Katie and Bryan first fell in love while traveling the world, and wanted to showcase their story and all of their shared passions with a celebration that every one of their guests, young and old, would enjoy. They chose Kt Crabb Photography to beautifully document their first day as husband and wife, in what looked like the perfect beginning to their new chapter!
The two became friends through Bible study at their church, then became something more while planning a trip to Europe with friends. They celebrated two months together in Italy's Cinque Terre, while discovering a shared passion for travel, adventure and each other. Says Katie, "Bryan works in design and marketing and I am a middle school history teacher so we both think in very different ways, but that is something that we love about each other. We force each other to see things from a different perspective and it makes us stronger."
Katie's "something borrowed, blue, old, and new" were collected from the women on both sides of her family. As her something borrowed, she wore her mother's diamond earrings; it was the first time her mother had taken them off since they were given to her by Katie's father. The diamond cross she wore, as her something new, was a gift from her Nana.
When it came time to plan the wedding, they had three main priorities: to have a meaningful, faith-driven ceremony; to showcase themselves as a couple, with things they love and are passionate about; and to have a fun celebration that all their guests could enjoy. The Birdsong Barn fit all of their requirements for location, providing the open-air, casual setting they were looking for. It also suited Bryan's Southern background and Katie's love of rustic, vintage details.
One of Katie's most memorable moments was during the ceremony, as she began her walk to the altar: "Before I came out at the ceremony I could see Bryan through the barn. Instead of crying, I could not stop shaking. I wasn't expecting it and if my mom and dad hadn't held me up, I probably would have fallen over at the altar!"
“ Most of everything done at or for the wedding was done by people we love. We are so thankful to be surrounded by such talented friends and we are so thankful to be blessed to have them use their gifts to make our wedding day extra special.”
The two honored the marriages in their families with a table of wedding photos; says Katie, "We are so fortunate to both come from families where our parents show us what love looks like, daily. One of the photos is actually of my great, great grandparents from 1900."
To share Bryan's love of film and story, the couple incorporated a few details - a quote from The Sandlot, and signature drinks named after a beloved movie and a favorite character: "Our signature drinks are not just named after some of our favorite movies; 'my' drink was the Princess Bride because the first time I realized Bryan was interested in me was when he came to see me when I ran the Princess half marathon." They also included books on the tables, as an homage to "the story they are writing together". Personal touches made their way on to the menu, too: Bryan and one of his groomsmen, Trevor, brewed their own beer for the reception - a Munich dunkle they named Braunbar, a reference to that first fateful European trip.
Another of Katie's favorite memories was just before her dance with her father: "Whenever Jessica by The Allman Brothers comes on, it doesn't matter where I am, I call him (I even called him from Italy once) so I knew it had to be played at the wedding. My dad was outside of the barn when it started and I will forever remember him running through to crowd to get to me on the dance floor."
So beautiful! Congratulations, you two - here's to sharing many more adventures together.
