As big fans of the Arkansas Razorbacks, Morgan Elizabeth Strong and Lee Holmes Jr. missed one of the team’s football games to spend a weekend at a lake house with their closest friends. “I had no idea he was planning on proposing that day and secretly wished he would change his mind and take me to the game,” laughs Morgan. As they arrived, Lee led Morgan down a candlelit path to photos of the two of them strung up in the trees, where he got down on one knee and asked her to be his wife. “We celebrated the whole weekend with our friends, and they will never let me live it down that I originally didn’t want to miss the game,” she smiles. 

Choosing to get married nearby their family and friends, the pair selected a romantic wedding venue in Springdale, Arkansas, that overlooked a vineyard. “We both thought it would be romantic to get married outside,” shares the bride. Though they had to postpone their original date, they rescheduled their wedding to August 15, which is when Lee’s parents said “I do” 33 years prior. “We wanted to do something special for his parents since we would be sharing their anniversary and were able to get a cake designed that looked like their wedding cake topper to deliver to them during the reception,” she adds. 

On the day of the ceremony, the main tradition the bride wanted to uphold was having her father walk her down the aisle. “I got to spend most of the day with my dad before all the pictures and the ceremony began,” she describes of the special moment. “I think we will both cherish the memories of that day for a long time.” She also made sure to honor her grandmother, who had passed a couple months before the wedding, by wearing her gold wedding band. “I wanted to feel close to her,” confirms Morgan of the sentimental touch. 

“All of the wedding planning turned into the most fun day of our lives!”

Carrying a lush bouquet of garden roses, peonies, ranunculuses, roses, and anemones, the bride walked down a custom monogrammed aisle runner designed by The Original Runner Company, which turned out to be Lee’s favorite moment of the day. At last, Morgan met her groom in front of a magnificent floral wreath of greenery and blooms in shades of vanilla and dusty blue. The bride notes her most treasured moment with Lee as holding his hands while he said his vows in front of their friends and family. 

The design scheme and color palette from the ceremony were carried through to the reception space. Tables showcased round and rectangular varieties strewn with either a runner or full tablecloth in a blue-and-white floral motif or pale blue hue. To add interest to the area, centerpieces comprised of greenery and blossoms in shades of ivory and blue were varied in size. Guests found their seats atop translucent chairs with a smokey tone, and place settings featured a gold-rimmed charger plate and glassware to add warmth. 

After over a year of planning alongside Amanda Reed Weddings and postponing their nuptials, the bride and groom wouldn’t change a thing about their wedding day. “All of the wedding planning turned into the most fun day of our lives!” Morgan exclaims.