Cheekwood Estate & Gardens

Wedding Day

Ceremony

Our Wedding

The start of our relationship

Sean and Emma met on Hinge in early July 2021. Sean liked Emma's profile description as a "Type A person who is super organized". Immediately they started connecting over their organized personalities, hometowns, and love of country music. Eventually Sean gave Emma his phone number and she replied "Omg 865 area code haha" because she loved the Morgan Wallen song 865. Their first date was on July 16th and it felt so effortless to talk with each other. During the date Sean kept talking about his new puppy Dolly, so Emma wanted to meet this special pup. Over the next few weeks Emma met Dolly (she was covered in mud from the dog park), Sean and Emma cooked dinners for each other, and Sean introduced Emma to the TV show Yellowstone which they began watching together. Sean asked Emma to be his girlfriend on July 30th and surprised her with a photo album to fill with all the memories of their future relationship.

The first year of our relationship

The first year of Sean and Emma's relationship was full of new memories together. Sean and Emma took Dolly to the dog park several nights a week, continued to cook dinners for each other, and enjoyed date nights at many Nashville restaurants that Sean introduced to Emma. Sean shared his love for Tennessee football with Emma and she quickly learned about the passion of football in the South. They often visited Knoxville, Tennessee to spend time with Sean's family and to attend Tennessee football games. Sean and Emma went on their first vacations together to Destin, Florida and to the Blue Ridge Mountains in Georgia. They attended many country music concerts in Nashville and loved listening to live music together. Emma took Sean back home to Johnston, Iowa for Thanksgiving to meet Emma's extended family. Sean loved the wide open spaces in Iowa and on the drive there he said "You can see miles in front of you!". Sean and Emma spent their first Christmas together in Knoxville, Tennessee and went fishing on Christmas Eve. Emma had never experienced such a warm Christmas with no snow!

The second year of our relationship

In the second year of Sean and Emma's relationship, they began to mold their lives together. Sean and Emma knew they wanted to spend the rest of their lives together, so they took two steps towards forever. They picked out an engagement ring and moved in together. Sean and Emma love living together and enjoy cooking, watching sports, and spending time with Dolly. Dolly's favorite part of the day is when Emma gets home from work, she gives Emma lots of kisses! Sean and Emma continued to attend country music concerts, travel to Knoxville, Tennessee and Johnston, Iowa to spend time with family, and attend Tennessee football games.

Our Engagement

Sean and Emma both knew the engagement was coming soon because they had picked out the ring together. On July 15th 2023, Sean asked Emma to go for an afternoon hike and drove Emma to Harpeth River State Park. During the drive Sean was playing a playlist he made for Emma called "My Sweet Emma". Emma has always loved this playlist that Sean made at the beginning of their relationship which is full of country music songs that reminded Sean of Emma and their relationship. Emma was already emotional and sentimental during the drive, so she knew something big was happening! Once they arrived, Sean and Emma hiked to a beautiful lookout point. Sean asked Emma to marry him at this lookout point. Emma said yes and it was a beautiful and special moment just for the two of them!

Our Story

Engagement pictures taken by Sean and Emma's future sister-in-law Rachel Findling in Manchester, Iowa.

Engagement Photos

Emma's Sigma Kappa sorority sister at Iowa State University

Andrea Fiorini

Emma's friend from Biochemistry major at Iowa State University

Dominique Knipper-Davis

Kara Mangione

Ella Mangione

Christian Alderman

Pete Brodnax

Adam Mitchell

Reese Valk

Jaxon Hamlett

Charlotte Blair

Wedding Party

Wedding Shower

July 6, 2024

12 pm - 3 pm 

Destination Grille

2491 E 1st St Grimes, IA 50111

Lunch &amp; dessert provided at our wedding shower!Please see below for lodging.

Hampton Inn & Suites

8811 Plum Drive Urbandale, IA 50322 

515-252-7000

If you are traveling to our wedding shower, we invite you to stay at the Hampton Inn Suites in Urbandale, Iowa. We have reserved a block of 2 queen bed rooms and 1 king bed rooms for $149 a night. This hotel offers free parking and free breakfast. Please use the link below to book before June 7th to receive our discounted rate!

<a href="https://www.hilton.com/en/book/reservation/rooms/?ctyhocn=DSMUBHX&amp;arrivalDate=2024-07-03&amp;departureDate=2024-07-08&amp;groupCode=CHHVGW&amp;room1NumAdults=1&amp;cid=OM%2CWW%2CHILTONLINK%2CEN%2CDirectLink" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.hilton.com/en/book/reservation/rooms/?ctyhocn=DSMUBHX&amp;arrivalDate=2024-07-03&amp;departureDate=2024-07-08&amp;groupCode=CHHVGW&amp;room1NumAdults=1&amp;cid=OM%2CWW%2CHILTONLINK%2CEN%2CDirectLink</a>

We have reserved a block of 2 queen bed rooms and 1 king bed rooms for $159 a night. This hotel is located in Brentwood just south of Nashville and is a 20 min drive from Cheekwood. This hotel offers free parking. Continental breakfast is available for $7 or $13 for a hot cooked to order breakfast (omelets, pancakes, french toast, sausage, bacon, etc.). Please use the link below to book before July 9th to receive our discounted rate!

Hilton Garden Inn Nashville Brentwood

We have reserved a block of 2 queen bed rooms and 1 king bed rooms for $239 a night. This hotel is located in Green Hills and is a 15 min drive from Cheekwood. Parking is $35 per day. This hotel offers a free breakfast bar including scrambled eggs, sausage, breakfast potatoes, toast, fresh fruit, granola, and&nbsp;yogurt. Please use the link below to book before July 9th. When booking, select dates between August 8-11th and use the group code "G-EMMA" to receive our discounted rate!

Hyatt Place Nashville / Green Hills

Lodging

We are so excited to have you in Nashville, Tennessee! Nashville will always be a special place for us and our relationship, and we can't wait to share it with you! Below are some of our favorite places to eat, drink, and things to do in Nashville.

Places to eat

Breakfast

Ladybird Taco229 10th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37204Sean's personal favorite - great breakfast tacos with chips &amp; queso! We've enjoyed picking this up and taking it down the road to Sevier Park to eat outside.Our go-to orders: Breakfast Taco #1, 2, 4 and 5, Queso &amp; Chips

Maple Street Biscuit Company2407 8th Ave S Suite 105, Nashville, TN 37204Hearty biscuits and gravy that keeps us full all day! This location is in the 8th Ave S neighborhood, right next to the apartment building Sean lived in when he met Emma!Our go-to orders: Five &amp; Dime, Extreme B&amp;G, Biscuits with jam

First Watch2321 8th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37204Yummy traditional breakfast! This location is in the 8th Ave S neighborhood where Sean lived when he met Emma!Our go-to orders: Elevated Egg Sandwich, Million Dollar Bacon, The Works Omlet

Lunch/Dinner

Jack Brown's Beer &amp; Burger Joint201 Villa Pl Suite 102, Nashville, TN 37212 or 1123 3rd Ave N, Nashville, TN 37208Sean's favorite - great simple, wagyu burgers and the best homemade sauce.Our go-to orders: Classic Jack and Greg Brady, Basket of fries

Hattie B's Hot Chicken5209 Charlotte Ave, Nashville, TN 37209A Nashville staple, serving high quality hot fried chicken. Be careful if you struggle with spicy foods like Emma, she prefers the "Mild" heat level while Sean prefers the "Medium" heat level with a little kick.Our go-to orders: Fried Jumbo Tenders, Pimento Mac &amp; Cheese, Creamy Cole Slaw (more Mayo than vinegar), Fries

Emmy Squared Pizza1121 5th Ave N, Nashville, TN 37208Combination of deep-dish pizza and a great burger!Our go-to orders: Le Big Matt burger, Colony and Big Ang for pizza, and the Waffle Fries are a must

Bartaco2526 12th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37204Great for shareable sides, tasty margaritas, and a variety of light tacos.Our go-to orders: Plantains, Guac and Chips, Street Corn, Glazed Pork Belly taco (must try!), Sesame Ribeye taco, Spiced Chicken Verde taco, and House Margarita

Barcelona Wine Bar1200 Villa Pl Suite 110, Nashville, TN 37212Emma's personal favorite - we have been here for countless anniversaries, birthdays, and Valentine's days. Small plates (tapas) to share, we usually share 4 for 2 people. Great flavors and unique dishes!Our go-to orders: Croquetas (Emma's favorite - must try), Patatas Bravas, Albondigas, Hummus, and Olive Oil cake for dessert!

Cava2171 Green Hills Village Dr, Nashville, TN 37215Mediterranean style bowls and salads, one of our favorite healthier options, great value.Our go-to orders: Make your own Salad or Grain Bowl with your choice of toppings

Peg Leg Porker BBQ903 Gleaves St, Nashville, TN 37203Nashville's best BBQ, we love taking our family here. They also have a sister location called Bringle's Smoking Oasis.Our go-to orders: Pulled Pork Platter, BBQ Beans, Mac and Cheese, Banana Pudding

Places to Drink

Pins Mechanical Co1102 Grundy St, Nashville, TN 37203Where it all started for Sean and Emma - their first date spot is a "barcode" with duck pin bowling, fun drinks, and other games. They do not sell food, but usually have food trucks on-site. Also in the Gulch neighborhood with many restaurants and activities.

Tailgate Brewery7300 Charlotte Pike, Nashville, TN 37209Large taproom with a huge selection of different beers, and great pizza. This is the headquarters location with lots of outdoor seating and a great view. There are several other locations in Nashville.

Broadway BarsThis is the go-to downtown bar scene, with live music and not so cheap drinks. Here are a few of the bars we recommend:Acme Feed &amp; Seed - Favorite view of Cumberland river, more relaxedJason Aldean's - Best party atmosphere on top floor, live music on first floorLuke's 32 Bridge - Also big party atmosphereTootsie's - Nashville's world famous live-music bar

Midtown BarsThis is the local bar scene where we avoid tourists, slightly less pricey drinks. Here are a few of the bars we recommend:Kung Fu Saloon - More laidback, outside games and arcade gamesWinner's/Loser's - Typical bar, fun on nights &amp; weekendsThe Dogwood - More upbeat and loud music

Things to do

222 Rep. John Lewis Way S, Nashville, TN 37203Historic museum that takes you through the origins of country music and country music stars! Emma and her family have come here twice and they loved it. Took us about 3 hours to go through the whole museum.

Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

The Musicians Hall of Fame is a great walk though the history of recorded music regardless of genre or instrument. Emma and her mom have been here and we enjoyed this museum. This would be a great activity for those who aren't super into country music but are interested in the history of music in general!

Musicians Hall of Fame

These two live music venues are world-famous! Emma and her mom have attended a show at the Grand Old Opry and it was a magical country music experience! If you are thinking about going to a show at either of these venues, look for tickets online far in advance! You can also book tours of these venues to learn more about the history.

Grand Old Opry & Ryman Auditorium

224 Rep. John Lewis Way S, Nashville, TN 37203Historic working letterpress print shop from 1879. This shop still prints posters for country performers, and you may see some of these posters around Nashville. Emma and her mom have visited this shop and thought it was a unique experience to learn and try out the letterpress!

Hatch Show Print

There are lots of distilleries around Nashville as a part of the Tennessee Whiskey Trail. Emma and her family have visited two of these distilleries, the H. Clark Distillery and Leiper's Fork Distillery. It was very interesting to learn how whiskey and bourbon are made through the distillery process!

Whiskey Distilleries

If you're looking for local shopping in Nashville, head to 12th Ave South. This street is full of local restaurants, shops, and murals to explore!

Sean & Emma

Sean & Emma

Wedding Shower

Wedding Shower

July 6, 2024

12 pm - 3 pm

Destination Grille

2491 E 1st St Grimes, IA 50111

Hampton Inn & Suites

8811 Plum Drive Urbandale, IA 50322

515-252-7000