Our story
Two of us, one aisle.
Photo by Kristina Lynn Photography
What sets us apart
Calm is the method.
The joy is the outcome. The calm is how we get you there.
We believe beautiful weddings don’t happen by accident. They’re built. Our work is the preparation and production behind the scenes: the timelines, the vendor coordination, and the quiet problem-solving that let your day feel effortless from where you’re standing. You plan the wedding you want. We make it run, so you can be fully present inside it.
How it started
We built this together, on purpose.
Southern Aisles started with a simple idea: build something together. Dana had spent years as a wedding planner before stepping away during a full season of life, and she never lost the pull toward the work. James had spent his career solving problems and running the logistics of a job site. With our kids older and a little more room to build, we realized the two things we’re each good at add up to exactly what a wedding day needs. So we came back to it, together. One of us leads the vision and the planning. The other keeps the whole operation running. Everything we offer is built around that partnership, and around a life we want to protect, which is why we take a limited number of weddings each season and give each one our full attention.
Two perspectives, one goal
The team is a marriage.
Dana
Planning & client experience
I spent years as a wedding planner before stepping away to raise my family and build a business supporting other wedding professionals. For a long time I was helping other people’s celebrations run beautifully from behind the scenes, and I never stopped missing the part I loved most, being in the room on the day it all comes together.
Now I’m back, and I lead the planning, the relationships, and the experience you’ll feel from your first call to your last dance. That means the strategy, the communication, the timelines, and the steady reassurance that someone has it handled. I’m returning to this work with more systems, more business experience, and more perspective than I had the first time, and this time, James is beside me.
I’m the one who remembers the detail you mentioned once in passing and quietly makes sure it happens. You stay present for every moment of your day. I’ll make sure the day itself runs.
James
Production & execution
I’m a mechanic by trade. For most of my career, that has meant solving problems under pressure, thinking on my feet, and keeping a lot of moving parts running together, usually when something has already gone sideways. It turns out those are the exact skills a wedding day asks for.
While Dana leads the planning and the vision, I’m the one making sure every piece actually comes together on the day itself: the setup and breakdown, the timeline in motion, and the last-minute hiccups you’ll never hear about. My job is to keep things running smoothly so you can stay focused on what matters, being present and celebrating the day you worked so hard to plan.
I might be happier with a toolbox than a seating chart, but when it comes to keeping a day on track and solving whatever comes up, you can count on me. You handle the “I do’s.” I’ll handle the rest.
What we work by
Our north star.
Respect everyone in the room.
Vendors, guests, families and the two of you. It’s the one thing we won’t bend on.
Champion the couple.
Both of you feel heard. We’re your voice, and we quiet the outside noise so the day stays yours.
We carry the stress, you live the day.
Setup, the awkward moments and the backup plans are ours, so nobody in your wedding party is working your wedding.
Communication that feels effortless.
Clear, responsive and easy to work with. It’s what we want every couple and every vendor to say about us.
The first step
We’d love to meet you.
Tell us about your day, and we’ll set up a time to talk.