I find wedding planning an interesting process. It’s chaotic and stressful on so many levels. Most planning involves the bride, the bride’s mother, the mother of the groom, and, on occasion, the groom himself. But what about the father of the bride? What’s his reward at the end of the day?  He’s usually the afterthought until it comes time to pay the bills.

As the father of three sons and no sisters, I’m more of a curious observer… My middle son got married in April in Birmingham and it’s the happiest I’ve ever seen him. His mom does wedding flowers, Buffy Hargett Flowers, so, her input was crucial and highly valued. 

Bryan has always been the life of the party at wedding receptions, so he and Ally were going to make sure it was exactly what they wanted, and it was. Toward the end, with Tom Petty’s American Girl playing and everyone dancing up a storm, he was yelling to his friends, “If you can’t feel the love, get the hell out!”

When my friend Frank Courtney’s daughter, Margaret married Patrick (Scott) Abele, a former next-door neighbor of mine in Birmingham, it was as one guest described it, “When Mountain Brook meets Mobile and the Eastern Shore, and it was the perfect wedding weekend!” 

A lot goes into the perfect wedding. It’s not about how much you spend, but the vibe. In this case, and if you know the Courtney family, it’s about friends, family, and especially the party. The bride's mother, Conyers Cosimi, was instrumental in planning the ceremony and reception, which they chose to have at The Hope Farm in Fairhope.  

This turned out to be a great decision. The Hope Farm is just a cool place by all measures. Everything about it is inviting and designed to give people space to mingle around the beautiful courtyard, enjoy the band and feel like they are at a chic but understated Napa wine venue. Father and son, Robert and Bentley Evans, combined their love for wine and agriculture into a stunning space for people to gather.

The reception took place mostly outside in the courtyard with two full bars, one in the courtyard and one behind the pavilion aptly named “The Back Forty.” A bandstand and dance floor were constructed in the courtyard, but as nature would have it, a brief rain was adeptly handled by the incredible and attentive staff to move the band under the pavilion and the party began without a hitch.  

Pass-around offerings, including flatbreads and hushpuppies, “were delicious,” according to one guest. Off the courtyard, an entrance to one of the dining areas had another full bar, more food offerings and seating, and the wedding cake. A room was provided upstairs for the new couple to pause a moment and get something to eat before joining their guests. 

By all accounts, the 200 or so guests described the event as “spectacular as soon as you walked in the front gate.” “The courtyard is beautiful!” “Everything is so pretty and accommodating.” “Hope Farm did a fantastic job of providing for all our needs while still hosting a dinner crowd inside the restaurant,” says Frank.  

With a 7:00 ceremony at Sacred Heart Chapel in Point Clear, the reception began around 7:45 and ended around midnight. Frank said, “It was more about the party, and everything was first class.” Under the Pavilion, The Cooper Trent Band “played all the right songs for a dance marathon," according to the mother of the groom, Tricia Abele. The night before, she hosted the after-rehearsal party at the Wash House  Restaurant in Point Clear to rave reviews.  

Lots of people played a huge role in making this the perfect wedding including the bride’s maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Cunningham, and Mandy White of Weddings by Mandy in Robertsdale, who “pulled it all together beautifully.“ Invitations were done by Soiree Signatures, and Wildflowers Floral Design in Fairhope provided, of course, the wedding flowers. Elizabeth Gelineau was the wedding photographer and friends of the bride’s parents, Veka and Jim Jeffries provided the perfect getaway car!

So, in answer to my question to Frank, father of the bride, “How did you feel at the end of the evening?” “All my expectations were not only met but exceeded.  Everyone pulled together to make this a fun and memorable weekend.  I was especially relieved that the weather cooperated, as my oldest daughter's wedding was one-week post-Hurricane Sally.”

I think the photographs tell the story. Congratulations to the new Mr. and Mrs. Abele!