Rich, chocolatey brown and touches of gold set the scene
Two-tier textured vanilla buttercream cake adorned with neutral florals and layered ruffles. Blue Cake Co., Little Rock, thebluecakecompany.com…
Libby + Lou
Libby + Lou
Little Rock // 9.18.21
Miles away from their native Little Rock and Fort Worth, respectively, Libby Whitbeck and Lou Wood struck up a conversation about East Africa at a party in Washington, D.C. “Lou was five months from moving to Malawi with the U.S. Department of State, and I studied Swahili in college and had previously lived in Tanzania,” Libby says. “Lou was only in D.C. for training before moving, and we were inseperable for those few months. We eventually took on the challenge of dating very long distance for the two years he worked in Malawi.”
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Growing Love
Abundant greenery and floral motifs offer an upscale garden feel
“Underwood V.2” blind deboss and letterpress invitation, reply card, save-the-date card, and lined envelope by Jessica Downs for Bella Figura. The Social Type, Little Rock, thesocialtypelr.com
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Mallory + Gray
Mallory + Gray
Little Rock // 5.8.21
Mallory O’Quinn and Gray Millsap ran in the same circles throughout their time at Little Rock’s Central High; however, it wasn’t until years later that the two fell for one another. During the holiday season, they were both in town visiting family and hit it off on a bowling night with friends. A year and a half later, Gray proposed to Mallory on their back porch over margaritas….
Brooke + Jake
Brooke + Jake
Roland // 5.15.21
Sometimes the thing—or person—you’ve been looking for has been there all along. This was the case for Brooke Borgognoni and Jake Lassiter. The pair have known each other their entire lives, with a formal introduction coming in elementary school; however, they never dated until after college graduation. Two years later, Jake proposed while the couple celebrated their anniversary at Cache Restaurant in Little Rock. …
LaQuasha + Raymond
LaQuasha + Raymond
Conway // 11.6.21
Raymond Ross and LaQuasha Rosson’s love story has been almost a decade in the making. The two met and began dating in 2012 when they saw each other at a fraternity/sorority function at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Fast forward to 2015, and Raymond gave LaQuasha the surprise of her life when he proposed at his own birthday party. Raymond’s sister announced she had made a video to share at the party; it started with pictures of him, then faded to LaQuasha’s parents saying, “Yes, you can marry our daughter.” When the scene ended, Raymond was on one knee. “I am hard to surprise, because I am so nosy—but this was definitely a surprise!” the bride recalls. …
Plaid Perfection
Create a sophisticated celebration with well-tailored details and natural hues
Custom gold foil letterpress invitation suite featuring a custom monogram and envelope liner based on artwork by the bride’s mother. Created by Stephanie Benton for Amanda Reed Weddings. Shindig Paperie, Fayetteville, Shindigpaperie.com
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Lexie + Blake
Lexie + Blake
Hot Springs // 12.11.21
Lexie Huddleston and Blake Sanders met at a high school football game and soon became close friends before they made their relationship official their freshman year at the University of Arkansas. The pair dated for seven years before Blake popped the question on campus in front of Old Main. “Both of our families were there, and it was very special. The U of A is where our relationship started and we made so many amazing memories during our four years there,” Lexie says….
Garden Party
A muted palette and simple sophistication create a look that’s perfect for an al fresco soirée
Bella Figura “Ichabod” gold foil invitation suite with vellum belly band and coordinating save-the-date card, website card, rehearsal dinner card, and envelope liner. The Social Type, Little Rock, facebook.com/thesocialtypelr…
JENA + JAY-MICHAEL
Jena + Jay-Michael
Little Rock // 11.27.20
Seven is a lucky number for Jena Harrell and her groom Jay-Michael Arnold; that’s roughly how many years the couple knew each other before their first date. “I was living in Little Rock at the time and Jay-Michael was in Memphis,” Jena explains. As fate would have it, Jay-Michael’s job brought him to central Arkansas multiple times a week. During one of these trips, he learned Journey and The Doobie Brothers would be making a stop in North Little Rock, and he finally took the opportunity to ask Jena on a date to the show. “From that night forward, the rest was history,” Jena says.
The couple dated for four years before their Christmas Eve engagement, which took place in front of the Christmas tree with Jay-Michael’s family there to celebrate. From there, the planning began for what they call a “timeless and intentionally intimate” wedding.
Never stop dating one another as if you’ve just met.”
—Jena & Jay-Michael’s advice to engaged couples
The couple knew they wanted a winter wedding and initially considered the bronze Tiffany & Co. doors at the State Capitol as their backdrop. Upon realizing the setting would be decorated for Christmas on their desired date, they turned to wedding planner and designer Jessika McCuin, who suggested the steps of the Pulaski County Courthouse. “Jessika played a huge role in making our wedding come to life,” Jena says. “She was instrumental in my having little to no stress…which really allowed us to enjoy our engagement and focus on preparing for marriage.” The venue wasn’t the only change from initial plans; because of the pandemic, their idea for a large reception after their honeymoon was put on hold.
However, these changes did not put a damper on their day. With 10 guests in attendance, the couple exchanged vows in the beautiful outdoor setting and later celebrated at The Burgundy Hotel with cake, champagne toasts, and a magical sparkler exit. While the two enjoyed a mini-moon stateside following the wedding, they plan to escape to Rome later this year for their delayed honeymoon abroad.
Resources
Bride’s gown Unveiled Bridal Collection Cake PattiCakes Bakery Entertainment (ceremony violinist) Honey Cashion Floral design Tanarah Luxe Floral Hair Devin Pate, DVP Hair Makeup Haley Hanna, Lashout & Makeup Photographer BJ Matthews, B.Matthews Photo Rentals Eventology Venue (ceremony) Pulaski County Courthouse Venue (reception) The Burgundy Hotel Videographer Forestland Films Wedding design and coordination Jessika McCuin Weddings