Intimate Spring Wedding in Arlington, Tennessee

Intimate Spring Wedding in Arlington, Tennessee is filled with love, style, and family!

On the second day of Spring in 2021, Raven and Cortney Date’s celebrated their decade-long love story in an intimate wedding celebration.

Nestled in a suburb just outside their shared home-state of Memphis, Tennessee, they had their ceremony on a 3-acre estate in Arlington surround by their closest friends and family.

For more on how they met and details from their intimate spring wedding, keep scrolling below!

• Couple: Raven and Cortney Dates
• Occupations: Pharmacist and Journeyman Lineman
• Wedding date: March 21, 2021
• Wedding location: Orion Hill Weddings and Events in Arlington, TN

Quick Facts:

• Gifts for your bridesmaids and groomsmen: I gave my bridesmaids boxes filled with mini Moet bottles, lotion, nail polish, fragrance, and a personalized necklace with their names and the names of their children. I wanted to give something that I knew they would continue to wear long after my wedding.
• Ceremony entrance song: “Whenever, Wherever, Whatever” by Maxwell
• First dance song: “Nothing Without You” Tanerelle

How they met…

Raven and Cortney met through a mutual friend in high school.

Raven recalls her best friend at the time, who had “moved to a new neighborhood and went to a different high school than [she] did” also happened to be friends with Cortney. One day in class, her best friend proceeded to tell Cortney “about [Raven] in [an] effort to “hook [them] up”.” However, sparks didn’t fly for them initially.

Raven admits she didn’t like Cortney when she first met him. But over time, their cordial back-and-forth began to blossom into something else. When Raven was home from college on Spring Break, the pair finally went on their first official date. They’ve been together ever since!

The bride…

The groom…

The proposal…

In 2019, Raven decided to host a dinner party theme for her annual Friendsgiving (pre-Thanksgiving) event. That year she hired a chef to cook and serve and everyone was asked to dress up and have an amazing time.

Little did she know Cortney had a big surprise for her!

Raven remembers the moment fondly, saying: “After appetizers and salad we were all just talking and joking around.” Then, suddenly “in the middle of conversation Cortney’s best friend handed him a ring box and he got down on one knee. I don’t even remember hearing him ask “Will you marry me?” because all of my friends were screaming so loud and there were even some tears shed. It was truly a surprise for me and a wonderful way to propose.”

The dress & wedding style…

For her special day, Raven wore a gorgeous ivory colored fit and flare style dress that had lots of lace detailing and see through inserts to give it just the right amount of sex appeal. It was the perfect amount traditional and sexy while still being very appropriate for the occasion.

Wedding shopping experience…

Reflecting on her shopping experience, Raven wasn’t thrilled about it.

She admits: “I really didn’t like the shopping experience. We visited a popular bridal store in Arkansas where many people I know had gone to find their dress. The store has thousands of dress options but is poorly organized which makes it difficult to find anything. The lighting is also poor so you had to walk out into the hallway and stand by a window for natural sunlight to capture the true essence and sparkle of the dress.”

While she almost walked away without anything, at the last minute she found “the dress” and “fell in love at the very end.”

Cultural elements…

While they didn’t incorporate any culture into their wedding, according to Raven and Cortney, their guests “brought all the culture [they] needed!”

The ceremony…

After “I do”…

Favorite memory…

For Raven, her favorite memories were of her mom “helping [her] get into her wedding dress and seeing Cortney for the first time when [she] walked down the aisle.”

She says: “We didn’t do a first look and I hadn’t seen him since the night before I left to go spend the night at my parent’s house.” This made that first-look moment even more special for them!

Advice for other engaged couples…

Raven advices other couples “when working with vendors [to be] very clear on what you want and to be prepared to pay for it.”

She’s also very proud of having a debt-free wedding. She adds: “When our wedding day came everyone was paid in full and we didn’t owe a soul anything. It is possible to have a beautiful wedding without going into debt or using credit.”

Looking for more intimate spring wedding inspiration?

Click here.

Vendors:

• Photography: Elizabeth Hoard Photography
• Videography: Andrew Brown Videography
• Venue: Orion Hill Weddings and Events
• Florals/Decor/Design/Rentals: Petals Studio
• Coordination: Nakeisha Green
• Catering: Pink Flamingo Catering
• Cake: Deidra Whitsett
• Signature Cocktails: @dawlinsdrinks
• Stationery/Floor Decal: Ashley Jordan
• DJ: DJ 007 The Great
• Photo Booth: Magic Mirror Memphis
• Bridal Gown: Essence of Australia via Low’s Bridal
• Bridesmaid Dresses: BariJay via Bella Bridesmaids Memphis
• Bridal Makeup: Meosha Williams
• Bridesmaids Makeup: Marnelia Roy
• Bridal Hair: Brieanna Jones
• Bridesmaids Hair: Asia
• Bridal Nails/Pedi: Krishundra Thompson
• Groom’s Tuxedo: Stud’s Formal Wear Southaven, MS
• Groomsmen Suits: Stud’s Formal Wear Southaven, MS
• Mirrored Signage: Stephanie Chin