Erin Wilson Photography and Films

Phew, what a year!?

We sprang naively into this new decade with such big hopes and dreams — and wham! — almost immediately had to rethink everything — including, so many of your weddings. 

Well, dare I say it. You killed it! Wow!

From brides-to-be staying positive and persevering through the many pandemic obstacles to the poised-under-pressure wedding professionals who pivoted so remarkably well that it took our breath away.

To be honest, we didn’t see that coming. Like all 695 days of 2020. We actually anticipated there would be fewer weddings to choose from for this new edition; we assumed the decor and details would suffer;and we worried it would be hard to fill the issue with enough inspiring ideas to WOW you (which is always our goal). 

Silly us. Little did we know, your adaptability and ingenuity rose to the challenges of 2020, and the result was remarkable weddings and styled shoots we endlessly swooned over during the creation of this magazine. In fact, the elopements and intimate 50-guests-or fewer nuptials were some of our favorites—each packed with emotion and invention.

You won’t believe the beauty and creativity until you see it in our 22-page Real Wedding section. I am personally obsessed with the duck-motif wedding on page 56, and really wish I could’ve been present to enjoy the refreshing White Claw wall on page 67. But that’s just two of 10 incredible weddings in this issuePsst! We included six bonus, online-only weddings in this edition too!

Another COVID-19 concern for our team was safely navigating photoshoots. We bypassed our big bridal fashion shoot and added a beautiful Runway Report that showcases the hottest wedding fashions sold across the state. Wait till you see this season’s top styles, starting on page 37

We found two safe and very socially distanced spaces to shoot our Tablescapes, which were creatively themed around worldly cuisines by the state’s top planners and floral designers (wedding decor inspired by tacos, sushi, and sliders — yes, please!). Thanks to Osage House in Cave Springs and to Pleasant Valley Country Club in Little Rock for letting us capture the beauty at your safe, clean, spacious and stunning venues! 

Styled shoots were on point this year. After quarantine, stir-crazy wedding pros clearly got to work using pent up creativity to create jaw-dropping editorials loaded with inspiration and ideas. We certainly wanted to feature more than we could — so stay glued to our Instagram and be sure to sign up for our e-newsletterto guarantee you get to see all that extra content! Special thanks to Sassafras Springs Vineyard & Winery and Erin Wilson Photography and Films for providing the gorgeous styled shoot that wound up on our cover.

Possibly my favorite part of this new issue is our feature story introducing you to Arkansas’ top wedding planners. Get to know these genuine, lovable and wildly talented planners. Each truly has a unique signature and approach to wedding design and customer service—which one will be the perfect fit for you? (Have I mentioned just how much we recommend you hire a planner?! You’d be shocked how much money and stress they can save you. Just sayin’!)

So, get cozy. Have your Post-it notes handy. And enjoy this captivating issue. We cannot wait to see what inspires you for your own wedding—and hope you’ll be sure to show us by submitting your weddings and tagging us on social media as your plans come to life.  

 

Best wishes and happy holidays, 

Lindsay

 

Associate Publisher and Editor

lindsay@arkansasbride.com

@arkansasbride