Taylor and Clay

 

 

When this Army officer proposed, he did so just before his year-long deployment to Afghanistan–I suppose that's one way to avoid the stress of wedding planning! Lucky for Clay, his bride and his mother, an interior designer, along with Jessica Leisl of Essential Details had planned a gorgeous and intimate celebration in his absence.

Taylor and Clay tied the knot on Long Ridge Farm in Shelbyville, Kentucky, where the groom's mother designed and erected a barn during her son's deployment. Invitations from Flora and Fauna echoed the wedding's rustic-meets-elegant style, family heirloom silver filled with white hydrangeas, peonies and anemones mixed with mason jars and table numbers the bride embroidered.

Taylor wore a gown by Peter Langner for Kleinfeld New York paired with Kate Spade shoes; she chose a Thomas Knoell for Kleinfeld pearl necklace for the ceremony and a crystal bauble from J.Crew for the reception, while her bridesmaids wore gauzy J.Crew dresses. The white bouquets Taylor and her maids carried down the aisle matched the gorgeous arrangements Kati Esser of Blooms by Essential Details designed.

90 friends and family members, along with the farm's horses, cows, dogs and cats witnessed Taylor and Clay's wedding vows, then tucked into dual-plated salmon and filet with locally-grown vegetables and grits catered by Corbett’s. In traditional military fashion, the newlyweds cut into their three-tiered confection from Mert’s Cakes with a saber, and with the help of Randomonium, the celebration continued into the early hours of the morning!

And of course, without the talented Josh Merideth of Bella Grace Studios, we wouldn't have any of these gorgeous images to enjoy–thank you Josh, for sharing your beautiful photographs!