Carrie and Benjamin were married at Hermitage Farm on October 7, 2017. Read on to hear about their wedding day.
Photos by Travis Salisbury, R.T. Photography [4]
Ages: Ben is 26. Carrie is 25.
Occupations: Ben is in fine wine sales and Carrie is an enterprise data analyst at Expeditors International.
How they met: Both attended Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, and met in 2012 bartending together at Skipper’s Pub.
Engagement story: At the end of a candle-lit Christmas Eve Ceremony, in the presence of both of their families, some friends and the church congregation, Ben went to the front of the church for a prayer and a song. After singing “O Holy Night,” he knelt and asked Carrie to marry him.
Wedding guests: 200.
Ceremony and reception: Hermitage Farm [5].
Wedding theme: Wine and gold; “Kentucky chic. We were obsessed with bringing the color gold into our wedding and Benjamin’s livelihood is in wine. Combine that with a beautiful autumn day.”
Entertainment: Bluewater Kings Band (reception); Louisville Wedding Music (ceremony).
Personal touches: The ceremony was presided over by Ben’s father, a Baptist minister. Musicians played personal songs on the balcony during the ceremony. “I was born and raised riding horses in Louisville,” Carrie says. “As a child, I even rode one of (Hermitage Farm owner) Steve Wilson’s horses, so Hermitage was the perfect venue choice.” Ben comes from a musical family and grew up singing, so Ben and his mother, a classically trained singer, chose to sing a duet of “What I Did for Love,” from A Chorus Line instead of a mother/son dance at the reception. Carrie chose calla lilies in pageant-style bouquets, as that is what her mother carried at her wedding. The couple chose Plehn’s Bakery to make the cake because Carrie’s father used to bring her a Plehn’s gingerbread cookie every time he returned from a business trip. “We even did a wine tasting at the reception in honor of Ben’s passion.”
First-dance song: “Tennessee Whiskey,” Chris Stapleton.
The day in three words: Ben says, “Interminable, chaotic, bliss.” Carrie says, “Joyful/carefree, bliss, whirlwind.”
Favorite part of the day: “Entering the reception for the first time as husband and wife, walking up the steps of the house after kissing my father goodbye and holding the hand of my husband as we headed to the beginning of our adventure together.”
One disagreement: “Ben wanted all the flower arrangements to be tall. We compromised and did varying heights.”
Really glad they: “Had it outside in the fall and had a large wedding with all of our family and friends from all different circles,” Carrie says. “We are also really glad that we put a ton of thought into details of the wedding, putting our personal touches on everything from the desserts to flower choice, as it has so much more meaning than just a ‘pretty’ wedding.”
Wish they would have: “Provided more umbrellas!”
Advice: “Make a conscious effort to make it around to talk to every guest you invited and take in their words of wisdom.”
Photo by R.T. Photography
DETAILS
Photographer: Travis Salisbury, R.T. Photography [6]
Flowers: Bouquets and personal flowers, Oberer’s Flowers [7]; centerpieces, ceremony flowers, etc. were designed and arranged by Carrie’s aunt Lynn Bunger and family
Stationery/invitations: Minted [8]
Coordinator: Victoria Stanton International Events [9]
Desserts: Cake, Plehn’s Bakery [10]; buckeyes made by groom’s mother; bourbon balls by Cellar Door Chocolates [11]
Caterer: A Full Plate [12], Maureen Hartman. “The best wedding food ever! Complements from vendors and guests still to this day.”
Rentals: Reliable Rentals [13]; The Rental Depot [14]
Rings: Ben’s grandfather’s ring; Carrie’s wrap/band is antique estate jewelry
Attire: Lace Bridal Boutique [15], Pronovias wedding dress; groom’s tuxedo was custom-made
Hair: Made Blowdry Boutique [16]
Makeup: Sloan Palmer Winters
Transportation: R&R Limo [17] for shuttle service to and from hotel for guests
Registry: Crate and Barrel, Macy’s and Amazon
Welcome party: Drake’s – Paddock Shops [18]
After party: Molly Malone’s [19]
Honeymoon: Napa Valley. “We then took a cross-country road trip back to Kentucky and the day we got back, Napa Valley experienced the worst wildfires in California history. A honeymoon to remember!”
This originally appeared in the Fall/Winter 2018 issue of Louisville Bride. To subscribe to Louisville Magazine, click here. [20] To find us on newsstands, click here. [21]
If you are interested in submitting your wedding to Louisville Bride, please email editor Mary Chellis Nelson at mcnelson@loumag.com [22].
