The Goff’s Kentucky Wedding
Chris and Caitlin Come Home to Kentucky to Tie The Knot
From the Bride: Hi! We're Chris and Caitlin Goff, current residents of Austin,Texas. Among the many wedding planning decisions we made, no decision was easier than our decision to get married in Kentucky and in our hometown of Lexington where we first met. I grew up in downtown Lexington, on the same street as the Opera House with Rupp Arena essentially in our back yard (Go Cats!). I had a strong desire to keep our wedding festivities within "the hood,” which that we did! We kicked the weekend off with our rehearsal dinner at West Sixth Brewery. Details included M&M’s with our faces, wedding logo and hashtag (#caitlintakesgoff) printed on the candies, a beautiful cupcake display with hand crafted succulents placed atop each separate cupcake. A couple of our friends played acoustic guitar and friends and family enjoyed craft beer and delicious food. The night was a true highlight for Chris and me both and a signal that this was really happening!
While both graduates of the University of Kentucky, I attended undergraduate school at Transylvania University, so our decision to hold our ceremony within the same walls of Old Morrison, where my parents and Chris’ aunt and uncle were married, was very special to us. Dressed and ready to see each other for the first time, Chris and I escaped to have our first look. Instead of writing our own vows, Chris and I read a poem to each other written by Roy Croft that perfectly captured our feelings towards each other. Our handmade programs, put together by my mom, dad, and myself perfectly outlined the ceremony and included a special message from Chris and I to our guests. In the blink of an eye, the ceremony was over and it was time to get the party started!
My vision for our wedding day and specifically for our reception was to be a large party, full of friends, family, good food, drinks and laughter in celebration of our marriage. During cocktail hour, guests were greeted at the entrance of the Apiary with a drink of choice including Prosecco or a canned local beer from Austin (had to sneak that taste of Texas in somewhere!). Guests were entertained by live music and enjoyed passed hors d'oeuvres. One of the most unique gifts we received was having a live painter at our reception. The live painting provided entertainment during the cocktail hour and reception and, in the end, provided a hand painted piece of art for us to hang in our home capturing our most perfect day. Our band, The Drakes, was made up of five of my brother's friends from Los Angeles who flew in for the event. Having live music really made the night come to life and the dancing so much more fun. Our guest book was a print we found on Etsy including an artistic rendering of the Lexington skyline with our names and wedding date at the top. It is now framed and displayed in our home where you can read all the sweet messages from our guests. The reception was magical and lively but one of Chris and my favorite moments was when he stole me away and we went out to the gardens to walk around for a few minutes on our own to soak it all in and reflect on the day. For a moment it was just us, with the noise in the background, and I will never forget it. After our yes, cliche’, but picture perfect sparkler exit, we left the reception in '57 Chevy. We moved the party to a local wine bar that closed their doors to the public for the night and remained open just for our guests to continue to celebrate. It was a fantastic way for Chris and I to get to continue visiting with our friends and family in the celebration of our marriage and, let's face it, who ever wants their wedding day to end! I must mention the help of our incredible wedding planner. People promised me "something will go wrong on your wedding day" but I can honestly say, nothing did and I credit her and her team for that.
Photography: Lang and Kate Thomas, Lang Thomas Photography | Location: Lexington | Venue: Ceremony, Transylvania University, Old Morrison Chapel; Reception: The Apiary| Videography: Josey Wenger, Hoopla Films | Florals: J. Stuart Hurt, House| Cake: Cameron Tinker, Tinker’s Cake Shop | Wedding Planner & Event Designer: Kaelyn Query, Lex Effect | Caterer: The Apiary | Rentals: Bryant’s Rent-All, Band Rentals from the Doo Wop Shop | Music: The Drakes | Transportation: Gold Shield | Hair & Makeup: Ana Crane, Ana Crane Studio | Paper Products: Minted, The Paper Source | Bride's Attire: Dress - Decklyn by Hayley Paige, Shoes - Badgley Mischka, Earrings - BHLDN, Rings - The Menagerie, and Grandmother’s 40th Wedding Anniversary Ring | Groom’s Attire: Suit - Calvin Klein, Shirt - Bonobos, Tie/Socks - The Tie Bar, Shoes - Steve Madden | Credits: Live Painter: Kayla Weber, Bridal Alterations: Kira Kouture, Kira Pickens , Graphic Designer: Logo - Melissa Simonian.