Jenny + Payton

How did you meet?

My husband & I met in high school & have been together almost 10 years I was a freshman & he was a junior. I was at the football scrimmage with friends & he was one of the best players (literally & figuratively haha). A mutual friend introduced us & at first I didn’t like him because he was very popular & everyone seemed to love him haha! As weeks passed, I had a change of heart & by the time he had asked me to wear his football jersey for football Friday, you could say I was head over heels in love!

When did you know they were the one?

In continuation of the story, Payton & I had P.E class together that same year & were able to build to a stronger connection. As time went on, being together at such a young age taught us a lot & gave us a chance to truly grow up together & learn a lot about life. It’s funny because my uncle & his dad graduated together, played football, & were best friends (all while attending the same high school we did!). Also, little did we know, our grandfathers were friends & both fought in WWII & shared great memories of supporting their hometown football team (The Mattoon Green Wave), while cheering on their sons. All in all, our roots run deep & are intertwined through generations, something that we were unaware of at the start of our love story, but getting to know the history as time went on, has made it that much sweeter for us

What are your three favourite attributes of your partner?

Just a few of the things that I love most about my husband, Payton, are his charisma & ability to overcome anything that comes his way. I love his personality & the positive way that he looks at life & turns any challenge into an opportunity to grow & become stronger.

Who proposed and how?

He proposed when we went to cut down our Christmas tree at our local Christmas tree farm in November of 2021

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

I went to a local bridal shop at Vayda Jane Bridal Boutique. I tried on 4 dresses before knowing that the Elsie was the one. It had bows, which made it unique & daring, something I always go after with fashion. It was whimsical & gave me the romantic, vintage feel that I had envisioned. I had to pair it with the long, dramatic Elle veil I also loved the story behind Made With Love & the fact that the gowns are hand made in Australia, which made it even more unique!

What was the best moment for you at your wedding?

The best moment at at the wedding was walking down the isle with my father and seeing my soon-to-be-husband at the other end. The chapel was filled with close family members and our black lab, George. He was candidly floating through & reminded me of an angel as he met us at the altar. The ceremony itself felt so right & real & it felt like us. I’ll never forget it for as long as I live.

What were your favourite details?

My favorite details were the location of the venue, Georgetown, TN. A place that feels like a home away from home Also, the small, intimate feel & being able to connect with each individual person. It gave us the personal & meaningful vision that we were aiming for.

What advice would you tell other brides?

I would tell other brides to enjoy the small moments & focus on what means the most to you & your significant other! If the traditional, large, exhausting wedding doesn’t feel right- don’t do it. That’s one thing I am so grateful I did & listened to my heart. Looking back, I couldn’t see our wedding day going any other way. If you have something in mind that feels special to you, go for it! There is no right or wrong way to do YOUR wedding da