Lauren + Michael's Beautiful Louisville Wedding

From the Bride: Michael and I both love Kentucky, bourbon, and horse racing so Churchill Downs was the perfect venue to celebrate with our Kentucky friends and family and our “out of the commonwealth” guests – many of who had never been to Kentucky! We created our wedding crest to be the focal point of our wedding celebration. The Twin Spires are at the very top, and the sides are the florals we used during our ceremony and reception, and at the bottom it has the US Capitol building– where we met and got engaged! We used our wedding crest on our save the dates, invitations, welcome bags, table numbers, menus, cake topper, wedding favors and thank you cards.

On the day of the wedding, our guests were able to hangout while watching and betting on races during the day at the Winners Circle Suites and Courtyard. Our ceremony was held trackside after the races ended for the day, just before sunset! Cocktail hour and the reception were held in the Stakes Room. Our signature cocktails and mini hot browns were passed around the balcony with fantastic views of the paddock, track and Twin Spires. Dinner and dancing were held inside and we embraced the richness of room. The main bar was set up like a horse track, there were emerald green walls, horse racing and jockey murals and quotes all throughout the room. The seating was mustard yellow and burgundy velvet chairs and circular leather booths. The patrician walls were even made of leather horse bits. We wanted to embrace the Kentuckian vibe, so our table numbers were bourbon bottles collected from our friends and a local bourbon bar in Paducah.

Our reception was kicked off when the bugler “called to post” for our grand entrance. The Stakes Room had dozens of TV’s around the top of the room so people can watch the races – we decided to use that for a few different things. We had the Kentucky-Florida football game playing and our wedding crest showing on the screens. We kept delaying the “party” after dinner because of the game – Michael and I’s first time hanging out was to watch a Kentucky-Florida game, so it was ironic to us they were playing our wedding day. The bugler played “My Old Kentucky Home” after the CATS won! Our videographer surprised us – and our guests – by playing a sneak peak of our day on the TV’s. We hired a live painter to paint our ceremony scene and she was set up at reception so guests could watch her in action. Between the dancing, hanging out in the stands of Churchill Downs, taking photos at the photo booth, watching the painter paint our ceremony, and eating our delicious cake, our guests had plenty to enjoy!

A few more fun details… On my bachelorette trip, we went to Kendra Scott color bar and my bridesmaids got to make the earrings they would wear at the wedding. I wanted to gift them something special they would want to wear more than once. We had a nod to my parents wedding – our party favors were match boxes – they had the same thing back in the 80s.

My advice to a bride who may be reading this - I wish someone would’ve told me how fast the actual wedding day goes by. You spend over a year planning this one day and it goes by so quick! The wedding day was almost a daze. I tried to take in every moment, but it felt like as soon as I put on my dress the day was about over. After the ceremony and group photos, Michael and I hung out by ourselves for about thirty minutes while our guests enjoyed cocktail hour. It was the first time we got to be together all day and just got to “chill”. We were able to walk through our reception room and try all of the hors d'oeuvre by ourselves before we snuck into cocktail hour with our guests.

Photography: Raegan Garnett Photography | Videography: White Heart Wedding Films | Location: Louisville | Venue + Caterer + Cake: Churchill Downs | Florals: Fields in Bloom | Music: Kudmani | Stationery + Paper Goods: Minted | Hair + Makeup: The Beauty Patrol | Bride’s Attire: Lavendar Park Bridal (Shoes) Gucci (Veil) BHLDLN (Reception Dress) Lulu’s | Groom’s Attire: Ace Custom Tailors (Groom’s Accessories) Von Maur | Credits: (Bride’s Pajamas) Petite Plume (Bridesmaids’ Party Pajamas) Target, MOB Dress, Glitz Nashville (Groomsmen Attire) Ace Custom Tailors (Groomsmen Ties) The Tie Bar (Table Numbers) Mail Boxes Plus (Live Wedding Painter) Heidi Vermeil Art (Signature Drink Sign) Art by Allison Lewis (Custom Wedding Crest) Arabella June (Wedding Suites) Galt House Hotel