CLAIRE SILVERMAN & AUSTIN HOYT
Aug. 27, 2023 | Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art | Bentonville | The Villar Photo Co.
Claire felt fate intervene when she met Austin, and one night, as their relationship blossomed and she watched him tenderly rock her 2-year-old daughter to sleep, she knew he was the one.
“I had been struggling for years to get her to go to sleep, and she fell asleep in his arms immediately,” Claire said.
For Austin, it was love at first sight. He proposed to Claire in bed because she said it’s her favorite place to be. Reminiscent of the 2013 film “About Time,” this simple and personal proposal her fairy tale come true.
WEDDING VENDORS WE LOVE
Photography
The Villar Photo Co.
Venue, catering and bar
Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art
Wedding design, planning, and coordination
Jessica Kersey of JLK Weddings
Floral design and production
Tanarah Luxe Floral
MORE VENDORS
Videography: Dave and a Camera; Ceremony venue: Cooper Memorial Chapel; Production, custom builds and lighting: Central Arkansas Entertainment; Rentals: White Door Rental, BBJ Linens and Host NWA; Transportation: Vintage Motor Cars, Pinnacle Transportation Services, SideRide NWA; Dove release: Full Circle Doves; Gown: Vladiyan Official; Makeup: Karah Aleanna Artistry; Cake: Shelby Lynn’s Cake Shoppe; Performers: Ballet Arkansas; Performers’ hair and makeup: Jessica Humerick; Photo booth: Social Photobooth Co.; Calligraphy: Specklebelly Lettering; Children’s face painter: Dancenhance Entertainment; Live painter: Jane Davidian
Q & A
Q: What was the inspiration behind this fairy tale wedding?
A: “My father's Tiffany lamp, which was my favorite lamp in the collection he had, was the inspiration,” Claire said. “He passed away in 2016 and I wanted his memory to be a part of the celebration.”
“I have always been a designer who loved to use one element as a jumping-off point to design a bespoke wedding,” Tanarah Haynie, owner of Tanarah Luxe Floral, said. “I was so inspired when the bride told me of her wishes to honor her late father and his love of Tiffany Glass. Crystal Bridges’ Great Hall was transformed into a mystical fantasy garden. I designed a Tiffany lamp-inspired portal into the event of a fantasy garden.”
Q: What inspired the florals?
A: “This was inspired by the Tiffany Lamp, donated by Claire’s father to Crystal Bridges Museum before he passed away. The lamp sat beside his chair in their home when Claire was a child and the lamp was the most important part of the wedding for her,” Jessica said. “The wisteria design of the lamp was used in the invitations and florals, and through the design of the wedding. The stained glass screens, conceptualized by Tanarah Luxe Floral, and created by Central Arkansas Entertainment, were used to transport guests into this magical space.”
Q: What was your favorite moment of the day and why?
A: “I loved dancing at the end of the night with all my family,” Claire said. “I really loved my dress and my father's lamp being there, all the moody pastels, the reflection of the water the gigantic cake, the doves at the ceremony.”
Q: What was the inspiration behind the painted women in flower dresses?
A: “This was one of the last design elements we added to the wedding,” Jessica said. “We wanted to bring in as many “wow” moments as possible. Hosting the reception in the museum and going with the magical garden feel for the rest of the design, we loved the idea of living art. Jessica Humerick painted their bodies, faces and hair to look like stone, and Tanarah added the florals to really put it over the top.”
“I love performance art and have incorporated them in my events ever since my company began,” Tanarah said. “What can I say, I am an art junkie and when the right client comes into the picture, I jump at the chance to bring in a performer! I really wanted stone-like statuesque women who looked like beautiful creatures. They were like a dream coming to life and the crowd loved it!”
Q: What was your favorite part of the planning process?
A: “I loved working with Jessica Kersey and CAE the most,” Tanarah said. “A great team like that promotes creativity and has your back on what was the tightest working schedule of my career. Jessica went to bat on every crazy idea the team had and allowed everyone to show their talents. Our team of wedding professionals had the best synergy!”
The Villar Photo Co.
MEANING BEHIND IT
The stained glass and extravagant florals were inspired by Claire’s father’s Tiffany lamp that he donated to Crystal Bridges before he passed away.
LIVING ART
“We loved the idea of living art,” said Jessica Kersey of JLK Weddings. “The performers were dancers from Ballet Arkansas. [The foral designer], Tanarah had costumes made for them to mimic the feel of a draped stone sculpture in a garden.”
