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There are SO many amazing venues in the South, but there’s nothing quite like a family home when it comes to adding an extra layer of meaning to a wedding celebration. Darcee and Hunter were married at the adorable chapel on Hunter’s family ranch, and as Darcee said, it’s what brought their relationship full circle–“My prayers started there, he proposed at the chapel, and we were married at the chapel!” I’m sure all 400 of their guests felt just as home as they did while they then gathered for a cocktail hour under the big Texas sky, a family-style dinner that felt as joyful as Thanksgiving, and one of the most darling pie spreads I’ve ever seen!

Hugs to our Blue Ribbon Vendor Jen Dillender for sharing this sweet day with us!

Did you have something borrowed, blue, old, and new? If so, do tell! I borrowed a necklace from Hunter’s sister, which was given to her by their grandmother. It was one of the sweetest and most special details from that day. My something blue were my blue Manolo Blahnik pumps, which were a fun find with my mother-in-law! Something old was a flower pin from my mom’s side of the family that I had on my bouquet. Something new was a handkerchief from a sweet friend that was embroidered with a quote by my mom–it sure came in handy (pun intended!), as it caught a lot of tears that day!

Finding my wedding dress was the hardest part of all the planning. We had a pretty short engagement, so I was under a bit of a time crunch. I remember my bridal consultant holding up what would eventually be “the dress” and I told her I didn’t even want to try it on! Eventually, I gave in, and loved it! But the over-analyzer in me just had to see if there was something better out there. I ended up going to three more appointments, and at the last appointment, I saw the same dress, and even without trying it on again, I knew that was the one. Ironically, regardless of how stressful it was, I would do it all over again–there’s nothing quite like getting to play dress up with all the girls in your life that you love the most. Those appointments still hold some of my fondest memories.

Did you decide to do a first look? Why or why not? Hunter and I decided to forgo the first look. It was one of the few things that we didn’t really have to think twice about because there was something really special to me about the thought of my dad walking me down the aisle to Hunter and I really wanted that moment to be the first time we saw each other.

Hunter and I were married on his family’s ranch. The ranch holds countless special memories for him and his family, and therefore, it’s super special to me as well. His grandmother built a chapel on the ranch a few years ago, and any chance I would get, I would go there to just sit and reflect on how grateful I was that I had met Hunter…and there were certainly many prayers said there that one day, I would become Hunter’s wife! This chapel would end up being the place where things came full circle for us: my prayers started there, he proposed at the chapel, and we were married at the chapel!

Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. Hunter and I met a few months before my mom passed away, and unfortunately, he never got to meet her. It was the most heartbreaking time for me and it still blows me away how kind, patient, and understanding Hunter was, to be able to walk through something on that level with someone he had just met. When it came to picking out the song I would walk down the aisle to, “Mama’s Song” by Carrie Underwood summarized my feelings perfectly. Hunter is exactly what moms pray for for their daughters.

How did you plan for your marriage while planning your wedding? Lots and lots of prayer, honestly. Hunter is a police officer who works a lot of crazy hours, so we weren’t seeing each other much. I was working and planning a wedding, and while it was so much fun, it was hectic and left little time for us to see each other. I remember praying that I would be prioritizing my time well, seeing what was important and what was not, and that above anything else, that I was focusing on what it meant to become a wife.

I think the biggest Southern detail was our venue. During pictures, horses were sneaking up in the background. We had our reception in a barn that is typically a home to tractors and tools. We served dinner family-style, where each table passed around food to each other. While we were eating, I remembered looking up and seeing people chatting as they passed the rolls and butter and thinking, “This feels like one huge family Thanksgiving meal,” and I was so grateful for that!

Describe your wedding cake or dessert. Call us crazy, but neither Hunter nor I are really big cake eaters. We were extremely fortunate to not only have the best caterer around, but also one who is known for their AMAZING pies! We had a pie bar complete with a chocolate chip wedding pie, pies in mason jars, big pies, and mini pies!

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. We had some mutual friends who consistently told me how highly they thought of Hunter and how they really wanted us to meet, and I was just not having it. Eventually, they got us to the same place at the same time to introduce us, and I’m not saying it was love at first sight, but it was something close!
Tell us all about the proposal! It was around 8 A.M. one Saturday morning when an alarm started going off. It wasn’t my phone or my alarm clock, so I got a ladder out thinking it was the batteries in my fire alarm. It wasn’t, and I wandered around my house for five more minutes looking for the source of this noise, until I found an iPad under my dresser with a note on it from Hunter sending me on a scavenger hunt. Out of pure shock and not wanting to get my hopes up, I crawled back into bed, wondering what was going on. Eventually, I got back up, got dressed, and followed my clues. My last stop led me to find Hunter at my favorite spot at his family’s ranch. A few minutes after he proposed, his family showed up, and to my surprise, he had also gotten all of my brothers and my dad, who lives 13 hours away, there too! It was sweet, simple, and perfect.
When did y’all get married? April 9, 2016
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 400
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? Planning a wedding without my mom. It was downright hard and super emotional not having her there for this, but thankfully, my mother-in-law and I were able to have the best time planning the wedding. She was gracious, kind, and made sure that we were always having fun, and if we weren’t, we stopped and came back to it later. I know my mom is thankful for the way she took care of me during that time, as am I, always.
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? Don’t overthink it. Get to a point where you stop looking at another people’s weddings and just think about what really matters to you and your soon-to-be husband.
What’s next for you as a couple? What memories are you looking forward to making together? What’s next for us is just slowing down and spending time together. Planning a wedding, getting married, honeymooning, moving, etc. has made for a crazy few months, and I’m looking forward to sitting outside on our rocking chairs just spending time together without a to do list.

Photographer: Jen Dillender Photography | Videographer: Rethinkvideo | Planner: Thirty Day Dash | Venue: Pegasus Ranch | Florist: Moosefeathers Florist | Caterer and Dessert Baker: Royers Cafe | Rentals: Loot Vintage Rentals and Aztec | Lighting: American Outdoor Systems | Band: Danny Ray and the Acoustic Production | Paper Products: Archer and Olive and Gracelaced | Bride’s Gown: “Severine” by Monique Lhuillier | Bride’s Accessories: Jennifer Behr | Hair and Makeup: Sunkissed and Made Up | Bride’s Shoes: Manolo Blahnik | Bridesmaids’ Dresses: “Aidan” by Jenny Yoo | Menswear: Men’s Wearhouse

lisa Written with love by Lisa
6 Comments
  1. avatar Michele reply

    Could not have been more beautiful! Wedding and people!

  2. avatar Abbi Hearne reply

    This is beautiful!! What a dream. Great job Jen!

  3. avatar Julian Zacsfalvi reply

    Beautiful details and cool outfit with the cowboy hats!

  4. avatar Cindy reply

    What color are the bridesmaids dresses?

  5. avatar Greg Coltman reply

    Great set of natural images. Great lighting!

  6. avatar julie reply

    What a BEAUTIFUL wedding, Darcee! I was wondering, do you know what color were your bridesmaids dresses were? Mineral? Dusty blue? Denmark blue? Gorgeous!!

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When a musician from New Orleans and a boy with a heart for the mountains meet in Nashville, no where but the rolling hills on Tennessee will do for their wedding! Lindsey and Brian chose Front Porch Farms for their celebration, and with the help of their florist, Cottonwood Floral, they added just the right amount of personal touches to point guests to their love story and personalities, but never distract from the beauty of the landscape. I can only imagine how much their family and friends cherished this sweet day, as well as enjoyed the introduction to the great Southern tradition of a bluegrass pickin’ party!

Thank you so much to our Blue Ribbon Vendor, Abigail Bobo, for sharing Lindsey and Brian’s joyful day with us!

I met Brian at a 70’s birthday party for a mutual friend, and after a long talk by the fireplace, I guess I became smitten…maybe it was the glorious polyester suit from Goodwill he was wearing! At the time, all he talked about was moving from Nashville to Colorado. I figured that he would probably move soon and started dramatically drumming up lyrics to my next blues song, “I lost him to Colorado.” As it turns out, I didn’t lose at all! He hung around Nashville for three more years, and we began dreaming dreams together. Last summer, Brian finally got a job offer in Boulder, Colorado. After three years of knowing his heart to go there, I basically kicked him outta town. We were not engaged yet, but I couldn’t let him turn it down. He moved in August and we began our long distance relationship. Shortly thereafter, he popped out a ring in front of both of our families, and now we are on a westward journey together!

Tell us about finding your wedding dress. My mom and I went to Yvonne Lefleur in New Orleans, a beautiful French dress boutique. When I was growing up in Nola, we would go to the shop and dream about the day when we could make a wedding dress appointment there. The shop has a special bridal room where all the dresses are hanging from the ceiling. My dress was the sixth one I tried on, and we didn’t shop anywhere else.

What made you choose your ceremony and reception venues? Did they have any special significance to you? We wanted a venue that featured the scenic views of Tennessee, and the moment we stepped foot on the property, we fell in love. It met our needs, it was rustic and elegant, and it just felt like the right place for us.

Our friends, Kyle Aaron and Erika Chambers (of Mercy Child), and Lauren Pittman played an original song called “Trade These Moments” for our processional. The three-part harmony, guitar, and fiddle were absolutely stunning. The bluegrass fiddle tune “Blackberry Blossom” was our recessional, and it played as our friends and family tossed flower petals and we walked up the aisle.

Did you have something borrowed, blue, old, and new? If so, do tell! I borrowed my grandmother’s ring to wear on my right hand. My something blue was the sapphires in my engagement ring and an embroidered handkerchief made from my other grandmother’s fabric. My something old was my great-grandmother’s pocket watch that she wore on her wedding day–I tied it around my bouquet.

What was one way you saved money or cut costs at your wedding? We saved money by the grace of our friends and family and all they did for us. My bridesmaids helped make our decorations and set everything out the morning of. Brian’s good friend, Peyton McCollum of Cardboard Films, filmed the day. Our friends played music throughout the evening. We were so blessed by the gifts of so many.

What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? Fried chicken, the bluegrass pickin’ party (cigar box guitars, fiddles, a washboard, and harmonicas galore!), banana puddin’, and the Tennessee hills.

Brian and I danced to Chris Stapleton’s version of “Tennessee Whiskey,” I danced with my dad to “Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans,” and Brian danced with his mom to one of her favorites, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” We also had a pickin’ party at the reception, where several friends and family members played, sang, and jammed the night away.

Tell us all about the proposal! Our families have spent Thanksgiving together in my hometown of New Orleans for several years now. The day after Thanksgiving, we all decided to go to a fancy dinner at Commander’s Palace. Immediately after we sat down at the table, Brian stood up and said “I need to get out of here…can we take a walk?” I agreed, thinking that something was clearly terribly wrong, and followed him down the stairs, through the kitchen, and onto the back courtyard with concern. There, we came upon three musicians on a “break” who asked us if we had any requests. Brian looked at me, and I shrugged and requested our song, “Misty.” As we began to dance in the moonlit courtyard, I became very confused. I could see our families staring down at us from the dining room windows above. This is NOT the place you leave your table waiting so you can dance randomly in the moonlight! Suddenly, Brian got down on one knee and presented me with the most beautiful ring. I could not believe it! After I said yes, we were whisked back upstairs to the dining room where everyone applauded and we drank champagne. It was an absolute dream. At dinner, I learned that Brian had flown to New Orleans two weeks prior to ask for their blessing.
When did y’all get married? September 5, 2015
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 153
Describe your wedding flowers. Wildflowers–as colorful and “spriggy” as possible!
Describe your wedding cake or dessert. We served Coca Cola cake, banana pudding, and cupcakes!
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? Be patient with each other and try to have fun along the way! Be thankful for the support of family and friends.
What’s next for you as a couple? What memories are you looking forward to making together? Exploring Colorado and adventuring out west!

Photographer: Abigail Bobo / Videographer: Payton McCollum / Venue, Farm Tables, Barrels, and Prop Decor: Front Porch Farms / Florist: Cottonwood Floral / Catering and Cake: Mrs. J’s Baking and Catering / Chair Rentals: Classic Party Rentals / Band: Mercy Child / DJ: Nashville Party Authority / Special Details: Lindsey Bunt / Paper Products: The Prints & The Paper / Bride’s Gown: Yvonne Lafleur / Hair Stylist: Samantha of A Moment’s Peace / Makeup Artist: Lauren Pittman

Abigail Bobo is a delightful member of our Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory!

lisa Written with love by Lisa
2 Comments
  1. avatar Abigail Bobo Photography reply

    This day… so much genuine emotion, laughter and fellowship between people who love each other. Honored to have been asked to document this for this pair! <3

  2. avatar Ruth reply

    very pretty

Southern Weddings reserves the right to delete comments which contain profanity or personal attacks or seek to promote a business unrelated to the post.  And remember: a good attitude is like kudzu – it spreads.  We love hearing your kind thoughts!

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