Emily + Austin's Classic Southern Wedding

From the Bride: Our wedding took place at a location near and dear to my heart: my childhood home. The reception took place on my parent’s farm and the ceremony was performed in the church I had attended since birth. We looked at elegant venues but nothing else felt right. The location, much like the details in our wedding, was personal to us and felt like home. Throughout the wedding planning process, our goal was to make sure we weren't having a Pinterest wedding, but rather a timeless wedding that represented the two of us and our families, regardless of what was trending at the time. We used a number of antiques and heirlooms in our wedding. One of my most favorite was a trunk that belonged to my great--great-grandfather. My mother made it her project to have it refurbished to reflect its original beauty. It was used to hold wooden fans for guests to use at the tented reception. The purse and compact I used at the reception were also antiques as well as a number of decorations at the reception including old books about Kentucky and a vintage camera used to mark our photographer’s table.

Austin and I agree that our favorite part of the day was our first look. One day while driving around the farm with my parents to plan out how and where everything would take place, I spotted a giant pair of oak trees on the property and immediately fell in love. I couldn't imagine having our first look anywhere else. The moment took place with only us and our photographers completely alone in this empty field. It was such a beautiful moment for us to spend together, as well as hang out with our photographers. Those photos are my absolute favorite from the wedding. The beautiful trees provided shade while a tiny breeze gave my veil just the right amount of movement. My mom called this our "Gone with the Wind" moment as the photos capture us embracing under the trees in the (very) hot summer day.

My favorite personal detail of our wedding was the music. My husband, a musician and composer, arranged nearly all of the music for our wedding day, including our first dance song. The first song we ever danced to was "I've Never Been in Love Before." We had known each other just a few days and had no idea how true those lyrics were to us at the time. That song seemed to be the perfect choice for our first dance, but I didn't like the idea of a slow first dance setting the pace for our reception. Enter my husband who arranged the perfect first dance song and enlisted our friends to perform it. The song began with a slow and dramatic intro, much like how you typically hear the song performed. However, it quickly changed to an upbeat jazzy tune to which we performed a swing dance. Dancing to our song that was arranged by my husband and performed by our friends all while surrounded by our closest friends and family is a moment I hope I never forget.

Finally, I was so afraid of rain on our wedding day. However, when the day came, I really didn't care. Tropical Storm Barry ripped through our reception but it was honestly so fun. We got amazing photos because of it and it made the whole day even more memorable. I think our wedding is such a great example to couples to show them that as long as you get married, the details (and weather) really doesn't matter.

Photography: The Malicotes | Videography: JPSJR Productions; Spice Media Productions | Location: Alpha | Venue: (Ceremony) Old Bethel Bible Church (Receptions) Private Family Farm | Florals: Monticello Florist | Wedding Planner: Stephanie Likins | Event Designer: Matlock Entertainment | Caterer: LaDonna's Catering | Cake: Lisa Gregory; North Lime Cakery | Rentals: (Decor) The Saltbox (Tent + Dance Floor) Party Source Rentals | Music: (Ceremony) Sharon Bertram, Joseph Wrightson (Reception) DJ - Frank Casada; Joseph Wrightson, Jonathon Nickell, Kirby Davis, Jacob O’Donnell, Isaiah Kuamoo | Transportation: The Saltbox | Stationery + Paper Goods: (Invitations) Paper Dainty (Day-Of Stationary) Georgia Blues Design; Simply Suite | Hair + Makeup: Shelbi Lawhorn Artistry | Bride’s Attire: Maggie Sottero from The White Room | Groom’s Attire: The Black Tux | Credits: (Maid of Honor’s Dress) LulaKate from Bella Bridesmaids (Vintage Stamp Curator) Treasure Fox (Calligraphy) Here + Now