Meredith McNeil & Chad Causey
Jan. 1, 2011 • All Souls Church & Marlsgate Plantation, Scott
Photos by (the nationally acclaimed) Liz Banfield Photography
Click here to view this Real Wedding spread in our Spring/Summer 2012 issue. 

While working for Congressman Marion Berry in Washington, D.C., two Arkansas natives – Chad of Jonesboro and Meredith of Newport – found each other, and ultimately love. Chad waited to ask her out until she left to work elsewhere, and two years later, Chad whisked her to New York City and proposed at her favorite spot – the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center – in front of both of their families.

What detail truly made the wedding yours?
“My dad is in the rice business and the rice thrown as we left came from him. It was placed in small cotton bags that were stamped with the same 'M&C' design as on our wedding invitations.”

How They Customized
Since the wedding was on New Year’s Day, the couple chose a menu of traditional, Southern New Year’s Day foods for good luck: “Rice for riches, peas for peace and collards for dollars.” Everything from the save-the-dates to the place cards featured a matching custom letterpress design that fit perfectly with the décor dreamed up by renowned event planner, Tara Guerard of Tara Guerard Soirée. And during the cocktail hour, the lavish dinner tent remained hidden by curtains to surprise the guests come dinnertime.

Ways They Saved
Meredith and Chad knew they had to keep it small and intimate (inviting just family and close friends) in order to serve the menu of their dreams. And instead of guest favors, the couple made donations in each guest’s name to Heifer International—one of Chad’s favorite nonprofit organizations.

Bride inspiration
In Carolyne Roehm’s book, “A Passion for Blue & White,” Roehm best describes why I love blue and white: ‘It doesn’t overwhelm the senses, offend no-nonsense personalities, or act as a distraction with showier elements.’ I wanted our wedding to be very traditional and very personal.”

The Details