Romantic Garden Wedding at Gheens Foundation Lodge

Karen (she/her) and Jeremy (he/him) had the most romantic & joyful wedding surrounded by their friends and family. Since The Parklands of Floyd’s Fork holds a special place in their hearts, Gheens Foundation Lodge in Beckley Creek Park was the ideal Louisville wedding venue for them!

There are so many wonderful elements of their wedding day I want to write about, but honestly, Karen and Jeremy said it a lot better than I could, so I’ll be sharing some quotes from them throughout the blog post as well as a list of their amazing vendor team at the very end!

Once you’ve had a chance to check out their wedding photos, if you’re still wanting to see more inspiration from other beautiful Kentucky weddings then check out this rainy Red River Gorge treehouse elopement, this greenhouse wedding at 3rd Turn Oldham Gardens, or this stunning wedding at Hazlenut Farms that had such a fun dance floor! You can also read more about Karen & Jeremy’s Louisville Wedding with Creekside Vows on StyleBlueprint and you can learn more about Gheens Foundtaion Lodge on my comprehensive list of the best wedding venues in Louisville here.

“For our church ceremony, rehearsal dinner, and at the end of the reception, I wore a little white dress (lw153) by Amsale. On Saturday I wore Lis Simon from Couture Closet. I loved having two "looks" that reflected my personality and made me feel beautiful in different ways. The Lis Simon dress had a tighter cut and 3D flowers all over, which I thought was perfect given the park venue and my love of flowers. My little white dress was midi, satin, flowy and a dream to wear. I loved that I had the little white dress to change into later in the reception so I could really hit the dance floor. Both dresses were beautifully altered by my talented friend, Andrea Hansen. I opted to keep jewelry and accessories to a minimum, only wearing a shorter veil and my grandmother's gold and pearl earrings in remembrance of her.”

“Jeremy wore a black suit for the church ceremony and a black tux for the outdoor ceremony. I gave him nice cuff links as a gift prior to the wedding. I hadn't seen his tux prior to that day, and he kept telling me that he looked really sharp in it, and I agree that he did! He purchased his tux online rather than renting so he could wear it again someday.”

“We enjoy hiking and camping in the outdoors but didn't want to have a fully outdoor wedding and stress about the weather. Gheens Foundation Lodge was perfect in that it had beautiful indoor and outdoor space to work with. We loved the big beautiful windows and made sure to have our sweetheart table and dessert table in front of them. We also loved the thought of our money being spent on a venue going to a parks system.”

By doing a first look, Karen and Jeremy were able to spend some quality time together ahead of the ceremony, including having a private moment to share their vows with only each other.

Karen said this about their ceremony, “Our mutual friend who introduced us back in 2012, Benjamin Siegel, was our officiant for our ceremony. We wanted it to be short, sweet, and reflective of our relationship. Benjamin wrote the introduction and that was our first time hearing it. We loved how he quoted Kahlil Gibran, an author dear to our hearts.”

My personal favorite part of their ceremony was also when Benjamin said, “In the days leading up to today I found myself considering the words of Kahlil Gibran...' the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other’s shadow '...I believe this is the beginning of a strong and healthy marriage...because neither of you cast a shadow on the other, as so many here can attest, you illuminate one another." 

“Our friend Joanna Englert read two poems on marriage: Habitation by Margaret Atwood and Married Love by Kuan Tao-sheng, which was important to me as the bride who loves to read poetry. We skipped doing something like lighting a candle or mixing sand, opting to focus on Benjamin's words, the poems, our vows, and exchanging of rings. We both nailed our vows (they were the same as the ones we memorized for church), but when it came to the exchange of rings we both had to look at the script, which made us both crack up. The ceremony was the perfect mix of sentimentality, humor, and truly reflected our love for each other.”

“When we first started wedding planning, Jeremy and I sat down and discussed what was important to each of us. Jeremy really wanted to bring our friends and family together in one place, which we were fortunate enough to do so. He wanted the overall experience to be great big party, so having great food, music, and bar was important to him. And our vendors nailed that! We got so many compliments on Mayan Cafe's tacos and Morris' Deli certainly kept the drinks coming.”

“My maid of honor Michelle from Michelle Marie Calligraphy did all the signage. I will never get over how beautiful all of it was. The welcome sign, seating chart, table numbers, bar signs, everything was so beautifully done. I'm obsessed with the table numbers with pressed flowers! Michelle knew when to ask for my opinion and when to rely on her superb taste. Michelle's work is so crisp and dreamy and all of the signage she did provided such a personal touch to the wedding. The combination of the calligraphy and florals was just so beautiful, and of course, your photography to capture their beauty!”

“I wanted to be showered in flowers. And boy, was I! Howl Floral Designs gave me florals of my dreams for both ceremonies. I came to Kristin with some inspirational pictures and vague statements like "as many flowers as this budget will allow." "Muted pinks, yellows, golds, green and white." "Non-traditional, wildflower feel." Kristin absolutely delivered and didn't blink an eye when I asked for tons of flowers on our gold rounded arch, for the sweetheart table, bouquets, and boutonnieres for both ceremonies, florals on the tables, everywhere. She made recommendations of things that could be repurposed, like the ceremony bourbon barrel florals being reused for the sweetheart table. It was all just jaw-dropping to see in reality.

Due to the rain, the ceremony arch ended up being used for the photo booth backdrop, and I loved that it got more spotlight (literally.) Major shout out to our coordinator Taylor from Hummingbird Page Event Co who managed to move it inside intact without us even asking!”

Louisville, Kentucky Wedding Vendors:

florals: @howlfloraldesign // calligraphy & signage: @michellemariecalligraphy // gown: @lissimonbridal via @couturecloset_kywith alterations by @evoke.weddings // coordinator: @hummingbirdpage // dj: @louisvilleweddingdj // catering: @mayancafenulu // wedding party attire: @bellabridesmaids & @theblacktux & @shoprevelry // hair: @hairby_shelbyrae //mua: @makeupbybrookeduvall // cake: @kennakae // photo-booth: @wallflowerus // venue: @theparklandsoffloydsfork // photography @sarahkatherinedavisphotography // video: Joyce Barbour for @sarahkatherinedavisphotography // photography assistant & polaroids: DJ Corney

Rainy Red River Gorge Treehouse Elopement

Over the past couple of years, I've photographed more and more elopements— I absolutely love that they are becoming more popular! For Harry (he/him) and Sara (she/her), eloping was an easy decision. Sara said, "We joke that eloping is a family tradition. Harry's parents and grandparents eloped and my grandparents eloped, as well. Harry gets a kick out of telling people that we had as many people there as was legally necessary. We're also both incredibly awkward and the solitude of eloping allowed us the freedom to be our authentically weird selves without worrying about what others would think. I joke that we had to elope because we couldn't justify an eight-minute-long first dance to the classic "Get Low," which is what Harry was reciting when we would break out in funky moves."

"We were originally looking to elope in Europe, but you know, money. And covid. And time. Love is patient, but we are not. We could not wait to be husband and wife, so we decided to look at affordable alternatives that would allow us to push up the timeline while also honoring the safety precautions in place due to the pandemic. We decided that the Gorge might be a nifty option. Plus, I love the outdoors (hiking, running, kayaking, etc.) and Harry is big into fantasy. The Gorge seemed like the perfect backdrop to fit both those interests! I remembered seeing treehouses and cabins available to rent when researching potential staycations, so I checked availability, and the Looking Glass had a single upcoming date open: a random Thursday in April, two months away. So we went for it!"

In the afternoon on that random Thursday, we drove up a winding gravel road through hillsides covered in spring wildflowers, ferns, and lush trees to find the Looking Glass treehouses peeking out of the canopy above. Soon Sara, Harry, and their officiant Luke joined us and they unpacked the cars in the rain, taking turns holding umbrellas for each other. Sara put the finishing touches on their cakes and they danced while they helped each other get dressed. "Dancing goofily with Harry helped to ground me throughout the day and relieve stress. It's something silly we do (poorly) at home, in our kitchen, waiting for coffee, etc., so it helped me stay focused on him and us and just have fun."

Sara DIYed several things for the wedding— she painted the small "we eloped" sign based on a picture of Red River Gorge and made TWO wedding cakes. "Sara is a home baker and wanted to give it a go, which she mildly regrets because it was hella stressful to transport (and the kitchen still hasn't recovered)." One cake was "hers," and incorporated some of her favorite flavors, and the other was "his," including dragons (painted by Harry) hoarding their treasure! Inside Harry's cake were mini red velvet cookies— a throwback to the first time Sara and Harry ever met when he offered her a red velvet sandwich cookie and she was too aghast at him interrupting a conversation she was having with another patron to decline even though she hates red velvet.

"We also tried to honor our meeting place (Luke's Coffee) by bringing a beautiful pour-over and a bunch of our favorite coffee cups (how can one decide??). But SOMEONE forgot our coffee beans, leaving us with nothing but a bunch of empty mugs (and hearts). Luke, our extroverted hero, raced over to the next campsite to ask those cabin dwellers if they had any coffee to sacrifice to a newlywed couple. In awe, they gave him a bag, which was the perfect complement to our breakfast-for-dinner "reception for two" after."

"Our wedding is brought to you by etsy. We tried to support as many independent sellers as we could while throwing this shindig together in a matter of weeks." They included a glass ring box shaped like a D20, champagne flutes and cake servers that featured dragons, HP-themed pajamas, as well as vow books so they could display their personalized vows in their home after the wedding.

"My earrings were birds and Harry's tie bar was a fish. When I asked Harry for his last name while adding it to my contacts before we started dating, he blurted out, "FOGLE MEANS BIRD IN GERMAN," which was more information than I needed. I started calling him "Harry Bird" after that. My maiden name is "Fisher," so we decided to incorporate that into our wedding, as well. Interestingly, we were watching my favorite movie (Ever After). and noticed a quote in which Danielle asks Leonardo Da Vinci, "A bird may love a fish, signore, but where will they live?" and he responds, "Then I shall have to make you wings." Even more fascinating is that this same riddle is uttered in Harry's favorite musical— Fiddler on the Roof! We definitely did not take that as a sign... (We did. We did take it as a sign. We're cheesy like that.)"

"Our officiant was the impeccable Luke Gifford. He owned the coffee shop where we met— Harry worked as a barista and I frequented there during grad school to "work" (aka wonder when Harry would waltz in). Luke, his wife, and another member of the staff were waiting impatiently for us to get together. As Luke noted during his speech, he texted his wife the first time Harry sat down at my table excited that it was finally happening! Luke is a good friend to us both and we could not have imagined a better person to marry us!"

"Our flowers came from Jeanie Gorrell Floral Designs— she did a fabulous job capturing the wildflower, bohemian, woodland fairy vibe I was after. I wasn't super particular about which flowers were included with the exception of delphinium. Harry's nanny's name is Delphia, but because we were eloping, she wouldn't be present. We still wanted to honor her in some way... plus, the pops of blue were gorgeous!"

Venue: Looking Glass Treehouse through Canopy Crew // Officiant: Luke Gifford // Photography: Sarah Katherine Davis // Videography: Joyce Barbour // Dress: Maggie Sottero via High Vibe Bride on Poshmark // Florals: Jeanie Gorrell Floral Designs // Sara's Boots & Socks: Dillards // Hair Piece: David's Bridal // Engagement Ring: Joe Rosenberg // Earrings: VRjewels on Etsy // Sara's Band: LoveRingDesign on Etsy // Vest, Pants, & Shirt: Murano // Harry's Boots: Steve Madden // Tie: The Tie Bar // Tiebar & Harry's Band: TheRomanVintageShop // Vow Books: StudioTenebris on Etsy // Glass Ring Box: GLASSOBJECTSstore on Etsy // Dragon Ring Box: DRATAR on Etsy // Hangers: TheReadheadDesignShop on Etsy // Champagne Flutes, Cake Knife & Serve: FellowshipFoundry // PJ Bottoms: BridalPartyRobeShop on Etsy // Sweatshirts: MyPartyTees on Etsy // Gum Paste Flowers: SugarFlowersByShaile on Etsy // Moth: SweetpeaSugarArt on Etsy // Ladybug Sprinkles: SweetSugarPearl on Etsy // Cake Topper: designLeeStudio // Candy Crystals: sweetniks

How To Better Serve LGBTQ+ Couples: A Guide For Wedding Vendors

The wedding industry is getting more inclusive, but we still have a *lot* of work to do. Here’s a great starting point for wedding vendors on how to better serve LGBTQ+ couples.

Clearly say what you stand for on your website. 

• If you have space to talk about loving pizza, coffee, and houseplants you have space for an anti-discrimination statement.

• Couples should never have to email you to ask if you’re inclusive.

• If you feel hesitant to post that you are LGBTQ-friendly, you need to ask yourself why that is.

Use gender-neutral language on your website, contracts, and when working with clients.

• Not all couples have a bride. Not all brides are the ones leading wedding planning.

• Queer couples shouldn’t have to read bride & groom over and over again on your website or in your contract.

• You don’t know if there are non-binary folks on the guest list. When speaking with the wedding party call them that or say “Sarah’s side” if you need to be more specific.

• “Esteemed guests” works much better than “ladies and gentlemen” when making announcements.

Respect Pronouns.

• Include your pronouns in your bio and email signature. This is not only a way to let folks know you will respect their pronouns, but it's also a nice way of normalizing everyone sharing their pronouns. The burden shouldn’t fall on those using they/them, xe/xem, or trans folks. Pronouns shouldn’t be assumed.

• Ask couples their pronouns when they inquire with you and then always use those pronouns. This is great to include your contact form!

• Pronouns are also an indicator of what other language might work for someone. If a client is using they/them pronouns, even if they look very feminine or masculine to you, they likely won’t want other gendered language applied to them. Instead of bride or groom, you can say marrier. Instead of husband or wife, you can say, spouse or partner. This is a great habit to get into regardless of your client's gender identity!

Don’t assume things about your clients or their guests.

• Even if your couple looks straight to you—you don’t know their gender or sexual identity, nor do you know their guests’. 

• Ask your couple what they want! Queer or straight, lots of couples don’t want to participate in various traditions. Give couples the freedom to make their own choices & to make their wedding a reflection of their love.

• For photographers, don’t assume someone’s role in a relationship and then pose them that way. Pay attention to how your couple interacts with each other and use that to inform posing and prompts. 

• When discussing getting ready or fashion choices you can refer to someone’s outfit rather than “the dress” since all kinds of couples wear all kinds of different things.

• You can ask if someone will be including flowers in their look rather than assuming they will have a boutonniere or bouquet.

• When ending the ceremony, the officiant can say something like I pronounce you “legally wed” or “married” or “partners for life” instead of any gender-specific phrase.

• The officiant can also say “you may now share a kiss” or “I invite you to seal your promise with a kiss” instead of “kiss the bride.”

Advocate for LGBTQ folks outside of the wedding industry. 

• It is not enough to be “okay” with taking someone’s money.

• You should be working to improve the everyday lives of queer folks by staying informed, signing petitions, writing your representatives, and sharing content to help others get involved as well.

• If you're able, donate to organizations like the Marsha P. Johnson Institute, The Trevor Project, or locally at Louisville Youth Group.

Commit to Learning.

• Queer Kentucky has a training called "Trans Inclusivity in the Workplace" that is great info for all work environments.

• Inclusive Kentucky Weddings expands on this post in their guide for LGBTQ+ friendly wedding vendors, offers an LGBTQ+ audit for wedding professionals, and has a directory full of Queer-positive wedding vendors!

• Listen to LGBTQ+ folks when we share our experiences.

Last but definitely not least; Don’t tokenize people. 

• This would be a whole post of its own. Read “People Are Not Props/How to Avoid Tokenism in Your Portfolio” from Catalyst before working to diversify your portfolio.