Shelby Mills always dreamed of having a purple themed wedding. But when she met Travis, the groom who would be at the center of that dream, she quickly realized her happily ever after would be far more than she could have ever hoped for.
As first-generation college students brought together by the Robinson Scholars Program at the University of Kentucky, Shelby and Travis bonded over their Appalachian traditions and similar upbringings. “Travis and I are both from Eastern Kentucky; I am originally from Paintsville, and Travis is originally from Barbourville, and we clicked immediately when others picked up on that extra twang’ in our accents,” laughs Shelby. The couple also credit the close-knit aspect of the Robinson Scholars Program for creating relationships and setting them up for success both academically and professionally. What’s more, however, is that as Shelby says, “it allowed us to grow closer and turn a great friendship into what would become a lifelong marriage.”
Following their engagement, the couple selected their venue, The Round Barn Stable of Memories, for its rustic tradition and ideal location. “We wanted a halfway point for our families and also just shared a connection with Lexington. I fell in love with The Round Barn Stable and thought it was simply beautiful, even without decorations,” explains Shelby. To help bring her dream wedding to life, Shelby kept the color scheme mostly monochromatically purple with touches of blush and gold shades throughout. She enlisted Events Delight for floral arrangements and Rustic Elegance Decor & Design for decor.
“I created many of the centerpieces on my own and used those to pass off to Rustic Elegance to complete my vision,” says Shelby.
She continues, “She and her team brought the barn to life.” The head table at the reception was surrounded by gold antique mirrors and covered in a gold rosette table linen with purple accents. “This was quite possibly my favorite part of the decor,” Shelby states. For the ceremony upstairs, simple florals edged each aisle with a more dramatic display at the altar while a beautiful table in memory of Travis’ father and grandfathers was displayed as a lovely tribute. Other sentimental touches included a stunning wooden cross created with love by Shelby’s grandfather which Rustic Elegance covered in flowers with bourbon barrels flanking each side to pay homage to the Bluegrass. Additionally, Shelby shares, “we also had a unity cross instead of unity candles to display our commitment with God, which I accidentally broke slightly during our ceremony because we forgot to practice assembling it with all the other wedding prep going on,” she laughs. “Even though it was a bit broken, it was still so beautiful, and we display it as part of our living room decor today.”
All of the guests at the Mills wedding left with plenty of fond memories, including the bride and groom. “Everything ended up being perfect,” the couple remembers fondly. For Travis, apart from seeing his beautiful bride walk down the aisle, he enjoyed just having all of their family and friends together to celebrate their happiness as husband and wife. For Shelby, on the other hand, with so many memorable moments to choose from, selecting just one favorite is easier said than done. Shelby clarifies, “I loved our ceremony because it was so sentimental to me and I had waited on that moment for what felt like forever. I also really enjoyed the moments right after the ceremony when our photographer, Casey Day, took us away for our ‘couples’ pictures because I feel like she truly captured how happy and in love we were at that very moment in time.”
When asked if they would have done anything differently, the Mills disclose that they would have hired a videographer. They share, “although we truly didn’t think we would want one at the time, we now wish we could relive our wedding in other ways than through pictures because of how special it is for us.” The couple advises those planning their own weddings to not worry about the little things that go wrong and to stay calm and enjoy the day. “If you can do that,” the happy couple encourages, “everything will go perfectly, and you relax in that assurance and take in every moment.”
Behind the Scenes:
PHOTOGRAPHER Casey Day Photography
VENUE Round Barn Stable of Memories
CATERING Bayou Bluegrass Catering
SWEETS Sweet Lee’s Bakery
LATE NIGHT SNACKS Steel City Pops
FLOWERS Events Delight
DECOR Rustic Elegance Decor & Design
BRIDAL GOWN Unique Boutique & Bridal
BRIDAL PARTY David’s Bridal
GROOM/GROOMSMEN Men’s Wearhouse
HAIR Mrs. Audrey’s Southern Roots Hair Salon
MAKEUP Lashira Davidson Makeup
STATIONERY Zazzle
DJ Seth Bingham
