Seth + Sarah's Heartwood Wedding

From the Bride: For Seth and I, our wedding was the perfect day. One to the start of our lifetime together. Our journey to find each other was longer than most and full of ups and downs, but the reward of our love was worth the wait. We wanted our wedding day to be a reflection of our love in every way. We wrote our own vows that captured the heartfelt promises that we were making to one another. We also chose to be married by one of our best friends who was able to make every part of the ceremony personal and a way for our friends and family to learn more about our love. For us, the day was about more than a union between husband and wife, but also the joining together of our closest friends and family. When else do you get to bring together all the people you love at the same time? In every detail big or small, Seth and I wanted to reflect ourselves, our love, and create a day that made everyone feel wrapped up in love. Each place setting had a thank you card stating how grateful we were for all the support, encouragement, antics, love and laughter each person there had contributed to our lives. It was truly a celebration of love!

I was raised in Lexington while Seth was raised in Overland Park, KS. We both have strong roots to our hometowns and wanted to share a bit of home with our families and friends. For our out-of-town guests, we had welcome bags waiting at their hotel with a sampling of Kentucky goodies like Ale-8-One and bourbon balls from My Old Kentucky Chocolates. At the end of the night, we sent guests home with a sweet and salty treat from Kansas City - Topsy’s Popcorn and Russell Stover chocolate samplers. We had a lot of out-of-town family and friends, so it was important for us to include them throughout the weekend showing them the best Kentucky has to offer. Saturday morning included a Buffalo Trace Distillery tour and everyone gathered in Lexington’s Distillery District on Saturday night for a Welcome Dinner. One of our favorite moments from the wedding was the Dollar Dance which pitted the University of Kentucky (Team Bride) against the University of Kansas (Team Groom). My husband even dressed for the occasion with a Kansas party shirt that looks like a regular tuxedo shirt until the party starts and the jackets come off! In the end, the University of Kentucky won the night when my husband paid all the dollars he had earned to dance with me. For a diehard Kansas Jayhawks fan, it was a gesture of true love to hand the win over to the Kentucky Wildcats.

We chose to get married on Veterans Day, a significant day for us since Seth is an Air Force officer. The military is a big part of our lives. In fact, we would have never crossed paths had the Air Force not brought Seth to Washington, DC where we met. We are grateful for all the adventure and opportunity the Air Force brings to us, and it was important to share that part of our lives with our family and friends. To honor the Veterans Day holiday, we had a prisoners of war/missing in action (POW/MIA) table in our reception hall - a small, round table that is always set but never occupied. This table honors fallen, missing, or imprisoned military service members. During our reception, we took a moment to not only recognize our family and friends who have served, but also those that can’t be present. It was a touching moment of reflection and a reminder of all we have to be grateful for.

Photography: The Malicotes | Videography: Blank Paper Studio | Location: Lexington | Venue + Rentals: The Heartwood | Florals + Wedding Planner + Event Designer + Stationery + Paper Goods: Julep Tulip Events & Designs | Caterer: City BBQ | Cake: Sweet LiLu’s | Music: DJ Beth Mitchell | Hair + Makeup: Blush and Glow | Bride’s Attire: Twirl | Credits: (Getting Ready) [Groom + Groomsmen] Campbell House [Bride + Bridesmaids] Franzetti Photography Studio; (Wedding Party Photos) Keeneland