EMILY GUNTHARP + MATT HENDRICKSON

EMILY + MATT

CONWAY 6.19.21

PHOTOGRAPHER KYLIE FARMER PHOTOGRAPHY

“When I first started looking into wedding dresses, I stumbled across the designer Sarah Seven online. I knew without hesitation that I would wear a Sarah Seven dress,” Emily says.

while they both hail fRom mississippi, emily gunthaRp and heR gRoom, matt hendRickson, have shaRed theiR love

aRound the globe. After meeting at Millsaps College in 2017, Matt proposed two years later on a trip to Venice, Italy. “We were there on vacation with my family and had just been on a gondola ride,” Emily recalls. “When little girls dream of a fairytale proposal, they dream of something like ours. It was an absolutely beautiful place to propose.”

During their two-year engagement, the couple searched everywhere for a venue that suited their style. “We had absolutely no idea where to begin looking for a wedding venue, and we weren’t sold on anywhere in particular. After an extensive Google search of non-rustic venues—which are hard to find in Mississippi, particularly—we found Legacy Acres. I knew without even visiting that we would get married there,” Emily says.

Working with wedding designer Kaitie Gill, the couple created the “bold, vibrant, and vintage-inspired” day of their dreams. “Our wedding would not have been as perfect as it was without Kaitie. She has truly become a friend over the past couple years and made the process so enjoyable and stressfree,” Emily says.

Amidst the backdrop of energizing summer décor, guests were treated to two main courses: shrimp and grits, which are Emily’s favorite food, and corned beef and turkey reubens, Matt’s choice. Additionally, black-eyed pea caviar was served in cornbread muffins to honor the memory of Emily’s great-grandmother. “We are food lovers through and through, so we knew we wanted our menu to be special,” Emily adds. To further make the day reflective of the couple, they shared a video montage of scenes from favorite romance movies and television shows. At the bar, signature cocktails paid tribute to their two French bulldogs, Bonnie and Louie.

At the end of the celebration, the officiant drove the couple away in his vintage Volkswagen van. After honeymooning at the same Montego Bay Sandals resort where Matt’s parents spent their first days as newlyweds, the couple are now at home in Starkville, Mississippi.

HAPPY DAYS The couple had what Emily refers to as a “1970s, Anthropologie-inspired vision” for the floral design. Designer Brianna Belton used a mix of tropical and bright blooms to execute this idea. “We gave her inspiration, and she went beyond what we could have imagined!” Emily says.

“My everyday style is much more neutral-toned, but our wedding day was the perfect day to bring in the bold colors that I adore!”

—EMILY

Resources BARTENDING Buzzin’ Bee Bartending BRIDE’S GOWN Unveiled Bridal Collection CAKE Custom Cakes by Michelle Mayer CATERING Crave Catering Company DANCE FLOOR (CUSTOM) The Dance Floor Man ENTERTAINMENT (CEREMONY) Abbey Pierce Music ENTERTAINMENT (RECEPTION) DJ Chad Mansfield, Central Arkansas Entertainment FLORAL DESIGN Brianna Belton Designs (Bossier City, Louisiana) HAIR AND MAKEUP Makeup by Bayley LIVE ARTIST Watercolors by Korry PHOTOGRAPHY Kylie Farmer Photography RENTALS Brianna Belton Designs and Eventology VENUE Legacy Acres VIDEOGRAPHER Forestland Films WEDDING DESIGN AND COORDINATION Kaitie Gill Weddings