Shannon, 28, and Ian, 33, met and fell in love on the job—she started an internship at the place where he worked. When she joined the team full-time, their friendship blossomed. They both thought that’s all there was to it, but when Ian was forced to relocate for a new job, Shannon found herself hoping he wouldn’t go. They talked every single day while he was away. A year later, he asked her to be his lady, and a few years after that, his wife. On September 22, 2012, they were married. Their Atlanta wedding was so elegant and romantic we just had to share.
Shannon wore a lovely, vintage-inspired feathered hair accessory by Sara Gabriel to match her ruffled gown.
Shannon's gorgeous Maggie Sottero wedding gown was picture perfect all on its own.
Shannon couldn't resist these blush Badgley Mischka heels so she chose them as her wedding shoes. Aren't they a lovely pair?
Now this is what you call a glowing bride.
Shannon is all smiles as her supportive bridesmaids help her slip into her wedding gown. It was a day she'd anxiously awaited for months.
We're crazy about the layered look of the back detaling on Shannon's Maggie Sottero gown. (Best train ever!)
Their his and hers wedding bands exude modern elegance—just like their wedding style.
For her bouquet, Shannon wanted a classic vintage look with a modern twist. Success!
“I have faith in him and faith in us,” says Shannon. “I knew we wanted to be together for all the right reasons. He makes me happy, and doesn’t allow or like for me to feel any other way.”
Lovely bride Shannon found stunning diamond earrings to match her gown at Saks Fifth Avenue and relied on Keka Heron to style her short hair and makeup.
“My husband likes my hair short, but I wanted it to be styled a little differently for the wedding,” Shannon explains. “I decided to keep it short but go curly just to add a little fun.”
Rather than keep with tradition and not see each other before meeting at the altar, Shannon and Ian decided to skip that and enjoy a pre-ceremony “first look” and photo session. “Seeing him and spending a little time with him before the craziness of the day was everything I needed,” she gushes. “It helped me to relax and enjoy.”
“Ian is caring, kind, hardworking and diligent,” says the proud bride. “He’s ambitious, humble and patient, too.”
“Our florist did an amazing job,” Shannon recalls when speaking about the floral creations from Le Jardin Francais. The lovely apricot, ivory and grey color palette made each arrangement just that much more romantic, and those Peacock blue Dessy gowns really made the bridesmaids' bouquets pop. “Everyone was happy with the gown!” says the bride.
As an event planner, Shannon was super picky when it came to selecting the perfect venue for their wedding day. “After looking at a few, we took a tour of The Peachtree Club and fell in love with the view,” she says. “This was the only place Ian was enthusiastic about, so I knew if he was excited, it would be pretty great.”
Ian chose a grey Joseph Abboud tuxedo for himself and his groomsmen. "He was sure about the color, but didn't want the same grey Calvin Klein suit we'd seen in all the weddings throughout the year," the bride recalls. "He tried this one on and loved it."
Shannon’s father, William Moore, proudly walked his daughter down the aisle while “Never Felt This Way” by Brian McKnight played. “As soon as I saw Ian’s face, the nerves went away and all I felt was joy and excitement.”
Madly in love couple Ian and Shannon chose to have an “in the round ceremony” on the terrace of The Peachtree Club. “We literally wanted to be surrounded by our friends and family and this setup made it all feel so intimate,” says the bride.
Pastor Frederick A. Davis, of First Calvary Baptist Church in Durham, North Carolina, baptized Shannon as a child, so she felt it was only fitting to ask him to officiate the special day. “It was amazing to have the same person officiate,” she says. “It really meant a lot.”
Ian and Shannon chose to hold a traditional Christian ceremony. “We selected the traditional Christian vows because we feel they are sacred and something that didn’t need to be remixed,” she tells us. “Before the wedding, while getting dressed, we sent each other notes with our wedding gifts expressing our personal thoughts and vows with each other.”
“We did not have a maid of honor or best man,” Shannon explains. “We just couldn’t choose between our friends. We have such great and different relationships with them all.”
The newlyweds pucker up for a romantic kiss at the altar.
Ian happily kissed his bride as guests smiled until their cheeks hurt.
Say hello to Mr. and Mrs. Dawson!
To make their dream wedding a reality, Ian and Shannon adjusted their budgets, committed to amounts to save each pay period and pushed for additional work on the side.
“Something has always just felt right with him,” says Shannon. “Even when we were just friends, there were many moments of realization. Realization of who he was as a person and that everything he was is what I wanted for the rest of my life.”
“The funny thing is, I was never looking for true love,” says Shannon. “I was focused on my career and where I wanted to go in life. It just kind of happened and when it did, it took over and kind of snuck up on me.”
“One thing we realized in our relationship is that our story was unique,” says Shannon. “It belongs to us. When thinking about our wedding, and deciding on how we wanted to present it to our friends and family, we decided the theme would be ‘our story.’ When guests arrived, they received a small handmade journal, which doubled as the wedding favors.”
“He always knows how to make me smile or laugh,” Shannon insists. “We want the best for each other and that mixed with good communication makes for a great partnership and a great family.”
Ian and Shannon were married on the five-year anniversary of the day they made it official. They've known each other for almost eleven years.
“We wanted to mix both our styles,” says Shannon. “He wanted something modern and unique, and I wanted vintage charm. I feel like we ended up with a good mix of both.”
At their dinner reception, guests were served from several different delicious food stations: a grits station with fried catfish, grilled chicken, shrimp and several other toppings was the highlight.
For their first dance, the newlyweds swayed to the sounds of “I Do” by Boyz II Men.
Flashes and clicks could be seen and heard all over the ballroom as guests captured the most precious moments of Shannon and Ian's big day.
Romantic arrangements made of apricot and ivory garden roses, Sahara, champagne porcelina hybrid tea roses, hydrangeas, seeded eucalyptus and dusty millers were placed atop the round reception tables.
There was no shortage of fun on the dance floor during the delighted couple's energized reception party.
Shannon’s Delta Sigma Theta Sorority sisters were on hand at the reception to pay tribute to her with a sweet serenade of sisterhood.
“It was such an amazing feeling to have all of our family and friends in one place celebrating with and in support of us,” says Shannon.
“We wanted our wedding to have meaning, surrounded by people who were there out of love and support for us,” says Shannon. “We did everything we could to stick with that vision and everything turned out great.”
“It was important that our wedding be a collaborative effort,” says Shannon. “Outside of my dress selection, we worked together on everything to make it what we wanted.”
Shannon, who slipped into a sexy, short, champagne dress when the reception ended, and her new husband Ian, were bid farewell by cheering guests waving sparklers in the air. They rested for a day then headed off to Cancun. Did you think their wedding day was as magical as we did? Tell us your favorite details below! Tell us about your wedding for a chance to be featured in Bridal Bliss.
