Southern Weddings

As y’all know, our dear Lisa and I traditionally share email gush-fests over our gorgeous Real Weddings before they get to y’all, our sweet readers! Well, Katie and Evan’s wedding came with a long chain–Lisa said this is what she imagines my wedding would look like if it was coming up, and I can assure you, in my dreams, it does! ;) Gold glitter everywhere, soft pink blooms, and an absolutely stunning ball gown–yes please! Not to mention, this sweet day happened at a ridiculously beautiful chapel (floor to ceiling glass walls, y’all!), and followed the sweetest proposal–fellas, take note! Yep, for my blush and bashful-loving sister, Shelby, and myself, that sounds about perfect!

SW hugs to Weddings by Christopher & Nancy for sharing this pretty pink day with us!

Tell us about finding your wedding dress. I walked into Low’s Bridal (a very well known bridal shop in a little bitty town called Brinkley, Arkansas), and the first dress I saw, I knew it was the one. I walked in, was greeted by the owner, and I told her I wanted that one, right there. She pulled it down, I tried it on, and we were done!

We did a first look, for a few reasons. One, we don’t really believe in superstition… well, unless the Razorbacks are playing, then Evan is very superstitious. Two, we wanted to have time by ourselves to see each other, and we didn’t want to have to go through the emotional toll at the altar when everyone was watching. It made for some great pictures, and it was everything we wanted in a first look.

Me oh my, this is SUCH a pretty chapel!

Having all of our friends and family at our wedding was the best! The thing about weddings, especially during the summer, is that sometimes people can’t make them due to other plans or circumstances. That wasn’t the case with their wedding. Every single one of our dearest friends and family members came, and that made it a day that we will never forget!

Our favorite detail of the wedding was: I loved the champagne glasses with gold sugar rims and the snow cones!

What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? The distance between Evan and I during the planning was tough. Most of the big plans were set in stone before the summer started, but a lot of the minor details weren’t set until July. Evan was in Hot Springs working all summer, while I was in San Antonio planning the wedding. We were together every other week and worked out the details then.

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. Evan and I were both transfers to Ouachita Baptist University in fall 2011. On the day before classes, Evan and his roommate walked into the cafeteria and saw my friend and me walking towards them. Evan had known my friend since junior high, so he stopped to say hello, and she introduced us. The next day, Evan and I found ourselves in the same history class. Somehow, he got my number… only to find out I had a very serious boyfriend back home. That didn’t stop him from pursuing me, even though he was shot down many times. Time passed, and once I had broken up with my boyfriend, Evan finally took me on a date. He was nervous and constantly looked at his phone, which made me think he wasn’t interested in me. Fast forward to late January, Evan was with one of his good friends, Jared, and Jared’s girlfriend at the time, Kaylee (one of my best friends). Kaylee had told Jared to say something to Evan about taking me to the Beta Valentines banquet, so Jared did just that. Evan was surprised that I had any interest in going, only to find out later that I used him to go to this banquet because all my friends were going to be at it. Evan didn’t let that get him down though; he took it as a challenge. Well, he totally won that challenge, because 19 months later, here we are, married!
Tell us all about the proposal! The proposal came on a cold morning in mid February. Evan and I drove to Fall Branch Falls, while I was blindfolded! Once there, he took me from the car and walked me to the trail. After taking off my blindfold, it was no surprise as to what was coming next. Photographers began to snap pictures of us, and my face lit up. Evan had planned the proposal to take place at the picturesque waterfall at the end of the trail. Along the trail were signs that were created to look like chapters to a book. The chapters represented the different stages of our relationships and had stories about what took place during each stage. The last chapter was located beside the waterfall, where a table with a beautiful bouquet of flowers waited. Beside the flowers was a bible. He picked it up and read 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. After reading, he took my hands and told me, “The last chapter is blank, and rightfully so. We haven’t begun to write this chapter yet, but if you say yes, we will have the rest of our lives to write it.” It was then that he got down on one knee, as I screamed at the top of my lungs, “YES!!!!” As soon as he stood up, he turned me around to see my parents and his parents standing on top of the waterfall. I thought my dad was in NYC and my mom in Houston, but Evan had snuck them up for the big day. He then flipped the bible he had been reading to the front cover–it was inscribed Katie Greenwood. He then surprised me with a party for our closest friends to come celebrate with us. It was the best day of both of our lives at that point, but the wedding day would soon take that spot!
When did y’all get married? August 9, 2014
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 300
If you are comfortable responding, what range did your wedding budget fall into? $25,000-$50,000
What is the one detail or vendor that you were so happy to have as a part of your wedding? Our photographers, the Nolans! As soon as we walked into their chic loft studio and were greeted by the both of them, Evan and I knew these guys were the ones! Nancy and Christopher were so personable and willing to work with whatever plans we had in our head. Evan and I screamed and danced as we watched our slide show!
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you most looking forward to about married life? We are finishing our last semester of school and will both be graduating from OBU with our bachelor’s degrees in December. We plan on moving to Little Rock, Dallas, or San Antonio after graduation, depending on Evan’s job. We love just being together 24/7. Once we get settled in after graduation, wherever that may be, we cannot wait to make our new home cozy. Once we get established, we want to have kids, and we cannot wait for that!

Photographer: Weddings by Christopher & Nancy / Videographer: Aspire Studios / Planner: Randi Slick / Ceremony Venue: Anthony Chapel, Garvan Woodland Gardens / Reception Venue and Catering: Hot Springs Country Club / Florist: Flowers and Homes / Cake Baker: Ambrosia Bakery / DJ: Rodney Block / Bride’s Gown: “9100” by Allure Bridals / Hair Stylist: Freedom United Salon / Bride’s Shoes: Kate Spade / Menswear: At Last Bridal and Formal

Written with love by Marissa