CMA Fest draws almost 100,000 people to Nashville each year, so the chance of Keaton Lehning and Max Pittard crossing paths was low. But thanks to mutual friends, the odds were tilted in their favor. It is here, among country fans and country music, Keaton and Max met in June of 2013.
Max popped the question three years later. Sitting by a creek, covered in mud, with Trigger (the couple’s black lab) by her side, Keaton committed to marrying her best friend and the love of her life. The following fall, with less than seven months of planning, Keaton and Max said, “I do.” The pair wed at Green Door Gourmet, a 360-acre farm that is nothing short of breathtaking, as 230 friends and family members bore witness.
“The first time we looked at Green Door Gourmet, we knew it was where we wanted to get married,” Keaton shares. “We picked the date according to what was available — and when our band was available.” Donning a dress worn by her mother, Keaton was escorted by her father down the aisle, at which point Keaton and Max exchanged traditional vows against the backdrop Green Door Gourmet’s natural landscape.
After being greeted by their guests as Mr. and Mrs. Pittard, the couple kicked off their reception with a cocktail hour held outside of the barn. Guests did their fair share of snacking on raw oysters, fried okra and candied bacon before heading inside to enjoy a buffet of shrimp and grits, pork tenderloin and biscuits, kale salad and roasted root vegetables. And as tradition has it, Keaton and Max kicked off the dancing with their first dance to “First Dance” by Van Morrison, which was followed by a shared dance between Keaton and her father to “Never Found a Girl” by Huey Lewis and The News. Then, the couple cut into their four-layer wedding cake (orange Creamsicle in honor of the Tennessee Vols), banana nut and almond with buttercream icing and the groom’s cake — Dessert Designs’ famous caramel cake. And without further ado, everyone made their way to the dance floor.
Keaton and Max, we thank you for giving us a glimpse into your big day and wish you a lifetime of love and happiness!
RESOURCES
Venue: Green Door Gourmet
Photography: HannaBeth Photography
Event Planner: Carlie Moore
Event Designer: John Christian Phifer
Bridesmaids’ dresses: Show Me Your MuMu
Hair: Tyson Johnson at TRIM
Makeup: Libby Barnes
Men’s formalwear: Street Tuxedo
Invitations, programs and menu cards: The Paper Place
Floral arrangements: Basil & Bergamot Flower Farm
Flower crowns: Flowers by Memma
Catering: Susan’s Catering; Oyster bar by TomKats Catering
Cake: Signature Cakes by Vicki and Dessert Designs
Rentals: Boswell’s Benches and Southern Events Party Rentals
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