As I have menioned in some blogs prior, I really enjoy attending the Rehearsal Dinners for weddings that I’m shooting. The energy is unmatched- so much excitement and nerves, so many great toasts. It gives me a chance to get a feel of the overall “vibe” of the couple I am working with, as well as their families and friends’. The anticipation for Katie and Ryan to get married was so evident that Friday night. It excited me for all that was in store for the weekend ahead.

The wedding day did not disappoint. The way that Ryan looked at Katie in her wedding dress was the way every girl wants to be looked at. It was special to witness, and fun to shoot. I hope that you all enjoy this preview of their beautiful summer wedding in Oxford. It was an honor to play a role.

Mackenzie

“It was very easy for me to envision my own wedding as a little girl growing up watching TV Shows and movies about wedding dresses and weddings. I had observed all of the little details of weddings for so long that it did not feel real when it was time for us to plan our own! I was so excited to finally use all of those little ideas to build the wedding of my dreams!” – Katie

“Ryan and I were both born and raised in Tupelo, MS. We both went to the same schools growing up including fifth grade where my crush on Ryan began. We always knew of each other and had mutual friends. We both played travel and high school soccer, so we crossed paths very frequently at the soccer fields and soccer tournaments. Sometimes our teams would even have to scrimmage each other at practice. Although we don’t have a typical story about meeting each other, it is so special that we got to grow up together.” – Katie

“Ryan reached out to me during the Spring of our freshmen year of high school. After talking for a few months too long because I didn’t want to date him if he couldn’t drive, we finally made it official in October of our sophomore year, a week after Ryan got his license. After dating for the rest of high school, we made the easy decision to go to Ole Miss together and have been attached to each other ever since!” – Katie

“I wanted Katie to be completely caught off guard. There were many of our friends in town for the proposal that Katie and I ran into the night before I proposed. I thought my plan was busted, but Katie was not even phased as to why they were in town on a random weekend in July. The next day after church I told her I was not going to be able to eat lunch with her and her family because I had to go home, which was not normal. As I left church, I went straight to the Grove to get everything set up and give her sister enough time to stall. Since we both grew up going to Ole Miss football games and also spending a lot of time together in the Grove during our college years, I knew that was the perfect spot to propose. After a good amount of stalling, Katie’s sister dropped her off to meet me. Completely shocked, she finally got to see what we had been planning behind her back. We talked about getting engaged and married for a very long time, so we were ecstatic to see our dreams finally come true.” – Ryan

“We incorporated several traditions into our wedding day! My sweet grandmother gave me a locket of the great-grandmother that I was named after to put around my bouquet. We also used the champagne flutes that my parents used at their wedding for the cutting of our cake! Lastly, we used a cake knife for the groom’s cake that has been in Ryan’s family for 114 years, and our wedding was the first time it was used on a groom’s cake!” – Katie

“Having all of our best friends from all of our stages of life as well as our family all in the same room was so special. It is rare to have all of your favorite people together at one time, so being able to experience that is what made our wedding unforgettable.” – Katie

“I was always drawn to classic and timeless designs. I loved an all-white look with gold accents. I also loved the use of greenery to bring in some natural tones! Our vendors captured this look perfectly, and we could not be happier with how all of the details came together!” – Katie

“I had a bow buttoned on the back of my dress that I wanted to keep on for our first dance, but as we were walking onto the dance floor, Ryan stepped on the end of the bow causing it to snap off. This definitely caused some laughter! All jokes aside, it ended up being the most perfect day!” – Katie

“I was very surprised at how fast the entire day went by. From breakfast with my groomsmen in the morning to the exit from the reception, everything went by extremely fast. Throughout the day, I had to remind myself to stop and take everything in. It truly was the most special day that Katie and I could have ever asked for.” – Ryan

“My advice to future brides would be:

Once the wedding weekend finally arrives, do not worry about plans or details. It all goes by way too fast to stress about things. Just take in every moment with your friends, your family, and your new husband!” – Katie

“Ryan and I have been through so many phases of our lives together, but this one might be our favorite yet! We are so thankful for all of the people that put so much energy into making sure our wedding day was everything that we dreamed of! Oxford is a town that we hold dear to our hearts, and now our wedding has made it even more of a special place.” – Katie

Lead Photographer: Mackenzie Rue | Second Shooter: Taylor Knight | Dress: Maggie Louise | Bridesmaids Dresses: Bella Bridesmaids | Tux: Thomas Brothers Formal Wear | Cakes: The Flour Garden | Ceremony Venue: Oxford University United Methodist Church | Reception Venue: The Country Club of Oxford | Coordinator: Ellen Thomas Event Design | Flowers: Oxford Floral | Invitations: Flourish Paper | Rentals: Details Rentals | Band: Soulsations – RAM Entertainment | Rehearsal Venue: The Chancellor’s House | Videographer: Lynn Productions | Caterer: The Country Club of Oxford | Hair: La Rousse Salon | Makeup: Makeup by Mary Shields