In case you missed it, this week is the 10th birthday of our Little Black Book! Isn’t that incredible!? And we couldn’t think of a better way to keep the celebrations going all weekend long than to share this insanely beautiful Camp Lucy wedding, which shows the magic that happens when Little Black Book members like Jenna McElroy, Westcott Weddings, and Lovely come together. Trust us, you’ll be coming back to this swoon-worthy gallery all weekend long – just add bubbly, and we’ve got ourselves a proper celebration. Cheers to 10 years!
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From the Bride, Jerika… Harry and I met at Texas Tech University through a mutual friend. Although I had already heard of him, we did not get the chance to really get to know each other until my senior year of school. After we met officially, we hit it off! He had this genuine and confident demeanor that I was so intrigued by from the start. After school, Harry and I both ended up in Fort Worth, Texas (my hometown) and knew that it was the place we were going to start our family. After four years of dating, Harry surprised me and said we were going to dinner with friends, however we ended up in my parents’ backyard with a very romantic setting of glowing candles and white rose petals, and he proposed! It was perfect for us, and the best part was that he had both of our families and close friends there at my parents’ home ready to celebrate with us! There was champagne, toasts, dinner, dessert, and we had quite the night to remember.
When it came to planning our wedding, we knew we wanted something intimate and elegant yet still upscale. We also knew we wanted it to feel very personal to who we are as a couple and to incorporate unexpected details that were true to us. One of the most important things to us was our guests’ experience; we wanted to create a beautiful day not only for us, but also for our family and friends.
As a designer for a homebuilder, I spend much of my time on the details of beautiful spaces, so when it came to the planning process of our wedding, I really had my hand in every aspect and detail involved. With the help of my wedding planner, Ellen Westcott, and a whole list of amazing vendors, it truly became better than I could have imagined! It also could not have been possible without the help of my amazing mother, who helped me with every decision and was there with me through the whole journey. She is the absolute best person and partner in crime!
There were many things that helped make for a very special event, including great food, bar, entertainment, and company. However the details of the day really made it so special, including the welcome baskets that welcomed our guests to Camp Lucy, the urns at the ceremony that were from my mother, the acrylic table numbers at dinner that matched our custom crest, and the tulips placed at each plate at the head table. Plus all of the paper goods (which were so fun to design and had such a romantic feel!), including our custom watercolor crest which became the signature design of the day, our invitations with floral liners, and my FAVORITE – a watercolor on the napkins of our dog, Piper!
My bridesmaids and I started out the morning sipping on mimosas and hot tea in Camp Lucy’s’ Bridal Suite. It was such a relaxing morning leading up to the ceremony. We had stayed in the extremely elegant cabins on site at Camp Lucy since that Wednesday night leading up to the wedding, so it made that morning so much more anticipated. By the afternoon, I got changed into my dress. The gown was originally strapless, and we had a custom topper sewn onto the dress created by Nardos Design. It was everything I wanted – simple and classic yet with a feminine, couture look!
Later that evening, the ceremony started. The natural surroundings of the ceremony space of Sacred Oaks speak for themselves. It was like a fairy tale with the teak slatted chairs for the guests, the string quartet playing in the background, and the willowing branches with white delphinium florals hanging above us. Ceremony then flowed into cocktail hour on the terrace and lawn behind the pavilion of Sacred Oaks for guests to enjoy champagne, wine, the signature gin cocktail (which we named after our dog, Piper), and delicious hors d’oeuvres including petite black pepper biscuits with country ham and caramelized pear mustard, bacon wrapped quail breast drizzled with habanero nectar, and lump crab cakes with tarragon caper-aioli. The terrace and lawn felt like the perfect mix of elegant and natural with the green cypress and pops of pink floral in the vines hanging off the pavilion. It felt like a private Italian villa. Guests were then led to dinner under the sperry tent to the right of the lawn. After sunset, feasting on southern comfort cuisine, and sipping wine, everyone headed into the large pavilion where we danced and celebrated into the night!
There were so many memorable moments from the wedding, but I would have to say the moment that I keep going back to is our candlelit dinner under the sperry tent on the lawn. I wanted everyone to feel loved on and comfortable as if they were coming to our home for a lovely celebration. It was right after our ceremony, and not only was it absolutely STUNNING in the tent, but hearing the toasts and seeing all of the joy and laughter from our friends and family meant the world to both Harry and me. That was the moment I was looking most forward to, and that is the moment I will never forget! The night was such a perfect mixture of intimate and elegant.
It had been quite a journey for us during the planning process. Three months before the wedding, my dad passed away from a long fought battle with Leukemia. All of the details of planning this wedding melted away. My main focus became my family and the relationships with the people I love most. Everything gets put into perspective. Our family has always been extremely close, so my big brother walked me down the aisle. Something that was very special to me was the boutonniere my dad was supposed to wear. We had already ordered it, and I wanted to use it in a special way. So in the ceremony right next to the aisle, we had a table with a picture of my dad and me, a candle, and my dad’s Bible with the boutonniere he was to wear placed on top of the Bible. Although I knew my dad was already going to be with me on the day of, having those pieces there made me feel so comforted during the whole ceremony. I knew I wanted to do something for him in a special way, and this was perfect for me! I felt such a joy on the day of. It was truly unlike anything I can explain, the amount of pure joy and calmness I felt the entire day. I knew he was with me. My faith in the Lord got me through those three months, the day of, and ultimately every day since then.
One thing I learned during the whole planning process was the power of being present amidst the chaos, such as making an effort to be present at my bridal showers, my bachelorette party, and other events. I was reminded that people are the most important part of any season! For future bride, be present with your loved ones not only on the months and days leading up to your wedding, but also on the day of. Be present with your family, your best friends, and most importantly, your groom!
Photography: Jenna McElroy | Cinematography: Ryan Gerecke | Event Planning + Design: Westcott Weddings | Wedding Dress: Carol Hannah | Cake: Simon Lee Bakery | Stationery: The Inviting Pear | Shoes: Kate Spade | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Hayley Paige | Hair + Makeup: Sarah Sallis | Lighting: Intelligent Lighting Design | Band: Ice House Band | Venue: Camp Lucy | Bridal Boutique: Lovely Bridal Shop | Bridesmaids' Dresses Boutique: Bella Bridesmaid | Catering + Floral Design: Whim Hospitality | Photo Processing: PhotoVision Prints | Photobooth: Oh Happy Day Booth | Rentals: Bee Lavish Vintage Rentals | Wedding Dress Overlay: Nardos Design, Dallas Texas
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