On August 10, 2024, Emma Wilson and Daniel Ellard began their “happily ever after” at the classically elegant TJ Tower, a 1920s-era high-rise embodying Downtown Birmingham’s magic. But that’s not where it all began. As the bride puts it, their “love story started with a basket of chicken and an incredibly long detour.”
While attending grad school at Auburn, Emma chatted with Daniel on and off. One day, as he returned to Birmingham from a Braves game, he shared his travels with Emma. “Stupidly, I thought Auburn was on the way from Atlanta to Birmingham, so I told him to stop by and get dinner with me if he wanted,” Emma recalls laughing.
It took her months to realize that he drove 90 minutes out of his way just to take her to Guthrie’s. Little did they know, wedding bells were in their future!
When Daniel planned the proposal, he figured he could use Emma’s poor sense of direction to his advantage. He told her they were going to Helen one evening, and she thought nothing of it when they wound up on Morris Avenue — a block or two away from the restaurant. He popped the question along the charming lamppost-lined cobblestone street.
Emma wanted old Hollywood vibes for their big day, so booking the grand TJ Tower venue was a no-brainer. With its ornate lobby, gorgeous ballroom, and decadent details, capturing a sense of luxury was easy.
“Since Daniel’s family is from Mobile, we picked a downtown location so everyone could stay at the Redmont a few blocks over!” Emma adds.
Opting out of a planner, Emma and her mom planned the wedding themselves. Thanks to the fantastic selection of local wedding vendors, the mother-daughter duo retained all the help they needed to pull off a glamorous day. They also took care of a few details independently, including selecting the bridesmaids’ dresses and designing the invitations.
While she enjoyed being hands-on with all the details, Emma says decision fatigue eventually took hold. “Since I am a social worker, I make hundreds of decisions for patients each day,” she explains, “so having to go home and make more decisions about colors and decor really drained me.”
When it comes to planning your own wedding, Emma offers some astute advice: take good care of your vendors. “Make sure they have a meal, offer them the food and drinks in the bridal suite, and make sure they have a place to chill out,” she says. “Vendors make the world go round, and they deserve to be treated as such!”
She also recommends getting a day-of coordinator so you can make the most of the big day. “Time flies, so take moments to purposefully take it all in,” she adds.
Emma credits her vendors with bringing all the planning elements together for a flawless finish. “I do not have a good eye for decor,” she admits, “I know what I like, but I can never describe it.” From the stunning florals by Flourish + Co. to her timeless bridal gown from Ivory and White, Emma stayed open and trusted the professionals to work their magic.
“Like most girls, I had a Pinterest board full of dresses I liked and wanted to try on,” Emma told us. “But, inevitably, I did not like any of them on me. I finally realized I just had to sit back, let the professionals listen, and then have them pick it out.”
Emma also put her own spin on the “something old, new, borrowed, and blue” tradition, opting for a pair of Swarovski earrings from her mother as her “something new.” For “old,” she wrapped a handkerchief around her bouquet, made out of fabric from her mother and grandmother’s wedding dresses. For ‘borrowed,’ a friend loaned her a handkerchief from her own wedding day.
Putting a sweet and sentimental twist on her “something blue,” Emma requested that six friends from different stages of her life wear blue to the wedding.
Emma and Daniel decided to write their own vows and share them privately before the ceremony. “We are both criers, and we knew reading vows in front of people was just not going to be a good idea!” Emma explains.
Their ceremony violinist continued playing into the cocktail hour, where elegant finger foods were served to their 250 guests.
The couple shared their first dance as husband and wife to “Nothing Can Change This Love” by Sam Cooke. Emma’s father requested “Forever Young” by Rod Stewart for their dance, a song that had always made him think of her, and offered a cute inside joke for the big day. “We wanted a fun song to dance to since we are not incredibly serious people,” Emma shares.
A buffet dinner was served with the help of Happy Catering, and guests danced the night away, enjoying a Mardi Gras-themed reception — a nod to Daniel’s family from Mobile.
When asked if anything failed to go according to plan, Emma shares a few hiccups. The fire department was called to help someone stuck in an elevator. Thankfully, it wasn’t a wedding guest! Additionally, a groomsman ripped his pants right before group photos. Though he tried his best to hide it, Emma says he was not entirely successful!
As if that weren’t enough, red wine was spilled on Emma’s dress at the end of the night. However, Emma keeps it all in perspective, saying, “I have the worst luck, but surprisingly, nothing terrible happened.”
Emma tells us that her favorite moment of the day was her first look with Daniel. “I had been anxious that day, but the minute I saw him, all the jitters went away,” she says. “After that, I was just so excited and giddy that I did not care what happened. I knew I was leaving with that man as my husband, and that’s all I cared about.”
Congratulations to Emma and Daniel on your fairytale ending! Thank you for sharing your special day with us!
RESOURCES
Venue: TJ Towers
Photographer: Miranda Beason Photography
Bride’s Gown: Ivory and White Bridal Salon
Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Azazie Online Boutique
Hair & Makeup: Get Glam With Cat
Groom’s & Groomsmen Formalwear: Jos. A. Bank
Flowers: Flourish + Co. Designs
Catering: Happy Catering
Entertainment: Violinist: Winslow Davis | Live Band: On Live
Cake: Barb’s Cakes
Live Painter: Lakin Kilpatrick
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