Elizabeth Knight & Taylor Fondren
February 1, 2020
St. Thomas Aquinas University Parish & Fayetteville Country Club
A little Christmas magic brought Elizabeth Knight and Taylor Fondren together in 2015. They met through mutual friends at the same Christmas party. The two had a great conversation but didn’t exchange numbers. Before the night was over, Elizabeth added Taylor on Facebook and Instagram. Over the next few days, she liked every single photo he had posted on social media. He got the message and asked Elizabeth on a date via Facebook. They went on their first date in January 2016 and never looked back. “I like to call this my love-at-first-sight story, but Taylor’s version is that I’m a stalker,” Elizabeth jokes.
The couple was engaged for a year and a half. In January 2019, Elizabeth had a back surgery that took six months to recover from and Taylor is an avid hunter, so getting married during hunting season was definitely off the table. But their long engagement was perfect for Elizabeth and gave her and her mom the chance to plan the big day without a rush.
THE INSPIRATION
• • •
Vanity Fair photo shoots and Elizabeth’s love for rhinestones and roses served as the inspiration behind their wedding day. Roses dripped from every arrangement and bouquet in shades of red, pink, mauve, nude and white. The groomsmen had one white rose for their boutonniere and Taylor had three roses in his.
As for the bridesmaid dresses, Elizabeth went for a fiery orange-red color. She let her best friends choose their own dresses from Revolve. They accessorized with flashy rhinestone earrings and a bold red lip. For her own bridal look, Elizabeth went with a stunning and sexy runway look with a deep V-neckline and topped it off with sparkling accessories. “Some girls love simple, I simply love adornment,” she says.
HOW THEY CUSTOMIZED
Sultry, glam and flirty were all words Elizabeth uses to describe her reception theme. The Amanda Reed Weddings team filled the Fayetteville Country Club with mirrors, roses, VOLUSPA rose candles and a red carpet. After the ceremony, guests were treated to a champagne cocktail hour with appetizers (the toasted ravioli was a hit).
Taylor loves country artist Cody Johnson, so the couple chose “With You I Am” for their first dance. “I’ll never forget when the song came out and he had me listen to it and said it was our song,” Elizabeth says. “I think we both cried, and we weren’t even engaged yet!”
Roses, Elizabeth’s favorite flower, played a starring role in the reception décor, including a beautiful ombré arrangement changing from red to pink to white.
VIDEO
THE DETAILS
| WEDDING VENDORS WE LOVE |
|
|---|---|
| Planning | Amanda Reed Weddings, Fayetteville |
| Florist | Pigmint Floral Studio, Fayetteville |
| MORE VENDORS | |
|---|---|
| Ceremony venue | St. Thomas Aquinas University Parish, Fayetteville |
| Reception venue | Fayetteville Country Club |
| Photography | Max Grubb for Miles Witt Boyer Photographic Collective |
| Videography | Jessica Whalen Films, Bentonville |
| Caterer & drink service | Fayetteville Country Club |
| Cake | Shelby Lynn’s Cake Shoppe, Springdale |
| Band | Backroad Anthem, Fayetteville |
| Furniture rentals | Eventology, Little Rock |
| Other rentals | BBJ Linen, Fayetteville; Eventures Party Rentals, Fayetteville |
| Lighting | Lightworks Events, Fayetteville |
| Stage façade | Stage King, Rogers |
| Neon sign | HowdyDudeyNeon.com |
| Invitations | By Invitation Only, Little Rock |
| Wedding dress | Warren Barron Bridal, Dallas |
| Bridesmaid dresses | Revolve.com |
| Groom & groomsmen attire | Men’s Wearhouse |
| Hair | Nicole Shipley with LUXE, Fayetteville |
| Makeup | Genoa Falar |
| Shuttle service | Pinnacle Car Services, Rogers |
| Getaway cars | NWA High Society, Fayetteville |
| Rehearsal dinner invitations | Images, North Little Rock |
| Rehearsal dinner venue | Mermaids, Fayetteville |
See this Real Wedding as it appeared in the print edition of ARKANSAS BRIDE.
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