Although Hilary Flippo and Hunter Ragsdale decided to go their separate ways after dating in high school, they reunited just before graduating college. After dating for a few more years, Hunter took Hilary to the beach to celebrate her 24th birthday with a special gift. “I opened my eyes and looked at the necklace, which said ‘will you’ on the front and ‘marry me’ on the back. He got on his knee and proposed to me at my favorite vacation spot, in front of my family,” the bride muses.

The couple invited over 200 loved ones to their sophisticated Alabama nuptials. In honor of their faith, they commenced the big day with a Christian ceremony at their house of worship. “Our biggest concern was making sure that the ceremony itself was an encounter with The Lord for every guest in attendance. We wanted every element and bit of extravagance to create an atmosphere that would honor Him,” Hilary confides. Among the glitz and glam of the ceremony décor was a special structure that truly embodies the couple’s devotion to God. “[We customized] our cross at the altar! Hunter and I built it ourselves out of salvaged wood,” she smiles.

In addition to incorporating the couple’s faith, the décor also showcased Hilary’s personal taste. “I am a huge fan of pink and sparkle, [so] once we moved to the reception, I wanted our guests to feel like they had a night of glamour full of dinner and dancing. Every detail we chose was centered around my love for those colors and all the sparkles,” the bride explains. Guests were entranced by the beautiful blooms that brightened the reception space and paired perfectly with the chandeliers and candlelight. “My colors included nearly every pink, from pale to hot, and gold. We had flowers almost everywhere with massive centerpieces as soon as guests entered the venue. Draping also helped transform the room and gave it that fairy-tale vibe,” she illustrates. After the energetic dance party, everyone took home pink and cream koozies customized with the couple’s monogram and wedding hashtag.

Hilary confidently assures that she would not change a single aspect of the special day: “I loved every moment. I wish I could do it over and over again.”