LAURA BONDS & SCOTT MELTON
November 4, 2023 | Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts | Little Rock | Kati Mallory Fine Art Photography
Laura and Scott met for the first time in Memphis after a Grizzlies game. They exchanged numbers, but Laura never heard from him. As fate would have it, she ran into him with a mutual friend a while later. He explained that he didn’t catch her name and was too nervous to text her without knowing it. He asked her out the next day!
“I realized I loved Scott a few months into our dating. Scott and I were relaxing around a fire pit in his backyard, and I recognized how comfortable and easy it was to be with him,” she said.
Laura and Scott’s proposal was an intimate affair—just the two of them—and she wouldn’t have it any other way. Laura always wanted a front porch swing, and on the day of their engagement, she arrived at Scott’s house to find that one had been installed. They sat on the swing and talked for a while, and it was there that Scott asked Laura to marry him!
WEDDING VENDORS WE LOVE
Venue, catering and bar services
Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts
Florist
Tipton & Hurst
Production design, lighting, rentals and vinyl
Central Arkansas Entertainment
MORE VENDORS
Planning and Design: Leslie Carter with Bella Baxter Special Events; Photography: Kati Mallory Fine Art Photography; Videography: The Powells; Band: RAM Entertainment’s Party Jammers; Rentals: Eventology; Linens: BBJ La Tavola and I Do Linens; Cake: Mickey’s Cakes & Sweets; Stationery: By Invitation Only; Wedding dress: Maggie Louise Bridal; Bridesmaid’s dresses: Azazie; Groom and groomsmen attire: Jos. A. Bank; HMUA: Kakki Jones; Floral preservation: SK Designs and Alchemy Atelier; Getting-ready accommodations: The Edgemont House; Getaway car: Rob Haynie; Shuttles: Arkansas Destinations
Q & A
Q: What did you love about your venue?
A: “I was very pleased by the catering at the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts,” Laura said. “The food was incredible and was such a fun bonus of the stunning venue! The food tasting was one of my favorite memories of wedding planning. The chef came out during each course and talked to us about the menu, and every bite we had was delicious.”
Q: What personalizations made your day special?
A: “Scott’s favorite dessert is key lime pie, so instead of a traditional groom’s cake, we had a key lime pie shaped like a tennis ball in honor of his favorite sport to play, and we had mini key lime pies for guests to enjoy,” Laura said.
Q: What was your favorite aspect of the decor?
A: “I loved the flowers throughout our wedding weekend,” Laura said. “At the reception, the tall arrangements on acrylic columns added height that drew the eyes up to the wood-planked ceiling, and the flowers across the stage framed The Party Jammers nicely. The colors mirrored the ‘Water Lilies’ painting we used as inspiration, which was accented on the dance floor and bar siding.”
WORK OF ART
“Our wedding reception was held at the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts, so I knew I wanted to incorporate art in some way,” Laura said. “…I turned to Claude Monet’s painting ‘Water Lilies’ (1906) for inspiration. That painting provided the color concept for the day.”
WORTH-IT SPLURGE
“Our most worth-it splurge was adding extra band members,” Laura said. “At the last minute, we added extra trumpet and saxophone players at my dad’s request, and it was well worth it for the added energy the band brought.”
