BEHIND THE SCENES
Wedding Planner: Curly Willow Designs in
Pat
Fogg
Greenville, SC
Photographer: Aislinn Kate Photography
Caterers:
Rehearsal Dinner: Great Southern Catering
Wedding: Pensacola Country Club
Floral Design: Curly Willow Designs
Invitations/Stationary: Ginger Bender at duh in
........
Pensacola
Bridal Gown: AMSALE
Wedding Cake: Betty Weber
Venue for Ceremony: St. Michaels Cathedral
Venue for Reception: Pensacola Country Club
Hair Stylist: Volume One Salon
Makeup Artist: DeSheri McClure
Lauren Kendall
Evans
Brandon
McReynolds
story by Courtney Murray | photography by Aislinn Kate Photography
Newlyweds of Pensacola 31
F
amily is what brought Lauren Kendall Evans and Brandon
McReynolds together. Brandon, who is pursuing a career in
NASCAR, was helping Lauren’s cousin Kyle at his race in
Daytona where he quickly caught sight of Lauren and inquired about her.
After a few months of talking they met at Lauren’s grandparent’s house
and the rest was history. “He was like no one I had ever met and I felt
like I had known him for years,” described Lauren. A couple of weeks
later they spent the weekend together in Savannah, Georgia and started
dating. They embarked on a long distance relationship, which was never
easy, but they overcame and grew close fast. Lauren said, “Brandon always
says he knows it sounds cheesy, but from the moment he met me he
knew I was the one.” Their relationship blossomed quickly and a few
months later Brandon proposed to Lauren. Lauren was in school at the
University of Alabama at the time and was flying from Brandon’s race
in Virginia to Tuscaloosa to get back to school. Lauren remembers it as
one of the best days of her life, “Brandon insisted on flying back with
me, then flying back to Charlotte instead of me having to fly alone. I was
confused at first as to why he wanted to fly back with me, but was happy
I didn’t have to fly alone. On the flight we talked about one day getting
married and he told me he had looked at rings, we discussed possibly
getting engaged in six months or so. When we got off the plane he
proposed and my cousin was there to capture the moment.” Lauren was
in complete shock and couldn’t have been any happier or more excited.
Continuing to center their love story around family, Brandon’s dad was
thrilled that their proposal took place in Tuscaloosa, being that he is a
huge Alabama fan and from Birmingham. Lauren said, “It felt so amazing
to have someone want to spend the rest of their life with me that they
just couldn’t wait any longer.”
The wedding took place on November 28, 2015, on a picture perfect
day in Pensacola, Florida. Their closest friends and family gathered to
celebrate over Thanksgiving weekend, and they had a lot to be thankful
for that year. “Also, my grandfather who was much like a father to me,
passed a few years back; his birthday was on the 29th and we couldn’t
think of a better way to honor him,” described Lauren on picking a
wedding date. There were sentiments throughout the entire wedding and
every event venue that we picked had a special meaning. The rehearsal
was held at 5eleven, a building rich in history in Pensacola that is owned
by their close family friend. The bride’s party had a special morning
getting dressed at Lauren’s Nan’s house in downtown Pensacola where
she and her friends spent so much time growing up. While the girls
primped, they enjoyed a delicious catered breakfast from Bodacious
Olive in Pensacola. The groom’s party prepared at the Margaritaville
Hotel on Pensacola Beach. The wedding was held at Saint Michael’s
Cathedral where Lauren grew up going to mass with her family. The
reception was held at the Pensacola Country Club where Lauren’s Nan
and Grandfather spent lots of time and she has fond memories of playing
tennis on the courts in the summer. The rehearsal dinner was all about
the groom; leather couches, a wooden bar, lots of greenery and the
scent of a burning fire. Lauren’s vision of an “enchanted forest” wedding
came to life the following day with flowers, greenery and twinkling lights
everywhere. Her “something old” was the bangle that she always wears,
the “something new” was her earrings, “something borrowed” was her
Nan’s wedding band from her Grandfather, and the “something blue”
was the blue bow on her garter. The newlyweds and guests danced
the night away to the music of The 12 South Band, an amazing group
from Nashville. Lauren and Brandon spent a beautiful honeymoon
at Hermitage Bay in Antigua before returning to reside together in
Huntersville, NC.
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