'Classic' wedding of longtime sweethearts Anna Vaughn

'Classic' wedding of longtime sweethearts Anna Vaughn and Brant Bengtson was worth the wait

Anna Vaughn's bridesmaids were surely thankful to her for the economical option she chose for their dresses when she married Brant Bengtson. The last time she was in a friend's wedding, her dress cost $350, she said. So, for her wedding on Dec. 13, just a couple of weeks before Christmas, she used a website called Little Borrowed Dress. For just $75, each one received a dress in two sizes, two weeks before the wedding. (If they liked the dress, they had the option to purchase it.) After the wedding, they simply mailed the dresses back.

"You want your friends to stay your friends," said the practical bride. "The showers, bridesmaids' luncheons, travel expenses, cost of getting their hair done all adds up," she said. "Also, two of my girls were pregnant, so they didn't know what size they would be."

Anna, an academic advisor in the College of Business at Columbia Southern University, and Brant, a third-generation farmer with Bengtson Farms, were married at Trinity Presbyterian Church. One of the reasons they chose December, she said, is that "the weather can be beautiful in south Alabama" - and, indeed, they were blessed with a sunny day. Also, her mother always told her that "if you get married in December, the church will already be decorated."

The couple celebrated their 11-year "dating anniversary" on Dec. 27. They've been together for a long time, and even survived a long-distance relationship for four years when he transferred from Troy University to Auburn and she was at Alabama. "Time flies when you're having fun," Anna said. "Timing is everything, and it was a good time in our lives to get married."

She said that she and Brant "laugh together all the time" and are "really laid back." "We don't sweat the small things," she said.

Although she's a fan of Pinterest, Anna wanted to go back to basics with her own wedding. "We wanted to get back to a traditional, classic wedding without anything trendy," she said. "We focused on the big stuff. Somehow it was easy doing it ourselves.

"It was a fun time," she said. "It was a very special day for us."

How they met: "Brant and I met in 2002, while in Gulf Shores, during Spring Break," said Anna, who is originally from Spanish Fort. Brant is from Summerdale. "He was a senior at Foley, and I was a senior at Daphne. We attended the same party and talked all night. We dated that summer, then left for college in the fall. I attended the University of Alabama, and he went to Troy University. We decided to go our separate ways, but after a year and a half we got back together and have been together ever since."

How he proposed: "He proposed to me on my 30th birthday. We live in Orange Beach and love to be out on the boat. Our favorite thing to do is come home from work and take a sunset boat ride. That's exactly what we did on the evening of July 23rd, so when he pulled out the ring in front of Bird Island, I was shocked. Of course I said yes!"

Where they live: Orange Beach

Wedding date: Dec. 13, 2014

Wedding location: Trinity Presbyterian Church

Reception location: Point Clear Tennis Club

Wedding planner? "We didn't have a wedding planner. As you can imagine, I've been visualizing what I wanted for our wedding day for quite some time. My mother did everything for us. She went above and beyond, and no one could've planned it better than she. Because we only had 4 1/2 months, we did something for the wedding at least every day. I didn't want anything trendy or unnecessary, and we kept it classic, simple, and elegant."

All about the dress: "For my dress, I wanted a beautiful ball gown. We found my dress at I Do in Mobile. It was the first dress I ever tried on. My sister found the dress, and it was perfect! For brides, my advice is to allow other people to help you. You may experience tunnel vision throughout the planning process. You'll likely be pleasantly surprised!"

Something borrowed, blue, old, new? "Borrowed and blue: my mother's diamond and sapphire tennis bracelet. Blue: my shoes. Old: my grandmother's aquamarine ring that I wear on my right ring finger. New: my wedding dress."

Bridesmaids: Carrie Vaughn Cromey (Anna's sister, matron of honor); Amy Grote; Patricia Becker; Libbie Allen; Lindsey Tomlinson; Tiffany Karl; Lauren Gillespie; Lynn van Damme; and Stephanie Rynes

Bridesmaids' dresses: "They were rented from Little Borrowed Dress. My girls were able to choose their favorite style in the color I chose. They all looked absolutely gorgeous!"

Groomsmen: Britton Bonner (Brant's brother, best man); Chad Bengtson; Patrick McGinty; Joe Donovan; Jonathan McFarland; John Napper; William Dumas; Brent deVilliers; and Aaron Bengtson

Flower girls: LeeAnn Bonner and Katie Bonner (Brant's nieces)

Ring bearers: Jack Cromey and William Cromey (Anna's nephews) and John Ross Bonner (Brant's nephew)

Wedding cake by: The Little Cake Shop, Spanish Fort. "It was beautiful! Buttercream frosting with tiny white dots, scattered throughout. I love polka dots, and as I described the cake to The Little Cake Shop, they created the exact vision I had for our special cake."

Groom's cake by: Martha Montgomery. "It was a two-tier chocolate cake with our initials displayed on the top tier. The cake was also adorned with fresh fruit."

Flowers by: Zimlich the Florist, Mobile

Photography by: Blue Room Photography/Cindy McCrory and Catt Sirten

Videography by: Zack Barnette

Catering by: Will Hughes Catering

Rentals by: Gulf Coast Events and Rentals

Ceremony music by: Tina Vaughn Buran (Anna's cousin) and Ashley Conyers

Reception band: Rez and the Solutions

Special touches: "To remember Brant's father, John, we had an 'In Memory' candle made. The candle was placed on the altar and lit before the ceremony. This was a way to remember that he is with us every day, but especially on this very special day."

Most memorable moment for Anna: "We decided not to see each other before the ceremony. My most memorable moment was when the doors opened and I saw his bright, beautiful smile."

Most memorable moment for Brant: "Our first dance as husband and wife. It was my favorite moment."

First dance: "These are the Days" by Van Morrison

Funny/unexpected moments? "I think the most unexpected thing about the entire weekend was how much fun and relaxed it was," said Anna. "We still talk about how smooth everything went throughout the entire weekend. Everyone showed up on time, no weird mishaps or injuries! The weather was great and no one was stressed. I'm still shocked about how perfect it was!"

Honeymoon: Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. "We're taking our trip next month," said Anna.

Advice for other couples planning a wedding? "Put each other, your family and friends, jobs/school, etc., all before the wedding planning. Don't ever let the planning process consume your life. On the week of your wedding, take a day or two off from the wedding madness. On the day of your wedding, remember that this is a once-in-a-lifetime type of day. If something goes wrong, you can't change it. It has already happened. Remember that your wedding day will likely be the only time that everyone you both love and care about are in the same room. Enjoy every minute of it! I love looking at our wedding photos and seeing how happy everyone is! It was such a wonderful day!"

Life consists not in holding good cards, but in playing well those you hold. keep your friends close,but your enemies closer.