Meet Me Under the Mistletoe | Southern Illinois Wedding

The Couple

Olivia and Coleman Fitch from West Frankfort, IL.

How They Met

We had known each other for a long time, but didn’t really get to know each other until we were set up by my friend and Coleman’s cousin.

I think we both knew pretty early on that we were meant to be together. Coleman says that he knew when he dropped me off from one of our earlier dates and realized that he didn’t want to go home without kissing me, so he turned around and came back just to do it. I think for me it was when I realized that even though we had only been on a couple dates, it felt like we had known each other forever.

The Proposal

Coleman had been having me proofread his papers for a creative writing class that semester. One night, he gave me another paper to proofread, except this time it was the story of our relationship. At the end of the story, there was a line about the next chapter, and when I looked up, Coleman was on one knee with the ring.

The Venues

Our ceremony was held at Whitfield Hall in West Frankfort and our reception was at the Carterville Community Center. We chose Whitfield Hall because of its history, the beautiful stained glass windows, and the center aisle. We chose the community center because it was big enough to hold all of our guests and allowed us to have more freedom when it came to choosing vendors.

Wedding Inspiration

Our wedding inspiration was eclectic and cozy. With the wedding being two days before Christmas, we wanted to incorporate the same feelings of the holidays without making it feel like a Christmas-themed wedding.

Favorite Part

Our favorite part was getting to relax and enjoy the reception with all our family and friends. After a very busy week and all the stress of getting everything ready, it was nice to be able to just sit back and enjoy our time with the people we love most.

Memorable Moment

There are a couple moments that really stand out to us. About halfway through the father-daughter dance, we invited all the other fathers and daughters to join us. It felt like that moment was straight out of a movie, and it still gives me warm fuzzy feelings when I think about it.

Another big moment for us came at the end of the night. Most of our guests had left, and we got to sit down and talk with some of our friends. We had been so busy leading up to that point, so that was the first moment where we really got to take it all in.

Advice

Make a separate email account specifically for wedding related things! That and my excel spreadsheet guest list were the two biggest things for me when it came to organization. Keep in mind that something is bound to go wrong, and be able to roll with the punches. Don’t forget to take a step back and really enjoy the day, because it goes by so quickly.

Vendors

Photographer: Britni Woodworth Photography // Hair and Makeup: Lori’s Hair Affairs in West Frankfort // Bride and Bridesmaid Dresses: Anne’s Bridals in Paducah, KY // Reception backdrop and dance floor decorations: Park Avenue Blooms in Herrin // Reception: Carterville Community Center // Flowers, Ceremony Decorations, Reception Decorations: Family and friends