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  

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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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12/20/16   9:05 AM