It’s a year later and I still smile thinking about Hawken and Lauren’s wedding. Family and friends traveled across the country to take part in their special day. I know I’m biased (this was my brother’s wedding after all), but this was one of the prettiest, most fun weddings I’ve attended. From the rehearsal dinner to the reception, the wedding was filled with family, friends, laughter, love, great food and a wonderful atmosphere.

All the time spent preparing the house and property for the wedding paid off. Every little detail from the signs, to the twinkle lights on the patio, to the lawn games, to the geographically accurate sign post of the hometown for everyone attending the wedding added to the joy of celebrating their marriage.

The rehearsal dinner kicked off the wedding weekend in traditional southern style with crawdads (a favorite for the men of the family) and barbeque. I have to admit, this was the first time Andrew and I ever tasted crawdads – just seems like so much work for such a small result!

Saturday afternoon after hair and makeup for the girls, Lauren and Hawken completed their preparations at the house before their First Look.

As the violinist played, Lauren walked to her groom under an aisle of pine trees, with the pond to their backs, a beautiful field to one side and a host of loving guests seated atop hay bales draped with heirloom family quilts and hydrangeas gracing the aisle.

The ceremony was made extra special with Lauren’s Aunt Lisa as officiant, handfasting and their own specially written vows.

 

After the first dances and dinner, the night was filled with dancing, photo ops and general celebration. In lieu of wedding cake, the dessert table featured family favorites – strawberry pie (Lauren’s grandfather’s recipe), pecan pie (made by Hawken’s Aunt Kandy), peanut butter pie (Grandpa Kimbrough’s specialty) and Mississippi-shaped sugar cookies (from a recipe used at our wedding).

Hawken and Lauren, thank you for allowing us the pleasure of photographing your wedding. We wish you many, many years of happiness and joy! (And no family wedding is complete without a pic with Val, the family dog, right?)

Rehearsal dinner food: The Little Dooey, Starkville, Mississippi

Reception food: The Veranda, Starkville, Mississippi

Hair and makeup: Déjà Vu Salon, Starkville, Mississippi