Red, White, and "I Do"
What a beautiful wedding to showcase on Veterans Day weekend!
We are so thankful for people like Jon who serve our country and for the men and women (like Candice) who stand beside them as they do it. We love this patriotic wedding!
From the bride: Our wedding day was as much of an anticipated event for all of our friends and family as much as it was for my husband and I. After dating for only four months, he was deployed for nearly nine months. We tossed around the idea of getting married for months and he made it official three weeks after he got home! We were beyond excited as were all our friends and family.
For our colors we had a few inspirations. I wanted a fall wedding, October to be exact. My husband didn't want to wait that long though so we comprised for June. That didn't mean I had to follow rules for seasonal colors or my dress. We wound up choosing the deep jewel tones of maroon and navy (some of our favorite colors) with accents of white and gold. Many people asked why we chose such dark colors for the summertime, I said "why not?
I was even lucky enough to have my own glam squad I've known for years. My best friend and maid of honor owns her own freelance makeup business, Makeup by Andrea Rachelle. My hair stylist was my long time friend Ashley Lewis who is a stylist at Mi Salon in Florence, Kentucky. She actually stayed for the reception and pinned my hair all the way up to create a reception look for me! We decided to do a dessert bar for the guest and had a small golden cake for us to cut. It was a marbled cake with a bourbon cream filling (because being a Kentucky couple we had to have bourbon cake, duh!). Our center pieces were bourbon bottles that my husband and I had collected over a few months (if you know what I mean, haha). We felt the need to pay homage to our home state that we love very much and to the drink that brought us together in the first place.
My favorite moment of the day was when I finally got to see Jon. I had been a nervous wreck all day. Once we finally got to be together we were both more at ease and I could actually enjoy my self and the event that we created for us and our loved ones. Jon's favorite moment was when I was walking down the aisle toward him. He told me he was more excited that he had been in a long time and he was relieved to finally get to call me his wife.
Don't let others opinions effect what you and your fiancé want. It doesn't matter, but you do need to be accommodating to your guest. People travel, take off work, and spend a lot of money for one day just like you. They do understand they won't get to see you the entire time so don't feel bad. When booking a hotel, book one that is close to the venue even if might be a little more expensive. My guest stayed in a newly renovated hotel two blocks away and absolutely loved it.
From the photographer: The reason that this wedding is unique is because it is not your average pretty pink wedding, but instead it really highlights their story. The military plays a huge role in their relationship, from the patriotic choice of bridesmaid colors to the phonetic styled centerpieces; the Army has been a thread. Military relationships sometimes can be messy, but Jon and Candice showcased the beautiful part of it, the commitment. The amount of love, respect, and dedication at this wedding was overwhelming. Not only between Jon’s military brothers, but also between the couple themselves. Their wedding also highlights their Kentucky roots with their bourbon jars at the center of attention, the perfect nod to their Bluegrass State.
PHOTOGRAPHER: Olivia Hatfield LOCATION: Newport, Kentucky VENUE + EVENT DESIGNER: Carnegie Hall FLORIST: Annabelle's Flower Shop CATERER + CAKE: Cincinnati Catering MUSIC: Matt Day TRANSPORTATION: Landforce One Limo PAPER PRODUCTS: Haley Michelle Designs HAIR: Ashley Lewis from Mi Salon MAKEUP: Makeup by Andrea Rachelle BRIDE'S ATTIRE: David's Bridal GROOM'S ATTIRE: Army Service Uniform