[section title=”The Planning”]
[field title=”Wedding Colors”]
The wedding colors were soft summer whites and green.
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[field title=”Design / Vibe / Vision”]
We wanted something that felt traditional, timeless, and elevated with a hint of old Hollywood glamour. I wanted people to feel the intimacy of having it at my childhood home, but I also wanted our guests to feel like they were transported to a ballroom when they walked into the big tent at the reception. We wanted to appreciate and incorporate the naturally beautiful environment we were blessed with on the property and elevate it with florals, chandeliers, and decorations to feel more formal. Jonathan Parkey, my planner, and Dale Aldridge from Silks a Bloom, made all my dreams come true.
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[field title=”Proposal Story”]
We met through a mutual friend in downtown Little Rock at the end of January 2020. The world shut down shortly after due to Covid and we have spent every day together since. When Christopher proposed he brought me to my childhood home, and the place we would eventually get married at, for a birthday celebration with my family. As soon as we pulled up to my parents’ home, he asked me to take a walk out to the dock that overlooked our pond in the backyard. While we were walking I started getting teary-eyed, knowing where he was leading me to. It was the most thoughtful, perfect proposal. We then went to Jonesboro Country Club where I was surprised with all our friends and family waiting to celebrate with us. It was truly the most perfect day.
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[board_carousel title=”Getting Ready”]
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[board_carousel title=”Bridal Portraits”]
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[board_carousel title=”Flat Lays”]
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[section title=”The Fashion”]
[field title=”Wedding Gown”]
I wanted a simple, elegant, but unique dress. Not many people will know this, but I changed my dress two days before the wedding. It almost gave my mom a heart attack. My original dress didn’t quite have the wow factor I was looking for. I found these satin gloves and asked my sister to help me try them on the Thursday before the wedding and I fell in love. I put my hair in a classic bun, changed my jewelry, and added the gloves and it was everything I’d ever dreamed of.
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[field title=”Bridesmaid Dresses”]
I wanted to pick something that I would be happy wearing. This Alfred Sung dress was perfect in every way. My bridesmaids looked like movie stars. The one-shoulder, classic black dress with a simple bow detail gave all of them the support they needed and the material and shape flattered everyone. Because I am in my late 20s, I also wanted to pick a dress that my friends could wear to other black tie events without it looking like a bridesmaid dress. This dress was perfect for that as well!
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[field title=”Groomsman Attire”]Chris just wanted a classic black tux for he and his groomsmen. Something special that he did was that he wore his late granpa’s tux shoes, which was pretty special.[/field]
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[board_carousel title=”Bridal Party”]
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[board_carousel title=”Ceremony”]
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[board_carousel title=”Cocktail Hour”]
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[section title=”The Details”]
[field title=”Food & Drink”]
Chris and I did not want to do a sit-down dinner, but we did want black-tie-worthy food to be served. We came up with the idea of a progressive heavy apps meal to be served. Our caterer, Gina’s Catering, started with a charcuterie table and then progressed to chicken skewers, caprese skewers, and more. Chris loves oysters, so we had an ice sculpture with crab claws and oysters. We also had a beef tenderloin carving station that was loved by our guests as well! For our drinks, we had wine, beer, and two signature cocktails named after our dogs. One of the cocktails was actually a mocktail for our non-drinking guests. Gina Simpson of Gina’s Catering did all of the food. We wanted it to feel like a never-ending night of indulgence. The food rotated seamlessly throughout the night to carry our guests through appetizers, entrees, dessert, and culminating in Taco Bell late-night snacks (an ode to the couples’ college days). The food ranged from crab legs to chicken fingers, allowing guests to graze all evening.
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[field title=”Florals & Decor”]
My mom, sister, and I have always been obsessed with flowers. It probably came from my grandmother’s love for gardening. Flowers were the most important thing on my agenda. I wanted them everywhere. My dream was for the front tent to feel like a garden party with more greenery and for the big tent to feel more formal. Our florist, Dale, planner Jonathan, and White Door Events provided that for me. The flowers were everywhere, and they were more than I could have ever dreamed! Our reception was a magical garden escape fit for any setting.
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[field title=”Wedding Cake”]
My wedding cake and groom’s cake were done by Flour Garden out of Memphis, TN. She truly delivered on design. There were so many elements elsewhere, and I wanted my cake to be simple. The beautiful simple tiered cake with a big white fondant bow was perfect. We went with a traditional white wedding cake flavor which was wonderful. Something we did was have her make a sheet cake as well that was already precut before we cut the cake so guests weren’t waiting on their cake to be cut and served. Flour Garden went above and beyond on Christopher’s groom’s cake shaped like a deer! The guests were constantly taking photos of the art sculpture.
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[field title=”Readings, Ceremony Music, Reception Songs”]
We had a local pianist play for the precessional. He played “Perfect” by Ed Sheeran. Our ceremony exit was fun! The horn section from our band did a second line for us as we were leaving, and our guests followed us around to the reception in the backyard.
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[field title=”Special Detail #1″]
My dad mowed our property several times on the wedding day until it was time for him to put on a tux. I’m sure it was a coping mechanism to deal with the heaviness he was feeling of giving his firstborn away. It might also be that he didn’t want his buddies to see a blade of grass out of place. Regardless, that detail is probably my favorite that wasn’t captured but is so special to me because it showed my dad’s love for me and what he would do to make sure my wedding day was perfect. And it was.
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[field title=”Special Detail #2″]
The tent structures, the flooring, and the air conditioning unit. We basically had to build a venue in our backyard, and it took all hands on deck to make it happen. White Door Events made it seem effortless, but I know it to took many, many hands to make the venue of my dreams on my parents’ property!
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[field title=”Special Detail #3″]I knew I wanted it to be an experience for our guests that traveled near and far to come
celebrate us. From the moment our guests arrived we wanted them to know how truly
thankful we were that they had come to our wedding. When our guests arrived at the
hotel we had put together welcome boxes with a personalized thank you card, drinks,
snacks, and personalized cookies of our two dogs. It was important to us that everyone
had as much fun as we did at the wedding. We tried to cover all interests and
personalities. The front tent was the more quiet, conversation tent. While the large
white tent of the reception was to be the formal, fun tent where the band was. We
wanted people to enjoy all our favorite things, cocktails, food, dancing, and Taco bell to
round out the night as guests left.[/field]
[/section]
[board_carousel title=”Couple Portraits”]
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[board_carousel title=”Reception”]
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[iframe https://www.youtube.com/embed/WYBnoHWDxgk 600 338]
Photography: Kati Mallory Fine Art Photography | Event Planning: Jonathan Parkey | Floral Design: Silks a Bloom | Cake: The Flour Garden | Invitations: By Invitation Only | Ceremony Venue: Bride's Childhood Home | Reception Venue: Bride's Childhood Home | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Bella Bridesmaid | Beauty: Hannah McFadden | Beauty: Glam By Sarah Meyer | Rentals: White Door Events
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