Brittany Howard And Anna-Maria Babcock’s Tennessee Wedding Was A Celebration Of Their Mexican And Southern Roots
Given their day jobs, musician Brittany Howard and record executive and artist Anna-Maria Babcock’s meet-cute feels entirely appropriate: they first crossed paths at a concert. “We met at a friend’s album release show on 10 October 2023 at The Blue Room in Nashville,” Anna-Maria explains. Brittany, who is best known as the lead singer and guitarist of Alabama Shakes, was helping out at the merch table after the show. “I walked up to the table, and a mutual friend introduced us by putting our hands in each other’s while asking, ‘Have y’all met yet?’ It was love at first sight for both of us,” says Anna-Maria. A few days later, the two went on their first real date and fell in love over pizza rolls and mocktails at Brittany’s home. “The first date that never ended!” Anna-Maria jokes.
Just over a year later, Anna-Maria proposed on 15 November 2024 at Smith Lake in Alabama. After an extensive tour year, she encouraged Brittany to come with her on a fishing trip. “Little did I know, this was than a fishing trip,” says Brittany. “On the first night of our stay, under the last full supermoon of the year, Anna-Maria got on one knee in a freshly made wood-fired hot tub. After the proposal, I said, ‘Yes!’” Despite spending hours preparing the hot tub, the couple jumped out to share the news with their friends and family. “All those hours to prepare the hot tub, just to get out after five minutes! It’s okay though,” says Brittany. “We got all of our life together to make another fire.” Adds Anna-Maria, “Brittany followed up with a double proposal (the gay way) during our trip to Portugal for my birthday just a few months later! I also said yes to forever!”
Anna-Maria and Brittany spent the next two years planning their perfect wedding celebration. The big day arrived on 24 October 2026 at the Southall Farm & Inn in Franklin, Tennessee. The couple describes planning as both “so much fun” and “a lot of work.” “We had a hand in every single design aspect of the night; we wanted the space to feel like us,” says Anna-Maria. Alongside planner Carly Pickett, the brides lent their handwriting to save-the-dates, made an ofrenda to honour ancestors, and hand-selected planters from home to fill with florals. Says Anna-Maria, “We wanted our people to feel like they knew exactly whose wedding they were at – one that was very Black, very Mexican, and very queer!”
The couple also wanted to feel their cultures reflected through their fashion choices for the wedding weekend. “We wanted to feel gender affirmed, beautiful, sexy and ourselves,” says Anna-Maria. “We were not interested in traditional wedding wear, so designing our own garments and sourcing from small women-owned, Black-owned, Indigenous-owned and queer-owned brands was extremely important to us.” She adds that wearing family heirlooms was also an important part of their wardrobe curation. “We wanted our ancestors to be honoured in this space,” says Anna-Maria.
For her wedding look, Brittany worked with stylist Courtney Mays to craft a custom gown with a detailed bodice and a dramatic off-the-shoulder cape. Later in the evening, she changed into a bright red ensemble with diaphanous flowing fabric designed with Loulette Bride. Anna-Maria found a halter-neck Danielle Frankel dress at Nashville bridal salon The Dress Theory. To walk down the aisle, she paired it with a veil from queer-owned brand Tanner Fletcher.
When Brittany changed into her red reception look, Anna-Maria changed into a textured, red dress of her own that was designed alongside Mays. The brides also created a moodboard for their wedding party and even helped style some looks for them. “We wanted our wedding party to be more concerned with having fun, letting loose and connecting with others – not with whether or not they liked the outfits picked out for them that they will never wear again,” says Anna-Maria.
The weekend kicked off with an intimate sunset dinner overlooking the Tennessee hills. The rehearsal dinner was hosted by Anna-Maria’s parents, Sylvia and Randy Babcock. “We ate delicious Mexican food, danced to cumbia and cried hysterically as our wedding party, parents and grandmas expressed their love for us,” recalls Anna-Maria. “The feeling of watching your blood family and chosen family fall in love with each other was nothing short of magical and healing.”
The ceremony took place the next day in a meadow along a creek. Guests were surrounded by nature and gathered among florals lining the aisle. “We walked to everyone’s smiling, expectant faces under a beautiful fall sunset while the mariachi band played a rendition of ‘The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,’” describes Brittany. The couple walked towards one another with their parents. “When we got to the altar, we then encouraged our two-year-old nephew, who was the ring bearer, to come meet us up there! Holding a wooden fish ring box – the one Anna-Maria gifted me when she proposed – in one hand and picking his nose with the other, he joyfully ran up to us while stopping to smell the flowers halfway down the aisle,” she recalls. “A perfect reminder of what’s important in life. stop to smell the flowers.”
Anna-Maria’s Tía Pinky read a poem written by the bride’s late grandfather, Roberto. “His words reminded us of why we are here and why it’s important to not waste time with the ones we love,” says Brittany. Remembers Anna-Maria, “I was so giddy and my cheeks hurt from smiling so much. I felt so excited and humbled watching our family grow right before my eyes. I felt proud of myself for never giving up on love. Little us would be so proud.” Brittany emphasises that she felt “full of pride” throughout the ceremony and as if the moment was “magical and sacred.” This magic was made complete as a rainbow appeared in the sky once the brides kissed. “We think that was a little sign from the ancestors that we were all right where we were supposed to be,” says Anna-Maria.
The mariachi band led the way towards the reception, followed by the newlyweds and their community as “Isn’t She Lovely” played. “We danced and sang our way around the lake to cocktail hour where the sun finally went down over the hill in a blaze of pinks, reds, purples and oranges,” recalls Brittany. “The moon was so bright it would stop us in our tracks.” Cocktail hour followed with reunions, hugs and tears of joy. “We drank and danced to cumbia before walking over to the ofrenda to pay our respects to our loved ones who couldn’t physically be there with us,” says Anna-Maria. “We could feel their spirit throughout the entire night.”
The reception moved indoors for a dinner full of Mexican and Southern cuisine, along with a night full of music. “Lloyd Buchanan, who plays with my touring bands, led an incredible band during reception where he played our first dance song, ‘The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face’ by Roberta Flack in a hauntingly beautiful rendition,” says Brittany. “This song also happens to be Anna-Maria’s grandparents Maria and Roberto’s wedding song. Anna-Maria and I both took turns dancing to the end of the song with her 86-year-old grandmother.” She recalls, “There wasn’t a dry eye in the room.” The newlyweds then danced with their fathers and also did a special dance with their mothers to “I Say A Little Prayer” by Aretha Franklin before welcoming all their guests onto the floor.
Special performances went on throughout the evening. “I come from a long line of family drummers, and my Uncle Scott and little brother Robert graced the stage, playing drums to Sinatra’s ‘Fly Me To The Moon’ and Bobby Caldwell’s ‘What You Won’t Do For Love’ respectively,” says Anna-Maria. “The very first time I saw live music, it was at an underground jazz club in DC where my uncle would play with his big band. When Uncle Scott was up there playing at the reception, I was instantly transported back to that club when I was a little girl.”
The after-party was held at Dottie’s, a speakeasy on the grounds of the property. The couple’s friend, DJ T1BG, spun until 2 am. “The room was vibrant with belly laughs, dirty dancing, wigs, bologna sandwiches, hot dogs and deep conversations around the fire pit,” says Anna-Maria. “Our feet were aching – with Brittany nursing my blisters at 4 am – but our hearts were exploding with love.” Adds Brittany, “We were so moved seeing our family and friends from thousands of miles away dancing together and making their own relationships. It’s the very thing we wanted our wedding to embody: communion.”
While the brides share they are truly excited to settle into their married lives with each other and enjoy the simplicity and joy of being newlyweds, they also emphasise how grateful they are to share their love today: “Getting married in the South as Black and brown lesbians feels extra heavy in today’s political climate. We live in a country where we have a Supreme Court justice who wants to ban interracial marriage. We live in a state where LGBTQIA+ rights are under attack, and the local government is working with ICE to tear families apart. aren’t going anywhere. This is our home and we are here to stay. We are here to dig in deeper – into love and into our beautifully diverse and queer community. We believe love wins, and it certainly felt like that at our wedding. While we were the first gay couple to get married at this venue in Franklin, Tennessee, we certainly won’t be the last!”
