{December 3, 2016}
First United Methodist Church in Dexter, Missouri
Most people look back fondly on their high school sweethearts; Taylor and Corbin get to wake up every morning next to theirs.
The two high school sweethearts met back in high school with what started as an innocent text message, but evolved into an eight-year relationship. They got to experience many of life's important milestones together all while starting their first "big kid" careers, and still managing to keep their love for each other a priority.
Anyone that knows Corbin personally knows that he's a simple, country boy and not one for an overly planned and elaborate engagement proposal. But when Taylor told me of his proposal, which involved a pizza pan (true story) and her grandmother's blessing, it was nothing short of just perfect for these two.
Taylor and Corbin were wed (one week shy of their 8-year anniversary) in the same church which Corbin's mother and father were wed in their hometown of Dexter, Missouri. The winter wedding was perfectly adorned with lush green and red flowers (I'm still obsessed with those bouquets!), gold and navy accents, and small holiday touches. The day was full of laughter, tears, and a whole lot of love ... absolute perfection in my eyes!
Vendors:
Bride's Dress: Clarice's Bridal {St. Louis, Missouri}
Bridesmaids' Dresses: Clarice's Bridal {St. Louis, Missouri}
Bride's Hair and Makeup: Heather Dunning at Indigo Salon {Dexter, Missouri}
Flower Girls' Dresses and Halos: Sydney Lambert with Sydney's Seed {Cape Girardeau, Missouri}
Groom and Groomsmen's Tuxes: Men's Warehouse
Floral Arrangements: Kim Norman with Locust Street Flowers {Dexter, Missouri}
Wedding Cake: Trish Vandeven {Bloomfield, Missouri}
]]>{July 9, 2016}
St. Lawrence Catholic Church in New Hamburg, Missouri
Who doesn't absolutely love a story of two high school sweethearts? I know I sure do!
Carrissa and Ethen met on March 28, 2011, in Columbia, Missouri, on a school trip. Although the two barely spoke the entire weekend {unless texting counts}, they were soon inseparable, and by April 15 of that same year the two were a couple and on March 22, 2014, Ethen asked for his first and true love's hand in marriage. {She said yes!}
Carrissa and Ethen's vision for their big day was the perfect reflection of their personalities, from incorporating John Deere and a covered tractor pulled wagon to the delicate, girly touches designed personally by Carrissa and her mother. The day was filled with hues of light blue {Carrissa's favorite childhood color} and gold, along with chic touches of rustic charm. Carrissa added many sentimental touches to her special day, which left me swooning and in awe. She was adorned with a beautiful cross necklace that belonged to her late grandmother. The purse she carried was Carrissa's mother's, which her mother also carried on her wedding day. The ivory, beaded clutch purse was filled with a little mirror that was given to her mother on her wedding day by Carrissa's maternal grandmother. The purse also held a napkin from her mother and father's wedding day over 32-years ago and handkerchiefs that belonged to both of Carrissa's late grandmothers. How sentimental and touching! Oh, and don't forget to check out those lush, green and white floral arrangements. Beyond gorgeous! {Also, artistically and lovingly designed by the mother-of-the-bride.}
The Maddox Wedding was nothing short of perfection, filled with constant laughter and smiles. But more than anything … the tears of joy and abundance of love they shared between themselves and their families proved that these two high school sweethearts found true love in one another. Here's to a marriage more beautiful than their wedding day!
"The house we took pictures in was my paternal grandparents'. We lived next to them, and I was there almost every day of my childhood. I was my grandma's girl. She taught me how to play card games, gave me fake jewelry and knick knack items she found at garage sales, and always called me to ask me to go up and do something with her. She was my childhood best friend. Their house was built in 1873. My grandparents raised 10 children together there. The were married on June 18, 1949. They had such a wonderful and happy marriage that survived the death of their 19-year-old son and so many hard years of farming. When my grandma died July of 2013, my grandpa wished he would have gone with her. He spent the next almost two-years after her death mourning her before he got to finally join her. He would talk to her picture every day. He even would kiss it. When he was in the hospital we had to bring the picture to him. My grandpa knew it was almost his time to go, so he asked to leave the hospital so he could die in the house he was born, raised, and raised his family in. I hope Ethen and I can have a marriage like theirs."
- Carrissa
Vendors:
Bride's Dress: Andrew Jackson {Jackson, Missouri}
Bridesmaids' Dresses: J. Marie's Formal Affairs {Chaffee, Missouri}
Groom and Groomsmen's Tuxes: J. Marie's Formal Affairs {Chaffee, Missouri}
Floral Arrangements: J. Marie's Flowers {Chaffee, Missouri}
Dipping Dots Wedding Cake: Bride's Aunt Karen
]]>{June 4, 2016}
Saint Rose Catholic Church in Breese, Illinois
Tiffany and Brett are a couple after my own heart? Why? The way Brett admired his gorgeous bride throughout the entire day with the sweetest little grin, the constant laughter and jokes throughout the evening, but more than anything … the uncontrollable tears of joy they shared between themselves and their families. The adorableness and connection between these two still has me swooning over their love story.
This bride and groom’s vision for their big day was nothing short of pure loveliness. The day was filled with a soft, smile-inducing color palette with various hues of blush, rose, and pink, small gold touches, from the jewelry and shoes to the reception chandelier, delicate baby's breath and pale, lush roses, and chic touches of rustic charm. The result was a relaxed family affair so pretty that not even a little rain could dampen its beauty.
Is there anything better than a homemade and sentimental gift on your wedding day? Tiffany's mother surprised her with the sweetest "something old" gift that didn't leave a dry eye in the room as Tiffany opened it. The mother of the bride created a hand sewn garter for Tiffany to wear on her big day, made of heart-shaped fabric taken from items of loved ones in her life.
The last purse that her late Grandma Brenda carried.
A skirt of her Grandma Vi's.
A sweatshirt once worn by her late Grandpa Bub.
And her Dad's old red and gray wrist sweat bands from his glory days as a high school basketball player.
Tiffany's mother also carefully sewed pearl buttons and an applique from her own wedding gown worn over 32 years ago when she married Tiffany's father. The perfect gift of love!
Tiffany and Brett chose to have their first look before the ceremony at the fountain where Brett asked Tiffany to be his wife. Romantic, right? Even with the light rain, this moment couldn't have been anymore intimate or perfect.
There's something about the first time a father see's his daughter on her wedding day, but this reveal tugged at my heart. The tears were flowing, the hugs were big, but the love was even bigger.
