The Best Day Ever: Carman-White Wedding

By Morgan Winter

Photography by Kevin L. Howard of Kevin’s Kreations

On September 29th, 2018, Tori Leigh Carman, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jason (Stacy) Carman of Savannah, Tennessee, and Steven White, son of Mr. and Mrs. Blake (Dianna) White of Savannah, Tennessee, were married in the home of Chad and Stephany Jones. The groom’s grandfather, Emery White, officiated the ceremony.

With constant rain the week before, the skies cleared the day before the wedding. Saturday arrived, beautiful and warm. Tori’s maids of honor, Addison Vickery and Hannah Williams, and bridesmaids, Allie Henderson, Mary Margaret Reynolds, and Laurie Thomas, all stood beside the bride. The bride’s cousin, Mabry Jones, was her junior bridesmaid. They all wore floor-length taupe dresses designed by Bill Levkoff. The bridesmaids had their choice of style for their dresses— letting their individuality show and allowing the bride to shine. They all held small bouquets of white roses and eucalyptus leaves. Marlee Carman, the flower girl, wore an adorable white lace dress with a tulle skirt and matching sandals.

Standing beside Steven on the perfect day were his two best men: Wesley White and Shelton Thurman. Cody Owen, John Michael Spoon, and Haden Carman were his groomsmen. They sported charcoal suits with matching vests, rented from Pennie Lane’s in Savannah, and brown leather shoes. Steven wore the same, but with a striped satin tie. For a bit of color, the groom and his friends wore their favorite college football teams’ socks.

As guests arrived, Macy and Maddie Carman, the bride’s cousins, greeted them. They were then ushered to their seats by three of the groom’s cousins, Jarrod White, Lucas and Colton Jones. Denver Rainwater and Chris Schwartz also helped guests to their seats as well as the bride’s cousin, Stryder Jones.

Tori borrowed her great-great-grandmother’s blue handkerchief into her bouquet of white roses, eucalyptus, white hydrangeas, and ranunculus. Her new wedding ring completed the something old, new, borrowed, and blue tradition. Angie Reynolds, of Orange Blossom Florist, created all the boutonnieres, bouquets, and floral arrangements.

The bride wore a sophisticated ivory fit-and-flare Christina Wu dress. Lace applique added elegance to the dress and buttons lined the bride’s spine, creating a memory of a bygone era in the modern dress. Tori’s veil was a delicate ivory tulle with thin ribbon trimming the edges. She purchased the dress from Low’s Bridal in Brinkley, Arkansas. Tori applied her own make-up: an understated smokey eye with rose pink lipstick. Sabrina Howard of Sabrina’s Salon in Savannah, Tennessee, styled the bride’s hair into soft curls, pulled back from Tori’s glowing face.

As Tori began her walk down the aisle, she passed underneath a flower-draped arbor as she made her way up to the front porch of her aunt and uncle’s home. Lanterns on shepherd's hooks lined both sides of the aisle. The front door was framed by two giant potted floral arrangements with lanterns. Kevin Howard of Kevin’s Kreations snapped multitudes of photos for Steven and Tori while Derrick Frazier documented the perfect day on video.

At the reception, guests were treated to grilled shrimp, pork tenderloin, green beans, loaded baked potato casserole, and bread. To wash it all down, sweet tea, lemonade, and water were provided. Kings of Cooks Catering by Jay and Diana Barker of Pickwick made the spread. The bride’s parents made an appetizer table with Chick-Fil-A nuggets, spinach dip, and fruit cascade.

The two-tiered wedding cake was white cake with buttercream frosting with white flowers topping. A mirror served as its platter. Stacy Carman, the bride’s mother, baked cupcakes as well. The flavors were chocolate, strawberry, and coconut— all the bride’s favorite flavors.

The groom’s cakes were two single-tier cakes centered around two of the groom’s favorite things: the Atlanta Braves and Disc Golf. The Braves cake was vanilla and the other was chocolate; both had vanilla buttercream frosting. The cakes were beautifully decorated, one with a miniature disc golf basket and the other as baseball.

Also at the reception was an “In Memory Of” table that featured flower arrangements and pictures to honor the groom’s late grandparents. All of the newlyweds family members participated in this very special day, from the ceremony to reception. Guests were also invited to sign puzzle pieces in lieu of a guestbook. Bailey Wolfe lent her calligraphy talents to the wedding and Purcell’s Tents and Events provided the rentals.

Steven’s family hosted a Christmas Shower in the home of Lee and Lori White. Family and friends hosted the bridal shower in the home of Stephany Jones. An additional bridal shower was hosted by the church ladies in Mount Hermon Baptist Church in Savannah, Tennessee.

Blake and Dianna White hosted the couple’s rehearsal dinner at the home of Chad and Stephany Jones. Everyone nearest and dearest to Tori and Steven attended. The groom’s father and uncles went all out with the barbeque and all the trimmings. Dianna, the groom’s mother, put together fun and interactive games for the entire family to enjoy. Laurie Thomas and her mother hosted the bridesmaids’ luncheon at their home in Savannah.

On Steven’s birthday in 2017, he was on vacation with Tori and her family in Gulf Shores, Alabama. During that time, he popped the question and was met with a resounding yes!

After the wedding, Steven and Tori went on a Disney cruise to Tortola, Saint Thomas, Saint John, and Disney’s Castaway Cay aboard the Disney Fantasy.

Steven is a project coordinator at Design Team Sign Company and Tori works as an accountant at Jones Motor Company, Inc.