Real Arkansas Weddings: Jessica Sanchez & Garrett Pender

Jessica Sanchez & Garrett Pender
September 12, 2020 / Little Rock

Jessica Sanchez has Kourtney Kardashian to thank for inspiring her middle part on the night she met her now-husband Garrett Pender. Jessica was with friends at Bar Louie in January 2011 when the bartender brought her over a drink that she didn’t order. The bartender told her that “the guy over there bought this for you because you look like Kourtney Kardashian.”

Garrett and his friends came over to introduce themselves and he immediately made Jessica laugh. A year passed after that meeting, but thanks to a mutual friend, they reconnected on Facebook. Their friend had posted a picture of her with Jessica that Garrett commented on by saying, “Hey Kourt, you never called…” The rest is history!

Planning During a Pandemic

Jessica dove into the planning process with her planner, Jessika McCuin. Two weeks before the original wedding date, the Centers for Disease Control made guidelines on large gatherings. The couple postponed their wedding from March 28 to Sept. 12. It worked out that all of the original vendors were available on that day; it was meant to be.

Jessica and Garrett cut their guest list by at least 75%, changed it from a buffet to a plated dinner, spaced out seating, provided face masks and sanitizer, and had the ushers screen guests prior to being seated for the ceremony. “I wished everyone who initially was going to attend could come, but I just couldn’t jeopardize anyone’s health and have that hanging over me,” Jessica says.

THE INSPIRATION

Jessica had always envisioned having a garden tea party wedding, partly because of the fond memories she has of having afternoon tea parties with her granny. She wanted her theme to embody that memory with lots of florals, unique details and warmth. Jessica’s planner dubbed the theme an “Anthropologie Tea Party.” At the last minute, Jessica incorporated butterflies into the theme because she had read they symbolize change, hope and life.

HOW THEY CUSTOMIZED

After the ceremony, guests crossed the courtyard to an escort table with mini charcuterie boxes that had a dainty rose gold butterfly wax seal and mustard yellow ribbon. The tables were covered with white velvet striped linens, watercolor floral napkins, colorful blooms and white butterfly cutouts with guest’s names written on them in rose gold calligraphy.

The couple’s sweetheart table featured a floral arch around the table. Jessica McCuin had the idea of putting mixed match plates on the front of the bars for an Anthropologie feel. “The dance floor had hanging butterflies tied onto the lighting so when the formal dances took place it felt like the butterflies were flying above us,” the bride says. “It gave me butterflies!”

DJ JellyBean helped create a memorable party for the couple and their guests (including a conga line), and Garrett did the worm. “Garrett is not a dancer but he felt the music that night,” Jessica says. “We really lived up to one of our hashtags #PartyLikeAPender.”

THE DETAILS

See this Real Wedding as it appeared in the print edition of ARKANSAS BRIDE.
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