A Wedding Photographer Becomes The Bride for This Pastel Garden Party Southern Wedding

I wanted an upscale garden party vibe. As if you went to a bbq in the Hamptons where you knew you'd look fabulous but it wasn't stuffy. We had less than 100 people there because we wanted the people that mattered most to us to feel really special when they attended and know just how much they meant to us.

James is in the military and was about to have to move stations from FL to VA, making weekend visits no longer possible, so my parents suggested we had a "going away" lunch at a new restaurant near our lake house. We planned to bring the dogs to the lake post lunch, which gave James the perfect excuse to stop at the lake house on the way to lunch to "drop off" our dog, Maple. I waited in the car for a minute, until he came and said let's go for a walk. I was so confused and thrown off I didn't get out but rather told him " I thought you were nervous about being late to lunch with my parents" He walked me toward to back yard and I could see the flower arrangement at the end of the dock. I immediately started crying. As he walked me down, I saw my 2 best friends videoing, he had asked them to drive in from NC and TN to AL to celebrate us. The dock was covered in petals, candles, and flowers. Our song (that would soon also become our first dance song) was playing as he got on one knee and proposed. Champage, charcuterie, and a change of clothes for a photoshoot were on the patio. We had a moment to ourselves and go to buzz and talk about all the plans he had laid out. After our photos, he drove me back to my house, where all of our friends and family were waiting. We celebrated the night away!

Blessings by Kari Jobe, What a Beautiful Name by Hillsong Worship

We incorporated handwritten thank you notes as the guests seating chart, so as they sat down for dinner, they were able to read a personalized letter about why we were grateful for them.

We had espresso martinis on our first date, and share the initials "JK" as a married couple, so we served espresso martinis topped with our "JK" monogram to our guests.

Our dancefloor was a custom floor designed to mimic the entryway tile of the brides' first home, that her and her fiance James spent many night cooking dinner and falling in love in. She added a twist to the tile pattern by incorporating the blue seen in the wedding design.