Elinor Cowan, director of corporate events at Guggenheim Partners and the founder of Dine Tandem, knew Cameron Cleveland through mutual friends when they were both living in New York after college. “We didn’t date until many years later when I moved back to New York, after a stint in Atlanta, but we like to think that we always thought fondly of each other,” says Elinor. When she moved back to the city, one of Cameron’s best friends texted her with only Cameron’s contact in the message body. After dating and breaking up for a year and then dating for two years, Cameron proposed in their apartment and celebrated with a dinner at Don Angie, followed by drinks with friends at Bobo as a surprise.
When it came to picking a location for their wedding, Elinor knew it was important for it to be near where she grew up in Atlanta, but had never envisioned getting married in a ballroom, which a lot of the options seemed to present. “I’ve always loved the farm-chic aesthetic and felt drawn to Serenbe from the start,” says Elinor. She loved that her guests could experience the city for themselves and take advantage of everything it has to offer—like goat yoga! She also knew they had to hire Gloriosa Design because Keith Robinson’s vision was perfect for the venue, The Inn at Serenbe, and he lives in the Serenbe community. “I envisioned a rustic spot that was glammed up with floral chandeliers, mantle decor, lanterns and bulb lighting everywhere. Keith brought it all to life,” she says. The week-of the wedding, Elinor hired Amy DiLoreti of A Flawless Event, to make sure everything ran smoothly. For their Friday welcome party and rehearsal dinner, they brought everyone together in Atlanta at the Piedmont Driving Club.
For her dress, the bride luckily landed a Moda Operandi appointment right off the bat and found her crepe, open-back Alex Perry dress. “While somewhat simple at first glance, my dress felt so special and unique with it being Alex Perry’s first bridal line,” she says. She paired the gown with her mother’s diamond stud earrings and tennis bracelet, and her parents gave her a hand-sewn handkerchief for her bouquet.
The groom wore a navy suit from Sid Mashburn and Stan Smiths, which he also gave to his groomsmen and father-in-law. “I wore my own matching Stan Smiths when I changed into my second dress,” says Elinor.
In the meadow of The Inn at Serenbe, under a beautiful floral arbor, Elinor’s first friend, who is a Chaplain, married the couple. “It was beyond special to have her officiate our ceremony and for her to get to know Cameron in the process,” explains the bride. Because the two did a first look before walking down the aisle, the bride and groom had shaken off any nerves by the time they had their first kiss. “I was also thankful to have the majority of the photos done before the wedding because we were anxious to get to the party! Neither of us deal well with FOMO,” says Elinor.
After the ceremony, a family-style dinner was served with elevated southern food, like fried green tomatoes, beef bourguignon, sautéed green beans, and mashed potatoes. Cameron and Elinor’s father made speeches and her mother gave a blessing, before things kicked off on the dance floor led by the band, Liquid Pleasure. The happy couple had their first dance to Ellie Goulding’s “Still Falling for You.” And as the night went on, a pizza truck came to the rescue with sustenance in the form of individual slice boxes with “All You Need is Love and Pizza” on them. To go back out on the dance floor, the bride changed into a Dion Lee strapless dress with net pleating.
At the end of the night, Cameron and Elinor waited and said goodbye to their guests. “We had a golf cart decorated for our exit outside the tent,” she remembers. “But we ended up waiting and watching our guests stream out of the reception.”
