I’ve written about high school and college sweethearts, but I think we’ve only had a handful of childhood sweethearts–and, y’all, I can’t help but imagine how absolutely adorable these two were when they were little! Alexandria and Caleb have known each other since they were just five years old, and made their relationship “official” at the ripe age of 12. They even remember how hard it was to wait until after they graduated college to get married! With their wedding day such a long time coming, these two had dreamed of having an outdoor ceremony and a big, beautiful barn reception for quite some time, and when it actually came to tying the knot, they chose the lovely McGranahan Barn. Inspired by Miranda Lambert’s “Oklahoma Sky,” they and their planner brought a bold color palette to life with bursting blooms from Poppy Lane Designs and DIY details made by friends and family. I can tell by their smiling faces, it was worth the wait!
Big hugs to Holli B. Photography for sharing this lovely day with us!
I had the privilege of going to Kleinfeld Bridal, and it was such a cool experience. My wedding dress was a Lazaro ball gown. It was very Southern and fit my personality perfectly. I knew for sure that it was my dress when I was looking around on my computer at home and realized I had actually saved a picture of that exact dress in 2009!
Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. My entire wedding theme was “Meet Me Underneath the Oklahoma Sky.” I walked down the aisle to the song with the same name by Miranda Lambert–I knew it would be the song I would walk down the aisle to the first time I heard it, almost two years before we actually got married!
What made you choose your ceremony and reception venues? Did they have any special significance to you? I had always dreamed of having an outdoor ceremony, and the reception was in a big, beautiful barn. I knew as soon as I saw the McGranahan Barn that it was the perfect venue for Caleb and me.
Describe your wedding flowers. My flowers were bright, big, and beautiful! The arrangements were in shades of red and pink, with added pops of color. They really set the mood for the entire wedding.
The main cake was a naked vanilla cake with icing in between the layers and flowers wrapped around it. The second cake was a strawberry cake, and the third cake was a chocolate cake that was decorated to look like tree bark. We had our initials “carved” into the cake with a heart around them. Not only did the cakes look absolutely stunning, they are also tasted fabulous. We also had a s’mores food truck parked outside, where guest could pick up homemade s’mores on their way out!
Don’t miss Alexandria and Caleb’s wedding film by Leslee Leaming below!
How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. Caleb and I met when we were just five years old. We basically grew up together, and our families became close friends when we were very young. At 12 years old, we “officially” started dating. We dated through most of middle school and into high school. We both remember thinking about how waiting until we graduated college to get married felt like torture! We got engaged our junior year of college on December 27, and finally tied the knot on May 30, 2015.
Tell us all about the proposal! Caleb and I knew we were going to get married out of college, and we had talked about when a good time to get engaged would be. I thought we had both decided on spring 2014, but Caleb had a different plan! December 27 was our anniversary, and for the past four years, we had gone to the same restaurant every year. That night, Caleb was late coming to pick me up and I was a little frustrated. When he finally arrived, he told me he forgot his wallet, and we had to go back by his house. Now, I was really frustrated! I begged him to let me pay for dinner so we could just go eat, but he was very persistent. As we were pulling into his long driveway, I noticed he started to slow down and asked what he was doing, but he never answered me. He stopped the truck, turned off the lights, and got out of the car. I still had no idea what was going on! He opened my door, and when I got out of the truck, huge Christmas lights came on that spelled out WILL YOU MARRY ME? As soon as I read it, I looked at Caleb, and he was down on one knee. The entire night felt like a dream and I was in complete shock!
When did y’all get married? May 30, 2015
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 300
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: My favorite detail of the wedding was probably all of the vintage furniture we used outside of the barn. My wedding planner/family friend also built me a fireplace that we used inside the barn to display my bridal portraits on.
What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? I think basically everything about our wedding was very Southern! Caleb and I are very Southern, and we wanted every detail to be a reflection of who we are.
If you are comfortable responding, what range did your wedding budget fall into? $50,000-$75,000
What was one way you saved money or cut costs at your wedding? I have some very crafty family members! My sister-in-law wrote all of the signs and chalkboards, and we made the four doors that I walked through.
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? My advice would be to not stress out over the things you cannot control, because at the end of the day, you will be married to the love of your life, which is truly all that matters. I was super stressed out about the weather, and now realize there was no use in worrying about it. There was nothing I could do to fix the weather!
What’s next for you as a couple? What memories are you looking forward to making together? Caleb and I waited so long to be married, and I think we will just enjoy getting to do life together. We love spending time together and going on new adventures. We can’t wait to one day have our own little family.
Photographer: Holli B Photography / Videographer: Leslee Leaming / Planner: Kacey Burnett / Venue: The McGranahan Barn / Florist: Poppy Lane / Cake Baker: Amy Cakes / Caterer: Abbey Road Catering / Rentals: Ruby’s Vintage Rentals / DJ and Lighting: Chasen Shaw / Paper Products: Touies Design / Bride’s Gown: Lazaro / Hair Stylist: Bailey Unisucker / Makeup Artist: Chelsee Ann Artistry / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: “Style 496” by Bill Levkoff / Menswear: Jos. A. Bank
Poppy Lane is a delightful member of our Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory!
YAY for Oklahoma Weddings!! I love seeing so many great vendors I have worked with on Southern Weddings for such a charming wedding!
oh my goodness, I LOVED that film! Just to see the expression on that sweet groom change as he watched her appear at the back of the ceremony site and come down the isle to him was so very special. There is just something about seeing a wedding come alive like that in the video that is so amazing!
What is the song playing at th beginning of this video?
WOW. I wouldn’t have thought I would like that bold of wedding colors, but they pulled it off beautifully. Absolutely gorgeous. I also really love the vintage dresser they used for the cake. So unique.