Real Arkansas Wedding: Jennifer Williams & Spencer Ragsdale of Little Rock

Jennifer Williams & Spencer Ragsdale
Dec. 31, 2013 · Loft 1023 in Little Rock

Photos by Drew Cason Photography

After dating for three years, Jennifer Williams of Springdale and Sherwood native Spencer Ragsdale made a New Year’s Resolution. Together, they decided to have one date night per week throughout 2012. “We were taking the time we spent together for granted and wanted to make sure we carved away time to spend simply enjoying one another,” Jennifer says. After 53 weekly dates, Spencer decided to round out the year by taking Jennifer somewhere really special. He surprised her with a trip to Eureka Springs, one of the couple’s favorite getaway spots. Then on New Year’s Eve, he popped the question outside the Crescent Hotel, where both their families showed up to surprise the bride and celebrate with them.

BRIDE’S INSPIRATION

After getting engaged on New Year’s Eve, the couple fell in love with the idea of a New Year’s wedding. The date was set for Dec. 31, 2013, and the planning took off from there. “Although we knew we wanted to throw a New Year’s Eve party to be remembered, I didn’t want to miss out on the sophistication and class of a traditional wedding,” Jennifer said. Her solution was to break the event into three parts: an intimate ceremony, an elegant reception and a high-energy New Year’s Eve celebration. She chose a palette of white, gold and silver to adorn the event.

HOW THEY CUSTOMIZED

The bride and groom filled their New Year’s Eve-inspired event with handmade mementos to celebrate the occasion: a big bowl full of black-eyed peas for good luck, noise-makers on the chairs that read “Make Some Noise for the Bride and Groom,” champagne glasses with numbers distributed at midnight for the countdown and toast, and “Mint Cards” that read “Thank you for your involve-mint in our wedding bliss; here’s a treat for your midnight kiss.” The couple also opted for a less traditional reception meal, which they called “brinner,” (breakfast for dinner). Because their event started later than most to facilitate the New Year’s Eve countdown, they said they felt it was the perfect “late night feast.”