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It took exactly one year for Kimberly and Jason to go from their first date to their wedding day. As someone who never would have imagined I’d get engaged just eight months after starting to date my now-fiancé, I could not agree more with Kimberly’s sentiment: when you know, you know! These two couldn’t resist tying the knot on the same occasion that fell on their first date, the Kentucky Derby. Drawing from this beloved Southern sporting event for inspiration, as well as Kimberly’s passion for all things equestrian, Kimberly and Jason set out to plan a sweet spring wedding, complete with fabulous hats and an abundance of mint juleps. Marilisa of Chancey Charm Weddings was on hand to ensure the day went off seamlessly, and our Blue Ribbon Vendor, Chris Isham, captured every special moment and detail!

On Saturday, May 4, 2013, a dark bay colt named Itsmyluckyday ran in the 139th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. Unfortunately for him, it was not his lucky day, as he finished near the end of the pack, but for Jason and me, that day changed our lives forever. It was the day we sat in a corner booth at The Capital Grille in Atlanta for over four hours on our first date. Less than a week later, we had a second dinner date that lasted over five hours, and by our third date, we both finally understood what the phrase “you will just know” meant. We both felt that all the years leading up to us meeting were years that God had used to mold and shape us to be ready for each other.

Did you decide to do a “first look”? Why or why not? The layout of our wedding day was a bit unusual in that we wanted to keep the ceremony very small and intimate, with only our families and extended families in attendance. Following the ceremony, we had a cocktail hour so that our ceremony guests could mingle, and the other 200+ guests who were invited to the reception arrived. We decided to do a first look before the ceremony, as we wanted a moment that was all ours to read the vows that we had written for each other. This was the most intimate moment of the day, and one we will never forget!

What made you choose your ceremony and reception venues? Did they have any special significance to you? When my dear friend, client, and business partner offered her farm to us as a wedding venue, the decision was a no-brainer–it is immaculately kept and so very serene! My horse is boarded at the farm, and I train clients’ horses, so I am there most days of the week. The farm is like heaven on earth to me! You could truly feel the presence of God at the farm on our wedding day.

I knew that our ceremony was going to be an emotional time, so we added a little comic relief by having my dog, Zhou, as our ring bearer! He goes to work with me every day, so he knows his way around the farm. He did perfectly coming down the aisle and sitting with us, but I guess he got a little bored, because he started rolling around in the grass at my feet. It was a great laugh!

What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? Jason and I both agree that when our photographer took us to the pasture to have some photos taken between the ceremony and reception, we were truly able to breathe in the atmosphere. The reception guests had arrived, and the band was starting up, so from a distance, we were able to let everything sink in for a moment.

Our favorite detail of the wedding was: The Kentucky Derby theme was a lot of fun! It was quite significant considering our first date and wedding day were both on Derby Day. I have also ridden my entire life and have made my career training horses, so it fit my personality and passions. Our guests seemed to really enjoy the Derby attire, and everyone looked so posh! We wanted the overall feel to be elegant, yet comfortable, and I think the Derby theme helped us achieve this. From the Derby props in the photo booth to the lavender mint juleps, it was so much fun!

We wanted an environment that encouraged our guest to be up, moving and mingling. We had enough seating/tables for about half our guests, so those who wanted to sit had the option, but we also had a bunch of high tables set out for those wanting to stand. Mac the Cheese was the perfect fit for our desire to have people “grazing” on the Southern fixins’. They set up a couple of Southern food stations, and also served off the truck. We made sure to have plenty of sweet tea as well!

Jason and I discussed eloping right after we got engaged because neither of us considered ourselves “wedding” people, but it was so important for us to have our family there. I was not a girl who grew up dreaming of a fairy tale wedding, so I had to mentally break things down and think of it like planning a big party. In the end, it all turned out to be a fairy tale wedding, and we were so happy that we didn’t elope.

Don’t miss their teaser from Remedy Wedding Films!

Tell us about the proposal! On a Wednesday evening in early October, after having dinner in Chattanooga, Jason and I took a walk across the Walnut Street Bridge. While sitting on a bench overlooking the Tennessee River, Jason asked me to spend the rest of my life with him. We chose May 3, 2014 for our wedding date, and the 140th Kentucky Derby ran as our friends and families celebrated our union, exactly one year from our first date!
When did y’all get married? May 3, 2014
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 75 at the ceremony, about 275 at the reception
Tell us about finding your wedding dress. Finding my dress was one of the easiest parts of wedding planning! I thought it might be a daunting task, as I am not much of a shopper, and I had never thought about my future wedding dress. I made three appointments on one day and invited my mom and sister to join me. My second appointment was almost cut short, as I did not want to dig through the hundreds of dresses on the racks at Bridals by Lori, but my sister jumped at the opportunity and started bringing dresses to me in the fitting room. I tried on a few that were beautiful, but the fourth or fifth dress brought a tear to my eye when I walked out to show my mom. The dress was so unique and had so many different elements to it. It was a perfect fit for my personality!
What readings, if any, did you have at your ceremony? For the ceremony, we wanted all the glory to be given to God. A childhood friend of mine, who is now an ordained minister, told our story of how God brought us together, and we took communion. We also put a unity cross together to represent two becoming one. We had scripture read, as well as praise and worship music played.
Did you have something borrowed, blue, old, and new? If so, do tell! My something borrowed was a hair clip that my sister (my matron of honor) had worn in her wedding. For my something blue, I had fabric that belonged to my late grandmother (a seamstress) sewn in the underside of my dress. My something old was an old Italian handkerchief given to me from our mentor couple on our wedding day. I wrapped it around my bouquet under the diamond horseshoe brooch that I had pinned to the stems.
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? Breathe…your engagement should be about the marriage, not the wedding. We attend North Point Community Church in Alpharetta, and we were blessed to go through their premarital mentoring program. It was time well spent leading up to the biggest decision of our lives. We loved our mentor couple and continue to seek their wisdom and guidance!

Photographer: Chris Isham Photography / Videographer: Remedy Wedding Films / Planner: Chancey Charm / Ceremony and Reception Venue: Serenity Farm / Florist: Bloomin’ Bouquets / Cake Baker: Cakes by Darcy / Caterer: Mac the Cheese / Rentals and Lighting: Classic Party Rentals / Band: Az Izz / Photo Booth: Wow Photo Booth / Paper Products: Ecru Stationery & Design / Bridal Salon, Bride’s Accessories, and Men’s Attire: Bridals by Lori / Hair Stylist: Studio Todd G / Makeup Artist: The Moore Agency / Bride’s Shoes: Benjamin Adams and Stuart Weiztman / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Bravura / Monogram Throw Pillows: I Do Linens / Transportation: Easy Ride Golf Carts

Chris Isham is a delightful member of our Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory!

lisa Written with love by Lisa
8 Comments
  1. avatar Emily reply

    Love that their wedding was able to take place at such a special spot for them!

  2. avatar Occasions In Print reply

    I think the small ceremony was a great alternative to just eloping. Beautiful wedding!

  3. avatar Charmaine (Rustic Folk Weddings) reply

    Love how the couple incorporated the cross at the altar. Beautiful wedding!

  4. avatar Marilisa reply

    Such a blessing to have worked with this amazing couple! Their sincere focus on the marriage more than just the wedding details was refreshing and obviously radiates in their love for one another in the photos :) Thanks SW ladies for sharing!!

  5. avatar Rachel Nordgren reply

    As someone who LOVES horses, this looks like the most darling wedding! What a beautiful location, and I adore that they had their dog in the ceremony!

  6. avatar Sarah Chancey reply

    This wedding was such a blessing to be a part of!

  7. avatar Chris Isham reply

    Y’all are the best! Thanks so much for sharing this wedding!! :)

  8. avatar 5 Gorgeous Rustic Romantic and Elegant Wedding Ideas & Color Palettes – Elegantweddinginvites.com Blog reply

    […] Wedding Lady/via Southern Weddings/via Bryan N. Miller Photography/via Jane Means […]

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Hannah and Kyle’s wedding includes many of my favorite details: shades of soft pink, sparkly gold accents, adorable little ones (boys in gingham and girls in tulle at that!), groomsmen rocking colorful cowboy boots, outdoor pews…the list could go on and on. But, like our dear Lisa, I love reading the couple’s interviews and delving into their love stories. While the above details are gorgeous, I couldn’t help but be taken by the sweet joy that these two have for each other. Since they met through a country dance group, a country song was almost required as their first dance. With the last line being “You could give me a million reasons why you love me. I’d just give you two million reasons right back,” you know there wasn’t a dry eye in the house.

Big hugs to Tucker Images for sharing this sweet soiree with us!

Lush Couture Floral did a fantastic job on our flowers! Deitra used lots of different shades of pink, blush, and cream. She even added a bit of a coral color to blend in with our bridesmaid dresses. I couldn’t have been more pleased with the end result! The bridesmaid bouquets were to die for and the shotgun shell boutonnieres were a huge hit.

Tell us about finding your wedding dress. Like any girl, I had looked online at styles and designers I liked before I went to try any on. I went to a small boutique near the town I grew up in and tried on about eight dresses, but none of them felt like the one. I kept going back to a dress I had seen online, and I knew that I couldn’t make a decision without trying that one on. The boutique I was at didn’t have it for me to try on, but they were sweet enough to call other stores in the area to find a sample for me to try. Only one store had it, so my mom, sister, and I drove 45 miles to that store. I knew it was the one the moment the sales associate showed it to me.

Our favorite detail of the wedding was: Our favorite detail of the wedding would have to be the ring bearer and flower girl attire. There was something about the rustic feel of the gingham, suspenders, and bow ties paired with the elegant feel of the tulle and sequin dresses. Gosh, those kids were adorable!

These boys – I can’t even deal!

What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? The most memorable moment about our wedding day was definitely the moment that I walked down the aisle and saw Kyle for the first time. I had our ushers hold up old doors at the end of the aisle and I hid behind them until the Bridal March came on. The ushers pulled the doors apart and my dad and I started walking down the aisle. I will forever remember the look on Kyle’s face when the doors opened up. He was crying and smiling at the same time. At one point, he even put his head down to wipe away his tears. It was the most powerful thing to witness.

Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line? We actually decided to write our own vows about a week before the wedding because we wanted to incorporate more of what we felt the Lord was telling us about marriage. Kyle promised to do his best to love me the way Jesus loves His bride, the church. I promised to love Kyle the way Jesus sacrificially loves me.
What readings, if any, did you have at your ceremony? Kyle and I chose to wash one another’s feet during our ceremony as a way to serve one another just like Jesus served the disciples. My grandfather, who also officiated, read John 13:1-17, which tells the story of Jesus washing the disciples’ feet.

Kyle and I decided from the very beginning that we wanted to serve pie over cake. We actually got married on “Pi Day” (3.14)–it wasn’t even intentional! We ended up serving both pie and cake at our wedding. We ordered our pies from a family-owned country restaurant called Joe’s. We served chocolate, pecan, key lime, and cherry cream cheese. Yum! We then ordered a small cake to cut from Sugar Bee Sweets. We chose blackberry cream cheese as the filling and then did a ruffle and stucco look for the icing. It was fabulous!

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. Kyle and I actually met through a country dance group… totally random, I know! I had been a part of the group for about a year before I moved to the Philippines with my family for four months. During those four months, Kyle began country dancing and he started hanging out with all of my friends in the dance group. I moved back to the U.S. in October 2011 and I met Kyle five days later. We have been inseparable ever since!
Tell us all about the proposal! About a year after Kyle and I started dating, I really felt like God was calling me back to the Philippines to start a home for unwed, pregnant women in crisis situations. It was so hard to leave Kyle, but God totally had a plan for us all along. We had plenty of Skype dates and late night phone calls–that 13-hour time difference was killer! I moved in January 2013, and four months later, the Lord paved the way for Kyle to do his senior internship in the Philippines. He worked during the week, so we spent our weekends exploring a foreign country. The second weekend after Kyle arrived, we decided to take a trip to the beach with my entire family. We had a blast snorkeling, exploring, and just relaxing. On our last night at the beach, we went to go explore the other side of the island and take pictures. Kyle and I were walking down the beach with my family, talking about life, when all of a sudden, he grabbed my hand and turned me toward him. It was at that moment that I knew exactly what was happening. Kyle gave a little speech–which neither of us can remember–and he got down on one knee. All I remember doing was saying, “Yes!” over and over while jumping up and down.
When did y’all get married? March 14, 2014
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 130
Did you decide to do a “first look”? Why or why not? Kyle and I decided not to do a first look. We are fairly traditional and were happy with our decision. Kyle was adamant that we were not going to see each other, nor did he want to know any details about what I was wearing. I wasn’t even allowed to show him dresses that I didn’t like! There was something so special about seeing my groom for the first time waiting for me at the end of the aisle.
What made you choose your ceremony and reception venues? Did they have any special significance to you? Since we met country dancing, getting married in/near a barn was a no brainer. When we pulled up to Classic Oaks Ranch for the first time, we knew it was where we would get married. The entire venue has a rustic, elegant feel, and that was exactly what we were going for.
Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. We used the song “My Dear” by Bethel Music for the wedding party’s processional. It is definitely not a traditional song for a wedding, but it was so us. We walked back up the aisle to “This Will Be (an Everlasting Love)” by Natalie Cole. Something about that song makes me want to get up and dance! Our first dance was to “Yours and Mine” by Kyle Park. We just had to dance to a country song–it was a must. My favorite part is the end: “You could give me a million reasons why you love me. I’d just give you two million reasons right back. There’s no stopping two hearts like ours. There’s no reason to even try. There’s nothing better than this world of yours and mine.”
Did you have something borrowed, blue, old, and new? If so, do tell! This is one part of wedding planning that I definitely got stumped on. My something old was my great grandmother’s pink lace hankie that we wrapped around my bouquet. I borrowed my grandmother’s locket and placed it around my bouquet as well. Inside the locket, I placed a picture of me and my grandmother, who passed away six years ago. I had a small navy bow on my garter that I used as my something blue. Kyle’s wedding gift to me was a beautiful pearl bracelet that I used as my something new. Phew! I got all four!
What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? Oh goodness, where to begin?! I am a sucker for all things Southern. Heck, I even walked down the aisle in my boots. Some of the Southern details we included were the gingham shirts, suspenders, and bow ties. We served BBQ and iced tea. Oh, and the pies! That’s about as Southern as you can get.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? My family still lives in the Philippines, so it was really hard to plan a wedding and not have my mom physically here to help me. I sent her tons of emails and pictures to get her input, but it just wasn’t the same as having her here.
If you are comfortable responding, what range did your wedding budget fall into? $10,000-$25,000
What is the one detail or vendor that you were so happy to have as a part of your wedding? Definitely Britney and Ben from Tucker Images. They are absolutely phenomenal. Not only are their photography skills amazing, but their personalities really catch your attention. I had tons of people tell me after the wedding how much they enjoyed our photographers. Britney and Ben are so easy to get a long with and very professional. I can’t say enough positive things about this awesome couple!
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? Enjoy the planning stages, but don’t get so consumed with it that you forget the whole reason you are having a wedding in the first place. Spend time with your fiancé and go on dates that don’t include wedding talk. You still need to invest in your relationship!
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you most looking forward to about married life? I don’t really know what is next for us as a couple. Wherever God leads us is where we will go. For right now, we will enjoy being newlyweds and spending time with friends and family, and someday, we will start a family of our own.

Photographer: Tucker Images / Venue: Classic Oaks Ranch / Florist: Lush Couture Floral / Pie Baker: Joe’s Family Restaurant and Sugar Bee Sweets / Caterer: Texas Best Smokehouse & BBQ / DJ: DJ BMAC (Brandon McKeever) / Bride’s Gown: “Carissa” by Maggie Sottero / Bridal Salon: Emma’s Bridal / Hair Stylist: Lacie at Olive the Beauty Lounge / Makeup Artist: Sara at Olive the Beauty Lounge / Bride’s Shoes: Bonnie by Old Gringo / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: BingBridal / Men’s Attire: Express / Flower Girl Dresses: Promgirldress / Ring Bearers’ Shirts: J.Crew / Ring Bearers’ Bow Ties and Suspenders: Cotton Kandy Shop

marissa Written with love by Marissa
13 Comments
  1. avatar Lisa reply

    I love their country love story, bouquets, and “Pi Day” pies!

  2. avatar Britney reply

    Oh my goodness! Thank y’all! We are so so honored.

  3. avatar Tina reply

    Thank you for sharing Hannah and Kyle’s wedding story. It was a beautiful evening with a tremendous amount of love and excitement all around. Tucker Images…. You Rock.

  4. avatar Rita Miller Dorris reply

    One of the most beautiful weddings I have ever seen. Adore the bridesmaid dresses, peaches and blues! The vendors are so awesome!!! Perfect!

  5. avatar Kristal reply

    Oh my, I love the whole concept of your wedding. I was looking for bridesmaid dresses and different wedding ideas when I came across this page. I fell completely in love with everything. It is just what I have been thinking of and looking for. It is beautiful but simple. I love Love LOVE it!

  6. avatar Melissa reply

    Hi. I have included a pic of yours in my blog post.
    http://www.gmcweddings.co.uk/blog/2014-wedding-style-trends-in-colour-an-overview
    Thank you.
    Melissa

  7. avatar Sara reply

    I was just wondering where you got the bridesmaids dresses? I am loving them!

  8. avatar Moni reply

    omg!! where did you get the bridesmaid dresses?? ive been looking for something like that for awhile now!!

  9. avatar kayla reply

    Hi there very interested where you got these dresses from? The bridesmaids

    • avatar Lisa reply

      Hi Kayla! The bridesmaid dresses are from an Etsy shop called Bing Bridal, but it looks like they are no longer available. Here is a similar style: http://www.lollicouture.com/dresses-maxi-hk1-kf081peachgold.html?gclid=Cj0KEQiA99qnBRDnrYCkt4ClzZABEiQAvqPaLEbFOtxjJwDLYkBSrebjxk70C2vJYgNXaNL_Q9fwFI4aAmAd8P8HAQ :)

  10. avatar Jessica reply

    I have been looking all over for those bridesmaid dresses. Can you please let me know where you got them from?

  11. avatar Rebecca poynter reply

    I love the bridesmaids dresses and wanted to know where I could find those dresses and who sells them? Please and thank you

    • avatar Marissa reply

      Hi Rebecca! It looks like thse gorgeous gowns were purchased via an Etsy store that is no loner doing business. I would try searching Etsy to see if there are any other similar options. Wish we could be of more help + good luck! xx, Marissa

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