Ashton Rail & Samuel Herrington
October 4, 2020 / The Nest at Prairie Creek in Rogers
ASHTON AND SAM met through Sam’s sister-in-law, who was friends with Ashton on social media. When Ashton found out that Sam loved tea and cats, she agreed to meet him. They spent their first date listening to live music at a restaurant for a late dinner.
Sam proposed to Ashton in the same park near the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art where he had taken her on their third date. Sam planned a picnic where they and their siblings would take photos. When they posed for a photo with just the two of them, he got down on one knee. Ashton was so excited that she almost forgot to say “yes.”
PLANNING DURING A PANDEMIC
Ashton is well-acquainted with the wedding industry, so she already knew she wanted Diana at Samantha’s Garden to take full creative control of the décor, and focused her efforts on planning the other aspects of her big day in just three months. Knowing that it could’ve all been canceled last minute was not easy. There were events (like bridal showers, parties, etc.) that the couple couldn’t fully experience. There were also family members that could not make it to their wedding. On the bright side, their wedding was way smaller than it would’ve been otherwise, which Sam loved!
THE INSPIRATION
One of Ashton’s favorite movies is “Father of the Bride” and the huge tent, along with the white picket fences with ivy growing on them at The Nest reminded her of the wedding from that film. She knew it was her dream venue.
Ashton wanted everything about their wedding to be unique and reminiscent of a vintage tea party. Her ring is a sapphire with diamonds on the side, with a custom-made wedding band. Sam’s wedding band is a family heirloom. It was love at first sight when Ashton found her dress with pearls, swiss polka dots on tulle, beaded flowers, lace and a gorgeous train. Ashton’s aunt, Sue Ellen Wilkerson, is a jewelry artist who takes vintage pieces and makes them more modern. With a photo of Ashton’s dress in hand, she made accompanying earrings, a hair accessory and decorated her shoes.
Ashton’s veil was also handmade by Elizabeth Koerner to match the swiss polka dots on her dress. And Ashton wore a pinkie ring that her dad, who passed away, had given her mom.
HOW THEY CUSTOMIZED
Each bridesmaid dress matched the personality of the person wearing it, and they were tastefully mismatched. And instead of a ring bearer, they had ring security to match Sam’s previous security-related job.
Ashton and Sam strung photos of themselves above the dance floor, and it was Sam’s suggestion to have a table where they gave away copies of their favorite books as wedding gifts.
At the end of it all, they sped away in a bright blue and white Chevrolet Bel Air.
VIDEO
THE DETAILS
| WEDDING VENDORS WE LOVE | |
|---|---|
| Flowers | Samantha’s Garden, Bentonville |
| Jeweler | Romance Diamond Co. Jewelers, Fayetteville |
| Transportation |
NWA Classic Car Rental LLC |
| MORE VENDORS | |
|---|---|
| Venue | The Nest at Prairie Creek, Rogers |
| Photography | Steph Smith Weddings |
| Videography | Grace Horton (BlondieGracie) |
| Day-of coordinator | Elizabeth Dowell of Haute & Bold Events |
| Chalkboard, linens, cake stands, tables | Haute & Bold Events |
| Cakes | Chuck's Cake Shoppe, Fayetteville and Bizzy B's Bakery, Bentonville |
| Invitations | basicinvite.com |
| Wedding dress | Violet's Bridal & Formal, Springdale |
| Bridesmaid dresses | Needle and Thread and Asos |
| Groom's attire | Dillard's and Express |
| Beauty | Maggie Mae from Blossom Beauty, Eureka Springs |
See this Real Wedding as it appeared in the 2021 digital edition of Arkansas Bride. Discover more inspiration in Arkansas Bride's Real Weddings section.
