Riley and Drew’s Lake Como-Inspired Backyard Wedding
With a vision of a day that felt like listening to Etta James and Aretha Franklin, Riley and Drew’s wedding was enduring, soulful and full of love. In Riley’s family backyard on Lake Spivey, she and Drew hosted a celebration that reflected their deep affection for one another and the things that inspire them most.
Riley and Drew met at Auburn University through an engineering organization that gave campus tours to prospective students and donors. What began as a shared commitment to their program quickly turned into a genuine friendship, and within six months, Drew asked Riley on their first date.
When Riley and Drew began choosing a date for their special day, there was one clear choice. Riley knew she wanted to become the third generation in her family to marry on September 21st. vows on that day in 1963, followed by her parents in 1991. Continuing the family tradition made her childhood home on Lake Spivey the only place she could imagine saying “I do.”
Wanting a celebration that felt deeply personal rather than trend-driven, Riley knew her childhood home on Lake Spivey was the perfect intimate, sentimental and memory-filled backdrop. Making for an even more grand evening, family friends Monday and Shelly opened their neighboring backyard for the ceremony, allowing the celebration to unfold seamlessly between the two adjoining lakeside properties.
Inspired by the romance of Lake Como, the design paired soft blues, crisp whites and touches of yellow with an open-air reception beneath twinkling lights. Stone urns filled with greenery cut from the family’s own property added natural elegance that felt right at home along the lake.
One of the evening’s most meaningful moments came after dinner when Riley invited every married couple in attendance to the dance floor for a special anniversary dance to “Unforgettable,” her parents’ own first dance song. Looking around at the crowd of couples celebrating marriages spanning decades became a touching reminder of the legacy of love surrounding Riley and Drew as they began their own.
From there, the celebration gave way to a packed dance floor, late-night espresso martinis and sliders and one final unforgettable moment. As Earth, Wind & Fire’s “September” played across the lake, Riley and Drew danced through a tunnel of bubbles before boarding a waiting boat from the family dock. Indeed, a joyful ending to a wedding rooted in tradition, family and timeless romance.
Vendors
PHOTOGRAPHER AP Photo Collection
VIDEOGRAPHER Shutter and Sound Films
VENUE Private Residence
PLANNER Georgia TLC Events
FLORAL The Anik Collective
HAIR Flourish Salon
MAKEUP Ellis Paige Makeup
BRIDE’S ATTIRE Aesling Bride from Joon Bridal
GROOM’S ATTIRE Hickey Freeman from Dillard’s
CATERING Sweet Magnolia Catering
CAKE City Cafe and Bakery
MOBILE BAR Tippy Tap Co
LINENS BBJ La Tavola
TABLETOP RENTALS Southern Vintage
DANCE FLOOR & CEREMONY CHAIRS Macon Tent Rental
RECEPTION CHAIRS & TABLES Blank Canvas Event Rentals
CEREMONY MUSIC Catherine Evergreen
RECEPTION ENTERTAINMENT The King of Hearts Band
RESTROOMS Clean Space Portable Restrooms
TRANSPORTATION Action Limo
CONTENT CREATOR Boarding Pass Content Co.
