Happy 1st Birthday Anna

Hi friends! This is my first personal blog post, but I am so excited to share this one with you all because it is all about my sweet girl and our family these past few weeks as we celebrated her first birthday! I have always heard people say that time goes by so quickly when you have children, and y'all, they are not lying. I don't know how this past year went by so fast, but here we are and I have a one-year-old! I'm a ball of mixed emotions just thinking about it. I miss my tiny baby girl, but I love watching Anna grow into the sweet, sassy, and funny little girl that she is.

I knew I wanted to do a blog post about Anna's party so that I could give credit to all the people who helped make it so special (because yes, I'm crazy, and I used a lot of my talented friends to help pull it off). The inspiration for the party came from Anna's birth date; she was born on Easter Sunday of last year, so I knew that I wanted to do something with bunnies. Bunnies have always been her theme, and we’ve called her our “Little Bunny Girl,” so that’s where I drew inspiration. Once I started looking online at bunny parties, I had a hard time figuring out which direction I wanted to go because there is A LOT of stuff out there and a lot of different decorations and bunnies! The first decorations that came together were the floral hoops (I saw them some somewhere online). I asked my friend from Covenant Threads to make them and I was blown away. Once I had the hoops, they acted as the centerpiece for everything else (the cake topper, the headbands, the flowers).

I’ll give you fair warning now… if you continue to scroll through this post, there are A LOT of pictures. The weeks leading up to it and the week of Anna's birthday, I took pictures of some of the decorations for the party and we had pictures taken of the party, a cake smash session, and one-year family photos. According to my Instagram poll, you all wanted to see "ALL THE THINGS"…so that’s what I’ll show you! I’ll also put a list at the end of the post of the people who made each item and the photographers who took pictures for us because these people are so talented. I hope you all enjoy looking at this sweet girl's 1st birthday celebrations as much as I enjoyed it all coming together and showering our Anna girl with lots of love!

*on a side note, please ignore how bad the lighting is in some of the party photos, it was a SUPER rainy gloomy day so the pretty natural light we usually get in our home was all gone so we were working with lots of over head lights.

Birthday Vendors:

Birthday Party Pictures: Jessica Lynn Hatton (edited by me)

Cake Smash Pictures: Kelsey Malicote

Family Pictures: Meghan Beth Photography

Random pictures: Becky Willard Photography ;)

Headbands: Heartfelt by Jenn

Floral Hoops: Covenant Threads- Anna Hogan

Cake and Cupcakes: Elizabeth Lowry Cakes

Invitations, Paper Goods and Birthday Board: Lexington Lettering

Cookies: Maddies Cookie Co.

Florist: Carol Lynn Events

Lawn Sign: Lexington Letter Kreations

Cake Smash Tutu: Amanda Mills

#1 Bunny Onsie: Sew Cute by Christy

Bunny Bubbles: Etsy

Felt and Yarn Garland: Hobby Lobby

Random Decorations: TJ Maxx and Home Goods

Plates, Napkins and Forks: Party City

Mr. and Mrs. Longnaker

Chase & Lauren were married on September 2nd, 2017, at the Corner House Bed & Breakfast in Rockport, IN. It was a gorgeous wedding filled with lots of love, joy, and personal touches from the sweet couple. The bride put so much time and effort into doing many of her own flower arrangements and decorations, and it turned out absolutely stunning, as you can see from the photos of their day!

Chase and Lauren met the summer after their freshman year of college when they attended Summer Project through Campus Outreach. She stood out to him from everyone else due to her love of fishing, and they reconnected 5 years later through social media. Lauren first noticed Chase’s love for the Lord, and it was his goofy and vivacious personality that drew her to him. Lauren especially loves Chase’s warm and caring spirit and how fantastic he is with kids. She says she is so thankful that God created someone with all of these characteristics specifically for her. As a couple, they hope and strive to build each other up and push each other toward the Gospel.

To ask Lauren to be his wife, Chase orchestrated a big proposal day involving both of their families camping and hanging out on her family farm. He made her a scrapbook and wrote her a poem, and at the end of the poem, it said that he had a very important question to ask… So he asked, and Lauren was completely surprised! After proposing, they celebrated with all their closest friends who were eagerly waiting for them.

In thinking back to their wedding day, Lauren loves how it was so uniquely them. They were able to honor their family members who were no longer living, to use the glasses with which her parents toasted at their wedding, to toast with the champagne from Chase’s parents’ wedding, and to have family members write letters to put into the unity box that they built. The entire day had so much meaning and purpose for them, especially in sharing it with those they love most. Lauren also got to surprise her mother by dancing with her to one of their favorite songs from childhood, “Jeremiah Was a Bullfrog,” which she vividly remembers her mother always singing at the top of her lungs! Please scroll through these photos to witness the pure love and joy these two have for the Lord and for one another!

Love Always,

Becky

Vendors

Wedding Planner/ Coordinator: - Tammy Flener

Caterer: Odelia’s

Officiate: Blake Buckman

Band/ DJ: Terry Tunks

Cake: The Family Bakery

Florist: Boutonnieres and bouquets made by the bride; the owner of the venue added other floral accents from her garden

Hair and Makeup: All About You Salon & Spa

Dress: Ella Park Bridal

Suit: Jos. A Banks

Paper Products: All handmade by the bride

Decorations: Terrariums, woodcuts, coasters, table numbers, etc. all handmade

Breanna Crawley and Andrew Campbell

Andrew proposed to Breanna on December 3, 2017 while they were out to dinner at one of their favorite places. Even though she said no to dessert, the waitress still brought them a piece of cheesecake with the date written in chocolate, which made Breanna a little suspicious. She turned to see Andrew down on one knee, asking her to marry him! He chose a beautiful round cut ring in a pave setting, and it just sparkles in every picture. Dessert seems like a pretty great way to start out on the journey towards marriage, if you ask me! They are getting married in a rustic barn ceremony in Louisville, Kentucky, on September 22nd of this year. I had a wonderful time capturing the sweetness these two share. Please show this beautiful couple some love!

~What is your favorite thing about your fiancé/fiancée?

Breanna: “I think that my favorite thing about Andrew is his servant’s heart. He will do anything for anybody without receiving anything in return, and he is such a hard worker. I also just love his personality. He has always been so respectful and chivalrous. He is an overall amazing man.”

Andrew: “It’s had for me to choose one favorite thing about Breanna. However, a few character traits really stick out, like her work ethic and kindheartedness. Her beauty and silliness are also among my favorite things about her.”

~What are some of your dreams and goals as a couple?

Breanna: “One of our dreams as a couple is to be able to travel as much as we can. We both love to travel and explore new places, so that is something that is really important to us. We also hope to be able to own our own home and have a few children in the future.”

Andrew: “Aside from the typical ‘start a family and live happily ever after dream,’ Breanna and I really want to travel the world.

~How does your fiancé/fiancée make you smile/laugh?

Breanna: “Andrew makes me laugh all the time. He is so funny and is never afraid to be silly. I love that he is always willing to goof around with me.”

Andrew: “Breanna’s silly and goofy personality always makes me smile.”

~What is your favorite memory together?

Breanna: “I think my favorite memories are when we have been on a trip together experiencing something new. Whether it was hiking at Natural Bridge in Kentucky or going to Disney World, I love experiencing new things and places with him.”

Andrew: “One of my favorite memories with Breanna is when we went to Gatlinburg for a few days on vacation. We had a great time!”

Mr. and Mrs. Bolton

This couple is near and dear to my heart because the groom's older sister was one of my college roommates. Jarron Bolton and Jessica Parker were married on July 29th, 2017, at Burdoc Farms in Crofton, KY, which is about 3 hours away from Lexington. This was the Willard family's first road trip with Anna and she did so great (you can even see a few pictures of her towards the end). Jarron is a big ole country boy with the biggest, sweetest heart, and I'm sure as you look through these pictures you will be able to tell. This whole day felt like I was just hanging out with my family, which made it even more special! I hope you enjoy this colorful and joyful wedding.

Mr. and Mrs. Cottrell

Oh, this wedding… there are so many things that I will always remember about this day. Quinten and Kaelan were both in the bridal party of a wedding I shot in 2016, so it was extra sweet to be able to see them and all their friends again for their wedding day. Quinten and Kaelan have to be one of the happiest and most in-love couples I have ever had the joy of shooting, and I'm confident you will understand what I mean when you look through these pictures. Kaelan thought about so many details when planning this wedding, even the sweetest personal touches for her dad (she is definitely a daddy's girl). Their ceremony was one of the most emotional, sweetest, and beautiful ceremonies I have ever witnessed, and their reception was SO fun! Quinten and Kaelan, I love you both and am so thankful I had the opportunity to capture your love for each other and for Jesus. Also, a fun little surprise is that these two are expecting their first child, a sweet baby boy, later this year. I can’t wait to watch you all go through this next milestone in life with grace and joy and love!

Kaelan's favorite memory from the wedding day was the moment she first saw Quinten's face when she walked down the aisle. She said, "I can't even put into words all of what my heart was feeling right then. We've been through so much together that in that moment, it was just like something came over the both of us... like we made it. It was something from a storybook. Like a happy ending to one story or chapter, but the beginning of a story even more beautiful. I had always known that he was the one. But in that moment, I knew more than ever...." Don't worry- everyone was also crying, including me. It was the sweetest processional ever.

P.S. Look for the rainbow picture, I have a story to tell you all about it :)

Do you see the rainbow? This was such a unique and sweet moment. Quinten's father passed away a few years ago, so many people were missing him and thinking about him on the wedding day. When we took this picture, none of us even noticed the rainbow behind them. But when we saw it on the back of the camera and saw the rainbow, Quinten and Kaelan felt so much comfort and peace knowing that his father was with them on their big day after all.  Kaelan said, "It was just like George was looking down from heaven and gave his sign of approval. We knew he was there when the rain barely sprinkled over all of us during our ceremony, after when it poured, and the rainbow at the end…that was it. ❤ If all of that doesn't make you feel some kind of emotion, I don't know what will. Shew lol!" You can be sure tears were definitely in my eyes.

Vendors:

Dress: The White Dress of Lexington

Venue: Eden Springs Farmstead

Florist: The brides mom and aunt did the flowers

Hair and Make-Up: Tara Bowen

Bridesmaids hair: Hailey Broughton 

Food: Poochy's Catering

DJ: Kelvin Catlett 

Cake: Artsy Fartsy (Renea)

Shop Revelry for my bridesmaids dresses

Handcrafted beer and wine: Duane and Cheri Perry

Wendy Renfrow and John Lisby

John proposed to Wendy on December 2nd, 2017. After they got back from a dinner date at her favorite restaurant, Wendy was excited to find that John had arranged for both sets of her grandparents and her family to be waiting at home for them. As she was putting up her leftovers, John called for Wendy from the sunroom. When she walked in, he gave her a sweet and thoughtful speech as her whole family was standing behind her. When he was done talking, John got down on one knee and proposed to her! The beautiful ring he chose for her is rose gold with a pear shaped diamond and diamonds down the sides. Wendy and John are getting married at Gallrein Farms on July 7th, 2018. Thank you, as always, for supporting Becky Willard Photography and supporting and loving on my clients! Keep scrolling for some sweet pictures of this couple snuggling and smiling during this beautiful woods session!

~What does a typical/ideal date night look like for the two of you?

We love going to see a movie and eating candy while wrapped up in a blanket.

~What is your favorite memory together?

Wendy: When John and I first met. he invited me to go fishing with him. We had the best time just laughing and listening to music while fishing. I knew that day that he was something special. 

John: My favorite memory would have to be when we went to the pinnacles and hiked up a steep and treacherous hill, then up and down the side of the mountain. I was proud of her for not stopping and continuing to push on because it was definitely worth it. I carved our names into the rock at the top of the mountain for the next time we went up there, and surprisingly it was still there.

~What is his/her best quality or personality trait?

Wendy: My favorite personality trait is his honesty.

John: My favorite personality trait is how much she cares for others and the big heart she has for animals.

~What are some of your dreams and goals as a couple?

We would like to start trying for kids a couple of years into marriage. We want at least two kids, with a house on some farm land. We can’t wait to go on family vacations and raise our kids up in a Christian home.

~Do you plan to take a honeymoon? If so, where?

We are going to St. Lucia and we are so excited!

Cassie Blase and Scott Barnhart

Scott asked Cassie to be his wife on July 8, 2017. He planned a hike around Radnor Lake, one of their favorite places in Nashville, and set it up for them to have breakfast and mimosas on a bench overlooking the lake. He also arranged for one of her best friends to come take pictures, and once she got there and the overlook cleared, he told Cassie to go look for turtles. When she turned around, he was down on one knee!

Scott proposed with a stunning emerald cut diamond with a halo and diamond band. They plan to get married on July 14, 2018, in a church ceremony with a rustic but elegant flare… and, of course, a football stadium twist. I think you can definitely see their love for football reflected throughout their engagement photos! Please read on and look through their sweet pictures; their love for each other and the Lord truly spills over!

~What is your favorite thing about your fiancé/fiancée?

Cassie: His smile! It lights up a room and just makes you happy no matter what.

Scott: Her passion for everything she does and her caring heart. It’s inspiring to me!

~What does a typical/ideal date night look like for the two of you?

Cassie & Scott: An ideal date night is doing something in which we are both interested (sporting event, hiking, late night walks outside, etc.), going out to dinner at one of our favorite restaurants, and then coming home and to watch Netflix or a movie.

~What is your favorite memory together?

Cassie: One of my favorite memories is the first time we said, “I love you”. Scott had come to visit me over the summer in Indiana. We stayed up late and since everyone had gone to bed, we decided to take some blankets outside and lay on the front porch. We were under the stars talking and then he looked over at me and said, “I love you”.

~How does your fiancé/fiancée make you smile/laugh?

Cassie: He is always being a goofball and making me laugh. He also loves messing with me and doing silly things like singing in the car or dancing.

Scott: I laugh at all her little quirks (her interactions with her cat, the way she has to clean her house, etc.) and her sarcastic sense of humor, and she laughs at mine. It’s fun!

~What is his/her best quality or personality trait?

Cassie: His sweet, sweet heart. I love how he fiercely loves Christ; it shows in his everyday life. He treats me so kindly and like a queen. He also genuinely loves everyone around him. He puts everyone first and he is hands down the nicest guy I have ever met!

Scott: Her passionate and genuine heart. Everything she does and commits to gets done with the most effort she can give. She wants to constantly make other people feel special and loved, which is so cool for me to see on a daily basis.

~What are some of your dreams and goals as a couple?

Cassie & Scott: We both have a dream of starting a family together and showing them the love of Christ. We can’t wait to show them the love of sports we both have and watch them grow. As a couple, we have a goal of fiercely loving the Lord and having a strong relationship with Him and each other. We want to go wherever the Lord is taking us, continue to adventure, and have fun together as we start a new life as one.

~Do you plan to take a honeymoon? If so, where?

Scott & Cassie: Yes, we have decided to go St. Lucia. We both love the beach and hiking, and St. Lucia had a good mix of both. We can’t wait to go on our first trip as a couple and explore the island!

Mr. and Mrs. Stinnett

Chase Stinnett and Sara Hamilton were filled with SO much joy on their wedding day and it was such an honor to be able to capture it all on camera! They were married on May 28th, 2017, at the Estes Chapel in Wilmore, surrounded by so many loving friends and family. It is impossible to look at these two and not see their radiant love for both Christ and each other.

Chase and Sara met on a "blind date" through mutual friends. At first, she was “SO not interested,” as she puts it… but they eventually met for breakfast at Cracker Barrel, where she ordered extra butter and stole his heart. They ended up talking for three hours talking about their faith and what they wanted out of a relationship, and they met for another date that very night. They fell hard and fast, and the rest is history! When I asked Sara what her favorite thing about Chase is, she answered that he is “the most kind-hearted man, the best listener, a sweet servant, and the most humble leader I have ever met.”

Sara says that her one of her favorite parts of the wedding was, "Everything honored God that day. It was exactly what I wanted and nothing I could plan for. So many things went wrong before that day, but when I walked down the aisle to Chase, the man that God MADE for me, it was my most favorite walk.” The Stinnetts look forward to their future together. They want to travel together and have babies to love. More than anything, they aim to be an example of the beautiful gifts that God gives and the love between Christ and the church. Show this couple some love and enjoy these highlights from their special day!

Love Always,

Becky

Vendors:

Florist: Meagan Cooley

Hair and Makeup: Hair by Renae Corman; Makeup by Sephora

Cake: Kim Wemyss

Emcee: David Miller 

Ceremony: Todd Thomas and Ian Schweitzer

Reception and catering: North Lime Donuts

Dress: The White Room

Suit: Macy's

Sarah Moyer and Blake Sears

Blake asked Sarah to be his wife on March 23rd, 2017, while on a trip together in Orlando, Florida. They were at Magic Kingdom posing for a picture when Blake handed Sarah a pair of Mickey Mouse ears and told her to read the back. She flipped the hat over and it had written out in golden Disney font, “Sarah, will you marry me?” Of course she said YES! Sarah’s ring actually belonged to Blake’s mother, so it has both significance and beauty behind its sparkle. This sweet couple plans to get married in an evening wedding at the Kentucky Horse Park on May 12th, 2018, and I can’t wait to capture their joy as they promise forever to each other.

Now let's get to know this sweet couple a little better.

~Tell us how you met and describe your first impression.

Sarah: “I first met Blake in high school during Calculus class. My first impression was trying to figure out why this guy, who sat in front of me at the time, kept talking to me during class. As time went by, I realized how fun, smart, and positive Blake was as a person. I eventually found myself falling for my best friend.”

Blake: “I met Sarah in Calculus class. She was always laughing and smiling, and immediately caught my attention. As the year went on, I had not only made a best friend, but someone with whom I thought I could spend the rest of my life.”

~What is your favorite thing about your fiancé/fiancée? 

Sarah: “My favorite thing about Blake, are his bear hugs. I always feel really loved when he hugs me and kisses me on the forehead during the quiet times in life. Blake is also so supportive with the dreams and goals that I have. He’s always cheering me on”

Blake: “Sarah always keeps me on my toes. Whether she is in a joking mood, or has somehow managed to hurt herself again, I never know what each day is going to bring with her. She is also an amazingly organized person, which she uses every day to try to help make things easier for me. She always tries to help me whether it be with school, work, or any other hobbies that I have. She is my best friend and my number one fan"

~What does a typical/ideal date night look like for the two of you?

Blake & Sarah: “Our typical date night is picking somewhere to grab a bite to eat and then doing something fun afterwards. It ranges from putt putt, video games, or even just kicking back and binge watching a TV series on Netflix.”

Thank you to Blake & Sarah for choosing BWP to capture the sweetness and love you two share! I am so thrilled to photograph your wedding day and any milestones for you in the future!

And thank you, as always, to those supporting my photography business and following along on my clients’ journeys! You make my photography possible and a joy to do!

Love Always,

Becky

Mr. and Mrs. Barnott

Hi friends, welcome back to my blog! Today I am sharing about Brian and Sarah's wedding. They were married on March 11th, 2017. I was 35 weeks pregnant at this wedding, so it was the last wedding I shot before Anna's arrival. It was an absolute joy to photograph this sweet couple’s wedding. Their love for each other echoed throughout each part of their day, as you can hopefully see from their pictures.

Brian and Sarah met in high school when a mutual friend (the MOH) introduced them. Brian texted their friend and asked, “Who’s that girl you’re always with?” She gave him Sarah's number, and the rest was history.  Brian proposed to Sarah on the beach with their family present to share in the excitement. 

I asked Sarah what her favorite thing about Brian was and she said, “I love his commitment to family. He is endlessly caring for those around him. I also love his sense of humor. He can make the entire room burst into laughter and who doesn’t love that?!” Their entire day was a complete fairytale. However, the couple’s favorite part would be watching their families and friends celebrate together. People of all ages were on the dance floor!

Vendors

Florist: Fields in Bloom
Hair and Makeup: The Tease Salon
Cake: Tinker’s Cake Shop
DJ: Clear Pro DJ
Ceremony: Central Christian Church
Reception & Catering: The Campbell House

Dress: Wendy’s Bridal

Suit: Men’s Wearhouse 

Invitations: Simply Done Invites