Kristin Nabers and Payson Schwin married on  April 4, 2009

Location Married

 Orleans Square, with reception at Harper Fowlkes House

Tell me about how he proposed

 Payson surprised me with a 'Labor Day Staycation' in DC - dinner, drinks, and a night in a really cute bed and breakfast. When we arrived at the B&B, they had left champagne for us in our room, and we took it into the backyard where Payson proposed!

What was the most challenging part about planning your wedding?

The number of decisions you have to make and details you have to manage! It can be really overwhelming, which surprised me since I consider myself pretty organized.

What advice would you give to a couple planning their wedding?

Break the to-do list up into manageable pieces, and split the tasks between you...and hire a planner if at all possible! And try to videotape at least part of your wedding day, because it zooms by so fast that you'll have trouble remembering the details. A group photo of all the guests is a great memento as well.

Would you change anything?

Actually, I can't think of a thing. The weather was perfect and everyone looked beautiful and had a fabulous time! No major disasters at all.

What is your favorite memory about your planning or wedding day?

The Harper Fowlkes House has windows that overlook Orleans Square, so I was able to watch all the guests assembling before the ceremony while I got dressed. Very fun and kind of surreal.

What was your favorite detail of the wedding?

We loved that so much of our ceremony was done by our friends. One played the guitar for the processional, and another actually got ordained online and married us! And in lieu of readings, we had friends and family members write their own short blessings that they read. It made the whole ceremony so much more personal.

 

An unexpected moment?

Payson loves karaoke - in fact, we first got together at a karaoke outing with friends where he sang "Let's Get It On"! We had talked about him singing at the reception, but he had decided against it - or so I thought. At the end of the night, I was talking to our guests when I heard the opening notes of Marvin Gaye's classic...and up in the front of the tent is my new husband, belting it out! It was a huge hit and probably the most talked-about moment of the reception.

 

What was your design inspiration?

 We were thinking along the lines of 'vintage Southern' - classic looks that would compliment both Harper Fowlkes and the city of Savannah.

Anything else you would like to add?

We really want to thank Morgan and Holly for making our day so special! We had a GREAT time and all of our friends did too.