Glover Park Brewery Wedding | Marietta, Georgia

How did you make your wedding about the two of you?

"I think almost every element of this wedding was tied back to us as a couple. We chose a brewery as our venue for the reasons I explained above. We chose our wedding party together and really picked the people who mean a lot to us both personally and as a couple. We asked my best friend, Tyler, to officiate the wedding and it was the best choice. He was so incredible and so personal. We also wrote our own vows and really poured our hearts into them. They were longer than your usual vows but we had a lot to say. We also cut out a lot of the usual things people do at weddings, like the bouquet toss for example, because we wanted to save time for the more organic moments of the day. We learned a choreographed first dance too, and didn't tell anyone because we knew it would absolutely SHOCK people, which it did. It also gave us a chance to do something different and bond in advance of the big day."

What inspired your décor for Glover Park Brewery?

"Neither of us are flashy, over-the-top people. We wanted lots of personal touches and definitely had a less-is-more spirit. My best friend, who also officiated the wedding, is an incredible just-for-fun florist and he and I made all of the bouquets and arrangements together. We used lots of fresh greenery and delicate white blooms. My bouquet was full of white tulips, which are my favorite. My mom and her boyfriend, Kenny, own a catering company together and they made the food. It was so delicious and we got to pick each dish. My mom also made the wedding cake which was beautiful and so good. We also hung a large tapestry with our favorite cheers, which became a big theme of the wedding. "Here's to a long life and a merry one, A quick death and an easy one, A pretty girl and an honest one, A cold beer and another one!" We had it printed on our koozies as well. I also set up a memory table to honor loved ones who have passed on. Otherwise, we just let the venue shine. For our colors, we went with navy, white, and green. These colors were also chosen in the spirit of simplicity, and I thought they paired well with all the wood and brick in the venue."

Most memorable moment from your wedding day?

Daniel: "When I turned around during our first look, or you walking down the aisle. It was literally the best moment of my life. I can't even talk about it still. Also, when we did the fake-out at the beginning of the dance and started the choreography and we heard everyone go 'ooooh!'"

Ashton: "I loved when we were exchanging our vows. I wasn't a girl who fantasized about my own wedding a lot, but as a writer, I did think constantly about that moment. I think I brainstormed my vows to Daniel throughout our whole relationship. It was so beautiful to have a chance to share my heart with him in front of the people we love most, and to hear him do the same. Also, having the election get called while I was getting my hair and makeup done was INSANE. I cried full on hysterical tears of joy. Daniel was playing disc golf with his groomsmen and I called him to tell him. It was so freaking cool." (Woooo!)

What was the biggest challenge you faced in planning your wedding? Do you have any advice for those planning now?

"COVID-19, hands down, period. Navigating the murky waters of this pandemic was so, so hard. We thought through a thousand different ways to handle things. We considered a micro-wedding. We considered moving it to 2021 (which proved borderline impossible). We considered cutting down to just our closest friends and family. In the end, we landed somewhere in the middle of all of that. We cut our guest list down and came up with as many precautions as possible. We encouraged masks, opened all the big windows to create extra ventilation, set up way too many seats so that people could space out, and we communicated heavily. I sent out an email when we mailed out our invites giving everyone as much info as I could about how we were navigating this, and also a very firm statement that we fully understood if anyone could not or was not willing to attend. We also accepted RSVP's in waves. We let people reply "maybe" and we checked back in with them a couple weeks out to see where they landed. A lot of people didn't come, which was 100% fine. We felt so loved and people seemed to really appreciate our approach. For those who did come, a lot had already had and recovered from COVID-19 in the last couple of months. Those of us closest to the event quarantined in advance and many of us got tested. It wasn't easy, but I think we made the most of it, and ultimately, what we really cared about was marrying one another, and that part couldn't have been more perfect. My advice for couples trying to figure out how to have a wedding right now is to trust their guts, prioritize safety, and communicate heavily with guests. People are comforted by information, and it's helpful for people to know that it won't be held against them if they don't feel comfortable attending even a small event right now. And in the end, focus on what matters most, which is the celebration of your love. What that looks like won't matter so much when you're in the midst of the most exciting, beautiful day of your life."

Anything else you would like to add?

"I just want to say that working with you two was by far the best decision of our wedding. You two made this process so easy. I dreaded the formal photos (just not my thing) but y'all made it so fast and easy and fun. We set out to find vendors who resonated with our values and who we could feel comfortable with, and you two were miles above our highest hopes. We built in extra time for photos because we knew it would give us a chance to spend some time together, and having you two around wouldn't subtract from that at all. Thank you so much for being so wonderful and for all of your advice and care through this process."

*crying*