I’m so happy to share Eric + Jordan’s wedding with you today! I met them a few years back at the Made South fair in Franklin at The Factory. Their booth had the most fabulous bowties known as E.F. Meeks! They traveled here from their hometown in Kentucky and have so much fun southern flair to their wedding. Which is why I’m so glad we’ve been able to keep in touch and that I’m able to share all the gorgeousness that is their Kentucky Barn wedding with you today on the blog! From their pops of blush and blue to the bourbon and cigar theme, their day was so uniquely them! See it all (including photos by Victor Sizemore) below!
How did you and Eric meet?
Jordan: Funny question! Eric and I first met at a local bourbon bar, Belle’s, in Lexington, KY. He spotted me from afar and decided to strike up a conversation. I found him to be quite handsome and he eventually bought me a drink, I found out later that this was unheard of for him! We chatted for a bit longer until he told me it was nice to meet me and casually walked away. After this, I was kind of taken back since he didn’t ask for my number at all and continued to grumble to my friends the rest of the night! A couple weeks later, my sister (who was always trying to play match-maker), texted me and asked that I look up a certain guy on social media. I did and sure enough it was Eric! She asked if I wanted to be set up on a date with him and I said, “Absolutely! I’m going to show him what he missed out on!” We went out on our first date and instantly connected and the rest is history! I did find out later that he never asked for phone numbers for the sake of being a gentleman!
Tell us about your engagement!
Jordan: Eric and I had been dating two and half years and were planning a trip to 30A to visit our friends Kelly and Travis. Santa Rosa is one of our favorite vacation spots! The second day of vacation started out with Kelly and I getting manicures and pedicures while Eric and Travis went “fishing”. Little did I know, he was curating the perfect day! Kelly and I received cute letters and gifts throughout the day from both Eric and Travis so I didn’t think anything of it. After a day at the beach, Kelly and I went to get ready for dinner only to find outfits and sweet notes telling to meet the boys for dinner at the Vue on 30a. We got to the restaurant and saw Eric and Travis waiting for us, I still had no idea at this point since they were both being very casual. Kelly and I decided to peruse the wine list at the bar where the bartender brought a massive bouquet of flowers over. I asked Kelly “Where are your flowers ?” and that is when it immediately hit me! The tears started flowing as I read the last letter that asked for me to head to the beach. I then knew what was happening and cried the whole way down to the beach all while gathering an audience of people. Eric played one of my favorite songs on a loud speaker and got down one one knee in the middle of an illuminated heart shape during the most perfect sunset. It was truly a dream come true!
What was the vision for your wedding?
Jordan: Honestly, we did not want our wedding to feel stuffy or traditional, we ultimately wanted it to be a party for all of our family and friends! From the beginning we both realized that we were laid back and had no desire for an over the top wedding and went with it. A friend of the family had a barn I adored and we both knew it would be the perfect spot for our special day! Decorations complimented the barn by being classy but not over bearing – the venue itself was the focal point!
What was your theme and what inspired it?
Jordan: Our overall theme was rustic and vintage while still being elegant. The inspiration came from the barn as it was the backdrop for our vows and would house the reception/party. The surrounding landscape and eventual sunset proved to be the perfect backdrop for our rustic decor.
Where did you splurge and where did you save?
Jordan: At the beginning, Eric and I decided which items we knew we absolutely had to have. Mine included a cigar roller and cigar bar, homemade pies, and the venue. Eric’s only splurge were custom made suits for himself and groomsmen from Crittenden’s, a local men’s shop in Midway, KY. He chose suits for the groomsmen to coordinate and gave them all E.F. Meeks bowties and pocket squares to complete their look. Most of the decorations were handmade by myself (Jordan – bride) and saved a lot of money. All of the wooden signs, corn hole boards, table numbers, seating charts, invitations, programs, etc. were handmade. This was definitely the most tedious part of the wedding planning but it ended up being exactly the way we had envisioned it!
What words of advice do you have for couples in the midst of their planning?
Jordan: Don’t wish your engagement away! I got to the point where I honestly wanted the wedding day to be over due to the stress, amount of DIY things that needed to be done, and all of the decisions needing to be made and this was my ultimate regret! Every bride says that they would love to relive their wedding day and I totally agree! Another piece of advice is to make sure you and your spouse are happy with the plans for the wedding, don’t do something because it makes others happy. This is your day!
Can you share any special moments or highlights from your wedding day?
Jordan: The entire day felt like the party of my dreams. All of our friends and family in one spot was the best feeling in the world. We allowed guests to grab a cocktail before the ceremony while also having a cocktail hour after the wedding to allow everyone to mingle, have a hand rolled cigar; and enjoy corn hole before dinner. After a hearty dinner that included smoked brisket, grilled chicken and cheese grits, everyone enjoyed dancing to the live band and enjoying each other’s company. True to Southern wedding folklore Eric and I decided to bury a bottle of Woodford Reserve Double-Double Oaked bourbon at the site of our ceremony a month before the wedding in hopes of having good weather. The bourbon Gods did not disappoint! Our wedding day was gorgeous and perfect weather! We dug up the bottle after the ceremony to take a celebratory shot with each other and friends!
Thank you so much Jordan and Eric for sharing your Kentucky Barn Wedding with us! You can check out more on Eric’s company E.F. Meeks Bowties here online: https://www.efmeeks.com/. And also be sure to follow them over on Instagram!
Sources
Victor Sizemore Photography/Long Ridge Farm/Bidwell Barbecue/Fields in Bloom/Paige Dixon/Rachel Edwards Makeup/Crittenden Rawlings/E.F. Meeks/Dean Heckle Music/5thousand1
