Even though Ashley Williams and Robin Seeds were hosting their wedding in their hometown of Atlanta, they wanted it to feel like a destination. At the time of their engagement, the couple was living in North Carolina, preparing for a move to New York City, and trying to imagine how they could create a wedding weekend that felt like an escape without asking guests to travel halfway around the world.
On June 7, 2025, they welcomed 230 friends and family to Atlanta for a celebration across some of the couple’s favorite venues. From a lively welcome party at The Optimist to a sailcloth-tented reception at Cherokee Town and Country Club, everything designed to bring their favorite people together for an unforgettable few days.
Ashley and Robin were introduced through a mutual friend and reconnected years later after both finding themselves living in Atlanta. Three-and-a-half years later, Robin proposed, and the pair began planning a wedding centered around hospitality, connection, and creating meaningful experiences for the people they love most.
The festivities actually began two days before the wedding itself with an intimate ceremony at First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta. The historic chapel carried special significance for Robin’s family. Surrounded only by immediate family, Ashley and Robin quietly exchanged vows before the larger celebration began.
The remainder of the weekend celebrated Atlanta through the couple’s eyes. Robin’s parents hosted a rehearsal dinner at Piedmont Driving Club planned by Kate Bailey Events, while Friday night’s welcome party took over The Optimist, where guests enjoyed lobster rolls, a raw bar, and live music by Elan Artists’s Nacim and Katie.
For Ashley, fashion became one of the most joyful parts of the wedding experience. “I truly love dressing for an occasion,” she says.
Her wardrobe reflected that enthusiasm. She wore a blue beaded Bernadette dress with a dramatic cape for the rehearsal dinner, Elizabeth Fillmore’s Phoebe dress paired with the Gem overlay for the welcome party, and an Alexis floral dress adorned with hand-sewn blooms for her bridal luncheon.
For the wedding day itself, she chose Monique Lhuillier’s Atherton gown after visiting the designer’s New York flagship. Featuring crochet-inspired lace and a custom extra-long train, it stood apart from every other dress she tried on. “It was the dress in which I truly felt like myself,” she says.
Claire Balest and her beauty team completed Ashley’s wedding-weekend looks, creating a polished yet effortless aesthetic that complemented each outfit change.
Meanwhile, Over The Moon Directory Planner Easton Events worked alongside designer Jackson Durham to create a reception environment that felt elegant, layered, and welcoming. Inspired by the idea of bringing destination-wedding energy to Atlanta, the design embraced soft greens, warm neutrals, peach tones, touches of pink, and gold accents throughout the sailcloth tent. Brent Ellis of Dear Elouise created a paper suite that tied seamlessly into the overall design story, while guests dined on the same Ginori china pattern the couple had selected for their registry.
On the wedding day, the storm came. Just as guests began arriving at Cherokee Town and Country Club, a surprise weather system swept through Atlanta, bringing winds powerful enough to rattle the tent and shatter glassware. At one point, conversations turned to contingency plans.
“We just want to say our vows in front of our family and friends, even if it’s in an undecorated country club hallway,” the couple remembers thinking. Instead of retreating indoors while they waited for the weather to pass, Ashley and Robin made an unexpected decision: they joined cocktail hour. “Yes, everyone saw me in my dress, and who cares?” Ashley says. “We were not going to waste time with the people we love.”
What could have felt stressful quickly transformed into something else entirely. Guests lingered over cocktails, catching up with friends and family while dark clouds slowly moved on. Then, just as suddenly as it had arrived, the storm disappeared. The ceremony followed beneath a floral arch and was officiated by Rev. Dr. Tony Sundermeier. “Something about the rain and the storm gave such a sense of joy and peace,” Ashley says. “A reminder of the reason we were all there.”
Afterward, photographer Eric Kelley and the team at Storybox Cinema captured the newlyweds in the golden light that emerged after the storm.
The evening held one final surprise. Because of the weather delay, Ashley and Robin never received a private reveal of their reception tent. Instead, they saw the finished space for the first time while dancing their first dance to Redbone’s “Come and Get Your Love.” “We were literally dancing and laughing in front of all of our friends while taking in the most incredible views,” Ashley recalls.
From there, the celebration only gained momentum. Soundhouse by Elan Artists kept the dance floor packed throughout the evening while guests donned custom “Seeds” hats and danced beneath glowing chandeliers. Later, Ashley changed into a gold sequined Rachel Gilbert gown that perfectly echoed the tent’s warm golden details. The festivities continued long after dinner ended with a speakeasy-inspired after-party complete with espresso martinis, custom cigars, and late-night snacks.
Looking back, though, Ashley’s favorite memory has little to do with the weather, the fashion, or even the design. “To have everyone we love most in one place,” she says, “won’t ever happen again.” For one weekend in Atlanta, it did.
