Rustic Barn Overflowing with Love

Rustic Barn Overflowing With Love         

Just like every individual, every couple and wedding are different from all others. For Lindsey and Mitch, the focus of their special day was not only their love for one another but for their families as well. They used their collective creativity to share that love with their family, friends, and honored guests. With the use of beautiful flowers, lanterns, and photos from their past the couple brought their special day together to join each other, and proudly honor their passed loved ones.

As you entered Millikan Farms on this beautiful sunny day, you could feel a light breeze blowing off the lake backing up to the property, you could see the beautiful garland draped down the stairwell leading up to the ceremony, as well as a magnificent chandelier hanging above the ceremony. As you went up the stairs the aisle was lined by photos of the couple through the years hanging on the end chair surrounded by flowers. The Memory table was off to the right out of the sight of the bride, Lindsey, as she came down the aisle; and front and center of the room stood a backdrop made of three handmade wooden doors, that Mitch made just for their special day.

Lindsey asked KYAE to move the memory table out of her line of sight coming to the altar at the rehearsal because just a few weeks before the wedding her grandmother passed away. She shared that it had been an unexpected loss and that her Grandmother was on the memory table. Because Lindsey was already upset that her Grandmother would not be there for her special day she recognized that it would without a doubt upset her before the ceremony to see the photo of her grandma. So, the KYAE team moved the table back so family could visit it before the ceremony and again while guests were participating at cocktail hour so that the ones who may have missed it would see the table going through the appetizer line.

Mitch made so many beautiful items for the wedding starting with the massive doors that were used as the backdrop for their ceremony, they were so large it took a team of six men to get them down after the evening was finally over. But he also made three sizes of lanterns that were used as table centerpieces, these also held flowers. All of this was beautiful and wonderful but it was something far more simple that set this whole day apart.

Lindsey and Mitch were married the day before Mother’s Day, and this was what made this wedding special, they used the holiday to bring their whole family together. After all of the first dances, the couple asked anyone with their mother present to come to the dance floor with her and dance, this resulted in large circles of people hugging and dancing with one another, and almost every guest on the dance floor with the couple. This may sound like some small thing but it was easily the most moving dance I have ever witnessed. I love that Lindsey and Mitch used their special day to honor their mothers and loved ones that are not here anymore. 

Venue: Millikan Farms

Flowers: Flowers By Gary

Linens, and Chairs: Party Reflections

Lighting: DreamBuilder Productions

Catering: Western Steakhouse

Cake and Cupcakes: Cakes by Manfred

Dessert Bar: Family and Friends

Photographer: C Saul Photography

Videographer: Carolina Wedding Films

Party Favors: Etsy

Hair and Makeup: Updos Studio

By SUmmer Intern Alex

Sunshine on a rainy day

        Will and Rachel were married at Merry Hill Farm, surrounded by family, friends and a surprising number of peacocks. Merry Hill is a beautiful venue that is comprised of a large pole barn, an outdoor restroom with a men and women’s stall, a small building that is just a single room- used for the men’s changing area; and a two-story house with two bedrooms, several bathrooms, kitchen, living room, and dining room. The house was used for the women to prepare for the day in, and at the end of the night the couple stayed in the house.

      

  The weekend was forecasted to have showers throughout, and the couple added an extra tent over the ceremony area, and the reception area had a tent placed already. These came very much in handy as it began raining shortly after the start of the reception and continued to rain for the rest of the evening with short periods of time between showers.

       

After a beautiful ceremony and while the bridal party took photos their guests enjoyed cocktail hour with appetizers and drinks, the couple was introduced to their guests. As they entered and found their way to their seats an announcement was made that tables would be released individually to the buffet. As the tables were released our team helped older adults and small children make their plates, and we collected chargers from the tables. For the remainder of the night, among the rest of our normal responsibilities, we moved tables. A LOT. Almost every fifteen minutes to be exact the four tables that were just outside of the reception tent in the area, where lawn games and

the photo book were set up, were moved from their lawn placement to under the edge of the covered barn to keep them from being soaked.

        As guests enjoyed a unique menu that included four meats, five vegetables, four salads, apple cider doughnuts for desert, and for “loco hour” a taco truck to keep fueling the dancing guests! The tent was decorated with creams and blues and the lighting of the area could be brought up or down as they needed to be, making it easy to control the room’s feeling during toasts, dances, and garter and bouquet tosses.

Guests were given the opportunity to be chauffeured to and from the wedding and reception and the busses came in trips, so guests had multiple opportunities. After keeping a close eye on the weather, we saw a storm coming, and decided to do the sparkler exit early to prevent it from being rained out. It was not until the Taco truck was getting ready to leave, and last call for alcohol was made that the bottom finally dropped out of the sky; we couldn’t move quickly enough to save all the tables and guests left in a hurry. Guests were rushing to cars and busses; and catering and KYAE staff were rushing around to get the tables that weren’t under a tent in, and to save at least table cloths off the tables that were flooding near the edges of the tents they were under. We began to clean up the party and made sure the newlyweds were tucked in snug to their home for the night before heading out from a most eventful evening. 

*written by one of our summer interns

Let's Dance the Night Away!

A few weeks ago we were doing what we do best…entertaining and creating a guest experience of rocking the dance floor when a videographer pulled me to the side and literally yelled at me for being “a part of the party.”  At first I thought he was kidding, but then I realized he was wasn’t being “smart” he was really upset that a planner and her team would be on the dance floor having fun instead of working…

WELL… WE DO THINGS 110% differently than most planners and teams!  For us jumping on the dance floor when some of the guests do not know how to do the latest participation dance is work!  We totally understand that this is a wedding reception but our

main mission is to make sure everyone is having a great time…and if one of your guests feels left out from a dance we are quick to surround them and make them feel like they’re the life of the party guiding them through every step of the way.

And our couples EAT IT UP!!! We’re told week after week, this was the BEST PARTY ever!  And it’s because of the guest experience we create from the moment your first guest arrives until we are packing up the final decorations for your parents and wedding party. 

I’m still not sure who’s my “most fun” to teach the wobble to… the cute little flower girl or the 80-year grandma that’s now holding #lifegoals for me.  We love cornering the sides of the dance floor and make sure everyone is staying on beat and having fun.  We’ve had several brides that tell us during their planning consultations that they have no clue how to do any of the participation dances but that they really want to learn or at least don’t wanna look like a fool and we promise them to be right by them every step of the way just as we had been throughout the planning process. 

We want our couples and our guests to dance the night away, keep the dance floor

rocking all night long and feel like they are the Rockstar of the night… with us quietly telling them step forward, wobble, back…etc… they look like they are having a blast because they are!

So if you are looking to have “FUN” at your wedding and create magical memories than we are definitely the team for you.  Let’s go kill another dance floor and create memories that will last a lifetime!

*Thank you to Elizabeth Larson, Parton Shots and Andrea Anderson for this awesome action shots of us!