Welcome Party

The Gatsby

Wedding Day

Our Wedding

Our story… where do we begin? I wish we could say we met in some romantic way and had a beautiful story to tell, but our story only turns into that. ♥️ The one place you never think you’re going to meet you husband at, is where we begin. It all started with a swipe on Tinder in August 2019, lo and behold me and Blake Henderson matched with each other. And barely 3 days later, we had plans to meet up at a downtown Lexington bar, Belles Cocktail House. No more than 5 minutes after me and my friends have walked in, I get a text saying “I have a tequila shot for you on the first floor.” At this time in our lives, tequila solved all of our problems. So of course I said yes! And the rest is history. Our first ‘real’ date came 2 days later at Bar Louie in Lexington. Unbeknownst to me, he paid with his mom’s credit card. He was very new at his job, I had just moved and switched jobs, we were the epitome broke 20 somethings. But there was a moment 3 months later, in a crowded Walmart on Black Friday that truly shifted everything for me. I lost both him and my dad for a minute, only to find them in the middle of the underwear aisle, throwing a football around, ready for me and mom to be done shopping. Right then, I knew. I knew I loved him. I don’t know what it was about that moment, but it all made sense. Less than a week later, Blake shared his first “I love you” with me, and it’s a moment that will be engraved in my heart for the rest of my life. Eight months in, we faced the loss of our baby, and our hearts shattered in ways I didn’t know were possible. But through the pain, we really grew as a couple and realized exactly what we wanted out of life. Just three months later, we bought our first house together, and it was the best decision we ever made. Blake always knew how to surprise me. I was a server and bartender at J. Alexander’s at the time, unsure of my next steps because of the COVID Pandemic. I was so upset and guilt stricken at all times because I had nothing to contribute. I couldn’t work, the world was shut down, I felt so bad that Blake had to take all of the financial burden. While during this time, Blake had started to really flourish in his career, and it was such a beautiful time to witness him excelling in something he loved. He suggested I become a realtor. So much so, that he used money he did not have, to buy me real estate courses. When I woke up from a nap after our initial conversation, those courses were waiting for me in my email inbox. He didn’t even question his decision, he just wanted to push me toward something he believed I could do. That very moment is what started me on the career I have today and a career that wouldn’t have been possible without him. ♥️ In 2024, we moved into our forever home. Our dream home. Alongside that, I started competing in pageant’s again. Blake turned into the world’s best pageant boyfriend IMMEDIATELY. We were at a national competition in July 2024. After day one of competition, we took a ski lift to Anakeesta in Gatlinburg to enjoy a food and drink festival with me, him, and my parents. Blake suggested we take pictures at the “lookout”, a spot 10 stories high, with only stairs to climb. Anyone who knows Blake knows that he DOES NOT willingly climb stairs. But if Blake asks for pictures? We take the pictures! After taking a few, Blake starts pointing and saying, “Oh my gosh, look at the bear running down there!” Of course I started looking around and asking, “Where?” But when I turned around, there he was, on one knee, proposing. To me. I was absolutely speechless and so overwhelmed with love in that moment, I don’t think I even said yes. But he knew my answer ♥️ When I think about us, it’s crazy to realize that we were once young, dumb, 23-year-olds, broke and running wild. Now at 29, it’s has been beautiful to witness us grow into the better versions of ourselves; stronger, more capable, and deeply in love. We’ve excelled in our careers, built a life we’re proud of, and now we’re FINALLY planning our wedding after six years together. But even if it had taken six more years, I’d still wait as long as it takes, because spending the rest of my life with him is everything and anything I’ve ever wanted. We are so excited for what life holds for us, and the rest of this journey. We are beyond grateful to share this beautiful journey with the people who have supported us along the way.

Our Story

Photos

Bridesmaids

Morgan Swope

Jessica Badgett

Jordan Smith

Brianne Wilson

Micaela Albaugh

Hannah Kaltenbach

Haley Hudson

Groomsmen

Josh Stidham

Hugh Romine

Hagan Wilson

Nate Benson

Carter Dunn

Jake Gourley

Austin Whitley 

Wedding Party

Q + A

We understand that Shelbyville isn’t a super popular place in Kentucky, but it really is a hidden gem! For those traveling in, we have listed below several hotels within a 15 minute drive, as well as several Airbnb links all within 10 minutes of walking distance of our venue.

Hotel Blocks

Hampton Inn Simpsonville

Fairfield Inn & Suites Shelbyville

Airbnb’s - Walking Distance

Downtown Home

Downtown Home 2 

Downtown Home - LARGE

Downtown Cottage - LARGE

Travel

We understand that Shelbyville isn’t a super popular place in Kentucky, but it really is a hidden gem! There are several activities linked below for those who may be coming in for the entire weekend, or just for the day!

Paige & Blake

Paige & Blake

Registry

To shop local, our favorite Lexington Store in linked at the bottom of this page - SYERS BROWNING