From the Bride: Following our engagement, we quickly decided that we wanted our wedding to represent a comforting day for us to always reflect on. With friends and family traveling from all around the state, and some out of state, we also wanted to choose a unique venue that felt very Kentucky while allowing us to add our own personal touches. As an untraditional wedding venue, Fasig-Tipton Co., founded in 1898 and brought to Lexington in 1972, is North America's oldest Thoroughbred auction company. We adored the property, from its' neighboring horse farms to the ivy wall that overlays the main building. Most importantly, the flexibility the venue had with various buildings to host events. Our ceremony, cocktail hour and reception were all held in a short walking distance from each other with a combination of outdoor and indoor settings.

Add a sprinkle of bourbon and southern food, how much more Kentucky can you get? Mint Juleps and Moscow Mules were handed out at the cocktail hour as our signature drinks, garnished with personalized drink stir sticks of our dog and cat's faces. To further add to the Kentucky feel, we served items like hot brown gougère bites, shrimp and grits, and country ham & cheese grit croquettes, courtesy of Holly Hill Events. We were passionate about including our pets into our big day, so we also created a Doggy/Kitty bag bar for guests to take home biscuits or toys to their furry friends. Annie, our dog stayed with us the night before our wedding, hung with the bridesmaids during getting ready and joined us for some of our first look portraits. She helped calm our nerves and it was special to have her with us!

Our day ran beyond smoothly with the event design and coordination assistance from Jen Guiler with Christina Burton Events. Together, we created a design that was light, airy and elegant for our guests to enjoy. We were able be fully present and soak up all of the precious moments as we moved through our day. They aren't kidding when they say the day goes by fast! Prior to the ceremony, we were able to capture most of our family portraits so that we could quickly sneak into cocktail hour. We danced our first dance to “Joy of My Life” by Chris Stapleton. We loved having extra time to hug our guests and start to enjoy the event we spent over a year planning together. It was a dream come true seeing our vision come to life!

Seeing each other for the first time was one of the most special parts of the day. After we said "I do" we were showered with floral petals walking hand in hand up the aisle, seeing familiar faces everywhere we looked and feeling an abundance of love. It was simply the best. Our wedding will be a day we always remember, surrounded by our most cherished people celebrating the start of the rest of our lives!

Bride’s Advice: Celebrate the big and small wins throughout wedding planning. Engagement is such a sweet season and goes by so fast, even with a long engagement!

Kelsey + Cory's Lexington Wedding