Today I want to tell you the story of how Mary Anna and Grant were married at Atlanta’s renowned historic mansion The Marianna at Wrecking Bar in Little Five Points the day after Halloween, then celebrated with a romantic candle lit reception. It is also important to note that they had the spookiest cake you’ve ever seen (shout out to Ashley at Staplehouse), and also the best dance party of the season.
The Wrecking Bar is one of those historic spots in Atlanta that has nine lives. When I moved to Atlanta in the late 1900s, I spent countless hours there because I was renovating my Craftsman era condo and it was the best architectural salvage store around. It was packed full of crystal doorknobs and chandeliers and historic hardware that had been saved from thousands of demolished historic homes. The roof leaked, there were holes in the floor, the building literally overflowed with haphazardly stacked house parts, and it was the absolutely best way to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon. It’s great that the new owners saved the name of the store when they renovated and restored the building.
Before it was a salvage store, it was a dance studio, and before that it was a church. Built in the late 1800s, it was originally the home of a prominent businessman, designed by architect Willis F. Denny. Denny also designed Rhodes Hall and St. Mark Methodist Church, both prominent structures on Peachtree Street in Atlanta.
One of the neatest things about making wedding photos is the people you meet. I don’t spend a lot of time in the lives of my clients, but the time I spend with them is meaningful and I learn interesting things about them. When I asked Mary Anna what her favorite thing about Grant was, she told me she loves how he makes her laugh. What I observed during my time with them before and during the wedding was that he adores her with his whole heart, and not only will he do anything to make her laugh, he’ll do anything to make her happy. That’s the stuff that forever is made of y’all.
When you look through these photos, you’ll see all that love in their eyes. I was mesmerized by the sparkle Mary Anna had in her eyes every time she looked at Grant. So congratulations to Mary Anna and Grant! Here’s to many years of laughter and love. Thanks for having me tell your story.
Mary and Grant’s Creative Team
Catering – Wrecking Bar Brewpub
Cake – Ashley at Staplehouse. @yoursweetpastryboy
Hair – Sara Wollerman at J. Sherman Salon
Dress – The Sentimentalist
Tailor – White Orchid Bridal
Tuxedo – Black Tux in Inman Park
DJ – DJ Q-Tip at HeyItsQ Entertainment
Flowers – ATL Flower Co.
Event Coordinator – Eden Epstein with Wrecking Bar
