Kourtnie and Joseph’s Mt Sequoyah wedding was so special! Everything was so relaxed and calm and flowed really well.
I absolutely loved Kourtnie’s personality! After talking and getting to know her, I could see she just really cares about her family and simple things. Her and Joseph decided on a small wedding with them and a couple friends and close family. It was so beautiful!
We actually started at the University of Arkansas campus, where Kourtnie and Joseph got engaged! This is where they both attended collage, so they wanted to celebrate that part of their love story. And the first part of their wedding day was the first look in front of Old Main!
The First Look
Setting up first looks is one of my favorite things to do because it’s so exciting to see both of their reactions! Not just when the groom sees his bride, but her reaction as well! So I set up Joseph and told him “do not turn around no matter what!” The guys always get so nervous. Before Kourtnie walked up, she admitted to me that she had never seen him in a tailored suit before, so I got to see her emotional as well! Then, Kourtnie walked up and they had the absolute sweetest first look. Joseph definitely got emotional. I have a photo of him gasping when he saw his bride to be!
After the First Look, I got some formal portraits of them all around campus, and we just took our time. It was really hot outside but they were troopers!
After the First Look and formals we changed locations and went up to Mt Sequoyah for the wedding. In my opinion, it’s an unexpected and unique spot for a wedding, because you look around and don’t expect this mountain view to be just 5 minutes from the University of Arkansas.
A Wildflower Event
Wildflowers were the main theme for their wedding and all the details. And I thought this was so beautiful! Their wedding has had some of my favorite florals to date! And what made this wedding so special was that Kourtnie got all their flowers from a local flower farm! It was so much fun because she was the one who hand picked out the flowers in all the different colors!
To make this even more special, when I showed up there was this beautiful floral arch filled with wildflowers. I thought she hired a professional florist. But when I complimented the arch and said “wow, this looks really nice!” She responded, “yeah! I did it myself!” I was shocked! She had built this entire floral arch by herself with the flowers she got from a flower farm and her yard! Then, as I was taking pictures, there were bees flying all around this piece of art. So, I made sure I got a picture of one of the bees enjoying the arch!
She used the same flowers from the flower farm for her bouquet. But, she also attached her grandmother’s wedding ring to her bouquet. She wanted to have her grandmother there with her as she walked down the aisle.
A Beautiful Mt Sequoyah Wedding
With all the wildflowers around, the Mt Sequoyah view, and their friends and family gathered for the wedding, the ceremony was absolutely beautiful. I love it when my couples include their pets. And their dog, Nova, was a flower girl in a pretty blue tutu! She was their “something blue” for their Mt Sequoyah wedding!
After the ceremony we were able to take the family portraits, and they turned out beautifully! Then we walked over to the cross. At Mt Sequoyah they have this really cool cross that’s located in a really clear area where you can see the whole view of Fayetteville! So, we were there and took some really beautiful pictures right at sunset.
A Stadium Reception
They ended the night with a small reception at University of Arkansas stadium! The bride and groom arrived in a yellow Maserati! And you better believe I got some extra fun night shots with this sports car!
We followed them down to the reception where Kourtnie and Joseph had dinner and cake with their family and close friends. The cake imitated the lace floral on her dress and they put this cute dog statue as a cake topper to be Nova. I’m obsessed with how amazing that cake was!
Overall, it was a great day! I loved working with Kourtnie and Jospeh! They are good, genuine and down to earth people. And, I really connected with Kourtnie because she’s a teacher and my kids are at the age where they’re about to start school! I just loved how much she loves her students and the people around them. Joseph is awesome as well! He’s really into cars and motorcycles just like my husband.
The unsung hero of the day, however, was Kourtnie’s brother. He was basically the wedding planner and it was really fun and sweet to see how much he cares about his sister! He put forward all this effort, running around checking to make sure that everything was perfect and flowed really well. He made it really special.
It always makes me feel good when I see how much the family cares about their new members. Those are my favorite kinds of weddings because that’s what it really is all about. It’s two families bringing in two people who are in love and that’s really all that matters!
Emily Quigley is a wedding, engagement and newborn photographer in Northwest Arkansas. She’s been featured in Glamor and Grace, Aisle Society and several other online websites. Click here to get your booking today!
If you liked this blog, check out:
September Wedding at The Garden Room in Fayetteville AR (Jillian + Craig)
Cooper Chapel Wedding in Bella Vista AR (Jason + Jamar)
College Campus Engagement Session (Kourtnie + Joseph)
Top 6 Bridal Shops in Arkansas
Should You Do a “First Look” on Your Wedding Day?
Find out more about Emily!
[…] out some of my others:Jason and Jamar’s WeddingAnna and Taylor’s Engagement SessionKourtnie and Joseph’s Wildflower WeddingSarah and Jarod’s Outdoor Engagement SessionTips for Getting Perfect Getting Ready PhotosFind […]