John McLarty and Courtney Clarkson were college sweethearts at Ole Miss. After college, they were living in Birmingham when they got engaged in April 2012. It was late at night, and Courtney noticed John kneeling down to pet their dog Rebel. She walked over to give Rebel some love, too, when she looked over and John had an engagement ring out and asked Courtney to marry him. Though living in Birmingham at the time, there was no place like home for this Louisville girl to get married. They were engaged for a year, and definitely needed that longer engagement period to get their wedding planned properly. She wanted all the best that Louisville has to offer for her 450 guests, who traveled from everywhere from Colorado to North Carolina to spend this special day in May 2013 with the bride and groom.
The rehearsal dinner hosted by the groom’s family was at the Kentucky Derby Museum the night before the wedding. Guests enjoyed delicious food from The Silver Spoon and danced to the tunes of Burning Las Vegas outside near the track in a clear tent lit by chandeliers. The most special guest at dinner that night was 2009 Derby winner Mine That Bird, who joined them outside the party.
For the wedding, it was all about the details, and thankfully, Courtney’s decisions during the planning stage were easy. Her family loves to entertain, and for the wedding, she used many of the people that her parents had worked with over the years. She’s known her wedding planner Sandy Mead since she was a little girl, as well as the owners of The Silver Spoon catering company. Courtney picked blue and gold as the colors for her black-tie wedding. For her flowers, she wanted shades of pink to add a soft and romantic feel, and she trusted family florist Wayne Esterle at In Bloom Again to create the perfect ambience for the event.
Congrats to the newlyweds! And thank you for sharing your special day with us!
Curious who helped create the magic? Check out the vendor list below:
Vendors:
- Photography: Todd Pellowe
- Wedding planner: Sandy Mead of Streamers Events, (502) 619-3600, [email protected]
- Wedding dress: Ines Di Santo
- Bridesmaids’ dresses: Watters at Rebecca’s Bridal
- Bridesmaids’ earrings: Summer Eliason
- Groom’s and groomsmen’s Tuxes: Rebecca’s Bridal
- Hair: Hali B & Co Salon
- Makeup: beauty by Bethany
- Hairpiece: Neiman Marcus Bridal Salon, Dallas
- Flowers: In Bloom Again with Wayne Esterle
- Venue: The Henry Clay
- Catering: The Silver Spoon
- Cake: Mert’s Cakes by Virginia
- Band: Rupert’s Orchestra from Atlanta
- Invitations: Impressions by Helene Cooper
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