I was in the UK hiking through the Scottish Highlands. He was in the US buying a house in Northwest Arkansas. Even a world apart we managed to find each other.
{We may have had a little help from technology.} Swapping emails, Skype video calls, and playing lots of Tetris online meant that we knew each other really well before we ever met face-to-face. We were even able to write old fashioned love letters that are now tied in a ribbon and tucked into my hope chest.
It didn’t take long after we met to realize Nathan was the one. {Isn’t he adorable?}
Growing up I wasn’t one of those girls who planned her wedding from the age of five, but as I was falling for Nathan I started imagining ours. I knew I wanted our wedding to reflect our personalities. Green converse {our favorite color}, nerdy details, and a relaxed atmosphere.
Because my friends & family were in Mississippi and Nathan’s were in Oklahoma & Arkansas the logistics started to run away from us. Wherever we placed the wedding half of the guests would have a 12-hour trek and some just wouldn’t be able to make it that far. Wherever the wedding was I knew I wanted everything to be showered in natural light for beautiful photographs, and spent weeks searching for the perfect venue.
We ended up with the best of both worlds. We had a small intimate ceremony with immediate family at Devil’s Den State Park in Winslow, AR. Then in the weeks to follow we had celebrations in each of our stompin’ grounds.
Now I wouldn’t have it any other way. The low key, relaxed atmosphere allowed us to focus on each other and the commitment we were making. My brother-in-law livestreamed the wedding to Papa who couldn’t make it and was watching from his care home. Some of our other friends and family also joined the livestream. With families members gathered under a towering tree we exchanged vows in an intimate ceremony.
Our flower girls were adorable. As a wedding photographer, I’ve seen too many kids stuffed in itchy outfits and expected to behave like adults. We decided to let them do their own thing and it was perfect. {Even in it’s imperfection.}
Following the ceremony a mini reception was set up on the stone wall by the overlook. We had a simple wedding cake topped with white hydrangeas. We’d also used hydrangeas to make my bridal bouquet and for the flower girls to toss. We’d baked Star Wars cookies earlier in the week {and had LEGO candy in leui of wedding mints}. Nathan & I cut the cake and toasted Mountain Dew in glass bottles. Afterwards a few hikers stopped by with well wishes. It was all beautifully simple.
With friends and family all over the globe I decided to have a postcard guest book. Those present chose postcards from a selection we had and faraway friends mailed postcards from places like London, Canada, Turkey & the Netherlands. I’m going to bind them together into a book. Our wedding program was also pretty unique. Nathan’s a computer programmer so I asked him to write our wedding in code and we used that for the program {below center}. It was pretty awesome.
Did I mention there was a light saber battle between Best Man & Maid of Honor? {I never even knew this happened until we got the photos.}
Our wedding day was just the beginning of a wonderful adventure.
What are your favorite wedding memories?
Cheers,
Sarah
{Photos by Stephanie Dawn Photography.}