Atlanta residents Regan DeLoach and Chris Burr naturally considered hosting a wedding in the city they call home.
“But there were almost too many choices,” Regan reminisces.  “I felt overwhelmed.”
So the bride opted for a more manageable location near her childhood home.  Raised in Claxton, an hour outside Savannah, Regan used to teach school in nearby Richmond Hill.  She felt drawn to the beauty of Savannah’s historic district.
“I’ve always loved springtime in Savannah,” she enthuses.  “So we chose a date when we knew the azaleas would be in bloom.  It was the perfect backdrop to our event.”
Planning a Savannah wedding also enabled Regan’s mother, Teresa DeLoach, to oversee much of the legwork from Claxton.

Meant to Be
Once Regan and Chris agreed on springtime Savannah, the details started falling into place.
“The Telfair Museum of Art was the first and only reception venue we looked at,” says Regan, who chose the Telfair’s latest addition, the bright, modern Jepson Center for the Arts.  “As soon as I saw the Jepson Center’s open floor plan, I knew that was it.”
Regan’s dress was also an instant winner.
“We set aside a whole weekend to look for a gown, but I chose the first one I tried on,” she recalls of her trip to Brides by Demetrios in Buckhead.  “My mom insisted that I try on more, but I just knew.”
While some details fell naturally into place, others were strategically simplified.  Regan and Teresa hired Melissa Livingston of M. Livingston events to coordinate the wedding weekend.
“It was one of the best choices we made,” says Regan.  “Melissa was so flexible and helpful that we ended up using her for much more.  She really collaborated with my mom on many of the details.  When the wedding was over, my mom was sad!”
According to Melissa, the feeling is mutual.
“It was just the type of connection you hope to have with your clients,” the professional planner recalls.  “There was a lot of trust.  And I love the creativity of destination weddings!”

Savvy Simplicity
Motivated by Regan’s desire for a soulful, romantic ceremony by candlelight, the trio filled First Presbyterian Church with hurricane candles, oversized pillars and flickering votives.
Regan and Teresa turned to Amy Harvey of Harvey Designs for the flowers.  It was another serendipitous choice.
“We found pictures online of floral arrangements with jeweled dragonflies fixed to them,” the bride recalls.  “When we took them to Amy for inspiration, we found out that the pictures were of her designs!”
The Jepson Center already offered natural light, clean white stone and lush views of Telfair Square, and Amy sweetened the deal with a fresh color scheme of rosy pinks.
The mother of the bride added to the rosy atmosphere by hand crafting favor boxes, filling them with mini pralines from Savannah Candy Kitchen, and stacking them in the shape of a tiered wedding cake.
That was just one of Teresa’s many creative contributions as M.O.B.
“For my big day, I wanted to look like me, only prettier,” she laughs.  “I loved the way Chellie Heckman at Rob’s at Drayton Tower did my hair—that soft, simple style will look good in pictures for years to come.  But I had my mom do the makeup because she always used to do it for my dance competitions and performances.”
As with many other details of her wedding, Regan knew Teresa would do her makeup just right.

This Magic Moment
When Regan’s and Chris’ big day arrived, the azaleas were right on cue.  Their unmistakable pink and white was echoed perfectly in the wedding’s indoor décor.
After saying their traditional vows by candlelight in the presence of Regan’s childhood pastor, the couple joined their wedding party on a trolley ride to the Jepson Center, where a cocktail reception was already underway on the terrace and on the museum’s third floor.
“The New Arts Ensemble played beautiful music,” recalls the bride.  “For the rest of the reception, we opted for a DJ.  We had so much fun dancing!”
While Regan and Chris were flexible on some details, they were uncompromising when it came to serving their guests a taste of Savannah.  The pair turned to Savor Savannah for an abundant seafood bar and other fresh local offerings.
“We had to serve shrimp n’ grits,” says the bride.  “My husband’s dad had never tasted it!”
The day’s events went off flawlessly—thanks to Melissa’s careful choreography.  (“No bride of mine will ever feel rushed,” the planner declares.)  After an evening of dancing and well-wishing, the new husband and wife followed a trail of sparklers to the 1938 Buick Special that Regan had rented from Classic Car Tours as a surprise for Chris.  The pair made their way in style to a honeymoon suite at the Mansion on Forsyth Park—and onward, to their serendipitous new life together.


Behind the Veil                  
The big day:  April 4, 2009
Palette:  Shades of pink, green, white, and champagne
Planning time:  9 months
Number of guests:  160
Wedding coordinator:  Melissa Livingston, M. Livingston Events
Rehearsal dinner site:  Garibaldi’s Cafe
Ceremony site:  First Presbyterian Church
Officiants:  Reverend Larry E. Bird and Reverend Stephen C. Williams
Ceremony music:  New Arts Ensembles, Jerry Myers (organist/pianist of First Presbyterian Church), and Lauren Tootle Bluestein (vocalist)
Gown: Demetrios, Brides by Demetrios in Atlanta
Accessories:  Demetrios veil, Nadri earrings, Pronovias reception hairpiece
Hair:  Chellie Heckman for Rob’s at Drayton Tower
Makeup: Teresa DeLoach, mother of the bride
Bridesmaids’ dresses:  Vineyard, Priscilla of Boston in Atlanta
Groom/groomsmen’s attire:  Ralph Lauren Tuxedos, Simon’s Formalwear
Reception site:  Jepson Center for the Arts
Catering:  Savor Savannah
Reception music:  New Arts Ensemble (cocktail hour); VIP entertainment
Florist:  Harvey Designs
Cake:  Custom Cakes
Transportation:  Old Savannah Tours Trolley and Classic Car Tours
Videographer:  Savannah Wedding Films
Invitations:  William Arthur, A Paper Affair in Atlanta
Honeymoon suite:  The Mansion on Forsyth Park
Something old:  Bible carried by bride’s grandmother and mother on their wedding days
Something blue:  Hanky Panky lingerie

Photographer:  Christine Hall, Christine Hall Photography, 912.353.1989. www.christinehallphotography.com