Lake Lanier has always held a special place for Katie and Kyrstyn, so it made perfect sense to get married by at the Ark on Lake Lanier. The two got ready together off and on until it was time for the finishing touches. At that point, they separated to get dressed: Kyrstyn in her bohemian-vibe dress and Katie in her dapper vest and pant combo. They kept their attire, and the whole day, simple and relaxed. The vibe really suited the two of them and their loved ones perfectly.
The Ark on Lake Lanier Wedding Day
A close friend of Krystyn & Katie’s performed the ceremony. And their daughter was one of the unicorn flower girl brigade, lending an even more personal touch to wedding. During their portraits, Krystyn & Katie chased the sunshine with me, laughing and exploring the property. The newlyweds were always down for even my most wild ideas, ending at the in-ground trampoline off the side of the house!
The wedding party was elegantly decked out in mustards and blues, a gorgeous and autumnal color combination. The reception took place in the main rooms of the Ark at Lanier. Guests could also enjoy the covered back porch, where there were heaters set up to knock the November nighttime chill out of the air. The evening was full of laughter, relaxing, and plenty of bonding time for both sides.
The Ark on Lake Lanier is a fantastic and enormous venue. It’s definitely big enough to house your entire wedding party and a good number of family members, as well! The backyard and huge tree Krystyn & Katie married under was gorgeous, the perfect space for a ceremony! And there are so many spots on the property for portraits – a photographer’s dream. The Ark has a gorgeous view of the lake, beautiful light streaming in through the trees, and plenty of room inside for a comfortable cocktail hour and dinner out on the covered porch. It has everything you need plus room for everyone!
Most memorable moment on your wedding day?
Seeing each other for the first time. Kyr could not stop giggling and smiling out of pure joy and nervousness and seeing Katie pulled from the deepest of heart stings and had such a feeling of relief.
Funniest moment on your wedding day?
Kyrstyn’s vows and forgetting to do the ring exchange. We had so clearly not practiced all the details so it was perfectly imperfect and hearing everyone laugh because of our mess-ups made it all that more memorable and hilarious. And Katie is so obviously the sentimental romantic in the pair so her vows were beautiful, intimate, and eloquent and left everyone tearing up. Kyr’s on the other hand were inappropriate and funny so they left everyone laughing (and our mother’s red faced). She almost changed her vows on the spot because Katie’s were SO MUCH BETTER!
We were most anxious about the ceremony. Also, hosting your own big party with so many people and being able to be with each other and still talk to everyone. It turned out so memorable, our friends and family all intermingled and the coming together of two families could not have gone any better! We were also anxious about the first dance so we just skipped it in the end!
What advice would you give other couples planning their wedding day?
As cliche as it sounds, be yourself while planning it and make your wedding day for you. You want people to come up to you to tell you that “your ceremony was so the two of you” or that it was hilarious to watch X, Y, and Z. So don’t stress about the little details and do stress about the big ones like the taco toppings or the hangover kits for the morning after because it is going to happen how it is going to happen. And do a FULL run-through of your ceremony at your rehearsal, every detail because we did not and we forgot some important steps but it made it so funny in the end. And have a wedding party who knows both you and your spouse because they will be your people that day, they will be the ones feeding you water and wine, making you plates of food, and making sure your outfits don’t malfunction.
As cliche as it sounds, be yourself while planning it and make your wedding day for you. You want people to come up to you to tell you that “your ceremony was so the two of you” or that it was hilarious to watch X, Y, and Z. So don’t stress about the little details and do stress about the big ones like the taco toppings or the hangover kits for the morning after because it is going to happen how it is going to happen. And do a FULL run-through of your ceremony at your rehearsal, every detail because we did not and we forgot some important steps but it made it so funny in the end. And have a wedding party who knows both you and your spouse because they will be your people that day, they will be the ones feeding you water and wine, making you plates of food, and making sure your outfits don’t malfunction.
Any tips for future couples on how to prepare for their wedding photos?
Hire Raven. ha! But for real, the wedding photo part was one of the easiest of the night because Raven got to know us before the wedding so she knew exactly how to help us feel comfortable and be ourselves. Also, talk to your parents/family/etc. yourself so you know what specific pictures they want, like extended family or family friends.
Raven is an Atlanta Wedding Photographer who captures real people on their totally unique and completely awesome wedding day. She travels throughout Georgia, including Athens, North Georgia, Dahlonega and beyond, documenting love. Get in touch to plan your unique wedding day!