After months of planning and a fun thing called COVID, Kaitlyn and Trey finally kissed their way to forever after on August 29, 2020 among friends & family at the Lesner Inn. Throughout the day and into the night, the feeling of absolute joy and love filled the air and we just had to share their love story, which is why we asked Kaitlyn and Trey to reminisce about their big day and share a bit of advice to future couples!

When and where did you meet? 

Trey and I met in May of 2016, just after my birthday. My roommate at the time ran in to Trey while she was at dinner (they’ve known each other for years!) and convinced he and I to meet and go out for drinks that night. He came to our apartment and was putting some beer into our fridge, and when he popped his head out from the door I saw his blue eyes, bright smile, and we’ve been together ever since!!

When and how did you get engaged?

We got engaged in July 2019 and is the absolute BEST story! We planned a trip to Bali, Indonesia. It was my first time out of the country so we decided we’d travel to several different places throughout the country over 2 weeks. It was our second day there and our friends (who are also photographers) took us to this waterfall for a fun “photo shoot”. Little did I know that the whole thing was planned by all of them for Trey to propose! He met me out by the waterfall and got down on one knee then asked me to marry him! And we have the most amazing pictures of it!!

Why did you choose the Lesner Inn?

We knew we wanted to get married on the beach or near the water, so after looking online we came across the Lesner Inn. As soon as we walked in we knew that’s where we’d have our wedding. We spent probably an hour walking around upstairs, on the deck, and picturing how everything would look! We just had such an amazing first impression. We saw one other venue and immediately walked out after 5 minutes because we knew the Lesner Inn was it.

What additional vendors did you choose for your wedding day and why? 

We chose Ashley Dawn Photography because she’s amazing and we love her vibe/ her work! She had also done our Christmas pictures, Engagements, and other shoots before the wedding so we were so comfortable and had a great connection! We chose Astro Entertainment’s DJ Danny because not only was Astro the most recommended, but Danny was said to be the best – and HE IS! He was great and really understood us. One of my (Kaitlyn) old co-worker’s daughter, Rachelle DeJesus, had baked cakes/ cupcakes for every one of our office birthdays and is amazing so I knew I had to have her do my desert! Her mom, Karen DeJesus, is very talented in decorating so she agreed to do the flowers for my wedding and did even better than I ever could’ve imagined!! Kristin Hinson personalized our drinks sign and our “Thank You” sign which now hangs in our house!

What décor & other design aspects of your wedding were most important to you?

Honestly, with how beautiful and elegant Lesner Inn already is I didn’t have to contribute much on the décor side! I love “earthy” and simple so just adding greenery, candles and subtle accents to what was already provided was perfect for us!

What was your vision for your wedding day?

We just wanted the day to be the absolute best it could be without stressing or getting caught up in the craziness. I think we truly enjoyed every moment leading up to the ceremony and even more so celebrating together as husband and wife. As long as we could celebrate with the people we love that was all that mattered!

What unique details did you add to your wedding?

We had a couple unique details and personal touches at our wedding that I absolutely love. First, my sister, Kelly, hand made our cake stand from scratch! Second, we included a candle and sign that said, “This candle burns in loving memory of those who aren’t here today, but who are forever present in our hearts”, which I felt was a beautiful dedication to my late father and grandparents and to Trey’s grandmothers and aunt. Last but definitely not least, my sister Kelly also gave me a beautiful pendant for my bouquet that included sweet words and a picture of my dad.

What were you most excited for your wedding day?

I think Trey and I were most excited for the moment I walked to him down the aisle. It’s something that we would talk about constantly before the wedding and let me tell y’all, it was the BEST moment when we locked eyes and he finally saw me in my dress for the first time! (getting emotional typing about it LOL).

How did you handle the stress of wedding planning? Were there any major hiccups along the way with COVID?

To be honest, I truly did not have a lot of stress during wedding planning! Seriously. Everyone would ask how planning was going and I’d literally say “great” or “so smooth” and they’d be so surprised! It was because having a wedding at Lesner Inn, and just about everything being included/ the most helpful staff, I only had to worry about the DJ, photography, flowers, desert and some additional décor. I only really started to get stressed out in the last month leading up to our wedding date, and that was mostly because COVID-19 tried to mess with it!  Kim and Alexis made every single part of planning enjoyable, laid back and easy!!

Do you have any advice for couples who are planning their weddings now?

My advice is to not let the planning consume you. Enjoy it and make it fun! The day is going to perfect no matter what happens or what it looks like. You will be surrounded by people that love you! As my officiant told us the night before our wedding, “there are no mistakes, only memories”.

XOXOXOXOXO,

Trey & Kaitlyn Hill

Vendors

Venue: The Lesner Inn

DJ: Astro DJ – Danny

Photographer: Ashley Dawn Photography

Bridal Gown: Here & Now Bridal

Rehearsal Dinner: The Lesner Inn