Weddings In Arkansas
Kailey + Russell
Elm Springs // 6.12.21
Fayetteville natives Kailey Powell and Russell Lowry met in seventh grade at McNair Middle School. More than a decade later, while the couple were living and working in Dallas, Russell popped the question at a rooftop bar overlooking the city’s skyline. Friends in town helped him pull off the proposal and joined in on the celebration after Kailey said yes. “It was such a fun and exciting night to celebrate together and with our friends,” Kailey says.
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Lauren + Andy
Cave Springs // 5.14.21
Springdale native Lauren Collins and her future husband, Andy Brown, who is from nearby Joplin, Missouri, were an office romance before their marriage. The pair dated for three years before he popped the question in Seattle, where they live currently. In a grand fashion, Andy drove Lauren to a downtown building where they, along with their two Bernese mountain dogs, boarded a helicopter for Mount Rainier. Here, Andy proposed over a picturesque picnic. …
From modern glam to classically chic, take inspiration for your bridal style from these gowns and gems
The “Sarita” gown from Anna Kara’s Daydreaming collection featuring a deep-V neckline, floral lace underlay, and statement-making detachable sleeves. Tesori, Fayetteville, tesoribridalformal.com | Bouquet by Silks A Bloom…
Elegance and whimsy unite in Regency era-inspired details
Traditional two-tier lemon wedding cake with lemon whipped-cream filling, accented with a mix of silk and buttercream flowers. Blue Cake Co., Little Rock, thebluecakecompany.com…
Rachael + John
North Little Rock // 6.5.21
Rachael Rainey and John Cobb were just 15 years old when they met through a mutual friend in their shared neighborhood. After dating for four and a half years, John knew the time to propose had arrived. He planned a special day, starting with painting pottery and ending at the waterfall overlook at Petit Jean State Park where Rachael said yes to his proposal….
Kristen + Wesley
Little Rock // 7.11.20
Mardi Gras will always hold a special place in Kristen (Warfield) and Wesley Coleman’s hearts; it was the day of their first date. Mutual friends had been trying to set up the two for a while, but with Kristen living in Jonesboro and Wes in North Little Rock, it proved to be a difficult task. Dinner was lined up for the evening but Wes was unable to attend. Kristen went on with her friends and afterward they decided to head to the train station for a Mardi Gras party. Kristen called Wes and asked if he was coming to meet her or not. “I’m on my way” was his response, and the two hit it off instantly.
After two years of dating, Wes was eager to propose and wanted to catch Kristen off guard. Kristen asked him to join her on a work trip to New York, and he seized the opportunity to plan a surprise during the getaway. On their first day in the city they had dinner at a restaurant under the Brooklyn Bridge. “Afterwards, we decided to get a picture under the bridge. We started to take a selfie and all of a sudden he got down on one knee,” she says. “I was completely shocked and could not say ‘yes’ fast enough.”
Once home, the two began planning for a spring wedding. After touring Goodwin Manor, they knew they had found their ideal location. “I always wanted an outdoor wedding with a beautiful view and perfect weather,” Kristen notes. “The whole place was just a dream.” Originally scheduled for the first weekend of May, the two pushed the big day to July 11 when the pandemic began. “An outdoor wedding in July would not have been our first pick, but we were so anxious to finally get married,” Kristen says.
After the ceremony, dinner, and dancing, guests lined the path where Kristen and Wes made their exit amidst sparklers to a honeymoon in Destin, Florida. Shortly after, they finished building their first home together and now reside in Little Rock.
One of the best things I did was take a look at the entire setup before the ceremony. Once everything starts you don’t really have time to take it all in.” —Kristen
Natural Beauty
Kristen selected a palette of white and pink for the floral design, which was created by Silks A Bloom. “They did an amazing job making my dreams come true,” she says, noting the installation on the tree and a garland of blooms that draped to the floor on the head table were two of her must-haves. During the ceremony, the two also planted a unity tree together that is now at their new home.
The tiered cake featured layers of traditional wedding cake, strawberry, and lemon. The same flowers seen throughout the celebration cascaded down its sides.
On the balcony of Goodwin Manor, overlooking their guests, Kristen and Wes shared their first dance to Ray LaMontagne’s “You Are the Best Thing.”
Resources
Bride’s gown, bridesmaids’ dresses, groom’s and groomsmen’s suits She Said Yes Bridal Cake Michelle Linda Mayer Custom Cakes Catering Crave Catering Entertainment (ceremony) John Jarboe String Quartet Entertainment (reception) Central Arkansas Entertainment Floral design Silks A Bloom Hair Kristina Loesch, The Fix Salon Makeup Carly Westerman, Pout Photographer Meredith Benton Fine Art Photography Rentals A Perfect Bloom Florist & Wedding Rentals Rings Sissy’s Log Cabin Venue Goodwin Manor b MWB Films Wedding coordination Shannon White
Megan + Hayden
Bentonville // 9.26.20
Fort Smith native Megan Cowne met her now-husband, Hayden Cherry, who is from Midland, Texas, while the two were students at Texas Christian University. After graduation, they moved to Dallas and purchased a home there, which later became the site of their engagement.
“Hayden wanted to make sure the proposal was special. With the help of friends, he pulled off a complete surprise,” Megan says. Hayden told Megan he was headed out of town for the weekend, and Megan planned to grab dinner with friends. On the way to dinner, one of her friends asked if they could run by Megan’s house to get something she’d left there. While the girls were inside, Hayden rang the doorbell and got down on one knee. A photographer captured the entire scene, and the two then celebrated with loved ones at their favorite rooftop restaurant. “It was worth the w8—pun intended!” Megan says of the surprise after eight years dating.
After deciding on Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art as their venue, the couple opted for a fall wedding where they could take advantage of the beautiful grounds. “We love Crystal Bridges and thought it would be the perfect setting for a sophisticated yet classic affair,” Megan says. “We wanted our guests to be able to enjoy this great corner of the Natural State.”
The pair also wanted a “rocking band, open bar, and good food” to celebrate the occasion. Guests at the seated dinner enjoyed a delightful trio of appetizers followed by a meal of beef tenderloin and, finally, their choice of flavors from the five-tier cake which included vanilla, chocolate, hummingbird, and butter almond with strawberry mousse layers. Now at home in Texas, the Cherrys are planning a delayed safari honeymoon to Kenya and Tanzania later this year.
All in the Details
Megan drew inspiration for the floral design from her love of chinoiserie, accenting white blooms with blue-and-white accessories. The bride’s bouquet was filled with cascading orchids, her favorite flowers. Hayden proposed with Megan’s late grandmother’s engagement ring, and for the ceremony she wore the pearl earrings he had given her on her college graduation.
Modern Meets Southern
In an effort to blend the museum’s contemporary architecture with Southern details, the couple chose the Frank Lloyd Wright Bachman-Wilson House lawn for their vows, then moved indoors for the reception. Timeless white and green floral arrangements were a natural choice, allowing the beauty of the setting to be the focus.
Our ceremony was my favorite memory of the day. It felt so special to make a covenant to each other in front of our loved ones. And after that, I loved dancing on stage with the band!” —Megan
Resources
Cake Shelby Lynn’s Cake Shoppe Entertainment (ceremony) Smoothman Music Entertainment (reception) Diamond Empire Band Floral design Silks A Bloom Makeup Beauty By Ballou Paper goods Paper Supply Co. Photographer and videographer Erin Wilson Photography and Films Rentals Eventology and Moonlight and Rust Venue Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art Wedding design and coordination Natasha Gates Events
Shelby + Grant
Little Rock // June 6, 2020
In 2020, even the best-laid plans were subject to change. However, Little Rock natives Shelby Snider and Grant Pickle didn’t let a pandemic postpone their plans to say “I do.” Instead, they considered what mattered most and adapted their big day to the circumstances at hand. Due to COVID-19, the wedding was put on hold until a couple of weeks before it was scheduled to take place. Thankfully, restrictions were lifted just in time, and they were able to pull together an intimate backyard ceremony and reception on the original date they had set.
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Marbling effects put a modern-day spin on sophisticated style
A two-tier, lavender-flavored cake with lemon curd filling and honey buttercream icing with a marbled effect, topped with fresh flowers. Sweet Lavender Bakeshop, Little Rock, sweetlavenderbakes.com…
Laura Beth + Nate
Conway // July 25, 2020
After meeting through a mutual friend while attending a golf tournament in Stuttgart, Laura Beth Wortman and Nate Smith dated for nine months before he popped the question. On that special day, Nate told Laura Beth they were headed to the horse races in Hot Springs. While en route, his dad called and asked if they could stop by their farm to help him with a stalled truck. The story turned out to be a hoax, and Nate proposed on a beautiful bridge on the property on the spring day. “The proposal was magical,” Laura Beth recalls. Immediately following, the couple celebrated with a party at the bride-to-be’s parents’ home.
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