Coweta Wedding
Coweta Couple, Coweta Venue, Coweta Vendors
Written by JACKIE KENNEDY | Photographed by Kayla Duffey Photography
Olivia and Austin Smith married in October 2023 in Newnan.
Olivia Zirkle knew her future groom’s parents, Newnan residents Barry and Tracy Smith, before she met their son, Austin. Now, they are her in-laws.
“I had worked as a nanny for a family whose daughter cheered with Austin’s little sister,” Olivia recalls. “We came across each other on social media, started messaging, and had our first date at a Braves game a week later, in May 2021. We hit it off and have been inseparable ever since.”
Olivia and Austin Smith, both from Newnan, were married Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023 at Lillian Gardens. Austin is a 2016 graduate of Northgate, and Olivia graduated from East Coweta in 2017. Her parents are Amber and Marc Zirkle, also residents of Newnan.
Olivia works as a medical assistant for Piedmont Urgent Care, and Austin is a sheriff’s deputy in Fayette County. The couple resides in Shenandoah.
Following their dream wedding, the Smiths honeymooned at Disney World where they visited all the parks.
“It all was so fun and romantic,” says Olivia.
In the quotes that follow, the new bride shares a little about the local vendors who helped pull off her perfect wedding.
VENUE: Lillian Gardens
We chose Lillian Gardens because of the Savannah/New Orleans vibes it has, and it’s super romantic there. We were very much inspired by the romantic, old-timey vibes you get at Lillian Gardens. We had the ceremony outside, in their garden, which is stunning, and the reception was inside and outside. They have a vintage outdoor furniture package you can add on to your wedding. Lillian Gardens also catered the rehearsal dinner and the wedding reception, which featured a grazing table with hors d'oeuvres and charcuterie boards along with a pasta bar.
DRESS: Sure Bride
Sure Bride was the first bridal shop I went to and I ended up purchasing the dress I tried on. They had such a variety, and I could have gotten a dress at the lowest price point in my budget or the highest. There was no dress that seemed cheap, and the quality of all of them was amazing. Cheyenne was my appointment person. She was honest with me, which is what I needed. She pulled dresses I thought would look good on me and dresses she thought would look good on me. She was just so much fun to work with, and the whole staff was so nice. They did my alterations as well.
RINGS: Morgan Jewelers at White Oak Center
I wanted the Marquee cut diamond. My mom had one, and it was super important for me to have one. I saw this ring and absolutely fell in love with it. It looks like little leaves coming out of the center stone. The wedding band complements it well. It’s simple but elegant, and I love it. Also, it matches some of the lace details on my dress, and that’s one of the reasons I chose my dress.”
FLORAL: Marigold and Moss
I could have cried, my flowers were so beautiful. I wanted to continue the romance, whimsical feeling in my wedding, so I explained to Britt, the owner, the colors I wanted and she hit the nail on the head. We added in peacock feathers, teals and blues.”
HAIR & MAKEUP: The Opal Room
The Opal Room did our hair and makeup. I highly recommend working with Chelsey Freeman and Shannon Ward. They listened to what I wanted and were able to make my vision come true for me. They were fun to work with and made me feel like a true bride. I felt absolutely beautiful, and I know my bridesmaids did as well.
CAKE: Cakes by Debbie
I could have gone into a coma, the cakes were so good. We did a funfetti cake with traditional buttercream frosting for our wedding cake. Debbie Barronton worked with me on getting the different colors of icing we wanted, which matched with colors in our wedding. It ended up being an absolutely beautiful three-tier cake that was delicious. My husband is a gamer, and she made a chocolate and strawberry cake inspired after a cake you can make in the game he plays. The fondant looked like it came out of the game itself. It all was very impressive.
PHOTOGRAPHY: Kayla Duffey Photography
Kayla Duffey is one of the preferred vendors at Lillian Gardens. A family member had used her, and I enjoyed the way she captured special moments. I was in awe of the way she takes pictures, and I love her editing style. She values your opinions and recommends her ideas, too, which is very helpful. She’s good at guiding without being bossy. She was on it, making sure everybody paid attention and smiled for the pictures. NCM
More photos in our print edition!