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Kelly & Penn

Through mutual friends, Penn and Kelly had met in college but never really dated. It was not until years later that they ran into each other while out with friends that Penn finally asked Kelly for her number. The couple had been dating for two and a half years when Penn decided to propose over a candlelit dinner that he had prepared.

At the heart of the planning process was the desire to create a beautiful and serene summer wedding. The Headley-Whitney Museum was an ideal choice for the couple with its lush, tranquil grounds in the midst of Bluegrass horse country. The bride and groom utilized the wedding planning services of Judy Ogger and Tracie Sturgill to make the day perfect.

The ceremony was held at the Labelle House. The bride’s uncle was the minister of the nuptials. Monarch butterflies were released during the ceremony in honor of the bride’s father and other family members who had passed away.

The bride wore a Paloma Blanca A-line dress in ivory silk with a garden rose damask that featured a ruched bodice and a flared pick-up skirt. She wore a brooch at the sweetheart neckline that mirrored her grandmother’s brooch, which was pinned to the hand-tied bouquet of garden roses, calla lilies and camellia greens. The seven bridesmaids were dressed in Caspian blue silk taffeta dresses by J Crew with necklaces that included a hint of coral and carried bouquets of calla lilies, ambiance roses, tropical Amazon roses, hypericum berries and spray roses. The groom and seven groomsmen wore destination suits from Geno’s Formal Affair. Their navy and white ties from Ralph Lauren had the wedding date monogrammed on the back in coral. All ceremony flowers were provided by Fleur De Lys Designs.

Following the wedding ceremony, guests were escorted to the main tent where uniformed staff passed plates of Old Kentucky Country Ham on butter biscuits and miniature Kentucky hot browns for guests to sample. The reception progressed to a cocktail supper buffet, centerpieced by a diamond ice carving created by the caterer, South Van Events, with the couple’s monogram. Guests enjoyed delights such as a Maryland silver dollar lump crab cakes, on-site grilled Black Angus sliders, Dijon marinated locally-grown asparagus spears, chilled tenderloin of beef and a cheese board of local, domestic and imported cheese.

A cupcake tower served as the wedding cake. Designed by Martine’s, the almond cupcakes with French butter cream icing and dark chocolate cupcakes with chocolate icing were nestled in chocolate and gold cupcake holders. On top sat a yellow butter cake anniversary cake with raspberry mousse filling and French butter cream icing with a scroll design in edible gold. The entire display was adorned with strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, kiwis and gold M&M’s.

To carry on the bright and jubilant feel of the summer wedding, a fully-stocked candy bar kept guests smiling. A lollipop tree made of curly willow branches coming out of a vase of jelly beans drew everyone’s attention to M&M’sR, pixie stix, jelly beans, mints and a 3-foot tall chocolate fountain. Monogrammed tags on the lollipops read “Kelly and Penn Suckers for Love.� Guests filled monogrammed takeout boxes with candy to enjoy at home as they danced to the tunes of the six-piece band, Superfecta, which played everything from jazz to Motown dance music.