AN ELEGANT AUTUMN WEDDING AT WILLOWS BEND

the story of

kristen + john

and wedding photography + videography in Carbondale

~*~

Even in this modern world of dating apps, a blind date arranged by a human being rather than an algorithm can still do the trick for starting a love story — which is exactly what led to this perfect pairing and their wonderful wedding day!

About their vision, Kristen shares:

Our wedding theme was “modern elegant,” but to be honest, it didn’t start that way. The theme was ever evolving as new ideas arose and Pinterest inspirations were pinned. And although these ideas seemed far-fetched, we reasoned that “it’s for the wedding” — a day we intend to do only once in our life.

For both of us, family is very important, and we wanted to include our families in our wedding plans as much as possible. Fortunately, this meant those far-fetched ideas could come to life through their gifts and talents, which were showcased on our wedding day in a number of details. Among these were:

• The gorgeous potted grass arrangements lining the ceremony aisle. These were all grasses handpicked and delicately arranged by John’s mom. And the pots in which they were placed were handcrafted by my dad from wood that I used to play on at my childhood home. In addition to being beautiful, these arrangements were significant in the way they brought together my and John’s hometowns.

• The communion plate at the ceremony altar. It was used at my parents’ wedding, then again at my sister’s.

• Table decor and other reception details. John’s dad made the geometric-shaped ornaments adorning the head table. My brother put together the photo slideshow that played above it. And on each reception table were wedding favors with labels created by my sister.

• The hankie hidden inside my pocket (because yes, my dress had pockets!). This hankie represents many years of marriage in that it combines items representative of my parents’ and each set of grandparents’ marriages. The original hankie is one my dad always had in his back pocket. It is lined with lace from my mom’s wedding dress and also features a bow and a button from my grandmothers’ wedding dresses. All together, these marriages amount to 167 years (and counting!).

These minor details can be easily missed, but to us, they weren’t just about decor. They represented the unity of two families, as well as the love and support each of those families have for us. We are very thankful for the help we had throughout our engagement to make our day perfect!

Kristen and John: Your day also included so many other special details — from the heartfelt letters, vows and gifts you two exchanged to the impressive choreographed dances during your reception, to name just a few. It was truly an honor to capture this occasion that was so obviously a labor of love, as well as to document your love on this day you said “I do.” I hope you find we did justice in depicting it all and can’t wait to share more with you soon!

Date: 11.05.21 | Venue: Willows Bend (Carbondale, Kansas)

coordination: Lindsey Kate Weddings | hair: Hair By Hannah | makeup: Jordan Schick | dresses: True Society by Belle Vogue Bridal (bride) & JJ’s House (bridesmaids) | suits: Men’s Wearhouse | rings: Helzberg Diamonds | invitations: Magnet Street | floral: Beyond the Bloom | officiant: Tim Hughes | catering: Hog Wild Pit Bar-B-Q | cake: Lauren’s Sweet Corner | DJ: Sound Origin Productions | photography & videography: Wisdom-Watson Weddings

– feature film –

See the occasion come alive in these video highlights!