It All Started In Summer ‘19.
Rachel and Josh Barrett both grew up in Richmond, KY. They met while in college at EKU working on a political campaign. While they didn’t hit it off right away, the power of social media helped them reconnect in the summer of 2019. With a little help from colleagues and family, the two had their first date at the end of June and have been inseparable since. Under the guise of attending a political fundraiser, Josh had Rachel meet him in Frankfort at the Old State Capitol in August of 2020. To her surprise, she was greeted by Josh, a photographer, and a diamond ring.
“We knew we wanted to have a destination wedding, and we love the Savannah, Georgia area. We had scheduled several venue tours around coastal Georgia, but Quinney Oaks was our first stop,” Rachel explained. “As soon as we arrived, the owner, Mrs. Judy, greeted us at her amazing home with open arms. The grounds were absolutely perfect and exactly what we had envisioned for our day: the perfect epitome of elegance and Southern charm. We canceled all the other venue tours and set a date!”
Rachel knew she wanted her big day’s décor to be classic and elegant. She selected cornflower blue as the main color throughout and used details like ginger jars and their shared monogram to bring out the Southern flair.
She added, “We also wanted to incorporate touches of Kentucky into the décor, so I loved the horseshoe table numbers and equestrian details around the venue. Of course, our signature cocktail featured Woodford Reserve!” The groom’s cake was modeled after a special edition bottle of Maker’s Mark. As a surprise for her groom, Rachel arranged for a cigar roller to set up during the reception; the couple loved seeing everyone enjoy the surprise, even their moms!
Rachel’s bouquet was wrapped with her late grandmother’s handkerchief, embroidered with the couple’s monogram. “I was very close to my grandmother, so that was special to honor her,” Rachel said. They also had a memory table to honor family members who had passed and incorporate photos of other loved ones who weren’t able to be there for the special day.
The Georgia rain tried to dampen their big day, but everyone worked to ensure that wouldn’t happen. The groomsmen sang a cappella before the ceremony so the bride wouldn’t hear the pouring rain. They even carried her dress to keep it out of the mud. The venue used leaf blowers to dry off guests’ chairs. “My dad said you could still smell the smoke from the two-cycle engines in the air as we walked down the aisle,” Rachel laughed.
In spite of that, the couple loved their wedding. “It was such an honor to see all the people who had traveled from far and wide to be with us on our special day,” Rachel reflected. “We loved every minute of our wedding day. The things that didn’t go as planned just made for fun memories that we look back and laugh at.”
PHOTO Kendra R. Photography
VIDEO Wiggins Film Co.
VENUE Quinney Oaks Plantation
CAKE Gigi’s Cupcakes
BRIDAL BOUTIQUE Twirl Boutique
BRIDAL GOWN Martina Liana
BRIDAL PARTY Bella Bridesmaids
GROOM TUX Crittenden Rawlings
GROOMSMEN ATTIRE Cuff to Collar
MAKEUP Annie East Makeup
HAIR Caroline White Cosmetics
RENTALS/DECOR Ranco Rentals
STATIONERY Simply Done Invites
CIGAR ROLLER Cigar Row Events
