Arkansas Bride

Gallery by Taylor Howard Photography

Little Rock residents Kate Fletcher of New Boston, Texas and Adam Corken of Springdale are set to be wed Sept. 7 at BoBrook Farms in Roland. The bride shot us these cute engagement photos by Taylor Howard Photography, as well as their love story in Kate's own words:

I knew a proposal was coming, but I just wasn’t sure when. Adam and I had discussed it, and being a control freak I tried to pry and learn any clues I could. On our one year anniversary, Dec. 16, I was right in the middle of law school finals. It was a Sunday and I had already finished one. Adam suggested all week that we do something special for the day and I started to get a little suspicious. I woke up that morning and went to church while Adam prepared a surprise.

When I arrived home, he was armed with a picnic basket. We drove downtown to the Arkansas River Trail. We had recently walked the River Trail at night and I told him it was one of the neatest places in Little Rock.

So we found a cozy little spot overlooking the river and Adam lays out the cliché plaid blanket for our picnic. He then pulls out two cheeseburgers from Big Orange (one of our favorite places) and some sweet potato fries (another Florken family favorite). We ate our lunch and just talked. I was starting to get suspicious but then Adam suggested we head back to the car. Suddenly, I was convinced that today was not the day and that we were on our way home.

Then, after he packed the picnic basket in the trunk, he suggested we take a little walk. I was still a little unsure but I was growing more suspicious by the moment. Adam walked me to an area that was literally a giant horseshoe shaped garden of roses. Right in the middle, he got on one knee and said:

“Kate, a year ago today, I made the best decision of my life and asked you to be my girlfriend. But today, I want to make an even better decision than that, and ask you to be my wife!”

I practically yelled at him to… “Show me the ring!” He laughed and complied. It was such a beautiful choice and I was in love with it immediately! He nervously tried to hand me the ring and I told him that he had to put it on my finger! He slipped it on and I instantly became the luckiest woman in the world!

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Gallery by Whitney Bower Imaging

Hayley Berry & Chad Taylor
Arkansas Arts Center, Little Rock
Oct. 6, 2012

Hayley Berry & Chad Taylor
Arkansas Arts Center, Little Rock
Oct. 6, 2012

Hayley Berry and Chad Taylor went to the same North Little Rock high school, where Hayley confesses she “always had a crush on Chad but he always had a girlfriend.” Things changed their senior year and they became a couple, and stayed together despite choosing different colleges.

On a family trip to Las Vegas in 2011, Chad proposed. “He was acting so weird the whole flight there and I thought he might be sick or something. I started laughing because that’s why,” Hayley says. “When I found my grandma and told her that Chad and I were engaged, she said, ‘Yeah right!’ … She couldn’t believe that finally after 8 years we were getting married!”

BRIDE’S INSPIRATION

The bride’s black Vera Wang gown was a source of inspiration for much of the décor. “To me, black is classic and something I wear every day,” she says. “My engagement ring is a black diamond. I guess everything was destined to be black.”

HOW THEY CUSTOMIZED

Going off the beaten path was a goal for Hayley — the couple’s nontraditional wedding showcased the bride’s fondness for skulls, for example. “I wanted it to be different and to not fit into a mold,” she says. “Chad loved all the details as well. It made it not so girly.”

PERFECTLY PERSONALIZED

Music was a big deal for the couple’s wedding, with songs by The Killers, Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton. “Music means everything to me and this was exactly what I wanted,” Hayley says. Guitarists from the bride’s brother’s band played, and “Boom Kinetic was the first thing I booked for the wedding. I can’t imagine not having them there. They’re truly amazing!”

TOTALLY WORTH IT SPLURGE

“I bought a pair of red Isabel Marant wedge sneakers. I wore them after the ceremony through the whole reception and danced all night. Best purchase of all time!”

THE DETAILS

Photographer: Whitney Bower Imaging

Event designer: Tom Chandler & Associates, Little Rock

Florist: Hershel Cannon, Little Rock

Cake: Mickey’s Special Affairs, Little Rock

Caterer/Drinks: Simply the Best Catering, North Little Rock

Rentals/Lighting: Bylites, Little Rock

DJ/Band: Boom Kinetic, Fayetteville & Little Rock

Ceremony music: Ben Richman & Jackson Hagerman, The Revolutioners, Little Rock

Stationery: Digital Print & Imaging, Little Rock

Bridal boutique: Mimi, New Orleans

Bridesmaids’ attire: Scarlet, Little Rock

Groom/groomsmen attire: Paul Morrell Formalwear, Little Rock

Jeweler: Kenneth Edwards Fine Jewelers, Little Rock; Swaffar Jewelers, North Little Rock

Hair: Carrie Parsons, Salon Scarlet, Little Rock

Transportation: Little Rock Limo

Guest accommodations: Hampton Inn, Little Rock

Gallery by Stephanie Parsley Photography

Stephanie Parsley Photography and Jessica Humerick of Face Your Day Studios sent us this high-fashion, high-glamor stylized engagement shots. Between Stephanie's dreamy photo work and Jessica's styling and makeup, color us impressed!

Want the look for yourself? Both vendors are available to bring you and your special day to the next level. Check them out in the links below. 

Makeup/Stylist: Jessica Humerick, Face Your Day Studios
Photography: Stephanie Parsley Photography
Models: James Watts & Katy Tipton
Gown: BCBGMaxAzria
Vintage items: Cheap Thrills, Fayetteville

Photo credit: The Social Type, Little Rock

Last summer, my refrigerator was covered in cards designed with bright colors and amazing engagement photos of beautiful couples and their wedding dates in large print. After the wedding season passed, I didn’t know what to do with the save-the-dates still on my fridge. I felt bad for throwing them away, but I didn’t really need them anymore.  

Making the decision to send save-the-dates was a tough one for me because I felt like it was something that people were just going to throw away. But, after a few conversations with my mom, I’ve decided to at least have a few printed for keepsakes, if I don’t send them to everyone on our guest list.

While save-the-dates aren’t considered a requirement or tradition in the wedding world, they give your guests a head’s up on your upcoming nuptials. They’re especially helpful for those that will be attending an out-of-town or destination wedding. And since your wedding is probably not the only one your guests will be attending, it’s a nice way for them to keep track of dates without having to ask you a million times when you’re getting married.

Helpful hints:

• You should mail them 4–6 months prior to your wedding (oops, I need to get busy). If you’re having a destination wedding or are planning on a seasonal or holiday wedding, you should send your dates 7–9 months prior.
• You don’t have to send them to everyone on your list. You should send them to only those who you know for sure you’re inviting (everyone who receives a save-the-date must also get an invitation). This is also helpful to remember in case you reach a budget crisis and need to trim your guest list.
• Furthermore, save-the-dates are helpful in providing clarity on who’s invited in advance. Don’t want your uncle’s new girlfriend to come? No problem, remember to only address the envelope to those who are invited to cut down on any misunderstandings or presumed guests.
• Since save-the-dates are a fairly new concept, remember to put something along the lines of “invitation to follow” to avoid it being mistaken as the actual invitation.
• Include your wedding website on the save-the-date, if you have one.
• Include the bride and groom’s first and last names, your wedding date, wedding venue and any other information you deem helpful to your guests on the save-the-date.
• Have FUN with your save-the-dates!

See y’all next week!

– Jordan

Bride-to-be and Benton native Jordan Westbrook graduated from UALR in 2011 with a liberal arts degree with an emphasis in mass media. The former Arkansas Bride intern will be blogging about her adventures in wedding planning right here each week.

Image by Jason Masters

Couture fit-and-flare Enzoani "Heli" gown from Proposals in Little Rock.

Looking for the perfect gown at an even more perfect price? Drop by Proposals in Little Rock from this Saturday, June 15 to July 15 for sample gowns up to 75 percent off.

Call (501) 661-4696 today to make an appointment before the best is gone!

Proposals Boutique
Find them on Facebook
5913 Kavanaugh Blvd, Little Rock
(501) 661-4696 
Open 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday–Saturday

Gallery by Dero Sanford Photography

Jessica DeLoach & Warwick Sabin find the perfect fall setting at P. Allen Smith's Moss Mountain Farm in Roland for their Oct. 20, 2012, wedding.

Jessica DeLoach & Warwick Sabin
Moss Mountain Farm, Roland
Oct. 20, 2012

Jessica DeLoach of El Dorado and Warwick Sabin of East Hampton, N.Y. ran into each other at a literary festival fundraiser. Jessica struck up conversation, and Warwick found himself enchanted. “Warwick said it best: ‘It was as if nobody else was there, and nothing else was happening,’” she says. “I felt the exact same way, and from our first date, we were inseparable.”

After Warwick won a seat on the Arkansas House of Representatives in 2011, the couple went to New England to celebrate. Overlooking a sailboat-filled harbor, the groom proposed. “There is no better feeling than the one that comes from knowing that you will be spending the rest of your life with your best friend,” Jessica says.

BRIDE’S INSPIRATION

The couple drew inspiration from the seasonal foliage, choosing saturated golds and greens to match spectacular October scenery at P. Allen Smith’s Moss Mountain Farm.

HOW THEY CUSTOMIZED

Instead of save-the-dates, the couple created a video invitation, and the bride “enjoyed every minute” of designing her dress. Jessica says one thing that set their wedding apart was the intention to keep it light-hearted. “Our No. 1 rule was that we did not engage with anything that was stressful,” she says. “Weddings are supposed to be happy – not heavy – so the decision to stay away from anything that would distract from the fun of getting married was definitely a good decision.”

FOND MEMORIES

“Honestly, there is only one word that can accurately describe our big day: Perfect,” the bride says. “Nothing went wrong. The weather was beautiful. The atmosphere was fantastical. And our family and friends made it joyous.”

THE DETAILS

Photographer: DERO SANFORD Photography

Videographer: Kimberly K./Cinéma Vérité, Little Rock

Event designer: Joyce Smith of P. Allen Smith’s team, Roland

Florist: Tanarah Luxe Floral & Event Styling, Little Rock

Cakes: Sweet Love Bakes, Little Rock

Caterer/Drinks: Whole Hog Café, Little Rock

Band: Rodney Block & The Real Music Lovers, Little Rock

Dressmaker: Don Bolinger, Little Rock

Hair: Maygie Brooke Stallings, Breathe Salon, Little Rock

Makeup: Antonio Figueroa, Dillard’s, Little Rock

Guest accommodations: The Capital Hotel & Peabody Hotel, Little Rock

Gallery by Kourtney Allyse Photography

Courtney Holloway + Abram Skarda
May 25, 2013 • Gospel Mission Church of Des Arc
Photos by Kourtney Allyse Photography

Image by Jason Masters

Allure Couture ball gown with dazzling bodice encrusted with Swarovski crystals; available at Danielle's Bridal, Clarksville.

Hey brides, you won't want to miss the chance to save big on wedding fashion now through June 29 at Danielle's Bridal in Clarksville's semiannual sale. 

Gowns start at $99. Call (479) 754-5885 today to set up your appointment!

Danielle's Bridal
Find them on Facebook
2382 W. Clark Road, Clarksville
(479) 754-5885
Open 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Tuesday–Friday, 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Saturday