Emma ArkaNicole Hickok & William Baker Bray Jennings
Nov. 1, 2025 | Horsehead Lake Lodge & Event Center in Clarksville | Makenna Marie Co.
Originally from Texas, Emma and Will met after they both transferred to high school in Hot Springs. They quickly became friends, and towards the end of their junior year, they realized they had developed feelings for one another. They’ve now been together for eight years, and experienced a lot of hardship during their time together–but they had one another to lean on.
“Through all those years, our relationship continued to grow and develop into a love that felt steady and lasting,” Emma said. “It’s crazy to think we may have never crossed paths if we had not applied to ASMSA all those years ago!”
After graduating from college, Will proposed to Emma on a private beach in Cozumel, and they got to celebrate with friends and family later that day.
“It was the perfect way to begin our next chapter together,” Emma said.
Wedding Professionals We Love
Venue: Horsehead Lake Lodge & Event Center
More Wedding Professionals
Florist: Vase & Vine; Music: DJ SLY; Caterer: Mountain Top Catering; Wedding cake: Erin Griffin; Bar: Simple Sips; Rentals: The Perfect Date; Ceremony music: Anthony Montgomery and Christopher Crutchfield; Wedding gown: Terry Costa Bridal; Wedding gown alterations: Legacy Tailor Dallas; Groom’s suit: Men’s Wearhouse; Hair stylist: Jennifer Reyes; Makeup artist: Grace Robertson; Jewelry: Jared’s and Olive & Piper; Officiant: Gage Jennings; Stationery: The Knot and Zazzle
Q: What inspired your wedding day?
A: “We were really inspired by the natural beauty of fall in Arkansas, and our venue was the perfect place to appreciate that,” Emma said. “With the lake and mountains surrounding us, it felt natural to lean into a warm fall color palette with rich, earthy tones. Our wedding was on the smaller side with only our closest friends and family, so we wanted everything to feel warm, inviting, and intimate.”
Q: Was there a moment that felt sentimental to you?
A: “My sister gifted me a locket with a picture of him and [me] as a child, and I tied it into my wedding bouquet so he could also walk me down the aisle,” Emma said.
Q: What moment of the day do you wish you could relive over and over again?
A: “We had our couples portraits on a dock by the lake, and the scenery was so peaceful,” Emma said. “It was a special time where we got to take it all in before going back to the reception to celebrate with everyone.”
Q: What surprised you about the planning process?
A: “What surprised us the most about wedding planning was how overwhelming social media can be with wedding planning ideas,” Emma said. “There are so many creative ideas out there and it could be easy to get caught up in what everyone says to do or not do for a wedding. We tried our best to go with what represented us as a couple and to make it our own.”
Q: What advice do you have for other brides and grooms?
A: “Our biggest piece of advice for wedding planning is to tune out the noise from social media and others around you who may have differing opinions,” Emma said. “Your wedding day is about you and your partner, and it should feel like it, too. I promise your guests will love it because they are there to celebrate you!”
Q: Favorite moment of the day?
A: “Walking down the aisle and then back up together as newlyweds are moments we’ll never forget,” Emma said. “Seeing each other for the first time during the ceremony was incredibly emotional, and celebrating together as we walked back down the aisle felt just as special and overwhelming in the best way.”
Winning Big
“We went back and forth on whether we wanted to have wedding favors or not, and I am so glad we decided to get them,” Emma said. “We did lottery scratch-offs as our wedding favors for our guests (and none of them were left behind).”
Love Letter to Guests
“We also wrote handwritten notes for all of our guests at the wedding that doubled as their place card,” Emma said. “This was not a small task, but it was so worth it. It was our way of thanking them for being there to celebrate with us and to let them know how much their support meant to us.”
