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When a wardrobe stylist/wedding planner is the bride, you can count on some amazing fashion choices at a wedding (hello, bow-back shoes and custom tulle sleeves!). Add in a floral designer mama and a horticulturist aunt, and you’re also in for a real show in the blooms department! Allann had always wanted to get married at her family’s farm, but the logistics proved to be more of a challenge than she had expected. After looking at other venues, Allann and Bill knew that none had as much meaning as the farm, so together with their families (and some incredible vendors), they hauled in everything they needed to create an elegant wedding in their family’s own space. I’m sure Allann’s grandfather, who gave tours of their beautiful property in his white cowboy hat, was tickled pink to see such a gorgeous event on his grounds!

Thanks to Kristen Kilpatrick for sharing this wedding day with us!

Finding my wedding dress was a serious task for me, because I am a wardrobe stylist and wedding planner. My mom and I went to every major bridal gown store in Houston, and I kept choosing tight-fitting, hourglass-style dresses–what I always thought I would wear. When I would put them on though, I just didn’t like how I looked in them. Our next course of action was to travel to Austin to shop with a few of my best friends, my stepmom, and my teenage sisters. As it turned out, my sisters picked out the dress I ended up buying. I kept saying, “No ball gowns!” everywhere we went, but they fell in love with a Lazaro ball gown and insisted I try it. It was stunning and so uniquely different–the layers of the skirt were made up of different tones of cream and ivory over a gold lining, so the gown glowed like spun gold. I designed thin tulle sleeves and had a custom veil made so that the dress had more of a fall feel to it, and so that I wouldn’t be as cold.

Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line? We did write our own vows. We tried to write them weeks before the wedding, but both of us wrote the bulk of them alone the night before. I sat out on our back porch on the swing and was truly inspired at that moment to write my vows to Bill. I remember I told him that his arms were the safest place on earth. He said to me, “I promise I will always stand behind you when you need support, in front of you when you need defending, and next to you when all you need is a friend.” I was floored by his poetic words and I think they were the perfect vows for us.

Our favorite detail of the wedding was the custom photo booth backdrop my cousin and matron of honor made for us. She is an amazing artist and created an 8-foot-tall wooden photo booth backdrop, complete with our names, wedding date, location, and painted-on lyrics from some of our favorite songs, including our grandparents’ song, “Pledging My Love” by Johnny Ace. The wedding guests had so much fun standing in front of it taking photos, and some of our favorite wedding day pics are of us in front of the back drop.

What made you choose your ceremony and reception venues? Did they have any special significance to you? I have known since I was a little girl that I wanted to get married on my family farm. When we started to plan the wedding and saw how tough it was going to be to turn a family farm, hay field, small house, and barn off a dirt road into an elegant wedding venue, we hesitated and tried to look at other venues. While they were beautiful, they had no meaning to me, and I didn’t feel any connection with them. We decided we would do whatever it took to make the most beautiful, rustic, elegant wedding happen there in that space, where my great-grandmother could look down upon us. My grandparents, who own the farm with my great aunt and uncle, were so generous and patient with us as we took over their farm and morphed it into a wedding venue. It was so special.

What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? Everything about our wedding was so Southern, from the landscape in beautiful Lovelady, Texas, to the dirt road our little white farmhouse is off of. Seeing my grandfather walk around, showing everyone the property in his gorgeous white cowboy hat was a highlight for me. We loved having Southern whiskey cocktails served at our wedding, like the Whiskey Ginger and Old Fashioned. The carnival-style cocktail hour was another fun thing that we did–we loved seeing all the kids enjoying bottle toss and balloon darts! Many of our guests wore boots with their suits and dresses, and we loved two-steppin’ to George Strait at the reception!

Our florals were done by my mother, Sage, who runs the floral design part of our wedding planning firm, Belle Soul Weddings. She is so creative, and my sweet Aunt Donna is a horticulturist, so the two of them created a stunning color palette and design. Our color palette was burgundy, cream, and different tones of green. The tables and ceremony arch (built by my stepfather) were my favorites. The green boughs were taken from cedar trees on our land, and we also added some seeded eucalyptus.

Describe your wedding cake or dessert. My mother baked our wedding cake, of course! She also runs the cake and pastry section of Belle Soul Weddings, our wedding design firm. Bill’s favorite cake is red velvet, and I wanted a naked cake, so she gave us just that: a red velvet naked cake with barely-there vanilla buttercream icing. It was three layers and sat on top of a round tree slice that my grandfather cut for us from a tree on our land. She decorated the cake with grape bunches, cream roses, greenery, and our wooden Mr. & Mrs. cake topper.

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. When we met, we were both so drawn to each other. We flirted for months and told our friends about each other. Finally, Bill invited me to a music show that a mutual friend of ours was having. When Bill gave me his phone number, I didn’t have my phone or a pen on me, so I remembered the number by repeating it over and over as I walked to my car. I put it into my phone and texted him right then! Our first official date was on November 7, 2012 at Raven Grill in Houston. We have been together ever since, and we both knew early on that this was something different and more special than either of us had ever experienced before.
Tell us all about the proposal! We were having dinner at Bill’s mother’s house in honor of his 30th birthday, and at the end of dinner, he opened all his presents except for one, which was in a huge white box. He pushed it over to me and said, “This one is for both of us.” I thought, okay, it’s something for the apartment. I opened it, and inside the large white box with tons of tissue paper, I found a tiny black ring box. Bill reached for it, picked it up, got down on one knee, and revealed the most beautiful diamond, given to him by my grandmother. He said some of the sweetest things I have ever heard, and then asked in a shaky voice, “Will you marry me?” It was the best moment! I felt so happy, so excited, so loved, so at peace knowing how lucky I was to have Bill as my partner for the rest of my life.
When did y’all get married? November 8, 2014
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? About 120
Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. Choosing the music at our wedding was such a fun part of planning. We even made a CD of the day’s music as a favor for our guests. We are both big music lovers, and have always have had a penchant for old music. I chose to walk down the aisle to a live instrumental version of Ray Lamontagne’s “All The Wild Horses” played on violin and guitar by our dear friends. We danced our first dance to Sanders Bohlke’s, “You,” an unreleased track I only know about because he did the music on an independent film I worked on in Austin. It was such a special song and perfectly fit the mood of the night.
If you are comfortable responding, what range did your wedding budget fall into? $25,000-$50,000
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? Our advice is try to stay connected to what it is really all about: the two of you, your love, and your commitment to your life together. It is hard to stay present during all that planning. Hire a wedding planner if you can, and let them take the weight off your shoulders so that you can just experience the good stuff. Take time for yourselves to reflect after the ceremony. We stole this idea from friends of ours, but after photos, we had dinner alone on the porch while everyone else had soup and salad at the reception. Another thing I would tell brides is to hold your ground about things, even when your family might not agree right away. They will come around, or they won’t, but it is about you and your partner planning the ceremony and celebration that makes you feel good. Honor them and remember them, but stay true to your heart.
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you most looking forward to about married life? We are both entrepreneurs and love planning out the next steps in our businesses. We are so excited to share these two wonderful families that we have combined, and we feel so lucky to have just pure awesomeness coming from both sides. We can hardly wait to start a family of our own and share that experience with our extended family and sweet friends.

Photographer: Kristen Kilpatrick / Videographer: Compass Initiative / Planner, Florals, and Cake: Belle Soul Weddings / Venue: Private residence / Caterer: Larry’s Catering / Rentals: Any Occasion Party Rental / DJ: Patrick Osayande / Envelopes, Programs, and Calligraphy: Nib and Pixel / Invitations: WJ Ford and Associates / Bride’s Gown: “LZ3215” by Lazaro / Bride’s Earrings: Kate Spade / Bride’s Headpiece: Avigail Adam / Hair Stylist: Candice Hollub of Sunkissed and Madeup / Bride’s Makeup: Taylor DeClercq at Sunkissed and Madeup / Bridesmaid Makeup: Jen Marine Makeup Artistry / Bride’s Ceremony Shoes: Nina / Bride’s Reception Shoes: Michael Kors / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Amsale, Dessy Collection, Alfred Angelo, Ceremony by Joanna August, BHLDN / Menswear: Tommy Hilfiger from Men’s Wearhouse / Groom’s Tie: Michael Kors / Photo Booth Back Drop: Jordan Ashby of Artsy Ashby

marissa Written with love by Marissa
21 Comments
  1. avatar Elisheva Golani reply

    Absolutely beautiful Allann and Sage! I loved reading what you wrote and pouring over the gorgeous photos!

  2. avatar Classic Wedding Invitations reply

    Gorgeous pop of colour!

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  7. avatar Lauren reply

    Where did you get the flower girl dress?

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  10. avatar Tiffany Stewart reply

    Hello! I’d love to know where the flower girl dress came from? Thanks so much!

    • avatar Megan reply

      Do you know where this flower girl dress is from? I didn’t see any replies to comments- I’m super curious!

      xo

    • avatar Belle Soul Weddings – Sage reply

      The Dress is from Monsoon and sorry I didn’t see these sooner :)

    • avatar allann arnold reply

      hey guys! I am so sorry I never saw your questions. the flower girl dress came from a little boutique in the Houston galleria I don’t remember the name of! it started with an “m” maybe! forgive me -allann

  11. avatar Top 10 Gorgeous Wedding Cakes for Fall 2016 – Oh Best Day Ever reply

    […] Photo by Kristen Kilpatrick via Southern Weddings […]

  12. avatar Paperlust Wedding Invitations reply

    Amazing style, that cake looks delicious!

  13. avatar Laura reply

    I love the flower girls dress! Where is it from?

  14. avatar Jane reply

    where did you find the “Mr & Mrs” cake topper?

  15. avatar Hillary reply

    Hi, where did the flower girl dress come from? Thank you!!

    • avatar Sage reply

      It came from Monsoon UK Children’s Boutique
      http://us.monsoon.co.uk/us/children/girls/dresses#filtersClosed=false&pageSize=12&sort=newIn&grid=grid&picture=model&type=Party%20Dresses

  16. avatar Farra reply

    hello! lovely flower girl dress. do you know where I can purchase it?
    thank you!

  17. avatar Jenine reply

    Can I have information about this flower girl dress?

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Abby and Cameron may not remember exactly when they first met, but I’m sure they’ll always remember everything about November 2, 2013. From the sweet morning Abby spent with her family, to the letters the couple exchanged around a corner in lieu of a first look, to their prayerful ceremony, to the family reunion feel of their outdoor reception, joy radiates from Abby and Cameron in every single one of their wedding day moments, captured beautifully by Jess Barfield. Don’t miss Abby’s recollection of her most memorable moment especially–it’s a wonderful reminder that every detail doesn’t need to be perfect in order to have your perfect wedding day!

I knew I wanted our wedding to be outdoors, and we wanted everything to have a family feel to it, so our venue was a house! Friends of ours recently restored a farmhouse that’s over 100 years old. The family is so dear to my heart, and they were extremely generous to allow us to have our wedding there. I couldn’t have dreamed of a more perfect place.

I had always thought I wanted a very mature-looking, fitted lace dress, since I have a pretty youthful look. I tried on what felt like a million of those and nothing seemed to click. One of my best friends had me try on a different style (one that my mom and aunt were trying to get me into all day) and I immediately knew I had found the dress for me! It fit my personality–it was more whimsical, fun, flowy, a little vintage, and I could dance in it (hello, a must!).

Did you decide to do a “first look”? Why or why not? We didn’t end up going with a first look. I wasn’t opposed to it, but Cam really wanted to experience the moment he first saw me in the context of our ceremony and worship! It was really special. Instead, we exchanged letters before the ceremony, which was one of my favorite moments of the day. It also allowed us to get a few cute pics!

What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? There were so many sweet moments I’ll never forget, like seeing Cameron tear up at the end of the aisle or the time with my immediate family the morning of the wedding. However, one of the funniest moments happened with my dad only minutes before we walked down the aisle. All of my bridesmaids had gone before me and my dad and I were waiting inside the farmhouse to go next. I stood up to peek out the window and snagged my dress on something on the floor! The whole bottom hem of my dress was hanging off. My dad looked at me to see how I was going to react and then we both just started laughing–what else can you do? He ended up cutting the hem off and we walked on out and down the aisle. We said we wouldn’t tell anyone (sorry, Dad), but it really helped me realize that not everything had to be perfect in order to have a perfect wedding day.

We didn’t have any readings, other than what our pastor read in his message. Instead, we had a time of worship, which was really important to us. Our number one goal for the ceremony was to create an atmosphere where the Lord was receiving all of the glory, honor, and praise. Worship was the most practical way for us to do this. It was so powerful and I will truly never forget those moments!

From the cotton in the floral arrangements to the rustic barn filled with chickens, the whole night felt very Southern. We had Texas BBQ and drank Nashville sweet tea. The band was located off the back porch, Louisiana-style, which made the reception seem laid-back and more like a big, fancy family reunion!

What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? Probably the weather. We didn’t have a plan B, which, in retrospect, might not have been the best idea. I wanted everything outside, so we strung some outdoor lights in the trees and prayed for clear skies. It rained the entire week before my wedding and didn’t stop till Thursday–yikes! We brought in lots of hay and the groomsmen laid it down on some of the muddy parts of the land, which worked out great!

Describe your wedding cake or dessert. My grandmother, Omee, recently passed away. We were extremely close and I wanted her to be a part of the wedding in some way. Her favorite kind of cake was strawberry, and thankfully, Cameron and I both love strawberry cake as well, so we had “Omee’s Strawberry Cake” for our wedding cake. Cameron is also a lover of all things peanut butter, so his groom’s cake was chocolate peanut butter.

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. I remember first meeting Cameron at a spontaneous glow-in-the-dark dance party at a friend’s house during my first year at Baylor, but if you ask Cameron, he claims to have met me a year before, when I was visiting my older sister at school during my senior year of high school and his first year of undergrad. To this day, we still argue about who’s actually right–I always joke that it must not have been a very good first impression. We became really good friends throughout college, led a small group together at church, and attended several sorority/fraternity functions together. Cameron eventually asked me out on a date and I said no (whoops). He asked me two more times before I finally agreed. Needless to say, he won my heart and the rest is history!
Tell us all about the proposal! Cam knew I had always wanted to be surprised. I’m a tricky person to surprise though, so I knew I wasn’t going to be going on any random manicure dates with my best friends, or being asked to wear a pretty new dress on the day of my engagement. But at the very least, I was expecting to look somewhat presentable! The morning of my engagement, I was bombarded by my roommates from college sometime before the sun came up. I was blindfolded, thrown in a car, and dropped off on a bridge overlooking the river downtown. I know…creepy. But then, I took off my blindfold and there he was! He popped the question and I said yes! He planned out the whole rest of the day for us (which included my much-needed manicure and a new dress). The day ended with a HUGE party where my whole family surprised me. It really was the greatest!
When did y’all get married? November 2, 2013
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 325
Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line? Originally, we had planned to write our own vows, but we ended up dropping the idea once we got closer to the wedding and went with traditional ones.
Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. I walked down the aisle to a mash-up of “What God has Joined Together” by Laura Hackett and “My Soul Sings” by Cory Asbury. The first song is filled with Scripture we wanted to be sung over our marriage. It was really powerful and paved the way for an incredible ceremony. The second song is my favorite worship song. The ceremony was my absolute favorite part of my wedding day, and these songs and the people that sang them really made it a dream come true. We walked out to “Colorful” by Will Reagan & the United Pursuit, which was super upbeat and fun! Our first dance was Frank Sinatra’s, “The Way You Look Tonight.” I LOVE that song and I’m not opposed to sharing it with the millions of other couples out there. My dad and I danced to “Save the Last Dance For Me” by Michael Buble, and oh my stars, it was quite a show.
Describe your wedding flowers. We wanted the flowers to match the feel of the farm–organic, natural colors, nothing extravagant, really raw and earthy. I guess you could say I’m a minimalist at heart. We used cotton and wheat and threw in some big garden roses, hydrangeas, and ranunculus. I wanted the natural beauty of the venue to speak for itself and I felt like the flowers helped do just that!
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: My favorite detail of the wedding was the words I attached to my bridesmaids’ bouquets. I wanted to honor all of them individually and intentionally. At my bridal luncheon, I encouraged each girl by giving them a descriptive word or characteristic that the Lord has taught me through them (ex. joy, humility, compassion). I then attached the words to their individual bouquets for them to carry during the ceremony.
Did you have something borrowed, blue, old, and new? If so, do tell! I did! I borrowed some lipstick (that counts, right?) and wore blue panties (risky, but they didn’t show through the dress!). My something old was a ring my grandmother who passed away had sewn into her own wedding dress, and my something new was my cute new Kate Spade earrings!
What is the one detail or vendor that you were so happy to have as a part of your wedding? My photographer, Jess Barfield. At the beginning of planning, I knew there were only one or two things I was willing to use a good chunk of my budget on, and photography was one of them. It was well worth it! Jess was such a blessing the day of the wedding and leading up to the big day. She was peaceful and helpful, like a best friend! She also captured every moment beautifully! I was so happy to have her.
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? Stay thankful!!! I remember when Cameron and I were dating, all I wanted was for us to be engaged, and when we were engaged, I just wanted to be married. Looking back, I realize how thankful I am for our process and I wish I would’ve realized that more while I was experiencing it. There will always be something more you’ll want for your wedding that you can’t seem to make work, or something you plan that doesn’t turn out right. Stay thankful for the process you and your fiancé are in and for the details that are working out for your special day. It makes planning much more fun and stress-free!
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you most looking forward to about married life? Our next big adventure is law school! We’re excited to conquer a new city together and figure out married life at the same time. I think we both agree that we’re most looking forward to chasing our dreams together. It’s so fun to tackle a dream with someone else!

Photographer: Jess Barfield / Videographer: Jeff James / Planner and Florist: Alissa Neely / Venue: Magnolia Farms / Catering and Cake: JD’s Catering & Coffee / Bride’s Gown: Watters / Paper Products: Oh Ollie / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: “204140” and “204150” by Mori Lee / Men’s Attire: J. Crew / Day-of-Coordinator: Allison McBrayer of Dot & Penny

lisa Written with love by Lisa
10 Comments
  1. avatar Mary reply

    I love love love this wedding! Such a sweet story of thoughtfully putting their special day together. I also ADORE Jess Barfield’s work and have a major crush over Joanna’s style and her restored farmhouse.

  2. avatar Beane and Company reply

    Beautiful! So soft and intimate…the photographer did a great job of capturing it!

  3. avatar Kristin reply

    Their joy is contagious and just leaps off the page and I ADORE the picture of Abby + Cameron reading their love letters.

  4. avatar Amanda {Planning It All} reply

    Beautiful wedding! The restored farmhouse was the perfect venue!

  5. avatar WrightBride reply

    So gorgeous! Love that they looked like they had a great time- and seems like they might’ve had a bit of a worship session during the ceremony..
    Hope they have a blessed marriage :)

    thewrightbride.tumblr.com

  6. avatar Dana reply

    what a joyful couple!

  7. avatar Kelly reply

    What style is the bride’s beautiful dress?

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Get ready for your heart to be melted, because we have a sweet-as-can-be Texas love story to share with y’all today! Kristy and Cory are college sweethearts, and three years after their first kiss at the State Capitol in Austin, Cory proposed in the nation’s capital, Washington, D.C. They were married at his aunt and uncle’s ranch on a hot day in June, but I can only imagine how little the heat mattered when everyone was focused on their deeply meaningful ceremony. The pictures from Kristy’s walk down the aisle are some of the most touching I’ve ever seen!

Thanks so much to Sara & Rocky for sharing Kristy and Cory’s wedding with us!

Tell us about finding your wedding dress. All the dresses I tried on were beautiful. After trying on tons of dresses and loving all of them, I finally asked Cory’s opinion. He described to me the dress he imagined in boy terms, which was adorable and awesome. He ended up describing a lace fit and flare dress with small straps. I went dress shopping the next day with my mom and sister at a precious boutique in Austin, and the experience was so fun and peaceful. I found a dress like one he described and knew instantly that it was the one.

Describe your wedding flowers. My wedding flowers were dreamy and beautiful! Cory’s aunt arranged the flowers and designed the ceremony and reception. We sat down many times as I described flowers I loved and we looked at Pinterest over and over. She took all of the flowers I liked and designed the most beautiful bouquet. It was wild, colorful, and big!

The size of the wedding party was definitely Southern! We each had 13 bridesmaids and groomsmen and I had six girls in my house party. We are both blessed with precious, lifelong friends. The weather was also pretty typical for the South–we got married in late June outside, and it was hot! We made our programs into fans so that our guests could cool themselves off.

Did you decide to do a “first look”? Why or why not? We didn’t do a first look. We weren’t nervous or anxious for our big day–I always say that marrying Cory was the most natural thing I have ever done. We wanted the moment of seeing each other for the first time to be a part of our ceremony–a moment of our hearts bursting with pure joy!

Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line? We did write our own vows. It was really special getting to craft them together! We did the same opening and closing lines, with the middle part of our vows unique for a man and woman’s roles in marriage. Our favorite lines were “With deepest joy and humble gratitude, I accept you as my perfect provision from Christ. This love is not from ourselves–it is originated in Him who loved us and sacrificed for us first.”
What readings, if any, did you have at your ceremony? We had three readings done by dear friends. They were Psalm 84, a scripture Cory’s dad shared with him before he started dating, which we held onto during our dating relationship, Proverbs 3:3 and Romans 15:5-6, all scripture that helped shape our engagement.

The most memorable moment for the two of us was right after the ceremony. We stood on the porch of the barn, just the two of us, and held each other tightly. They were our first still moments together as husband and wife.

Cory’s aunt and uncle have a ranch outside of Cleburne, Texas, where they recently built a wedding barn. We loved the idea of getting married at a place Cory grew up visiting, and that Cory’s aunt and uncle ran. Thistle Springs Ranch is overflowing with love and sweet memories, and getting to work with Cory’s aunt and uncle to plan the wedding was the best. The only challenge was planning a wedding in a town that neither of us are from. I had no idea about a hair stylist, a location for the bridal luncheon, etc. My family and I spent a day walking around Cleburne stopping in at salons, tasting cakes at bakeries, and discovering cute restaurants. What was originally a challenge ended up being so much fun, and we loved every vendor we ended up using!

Describe your wedding cake or dessert. We did a wedding cake and mini pies! The wedding cake was a simple three-tiered cake with the stroke marks of the icing visible. I am gluten and dairy free, so the top layer of our cake was made so that I could eat it! Cory’s aunt put the most perfect flowers on it. Instead of a traditional cake topper, I made a tiny banner that said our names for the top layer. We also had about six different flavors of miniature pies, all of which sat under a banner that said “love is sweet.”

Our advice is to not stress about the details. While the music, food, and decorations are fun, they are added blessings. At the end of the day, all that matters is the covenant you make. If something goes wrong (which it probably will) or doesn’t get planned, that’s okay! You will still walk away as husband and wife. I always said that my dream wedding was one where I was married to Cory at the end.

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. During our freshman year of college at Texas A&M, we started to see each other more and more within our group of friends. Our first impression of each other was that we looked so familiar–like we had seen each other or met somewhere else. We still haven’t figured that out. On the first day back at A&M for sophomore year, I saw Cory locking his bike outside of his classroom. My heart leapt, and I smiled and said, “Cory?” He looked up and smiled. So many of our thoughts and dreams over the summer were confirmed and exceeded in that moment. In October 2009, after a few dates and “coincidental” time together, Cory told me that he was serious about our relationship, and wanted to protect it in such a way that we would be ready to marry when we left college. We spent the last year and a half of our relationship long distance, and though neither of us preferred it, we are confident that this allowed us to see clearly the importance of our relationship, learn creative communication and affection, and cherish every moment together. Now, we delight in getting to walk each day side by side.
Tell us all about the proposal! In the nine months prior to our wedding, Cory had moved to Washington, D.C. for an internship and seminary courses, while I had decided to help a friend start a company in Houston. I had always said that when I got engaged, I wanted a party with all our friends and family there to celebrate with us. Cory knew this, but his plan came with a little bit different of a timeline. Right when Cory moved to DC, I had booked flights for a visit in the middle of October. Because of my expectations, I had no idea that he would think about proposing while I was visiting. Cory picked me up from the airport that weekend and took me straight to dinner and a concert. When we left the concert early, Cory suggested we go and look at some national monuments. Since we’re always going on adventures together, I didn’t think that this was out of the ordinary. We got to the Capitol building and walked hand in hand, humbled by the greatness and beauty of the building. We started reminiscing on the sweetness of our relationship over the years and talked about sharing our first kiss at the Texas state capitol in Austin. Cory then said, “What if we shared our first kiss as an engaged couple at the nation’s capitol?” I started going numb and couldn’t really speak–I was in shock! I finally believed him when I saw my grandmother’s ring. After the feeling came back to my body, I mustered a “YES!” and started crying tears of joy! Although Cory proposed in a different state and there was no party with friends and family, it was perfect. Instead of bringing friends and family into the first moments of our soon-to-be covenant marriage, we got to spend the evening just the two of us, establishing ourselves as an engaged couple and talking about the magnitude of being a picture of the gospel. I couldn’t have asked for anything more.
When did y’all get married? June 22, 2013
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 280
Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. One of my sweet girlfriends played “Before the Throne” and a mash-up of our favorite hymns on the piano during the processional. During the ceremony, Cory and I took communion together while my sister and a friend sang/played “In Christ Alone.” Our first dance was to “Love Like That” by Ben Rector. We first heard the song at one of his concerts while we were dating and immediately loved it!
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: Our favorite detail was getting to celebrate with our friends and family! We made a point to love on and talk to everyone at the wedding, and we hope we succeeded! The conversations, hugs, and encouragement we got from our community is something that we will always cherish.
What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? For our favors, my mom and I made homemade peach jam. Cory and I are Aggies, so of course, we did the Aggie War Hymn at the end of the reception! It’s one of our favorite Aggie wedding traditions.
What is the one detail or vendor that you were so happy to have as a part of your wedding? We loved our photographers, Sara and Rocky Photography. They were the first vendor we booked when we got engaged! We knew our photographs of the wedding would be precious to us forever, so we were very intentional when choosing photographers. Sara and Rocky are so friendly, creative, and crazy gifted!
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you most looking forward to about married life? Before we even met, we both desired to work in outdoor Christian ministry in the mountains. We worked towards that dream together for our whole relationship and the Lord blessed us greatly! Graciously, He provided a job for us helping to develop a camp in the mountains in New Mexico. We moved to New Mexico the month after our wedding and get to work side by side. We are still in awe that we get to live together and love on each other day in and day out. Because of our long distance, we delight in every second together and pinch ourselves that we get to live with our best friend!

Photographer: Sara & Rocky / Venue: Thistle Springs Ranch / Florist: Groom’s aunt, Ann Wright / Cake and Pies: La Trattoria / Catering: Pappas Catering / DJ: Ryan Lee / Bride’s Gown: San Patrick / Bridal Salon and Veil: Blush Bridal Boutique / Bride’s Jewelry: Nordstrom / Bride’s Shoes: Tom’s / Bridesmaid Dresses: J. Crew / Men’s Attire: Vera Wang

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

    Oh goodness, my eyes watered just looking at that photo of the groom seeing his bride for the first time!

    • avatar Kristin reply

      Me too, Nicole! His sweet reaction had me in tears. Oh my — such emotion.

  2. avatar Emily reply

    Their ceremony photos ARE so sweet! And I love Kristy’s thought that she wasn’t nervous or anxious because marrying Cory was the most natural thing she’s done!

  3. avatar Sara Garza reply

    Thanks SO much for featuring Kristy and Cory’s wedding, it looks wonderful. You guys are great.

  4. avatar Dana reply

    the pictures of her walking down the aisle are sooo perfect!!!

  5. avatar Bobbi Jo reply

    What a sweet story and wedding! They both sound like good people. I feel like we could be friends!

  6. avatar Natalie reply

    Beautiful wedding, beautiful couple, and beautiful story. Thanks for sharing!

  7. avatar Plan Your Wedding without cracking Nuts | Mine Forever reply

    […] Sarah and Rocky Photography via Southern Weddings […]

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