Every year some of the best Northwest Arkansas vendors come together to create the Osage House Wedding Open House (just outside of Bentonville, Arkansas) and create something magical and fun. This year we had glittery dresses and disco balls, champagne walls and champagne doorbells and SO MUCH MORE. A runway show, free bouquets of flowers, all the prettiest sitting areas and funnest (is that a word?) photo booths, most delicious hors d’oeuvres and drinks and the most divine tablescapes. The open house is always in the wintertime and the cold grey weather heightens the impact of of the rainbow of colors, the smells of flowers and food and the whole environment buzzing with excitement in this great big show of all the ways your event dreams can come true in the coming year. We have so many amazing people! Here’s a list of everyone that was there (make sure you contact them soon, most of these vendors’ schedules stay full!):

AMANDA REED WEDDINGS
Planning + Design: Amanda Reed Weddings
Photography: Corrie Childers
Video: Dave and a Camera
Florals + Wall: Samantha’s Garden
Cake: Shelby Lynn’s Cake Shoppe
Rentals: Eventology, Alchemy Event Rentals, Stay Gold Event Rentals, BBJ La Tavola
Paper Goods + Signage: Dayflower Designs
Photo Booth: Social Photo Booth Co
Venue: Osage House

BAR
Bar: Mint & Mix
Floral: Darling Blooms
Signage: Dayflower Designs

JLK WEDDINGS
Design: JLK Weddings
Floral: PIGMINT
Cakes: The Cake Occasion
Place cards, menus, color wall: Dayflower Designs
Food: Event Group Catering
Rentals: Eventology
Venue: Osage House

WED BY MEG
Design: Wed by Meg
Video: Wild Bloom Films
Floral: Fleurish
Cakes: The Cake Occasion
Venue: Osage House

FLEAK EVENTS
Design: Fleak Events
Floral: Arloh Floral Design
Video: Highley Films
Photo Booth: NWA Photo Booth
Rentals: Stay Gold Event Rentals, Party Pro Rentals, HOST
Cakes: The Cake Occasion
Venue: Osage House

RUNWAY SHOW
Lighting, Drapes: Lightworks Events
Bridal Gowns: She Said Yes Bridal
Hair & Makeup: Blossom Beauty
DJ: Mega DJ Company
Florist: Zuzu’s Petals

OTHER HALL VENDORS
Marquee Letters: Alpha Lit NWA
Cotton Candy: Lemon & Puff
Champagne Wall: Stellar Party Co.
Gift Bags: Rose Creek Curated Gifts Co.

GROOM’S QUARTERS:
Lighting: Lightworks Events

RESERVE VENDORS
Catering: Carmelita Catering Co
Planning: Emily G Events
Floral: Stems by Em, Thistle Florals
DJ: Ozark Mix
Bar: Koon’s Saloon
Dance Floor: Dance Enhance
Rentals: Alchemy Rentals, HOST
Paper: Shindig Paperie
Photobooth: Stellar Party Co.
Disco Balls: Lightworks Events
Cake: The Cake Occasion

PATIO VENDORS
DJ: Brock Entertainment
Rentals: Alchemy Rentals
Floral: Ollie Marie’s

CHAPEL VENDORS
Floral: Ollie Marie’s
Cello: Austin Hinrichs
Classic Cars: NWA Classic Car Rental
Painter: Nicole Renee Fine Art

 

 

An Incredibly Fun Osage House Wedding Open House

Visit CorrieChilders.com
Like Corrie Childers Weddings on Facebook | Follow Corrie Childers Weddings on Instagram

Corrie Childers is a sought-after Northwest Arkansas wedding photographer, Arkansas engagement photographer, Arkansas bridal photographer and Arkansas proposal photographer. Corrie has a natural passion for classic, timeless wedding photography in an elegant and relaxed style. Corrie is currently booking Arkansas weddings in Bella Vista, Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers, Siloam Springs, Eureka Springs and all of Northwest Arkansas, as well as Little Rock, El Dorado, Dallas, St. Louis, Kansas City, Tulsa, Oklahoma City and beyond!

An Incredibly Fun Osage House Wedding Open House

Wedding flatlay checklists: So you’ve been looking around at all your favorite photographers’ portfolios, and one thing you noticed is the gorgeous photos of all the bride and groom’s details – jewelry, invitation suites, and heirloom items. I truly love all parts of the wedding day, but designing and photographing the flatlay is one of my favorites. I always do them right away when I arrive for your wedding, and ideally I take an hour to style & shoot everything.

But what’s the process of getting these items gathered? Is it stuff you bring? Is it stuff your photographer brings? Well, it’s both. I bring a styling kit with several colors of ribbon and some linen mats for a clean background if I need them. I have tiny scissors and some antique stamps, and a couple neutral ring boxes. But those things are meant to just be an accent to the more personal items that you want to remember about your day! These images will probably end up in your album, and you may not want a bunch of photos of my stuff around your invitation.

I share a wedding flatlay checklist with my clients during the planning process so they are sure to think about it in time to gather a few more items if they want to, and usually put a reminder right on the timeline too. And today, I’m going to share that checklist with you too!

Wedding Flatlay Checklists

BRIDE

• Extra florals*
• Dress
• Dress Hanger
• Rings (cleaned – engagement ring & wedding bands)
• Shoes
• Veil
• Bouquet
• Ring
• Hair pieces
• Jewelry
• Invitation Suite (2 full sets with envelopes)
• Any other paper stationary you may have, like program cards or menus
• Vows Book
• Gift/letter for the groom
• Special gifts she is giving or has received (i.e. matching hand mirrors for all the girls or the new bracelet that her mom gave her)
• Any other sentimental keepsakes/family heirlooms you would like to include

A really sweet way to incorporate something very personal is to have your calligrapher write your first dance song’s lyrics or part of your personal vows to each other on a pretty card that matches your invitation suite.

*IMPORTANT: I would love to have some of the florals you’ll be using throughout your wedding day. If your florist will supply me a small bucket or box of extra pieces so I can incorporate those in your detail shots, that would be so marvelous!

GROOM

• His shoes
• Socks (if they’re special)
• Cufflinks
• Tie or Bow Tie
• Pocket Square
• Boutonnière
• Vows Book
• Ring
• Watch
• Gift/letter for the bride
• Special gifts he is giving or has received (i.e. matching flasks for all the guys or the new cufflinks that his dad gave him)
• Any other sentimental keepsakes/family heirlooms you would like to include

BONUS ITEMS

Outside of the basic lists above, try to think about some other small things that would coordinate with your decor. There are SO many great inspo photos for flatlays on Pinterest. Don’t feel like you need to have it ALL, but some looking around might give you some great ideas for things your photographer could incorporate. I’ll bring the things I have in my flatlay kit, but some other accent pieces you could have available are:

• medium-to-large confetti in your wedding colors
• wax seals and the seal stamp you used
• silk or velvet ribbon on a coordinating wooden spool
• fancy pen or letter opener
• a stock of the special stamps you used on your invitations
• velvet ring boxes in your colors (try to get ones that have removable lids)
• matte silver, matte gold, or wooden trays/ring dishes (whatever you think will go best with the vibe of your decor)
• tiny bottles of champagne that coordinate with your wedding colors
• a yard of luxurious fabric like silk or velvet in your wedding colors
• a pretty book that is meaningful to your relationship and coordinates with your wedding colors
• cigar(s) and/or cigar box, if smoking cigars is a part of your life or part of your wedding day
• extras of whatever smaller objects you are using in your wedding (Ex: if you are using pomegranate halves and blueberries in your deep red & navy centerpieces, save some for me for the flatlay! Or if your wedding favors are tiny jars of local honey with a little honey dipper, throw a few of them in the bag with your other detail items)
• calligraphy card with part of your first dance’s song lyrics or part of your personal vows (ask your calligrapher to do this in a way that compliments/coordinates with your invitation suite)

 

Visit CorrieChilders.com
Like Corrie Childers Weddings on Facebook | Follow Corrie Childers Weddings on Instagram

Corrie Childers is a sought-after Northwest Arkansas wedding photographer, Arkansas engagement photographer, Arkansas bridal photographer and Arkansas proposal photographer. Corrie has a natural passion for classic, timeless wedding photography in an elegant and relaxed style. Corrie is currently booking Arkansas weddings in Bella Vista, Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers, Siloam Springs, Eureka Springs and all of Northwest Arkansas, as well as Little Rock, El Dorado, Dallas, St. Louis, Kansas City, Tulsa, Oklahoma City and beyond!

Wedding Flatlay Photography

So it’s been several weeks since your wedding, and you have been absolutely on the edge of your seat. You’ve probably seen a few previews from your photographer (if it’s me, you’ve definitely seen some previews) and you can’t wait to see the rest. You see that email drop into your inbox and trust me, I know you want to click it and look through the photos right away!

But let me tell you something: there is a right way to view your gallery for the first time! Let’s talk about it:

 

Trust me, don’t open the gallery right when you get it!

Take a few minutes to think about who you want to view your photos with, and on what screen. Don’t look at them on your phone for the first time if you can help it! Put them on the biggest screen you have so that you can really immerse yourself in reliving the day.

 

You’ve gotta make it a date.

Viewing your wedding gallery is actually a really special occasion for you and your new spouse! It’s basically the last step of your wedding experience together, and the you only get to view them for the first time once. So wait until they’re free and not distracted, and view the photos then. Get cozy with a bottle of wine and some snacks (my follow-up advice would be to avoid garlic and onion goodies since you may feel like squealing in each others’ faces with excitement) and find a comfy spot in front of the screen.

 

Don’t wait to pick your favorites.

Do not – I repeat, DO NOT – skip this step. Your first impression of your photographs is going to be so valuable as you go back in later and choose photos to print and frame or include in your wedding album. There will be a lot of photos in your gallery, and going back to try to find that one photo that you thought was so perfect could feel overwhelming! This time you’ve created for yourself to take your time looking is your chance to choose the ones you love and make it easier on your future-self. Use the little heart icon (or whatever your photographers’ gallery service offers for selecting favorites) as you move through your photographs!

 

Lastly, get into the right frame of mind.

The discussion about the way we see ourselves in real life vs. the way we look in photographs can often be a little bit of an elephant in the room. But this is something that I feel is so incredibly important to think about before viewing your gallery, so I’m gonna go there.

I’ve never seen a bride who wasn’t beautiful or a groom who wasn’t dapper as hell on their wedding day. Even though this point is last on my list, in some ways your most important job while looking at your wedding gallery is to remember to set aside any of negative things that you know you tend to focus on. Instead, focus on the absolute mountain of things about you that make you beautiful and made your wedding day perfect. Try to see yourself through your spouse’s eyes. Be kind to yourself, and remind yourself that anything that went wrong on your wedding day didn’t stop you from getting married (and it certainly will make your stories more interesting when you’re re-telling them to your grandkids someday)!

 

 

 

 

Gosh, I am freaking crazy about Northwest Arkansas’ wedding vendors. Every year when the Osage House open house rolls around I get so excited, not just to talk to sweet brides and grooms about their wedding days, but to visit with all of the best of the best that NWA has to offer. It’s so fun to catch up with friends, watch them work their magic and stand in awe of the talent and creativity this area has to offer.

If you didn’t make it to the open house, man, you really missed out. But luckily for you, I put together this list of all the vendors who were there so that you can peruse their Instagram feeds at your leisure. If you’re planning a wedding, this is the list you should start with!

VENDOR GROUPS

Photography: @corriechilders
Venue: @osagehouse

Amanda Reed (Red Balloons & Roses)

@amandareedweddings
@stephanie.amandareedweddings
@katie.amandareedweddings
@taylor.amandareedweddings
@eventology_us
@shelbylynnscake
@lightworks.events
@socialphotoboothco
@samanthas_garden
@confettinwa

Wed by Meg (Bright Citrus & Pinks)

@wedbymeg
@meganscrape.wedbymeg
@reilly.wedbymeg
@fleurish___
@thecakeoccasion
@eventology_us
@mint2mix
@eventgroupcatering

JLK Weddings (Cascading Florals on Staircase)

@jlkweddings
@anna.jlkweddings
@thecakeoccasion
@hostrentals
@eventology_us
@pigmintdotcom
@bbjlinen
@withloveandletters

 

INDEPENDENT VENDORS

Hall & Chapel

@dayflowerdesigns
@partyprorents
@djxavierriley
@lemonandpuff
@alphalitnwa
@makeupwith_madz
@florenceandflintcookieco
@sipofsouthern
@joonbridal
@koonssaloon
@zuzuspetalsandgifts
@designsbynicoleh
@cellobyaustin
@brockentertainment
@dancenhance
@toastsintow

Reserve

@kombikegnwa
@staygoldeventrentals
@cateringconceptsnwa
@hostrentals
@olliemaries
@intents_party_rentals
@hellohoneycoffee
@callie_g_
@argown_preservation
@sipsandsweets.nwa
@lucilesstudio
@moonlightandrust

 

 

It’s one of the biggest decisions that you’re going to make for your wedding day: do you sidestep tradition and do a first look, or do you go with the customary reveal at the end of the aisle? And anyway, why does it matter so much?

I know it seems like just a preference thing, but doing a first look or sticking with tradition actually means big things for your timeline, your stress level and in some cases, your photographs.

Every wedding is different, but I love it when my couples do a first look. Especially when your ceremony will end close to or after dark!  To help you make your decision, here are some of the things I’ve learned about first looks from my perspective as your wedding photographer.

If you are just starting to understand what a first look is, let’s define it:

A first look is a special time set aside, usually 10ish minutes, once you’re done getting ready. It’s the time when the bride and groom will first see each other in their wedding clothes, just like the moment the bride enters the church except much more private and intimate than it would be in front of all the guests.

 

 

Sounds sweet, right? It is! First looks are my very favorite part of the day and a lot of times my very favorite photos of the day. Here are some of the reasons I love first looks so much:

1. A First Look means MORE photos for you! When we can do your portraits before the ceremony, most of the time it means I have more time to do more (and more creative!) photos of you as a couple and you with your wedding party, friends and families. If you decide to do a first look but also want some sunset pictures or just some more portraits after you’re officially husband and wife, don’t worry – I nearly always plan to pull you guys back out at sunset!
2. First looks usually help stress levels immensely! It’s definitely one of the sweetest, most precious days of your relationship, but that doesn’t mean it’s going to be free of stress and nerves. But I’ve watched even my most nerve-addled brides and grooms relax and enjoy the day so much more after they’ve had a chance to see each other.
3. Doing a first look streamlines your formal photos and! Your wedding party photos and family photos make up a pretty important part of your wedding photo gallery, and wrangling all the people who are supposed to be in them can be a bit of a task. When we do the first look, generally we go straight into doing some of your couples portraits and then the family and bridal party and are able to get every single formal photo out of the way before your ceremony even happens. We aren’t rushed to get you guys to the reception and your guests won’t have to wait on you!
4. When you do a first look and most/all of your family & wedding party photos before the ceremony, that means that you can get to the reception much faster than if we need to do all those photos while cocktail hour is happening. Family, wedding party & couples portraits can take 1-1.5 hours, and most couples feel that if they can shorten that time that their guests are waiting, it’s better for the flow into the reception.
5. The time spent at the first look is often the only time the bride and groom are alone all day! All day long you’ll be surrounded by your planner, wedding party, friends, and family. Being surrounded by the ones you love is a wonderful way to spend your wedding day for sure, but the first look is like a little respite in the middle of a day that can be a little bit overwhelming. Most of the time I will take you away from everyone else and the only people there will be you guys and me, and I always try to give you a little time alone if there’s time.

 

 

Think you want to stick with a Traditional timeline? Going Traditional and not seeing each other until you’re walking down the aisle is also a beautiful and meaningful way to do things. It can be done well and things can still flow smoothly! Here are some pro’s to aisle reveals:

1. Tradition! Seriously, this is a totally legitimate reason if it’s important to you. If you know that moment at the back of the aisle on your wedding day is something you’ll cherish for the rest of your life, do it. It’s actually really special to share it with family and friends, and we can plan a great timeline that allows for your photos to be taken afterwards.
2. Sticking with an aisle reveal instead of a first look means that there’s a lot fewer things for you to accomplish between the time your hair & makeup is done and the time that all eyes are on you for the ceremony. Simply put, you’ll feel fresher! If you do a First Look, you may also want to plan in a little time for hair/makeup touchups before the ceremony.

Since traditional timelines can have some logistical challenges, here are some ways to make sure this type of timeline goes as smoothly as it can:

1. Decide if you want to do any of your photos before the ceremony or all of them after. To keep the photo time after the ceremony to a minimum, we can do as many groupings as possible before the ceremony while still keeping you guys separate (i.e. we wouldn’t do any family photos without you both together, but we could do bride + bridesmaids photos and groom + groomsmen). If there’s no time to do those groupings before the ceremony, that’s okay too. It does save us some time during cocktail hour, but since everyone will already be together during that time for the big group wedding party photos, it’s not a huge deal to do them all then.
2. Plan a cocktail hour for your guests to enjoy while we’re taking photos. We can take up to 1.5 hours to get all the photos done before you and your party and family make it to the reception, and sometimes this can risk losing guests’ interest to the slow down of events. To combat this, plan a cocktail hour with music, drinks and hors d’oeuvres, and even think about including yard games or a slideshow to entertain them while they wait!
3. Send everybody the information about portrait time via email before the wedding. To make sure everybody knows when they need to be there for photos, gather everyone’s email addresses and send the schedule and any instructions (i.e. “Uncle Jerry, you are responsible for making sure Great Grandma Smith gets to the right place at the right time” or “Aunt Peggy, please be sure to not wear your Transitions lens glasses!”). You can have the officiant announce where to go right after the ceremony. Or if you’re a planner, start a group text before your wedding day even arrives, so it’s as simple as going to that message and shooting out a “Meet on the East side of the chapel immediately following the ceremony” text.
4. Get help with wrangling people! Appoint someone who knows names and faces (and has a pretty substantial voice) to be in charge of the groupings shot list and wrangling people. This will make the photos go so much faster than if I’m trying to remember who’s who and make sure we have everybody.

 

Your wedding day slipped by in the blink of an eye, and now you’re just waiting for your photos (and video, I hope!) to be delivered. It’s time to think about all the post-wedding tasks on your to-do list! Between the thank-you cards and taking your gown to be preserved, there is another activity that means so much to the special people who got to help make your wedding celebration amazing: writing your vendors some reviews!

HOW IT FEELS TO GET A REVIEW

You know that feeling of bliss you get when someone surprises you with something you really hoped for? Or that feeling of fulfillment when a project that you put your whole heart into comes to a close, and you know that all the work you did was totally worth it? I get a really epic combination of those feelings every single time a new review pops up in my inbox. It’s my favorite thing, second only to the feeling of actually creating all your photos on your wedding day.

Private texts and emails about how thrilled you are make me feel spectacular too, but there’s something about it when my clients leave a public review that makes my heart swell right up with love!

 

WHY YOUR VENDORS LOVE REVIEWS

As a service provider who is based completely online, reviews by my current and past clients are an absolutely crucial part of what helps my business grow! Just think of all the sweet, doe-eyed future brides and grooms out there trying to find great vendors who will make their day amazing. As someone who’s had a wedding, now you are a wedding veteran! You have the knowledge and experience to tell couples who are in the thick of wedding planning who will do a great job.

And not only does your review help future brides and grooms wade through the confusing waters of choosing wedding vendors, it also lets me know what I got right (and if you have any constructive criticism) and helps me know the absolute best ways I can serve my clients in the future. And that’s something that’s immensely important to me!

I love to get reviews from others’ perspectives too, like your maid of honor or the mother of the groom. It’s so cool to know the overall impression I gave to your friends and family too!

HOW TO LEAVE REVIEWS

First, look your vendor up on Google. Almost every business has a Google listing that accepts reviews, and it’s an incredibly important platform to collect reviews on! Then decide what you’re going to say. Try to think of specific examples of what you loved and share them, like if you gave your DJ free rein to pick your final dance song and he couldn’t have picked a more perfect one. If you’re feeling stuck, here are some useful prompt questions to get you thinking:

1. When you guys were looking for a wedding ________, what were you hoping for specifically? How did your first impression of this vendor fit into that criteria?

2. When you communicated via email, text, phone or face-to-face, how did this vendor compare to your expectations? Were they easy to communicate with?

3. How did you feel about their level of preparedness on your wedding day? If they weren’t a vendor who was expected to be present on your wedding day (like a stationer), did they meet their deadlines?

4. When you received their brochures, pricing guides, etc did that information/education have a positive impact on your wedding planning experience or a negative one? Was everything clear and concise?

5. When you interacted with this vendor in person, how did they make you feel in that moment? Was the experience better or worse than what you were hoping for?

6. What was your initial reaction to the product or service this vendor provided? Did your friends and family have a reaction?

7. Overall, do you feel like you made a good choice by hiring this vendor or the wrong choice?

Once you’ve written something you’re happy with, look them up on the other major platforms for wedding vendors. Mine are Google, Facebook, The Knot, WeddingWire, and Yelp. You can just copy & paste your review to each platform, or if you have a little extra time, tweak each one to be a little different.

If you don’t have an account on one of these platforms yet, might I be so bold as to suggest that you make one for this purpose? I know for sure that literally all of your wedding vendors absolutely covet your reviews on these sites. You can always unsubscribe from any emails they might send you and pretend the accounts don’t even exist when you’re done!

 

 

 

6 Tips for planning a positive wedding day

I got married on a hot & rainy Texas day in 2005, and that feels like a lifetime ago. I didn’t have a wedding photographer (ironic, I know), but the photos my grandpa took of me in the little office area in the little white Cumberland church remind me how calm and unbothered I was about that or anything else. I don’t remember caring about the weather (besides thinking that rain on your wedding day is good luck), the food, the decorations, the cake, or any family drama at all. To be fair, our wedding was a very small and modest occasion – I mean, we were 18 and had nothing but love – but my lack of nerves wasn’t because there wasn’t anything to worry about, it was a part of my habitual & intentional prioritizing of positivity & peace.

As a wedding photographer now, I’ve been told that I actually bring positivity and peace to my clients’ wedding days! What a compliment! There are so many things about wedding planning & the wedding day that can be stressful and hard and believe me, I’ve witnessed my share of breakdowns and freak-outs. It’s really no wonder though; most people are not at all accustomed to the feeling of being responsible for all the moving parts of a large event (which is why you should hire a planner, but we’ll talk about that more in a sec) and it’s really easy to get overwhelmed with anxiety about everything going perfectly. I get it; you spend a lot of time, energy, and money on your wedding, and you want to enjoy it! You want to walk away that night with a full heart from all the sweet and fun memories you just made, so let’s talk about how to achieve that.

1. Before the Planning Begins

Planning a positive wedding day starts before you even start planning. It’s so easy to jump right into planning once your partner proposes, but try to take a few breaths before you jump into wedding colors and reception playlists. Spend a few weeks catching yourself staring at the sparkles in your ring & getting butterflies when you say the words “my fiancé”. Use that time to set yourself up into the right mindset for planning! Weddings are a celebration, and you’ll enjoy the process of planning it if you’ve already decided to not sweat the small stuff. Mindset is so powerful, it can totally make or break anything you do (and that’s a fact). Talk with your partner about this too! Figure out each others’ expectations (do you want to prioritize romance and mood and your partner wants to prioritize fun and partying?) and set boundaries (like if you already know your great aunt “Meddling Melba” will be a problem).

When you feel settled, start pulling together your wedding plan. And if you’re following my advice to the letter, that means your next step is finding an awesome wedding planner!

2. Hire a Wedding Planner

I know what some of you are thinking: “I’m a great designer, I can make it beautiful myself!” or “My sister is so organized, we can totally handle an event with 100 people!”

Let me stop you right there. Yes, I have had plenty of gorgeous weddings and weddings that run smoothly without a planner. Some people are truly gifted enough to design and execute a large event with no (or little) past experience, and if that’s you, that’s wonderful! But if you’re not sure that’s you, you’ll save yourself (and your sister, mom, or whoever is responsible for coordinating on the wedding day) so much stress and you’ll enjoy the event so much more if you go ahead and include an amazing planner in your budget right from the start.

Great planners are so much more than good designers that are organized. They are event experts that know exactly who the good vendors are in your area (and who to avoid), they are well connected, they’re invested in helping you have the wedding of your dreams, and they know exactly what it will take to achieve it (or they can smartly suggest alternatives if something is out of reach because of budget or other constraints). On the wedding day, planners know how to wrangle all the moving parts and put everything in order so all your planning wasn’t in vain. They know when each vendor will arrive and exactly where they should go, they have tons of experience with improvising if something goes wrong, and they’ll even load your car at the end of the night while you’re celebrating your last few dances with your friends.

3. Find Vendors You Can Trust

With or without a planner, having vendors that you trust is a major part of making it easy to have a positive & stress-free wedding. If you hire a DJ that had some bad reviews but he was the cheapest, I guarantee the stress of wondering if he’ll show up or do a good job will be in the back (or front) of your mind all the way up until your wedding day. If your great uncle has a nice camera and says he can probably make a killer wedding video for you, and you’d rather hire a pro videographer but don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings, I promise that will be something that will bring negativity to your wedding. It will be the same for any vendor: DJ, florist, band, bartender, caterer, cake artist, videographer or photographer. Find professional vendors who are experts in their fields, have excellent reputations, and make it obvious online how much they care about their clients. Read reviews like it’s your job!

(If you’re looking for a photographer you can trust, I’m your girl! I also send my clients a list of other types of vendors that I know & trust, to make it easier to plan!)

4. Intentionally Surround Yourself With Positive People

In our hearts, we all know which people in our life bring us up and which ones bring us down. On your wedding day, plan to be surrounded by positive, encouraging, and pleasant people as much as possible. If you know your mom or sister tends to be a Negative Nelly, talk privately with a couple of your most positive bridesmaids or groomsmen about how you’d love to have extra support and encouragement on your wedding day (enough to drown out any negativity that may creep in). It’s amazing how purposeful smiles and silver linings from people you love can counteract the funk that negative people might bring to the atmosphere!

5. Accept that Something Might Go Wrong

This is a big one. Even with all the planning in the world and the best vendors with the most experience, something still may go wrong at your wedding. The officiants’ mic may randomly stop working during your vows, it may start pouring during your outdoor ceremony (never trust Spring in the south), or a guest may bump into your champagne tower and send it all crashing to the ground moments before toasts are supposed to begin. Any of these things would be a bummer, but remembering that the ultimate goal of the day is to get married & have a good time with your family and friends will help you brush off any big or small disasters and get your smile back quickly. And as the hosts, you and your partner set the mood and dictate how much merriment people feel at your wedding, so do your best to have a great attitude (I don’t want you to have any regrets)!

6. Have a Plan B

Lastly, having a backup plan for any parts of your day that could go sideways will give you so much peace and make it so much easier to stay positive if you have to go off course from your original plans. If you’re working with a planner, they’ll be your #1 person to go to and make a plan B with. But while you’re planning, don’t forget to include your vendors by making sure the backup ideas will work with their services too! Once you’ve ironed out a solid plan, tell your bridal party and immediate family and prep them for what might happen if it’s raining or if there’s, you know, a global pandemic or something.

 

I love my clients so much, and I consider it to be a part of my job to make sure their wedding experience is the best and most stress-free that it can possibly be. I know that the things I’ve explained here will help anyone that implements them, and you can read that in my best teacher or mom voice (whichever makes it feel more convincing to you). Happy planning!

 

 

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Corrie Childers is a sought-after Northwest Arkansas wedding photographer, Arkansas engagement photographer, Arkansas bridal photographer and Arkansas proposal photographer. Corrie has a natural passion for classic, timeless wedding photography in an elegant and relaxed style. Corrie is currently booking Arkansas weddings in Bella Vista, Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers, Siloam Springs, Eureka Springs and all of Northwest Arkansas, as well as Little Rock, El Dorado, Dallas, St. Louis, Kansas City and beyond!

Planning a Positive Wedding Day!

 

Northwest Arkansas Wedding Venues

I’ve been working hard to gather all the Northwest Arkansas wedding venues for you, to have them all in a handy list separated by category. Google and The Knot can sometimes feel overwhelming, with so many choices and no good way to sort them by type. So I’ve gotchu, boo. Scroll down & find your dream venue!

 

Modern Wedding Venues in NWA

Each of these venues give a modern, airy, bright feel when you walk into their ballroom. If you’re hoping for a beautiful, timeless almost-blank canvas to turn into your dream wedding, look no further! Sky high ceilings with chandeliers and an open, airy reception space makes them feel so elegant.

Heroncrest in Springdale – Location – Website

Osage House in Cave Springs – Location – Website

Cabin Creek Lookout in Lamar – Location – Website

 

 

Estate Wedding Venues in NWA

I labeled these venues as Estate venues because they each incorporate a house, either for getting ready areas or for the actual ceremony and reception. That ‘estate’ feel is something that makes your wedding seem so comfortable, like you’re inviting all your friends and family to your house & getting married!

The Ballroom at I Street in Bentonville – Location – Website

The Orchard in Bentonville – Location – Website

Greystone Estate in Rogers – Location – Website

 

Garden Wedding Venues in NWA

Garden weddings are very popular because they’re classically beautiful and timeless. Each of these venues has gorgeous landscaping & grounds for outdoor outdoor festivities (and most of them have really pretty indoor spaces too)!

Crystal Bridges in Bentonville – Location – Website

The Nest at Prairie Creek in Rogers – Location – Website

Pratt Place Inn and Barn in Fayetteville (closed until 2023) – Location – Website

Botanical Gardens of the Ozarks in Fayetteville – Location – Website

Compton Gardens in Bentonville – Location – Website

 

Hotel Wedding Venues in NWA

Two of my most favorite venues in NWA are right here. These hotels have the space to allow you to get ready, have your ceremony, and your reception all on the same property. And while these two are pretty opposite in terms of style – 21C is very modern and Carnall Hall is very classic – they’re both incredibly beautiful and great choices for your big day!

21C Museum Hotel in Bentonville – Location – Website

The Inn at Carnall Hall in Fayetteville – Location – Website

City Loft Vibe Wedding Venues in NWA

Exposed brick and exposed beams, large windows, and patio space is pretty much what I think of when I think of a downtown loft. And each of these Northwest Arkansas wedding venues qualify absolutely beautifully! Loft vibe spaces are so cool because they can easily go in whatever stylistic direction you want to take them, but with a little added boho-y vibe from the existing features of the space.

RECORD in Bentonville – Location – Website

Brick Ballroom in Siloam Springs – Location – Website

The Ravington in Centerton – Location – Website

Fairlane Station in Springdale – Location – Website

The Garden Room in Fayetteville – Location – Website

The Apollo on Emma in Springdale – Location – Website

 

Country Club Wedding Venues in NWA

Country clubs are high-end spaces that are surrounded by acres and acres of rolling, manicured hills for people to play golf on. I have seen some incredibly beautiful outdoor ceremonies on golf courses, and some really classy receptions in their ballrooms. And I added Lakepoint to the list because although it’s not situated on a golf course, it is in a golf community and very much has that country club vibe (and a gorgeous lake view with a sunset).

Pinnacle Country Club in Rogers – Location – Website

Fayetteville Country Club in Fayetteville – Location – Website

Lakepoint Event Center in Bella Vista – Location – Website

 

Unique Wedding Venues in NWA

These venues don’t really fall into any of the other categories, in my opinion. The Air Museum is full of planes in a giant hangar and that’s pretty epic. You’ll end up with photos unlike your friends’ photos. And Theatre Squared is a new event space in Fayetteville that is super open and bright and has tons of options for your ceremony & reception. It even has theater seating in some rooms – how cool would that be for a ceremony?

Arkansas Air Museum in Fayetteville – Location – Website

Theatre Squared in Fayetteville – Location – Website

Event Center Wedding Venues in NWA

These Northwest Arkansas wedding venues are huge, and so perfectly suited for large weddings. I absolutely love seeing shows at the WAC, and a wedding is even better. They have tons and tons of that WOW factor, and they’re a different feel from the other venues in NWA!

Fayetteville Town Center in Fayetteville – Location – Website

Walton Arts Center in Fayetteville – Location – Website

Chapel Wedding Venues in NWA

If you’re hoping for a more traditional ceremony setting like a church, these chapels are great options. They range from architecturally stunning to old-world charm, and all of them are beautiful! St. Catherine’s absolutely shines when ceremonies are done on the lawn in front of the chapel as an incredible backdrop. Subiaco Abbey is the largest option on this part of the list, and just wait until you see photos of it!

Cooper Chapel in Bella Vista – Location – Website

Chapel on the Creeks in Rogers – Location – Website

St. Catherine’s at Bell Gable in Fayetteville – Location – Website

St. Anthony’s on the Creek in Lowell – Location – Website

Subiaco Abbey in Subiaco (River Valley) – Location – Website

Hunt Chapel in Rogers – Location – Website

Stone Chapel at Matt Lane Farm in Fayetteville – Location – Website

Rustic/Barn Wedding Venues in NWA

Every rustic venue on this list has so much charm. Some of these barns are white, some are the natural wood color, and there’s even a black one and a red one. They each can host both your ceremony and reception, and they have gorgeous land around the venue to enjoy on your wedding day. If you’re looking for a barn venue with rustic charm, these are the best!

Sassafras Springs Winery & Vineyard in Springdale – Location – Website

Kindred Barn in Mullberry – Location – Website

Barn at the Springs in Springdale – Location – Website

Kindred North in Bentonville – Location – Website

Hazel Valley Ranch in Fayetteville – Location – Website

The Loft at Stone Oak in Greenwood – Location – Website

Cypress Barn in Siloam Springs – Location – Website

Willow Brooke Farm in Hindsville – Location – Website

Holland Barn in Gentry – Location – Website

Under the Woods in Jane, MO – Location – Website

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Corrie Childers is a sought-after Northwest Arkansas wedding photographer, Arkansas engagement photographer, Arkansas bridal photographer and Arkansas proposal photographer. Corrie has a natural passion for classic, timeless wedding photography in an elegant and relaxed style. Corrie is currently booking Arkansas weddings in Bella Vista, Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers, Siloam Springs, Eureka Springs and all of Northwest Arkansas, as well as Little Rock, El Dorado, Dallas, St. Louis, Kansas City and beyond!

Northwest Arkansas Wedding Venue

 

Small business owners are a category of humans that are near and dear to my heart. I started my own small business doing freelance graphic design when I was 19 and have had some kind of self-owned side hustle ever since, even as I held full-time design positions in my early 20s. My feelings about our responsibility to support local small businesses are strong for so many reasons!

People say it all the time: it takes a certain, special type of person to start a small business. And it’s true! It takes so much courage to put yourself out there, and so much grit to stick with it. And I don’t know about any of y’all, but I think restaurant owners have the most courage and grit out of all of us!

I also think that through the pandemic, restaurants have had it the toughest out of all of us. I can’t think of any other category of small businesses that had to pivot so incredibly much, so incredibly quickly. Restaurants who may have never even planned to offer delivery were suddenly facing the task of figuring out a whole ordering system on their own (or be taken advantage of by one of the big food delivery apps…but that’s a topic for another day). They had to reimagine their entire business structure at the drop of a hat, or risk going under.

And sadly, a lot of them have gone under, though not from lack of effort.

But what about the ones that are left? How can we support the locally owned restaurants, who are so important to our economy (and our taste buds)?

How to Support Local Small Businesses

1. The first, and most obvious, is to order food from them. If you’re not comfortable with dining in, order it to-go.
2. And before you hop on GrubHub or another popular ordering app, ask your favorite local restaurants if they still take to-go orders outside of those apps (like by phone). Chances are good that they do, and if you can manage to go pick it up yourself, you’ll be helping them survive (and avoid the predatory business practices of the delivery apps).
3. Write reviews for them all over the internet! Literally all small businesses covet good reviews, and you hold the power to give them what they need. I’m not a restaurateur, but I go to Google, Yelp and Facebook to read and write reviews.
4. Different experience, knowledge and tools are required for catering vs. running a restaurant, or at least that’s what I understand based on my outsider knowledge. But if your favorite restaurant offers catering, consider them for your wedding catering! The charcuterie display in the photos on this post are from a sandwich shop in Conway, AR, and it’s one of the best I’ve ever seen.
5. Buy gift cards! We’re not exactly taking friends to lunch right now, so if you have a little extra dough, funnel it into buying an occasional gift card. Send it to your friend & brighten their day!
6. Support them on social media. Comment on their posts & share them to give them more visibility. Social media is always a struggle for small businesses, and regularly giving them a little more visibility to an audience could make a huge difference!

Northwest Arkansas is such a foodie place, and there are so many great local restaurants that I’d love to shout from the rooftops. But here are several of my tip-top favorites!

Thai Cuisine in Bentonville, AR – try the coconut soup & yellow curry! When I still ate meat, I added chicken and it was the bomb.com.

Trickdilly Tacos in Bentonville, AR – try the porkdilly tacos and queso fries! I haven’t been since I cut meat from my diet, but I’m excited to try the trickpea & cauliflower and the mushroom tacos when I go back. Maybe I’ll go today!

IDK Cafe + Catering in Rogers, AR – everything I’ve had from IDK has been delicious, but in particular, the IDKeto meals they offer are absolutely divine. If you’re on a Keto diet, the prices are good and the food is even better!

FLAVORS Indian Cuisine in Bentonville, AR – try the butter chicken! It’s so good! Flavors has catered a couple of my weddings, and I’ve wished I could just sit and eat and eat. Ha!

KOMODO Modern Asian Cuisine in Rogers, AR – the best potstickers I’ve ever had, and their beef & broccoli is to die for. It’s made with filet mignon!

Meme’s Caribbean Flavour in Rogers, AR – I’m dying to try her signature hand pies! If you try them, let me know how amazing they are!

I know there are tons of other wonderful local restaurants in NWA (I didn’t even touch on Springdale and Fayetteville), but these are the ones I have good experiences with and want to share. It would be almost impossible for me to list ALL of the restaurants here, but if you know of a great one that I should add to the list and would help support local small businesses, please email me at hello@corriechilders.com.

xo!

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Corrie Childers is a sought-after Northwest Arkansas wedding photographer, Arkansas engagement photographer, Arkansas bridal photographer and Arkansas proposal photographer. Corrie has a natural passion for classic, timeless wedding photography in an elegant and relaxed style. Corrie is currently booking Arkansas weddings in Bella Vista, Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers, Siloam Springs, Eureka Springs and all of Northwest Arkansas, as well as Little Rock, El Dorado, Dallas, St. Louis, Kansas City and beyond!

 

Making Your Wedding Family Formals List: If you’re like most couples, you might not have thought too much yet about making your family formals list. And that’s okay! This is a topic that I’ll bring up with you automatically, closer to your wedding date (…if I’m your wedding photographer) so we don’t forget to have a list made. But make no mistake – while I may be nonchalant about when we make this list, I am decidedly a stickler for being sure we definitely do make it at some point before your wedding day.

Because honestly, family photos can be one of the most important but most chaotic parts of the day. So let’s try our best to prepare you, okay?

Making Your Wedding Family Formals List

First, decide whether or not you want to do a First Look before the ceremony. If you are, that opens up some options for timing! A lot of couples do things in this order before the ceremony: first look, wedding party photos, then family photos. Each of these things will take approx. 30 minutes (if we do a few bride & groom portraits along with the first look).
If you’re not doing a first look, we’ll do your family photos immediately after your ceremony. Then your wedding party photos, then your bride & groom portraits.

(for more pros, cons & my thoughts on doing a first look, check out this blog post)

Second, write down your groupings. Now narrow it down to 10. If you can’t quite get to 10 while you’re making your wedding family formals list, just get as close as possible! Each grouping will average 2-3 minutes, so 10-15 groupings is 30-45 minutes (I know that seems like a lot, but when Uncle Frank is in the bathroom and your sister forgot and went on to the reception so someone has to go track her down, you’ll see). It’s smart to budget a little extra time!

That being said,  I am not a stickler for sticking to the list when we have extra time. For example, if I take a photo of you and your parents and you ask to take one with each of your parents individually, of course we’ll do that if there’s time & they’re both already standing right there. This step is just about prioritizing your groupings so that we are sure to get the most important groupings if we’re in a time crunch!

Third, take that list and order it so that we start with groupings that include small children and/or any elderly guests or guests with health or mobility issues (to minimize the number of times they have to hop in and out of photos).

Example:
1. Katie, Tommy, Katie’s parents, grandparents, sister/brother-in-law and their 2 kids
2. Katie, Tommy, Katie’s parents & grandparents
3. Katie, Tommy, Katie’s grandparents
4. Katie, Katie’s grandparents
5. Katie, Tommy, Katie’s parents

Additional Tips

Boom, your list is done! I have more to say on this topic though, so this post isn’t quite over. Here are a few more tips for, you know, handling family photos well.

1. Let your photographer know if there are special family situations that you want them to be sensitive to, like divorce, death, new relationships, etc. If I’m your photographer, you can rest easy knowing that all this is covered on my world-famous wedding questionnaire. I’ll send it to you when you book, and we’ll finalize it a few weeks before your wedding when we’re working on your timeline. If I’m not your photographer, don’t forget about covering this important step with the person you’ve hired!
2. Designate a guest or family member to be my list helper! Choose someone who knows all (or at least most) names/faces on the list and is loud. I’ve found that people with teaching jobs in their daily lives are great in this role! You can send them the list before the wedding, or I can just send it to them when it’s time for these photos.
3. If we’re doing the family photos after the ceremony, you can ask your officiant to announce for your immediate family on both sides to stay. Or better yet, a few days before the wedding, you can start a group text with everyone who needs to stay and have a designated person send a reminder text right after the ceremony ends. “Hey everyone, meet on the east side of the chapel!” is much more quick and direct than 2 dozen family members wandering around asking each other where they’re supposed to go. And particularly if you have certain extended family members who need to stay but others who don’t, this technique can help ensure there’s not anyone who stays and then awkwardly isn’t in any of the formal groupings!

 

 

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Corrie Childers is a sought-after Northwest Arkansas wedding photographer, Arkansas engagement photographer, Arkansas bridal photographer and Arkansas proposal photographer. Corrie has a natural passion for classic, timeless wedding photography in an elegant and relaxed style. Corrie is currently booking Arkansas weddings in Bella Vista, Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers, Siloam Springs, Eureka Springs and all of Northwest Arkansas, as well as Little Rock, El Dorado, Dallas, St. Louis, Kansas City and beyond!

St. Louis Wedding Photographer

Little changes will improve your wedding photos! Let’s be real: despite what the Hallmark channel shows us, life is just not a long string of perfectly photogenic moments with perfect light and perfect backdrops and people who always know what to do with their hands. (more…)

Covid Couples: 5 Location Ideas for Intimate Weddings: Does anyone else feel like we’re stuck in the movie Groundhog Day? Where each day we wake up and just lather/rinse/repeat what we did yesterday, just waiting for something to change and for Covid to disappear? (more…)

COVID-19. It’s a topic many of us have been stewing over all year; vendors and brides alike. (If you’re me, it’s been COVID-19 & wedding photos). Or…maybe stewing isn’t the right word? Substitute stressing.

(more…)

2019 Wedding Trends with Amanda Reed Weddings

It may not actually be possible to bring you this blog post without making my obsession with Amanda Reed Weddings’ work completely and utterly clear to the world.

(more…)

Inspire Arkansas Bridal Show

The INSPIRE Arkansas Bridal Show by Tanarah Luxe Floral at RECORD (Instagram | Website) in Bentonville yesterday was BANANAS. (more…)

– Erin Duncan, Arkansas Wedding Planner –

Guys, I have loved so much showing ya’ll some of my favorite venues around the area (and there are still several coming), but today I’m switching gears a little bit. As a Northwest Arkansas wedding photographer I work with so many great vendors that deserve recognition, so I decided that I’d love to keep using my blog as a place to promote the ones I love from all parts of the wedding industry! Next up: Erin Duncan, an Arkansas Wedding Planner.

I have a pretty healthy mix of weddings with planners and weddings without them, and I can tell you from first hand experience what a difference it can make to have an Arkansas wedding planner helping you plan and coordinate everything on the day of your wedding. It takes an enormous amount of stress and pressure off of the bride and groom (and usually their moms too, real talk) and allows you all to just enjoy the whole wedding process, culminating in a day that has been personalized for you with such care and attention to detail.

Now, this lady right here takes the first spot in the Arkansas wedding planner category. Erin is the sweetest thing and has such creative and beautiful ideas, she’s super classy, super organized and so easy to talk to and brainstorm with. I sent her a little interview so you all could learn a little more about her and what she does (we also did some fun headshots at my studio in Rogers)! Now keep reading!

 

 

Visit CorrieChilders.com
Like Corrie Childers Weddings on Facebook | Follow Corrie Childers Weddings on Instagram

Corrie Childers is a sought-after Northwest Arkansas wedding photographer, Arkansas engagement photographer, Arkansas bridal photographer and Arkansas proposal photographer (Fayetteville proposal photographer). Corrie has a natural passion for classic, timeless wedding photography in an elegant and relaxed style. Corrie is currently booking Arkansas weddings in Bella Vista, Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers, Siloam Springs, Eureka Springs and all of Northwest Arkansas, as well as Little Rock, Dallas, St. Louis, Kansas City and beyond!

– Missouri Wedding Photographer –

It’s been a good long while since my last vendor spotlight, you guys! Last Fall’s wedding season was just so C-R-A-Z-Y, I had to take a break from finishing this series while I kept up (okay, barely kept up) with client projects and weddings. (more…)

– The Ballroom at I Street – 

Next up is the stunning Ballroom at I Street in Bentonville. Guys, I’m not exaggerating at all when I say that this is one of the most perfect wedding venues I’ve ever been to. They haven’t been open very long (I have my first wedding there early next year, yippee!), but it’s very easy to see that they’re going to be successful with what they’ve got going on over there.

From the amazing bridal suite (check out those beauty stations!) to the 12 person dining table, to the super manly groom’s room with tons of sweet, masculine touches…this venue is basically everything you’ll need to pull off a gorgeous wedding all on the same property without a hitch. The Ballroom at I Street is actually also a Bed and Breakfast too, so even if you don’t have a wedding in the future you can still go enjoy the space (like I’m thinking: a romantic staycation or girls night?)!

I sent an interview over to Breann and really enjoyed reading all about their vision, their journey and the place they’re in now. So definitely take a few minutes to scroll through these photos and read what Breann had to say!

 

 

What is the name and location of your property?
The Ballroom at I Street- 2202 SW I Street, Bentonville, AR 72712

What is your name and your role at your venue?
Breann Ashford & Danise Smith, co-owners

When was your venue built?
2016

 

Was it always an event space? If not, what was it?
The Ballroom itself is a new building that is an accessory to the B&B house.

If it wasn’t always an event space, why did you choose to turn it into one?
The trees were our selling point to the well known Bentonville home. One step into the back courtyard area where we host weddings as well as receptions will show you exactly what we saw!

When did the property hold it’s first wedding?
Our first wedding was a very sweet couple that was adamant about using the ballroom even though she only saw it during the construction phase, so we tried our best and had their wedding two days before our grand opening on November 13th, 2016. 🙂

Are there any interesting stories about the history of your venue?
The Ford family owned the house for several generations before us and had farm land all around the home. We completely understood their placement of a farm seeing the rich 2 foot deep topsoil!

What is the thing you most commonly hear brides and grooms love about your venue?
Most brides and grooms love the white everywhere and the huge chandeliers! Our showings mostly take place during the day, so they kind of get a surprise with how beautiful the back outdoor courtyard is at night with the vertical lights in the trees.

 

 

What is your favorite thing about hosting weddings?
Our favorite part about hosting weddings has to be that point in the reception where you catch the bride and groom looking at each other, often laughing or just staring into each others eyes with huge smiles, that just exudes pure love and happiness. That is what it’s all about-unifying two people into one. Seeing that God created union represented in person is breathtaking at times.

What is your favorite thing about your venue?
Oh goodness, that is a hard question. We went over every inch of the venue trying to think about each and every bride, how it could help them achieve their dream in any way possible. The basic look of the venue being clean and modern yet classic with a touch of over the top glamour has to be our favorite aspect!

What is your best advice for brides and grooms booking with you?
Use a planner! Most brides and mommas are super talented and can see the vision, but it does our hearts good to see them calm, excited, stress free and not to mention together on their once in a lifetime day! Planners help so much in giving this gift to brides and their moms.

Do you have any plans for growth/updates to the venue?
This is a strength of ours as well as a weakness! We always have plans and visions for the venue and our brides, but some times it would be nice just to sit back and enjoy the fruits of our labor and beauty that came out in the final product. That being said, we have some surprises coming down the pipe!

 

Do you ever host other events?
We do! Corporate events/meetings as well as short term planning parties are so fun. We have a few nonprofit fundraisers coming up that sound super exciting! We are just happy we get to experience some of them on the sidelines like our friend Nancy’s 60’s themed 60th birthday party! 😉

How many weddings do you host per year?
Well we haven’t completed a full year in business yet, but it’s looking like we’ll wrap up our first with around 30-35. Thank goodness for word of mouth as we get busier every month after hosting some fabulous spring and summer weddings.

Any lessons you had to learn the hard way?
Probably too many to list here! Lol! Let’s just say fake rose petals are not our friend, one construction job at a time is ok but 3 is just a smidge too many, and it’s super hard building in city limits but totally worth it!

Were there surprises you didn’t account for that you wish you had?
Hmmm the cost of construction as well as time is takes was definitely a recurring monthly surprise! We are happy we can laugh about all of this now.

 

 

Any memorable weddings or moments that affirmed why you opened your venue?
Yes!!! At the end of each night when the bride and groom are getting ready for their send off and are standing there in the ballroom smiling ear to ear with guests laughing outside on the patio then they look at us often with hugs and say, “Thank you so much, everything was perfect!”

If you were able to have a “perfect” wedding at your venue, what would it look and/or be like?
We’ve had several weddings at this point and you know what? Perfection is unattainable in anything, BUT when you have a love that has brought two people together and their families and friends surround them in a whole other kind of love celebrating together-THAT IS PERFECTION!

Do you have any wedding vendors you recommend (caterers, DJs, planners, etc)?
We have worked with some great vendors no doubt, but we also don’t believe our limited experience should dictate any of our brides choices. We love to share experiences we’ve had and show how great their work is as options to consider when we book a new client.

 

 

 

Visit CorrieChilders.com
Like Corrie Childers Weddings on Facebook | Follow Corrie Childers Weddings on Instagram

Corrie Childers is a sought-after Northwest Arkansas wedding photographer, engagement photographer and proposal photographer. She has a natural passion for classic, timeless wedding photography in an elegant and relaxed style. Corrie is currently booking weddings in Bella Vista, Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers, Siloam Springs, Eureka Springs and all of Northwest Arkansas, as well as Little Rock, Dallas, St. Louis, Kansas City and beyond!

 

The Ravington

 – Arkansas Wedding Venues Spotlight –

This week I had the pleasure of touring another one of my favorite local Northwest Arkansas wedding venues, The Ravington, in the adorable little town of Centerton, AR. (more…)

Inn at Carnall Hall

 – Arkansas Wedding Venues Spotlight –

 As a NWA wedding photographer, I spend a lot of time in different Northwest Arkansas wedding venues …definitely way more than the average bride has ever spent in them. (more…)

Have you heard of Day After sessions? Most people actually haven’t, or if they have they are confused about what exactly it is. The day after your wedding you’ll probably be exhausted and not in the mood to get all dressed up again, right? But don’t write it off so fast because despite the name, Day After sessions don’t actually have to take place the day after your wedding! Sometimes they do happen the day after the wedding, but sometimes it’s weeks or even months later. It’s so wonderful to be able to wear your dress again, get a gorgeous bouquet made and connect with your love during an extra wedding portrait session. There are several reasons to do one of these sessions with your Northwest Arkansas Wedding Photographer, and here I’d like to discuss six really great ones:

1. Because you want really great wedding portraits, but you’d rather spend the most time with friends and family on your wedding day: One of the best things about your wedding day is getting to see your friends and family all in one place. What other occasion brings together every single person who you love in your lives and throws a big party for them? So while obviously I believe strongly in the importance of wedding day photography, when my brides and grooms decide to only take a couple portraits and then scurry off to their reception, I completely understand! We can always get together when you get back from your honeymoon and get those portraits for you guys then!
2. Because you hired a photographer who didn’t deliver (or because you didn’t hire a photographer at all): Did you find yourself being talked into using your fiance’s sister’s journalism student nephew as your wedding photographer? If so, and if you’re struggling to love any of the photos from your wedding day, don’t fret! This is another great reason to get dressed up in your wedding dress again and have a Day After session with a different photographer!
3. Because you have your pick of all the amazing locations near and far that you couldn’t have ever fit into your wedding day: Want wedding photos in Yosemite National Park? In the Lavender Fields in France? Or at sunrise on Whitaker Point or Stout’s Point right here in Arkansas? Just think of having those epic images hanging on your walls and passed down generations! Even if you don’t want to go somewhere epic, think of the possibilities just being able to spend a couple hours in locations other than your venue and it’s immediate surrounding area. You’ll have such an amazing variety of images!
4. Because the weather didn’t cooperate or you ran out of time for portraits on your wedding day, for one reason or another: Believe me, I know exactly how it is to try to plan your timeline to accommodate everything that needs to happen on a wedding day. Sometimes, especially on the shorter Winter day weddings, there’s just not enough time for everything! And sometimes, even with the most thoroughly planned wedding timeline, something happens and things are thrown off. I’m an expert at going with the flow and doing everything I possibly can even in these circumstances, but unfortunately sometimes that means cutting down portrait time! If this happens to you, know that YES, you can have a do-over! With these Day After sessions, we can control when it happens, where it happens and reschedule if the weather doesn’t cooperate. You can’t do that with a wedding day!
5. Because you are having a destination wedding and you want to take full advantage of the location: If you’re flying somewhere spectacular to tie the knot, it’s a fantastic idea to plan for another day of portraits to use that location to the greatest extent that we can! On your wedding day you’ll be confined to your venue and the surrounding area, so this is a fabulous way to get photos of you and your honey all over the island (can you tell I’m envisioning you guys/me somewhere tropical right now?)! So if you’re flying me to your wedding or if you’re traveling to NWA, definitely let me know ASAP if you want to do a Day After session so that this Northwest Arkansas Wedding Photographer is sure to have time on my calendar while we’re together!
6. Because you just love photos and want as many as possible in your gorgeous dress, with the love of your life! No explanation necessary, right?

 

Are you ready for your awesome post-wedding session now? Let’s plan it! Even if I didn’t take your wedding photos, I bet we can make some magic.

Rose Gold is so on trend right now, but I’ll unabashedly admit that I’ve been a fan of this beautiful pinkish gold color since the late 90s, if not sooner. I’m so glad it’s going to be so big this year (and I’m dyingggggg to get an updated wedding ring set – hello, pear shaped halo rose gold ring) and I’ve been Pinning things that would make good wedding accents for ages now. I’d love to share some of those ideas with you here (and then photograph them on your big Arkansas Wedding day)!  

1. Rose Gold shoes: My personal favorites are these flats from Teiks (I’m really tall, so I wore flats to my wedding to not be taller than my husband). But I also love the rose gold heels sooooo much, I’d die to get to photograph some of these pretty ladies on your Arkansas wedding day! Get the Kate Spade Ked’s here, the gorgeous heels from ModCloth here, and the Teiks here.
   
2. Rose Gold Wedding Rings: Like I mentioned above, I am absolutely dying and swooning and pining after one of these pear shaped halo rings in rose gold. There are so many gorgeous options though – everything from simple bands to princess cuts to cushion cuts, and diamonds to aquamarine to morganite! Photo credit/Purchase the matte band set here and the pear shaped set here.
   
3. Your Cake: Oh goodness, there are so many ways to integrate rose gold into your cake.  The topper, edible glitter or maybe some metallic watercoloring? Rose gold on your cake will have people ooh-ing and ahh-ing for sure! Photo credit/Purchase supplies for the rose gold glitter cake here and the love topper here.
   
4. Your Invitation Suite: Your wedding invitations are your guest’s very first impression of what your wedding is going to be like. What better way to say that it’s going to be a classy affair than by doing some beautiful rose gold detail to invite them? Photo credit/purchase gold watercolor invitation suite here and charcoal and copper suite here.
   
5. Your Gown! I know, I know, this one is a little bit more nontraditional, but take a look around the internet at gowns with rose gold detailing or even blush colored dresses. There are some incredible options out there and it could be a gorgeous way to incorporate your love of rose gold! Photo credit for first dress: This Pin on Pinterest and second dress: This Pin on Pinterest
    

Ouch. Does that sound harsh? Nobody likes to think about the possibility of ruining their wedding photos, right? You have a beautiful vision for your wedding and for what you want your photos to look like, but without proper information and preparation there are several ways to really make it difficult for your Arkansas wedding photographer to deliver what you are so hoping to have! So let’s get down to a little bit of tough love for a sec. Behold, my Arkansas Wedding Tips:

1. Don’t forget to eat and drink. This might seem obvious, but you might be surprised how many of my brides and grooms (okay, mainly brides) forget to eat and drink as the day goes on. This is a major way to hurt your wedding photos because if you’re dehydrated or hungry your energy levels will be down, your patience will be short and you won’t be nearly as present for your special moments or open to taking the time to snuggle and interact with each other to get those amazing, emotive wedding photographs. In short: You’ll Be Hangry. So make sure that you appoint someone to bring food and drinks, whether that’s a fruit and cheese tray or some prepared hors d’oeuvrs from your caterer. Also, remember that you can’t just drink wine or champagne – you need water!
2. Don’t “wing it” in the name of wanting to have a relaxed, easygoing day. It might seem like a good idea to just not stress about your timeline at all and wing it on the day of your wedding, but in reality the only real way to have a stress-free day is by making a great timeline beforehand and spending the time to address the “what-ifs” that will definitely be a factor. There are so many reasons to have a well-made schedule for everything from your hair appointment times to floral delivery time to ceremony time to first dance time. One of the things I do for my clients is work on the timeline with you so that we’re most likely to have time for the photos you want! If you’re working with a planner, he or she will do this for you, but make sure to run things by me too!
3. Kill the “transitions” lenses. This one is super simple. The glasses that darken when you go outside are terrible for photos and won’t look good at all, and there’s no way I can fix them by editing. If you or any of your wedding party wears them, tell them to either plan on going glasses-less or pop into their optometrist’s office and see if they can get a pair of frames with no lenses (they may even allow them to be borrowed!).
4. Don’t talk during your first dance. I can’t even tell you how many crazy first dance derp faces I have photos of because the bride and groom talked through the whole first dance. I know, I know, you just went through your ceremony, you haven’t seen each other for most of the day and heck, sometimes if you’re not used to dancing (or being in the spotlight) it can even feel a little awkward. But please please please laugh, smile, giggle, flirt or just do your best to melt into the arms of your new husband or wife, close your eyes, forget the world and be completely present in the moments that are your first dance. P.S. This also goes for your father/daughter and mother/son dances!
5. And that brings us straight into point #5: don’t share the dance floor for the father/daughter, mother/son dance. I get that sometimes my clients like to save a little time and do these dances both at once, but your photographer is working hard to get the perfect photos of you guys dancing with good angles and minimal shots of your backsides or funny faces or eye blinks in the 3 minutes that an average song lasts. If you share the floor, your photographer has to work twice as quickly in the same amount of time to try to capture those picture perfect moments.
6. Last but not least, please consult your photographer about the #1 thing I need to give you spectacular photos: LIGHT! The average person doesn’t think about or see light like I do, but light can make or break your wedding photos. In many situations I can light artificially and achieve beautiful results, but for certain situations – for example, if your outdoor ceremony is positioned and timed that the intense bright sunlight is shining right into your groom’s eyes as he tries to watch you walk up the aisle, there’s nothing I can do to help that and he will be squinting like crazy and the light for your ceremony will be kind of whack. Obviously sometimes that can’t be avoided, but it could also just be something as simple as turning your chairs and arch 90 degrees!

And a bonus tip: remember that at the end of the day, the thing that matters is that you are married to the love of your life. There can always be drama at the wedding, things can happen that are outside the plan and it can be stressful, but do your best to lose yourself in the moments that you two are becoming one. It will definitely result in better photos, and better memories! 🙂  

 

Northwest Arkansas Wedding Venues

2021: I first published this blog post in 2016, and wow it’s gotten a lot of traction with you guys. It’s the most visited page on my whole website! But some of the information was outdated and clearly not helpful, so I’ve updated the list with photos, a link to the venue’s website & their listing on Google Maps. I know this list will be helpful to you all (especially now that I’ve taken off the venues that have closed down – facepalm).

Anyway, I’ve been working hard to gather all the Northwest Arkansas wedding venues for you, to have them all in a handy list separated by category. Google and The Knot can sometimes feel overwhelming, with so many choices and no good way to sort them by type. So I’ve gotchu, boo. Scroll down & find your dream venue!

 

Modern Northwest Arkansas Wedding Venues

Each of these venues give a modern, airy, bright feel when you walk into their ballroom. If you’re hoping for a beautiful, timeless almost-blank canvas to turn into your dream wedding, look no further! Sky high ceilings with chandeliers and an open, airy reception space makes them feel so elegant.

• Heroncrest in Springdale – Location – Website
• Osage House in Cave Springs – Location – Website
  View one of my recent weddings >

Estate Style Northwest Arkansas Wedding Venues

I labeled these venues as Northwest Arkansas estate venues because they each incorporate a house, either for getting ready areas or for the actual ceremony and reception. That ‘estate’ feel is something that makes your wedding seem so comfortable, like you’re inviting all your friends and family to your house & getting married!

• The Ballroom at I Street in Bentonville – Location – Website
  View one of my recent weddings >
• Greystone Estate in Rogers – Location – Website

Garden Style Northwest Arkansas Wedding Venues

Garden weddings are very popular because they’re classically beautiful and timeless. Each of these venues has gorgeous landscaping & grounds for outdoor outdoor festivities (and most of them have really pretty indoor spaces too)!

• Crystal Bridges in Bentonville – Location – Website
• The Nest at Prairie Creek in Rogers – Location – Website
• Pratt Place Inn and Barn in Fayetteville (closed until 2023) – Location – Website
  Indoor/Outdoor – Fayetteville
  Pratt Place’s elegant and pristine 1890’s house (the Inn) on the property is closed to be remodeled right now, but it’s worth keeping in mind for anyone who’s planning to get married in 2023! 
• Botanical Gardens of the Ozarks in Fayetteville – Location – Website
  View one of my recent weddings >

Hotel Northwest Arkansas Wedding Venues

Two of my most favorite venues in NWA are right here. These hotels have the space to allow you to get ready, have your ceremony, and your reception all on the same property. And while these two are pretty opposite in terms of style – 21C is very modern and Carnall Hall is very classic – they’re both incredibly beautiful and great choices for your big day!

• 21C Museum Hotel in Bentonville – Location – Website
• The Inn at Carnall Hall in Fayetteville – Location – Website
  Indoor/Outdoor – Fayetteville
  The sophisticated Inn at Carnall Hall is a seriously stylish place to say your vows – Everything is just beautiful, from the guest rooms where brides and grooms get ready, the massive windows, elegant chandeliers, pretty porches and beautiful grounds outside.

Northwest Arkansas Wedding Venues with City Loft vibes

Exposed brick and exposed beams, large windows, and patio space is pretty much what I think of when I think of a downtown loft. And each of these Northwest Arkansas wedding venues qualify absolutely beautifully! Loft vibe spaces are so cool because they can easily go in whatever stylistic direction you want to take them, but with a little added boho-y vibe from the existing features of the space.

• RECORD in Bentonville – Location – Website
  View one of my recent weddings >
• Brick Ballroom in Siloam Springs – Location – Website
  View one of my recent shoots >
• The Ravington in Centerton – Location – Website
  Indoor/Outdoor – Centerton
  The Ravington is super cool historic venue in the heart of NWA. Centerton is a great little town off the beaten path, and what Eric and Amber have done with this building is wonderful!
  View one of my recent weddings > 

Country Club Northwest Arkansas Wedding Venues

Country clubs are high-end spaces that are surrounded by acres and acres of rolling, manicured hills for people to play golf on. I have seen some incredibly beautiful outdoor ceremonies on golf courses, and some really classy receptions in their ballrooms. And I added Lakepoint to the list because although it’s not situated on a golf course, it is in a golf community and very much has that country club vibe (and a gorgeous lake view with a sunset).

• Pinnacle Country Club in Rogers – Location – Website
• Fayetteville Country Club in Fayetteville – Location – Website

 

Unique Northwest Arkansas Wedding Venues

These venues don’t really fall into any of the other categories, in my opinion. The Air Museum is full of planes in a giant hangar and that’s pretty epic. You’ll end up with photos unlike your friends’ photos. And Theatre Squared is a new event space in Fayetteville that is super open and bright and has tons of options for your ceremony & reception. It even has theater seating in some rooms – how cool would that be for a ceremony?

• Arkansas Air Museum in Fayetteville – Location – Website
• Theatre Squared in Fayetteville – Location – Website

Event Center Northwest Arkansas Wedding Venues

These Northwest Arkansas wedding venues are huge, and so perfectly suited for large weddings. I absolutely love seeing shows at the WAC, and a wedding is even better. They have tons and tons of that WOW factor, and they’re a different feel from the other venues in NWA!

• Fayetteville Town Center in Fayetteville – Location – Website
• Walton Arts Center in Fayetteville – Location – Website

Wedding Chapels in NWA

If you’re hoping for a more traditional ceremony setting like a church, these chapels are great options. They range from architecturally stunning to old-world charm, and all of them are beautiful! St. Catherine’s absolutely shines when ceremonies are done on the lawn in front of the chapel as an incredible backdrop. Subiaco Abbey is the largest option on this part of the list, and just wait until you see photos of it!

• Cooper Chapel in Bella Vista – Location – Website
  View one of my recent weddings >
• St. Catherine’s at Bell Gable in Fayetteville – Location – Website
  Indoor/Outdoor – Fayetteville
  Like Stone Chapel, this beautiful chapel shines with a historic stone and ivy facade that is simply gorgeous and amazing. This venue has a ton to offer, from a water garden with a water wheel to miniature ponies to a beautiful barn area for receptions.
  
• Subiaco Abbey in Subiaco (River Valley) – Location – Website
• Hunt Chapel in Rogers – Location – Website
• Stone Chapel at Matt Lane Farm in Fayetteville – Location – Website
  Indoor/Outdoor – Fayetteville
  This is one of my favorite venues in the area, and for good reason. The chapel’s pine-lined driveway, beautiful landscaping, stone facade, stained glass windows and vines of ivy growing up the beautiful bell tower is just the perfect backdrop for a wedding.

Rustic/Barns Northwest Arkansas Wedding Venues

Every rustic venue on this list has so much charm. Some of these barns are white, some are the natural wood color, and there’s even a black one and a red one. They each can host both your ceremony and reception, and they have gorgeous land around the venue to enjoy on your wedding day. If you’re looking for a barn venue with rustic charm, these are the best!

• Sassafras Springs Winery & Vineyard in Springdale – Location – Website
  Indoor/Outdoor – Springdale
  Sassafrass Vineyard is a wine-themed venue with a vineyard right there on the grounds. There is something so classy about a vineyard wedding, and this venue is no exception. Their beautiful outdoor “chapel ruins” area is one of the coolest spots to get married in NWA!
• Kindred North in Bentonville – Location – Website
• The Loft at Stone Oak in Greenwood – Location – Website
  View one of my recent weddings >
• Barn at the Springs in Springdale – Location – Website
  Indoor/Outdoor – Springdale
  Barn at the Springs is what I would consider to be a classic barn venue, with multiple options for outdoor and indoor ceremonies and receptions. It’s chock full of charm, and the grounds will absolutely knock your socks off!

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Corrie Childers is a sought-after Northwest Arkansas wedding photographer, Arkansas engagement photographer, Arkansas bridal photographer and Arkansas proposal photographer. Corrie has a natural passion for classic, timeless wedding photography in an elegant and relaxed style. Corrie is currently booking Arkansas weddings in Bella Vista, Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers, Siloam Springs, Eureka Springs and all of Northwest Arkansas, as well as Little Rock, El Dorado, Dallas, St. Louis, Kansas City and beyond!

Northwest Arkansas Wedding Venues

This is the second post in a series of helpful posts for my brides and grooms planning a wedding in NWA, and this one goes out to you who are looking at Northwest Arkansas Wedding Venues. At times, as a wedding photographer I am one of the first vendors to be contacted and booked, and in those cases I am always dishing out information on all my favorite beautiful venues!

– Northwest Arkansas Wedding DJs –

This is post #1 in a series of helpful lists of my favorite wedding vendors in different areas.

I know how hard it can be to sift through the noise and find some truly great talent to make your wedding as awesome as possible, and with my experience and connections I’d love to make that easier on you. Since you’ve already found your photographer (ahem…hi, that’s me), let’s begin with a vendor that can seriously make or break your wedding reception – the Arkansas Wedding DJs! These guys are also known as emcees, MCs, master of ceremony and deejays.
There is seriously nothing like having a totally legit Arkansas Wedding DJ or emcees to really amp up your wedding reception to party status!! As an Arkansas wedding vendor myself, I’ve had the opportunity to work with many different Arkansas Wedding DJ companies and I’m happy to share my area favorites for you guys. These individuals/companies haven’t paid or requested or bribed or threatened (ha!) me in any way to grab a spot on this list, so please check them out knowing that my recommendation is unbiased!

1. Brock Entertainment – These guys are easily the most popular Northwest Arkansas wedding DJs, and for good reason! I’ve worked with Brock and several of his DJs and I’ve never been disappointed with them. They seriously know how to get a party started and keep it going! Check with them about your date as soon as you can, because I’m sure they book up quickly.
2. Dancenhance – Dancenhance is a company that just has such a plethora of services that all look amazing, and I can personally attest to the talent and professionalism of their DJ/emcee service and photo booth setup. These guys can take a wedding reception and take it to a whole other interactive level!
3. Northern Arkansas Entertainment – Dancefloors, uplighting and confetti cannons, oh my! Fog effects, lighting design, DJs, string quartets…it’s easy to see that these dudes are pretty much going to have have what you’re looking for.
4. Resonation Events – Resonation Events is actually based out of Joplin, MO, but they service as far south as Rogers, AR with no extra fee. They have stellar reviews and are definitely worth checking out for your big day!
5. Ryan T Productions – Just one glance through Ryan’s absolutely perfect reviews on his website and Wedding Wire, and you’ll quickly see that it’d be hard to go wrong with this guy. He’s a one-man-company, so definitely try to check on your date with him ASAP for best availability.

 

I hope this list helps get you started in a direction for your search for a really great DJ or emcee to keep your dance floor grooving! I certainly can’t wait to dance the night away with you and one of these guys (with my camera in hand, of course) at your celebration! Cheers!

 

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Corrie Childers is a sought-after wedding photographer, engagement photographer and proposal photographer in Northwest Arkansas. Corrie has a natural passion for classic, timeless wedding photography in an elegant and relaxed style. Corrie is currently booking weddings in Bella Vista, Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers, Siloam Springs, Eureka Springs and all of Northwest Arkansas, as well as Little Rock, Dallas, St. Louis, Kansas City and beyond.