[section title=”The Planning”]
[field title=”Wedding Colors”]Varying shades of green and light blue, inspired by Van Gogh’s “Roses.”[/field]
[field title=”Design / Vibe / Vision”]
On a Sunday afternoon, you can often find Katie & Michael visiting the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC. They love wandering the wings and finding new favorite pieces to admire. Among those favorites is “Roses” by Van Gogh, and when it came time to choose their wedding colors, it was their inspiration. They used the painting as the envelope liner for our invitations to give our guests a glimpse into our vision from the start. Drawing from the varied shades of green and touches of light blue, the timeless palette blended seamlessly with the natural beauty of the venue. The cascading ceremony florals in concrete vases really brought together the picture we had envisioned more perfectly than we could have imagined.
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[field title=”Proposal Story”]We met at a friend’s house party in Washington, DC in August of 2021. Michael had just moved to DC from Florida, and I had moved from Arkansas two months before. We danced the evening away together with our friends at a speakeasy hidden behind a deli freezer door. As we began to call our rides home to part ways, I made the first move to ask Michael for his number. He texted me that weekend asking me on a date, then he asked me to be his girlfriend after a month of exploring our new city together.
In May of 2023, Michael proposed over Memorial Day weekend on a trip to Jekyll Island, Georgia, one of our favorite places. We love visiting the historic cottages and enjoying walks down streets lined with beautiful canopies of Spanish moss. We were getting ready to go to dinner at The Wharf when Michael said he needed to run down to the lobby to confirm our reservation for breakfast the next morning. He was actually going to meet the photographer and sent me a note to meet him in the Crane Cottage courtyard once I was ready. I felt so giddy walking down the grand staircase to meet him, anticipating what was about to happen. He greeted me in the garden and walked me to the courtyard where he got down on one knee and said, “When you find the person you want to spend forever with, you want forever to start right away,” and asked me to marry him. I’ll never forget how perfect the moment felt.[/field]
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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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[board_carousel title=”First Look”]
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[section title=”The Fashion”]
[field title=”Wedding Gown”]I chose my gown with the help of my mom, two sisters, and Michael’s mom and older sister during a family trip to Florida. I knew I wanted something timeless, and the Pronovias dress immediately stood out to us when I tried it on. I’ve worn many beautiful gowns in my life doing pageants, but this one felt different in the best way. The pleated bodice and elegant train were my favorite details in addition to the rich satin fabric. When Michael and I did our first look, he instantly connected the dots to what it reminded him of: Grace Kelly’s white gown in “To Catch a Thief.”[/field]
[field title=”Bridesmaid Dresses”]My two sisters stood by my side as my Matron and Maid of Honor, alongside six bridesmaids from every chapter of my life, from childhood best friends to DC roommates. Their Sachin & Babi dresses were one-shouldered with a bow in a stunning soft green, while my sisters wore a white and green rose pattern in the same style.[/field]
[field title=”Groomsman Attire”]Michael opted for a classic white dinner jacket, paired with his groomsmen in black tuxes. He has always loved this look from the James Bond movies and felt he channeled his inner Sean Connery with the selection.[/field]
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[board_carousel title=”Wedding 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”]The day Michael asked me to be his girlfriend, we went on a date to a winery in Northern Virginia, so it was a fun coincidence for our wedding to be at a vineyard too! Sassafras Springs Vineyard is right down the road from my parents’ house in Northwest Arkansas, and we love visiting to enjoy a glass of wine on the patio. We opted for a pasta bar, and in addition to a selection of our favorite wines, we also served frozen margaritas and peach bellinis. The drinks were a hit, and so were the hot dogs we served for a late-night snack on the dance floor![/field]
[field title=”Florals & Decor”]Lush white and green florals flowed seamlessly between the ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception spaces. The Chapel, built with Arkansas stone to look like the ruins of an old Italian church, was complemented perfectly by the cascading vases of white florals and greenery that brought a garden feel to the space. I carried a bouquet of white tulips, and the bridesmaids each held a bundle of calla lilies, all simple but stunning. Inside the reception space, tall bronze trumpet vases elegantly lined our king’s table in the center of the room with sprawling Bells of Ireland and hydrangeas. Looking down the candlelit table filled with our closest friends and siblings felt like the dreamiest dinner party.[/field]
[field title=”Wedding Cake”]Choosing our wedding cake with the help of my grandparents was one of the sweetest parts of planning. Growing up, my Granddad loved taking me to Rick’s Bakery after school for a sweet treat, so I wanted to include them in this special decision. Our cake was a classic vanilla and cream cheese, with our monogram and 3D florals that matched my reception dress![/field]
[field title=”Readings, Ceremony Music, Reception Songs”]We love classic movies and paid homage to some of our favorites throughout the day. A moment we dreamed about was me walking down the aisle to “Moon River” from the opening scene of “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.” It’s a song filled with emotion, and as the strings intensified, the doors to the chapel opened, and I felt like I glided in on a cloud.
Our ceremony was officiated by Arkansas Supreme Court Justice Courtney Hudson who has been a family friend and role model of mine for over a decade. She incorporated so many special details into the ceremony message, including honoring my grandparents, who have been married for 65 years.
The night I met Michael, I brought my friend Tyler to the party to meet my friends since he had recently moved to DC. We have shared so many life milestones together, being friends since high school, and that night, he was with me when I met my future husband! Being a dear friend now to Michael and me both, we asked him to sing during our ceremony. He performed a beautiful rendition of “The Blessing” while we took communion.[/field]
[field title=”Special Detail #1″]Designing my own stationery was a labor of love that I’d do a hundred times over again. I loved the process of bringing my vision to life from the computer screen to tangible invitations and had so much fun assembling them with Michael and our friend. We spent several evenings hand-cutting and gluing envelope liners, printing and stamping envelopes, and tying ribbons while watching The Bachelor. It was incredibly rewarding to hear the kind words from family and friends as they received them. Now, with friends getting engaged, I’ll be doing their stationery too![/field]
[field title=”Special Detail #2″]A piece of advice we were given was to spend as much time together on our wedding day as possible. We knew we wanted to do a first look and not wait until the ceremony to see each other, but another way we squeezed in a few extra memories was sharing breakfast before getting ready. Nearly every Saturday morning since we met has began with Chick-fil-A breakfast, and it felt right to keep the tradition going on the morning of our wedding day. We sat on the patio of the Lodge overlooking the vineyard. It was a perfect moment to slow down and take it all in before the big day began.[/field]
[field title=”Special Detail #3″]I grew up dancing and taught competitive teams while I was in college, so choreographing our first dance was something I looked forward to! I was so surprised by how involved Michael was in the choreography process, especially since he told me he wasn’t a good dancer the night we met. We danced to “You’re Nobody Till Somebody Loves You” by Dean Martin, a song that lives on a playlist we listen to often around the house. It really felt like we were just dancing in our kitchen, and I couldn’t stop smiling![/field]
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[board_carousel title=”Couple Portraits”]
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[board_carousel title=”Reception”]
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Photography: Emma Farr Photography | Event Planning: Taber Lobaugh Coordination | Floral Design: The Back Porch Designs | Wedding Dress: Calvet Couture Bridal | Cake: Rick’s Bakery | Invitations: Paper by Peil | Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Sachin And Babi | DJ: Brock Entertainment | Wedding Venue: Sassafras Springs Vineyard | Beauty: Adriann Duncan Spray Tanning | Beauty: ACE Hair Co | Engagement Ring Designer: Romance Diamond Co. Jewelers
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