We are giddy with excitement about all the loveliness and inspiration in this wedding. The bride answers a few questions for us below.
{Bride} Laura Pickard
{Groom} Jay Johns
{Hometowns} Both from Hazlehurst, Mississippi
{Wedding Site} Duling Hall (former location of Fondren Church) – Jackson, Mississippi
{Reception Site} Duling Hall – Jackson, Mississippi
{How did the two of you meet?}
Technically, we’ve known of one another since childhood. But we didn’t really know one another. Growing up in the same Mississippi hometown means everybody knows everybody. Although Jay claims he had a crush on me in elementary school (I still don’t believe it), we didn’t start getting to know one another until we were paired as a duet to sing in a wedding. Jay is a guitarist and singer, and I sing some too. We were asked to sing in a wedding in April of 2009, and over the course of the next year or so we were asked to sing together in two other weddings. So, we had to “practice” for these weddings. When we would talk to decide when we wanted to practice, I would make sure he knew I was fancy free on Friday or Saturday nights, hoping he’d get the idea. He would come to my house, we’d practice for about a minute or two, then spend the rest of the night having dinner and sitting outside on the patio hanging out. A few weddings and numerous “practices” later, we had our first “real” date.
{Bride} Laura Pickard
{Groom} Jay Johns
{Hometowns} Both from Hazlehurst, Mississippi
{Wedding Site} Duling Hall (former location of Fondren Church) – Jackson, Mississippi
{Reception Site} Duling Hall – Jackson, Mississippi
{How did the two of you meet?}
Technically, we’ve known of one another since childhood. But we didn’t really know one another. Growing up in the same Mississippi hometown means everybody knows everybody. Although Jay claims he had a crush on me in elementary school (I still don’t believe it), we didn’t start getting to know one another until we were paired as a duet to sing in a wedding. Jay is a guitarist and singer, and I sing some too. We were asked to sing in a wedding in April of 2009, and over the course of the next year or so we were asked to sing together in two other weddings. So, we had to “practice” for these weddings. When we would talk to decide when we wanted to practice, I would make sure he knew I was fancy free on Friday or Saturday nights, hoping he’d get the idea. He would come to my house, we’d practice for about a minute or two, then spend the rest of the night having dinner and sitting outside on the patio hanging out. A few weddings and numerous “practices” later, we had our first “real” date.
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{What is your proposal story?}
Being very much a “planner,” I was anticipating and hoping for the engagement every second of the day. We knew we wanted to get married, that we didn’t want a long engagement and that we both wanted a fall wedding, so when summer started nearing, I was hoping for it just about every day.
Unfortunately for Jay, I always think ten steps ahead, so I had already come up with about a dozen different scenarios, dates, times and locations for how he would propose. Thankfully, he knows me really well, and he assumed I probably had it all planned out in my head. So, he threw me off by proposing on a night we did our normal weekend routine. We both got off work on Friday, and he came to my house. We were debating on whether we wanted to cook something for dinner or go out, and we decided on going out to eat at my favorite Mexican restaurant. When we decided to go to the Mexican place, I instantly let down my guard, knowing it wouldn’t be happening that night. We had dinner and did our usual post-dinner stop to grab a Redbox. We got back to my house, and as I we were getting ready to watch the movie, he got down on one knee. I was COMPLETELY surprised and so thankful he knew me well enough to know that I would have probably been suspicious with any other type of proposal. It was the perfect way to propose - when I least expected it on a night where we were just being “us.” I loved it.
{How did you pick “the dress?”}
I loved a lace look, but I didn’t want full lace and specifically wanted a crocheted lace dress, and it wasn’t as easy to find as one might think. Most photos I found were of a softer vintage lace rather than crocheted. I was worried I may not find it.
Being from Hazlehurst originally, my mom and I went to our “neighbors” in Brookhaven at Imaginations as my first stop to do wedding dress shopping. I tried on about a dozen dresses and didn’t think I was going to find it until the owner walked in. She asked what I was looking for, and I told her I wanted a non-typical lace look. She asked me to give her and minute, she walked off and came back with THE dress. It was perfect and included the crocheted lace and a beautiful but classically simple overall look.
Being very much a “planner,” I was anticipating and hoping for the engagement every second of the day. We knew we wanted to get married, that we didn’t want a long engagement and that we both wanted a fall wedding, so when summer started nearing, I was hoping for it just about every day.
Unfortunately for Jay, I always think ten steps ahead, so I had already come up with about a dozen different scenarios, dates, times and locations for how he would propose. Thankfully, he knows me really well, and he assumed I probably had it all planned out in my head. So, he threw me off by proposing on a night we did our normal weekend routine. We both got off work on Friday, and he came to my house. We were debating on whether we wanted to cook something for dinner or go out, and we decided on going out to eat at my favorite Mexican restaurant. When we decided to go to the Mexican place, I instantly let down my guard, knowing it wouldn’t be happening that night. We had dinner and did our usual post-dinner stop to grab a Redbox. We got back to my house, and as I we were getting ready to watch the movie, he got down on one knee. I was COMPLETELY surprised and so thankful he knew me well enough to know that I would have probably been suspicious with any other type of proposal. It was the perfect way to propose - when I least expected it on a night where we were just being “us.” I loved it.
{How did you pick “the dress?”}
I loved a lace look, but I didn’t want full lace and specifically wanted a crocheted lace dress, and it wasn’t as easy to find as one might think. Most photos I found were of a softer vintage lace rather than crocheted. I was worried I may not find it.
Being from Hazlehurst originally, my mom and I went to our “neighbors” in Brookhaven at Imaginations as my first stop to do wedding dress shopping. I tried on about a dozen dresses and didn’t think I was going to find it until the owner walked in. She asked what I was looking for, and I told her I wanted a non-typical lace look. She asked me to give her and minute, she walked off and came back with THE dress. It was perfect and included the crocheted lace and a beautiful but classically simple overall look.
{What was your favorite surprise detail/moment about your wedding day?}
Growing up, my all-time favorite movie was The Wizard of Oz. I still love it to this day – so much so that I wore red glitter flats with my wedding dress. I firmly believe that no matter where you go, there truly is “no place like home.” I travel a lot for work, and the morning of my wedding, my mom surprised me with a Wizard of Oz-inspired travel bag for my shoes that says “there’s no place like home.” It was hand made by a woman from my hometown, and I take it every time I go on a trip and remember our wedding day. It was really special.
Also, the wedding day was held on what would have been my late paternal grandmother’s 85th birthday, November 15th. So having my whole family there on a day we would have been celebrating her anyway, was really special. I’m glad we were able to honor her life with the celebration.
Growing up, my all-time favorite movie was The Wizard of Oz. I still love it to this day – so much so that I wore red glitter flats with my wedding dress. I firmly believe that no matter where you go, there truly is “no place like home.” I travel a lot for work, and the morning of my wedding, my mom surprised me with a Wizard of Oz-inspired travel bag for my shoes that says “there’s no place like home.” It was hand made by a woman from my hometown, and I take it every time I go on a trip and remember our wedding day. It was really special.
Also, the wedding day was held on what would have been my late paternal grandmother’s 85th birthday, November 15th. So having my whole family there on a day we would have been celebrating her anyway, was really special. I’m glad we were able to honor her life with the celebration.
{Bride’s Bouquet}
Lesley Frascogna with Tulip created a unique textured bouquet in a palette of coral, peach, butter yellow, and blush with hints of green and grey. Flowers included dahlias, ranunculus, garden roses, and succulents accented with novelty foliages and pods. The stems of the bouquet were wrapped in vintage lace.
{Bridesmaid Bouquets}
The maid of honor (only bridesmaid) carried a bouquet similar in style and color to the bride’s bouquet only it was designed on a smaller scale and featured a different ribbon treatment.
Lesley Frascogna with Tulip created a unique textured bouquet in a palette of coral, peach, butter yellow, and blush with hints of green and grey. Flowers included dahlias, ranunculus, garden roses, and succulents accented with novelty foliages and pods. The stems of the bouquet were wrapped in vintage lace.
{Bridesmaid Bouquets}
The maid of honor (only bridesmaid) carried a bouquet similar in style and color to the bride’s bouquet only it was designed on a smaller scale and featured a different ribbon treatment.
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{What’s your favorite unique accessory? Is there a story behind it?}
I had a few really important pieces that day. First, my “something blue” was a sapphire and diamond ring that my maternal grandmother and I picked out together. Years ago, she told me she wanted me to have one of her solitaire diamond rings. This was before I met Jay, but I always knew I wanted a solitaire ring as my engagement ring, and since this would be a “right hand” ring, I wanted to make it look as such, so I asked if she would mind if we picked out a setting together. It was a really meaningful day – my grandmother and I picking out a sapphire and diamond setting for that ring that I’ll wear on my right hand forever.
Also, one of my best friends from college is an extremely talented jewelry designer out of Clinton, Mississippi. Her name is Emily Brown, and she owns EAU Jewelry (sold locally at James and Leigh and Blithe and Vine). She dedicates a portion of her proceeds for the great cause of clean water in other parts of the world. I had asked her to make my earrings, and they were a beautiful pearl drop with a cluster, and they were a perfect complement to the crocheted lace in my dress. She also made me “knot” hammered gold bracelets for me to give to my closest friends on the day I tied the knot.
Another favorite was a beautiful Ronaldo pearl bracelet Jay gave me on the morning of our wedding. He didn’t give directly, of course, since we waited to see one another until the wedding. But his mom brought it to me while I was getting ready, and is now something I wear every day.
I had a few really important pieces that day. First, my “something blue” was a sapphire and diamond ring that my maternal grandmother and I picked out together. Years ago, she told me she wanted me to have one of her solitaire diamond rings. This was before I met Jay, but I always knew I wanted a solitaire ring as my engagement ring, and since this would be a “right hand” ring, I wanted to make it look as such, so I asked if she would mind if we picked out a setting together. It was a really meaningful day – my grandmother and I picking out a sapphire and diamond setting for that ring that I’ll wear on my right hand forever.
Also, one of my best friends from college is an extremely talented jewelry designer out of Clinton, Mississippi. Her name is Emily Brown, and she owns EAU Jewelry (sold locally at James and Leigh and Blithe and Vine). She dedicates a portion of her proceeds for the great cause of clean water in other parts of the world. I had asked her to make my earrings, and they were a beautiful pearl drop with a cluster, and they were a perfect complement to the crocheted lace in my dress. She also made me “knot” hammered gold bracelets for me to give to my closest friends on the day I tied the knot.
Another favorite was a beautiful Ronaldo pearl bracelet Jay gave me on the morning of our wedding. He didn’t give directly, of course, since we waited to see one another until the wedding. But his mom brought it to me while I was getting ready, and is now something I wear every day.
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{Your favorite picture from the big day?}
This picture was taken the moment after we were announced husband and wife. Just like a woman, I always try to be so careful not to show too much of my gums when I smile in pictures, and I even ask people to keep me in check when we take photos to make sure I don’t do my “huge” smile because I have a big smile anyway, so when I am really excited, I smile even bigger. I love this so much because, as much as I could have tried to keep it subdued, no one on the planet could have done a thing to keep this huge of a smile away from my face at that moment.
This picture was taken the moment after we were announced husband and wife. Just like a woman, I always try to be so careful not to show too much of my gums when I smile in pictures, and I even ask people to keep me in check when we take photos to make sure I don’t do my “huge” smile because I have a big smile anyway, so when I am really excited, I smile even bigger. I love this so much because, as much as I could have tried to keep it subdued, no one on the planet could have done a thing to keep this huge of a smile away from my face at that moment.
{The picture that represents the two of you best?}
This man keeps me laughing all day long. We’re goofy. Really goofy. And we established a comfort level of goofiness frighteningly early in our relationship, so I love that on our wedding day, Robby captured it really well. I’m not exactly sure what Jay said to make me laugh like that, but I’m sure I’ll be making this same face and laughing at this man when I’m old and wrinkled. I sincerely hope for laugh lines when we’re old. It will be a sign of a great marriage.
This man keeps me laughing all day long. We’re goofy. Really goofy. And we established a comfort level of goofiness frighteningly early in our relationship, so I love that on our wedding day, Robby captured it really well. I’m not exactly sure what Jay said to make me laugh like that, but I’m sure I’ll be making this same face and laughing at this man when I’m old and wrinkled. I sincerely hope for laugh lines when we’re old. It will be a sign of a great marriage.
{What inspired your wedding and reception locations?}
From early in our relationship, Jay and I found a church home together at Fondren Church in Jackson. He was a part of the worship team there, and the church had been meeting in Duling Hall on Sundays for the last few years. Around the time of our wedding, the church had grown to have two services at full capacity, so we knew the time was coming soon for the church to be moving to a new location (they now meet for worship at Woodland Hills Baptist Church). It was important to both of us to be married in the church we started attending as a couple and at the place where we had grown closer together and closer to Jesus. Also, with Jay being a musician and having the opportunity to help out and support the great musicians going in and out of Duling Hall, we knew we wanted our reception there as well.
The trick was to figure out how to have both the wedding and reception in the same room – our church and one of our favorite venues in Jackson. We both really liked the idea of keeping the ceremony intimate, so we decided on a small wedding with our family and incorporated some quality time with them between the ceremony and reception before everyone else arrived (and it also allowed some time to flip the room from a ceremony to a reception). Then, we invited all of our friends and more extended family to a fun reception an hour or so after we were married. It was a perfect venue for both events with some time in between to collect our thoughts and do a quick reset before celebrating with everyone.
From early in our relationship, Jay and I found a church home together at Fondren Church in Jackson. He was a part of the worship team there, and the church had been meeting in Duling Hall on Sundays for the last few years. Around the time of our wedding, the church had grown to have two services at full capacity, so we knew the time was coming soon for the church to be moving to a new location (they now meet for worship at Woodland Hills Baptist Church). It was important to both of us to be married in the church we started attending as a couple and at the place where we had grown closer together and closer to Jesus. Also, with Jay being a musician and having the opportunity to help out and support the great musicians going in and out of Duling Hall, we knew we wanted our reception there as well.
The trick was to figure out how to have both the wedding and reception in the same room – our church and one of our favorite venues in Jackson. We both really liked the idea of keeping the ceremony intimate, so we decided on a small wedding with our family and incorporated some quality time with them between the ceremony and reception before everyone else arrived (and it also allowed some time to flip the room from a ceremony to a reception). Then, we invited all of our friends and more extended family to a fun reception an hour or so after we were married. It was a perfect venue for both events with some time in between to collect our thoughts and do a quick reset before celebrating with everyone.
{What inspired your color scheme/theme/flowers?}
We both LOVE the fall. But we knew we didn’t want the theme to include dark colors that are prominent during that time of year. We wanted to capture the essence of fall with a more natural, soft look and feel. Plus, I wanted to incorporate crocheted lace and a vintage aspect into the day. I gave Lesley at Tulip a color palette and some photos that inspired me, and she did a great job of using textures and blends to perfectly meet my expectations. It was beautiful.
The theme was all things “love.” We truly want our marriage to be a reflection of the covenant keeping love between Christ and His church. And we know that our relationship with Jesus as individuals and as a couple is what will make our love flourish. So we wanted to honor the Creator of the best, most fulfilling love, on this day. We filled Duling Hall with words of love, scripture that tells of Jesus’ love for us and fun, quirky quotes on napkins, coffee cups, behind the cake, near the homemade jellies we gave as favors – basically anywhere and everywhere we could incorporate the word love, we did.
We both LOVE the fall. But we knew we didn’t want the theme to include dark colors that are prominent during that time of year. We wanted to capture the essence of fall with a more natural, soft look and feel. Plus, I wanted to incorporate crocheted lace and a vintage aspect into the day. I gave Lesley at Tulip a color palette and some photos that inspired me, and she did a great job of using textures and blends to perfectly meet my expectations. It was beautiful.
The theme was all things “love.” We truly want our marriage to be a reflection of the covenant keeping love between Christ and His church. And we know that our relationship with Jesus as individuals and as a couple is what will make our love flourish. So we wanted to honor the Creator of the best, most fulfilling love, on this day. We filled Duling Hall with words of love, scripture that tells of Jesus’ love for us and fun, quirky quotes on napkins, coffee cups, behind the cake, near the homemade jellies we gave as favors – basically anywhere and everywhere we could incorporate the word love, we did.
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{What was your favorite part of the wedding planning process?}
Honestly, the whole process was probably the most humbling thing I’ve ever experienced. Being from a small town and having lived in the Jackson area for nearly the last ten years, you realize how truly amazing the people are here in Mississippi. From the moment we got engaged, the showering of love, generosity and encouragement was the most overwhelming and beautiful picture of hospitality I’ve ever experiencing in a six month period. I don’t think we could ever effectively communicate how grateful and blessed we feel to live here and be close to our home town. It was the best season of our lives, hands down.
{Besides the actual wedding, what was your favorite moment of the wedding day?}
Jay and I talked about this on the way home from our wedding reception. We both felt so humbled throughout our engagement and especially on our wedding day. When we walked into Duling Hall for our first dance, we had NO idea how many people were there. We walked in to the center of the room to nearly 500 people watching us. Circling around as we were dancing, we both just kept telling one another how amazed and shocked we were to see so many people there. From lifelong friends and extended family that we haven’t seen in ages, to some of my coworkers who traveled from both the east and west coast just to be there for a few hours, we both felt tremendously honored for so many people to have taken the time and made the effort to support us on that day.
Honestly, the whole process was probably the most humbling thing I’ve ever experienced. Being from a small town and having lived in the Jackson area for nearly the last ten years, you realize how truly amazing the people are here in Mississippi. From the moment we got engaged, the showering of love, generosity and encouragement was the most overwhelming and beautiful picture of hospitality I’ve ever experiencing in a six month period. I don’t think we could ever effectively communicate how grateful and blessed we feel to live here and be close to our home town. It was the best season of our lives, hands down.
{Besides the actual wedding, what was your favorite moment of the wedding day?}
Jay and I talked about this on the way home from our wedding reception. We both felt so humbled throughout our engagement and especially on our wedding day. When we walked into Duling Hall for our first dance, we had NO idea how many people were there. We walked in to the center of the room to nearly 500 people watching us. Circling around as we were dancing, we both just kept telling one another how amazed and shocked we were to see so many people there. From lifelong friends and extended family that we haven’t seen in ages, to some of my coworkers who traveled from both the east and west coast just to be there for a few hours, we both felt tremendously honored for so many people to have taken the time and made the effort to support us on that day.
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