From the Bride: My immediate family and all 3 sets of my grandparents stayed at the Ashley Inn on Friday and Saturday night. This was so special to me because I was able to spend a lot of time with them before the wedding day (they all live 6+ hours away from me and I don't see them all in one place often). The whole weekend was family-oriented as our two families shared stories and memories of us at the rehearsal dinner the night before. I stayed with my two sisters at the Ashley Inn as well, which was also a special memory for me.

We started the wedding day with a bridal family breakfast where all of my grandparents, parents, siblings, and I sat around and shared memories from my childhood. After that, my bridesmaids, mother, and I headed upstairs for hair and makeup. We played music, danced around, ate lunch, popped the champagne, and really just spent time together before the craziness of photos began. I slipped out every once in a while to check in on my Memaw (my mother's mom) who was making my bridal bouquet. My Memaw and I made almost all of the flowers for my wedding. I've known from a young age I wanted her to make my bouquet and I got just that. The bouquet was wrapped in fabric from my mother's shawl she used on her wedding day and monogrammed with "you are my sunshine," a song she used to sing to me when I was little. Once I was ready and photos began, I really just soaked every moment in -- from my mom buttoning my dress to the first look with my husband under an oak tree by the pond -- each moment is still clear and cherished in my head. I can thoroughly say my husband and I enjoyed every moment of my wedding day. We still look at each other and say, "that was the best day ever!"

Our ceremony was in the Grove of the Ashley Inn surrounded by 200 of our favorite people. I couldn't keep it together as I walked down the aisle and was finally experiencing everything I ever dreamed of on my wedding day. After a short and sweet ceremony, we were ready to party! We moved over to the carriage house where we catered Sweet Lilu's using our own Angus beef (my dad is a cattle & crop farmer), so everyone loved the food! We had a taco bar with ground beef & flank steak, and nachos with all the fixings and a BBQ bar with pulled pork, pulled chicken, and a loaded mac 'n cheese station. We passed around champagne for cake cutting and toasts before heading to the barn, where the real party began! We had macarons and Crumbl cookies in the barn along with a mobile beverage bar in an old horse trailer for guests to enjoy. We did our first dances (our first dance was to “Growing Old With You” by Restless Road), and a bouquet toss before dancing the night away with childhood friends, college friends, family, family friends, and coworkers who were there to celebrate us. Our friends keep telling us how much fun they had and how it's their favorite wedding they've ever been to. We were really just focused on each other and having fun the entire day -- and we got just that!

Bride’s Advice: Hire a Day-of Coordinator! Even though I planned my entire wedding by myself, having a DOC made all the difference in the world for me to actually be present and enjoy my wedding day. I wasn't stressed AT ALL, knowing she would take care of any snags that may occur on the day of. Even if you are a planner and like to be in control, it's still the best money you'll spend on your wedding!

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Bride’s Attire: Justin Alexander from Relix Bridal

Allyson + Jacob's Lancaster Wedding!

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