Walnut Hill Farm Wedding – Alex and Hannah

Can’t wait to not only share some images from Hannah and Alex’s Walnut Hill Farm wedding but also share a post wedding interview with them that will give you their thoughts and insights about their wedding day!

Alex and Hannah’s Walnut Hill Farm wedding on Saturday was, well, perfect. This stunning venue always makes us swoon, and add a beautiful couple with an amazing connection, two energetic, kind families, a classy wedding party, and we are thrilled to be sharing a few of our favorite images from this very special day!

The forecast called for storms, but instead we were blessed with perfect weather, insanely beautiful clouds, a cool breeze, and the sun came out the second that Hannah emerged to be escorted down the aisle by her dad!

Highlights of the day would include Hannah and Alex’s amazing connection, their meaningful personal vows, the superhero tie clips from the groom to his guys (do NOT miss this collage below!), the always wonderful staff and delicious food at Walnut Hill Farm, and, as you’ll see in the images below, loads of wonderful emotion throughout the day.

As always, we want to take a moment to mention each of the fabulous vendors who make a wedding day as lovely and special as it is! Here are some of our talented friends who contributed their time, talents, and services to Hannah and Alex’s day:

Dalton Georgia Wedding Venue: Walnut Hill Farm Wedding and Event Center
Ceremony Musicians: Polyphonia Strings
Videographer: JB Videography
Gown Boutique: Glitz Nashville
Cake Artist: Cup-A-Dee Cakes
Florist: Chickamauga Flower Shop
Stationary Design and Printing: Wedding Angels
DJ: CBH Entertainment
Makeup Artist: Angela Jordan
Hair Stylist: Hair by Krystal Ducker

Let the interview begin!

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Rich: Of all the venues around here, why did you choose Walnut Hill Farm as the location for your wedding?

Hannah: We thought it was beautiful! It was centrally located so both families and our current friends in Nashville could all make it without too great an inconvenience.

Rich: What moment stands out to you the most as you and your girls were getting ready?

Hannah: I just loved how relaxed I felt and how the very girls that are closest to me in the whole world were there to just hang out and chat. Seeing everyone’s hair and makeup transformations was exciting!

Rich: Tell me about your dress. Can you give me a quick description and why you picked it?

Hannah: It was long and slender, trumpet style, covered in lace and with a very long lacy train. It had thin lacy straps versus being strapless because I didn’t want to worry about holding up a strapless dress all day. I loved how well the dress fit and how it didn’t overwhelm my person like some ball gowns did that I’d tried on.

Hannah and Alex’s “first look” photos below prove a point we often discuss with our clients as we are educating them about what to expect when they chose for or against having a first look. When a bride and groom are able to see each other before the ceremony not only are we able to take more photos of the couple together on their wedding day, but we often see MORE emotion than when he sees her for the first time walking down the aisle, not less. These photos, for the couples who choose a first look, often become some of the sweetest, most emotional, tender moments of the day.

Rich: Did you decide to see each other before the ceremony? What drove your decision?

Hannah: Yes! We wanted to have some special moments together when we first got to see each other. We also didn’t know if we’d be nervous or not and thought that would help us to be together! And Alex did get pretty nervous that day before seeing me. He says he was able to breathe normally and slow his heart rate for the rest of the day before the ceremony after he got to see me.

Rich: Hey Alex, what part of your wedding did you enjoy the most?

Alex: The first look because I’d been excited all day to see her. I also enjoyed getting to see all the different people who came out to celebrate us.

Rich: Was there any jewelry/accessories that you wore that had special meaning to you?

Hannah: No, but my garter did have my “something blue” on it. Alex had tie clips made for him and his groomsmen that had different superhero names on them (and Darth Vader haha).

We typically don’t post the formal family photos on our blog, but well, I’m just gonna leave this one right here:

A flower girls’ reaction upon being asked about the bride and grooms kiss during the ceremony:

Rich: What were you feeling right before you were about to walk down the aisle? Did anything special happen as you were waiting for the wedding to start?

Hannah: I got excitedly nervous right before walking down the aisle! I hadn’t felt that way all day, but rather calm and peaceful, but waiting to walk down is when it hit me. The flower girls and ring bearer were standing right in front of me waiting to walk down the aisle, and had been chatting with me, so excited for their moment. But then, right before they started their own walk, one of the flower girls, Macie, turned around and said to me, “It is going to be all right, Hannah,” and then they were off! Her calmness and peace, and the statement in general, totally caught me by surprise, but also felt like a little blessing from God.

Rich: Alex, what were you feeling/thinking when you saw your new bride coming down the aisle?

Alex: I was thinking about how we were finally taking the steps of making this official, and that when she got to the end of the aisle she was really going to become my wife. I was thinking how beautiful she was, and I was thinking that this was her moment and I was so glad to be a part of it. I was feeling so happy and blessed with how the day had gone so far. It had been perfect, and I knew it was just continuing to be that way.

Rich: What was your favorite moment during the ceremony?

Hannah: I loved every moment of it! Alex reading me his vows was like nothing I’d ever felt before. And I teared up when Dr. Hollingsworth said “I pronounce you husband and wife!” 🙂

Rich: I was so moved by your personal wedding vows! Would you mind sharing them?

Hannah: Sure!

—–

Alex William. I love you. Today will never come again.

All of what I want to vow to you today is based on the truth that Jesus keeps His promises and He will bring both you and I to perfection in Him one day. I want these vows to be freeing, instead of binding, for us. How completely satisfying it is to turn from my limitations to a Jesus who has none.

As you know, I somehow have so many expectations of what you should be, and also probably what I think our marriage should be.

1. I want to promise you, that even though I will not remember this in every moment, I do know that these created expectations cause death in relationship. I will let go of expectations. To do this means I have to trust. The struggle for me involves trusting Jesus, especially when my heart is uncertain, and realizing that every step of our marriage is actually about trusting Him.
2. I promise you I will trust that Jesus is capable of taking my life, my comforts, my hardships, often all involving you, and trading them for something so much greater.
3. I promise I will not look to you to satisfy my innate needs for security and love. Jesus alone can fill those. I am so thankful there is no perfect place we need to be in or perfect place we need to get to in order for our marriage to be good.
4. But, I want to promise you moments of joy and beauty as we do figure things out as a married couple. I am grateful for the patience and grace you pour out on me. We can use our words to breathe life into another person or to suck the life right out of them. You repeatedly choose to give me life.
5. I promise to breathe life into you.
6. I promise to follow you. I will listen to you and I will truly hear you. This does not come easily for me. But just as the church is to follow Jesus, I am to follow you. I am to respect you, whether or not you are acting respectable. I am called to do this, and I know His plan for this provides us with abundant life. Jesus sees the depths of our hearts, and He loves us the same.
7. I promise, in following Jesus and in marrying you, because I do see that they are linked, to pursue knowing you more and more and loving you more and more. Imagine, one day, our children saying, “We knew Jesus because we saw His love in our parents, and that equipped us to live a fearless life.”

Finally, I am far from perfect. We are far from perfect. Despite what many people may have seen, you know we have been through ugly times and very ugly times. It is not my strength or my love for you that pushes us together through those times. I would be lying if I claimed that. It is truly the love of Jesus, His faithfulness, and His VERY REAL, unending grace, that has allowed us to be here today, and will allow us to live this life together forever.

I am so thankful for you, this good, good gift from Him.

Alex: “How can I put into words how I am feeling today? How can I explain the undeserving love God has bestowed upon me through you? And do it without becoming a wreck.

Hannah, I wish I could remember the first time I ever saw you but I will never forget the first time I ever met you. On that day, two and a half years ago, I told my family that I just talked to the most beautiful girl I have ever known. I thought there was no way my life story could be amazing enough to have you in it.
God had better plans for me than I ever knew was possible.

I spent a large portion of my life searching for love – even from God. I thought I had love figured out and wanted to play the biggest role in finding my wife. God had better plans and at the time where I expected it the least he brought you into my life. No one can convince me that this story – the story of you and me – was not ordained and perfectly orchestrated by God. I prayed for my future wife from a very young age and I could never have created a more perfect woman than you, Hannah Jernigan. I am so lucky God created you for me.

Your smile makes my heart jump. I love your smile. Your eyes making me want to grasp on to every fleeting moment we have together. Your hair makes me weak in the knees and the touch of your skin gives me goosebumps. This physical attraction will never waiver but your heart is what has made me the luckiest man alive. You are the smartest person I know and the kindness you show to strangers, waiters, and your friends proves that it is good and true.

I promise to love you unconditionally like Christ loves the church. I vow to put you first and always be on your team. I want to be your servant leader. I want to be your protector. I want to live for you every day and never stop trying to be better. Thank you for waiting patiently for a Man of God to come and sweep you off your feet.

My first promise to you as your husband – I will never leave your side and I will always love you because God commands me and I would be a fool to lose this treasure.

I used to believe that I knew what love was until you came into my life and would not accept anything less than God’s love through me. I promise you will never go to bed or wake up wondering if I love you. I am so excited that after all of the goodbyes we have had, we finally get to go home together. ”

——

Alex may have been just a little pumped about Hannah becoming his wife:

 

Rich: What was your favorite moment during the reception?

Hannah: Lauren, our day of coordinator, had plates of food ready and waiting for us! Our first dance song just made me so happy. I cried dancing with my dad because he was crying and I am so grateful for the sweet loving man he is and has always been for me. I was overwhelmed by all our guests showering love and compliments and advice and blessings on us..in a good way.

Rich: How were you feeling when you left the reception? Any thoughts to share?

Hannah: Sad it was over already, because I feel like I had so many people still to see and so many dances still to dance! But also so ready to get away, be with Alex, and relax.

Rich: Anything else about your wedding you’d like to share?

Hannah: I honestly wonder why God chose to give the most perfect day and wedding to Alex and I, out of all the people out there who love Him, love each other, and are getting married. It is the most incredible reality that He chose to bless us with His abundant goodness and love in this way. If it had rained, it would have still been awesome! If other things hadn’t been ideal, we still would have had such a special day. Yet, He chose to give us a PERFECT day, in every way, with no mishaps, and I am just in awe of that and in awe of Him.

Rich: So far, what have you found to be the coolest thing about being married?

Hannah: Having the security that this man will be by my side no matter what comes. I love referring to him as my husband, and I’m loving that we now get to go on adventures together, just us.

Rich: Any special plans now that you’re married?

Hannah: We aren’t going out of town for as long as possible haha! I have been gone almost every weekend planning wedding stuff and still trying to be a part of our families lives, and now that I have him we can just camp out in our apartment and city without traveling every weekend. So excited haha! (And one day we are going to find and have the best dog ever)

Rich: What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding?

Hannah: Keep it as simple as you can, and it will definitely make life easier if you can have the wedding in the same city in which you work and live. Let the boy be a part of decisions! Alex was super helpful to me in sharing responsibility for some of the decisions.

Rich: Alex, just to close us, anything else about your wedding you’d like to share?

Alex: It was really special seeing months of planning all come together in that one day. I feel like there was not even one thing we could have changed to make the day better!

Bonus!

Got to work with the ever amazing Jamison over at JB Videography. Enjoy this wedding film that he did of their wedding day!