You know, I just can’t pin point my favorite part of this Arkansas wedding. It could be the whimsical hay bale seating which I never tire of, or the rustic charm of the horse ranch that the festivities were held at. Who knows, maybe it’s even the cute, fluffy dogs. I think it might be all of the above captured to complete and utter perfection by Aaron Snow. The gallery is awaiting your click and it is full of love and even more gorgeous details from this southern beauty.
From the beautiful Bride…
Jake and I wanted to remember our wedding day to reflect our lifestyle. It seemed so easy, during the planning process, to make the day about everyone else, but we worked really hard to keep the focus on our desires. We didn’t dream about some fancy soiree in an unfamiliar location. When Jake and I talked about our dream wedding, we talked about hanging out in comfortable clothes with our family and friends.
The wedding was held at Angel Creek Stables, which conveniently doubles as my mom’s farm. We took the week before the wedding off work so that we would have time to set everything up and spend time with our families. The week was more work than I could have ever imagined! Thankfully, Jake’s entire family flew in from all over the country and jumped right in to help. I don’t think they knew how serious we were when we said, “This couldn’t have happened without you.” It really wouldn’t have! The morning of the wedding was not spent in the normal state of relaxation for the bride and bridal party. The whole family was throwing hay bales, tying ribbon on burlap, setting candles on tables, putting up signage, hanging sheppard hooks, and cooking lunch for 50+ family members until about 2:00 PM — keep in mind, pictures started at 3:00. Not only did we have an entire army helping us the week of the wedding, we had half the city of Fort Smith praying for nice weather…and did those prayers pay off! If you can believe this, it rained for a solid week until about three days before the wedding — just enough rain for the grass to turn green and a nice amount of time for the puddles to dry. Then, on the day of the wedding at about 5:30 PM, my cousin reported a downpour 2 miles south of us and my mom’s best friend reported a downpour 2 miles north of us. For us, though? A beautiful rainbow. It was like the clouds picked up just long enough to protect the seats.
Another aspect of the wedding that people should know is about my dress. Before my wedding, it belonged to my sister. Paige, my matron of honor, and best friend, volunteered her dress for me to have completely taken apart and put back together. Hers had beautiful tucks all over the skirt, a dropped waistline, and a top that was straight across. Amy, a friend of the family, took the tucks out, shortened the front of the skirt, raised the waist, made a belt, and created a sweetheart neckline. In the end, I had a borrowed, old, and new dress — all in one. I could never repay my sister for the gift of her wedding dress, and words can’t express what it meant to me. In the end, all of the planning, decision making, and worrying was completely worth it. I could go on and on about the perfection of our wedding day. It meant the world to Jake and me to have those closest to us witness the exchanging of our vows, and I never thought I would find so much joy in watching people hang out on a couch made of hay!
Photography: Aaron Snow / Venue: Angel Creek Stables / Invitations: Xowyo / Shoes: Sperry Top-Sider / Dress: Jasmine Bridal (original dress) redesigned and re-made by Amy Hale / Bridesmaid’s Dresses: J. Crew / Groom’s Suit: Land’s End / Groom’s Tie: The Tie Bar / Band: Joe Giles and the Homewreckers / Reception Lighting: Eventures Outdoor / Lanterns: Purchased at Sam’s Club / Cake: Jennifer Olienyk / Cupcakes: Cuppies and Joe
