Our Wedding Day

Ty and I were engaged inside Middle Bay Lighthouse five months prior to our wedding day and wanted to find an equally romantic venue. We chose a plantation-style mansion to set the scene for our evening wedding. The ceremony was held outside of century-old Riverwood Mansion on a cooler day in late-July. Old oak trees and green leaves provided a frame and a barrier from East Nashville. Guests were ushered into the outdoor ceremony by a string trio playing classical hymns, and were asked to sign a hand painted guest scroll artistically drawn by the Ty’s mom. 

With the scene set, my dad escorted me down the aisle to Be Thou My Vision in the first dress I ever tried on - a gorgeous silk and lace dress made by Paloma. The dress was accented by a floor length Italian lace veil handmade by my grandmother. My mom and her sister also wore the veil at their weddings. Bridesmaids looked stunning in knee length one-shoulder dresses in Seaside blue by Alfred Sung, accented by coral and white flowers. The men wore traditional black tuxes with coral boutineers. Ty’s father performed a sentimental ceremony at sunset before we entered the mansion for a cocktail-style reception, complete with a string trio, heavy hor d'vours and high top tables draped in cream linens. 

We toasted to our nuptials, and enjoyed a mint and gold colored cake. 

The wedding was elegant, intimate, and classic. 

After tossing the bouquet, we drove away in a 1947 Ford Coupe restored Ty’s grandfather. 

We landed at the historic Hermitage Hotel to complete our wonderful wedding day.

Hold on to the Good.

1 Thessalonians 5:21

Many thanks to our photographer Brandon Chesbro.

Our wedding is also featured here.

The Story of Our Engagement

Ty and I met at a climbing gym in Nashville in the summer of 2011. I was about to celebrate my 25th

birthday, and he had just moved to the city. Only later did I discover that he had been in the gym for 

about 3 hours when I arrived with a friend. It took him two hours, but he finally got the courage to 

come talk to me. Using his newness to the area to woo me, he finagled his way into my life through a 

combination house warming/birthday party my roommate and I were hosting. Ty showed up right on 

time in his big green truck with a huge grin, and a bottle of wine.

After only three months of dating, Ty and I knew this was not an ordinary relationship. Before he ever 

said the words “I love you” he told me he wanted to marry me, although those words were soon to 

follow. From then on, we dove into meeting one another’s friends and families, and spent intentional 

time each night getting to know one another. Ty is a persistent, loving, man of God, who worked hard 

to lay a solid foundation for our growing relationship. 

After a quick 7 months, Ty proposed to me in the Middle Bay Lighthouse in Mobile, Alabama.
Here is our engagement story in Ty's words: 

I took Caroline to my parents' house on the Fowl River on February 29, 2012. The next day, we went to the beach on Dauphin Island. Fog rolled in from the Gulf so we decided to head back to the house. Awhile later, she asked if I'd take her on a boat ride. I drove out into the bay in our 20 foot flats boat. Once we had gotten about one mile out, the wind picked up. Five miles later, we arrived at the lighthouse soaking wet. I was nervous and tied the boat off to the platform a little too tight. Before I had time to fix it, a wave came by and sent me into the bay. I didn't have anything in my pockets but the ring! I pulled myself back onto the boat and we headed up the ladder. My parents had set up a table and chairs in the west room and the sunset gave everything a heavenly look. She caught onto my plan when she saw the room and I dropped down on one knee and proposed. She said yes! We watched the sun set before heading back to the river that evening.

Right after I said "yes!"

.It was a magical March 1st watching the fog clear, and the sun set over the lighthouse. We idled back to the shores of the Fowl River on his dad’s small fishing boat as dusk settled over the water, engaged at last!


(Below) Ty proposed for a second time in the place where 
he first saw me with a wedding band he had specially made for me. 

Thanks for sharing in our story!