1. Real Weddings

A Lakeside Military Wedding at Spring Lake in Rockmart, Georgia

High school sweethearts Morgan Lehr (22 and a teacher) and Park Seagraves (23 and a naval officer) embraced the great outdoors and their adventurous s

High school sweethearts Morgan Lehr (22 and a teacher) and Park Seagraves (23 and a naval officer) embraced the great outdoors and their adventurous spirit during their lakeside wedding at Spring Lake in Rockmart, Georgia. “We are very outdoorsy and adventurous people, so we wanted our theme to be very natural and romantic,” Morgan says. The couple infused their venue with a color scheme of ivory, green, light pink and beige, along with glitzy gold and rustic wooden details. The couple exchanged vows under a cedar arch with a lake and mountain backdrop. “Our ceremony was one of our favorite parts of the day,” Morgan says. A longtime family friend officiated the ceremony, which included a symbolic tree-planting ceremony. Guests were seated in vintage church pews, and the aisle was lined with mini floral arrangements hanging in glass vases. After Morgan and Park’s marriage pronouncement and during their first kiss, Park’s fellow Navy officers gave the newlyweds a sword salute. With the couple's adventuresome spirit in mind, Morgan and Park included a few surprises too: a Chick-fil-A groom’s cake, a touching and tearful guitar performance of Dar Williams’s "The One Who Knows" by Morgan's father and a romantic sunset canoe ride for the newlyweds. “We are always up for an adventure, and after all we have been through at each other's side, that is what life has been,” Morgan says. “We are each other's best friends and always have fun together, and that's what our wedding was all about.” —Marissa Hermanson

Morgan and Park exchanged vows under a cedar arch with a lake and mountain backdrop. “Our ceremony was one of our favorite parts of the day,” Morgan says. Guests were seated in vintage church pews, and the aisle was lined with mini floral arrangements hanging in glass vases. “It truly made it feel like an outdoor church,” Morgan says. “We chose this location because so many of our adventures have taken place outside while camping, hiking, picnicking and exploring. It is our happy place.”
“I wanted my dress to have the classic-bride feel that would work for our military and outdoor wedding,” Morgan says. On her wedding day, Morgan donned an Essence of Australia ball gown with an organza skirt, lace and a sweetheart bodice. “It was the perfect mix of elegant, sexy and classy.” Park looked handsome in his choker whites, the formal Navy summer uniform.
“We spent a lot of time meticulously planning the ceremony, since we were having a friend perform as the officiant,” Morgan says. Her parents escorted her down the aisle to the song "To Whom It May Concern.” “As soon as Park and I saw each other down the aisle, tears were in both of our eyes since we had been waiting for that moment for so long,” Morgan says. The couple incorporated a tree-planting ritual into their ceremony, where they potted a kumquat tree, and each poured dirt from our childhood backyards into the pot to symbolize the importance of roots, growth and a fruitful marriage.
After their marriage pronouncement and during their first kiss, Park’s fellow Navy officers gave the newlyweds a sword salute. “We had six military officers perform the arch, and it was definitely one of our favorite moments from the ceremony,” Morgan says. The couple walked down the aisle to Vitamin String Quartet’s version of "Concerning Hobbits," a nod to their love for “The Lord of the Rings.”
Bridesmaids donned blush, floor-length gowns with a romantic sweetheart neckline from David’s Bridal, while groomsmen wore a mix of white Navy uniforms and charcoal Kenneth Cole suits. “We wanted the suits to be formal, matching the uniforms, but with subtle colors so the hypericum berry boutonnieres could pop,” Morgan says. “I was worried about mixing the groomsmen and groom's attire, but the aesthetic in the end was perfect.”
The couple embraced the theme of adventure and the great outdoors for their wedding celebration. “We are always up for an adventure,” Morgan says, “and after all we have been through at each other's side, that is what life has been.”
In lieu of a gift table, presents were loaded up into a canoe for Morgan and Park.
Morgan and Park’s three-tier cake with cinnamon, chocolate and vanilla flavoring was iced in vanilla buttercream frosting and decorated with flowers that complemented the bouquets. Next to the cake, a hand-painted sign read, ”Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same."
During the reception, Morgan surprised Park with “his favorite thing in the world”: Chick-fil-A. Morgan had his groom’s cake decorated in a cow print with a Chick-fil-A logo and waffle-fry cookies.
During the reception at Spring Lake in Rockmart, Georgia, the newlyweds sneaked away for a private romantic moment to canoe during the sunset.