Carl House Weddings: Melanie McCorkle and Jamie Ellwanger

Hello! My name is Denise Meyers and I am the Wedding Coordinator here at Carl House. I have worked with Carl House brides since it’s opening in 2002, and I genuinely love my career.

When I first met with Melanie McCorkle and Jamie Ellwanger at Carl House, they were so excited to start the wedding planning process. Melanie knew exactly what she envisioned for her day, so I was eager to take her vague visions into exact plans for their June 5th, 2009 wedding. She explained to me that she wanted a truly classic and romantic evening with small accents to create this feel. My goal working with brides is to make sure that their dream for their wedding is carried out from start to finish without any worry or unease on their part. I love when brides have a vision and I can use some of my experience to help them bring these to reality. We worked closely together for months to make sure each detail was planned perfectly. After all of our meetings and planning, the big day finally came! With bridesmaids dressed in black cocktail dresses at her side, and a unique cascading bouquet in hand, Melanie walked down the aisle through the magnificent Carl House gardens to meet Jamie at the altar.


I made sure that the Carl House team executed their wishes for the ceremony and reception. We carefully assembled their choice of centerpieces in the Grand Ballroom that were composed of pink and ivory peonies and roses placed in garden urns, candles, and tiny paper boxes, all connected by a trail of fresh moss winding down the estate table. The antique-styled reception was truly one of the most beautiful I have seen in my fifteen years experience!


I really enjoyed helping with the wedding and groom’s cakes too. They nearly stole the show with their beauty and humor together! The wedding cake, compliments of EB Cakes, was a flawless three-tier creation complete with fine decoration that mimicked the design on the bride’s wedding gown. The groom’s cake combined three aspects of Jamie’s life into one edible creation: his beloved pet dogs, UGA Football, and candy. To satisfy the ultra-sweet tooth’s of guests, the cake’s bottom layer was starburst and gummy lifesavers, and the top layer was made of yellow sour candy, topped off with a figurine of Jamie sitting with his dogs, donning a UGA t-shirt. His cake was totally creative and fun!

On the actual wedding days, it’s easy for me to get flustered with the weight of the responsibility I have for making sure that all runs smoothly for the couple. When I saw the beaming smiles of Melanie and Jamie sitting at their table during the reception all of my anxieties were calmed. It’s always such a wonderful feeling too when the parents of the bride and groom express their pleasure and gratitude for Carl House’s hard work, as the Ellwangers did. At Carl House, we care foremost about creating extraordinary and memorable occasions, like the wedding on June 5th, 2009.

Denise