Saturday, March 26th was debatably the most perfect day for a wedding of 2022 so far. The weather was incredible, everything was finally beginning to bloom in our sweet little town, and all around spirits were high as we celebrated the union of two beautiful souls- Sydney and Clayton. A day full of happy tears, confetti, and lots of sunshine. It was a true honor to play a part. I cannot wait to share some of my favorite moments from this special wedding!

Mackenzie

“To say I’ve had dreams of a wedding as a little girl is an understatement! I can remember anxiously awaiting the arrival of the Mississippi Magazine Bridal Edition each year and looking at it for hours upon hours, and I really think that’s where my love of weddings first began. I used to watch the VHS tapes of my aunts & uncles weddings every time I visited my grandparents. From what I can remember, I never really had a vision of exactly what I wanted my wedding to look like, but I always dreamed that being a bride was about as magical as life could be. I am pleased to say now that it was the most magical and joyous moment thus far in my life.” -Sydney  

“Clayton & I met in October of 2018 when we were- not so subtly- introduced by his sister-in-law, who was also one of my best friends. A few weeks after our introduction, I was going to Jackson for a wedding and decided to ask Clayton to be my date. This rest is history!” -Sydney 

“If you know me at all, you know that I don’t do anything without a plan & a back-up plan. However, I had plans to attend a wedding in Jackson in October of 2018 and very uncharacteristically didn’t have accommodations. My friend Brittany (Clayton’s sister-in-law) suggested my friend Catherine and I stay at her in-law’s house as they would be in Oxford for the Auburn game. Little did I know that Clayton was going to at the house despite his parents being gone. I asked Brittany if I should ask Clayton to be my date so that we weren’t staying at his house and leaving him out. She only responded with a text that had his contact attached. I asked… he agreed to be my date… and almost 3 and a half years later, we’re married!” -Sydney 

“On June 1, 2021, I woke up and decided today is the day I wanted to ask Sydney to marry me. I told her that we had dinner reservations at a very nice restaurant in my neighborhood of Georgetown in DC in order to make sure she dressed nicely for photos. I called her sister and told her I was going to propose at 7PM, and she instantly went into overdrive making sure it was perfect. Then, I called a bunch of our friends and family and invited them to be there. We were walking down the street towards the restaurant when I dropped to one knee and asked her to marry me. Our friends were waiting around the corner to celebrate with us. It couldn’t have been more perfect!” -Clayton

“I included a few traditions in our wedding. I followed the longtime tradition of something old (my mom’s diamond bracelet), something new (my earrings), something borrowed (my bridesmaid Catherine’s veil), and something blue (my Tri Delta housemother’s blue pansy pin on my bouquet).” – Sydney

“Another tradition I included was having my bridesmaids carry bouquets of bunches of tulips just as my mom’s bridesmaids did in my parents’ wedding.” –Sydney 

“When I had my first meeting with Ellen Thomas, she asked me what vision I had for my wedding. I believe I said, ‘emerald green, white tulips, sophisticated, and fairly clean & crisp.’ From that hodgepodge of words, Ellen and her team along with my mom brought it to life. I really cannot take any of the credit for the design of the wedding- it was all my mom and Ellen!” – Sydney

“The thing that made our wedding special to us was that we were surrounded by those who were instrumental in shaping us both into who we are today. I don’t know that there will ever be another time in our either of our lives where we are both in the presence of all of the people who we love so dearly.” -Sydney 

“For anyone that knows me, the characteristics of ‘calm’ and ‘relaxed’ are rarely words associated with my personality. I’m a planner, and I often have a hard time letting go & living in the moment. However, I could not have been more calm & relaxed the entire wedding weekend- particularly on the wedding day! I never once felt the anxiety or stress that I imagined I would. To quote Clayton, he even said, ‘it was almost eerie how calm and peaceful you were all day.’ All I can assume is that when you know you’re about to make a lifelong commitment to the one who was meant for you, there are no other feelings present except for joy, peace, and love.” – Sydney 

“I cannot say enough amazing things about Ellen Thomas Event & Design! To start, I’ve known Ellen for as long as I can remember- she even babysat me some when I was younger! Ellen & Maddie both went over & beyond to ensure that our wedding was everything we dreamed and more. During the reception, I realized I forgot to put my garter on (oops!); and without hesitation, Maddie said, “give me your room key” and drove to the Inn at Ole Miss, got the garter, and was back putting it on my leg within a matter of minutes. Their attention to detail as well as dedication to their clients is evident in all they do!” –Sydney  

“Mackenzie was an absolute dream to work with!! She has this encouraging confidence that made Clayton & I both feel so comfortable in front of the camera. I don’t think anyone could have expected Clayton to say that he enjoyed photos- but Mackenzie somehow made that happen!” – Sydney

“There was a moment before the bouquet & garter toss where Clayton & I were both told to come to the edge of the stage. We both arrived to the side of the stage with one song to go before we had to go onto the stage. It was during that 2-3 minute song, that Clayton & I were able to stand together and watch as everyone we loved danced & celebrated together. That moment is something we will both cherish forever.” -Sydney 

“One of my favorite memories from our wedding reception will always be the band calling me & Clayton to the stage and being told there was a ‘skit’ before the garter & bouquet tosses. I am not one for performing, so I was very nervous. The band leader had me sit in a chair and told Clayton he had to dance for me… I didn’t think he’d do it! The music started, and Clayton busted out the moves! I’ve never been so shocked and loved every minute of it!” -Sydney  

“The best advice I received as a bride was to spend time leading up the wedding in prayer, specifically asking God to grant you the ability to be present throughout the weekend and not to get distracted by the small things. Whether it be a baby crying during the ceremony or the bride herself coughing a few times (that would be me haha), I don’t think there was ever a moment I wasn’t fully locked in to what our pastor was saying and/or Clayton & I making vows to one another. It was like someone pressed ‘mute’ and the rest of the world didn’t exist for those 30 minutes.” –Sydney

“Take a few moments during your wedding weekend- whether that be at bridesmaids luncheon, getting ready with all of your bridesmaids wedding morning, or at the reception- and just remove yourself from the crowd of people. Go stand away and just take it all in. Watch your 17-month-old identical twin nieces wandering about the luncheon seeing who will give them another bite of green beans… watch your childhood best friend and your college roommate help each other with putting on fake eyelashes… finally, watch all of your & your husband’s people laughing, smiling, and dancing to the band at the reception. Our wedding weekend was sweeter & more perfect than I could have ever imagined, but I have the fond memories to look back on because of the people in it. I encourage you to take those observant moments… I promise you’ll be glad you did!” –Sydney 

Lead Photographer: Mackenzie Rue | Second Shooter: Abby Hamelton | Dress: Engagements Bridal | Bridesmaids Dresses: Engagements Bridal | Tux: Jos. A. Bank | Cakes: Bremma’s Sweet Treats | Ceremony Venue: Oxford-University United Methodist Church | Reception Venue: The Powerhouse | Coordinator: Ellen Thomas Event & Design | Flowers: Oxford Floral | Invitations: Ziprint | Rentals: Magnolia Rental & AlphaLit | Band: The Answer Band | Rehearsal Venue: The Country Club of Oxford | Videographer: Dear Little Films | Caterer: Tallahatchie Gourmet | Hair: Sarah Beth Lewis & Kristin Legge | Makeup: Olivia Goode & Mary Shields Hunter | Preparation Accommodations: The Inn at Ole Miss