8 Signs You're a Bonafide Southern Bride
by Elizabeth Mitchell, BRIDES
Photo: Peter Hannert
Southern brides are sweet as tea with weddings rich in tradition and full of family, friends and the best darn soul food you’ll ever eat (seriously!). If you didn’t know already, here are eight signs you’re a southern bride. Who’s ready to get hitched, y’all!
1. You’d monogram your entire wedding if you could.
It’s no secret southern girls love to put their initials on any and everything. When it comes to the wedding, nothing is off limits really: the welcome bags, bridesmaid robes, wedding favors, cocktail napkins, bouquet wraps, garter, aisle runner, card box, cake, thank-you notes…the list could go on and on.
2. You not only know what bridal portraits are, you’ve had your session booked for months.
A true southern staple, bridal portraits are a great way to figure out if you actually like the way your hair and makeup look with your dress (and in photographs) before you walk down the aisle. Of course, tradition dictates you put at least one of those portraits on display at the reception and then in your parents’ home afterward. Obviously, that’s the plan.
Related: 20 Ways to Throw the Best Wedding Ever
3. The size of your wedding party could rival an NFL team’s roster.
What can you say? You’ve got a whole lot of friends, and there’s simply no way you could choose between all your high school besties, sorority sisters and relatives. You want all your girls standing by your side on your big day. Speaking of big, everything’s bigger in the south, and wedding parties are certainly no exception.
4. Your menu is made up mostly of comfort food served buffet style.
Think shrimp and grits, fried chicken and macaroni, an assortment of biscuits, pulled pork, BBQ, fried green tomatoes and probably a special jam or family sauce bottled up by grandma for everyone to take home. Mmmm, soul food at its best!
5. You’re either getting married in a church on a plantation or having a rustic barn wedding.
And no, not because they’re trendy but because that’s the way weddings have been done down south forever. Think mason jars, string lights, chandeliers and flowers galore. Needless to say, your big day will be the image of elegance, yet with a decidedly down-home, non-stuffy vibe.
6. There’s a 90 percent chance your wedding dress is lace.
And if not lace, then you’ll definitely be saying “I do” in a ball gown fit for a princess with a price tag to match. In the south, the dress is one of, if not the most important, element of the wedding.
Related: 15 Elements of An Unforgettable Wedding
7. You’re having a traditional wedding.
Because, honestly, what’s a southern wedding without all the tried and true traditions that go along with it? While a modern day southern bride may break a few outdated traditions here and there, overall, her wedding will stick to the same format her parents’ did.
8. You insist on having a groom’s cake.
Plus, it’s your guy’s chance to showcase his personality (and your guests’ chance to munch on a different kind of cake).
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