Lynnette Austin | 7 Things Every Southern Wedding Needs

Thank you so much for inviting me today! I thought we’d talk about romance and weddings, and is there anything that’s more fun? With today’s technology and media sites like Pinterest, everyone is sharing more and more, and the regions of our country are blending as customs spill from one section to another. But if you intend to have your wedding in the South, there are certain traditions that are essential.

Jenni Beth Beaumont, the heroine of THE BEST LAID WEDDING PLANS, loves weddings! To that end, she’s working very hard to turn her crumbling antebellum home into a fantastic wedding venue. Her family, while rich in heritage, is nearly bankrupt financially. Rather than cry uncle, though, she pushes up those tailored sleeves and prepares to glisten. (Important fact here for y’all. Southern women do not perspire. They glisten. J)

Jenni Beth and Cole Bryson have a history—and it’s not pretty! Right now, their future isn’t looking very promising, either. She wants to restore Magnolia House while he, an architectural salvager, wants to deconstruct it and sell it off in pieces. A storm is brewing!

But…if they make it to the altar, these are some Southern traditions they might want to include.

1. Outdoor venue. Because our weather is so wonderful year-round, outdoor weddings are a big hit! All those stately live oaks dripping in Spanish moss, magnolias, azaleas, and wisteria—how can you miss? Jenni Beth’s Magnolia House has a spectacular rose garden that dates back over a century and a half! It’s the perfect place to celebrate a wedding—especially for a bride who wants to ride her Harley down the aisle.

2. Light colors for the bridal party. Our weather is, indeed, beautiful, but it can be a little sticky and hot at times. Thus, light colors are often worn by the men as well as the women in the wedding party. A black tux, 90 degrees, and 95 percent humidity do not go together.

3. Burying the bourbon bottle. This ties in with the weather, also, but is a whole lot of fun. Exactly one month before the wedding ceremony, the couple needs to bury a bottle of bourbon upside-down at the wedding site. It’s to keep the rain away because, sometimes, that 95 percent humidity actually falls from the sky. If the buried bourbon doesn’t work? Dig it up and drink it, and no one will mind the rain quite as much.

4. Pearls. Now these are best if they’ve been handed down generation to generation, but nothing says you have to wear Great-grandma Birdie’s pearls. If you want your own, go for it! Your daughter or daughter-in-law will thank you when it’s their turn to walk down the aisle.

5. Charm pull cake. This is exactly what it sounds like and is sometimes done at the bachelorette party rather than at the wedding. Charms, attached to ribbons, are baked into a layer of the cake. The bridesmaids and/or single ladies then choose a ribbon and pull out their charm, each of which has a meaning and predicts something in the future. An Eiffel Tower charm means travel, while a rocking chair signifies long life. Pull a star and your wish will come true. A heart? True love is looking for you! An engagement ring—you’ll be the next to marry. Do we dare hope that might be Jenni Beth?

6. Edible gifts for the guests. This doesn’t need to be anything huge, but it should fit the locale. Since Magnolia House is situated in Georgia’s Low Country, a jar of peach jam or a small container of pecans would be appropriate.

7. A quilt for the bride. If you come visit us in Misty Bottoms, Darlene, at Quilty Pleasures, will be more than happy to sell you new fabric for your quilt. Most, though, are made from articles the family already has. Your mama and aunts might use a piece of your prom dress, some lace from a baptism hanky, material from your grandma’s wedding dress, or your daddy’s favorite football shirt. In Jenni Beth’s case, her mama included a scrap from her brother Wes’ high school cross-country shirt.

Toss in that favorite drunken uncle or eccentric aunt, and you have all the ingredients you need for a truly Southern wedding!

Through all the ups and downs of renovating Magnolia House, starting a new business, and dealing with certain others in small-town Misty Bottoms who will do almost anything to see her fail, Jenni Beth finds herself wanting to trust Cole. He’s the one man she can’t seem to get over.

I hope you’ll share the twists and turns of their romance in THE BEST LAID WEDDING PLANS!

About Lynnette Austin

The luxury of staying home when the weather turns nasty, of working in PJs and bare feet, and the fact that daydreaming is not only permissible but encouraged, are a few of the reasons middle school teacher Lynnette Austin gave up the classroom to write full-time. Lynnette grew up in Pennsylvania’s Alleghany Mountains, moved to Upstate New York, then to the Rockies in Wyoming. Presently she and her husband divide their time between Southwest Florida’s beaches and Georgia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. A finalist in RWA's Golden Heart Contest, PASIC's Book of Your Heart Contest, and Georgia Romance Writers' Maggie Contest, she’s published five books as Lynnette Hallberg. She’s currently writing as Lynnette Austin. Having grown up in a small town, that’s where her heart takes her—to those quirky small towns where everybody knows everybody...and all their business, for better or worse.

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About THE BEST LAID WEDDING PLANS

With love in their hearts and crafting the perfect wedding on their minds, the possibilities are endless for the ladies of Lynette Austin's new Magnolia Brides series.

SOME DREAMS ARE WORTH WHATEVER IT TAKES

Jenni Beth Beaumont left her broken heart behind when she took her dream job in Savannah. But after her brother's death, Jenni Beth returns home to help mend her parents' hearts as well as restore their beautiful but crumbling antebellum mansion. New dreams take shape as Jenni Beth sets to work replacing floors and fixing pipes to convert the family homestead into the perfect wedding destination. However, some folks in their small Southern town are determined to see her fail.

Cole Bryson was once the love of Jenni Beth's life, but the charming architectural salvager has plans of his own for the Beaumont family home. As the two butt heads, old turmoil is brought to the surface and Cole and Jenni Beth will have to work through some painful memories and tough realities before they can set their pasts aside and have a second chance at their own happily ever after.

Read an Excerpt

Her experienced gaze scrutinized the scene, took in both the setting and the people, alert for any problems. The arbor, with its draping of wisteria, had turned out beautifully and smelled like heaven itself. The bride’s family, the groom’s family—both wore expressions of happiness mixed with a touch of relief.

Jenni Beth’s eyes drifted to the flower girl. Daniella was antsy, her little fingers busily plucking the lace from the basket that held rose petals. And what in the world was Ricky, the ring bearer, doing to his shoelaces? Her eyes narrowed. Had he tied them together? Oh, boy.

As the sun set, the minister announced the newly joined Mr. and Mrs. Talbot, and Jenni Beth clapped with the rest of the guests while checking to make sure the walkway remained clear. The music began on cue, and the happy couple started down the aisle, hands laced, smiles bright.

When the ring bearer tripped, the best man scooped him onto one shoulder, diverting a minor catastrophe. She’d have to remember to thank him for the quick thinking.

If the reception went as smoothly, she could congratulate herself on a job well done.

While the bride and groom funneled their guests through the receiving line, Jenni Beth bolted to a separate section of the garden to make sure the cake, the bubbly, and the band were in place. She did a last-minute check on table settings, place cards, candles—the list was never ending.

The music started, the bridal party wended their way to the area, and the celebration began.

As the evening wore on, Jenni Beth relaxed.

A familiar voice whispered in her ear. “Dance with me.”

Cole Bryson. She hadn't seen his name on the guest list.

Shivers raced down her spine, and her heart stuttered. It had been too long, not long enough. “No.”

She wouldn't turn around, wouldn't meet those mesmerizing eyes.

His hands settled on her bare arms, and she nearly jumped. As the work-roughened hands moved over her skin, her stomach started a little dance of its own.

“I'm working, Cole.”

“Nothin' needs doin’ right now. Come on, sugar.”

Knowing she shouldn't, she turned to face him. Mistake. She always had found him irresistible, and that hadn't changed. He'd perfected that slow Southern drawl, had the sound of a true gentleman. But the twinkle in his eyes gave him away. Revealed the bad boy tucked not far below the surface.

Right now, dressed in a dark suit and tie, the man looked like every woman's dream. He appeared smooth and debonair, but beneath lay the wild.

He took her hand, and, God forgive her, she followed him, weak-kneed onto the portable dance floor, telling herself she didn't want to, that she only did it to keep peace. Knowing she lied.

A full moon shone overhead and candlelight flickered. When he drew her into his arms and pulled her close, she sighed. One hand held hers, the other settled south of her waist.

“You smell good, Jenni Beth. You always do.”

His voice, low and husky, sent goosebumps racing up and down her arms. Despite herself, she rested her head against his chest, seduced by the strong, steady beat of his heart, the illusion he could make everything and anything all right.