Mallie Given & Tyler Heath: A Mountain Brook Wedding

September 26, 2020

Photos by Grace O’Connor – Grace Photography Studio

The Proposal: Tyler proposed in Florence, Italy, while he and I (Mallie) were both studying abroad for the semester. My family was visiting, and his parents also flew in as a surprise.

The Dress: My wedding gown was originally worn on June 15, 1951, by Katherine “Tink” Springs Milnor, matron of honor to my paternal grandmother, Ellen Pratt Wilkerson Given, who also married in the dress. My mother continued the dress tradition for her own wedding, and my sister Caroline was the most recent bride to wear the gown. The gown was purchased in 1951 at Jay Thorpe’s in New York City and was fashioned from a certain silk satin made in Como, Italy, and point-de-Lyon lace. The inside lining at the hem of the wedding dress is embroidered with blue thread that showcases the names of each bride who has worn the dress, along with their wedding dates.

Favorite Moments: I grew up as a camper at Greystone for 10 summers and worked on summer staff for five summers. Camp Greystone is our little slice of heaven, and having everyone we love celebrating with us in such a meaningful place was something so amazing it is hard to capture the adequate words.

Favorite Details: Tyler’s mother was seated as “Ave Maria” played, which was also sung in my mother and father’s wedding. My mother was honored as “Edelweiss” was played. The bridal march, “Wedding Processional,” from The Sound of Music, is the same song that my parents’ and my sister’s wedding party walked down the aisle to at their weddings. We also have a beautiful tradition in our family of toasting our marriage with a loving cup engraved with our initials and wedding date. This had been done four other times in our family, and we were honored to carry on this great tradition!