There’s just something about Arkansas. It seems no matter where you go, when you tell a stranger that you’re from here, they have a connection to the state also. This has been true for me in some surprising places—on a sidewalk in Washington, D.C., on a ski lift in Whistler, Canada and poolside in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, to name a few. And it has become true for my sister Ashley Turner Parker, whose only Arkansas connection was once just through me (I married into a family native to The Natural State and subsequently relocated here).
I often joked with her and my single girlfriends back home that they needed to find a good ol’ Arkansas boy like mine, because honestly, men in this state seem much more respectful, family-oriented and kind. At least that’s been my experience.
Of course, we never expected this to actually happen. But, there went Arkansas being it’s small-world self again. One fateful night in Dallas, Ashley met Talley Parker, a Rogers-native and former University of Arkansas tennis player. They soon fell madly in love, and she married the man this past May at their favorite vacation spot: the Phoenician Resort in Scottsdale, Ariz. I’ve never seen her happier – with credit due to his genuine, fun-loving personality and upstanding character. And now, Ashley has her own Arkansas family and ties to this great state (her sweet in-laws still reside in Rogers).
I share this story, along with my favorite photos from their wedding (captured by Arkansas photographer Whitney Bower of Whitney Bower Imaging), to illustrate how it’s just a small, close-knit little world here in Arkansas, and I’m so happy to call it home... to work here... to cover your weddings... to help you plan them... and to watch Arkansas families grow — spreading the state’s charm across state lines and country borders.
So, here’s to Arkansas, and here’s to your upcoming weddings! May they all be as perfect as you always dreamed they would be.
Best wishes,
PS: I just had to share this AMAZING bridal portrait Whitney took of Ashley before the big day. Don't you just love it?!
