It shouldn’t be a surprise that I am a huge fan of love. In particular, love stories. Hearing how two people made their journey from meeting to their wedding always captures my undivided attention, and stories like this one truly show what a journey it can be. But when they made it to that aisle? It was perfection filled with sentimental touches that will make your heart melt. Like the ring bearer bringing their rings down on a bed of their love letters while the Groom was deployed. I know, it’s amazing…and there is more from Soli Photography waiting for you right here.
Can’t get enough of this couple? We can’t either. So be sure to tune to their adorable film from Sea & Sky Films…
From the Bride… Andrew and I met a couple of months before he was supposed to leave for boot camp. When we first started dating I knew there was something about this guy that was completely different than anyone I had ever dated. It just felt right! He left for Fort Benning, GA, then it was off to airborne school, and then it was time for us to find where he would be stationed. I will never forget the look on his face when he told me he was going to be stationed in Alaska. Andrew was stationed in Alaska for 3 ½ years and I can honestly say when I went to visit him those were some of the best times in our relationship! His year long deployment was difficult but we made it through and in 2011 he returned home to us for good!
The day that I went to view Walnut Hill Farm I fell in love. I just knew it was the perfect place for our wedding! So on a hot spring day in May we were married at the beautiful Walnut Hill Farms. When contemplating about the overall style of our wedding we both agreed that southern elegance was the only option. We love relaxing and being outdoors and we wanted our guests to feel the same. When beginning this journey we decided to plan our entire wedding ourselves down to every last detail. First and foremost we wanted God to be the center of our celebration. It was finally real that we were getting married after being engaged for 3 ½ years! Ever since I was a little girl I have always loved family heirlooms. My dad and I both enjoy collecting antiques and many of them were passed down from previous generations. We were able to use many of them in our wedding to make it that much more personal and memorable. It was a blast to get to plan and decorate with my dad. I loved all of the personal touches in our wedding. My father in-law cut down a tree from their yard, my husband sanded and stained it, and my sister in-law was able to burn our names into the wood. Once this piece was finished we used it as the base for the grooms cake. One of my favorite parts of the wedding was when our ring bearer carried our stacks of handwritten letters from boot camp and Afghanistan down the aisle.
I remember standing in the barn with my dad and the doors were about to open for us to walk down the aisle. I could hear one of our favorite songs playing and then I heard my bridesmaid Amanda start singing and playing the guitar, which was our cue. Beautiful white petals lay daintily on the stone path that was lined with shepherd’s hooks and swinging flower filled mason jars that led to the altar. In there hung antique weathered windows surrounded by our perfect wedding party waiting for us to say our vows. It was everything I had ever dreamed of and I couldn’t believe it was finally happening! The ceremony was beautiful and then the lovely barn doors opened and the fun at the reception began. I hopped into my reception dress and we danced the night away. I had so many people tell me it was the best wedding they had ever been to which made me feel like all of our hard work paid off. God has truly blessed Andrew and I and we are excited for our future!
Wedding Photography: Soli Photography / Wedding Venue: Walnut Hill Farm in Dalton, Georgia / Floral Design: Humphreys / Wedding Cinematography: Sea & Sky Films / Invitations: One Little M / DJ + Lighting: Soundforce / Wedding Dress: Priscilla of Boston / Bride’s Shoes: BHLDN