kentucky wedding

REAL TWIRL WEDDING || NICOLE & ZACK

REAL TWIRL WEDDING || NICOLE & ZACK

We're so excited for you all to get a peek in to Nicole & Zack's special day today! It was the perfect Southern affair from horses getting friendly with them by black fences to the huge peonies used in the bouquets. Every detail is so stunning in this wedding and the couple's joy is just the cherry on top. Enjoy this gorgeous day & sweet, sweet couple!! Xoxo


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Can you give us a glimpse into you & your hubs's love story?

How much time do you have?

Wet met for the first time at Troll Pub in March 2012. We were both with two different groups of people so it was mostly an obligatory introduction. Then when Zack got hired at Doe-Anderson advertising agency (where I was already working) in the fall of 2012, it dawned on us that we had met before. Later that year, we started dating and I couldn’t believe that I had agreed to date a co-worker.

From there, our life progressed in the easiest way and over the last 5 years, we’ve endured break-ups, long-distance relationships, job changes, loss of grandparents, a new apartment, a puppy and more. There’s nothing we can’t tackle together.

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What was it about your dress that made you realize it was "the one?" Was it what you expected to love/wear? Favorite memory from dress shopping/Twirl?

I tried a lot of dress on to ensure I had checked off what I did and did not like, but very early on, I knew the shape, style and designer of dress I wanted. Once we found the perfect combination of bodice and skirt, it was an easy decision. Twirl had a great selection of Hayley Paige and I wanted to buy all of them, but the experience at that shop was so stress-free it made it easier to finally pick my dream dress.

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What is your favorite memory from your wedding day?

It’s honestly too hard to pick one moment, but I will always remember the feeling when I got to see Zack during our first look. It was such a big day for us as a couple and I missed being with him in the morning and sharing with him, so when we were able to connect, it made the day feel that much more real.

It was also a very special moment seeing the final tent with just Zack and I before the ceremony began. It was a private moment for us to take in the reality of our vision and the fun we were guaranteed to have in this space. It blew us away how beautiful and perfect it all was.

The other standout moment was when we begged our DJ to play one other song and he picked “Friends in Low Places” and all our guests joined us on the dance floor and sang and danced with us in a circle. It was humbling to know all our friends and families were here for the two of us.

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What has been the best thing about marriage so far?

Not planning and spending money! Life hasn’t been that much different for us on a day-to-day basis, but I enjoy saying I have a husband and I love to see Zack’s wedding band. The commitment we made to each other is real and forever and that’s the best and the part that lasts the longest.

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Any pieces of wisdom or advice you'd like to share with future brides, engaged gals, or newlyweds like yourself?

Be present in every moment related to the celebrations of your wedding and engagements. On the wedding weekend specifically, continually remind yourself to take a break to appreciate and enjoy what’s going on around you. I was worried that after the day, I would have the post-wedding blues, but because we were conscious throughout the whole weekend and reminded each other to take it all in that at the end, we only felt so happy and loved. We were proud of all the moments we remember and how we felt during the day. Those are the feelings that are sticking with us forever.

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WEDDING GUEST ETIQUETTE 101

Tis the season for weddings! If you're anything like us, the majority of your weekends lately are filled up with wedding celebrations. It's such a joyous thing to celebrate! We've run into a lot people lately asking about some do's & don'ts for weddings guest so we thought it'd be a great idea to share some pretty standard etiquette guidelines for the modern day wedding guest. Here are our top 10 rules for being the very best wedding guest. Enjoy!


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- Do I have to get a gift?: Absolutely! The couple has paid for you to eat & drink on their dime so the least you can do to say "thank you" is bring them a gift to congratulate the happy duo!

- If I'm invited to multiple wedding/bridal showers, do I bring a gift to every single one?: The usual rule of thumb is to bring a gift to ONE shower and still also bring a gift to the wedding (or have it delivered to their house). 

- When it comes to gifts, should I stick to the registry?: We vote YES. The couple has spent a lot of time thinking through and registering for exactly what they want to make their home together. No need to go outside the lines and get them something totally random. Not to say heartfelt gifts are wonderful, if it's something personal & special to the couple then by all means gift it to them. However, for the most part, stick to the registry. It just makes everyone's life easier.

- Can I always bring someone with me?: Unless a "plus one" has clearly been stated on your invitation, then you're flying solo. Your invitation will say "Jane Doe & guest" if you've been given a plus one. If it is just addressed to you then they've only allotted for you to attend the wedding. If you have a serious significant other that came into your after the invitations have been sent out, you can always ask the bride & groom if you're allowed to bring them but don't ever make the assumption that you're free to bring someone with you.

- Can I wear white to a wedding?: That'd be a big NO! White is for the bride and the bride only. Don't be that girl. We would advise steering clear of "ivory, off-white, champagne, light blush" or anything in that lighter palette as well just to be safe. There are plenty of other colors to rock on that particular day so go with one of those. 

- What about wearing black?: Black is totally fine! Just as long as you're staying away from the wedding colors you're in the clear in our book!

- Is it rude to take pictures/videos during the wedding?: Most likely the bride & groom have spent a small fortune on paying a professional to do the photos & video of their special day so keep that phone away. Hate to break it to ya, but the professional photo/video are going to be 10000% better than anything you take on your phone or personal digital camera. ;) Let the pro's do their job while you just sit back and soak up all the sweetness right there in the moment.

- When is it okay to share photos of the bride & groom?: Do not EVER post photos or videos of the bride & groom until after the ceremony is over. You don't want to be that person that spoils the surprise of their wedding day looks before they've even officially tied the knot! That rule goes for bridal party members too, not just wedding guests.

- Are RSVPs really that big of a deal?: YES YES YES YES YESSSSSSS!! If you ask any bride two-three weeks, even one week, out from there wedding about what they're most stressed over and it's 9 times out of 10 the lack of RSVPs that have been sent in. Please please please don't make the sweet bride have to hunt you down for an answer on whether or not you'll be there to celebrate her special day. Promptly send in your RSVP & make the bride and groom's life that much easier.

- Can my kids come with me?: This kind of goes along with the "plus one" rule. If your kids/family are not addressed on the invitation then that's a big ole no. If your kids are welcome to the wedding the envelope will most likely say "The Family of Mr & Mrs. Doe" or "Mr & Mrs. Doe & Family." However, if the envelope just says, "Mr & Mrs John Doe" then sorry Charlie but you're going to have a find a babysitter that night. Some couples really want their wedding to be an adult-only affair so please be mindful & respectful of those wishes.


We hope those tips helped! We know the wedding world and all it's "rules" can be so confusing sometimes so hopefully we set your mind at ease a little more. Enjoy wedding season, friends!

TWIRL BRIDE BLOGGER || HOW TO BEAT THE LAST MINUTE JITTERS

TWIRL BRIDE BLOGGER || EMILY RHOADS (ALMOST EMILY HALL!!)

Hello Friends! I know its been a little while since I wrote about my wedding planning and bridal life but that’s because I was wedding planning! It is so crazy how fast our engagement has flown by and how what felt so far away is now only 7 days away. It really just hit me yesterday how soon our wedding is and man oh man am I excited! I know that our wedding day is going to go by so SO fast that I am making it a point to soak up these last few days as a fiancée. 

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This whole time I’ve been wondering why everyone gets so stressed when planning their wedding, but in this last month I totally get it. Now we are getting down to the nitty gritty of finalizing everything from the guest count aka tracking down all those people who never slipped that RSVP card back in the mail to figuring out how much beer and wine to buy to scheduling those last minute appointments and finally making sure everyone is going to be where they need to be when they need to be there. It’s a lot of stuff. And because of that a lot of wine has been drank in the process, oops! But at the end of the night next Saturday we will still be married even if some people don’t show up or our grandparents are a little late for pictures or if heaven forbid it rains. Y’all seriously pray that it does not rain next Saturday.

Austin and I have tried to cut out some time for ourselves to relax and enjoy these final days as an engaged couple. We let ourselves enjoy a few quiet days at the lake for Memorial Day. We go for evening walks and try to talk about our plans for after wedding day, like what’s still on our travel bucket list or pick out our favorite houses in the neighborhood. I think we are both a little more excited about being married and building our life together than we are about the actual wedding. 

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I had no idea what to expect in this last few weeks so here are some tips for all you brides for handling the craziness that is the month before your wedding!

  1. Set those “RSVP by” dates a little earlier than you think you will need, because there is nothing more stressful than trying to contact those sixty people who didn’t RSVP in a few days before the numbers need to be back to all of your vendors.
  2. Speaking of RSVP card, if you aren’t giving every guest a plus one, put ‘__ of 1 guest is/isn’t attending’ trust me, I didn’t do that and I wish I had.
  3. Enjoy your parties and showers to their fullest. Put the phone down, stop checking your email, guest counts and details can wait a day or two and it wont be the end of the world, I promise!
  4. Go to the county clerk’s office as early in the morning as you can and you’ll get in and out of there faster than it took to find a parking space. We got our marriage license yesterday, YAY!!
  5. Take some time to relax and get your skin photo ready at the same time. I love put on a facemask and take a few minutes to relax and read or watch a movie while it does its thing.
  6. Don’t stress if you didn’t hit your fitness goal or attain your dream wedding body. Your groom thinks you are the most beautiful woman in the world and you are going to rock that dress!
  7. Drink lots and lots of water. Your skin will thank you, your body will thank you. That’s just a good life tip. 
  8. Talk about anything but the wedding for an hour with your fiancé daily. Talk about dogs, food, movies, sports, or whatever it doesn’t really matter but I promise he will appreciate it! 
  9. Make an itinerary for all of the really important people in the wedding such as parents, grandparents and the bridal party so everyone knows where are supposed to be and hopefully it will keep you from answering the same questions over and over again.
  10. Last but not least, take a deep breath and remember you and your honey will be married no matter what happens!

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To our sweet Em,

We cannot WAIT to celebrate this much anticipated wedding day next week!! We've seen you as a "bride" so many times over the last 4/5 years but when we see you as a real bride... there won't be a dry eye to be found.

What a joy it's been to witness your relationship with Austin develop and grow over the years. There is so much to celebrate next weekend and celebrate we will!!

Can't wait until the "just married" sign marks the beginning of your new season of life next Saturday! Yay!!

Xoxo, Your Twirl Girls