Google+ Classic Keeneland Wedding by Lang Thomas - Southern Weddings

Southern Weddings

Allison and Will may not be able to remember exactly how they first met, but I’m positive they remember exactly how they felt when their lives became one on their beautiful wedding day! I’m sure their family and friends won’t soon forget their generous Southern hospitality, either. Starting with their tradition-filled ceremony, right into their Kentucky-inspired reception celebration at Keeneland, Allison and Will made it a very important goal to anticipate needs and make sure their guests felt comfortable and special throughout the day. So sweet!

We’re so glad Lang Thomas was on hand to capture Allison and Will’s Kentucky day!

We decided to do a first look for two reasons. The first reason was because we knew it would be better for our timeline and our photos. We didn’t want to be rushed after the ceremony to get some shots because we wanted to spend that time with friends and family! The second reason was that we wanted to take away some of the nerves of the ceremony by talking with and loving on each other beforehand.

What readings, if any, did you have at your ceremony? We had two readings during our ceremony, 1 John 4: 7-19 and 1 Corinthians 13: 1-13. We chose the scripture from John because it helped us remember why we were able to love in the first place. As for the Corinthians verses, we were hesitant about sounding cliche; however, it was a passage we studied in our premarital counseling that became really meaningful to us.
Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. I walked down the aisle to “Canon in D” by Pachelbel. It mimicked the way the moment felt perfectly–sweet and tender. During the ceremony, we had a friend’s mom sing “Be Thou my Vision” by Saint Dallan. Her daughter, who is a good friend of mine, was serving in ministry outside of the country, and we felt like it was a great message for all of us. (She made a surprise return just in time for the wedding that resulted in lots of happy tears!)

What made you choose your ceremony and reception venues? Did they have any special significance to you? Our families felt like it was really important to be married in God’s house, so we followed tradition and got married in my church, Second Presbyterian Church. The reception was at Keeneland, a place that we both love and admire. My family is in the thoroughbred industry, and Will has come to love this emblem of our state.

When we think of what it means to be Southern, we think of hospitality. We were so thankful that our guests took time out of their weekends to come celebrate us, so we wanted them to feel comfortable and special. Our seated dinner was served in courses with synchronized service that was fit for a king. In the same room, we had lounge areas with couches so people who wanted a more comfortable place to mingle or didn’t feel like dancing could relax there. We tried to think of everyone’s wants and needs!

Our favorite detail of the wedding was: We wanted to embrace everything that being a Kentuckian embodies, and we loved the way it turned out! Keeneland Hospitality did an amazing job helping us realize our vision with the food and drinks. We put Kentucky bourbon in anything that was acceptable (including the salad!) and tried to hit the other notables, like Kentucky hot browns, pimento cheese with cornbread, and fried green tomatoes.

We had a local artist on site painting the reception as it occurred. This is typical to see in the paddock at Keeneland on a beautiful spring or fall day, and we thought it was a fun way to carry on the Kentucky feel in our reception. At Keeneland, patrons can buy the artist’s painting, but lucky for us, we got to keep this one. It hangs in our house today, and we love thinking about it being passed on through our family as the generations go by.

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. Will and I can’t really remember when we first met, but it was during our early years of high school. We both played competitive golf and trained at the same facility in Lexington. We knew of each other, but never really talked. Our moms were friends through Bible study fellowship, and Will’s mom volunteered him to play golf with me after school when my mom mentioned I needed a partner. We started dating in the summer of 2008 and the rest is history!
Tell us all about the proposal! It had been a whirlwind couple of weeks for me after graduating college, being in a friend’s wedding, and a beach vacation. I hadn’t seen Will in quite some time, and he came over to my house the day I got home. He had dinner with my family and me, and then we decided to go on a walk. I live on a horse farm, and we had started walking to one of the barns and feeding the mares some sweet feed. When we got to the barn, he got the feed, and when he handed me the bucket, the ring box was opened inside. It literally took my breath away! My brother was there to snap some pictures of the moment.
When did y’all get married? June 13, 2015
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 290
Tell us about finding your wedding dress. I was a debutante a few years back and found my dress at Bridal and Formal with the most amazing consultant. I knew I wanted to go back to see her, and it just so happened that the shop had a dress I was very interested in. It was just my mom and I who went up to Cincinnati that day to look, and I ended up picking the first dress I snagged off the rack (and of course, it was not the one I went to the store for in the first place!).
Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line? We really wanted our wedding to feel traditional, so we did not write our own vows.
Describe your wedding cake or dessert. Champagne cake with raspberry filling… yum! We decided to go with one flavor to avoid that awkward moment when the person sitting next to you has the cake you wanted instead of the one you were served!
Did you have something borrowed, blue, old, and new? If so, do tell! Yes, and I was lucky enough to bundle borrowed, blue, and old into one! I wore my mom’s gorgeous sapphire and diamond ring that she received from my dad before I was born. My new was everything else, I suppose!
What was one way you saved money or cut costs at your wedding? Having a lot of flowers can get expensive, but it really helped that our wedding designer and coordinator did flowers, as well! Since she was so involved, she knew exactly where we could reuse flowers from the ceremony in the reception without having to create a whole new arrangement.
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? It is so easy to get upset over the little things, whether it is not getting your first choice of a vendor or having a difference in opinion on the details of your wedding. My advice would be to often remind yourself the purpose of the wedding–so you can marry your love–and if it will matter after your date. If it won’t, then it’s probably not important enough to get worked up over!
What’s next for you as a couple? What memories are you looking forward to making together? We are just so excited to be coming home to each other every day and experiencing day to day activities. Since we had not even lived in the same city before our wedding, it really is a treat.

Photographer: Lang Thomas Photography | Videographer: Reel Special Productions | Planner, Florist, and Lighting: Refined Social Events & Design | Ceremony Venue: Second Presbyterian Church | Reception Venue and Caterer: Keeneland | Cake Baker: Martine’s Pastries | Rentals: Canvas Event Furniture | Band: Jimmy Church Band | Paper Products: Claudia Engle Lettering & Designs | Bride’s Gown: Eve of Milady | Hair and Makeup: Mickey Salon/Spa | Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo | Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Amsale | Menswear: Joseph Abboud | Bridal Salon and Veil: Bridal and Formal | Bride’s Earrings: Saks Fifth Avenue | Rings: Walter Childress

marissa Written with love by Marissa
3 Comments
  1. avatar Ryan + Brittany Worthen reply

    Thanks so much for sharing this beautiful wedding! Unfortunately the link above to our website is broken, but you can find us at http://reelspecial.com. Also, if you enjoyed these photos check out Will + Allison’s wedding video here: http://reelspecial.com/will-allison-keeneland-wedding/.

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