Valentine's Day Inspiration Shoot
Happy Valentine's Day, Lovebirds!
Whether you are single, engaged, or married; everyone enjoys looking at pretty things. We were able to collaborate with some amazingly talented vendors for this Valentine's Day shoot and we couldn't have been happier with the end result.
This shoot came to life when we met the Monday night prior to our Friday shoot. It was myself (Whitnee), Cassie Adkins, The Family Affair crew- Alan & Misty. At this time we didn't have anyone who could contribute floral, so we were going to attempt it ourselves. Luckily, Kasey with KB Events & Design came in to save the day and offered to put together the hanging flowers, a bouquet, and a centerpiece. Our lovely couple, The Holtons, were nice enough to model for us and did a beautiful job. Who says that you can't put something magical together in just a few days?? Well, ladies and gentlemen, we did it!
We wanted the look and feel of this shoot to be fun, flirty, and pretty. Our inspiration began with classic Valentine's Day staples- Roses and Sprinkled Sugar Cookies. The simplicity of these items with the tableware and the linens that A Family Affair rentals provided; paired incredibly well together. With the location being at our lovely stables, and the beautiful day it was, we couldn't be happier with the way all the colors looked inside and outside of Highland.
Models: For our lovely model, Rachel, her makeup was done by Devon Rhodes with an enhanced natural look with pink tones on her lips and in her blush. Her hair, fixed by Megan Ethridge, was loosely curled with a braid on the side to add texture and detail. Her gray dress with details of lace was purchased through Amazon. Our handsome male model, Nate, had his hair done by a local barber, Ernie Thomas, and Nate's pink jacket, shirt, and pants were all purchased from the men's clothing supplier, FHG Clothiers.
As wedding vendors, we each love the opportunity to be creative and styled shoots are a wonderful way to do this. We hope you enjoy these photos taken by the talented Cassie Adkins.
Do you follow everyone on Instagram?
Location: Highland Stables @highlandstablesbg
Photography: Cassie Adkins @cassieadkinsphotography
Tableware, Glassware & Linens: A Family Affair @afamilyaffaireventrentals
Floral: KB Events & Design @kbeventdesign
Makeup: Devon Rhodes @devon_nichole
Hair: Megan Ethridge @hairlove_bymeg
Mens Clothing: FHG Clothiers @fhgclothiers
The questions that wedding venues want you to ask
Your engaged! Now what? Here are the top 10 questions that you need to ask while on a venue visit.
We love meeting newly engaged couples and we love the entire process of wedding planning! But, most of all we love when brides and grooms ask us questions when it comes to booking their perfect venue aka Highland Stables (wink wink)
Engagements and wedding planning bring such an exciting time in your life; but after saying "I do" you are probably asking yourself "Now, what do we do first?"
Many would agree the first step in the planning process is choosing your venue.
A few things you need to consider while choosing the venue for your wedding day are...
Budget - If you love the venue but it’s out of your price range, ask if there are any other options they can offer you- such as reduced rates in off seasons, weekdays and/or Sundays. No one says you HAVE to have your wedding on a Saturday. It's your day remember...
Wedding Date - Do you have a particular date or are you flexible with your date? Venues can book as far out to a year or to 2 years - but if you're flexible it may be easier for you to find a date that works for you, your fiancee, plus your families.
Style - This is often the deciding factor. If you desire a rustic, romantic setting but you are touring a modern, sleek space you can most likely cross that one off your list. Stick to what you love and envision for your perfect day, you won't regret it in the end.
After you've considered your budget, wedding date, and style then...
Now you can set up a time time for your official visit with the venue staff. While visiting you should be able to meet the staff and get an overall feel if the space is right for you and your nuptials. And most importantly get your questions answered! Remember, take your time in the meeting and really try to envision what your wedding day will look like from beginning to end in the space. The venue staff will be there to help you with any questions that you may have. We have listed 10 very important questions to ask while on your venue visit. Get these answered and you're on your way to choosing your perfect venue!
10 Important Questions to Ask:
1. What is your pricing and what is included in the price?
2. How many guests does the space accommodate?
3. Is there separate seating for ceremony and reception areas?
4. Is there ample parking for guests on site?
5. If your ceremony is outside, what options do you have as a back up plan in case of bad weather?
6. Are there any dressing rooms or lounges to get dressed in?
7. Are there ample restrooms for your guests?
8. Will someone, such as venue staff, be on site during your event?
9. Do you have a preferred vendor list? Are you required to use them?
10. What is the deposit? Payment schedule? Cancellation policy?
Asking these questions the day of your venue visit will help to make your already perfect day, go absolutely flawless!
What did you like most about this blog post? Let us know in the comments below!
For more information on what Highland Stables has to offer you, call us at 270.393.2111.
We would absolutely love to answer your questions!
Photo taken by: Kirsti Whitkaker Photography
Sharing the beauty we're surrounded by...
FAMILY. LOVE. WEDDINGS. FLOWERS. DECORATIONS. PLANNING. BARN SALES. GYPSYMOON MARKETPLACE.
These words describe the things that we know, love, and are surrounded by on a daily basis. But Highland Stables was not always filled with Brides & Joanna Gaines inspired decorations.
Our charming venue has a beautiful and unique love story of its' own. Originally designed as a fully functioning horse stables, it was built in 2000 as an equine boarding and training facility. Our venue, which sits on our 168 acre family farm was built with love by Angie's father-in-law, Charles Mosley as a gift to his wife, Betty, to celebrate her life-long love of horses. During the years it was a training facility, Highland Stables hosted numerous events such as horse shows, charity events including an amazing event called Denim and Diamonds, and even a few weddings- including mine (Whitnee)
As life happens, transitions occur and even though our love of horses will never fade, it was time for Highland Stables to embark on a new journey. It wasn't until September 2014, that we decided to transition Highland Stables into a full time event and wedding venue.
Throughout our journey at Highland Stables, we have been able to see trends come and go, meet new and interesting people, make mistakes and learn from them, all while balancing life as a mother-in-law/daughter-in-law duo! We live interesting lives and are surrounded by so many beautiful people and things that we want to be able to share it all with you. We are incredibly excited to embark on this journey of sharing all things Highland Stables and weddings with you- bridal profiles, vendor profiles, tips & tricks, behind-the-scenes stuff, and so much more!
What is something that you would like to see in our upcoming blogs? Do you have any fun questions for us?! We would absolutely love to hear from you. Remember to leave us your comments below!
Here are some questions for you to get to know Angie and myself a little more:
1. What is the favorite thing about your career?
Angie: The relationships that we build
Whitnee: There is always something different and new we are doing.
2. What did you want to be when you were little?
Angie: A veterinarian- I have a passion for all things animals
Whitnee: I always pictured myself in the corporate world living in a big city!
3. What celebrity would you like to meet at Starbucks for a cup of coffee?
Angie- Gwen Stefani, but she would need to bring Blake so that I could stare at him.
Whitnee- Reese Witherspoon. She's southern, smart, fierce and has great business sense!
4. What is something that would be on your bucket list?
Angie- I would like to go to Maine in the fall.
Whitnee- I would absolutely love to go to Salem, MA and experience the Salem witch trial tours- inspired by Hocus Pocus
5. Whats your philosophy in life?
Angie- Treat others the way you would want to be treated
Whitnee- Don't take yourself too seriously and just dance!
We have two very important events coming up this weekend and if you're a bride or know a southern gal who is currently planning her wedding then you won't want to miss these events!
Make Plans to Join Us.
What: Southern Kentucky Bridal Expo
When: January 20 11a-4p
Where: Knicely Conference Center Bowling Green,KY
What: Highland Stables Open House
When: January 21 1p-4p
Where: Highland Stables 1301 b Hunts Ln. Bowling Green,KY
What: GypsyMoon Marketplace-(click to apply to become a vendor)
When: April 27 & 28
Where: Highland Stables 1301 b Hunts Ln. Bowling Green,KY