Natasha wrote the ceremony, inspired by various sources, and incorporated, among others, Scottish elements as a nod to Tm’s heritage. They were surrounded by their close friends who held umbrellas over them to shield them from the rain – their exchange of vows was quiet, intimate and accompanied by plenty of tears.
The weather did cause Tim and Natasha to have to make some very last-minute adjustments, but as their wedding party was so small, it didn’t cause too many problems! They saved their formal portraits for the next day, in order to save their weddings outfits, and it turned out all the better for it. “Splitting the day into informal and formal, we were able to relax much more, spend time with our guests immediately following the ceremony,” said Natasha. “The following day we took our time meandering the streets of Savannah for photos, just the two of us and our photographer. It all worked out just perfectly.”
When asked if she had any advice for future brides and grooms, Natasha offered the following; “If you have a vision of what you want your day to look like, stick to your guns. Don’t listen to people who try to talk you out of things you love, or criticise your choices. It’s YOUR day. And don’t try to please everyone – it’s impossible, so focus instead on keeping yourselves happy.”
