Rhianna and Corey’s luxurious wedding celebration in Arkansas featured rich reds, classic details, and ended with a helicopter send-off!
Before Rhianna and Corey started to get to know each other, they crossed paths briefly during a DRC kickback. Little did Rhianna know, Corey was the host of the party. A few months later they ran into each other at the gym. Eventually, they exchanged numbers and Corey asked Rhianna on their first date.
For their romantic and luxe wedding celebration, Rhianna and Corey found the perfect location that would suit both their large guest list and budget, all while still being absolutely glamorous!
Learn more about their big day and see the beautiful details from their luxe wedding celebration below!
- Couple: Rhianna and Corey
- Wedding date: April 23, 2022
- Location: Arkansas
Quick Facts:
- Bridesmaids gifts: personalized boxes by Esteem by J. Nicole, rose gold mixology kits to use at our mixology class with The Coquito Shop
- Groomsmen: Tequila with Friends in engraved boxes with personalized glasses by Esteem by J. Nicole
- Ceremony entrance song: Corey – “So Into You” by Donald Glover, Rhianna- “Find Someone Like You” by Snoh Aalegra
- First dance song: “Adore” by Prince
- Our wow factor: Aside from the helicopter send-off, we greeted our guests with an airport announcement. Most of our guests (90-95%) were from out of town.
How did you meet?
I slid in his DM! Which is true, but that is not how this came to be. The first time we crossed paths was actually at Corey’s house (which I didn’t know at the time). District Running Collective (DRC) was having a kickback and I decided to attend with a friend. Corey was too busy hosting to say more than hello. A few months later, we were both at the gym. I was there working on physical therapy techniques with my mentor and Corey was working out.
His personal trainer introduced him to my mentor to see if DRC could benefit from collaborating with a physical therapist. Since I just so happened to be there, I also got introduced (lucky me). I continued to go to the gym to “work on techniques” a few times per week during hours that correlated with Corey’s workout schedule. We would briefly talk in person, but we eventually exchanged Instagram information.
A few weeks went by when I was no longer coming to the gym and Corey reached out to say he missed seeing me. Conversations became more frequent, then I finally got his phone number only for him to ask me on a date.
Tell us about your wedding day.
Our wedding day was surreal. It was stress-free and full of surprises. Andrew and the team didn’t miss a beat. They had us fed, the setup went smoothly, and the bridal party was ready to go 15 minutes before ceremony time. We even had a ping pong tournament in the groom’s suite.
For me (Rhianna) when the doors of the church opened, I couldn’t even cry because I was in awe of the ceremony space. It was the first time I was seeing everything together and it was beautiful. And of course, Corey looked handsome and our guests just elevated the space.
Our day ran smoothly, all the guests knew where to go. The food and cake tasted better than the tastings.
Our DJ really got the party going and took us back to our college years. Merging Corey’s The University of Arkansas and my Florida A&M college days into one night and had the dance floor packed.
Tell us about the food.
Vibrant Occasions (VO) created a spectacular spread! I’m a foodie and have a global palate. Chef Krikorian made a unique menu for us and then elevated based on feedback from the tasting. From lemongrass chicken spring rolls to tandoori chicken, bacon praline skewers to Caprese pipettes – our cocktail hour had something for every palette. VO provided 8 hors d’oeuvres.
All guests were served Caribbean citrus chicken and bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin. For the non-pork eaters, they did accommodate by doubling the chicken and for the vegetarians, they made quinoa stuffed bell peppers. Plates were going back empty, which is always a great sign. Our sides for both the meat and vegetarian dishes were roasted broccoli and macaroni and cheese. The best part was that it tasted way better than the tasting! Chef K really listened to my critiques, down to changing the wrapper of the lemongrass chicken spring from a rice wrapper to a lumpia wrapper. We would highly recommend them for any event!
Favorite Memories
We opted for a last dance in the space as our guests exited to light sparklers – my second favorite memory. But the send-off couldn’t have been better. We walked through a double line of sparklers to our getaway helicopter. Best decision ever! We were able to see our venue from an aerial view and just fly around the Little Rock metro area and over the river. Great way to just soak in the day. I wouldn’t change anything about it.
Do you have any budget-saving tips for other couples?
- Hold the programs & menus – most people throw them away. We opted for a QR quote which took guests back to our website.
- If you’re going to do favors, hand them out at the Welcome Party. Guests are more likely to grab them and keep them. If it’s food, you know they’ll enjoy it throughout the wedding weekend.
- Don’t be afraid to change locations. We wanted to get married in Washington, DC but our budget would have restricted our guest list to 50 instead of 250. We weren’t flying away in a helicopter in DC – it’s not even permitted. Despite how unconventional the location, those that matter will show up.
- Guests love cake but hate waiting. We opted for our cake design to be a faux cake. We had sheet cakes cut and ready to serve which allowed for quick distribution to our 250 guests and more time to party!
Looking for more luxe wedding celebration inspiration?
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Vendors:
- Venue: The Venue at Oakdale
- Wedding Planner: Andrew Roby Events
- Catering: Vibrant Occasions Catering
- DJ: DJ R-Tistic
- Florist: Tanarah Luxe Floral
- Rentals: Eventology
- Champagne Wall Rental: Please Be Seated
- Officiant: Pastor Bryan Murphy
- Hair Stylist and MUA: LaVonne Beauty
- Videographer: Diego Stuart Films
- Photographer: Vinson Images
- Invitations: Fingers In Ink
- Wedding Dress: Mary’s Designer Bridal Boutique
- Bridesmaids Dresses: David’s Bridal
- Groom and Groomsmen Tuxes: Grayscale
- Groom Rings: David Yurman
- Bride’s Rings: Brilliant Earth
- Cake: PattiCakes Bakery
- Staging & Fabrication: Central Arkansas Entertainment
- Linens: Nüage Designs
- Room Scent Experience: Scentex
- Dance Floor: The Dance Floor Man
- Custom Cufflinks: RebelGiftCo
- Bridal Converse: kidsBirthdaySets
Love this post. Some really creative photos; I love the one from above and the helicopter.