Abby McCoy & Bradley Durant
May 18, 2018
Hark & Herald Co., Rogers
Spontaneity is one of Bradley Durant’s defining traits. That exact trait led him to turn his car around on the way to see his family in Fayetteville to instead head to Eureka Springs to meet a girl he’d heard a lot about. Abby McCoy had no idea that there was a matchmaking plot going on, but the two hit it off at a bar called Eureka Live. They spent the evening on the dance floor singing and dancing. For the next five months, the couple took turns visiting one another in Russellville where Abby was living and Eureka Springs where Bradley lived. When Abby got a job in Tulsa, Bradley moved with her they’ve been together ever since.
Brad and Abby traveled to Vancouver for vacation. They’d explored the city all day and Abby wanted to go back to the hotel and rest, but Bradley insisted they get some wine and walk around the Lost Lagoon. They packed up a bag with wine and wine glasses and then hit the trail that winds around the lagoon. The two stopped at a scenic spot and poured themselves a glass of wine as they watched the sunset. Suddenly, Bradley asked Abby to stand up with him. She remembers him looking so nervous as he asked her to marry him. “He put a ring on my finger made of small flowers that he had made for me,” Abby says. “He said he wanted us to pick out our rings together. It was so romantic. I never felt more loved.”
THE INSPIRATION
• • •
The couple decided they wanted to keep their wedding small and intimate. Instead of a grand affair, they eloped. Jessica Kersey with ELOPE by JLK Weddings helped them pull it off at the intimate Hark & Herald Co. building in downtown Rogers. Since the couple lives in Tulsa, they relied on Jessica’s expertise to make the day as seamless as possible.
The couple’s style was minimalist and organic, with pops of Bradley’s favorite color purple. Color was added in through Abby’s organic-looking bouquet of deep red, ballet pink and stark white florals tied together with dusty lavender silk ribbon.
HOW THEY CUSTOMIZED
Abby and Bradley drove from Tulsa to Arkansas together on the morning of their wedding, stopping to pick up their marriage license in Siloam Springs. When they got to Rogers, Bradley dropped Abby off with her mom to get her hair and makeup done. They didn’t see each other again until the first look.
Abby and Bradley said their I dos in front of the exposed brick wall framed with lush greenery and romantic candlelight. All 30 of their guests had a perfect view as the couple officially became man and wife. After the ceremony, the couple greeted their guests and wasted no time before cutting into their beautiful cake from Mary’s Little Sweets. The two-tier white cake featured beautiful hand-painted abstract strokes in various shades of purple. Guests sipped champagne while Bradley and Abby had their first dance to “The Girl” by City and Colour — a song Bradley’s played for her since their first car ride together.
In the spirit of their low-key elopement, Bradley and Abby invited their guests across the street to eat gourmet grilled cheese with them at Hammontree’s Grilled Cheese. Thinking back on their big day, Abby says she remembers feeling a different level of happiness being able to call Bradley her husband. As for eloping, she heartily recommends it to any couple.
“Elope,” she says. “Don’t go into debt for one day. What matters is the relationship between you two, and the marriage the day after the wedding, not the wedding itself.”
THE DETAILS
| WEDDING VENDORS WE LOVE | |
|---|---|
| Photography | Alex Villar Photography |
| Florist | PIGMINT, Fayetteville |
| MORE VENDORS | |
|---|---|
| Venue and rentals | Hark & Herald Co., Rogers |
| Event planner | JLK Weddings, Bentonville |
| Silk ribbons | Silk & Willow |
| Cakes | Mary's Little Sweets, Bentonville |
| Wedding dress | Bridal Couture, Springdale |
| Groom's attire | Men's Wearhouse |
| Jeweler | Zales |
| Hair | Jordan Noelle |
| Makeup | Adrianna Jones |
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