Caroline + Kegan

How did you meet?

Talking about when I first met my groom feels like taking a walk down memory lane… Keegan and I first met in fifth grade at Fall Creek Intermediate School where we were both the “new kid.” Keegan was transitioning from being home schooled and I had just moved to Indiana. From being the new kids in fifth grade, to pre-teen dances at our local country club, to art class together and even living in the same neighborhood, our paths continued to cross. While we didn’t start dating right away, both of us had our eyes on each other. Life happens and we each took different paths once we got to college. Keegan left to attend the Air Force Academy and I was off to study in Rome, Italy…. talk about the distance! Despite living in different states, countries and time zones, Keegan and I stayed in touch. I was guilty of “liking” every single Facebook and Instagram picture he posted even if it was an awkward one his mom just tagged him in. (He was just too cute, what can I say?) Upon graduating from university, I moved back to the US and Keegan knew now was the perfect time to catch up. Keeping up with the times, Keegan slid into my DMs on Insta and asked me on our first date. Having just moved back from Italy, Keegan figured an Italian restaurant would be the key to my heart! Needless To Say, he was right! Flash forward a year and a half later, here we are, happily in love and happily married!

How did you know he was the one?

They say “when you know you know” and that is the most real way to describe how I knew Keegan was the one. Keegan and I started out our relationship doing long distance and every time we had to say goodbye it felt harder and harder. I remember one time sitting on the plane leaving Colorado thinking “what would happen if I quit my job and just moved out here to be with him?” For those of you that know me, I have always been so driven and I would never be described as the girl who left town to follow a boy. But at that moment with the way I was thinking, I just  knew he was the one for me! I started to envision every part of my future with him at my side. I just knew Keegan was going to make a great husband and father to our kiddos one day!

What are your three favourite attributes of your partner?

There are so many things I love about Keegan but today I’ll just elaborate on a few. To start, Keegan is the most loving, selfless, patient and kind person I know. For all of you that have been blessed to know Keegan, know exactly what I’m talking about when I say this. He would do anything for anyone! He is always just so kind! He’s also so loving! There’s not a moment in any day that goes by that Keegan doesn’t make sure I feel loved. From kissing me good morning to kissing me goodnight and every second in between, Keegan is always sure to show how much he loves me. This was very evident on our wedding day when he kept asking to “re-do” all the kissing photos just so he could kiss me again! (Husband of the year? I think yes!) I also love how funny Keegan is, there is not a day that goes by that Keegan doesn’t make me laugh until my belly hurts! The world could be ending and I guarantee Keegan can still make me laugh!

Who proposed and how?

What was meant to be a normal weekend on September 13, 2019 turned out to be one of the most significant milestones in our lives. Keegan was flying back to Indy to attend one of his best friend’s (coincidentally one of the groomsmen in our wedding…shout out to the newlywed himself, Brock Sanders) bachelor party. As per usual with flights from the West coast, Keegan landed extremely late but I was determined to pick him up so that the two of us could spend quality time together before Keegan left for Brock’s party. Unfortunately, I ended up catching a terrible cold earlier that day and all I wanted to do was take Nyquil and curl up in bed. Despite my several attempts to tell Keegan how sick I felt, Keegan still insisted on having me come pick him up. In an attempt to make the most of the situation, I decided to surprise Keegan by bringing their adorable puppy, Chloe, to the airport. Keegan hadn’t seen Chloe for a month in a half and I knew he would love the surprise of seeing our fur baby at the airport when he landed. I was so excited to surprise Keegan that I even let his parents in on the surprise and made sure they kept it a secret. Chloe and I made it to the airport early and were both eagerly excited to be reunited with Keegan. After what felt like a while, Keegan’s plane landed and he was quickly welcomed home with an abundance of hugs, jumps and puppy kisses. Keegan was so happy to be back with his girls! As we were exiting the airport, Keegan stopped, put his bags down and handed Chloe’s leash back to me. I figured he was reaching into his bag to grab a Reese’s (as that’s what he always gives her every time they see each other after a long time apart). Instead of pulling out her favorite chocolate, Keegan got down on one knee, pulled out a beautiful ring, and proposed to the love of his life. Beyond surprised, I immediately said yes! I was so excited! The few stranded passengers at the airport were quick to clap and wish us well. To my surprise, Keegan’s parents ended up being at the airport too and immediately met us and congratulated us!

Where did you fall in love with your dress and why?

I first saw Tommy during the New York Fashion Week in September 2019. I had an appointment to go dress shopping at Hyde Park bridal in early October. Hyde Park Bridal carried MWL so the second I saw this dress, I immediately called them to ask when they would be getting it in stock. Unfortunately, they told me it usually takes awhile and they likely won’t have it in stock until the Spring. There was absolutely no way I could wait until Spring to get my dress when my wedding was in the summer. Despite this, I was determined to find Tommy. I started following #mwltommy on Instagram. Thankfully, the week I was headed to Hyde Park Bridal, I saw them post MWL’s In The Name of Love collection on their page. Did this mean they had Tommy in stock?!! I immediately called Hyde Park Bridal and they confirmed they had the new collection. Tommy was the second dress I tried on that day and I immediately knew it was “the one” for me! The thing I loved about Tommy was it is timeless and classy but also sexy. Talk about a combo! I loved the sparkly detail and delicate lace. The tiny details were my favorite, like the scalloped edge and the train! Tommy is a beautiful dress and I am so lucky to have worn it on my special day!

What was the best moment for you at the wedding?

The best moment of my wedding was walking down the aisle and seeing my groom for the first time that day! I had been so excited all morning and I finally got to see him! Nothing will ever compare to the blissful yet butterfly feeling I had in my stomach at that time. There’s something ever so comforting about locking eyes with your handsome Groom knowing that I get to be his forever!

What surprised you most at or about your wedding? 

Our wedding was thrown for a loop due to covid-19. Given that roughly 80% of our guests would be traveling from out of state and country to attend our original July wedding date, Keegan and I made the difficult decision early May to change our wedding. We wanted to make sure we kept all of our loved ones healthy and safe. Planning a wedding is difficult enough, but planning a wedding in four weeks during a pandemic with a change of plans from the military is even tougher.

What advice would you tell other brides?

I would tell brides to remember what the day is about and who the day is for… there are so many little details that go into a wedding and it’s so easy to get caught up in the mess. On top of this everyone will want to give you their opinion about everything. Take what others say with a grain of salt and keep your eyes on what’s most important which is you and your groom!

What did you do differently?

One thing Keegan and I did differently was when we went to cut our cake, we went back for seconds! The cake was so yummy that in the moment before we sat back down, we decided to grab another piece!

Details.

MWL Design:

Tommy

Venue:

St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church followed by an intimate reception at The Historic Ambassador House & Heritage Gardens in Fishers, Indiana, USA

Music:

Track Seven DJ

MUA:

Tess from Kind Beauty Indy, Hair: Suite Escape Beauty

Flowers:

Graceful Hands Floral Design

Bridesmaids outfits:

Haylay Paige Occasion bought from Bella Bridesmaids

Rings/jewelry:

Diamonds Direct

Shoes:

Lulus

Suits:

Military Uniform

Photographer:

Sarah Elizabeth Photos

MWL Stockist:

Hyde Park Bridal