A modern museum wedding in arkansas with an antique getaway car

Sometimes, the best love stories begin when you least expect them. For Ashby and Dee, it all started on New Year’s Eve in 2015 at a friend’s hunting lodge. From the very first moment their eyes met, Ashby describes it as love at first sight—that classic kind of love that’s absolutely bursting with instant connection, that shifts the entire energy in the room. By the end of the night, Ashby wasn’t ready to say goodbye. She came up with a clever excuse to see Dee again, asking her cousin, who had given her a ride to the party, to give a ride to another friend and then come all the way back for her. An hour each way, but her cousin did not hesitate. Those couple of late-night hours were the start of something extraordinary. What began as “just friends” quickly blossomed into a bond neither of them could ignore, and from that night forward, they were inseparable.

After seven years together, Dee chose a moment close to their hearts for the proposal. The couple had just wrapped up the 2023 rice harvest on Dee’s family farm, a season they always celebrated with quiet sunset drives. Ashby thought they were headed to a birthday dinner for Dee’s brother, but Dee suggested they stop by the reservoir on their way, a place tied to many of their memories together. With the sun dipping low over the water, Dee asked Ashby to help with a deer camera. She protested at first, as her outfit wasn’t exactly field-ready. Though when she walked over, Dee took her hands, dropped to one knee, and asked the question that changed everything. A hidden photographer in a deer stand captured the moment as it unfolded, preserving the raw emotion of their engagement. But the surprises weren’t over. What Ashby believed was a birthday dinner turned out to be an engagement party filled with friends and family, including college friends who had even disguised their locations on Find My Friends so she wouldn’t catch on. The night was a celebration perfectly tailored to her. Thoughtful, meaningful, and surrounded by everyone she loved.

With the help of Addison Hickman, Ashby and Dee embraced the elegance of simplicity, choosing a timeless black-and-white palette for their celebration at the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts. The ceremony, held in the museum’s courtyard, was breathtakingly romantic. Guests were welcomed by the refined sounds of a string quartet, and the aisle chairs were lined with white blooms by Fern and Feather Flowers, leading the way to Dee. The vows brought a moment of pure joy. When the officiant asked Ashby if she took Dee as her husband, she had to respond with a confident, “Absolutely,” rather than a simple “yes.” Without missing a beat, Dee answered the same way, “Absolutely.” The best part? The whole crowd joined in! When the officiant turned to the crowd and asked if we should continue, everyone shouted in unison: “ABSOLUTELY!” It was pure magic. It was a perfectly unscripted moment that blended fun with timeless romance.

Following the ceremony, guests enjoyed a cocktail hour accompanied by the quartet while Ashby and Dee slipped away for sunset portraits. Those quiet moments together provided a pause before stepping into what Ashby calls “the best party we’ve ever thrown.” The reception continued the sophisticated theme. Guests ascended a floral-lined staircase into a space that combined classic styling with deeply personal touches—engagement photos on display, warm lighting, and a dance floor ready for celebration. Their grand entrance to “Biblical” set the tone for the evening, which included parent dances, cake cutting, and a packed dance floor that never emptied.

Bridesmaids in sleek black floor-length gowns, groomsmen in black tuxedos and bowties, and florals in all-white created a look that was effortlessly chic and undeniably classic. Ashby made her entrance in a stunning and beautiful bridal gown, her walk down the aisle both graceful and unforgettable. Ashby stunned the dance floor in a dazzling after-party dress, the perfect complement to the night’s elegant and lively energy. The reception was so joyful, the couple even extended it by an extra hour; no one wanted the evening to end!

Even with its perfect planning, the day had one surprising twist. Just before the ceremony, the guest shuttle was involved in a minor accident. Thankfully, everyone was safe, but a few guests made a grand and memorable entrance by stepping off a fire truck right before Ashby walked down the aisle. The night ended in true classic fashion, with Ashby and Dee driving away in a vintage blue getaway car, a striking pop of color against their timeless black-and-white celebration.