Before Lindsey and Cristin fell in love, they built their relationship on years of friendship and a shared faith. That foundation eventually grew into something deeper, and after two and a half years of dating, Cristin began planning a proposal during a trip to Alaska.
He just could not wait that long.
Instead, Cristin transformed their home with flower petals and candles and enlisted their dog, Zuke, for the most important part. Around his neck was a sign that read, “Mom, will you marry Dad?”
For Lindsey, the intimate proposal was exactly what she had hoped for. “It was perfect,” she shared.
When it came time to plan their wedding with Everly and Co., that same combination of sentiment and romance carried into a celebration at Nichols Heir in the Smoky Mountains, where the couple envisioned a setting that felt like walking through a spring garden.
Green and soft pink created a delicate spring palette
Surrounded by private acres filled with oak and pine trees, Nichols Heir provided a naturally lush starting point for Lindsey and Cristin’s garden-inspired vision.
Green became the focal color, connecting the wedding design to the landscape surrounding the Grand Hall. Soft pink was layered throughout as a delicate accent, adding just enough color without overwhelming the greenery.
Photographed by Allie Krauser Digitals, inside, abundant natural light kept the atmosphere airy, while garden-inspired details brought the outdoors into the reception.
Lilies, hydrangeas, and trailing amaranth made the florals feel whimsical
Flowers were naturally one of the defining elements of a wedding designed to feel like a spring garden. “It was just dreamy,” Lindsey shared.
Rather than relying on tightly structured arrangements, the floral design by Swank Floral took a more organic approach. Lilies and hydrangeas were arranged in whimsical shapes that emphasized movement and texture, while strands of amaranth draped from vases.
The loose compositions gave the flowers the feeling that they were growing naturally throughout the celebration rather than simply decorating it.
A trinity braid honored Lindsey and Cristin’s shared faith
Their shared faith had been part of Lindsey and Cristin’s relationship long before their wedding, so it was important that it also have a meaningful place in their ceremony.
The couple participated in a trinity braid, a ritual symbolizing their covenant with God and the role of faith within their marriage.
Unlike many ceremony details that disappear once the wedding is over, theirs became part of their home. The finished braid now hangs there as a lasting reminder of the vows and promises they made to one another.
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Butterfly place cards finished the garden theme
Another whimsical detail was waiting for guests at cocktail hour.
Butterfly-shaped name cards were delicately attached to cocktail glasses, turning the seating assignments into another extension of the spring garden design. The butterflies brought a playful finishing touch to a celebration already filled with flowers, vines, greenery, and organic shapes.
Vining tablecloths brought the garden onto the tables
The botanical inspiration continued through the reception tables.
Printed tablecloths covered in vining motifs introduced another layer of greenery and reinforced the feeling of being surrounded by a garden. Paired with the organic floral arrangements, the pattern helped connect the tablescape to the larger spring-inspired vision.
Instead of treating the flowers, linens, and surrounding landscape as separate design elements, each worked together to create one continuous garden atmosphere.
Parasols and petite flower baskets added playful spring details
The garden theme extended beyond the reception design and into some of the day’s sweetest moments.
Bridesmaids gathered outdoors beneath parasols, sharing laughter against the lush Smoky Mountain setting. The flower girls carried petite baskets filled with blooms, adding another delicate botanical detail as the ceremony began.
Together, the parasols, baskets, greenery, and soft spring palette gave these moments a romantic garden-party quality without feeling overly formal.
Their Bible became the wedding guest book
Lindsey and Cristin found another personal way to connect their faith with the people celebrating alongside them.
Instead of a traditional guest book, they invited loved ones to write inside a Bible. Guests highlighted favorite passages and left personal messages in the margins, creating an heirloom filled with both scripture and words from their family and friends.
It was a detail that could continue to hold meaning long after the wedding day, giving the couple something they could return to throughout their marriage.
From the trailing amaranth and vining linens to the parasols and butterfly place cards, Lindsey and Cristin allowed the beauty of spring to influence nearly every visual detail. But the most lasting elements of their Smoky Mountain wedding were rooted in something deeper.
A trinity braid now hangs in their home. Their Bible holds handwritten notes from the people they love. And the friendship and shared faith that first brought them together remained at the center of it all.
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