Ashton Purtle & Drew Smith
June 2, 2018
Meadow on the Mountain, Atkins
Russellville natives Ashton Purtle and Drew Smith met way back in elementary school when Ashton dated Drew’s best friend and vice versa. The two began dating during their senior year of high school. In a high school tale as old as time, he was a football player and Ashton was a cheerleader.
Drew and Ashton decided to tag along with Drew’s family during a trip to San Francisco. At a scenic spot overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge, Drew asked Ashton to take a photo. The San Francisco fog rolled in just as they were about to take the photo, and Drew confessed his real reason for bringing her there. After the proposal, the two spent the rest of the day in Napa Valley sipping wine and celebrating their future.
THE INSPIRATION
• • •
Ashton worked with Jessica Zimmerman to create her gorgeous color palette of cream, mauve, plum and rust. Ashton and Drew were married underneath a towering wooden archway overflowing with greenery and florals.
The reception took place inside the two-story modern wood barn. Ashton wanted the focal point of the reception to be their almost 7-foot tall pale pink wedding cake from PattiCakes Bakery that required caterers to climb onto a ladder to cut.
The guest tables were covered in oatmeal-colored velvet linens and a variety of tall and short arrangements. The 24-foot-long head table was placed beneath the staircase and lit with hanging globe lights and cafe au lait taper candles.
HOW THEY CUSTOMIZED
Ashton’s showstopper of a wedding dress was the result of a longstanding friendship with Arkansas designer Laine Berry. Her bespoke gown was accented with Spanish lace and hand-placed Swarovski stones and beads — all of which made for a “wow” moment when Ashton walked down the aisle.
The most memorable part of the day for Ashton was the moments leading up to her walk down the aisle. When the wedding day arrived, so did the rain clouds. Ashton decided to wait out the rain for the outdoor ceremony, which ended up being the best decision. The rain stopped right after 6 o’clock and lightning lit up the sky behind the couple during their vows. Ashton remembers raindrops began again as they walked back down the aisle as husband and wife while the string quartet played “Time of My Life.”
VIDEO
THE DETAILS
| WEDDING VENDORS WE LOVE |
|
|---|---|
| Wedding dress | Inverness Bridal Couture, Conway |
| Groom and groomsmen attire | Inverness Bridal Couture, Conway |
| Cake | PattiCakes Bakery, Conway |
| Furniture rentals | Hank’s Event Rentals, Little Rock Party Time Rental & Events, Little Rock |
| Bridesmaid dresses | Bella Bridesmaids, Little Rock |
| MORE VENDORS | |
|---|---|
| Photography | Heather Payne Photography |
| Videography | Betwixt Magnolias, Searcy |
| Planning and florist | Jessica Zimmerman with Zimmerman Events, Conway |
| Lighting | CWP Productions, Little Rock |
| Caterer and drink service | Simply the Best Catering, North Little Rock |
| Ceremony music | Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, Little Rock |
| Band | Big City Outlaws, Dallas |
| Invitations | Abany Bauer with Brown Linen Design |
| Jeweler | Lee Ann’s Fine Jewelry, Conway |
| Hair and makeup | Kakki Jones, Little Rock |
See this Real Wedding as it appeared in the print edition of ARKANSAS BRIDE
Discover more inspiration in Arkansas Bride’s Real Weddings section.
