Alexandra and Tom knew of each other for about a year before they actually met in 2008. The two met in 2008 at a Best Buy regional training conference at the Marriott Marquis in downtown Atlanta . At the time, Alexandra was working as a marketing representative, and Tom was working as a supervisor for Best Buy. Alexandra ended up training Tom during the conference and the rest is history! Check out their special day captured by the Janet Howard Studio.
Bride: Alexandra Jean-Jacques, Marketing Manager
Groom: Tom Hart, Project Manager
Place of residence: Atlanta, Georgia
Wedding date: 4/25/14
Wedding location: Callanwolde Fine Arts Center
Wedding theme: Classic elegance with a twist of fun
Honeymoon Destination: Aruba
Engagement story:
Tom proposed on our 4-year anniversary in a wonderfully expected way. Savannah, Georgia is a special city for us, because it is where we took our first vacation together as a couple. So, we decided to celebrate our anniversary there. After getting into town late Friday evening, we decided to grab dinner at one of our favorite Savannah restaurants. During dinner, Tom kept leaving the table to take phone calls outside. I thought that this was a bit odd…especially on our anniversary! I soon discovered the reason for his odd behavior. After dinner we returned to our hotel room. As soon as I opened the door, I heard someone singing ‘our song’ (Point of it All, Anthony Hamilton). Tom had flown in his brother and his brother’s friend (both trained vocalists) to serenade me. During the song, Tom proposed. It was such a beautiful and magical moment!
From the Groom:
I was so incredibly happy to be marrying my best friend. I remember just wanting to celebrate with our loved ones; so, I was really looking forward to the reception. I danced and partied more than I had in a long time. It was an awesome night.
Favorite wedding detail:
My favorite wedding detail has to be the artist that we hired to do a live painting of our wedding ceremony. Seeing the artist in action was an amazing experience for our guests, and having the finished product hanging in our home has been a beautiful wedding keepsake for us. The painting is a daily reminder of how special our wedding day was.
The couple's most memorable moment:
My best and most memorable moment was the moment that I first saw Tom as I was walking down the aisle. I was pretty nervous prior to the ceremony. I don’t typically like to be the center of attention; so, I was a little bit apprehensive about walking down the aisle and having ‘all eyes on me’. I remember walking down the long stair case in the venue with my father with my eyes focused downward (I didn’t want to trip on the stairs!). But, the moment that I raised my head I look straight at Tom, and we locked eyes. I could see tears welling in his eyes and I just lost it. I began to cry as well…tears of happiness of course. I didn’t take my eyes off of him the entire way down the aisle. That moment was absolutely perfect.
Favors:
We provided miniature bottles of our favorite sparkling (Rosa Regale) wine for guests. We shared our first bottle of Rosa Regale at dinner when Tom asked me to ‘officially be his girlfriend’ back in 2008. Ever since then, it’s been very special to us, and we wanted to share this with our guests.
From the Bride:
I was extremely happy and excited on my wedding day, and I tried to be as relaxed as possible. Wedding planning is fun, but it can also be very stressful. So, I promised myself that I would forget any prior stress and enjoy the day that I worked so hard to plan. And, I did just that! It was such an amazing experience to have all of my loved ones in one place. I felt truly blessed.
What makes your love special?
Tom is very laid back, which is a great balance for me…because I can be high-strung at times. He is family-oriented, smart, and I think that he’s hilarious! He is also very good with children; one of our friends affectionately refers to him as “the baby whisperer”. So, I look forward to building a family with him as my husband.
Alex may seem shy and quiet at first, but she has an extremely vibrant personality. Also, I love the fact that she is very open-minded, intelligent, and culturally aware. Her creativity inspires me, and her quirky sense of humor keeps me laughing. She’s truly beautiful…inside and out.
Wedding song:
John Legend, “All of Me”. The song had just come out around the time of our wedding, and we both really liked it.
What are you most looking forward to as a married couple?
Starting a family!
Advice for a Bride and Groom on their wedding day:
Really enjoy the day. Everyone is right when they tell you that it goes by quickly. Something is bound to go wrong on your wedding day, but try not to let minor details bother you. Focus on one another, celebrating your love, and creating a lifelong memories.
Congratulations to newlyweds Alexandra and Tom! We wish you many more years of wedded bliss!
Vendors:
Photographer: Janet Howard Studio
Ceremony and reception location:
Bridal gown: Winne Couture Bridal
Bridal party attire: Brides by Demetrios
Groom’s tux: Savvi Formalwear
Cake: Sweet Sensations
Caterer: Talk of the Town Catering
Wedding planners: Yolanda Lewis, YunikDesign
Music: Chris Whitehead, Atlanta DJ Online
Hair: Bree Robinson
Make-up: Make-up By Ren
Flowers: Chelsea Floral Designs
Stationery: Papered Wonders
Ceremony Artist (painter)—Nancy Shippen
Furniture Rental: We Rent Atlanta
Table linens: I Do Linens
Black Wine Goblets: Classic Party Rentals
Bar Service: Lyght House Cocktails
Aisle Runner: Original Runner Co.
Drapery: Event Drapery
String Trio: Camerata Quartet
Magazine Wedding Programs: Twenty Pages
Exit Car: Classy Car Limousine
Cartoonist: Guy Staats
Videographer: Chris Brock
Curated by our Wedding Features Editor, C.K. Alexander. C.K. is the owner and founder of Love Ink and Brownstone Bridal. Keep up with C.K. on Twitter here: @Love_Ink
