Justin Lanier knew Nina Reynolds’ aunt only as his boss when he first moved to Birmingham. However, she would soon become matchmaker, and ultimately family.
“Although it doesn’t sound very glamorous, our meeting still amazes me,” Nina says.
Thanks to fate and a bit of help from family, Nina and Justin’s love story began after meeting at work. The two had research positions at the University of Birmingham at Alabama. Justin had just moved from Mississippi to Birmingham, and ended up working under Nina’s aunt, who also helped Nina find a position there, as well, while she was applying for graduate school.
They went from working together to dating. A favorite past-time became hiking together near the King’s Chair at Oak Mountain State Park. The trail leading to this boulder had become a favorite of the couple and provided the perfect setting for Justin’s proposal.
The couple wanted their wedding to showcase Birmingham, so their guests could fall in love with the place where their own love began.
Originally, Nina wanted an outdoor wedding. However, because of the date — Aug. 2 — they decided to be wed indoors to spare guests of the unforgiving Alabama heat.
The ceremony was at the Cathedral Church of the Advent in the heart of downtown.
In addition to showcasing the Magic City, Nina also envisioned a garden-inspired wedding. She sought the help of wedding planner Ginny Au and florist Holly Carlisle with Rosegolden Flowers to bring her vision to life.
Inspired by colors in a Mark Rothko painting, the couple decided to dress their day in a dusty blue-grey, soft creams and pale lavenders.
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Bridesmaids wore long dusty-blue dresses or soft cream ones. Nina wore a Romona Keveza with a classic cathedral veil. The groom wore a custom made tux from J. Reiss Custom Clothier, and the groomsmen wore traditional tuxes.
Following the ceremony at the Advent, the celebration continued at The Club on top of Red Mountain, providing guests with panoramic views of the city.
The grand ballroom was a unique venue for Nina and Au to capture the delicate, garden-inspired wedding she sought. Au took advantage of the sweeping views of the city and lined tables along the windows. They were topped with linen cloths, floral garlands and candles.
Each place setting came with a rustic loaf of bread topped with fresh herbs along with a menu for the sit-down dinner, which included an herb roasted chicken and vegetable Wellington. They finished their meals with white velvet cake with almond buttercream icing.
After dinner Justin and his new bride, along with their guests, headed to the dance floor. The night ended outside with a dramatic fireworks show overlooking the city.
“I remember standing by Justin, amazed by the display, and looking over my shoulder at all our friends and family marveling at the fireworks, us and each other,” Nina remembers. “Everyone looked so incredibly happy. I will always cherish that moment.”
Although Nina says all the events of the day were perfect, none was more so than that moment she saw her groom the first time on their wedding day.
“We made eye contact for the first time and just smiled.”
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