RACHEL YOUNG & JULIAN TAYLOR PLUMMER
Sept. 3, 2022 | Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art | Bentonville | Raegan Buckley Photography
Rachel and Julian Taylor (J.T.) met in the fall of 2015 during her first semester of college in their public speaking class. They were paired up to share an impromptu speech about one another based on a 10-minute conversation. Later that semester, Rachel texted J.T. and told him she’d “love him forever” if he sent her the answers to the homework for one chapter, which he sent right away. They didn’t talk, let alone fall in love, until years later, but she had never forgotten the handsome and kind guy she met in class.
Rachel said the day of J.T.’s proposal was the best day of her life, and she didn’t see it coming. They visited Maui, Hawaii to celebrate the life of J.T.’s late father Charles. They took J.T.’s brother and sister-in-law on an adventure to the Road to Hana, where there is a secret black sand beach. They scaled down the cliff to get onto the beach, and when Rachel turned around, he was down on one knee! He flew her entire immediate family out to meet them on this remote cliff 3,851 miles from northwest Arkansas.
WEDDING VENDORS WE LOVE
Venue, catering and drink service:
Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art
Photography:
Raegan Buckley Photography
Wedding dress:
Tesori
MORE VENDORS
Wedding planner: Natasha Gates Events; Florals: ZuZu’s Petals & Gifts; Rentals: Eventology, Perch Event Décor and Nuage Designs; Draping and specialty lighting: Lightworks Events; Ceremony, cocktail hour and dinner music: William Reyes; Band: Blind Date Austin; Videography: Lucy Camryn Films; Invitations and paper goods: Shindig Paperie; Wedding cake: Shelby Lynn’s Cake Shoppe; Photo booth: Social Photo Booth Co.; Phone guest book: After The Tone; Men’s tuxedos: The Black Tux; Bridesmaid dresses: Show Me Your Mumu; Wedding dress alterations: Material Concepts; Bridal hair and makeup artist: Mat Wulff; Bridesmaid hair stylists: Cesar Ferritz & Russell Ricks; Transportation: Pinnacle Car Services
Q & A
Q: What inspired your florals?
A: “I was inspired by wildflowers! Even though we had a fall wedding, I knew I wanted bright bold shades of pink and orange, with an emphasis on unique-looking flowers,” Rachel said. “I love all types of strange and wild-looking blooms. My vision was for the wedding and reception to look like a garden exploded.”
Q: What is your secret to wedding planning success?
A: “One helpful tip is to pick a vision and stick to it,” Rachel said. And “[my wedding planner, Natasha Gates] made me feel so comfortable right off the bat, and I had no doubt she would bring our dreams to life. Natasha was my saving grace more times than I can count, and she really went above and beyond to help me with the process.”
Q: What details from your favorite fairy tale did you include in your wedding?
A: “I have always been a Disney princess kind of gal, and I knew that regardless of the wedding dress trends right now, I wanted to have a princess dress with lots of tulle and fluff,” Rachel said.
Q: How did you customize your wedding?
A: “...One really special feature was our bud vase floral wall as the escort wall for the seating chart,” Rachel said. “I had a specific vision in mind of having individual wildflowers in unique bud vases…My friend and I spent an entire day going to thrift shops finding the most unique bud vases, and then hand painting them to be a matte light pink.”
Q: What was your wedding must-have?
A: “I knew for sure I wanted spectacular florals,” Rachel said.
UNFORGETTABLE MOMENT
“The band encouraged us to dance on stage with them, and we sure took them up on it,” Rachel said. “[We did] the formal Hog call in my wedding dress with all my former Arkansas cheerleaders, they even put me up in a stunt on stage!”
MOST WORTH-IT SPLURGE
“If I had to narrow it down to two things, I would say the band and our photography team,” Rachel said.
THE NIGHT BEFORE...
REHEARSAL DINNER SPOTLIGHT
