Wedding Day Vendors:
Wedding Planner – My mom and I did almost all of the planning ourselves with the exception of the reception hall. We had a couple of SUPER talented ladies help us out with that. Nicole Monroe and Amanda Sanner of Once Upon a Find designed and created our beautiful reception from a million small ideas that I had given to them. They put my vision together into something beautiful beyond belief! We were so blessed to have their talents to help pull-off our rustic country look.
Hair – One of my best friends, Caitlyn James, did my hair for the wedding, and she did a FABULOUS job if I do say so myself! 🙂
Makeup – Makeup was done by Lindsey Kaufman at Attitudes Salon in Mt. Zion, IL.
Florist – Our floral arrangements and bouquets were created by the brilliant Wanda from Lake Land Florals in Mattoon, IL. She specializes in primitive decor and flower arrangements. She even provided us some extra ferns from her own personal use for the day of the wedding to help add some extra color and texture in the ceremony venue. She is incredible!
Church – Glad Tidings Church in Decatur, IL
Reception – Macon Community Center in Macon, IL
Cake – Our cake and all our cupcakes were made by Teri Henry. I had the pleasure of working with Teri and having the chance to sample all her delicious treats that she brought into the office. I knew that she would do a fantastic job and so we asked her if she would make our wedding cake and cupcakes, and we were not disappointed! All our guests said that they were some of the best cupcakes that they had ever had!
Dress – Rand Evan purchased at Formals of Litchfield in Litchfield, IL
Tuxes – Seno Formalwear
Limousine – Walker limousine Decatur, IL
First dance song— Then by Brad Paisley
How did the two of you meet? We went to high school together. We started off as very good friends for many years. But, once I graduated and went away to college, we realized that there may have been something more there than just friendship. Clint came to visit me at Western a couple of times and before too long, we decided to take the plunge and move from friends to boyfriend and girlfriend and we never looked back. It has been a wild six year ride for us and to this day the thing that makes our relationship so special is that he is still as good of a friend to me now as he was six years ago!
How did he propose…and what made you say yes? Clint and I were headed out to dinner on a Friday night as we would typically do. Nothing seemed unusual, and I had no suspicions. It was when we started driving toward Bethany and not Decatur that I got confused. Clint responded by simply saying that he had forgotten to tell me that our friend Andrew had called and gotten his four-wheeler stuck in the mud and needed his help to come pull it out……I was furious. I didn’t understand why he couldn’t have done this before he came to pick me up or why he thought it was so funny that I was getting worked up. Regardless, through my protests, Clint continued to drive toward the country just outside of Bethany. It was then that I realized we were on the path of an area that is known to everyone as “the tower.” This is a place where many of us hung out while we were in high school and is honestly one of my favorite places at home. It is nestled back in the trees and overlooks a large amount of farm land and a waterfowl area. It is beautiful and quiet and they built up a large deck overlook that I absolutely love. When we pulled up, I was beyond confused. I kept asking where is Andrew while Clint was demanding I get out of the car. It wasn’t more then a second after I stepped around the trees and saw the overlook through the clearing that I started crying. Clint had enlisted the help of my sister to come out early and line the deck with candles and flowers. Clint walked me out onto the middle and got down on one knee and proposed. It was the happiest moment of my life. After a couple photos, Clint insisted that we hurry because we really did have dinner reservations and we were going to be late. Of course I called my parents first and told them the good news and then I started trying to call all my friends. Notice the word TRIED. Not one of them would answer. But, I did not have too much time to think about it because we arrived at the restaurant shortly. So imagine my surprise when my family and Clint’s mom were already sitting at our table and only a few minutes later all my friends that I had been trying to call walked into the room! Clint and Kelsey had worked to get everyone I loved in the same place and it could not have been a happier moment. It was so great to get to share our special moment with the people that we love more then anything.
What was your favorite memory from your wedding day? I don’t know if I can pick just one memory! I loved being encircled in a huge hug from all my bridesmaids right before we got ready to walk down the isle. I loved the private moment that my dad and I had while we were waiting for our turn to walk down the isle. I loved that right in the midst of the nerve-wrecking ceremony and lighting the unity candle Clint whispered something funny in my ear and made me bust out laughing. I loved that despite the fact that she is fighting for her life, Clint and I’s high school English teacher came to our ceremony to watch us begin our lives together. I loved sitting at the head of the reception table and looking out over all our family and friends and thinking how truly blessed Clint and I are. I loved having wedding cake shoved in my face. I loved walking around and asking people, “Have you seen my husband?” Heck, I even loved when my bustle broke and Kellie had to safety pin it up for me! But I think most of all, I loved that instead of heading right to the after-party when the wedding was over to meet all of our friends, Clint gave the limo driver a little extra tip to keep driving around town for a little while longer so we could have a few quiet moments alone and re-live the craziness of the day and surround ourselves with love and the overwhelming happiness that we felt for each other.
What was your favorite detail from your wedding day? I loved the candle pass that I was able to share with all my sorority sisters. It was an excellent reminder for me that not time nor distance will be able to tear apart the friendship and love that we all built during our four years in the Phi Sig palace.
What was your something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue? Something old was my grandmother’s bracelet that my Aunt gave to me on the day of my wedding. Something new was my beautiful wedding gown. Something borrowed was a bracelet from my mother, and something blue was my mom’s garter that I wore.
Any advice you would give to future brides and grooms? Don’t ever take yourselves too seriously. Throughout this entire process, Clint and I vowed to not drive each other crazy. We didn’t get caught up in the small details because we always kept our eyes and hearts on the bigger picture – at the end of the day we would be married. I can’t even begin to count the number of people who told me during my wedding day that I was the calmest bride that they had ever seen. But I just kept reminding myself the entire day to take in every moment and not stress out because we would never be able to get these precious moments back.
Would you change anything if you could do it all over again? If I could do it all over again the only thing I would do differently is figure out how to make a couple of clones of myself. I know there were so many people at the reception that I didn’t get to talk to and spend enough time with and I felt SO badly after it was all over. But I hope that each and every one of our guests know how much Clint and I love and appreciate them taking the time to spend the day with us and share in happiness!
Where did you go on your honeymoon? We went to Riviera Maya, Mexico and stayed at the Secrets Maroma and it was FABULOUS!
I have told Kellie once and I will tell her and anyone else who will listen a million times, she is the most incredible woman! Not only as a photographer, but also just as a person. She is patient and kind and funny and everything that I hope to also radiate to others. Clint and I feel blessed beyond measure to have had the opportunity to meet and work with Kellie and get to know her on both a professional and personal level. We love her so much and could not be happier that we had Across the Miles to capture our special day!
Kate & Clint…I feel the exact same way about the two of you. The way you to showed real, honest emotion towards each other the entire day just made my heart smile. I am so grateful to call you my friends & feel so blessed to have been there on your wedding day! I’m so thrilled for the two of you as you begin this new journey. You two have a beautiful love story that you are writing together!
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