JULIA STROUD & ALEX HARMON
January 20, 2024 | The Record | Bentonville | Caitlin Wilson Photography
Julia and Alex met during their freshman year of college in 2018 and quickly became friends. At the time, the two were serving on the creative team for Cross Church College and eventually developed feelings for one another. Originally, they had decided to stay friends despite their feelings, not wanting to ruin what they had. Alex eventually moved to New York and the two remained long-distance friends until his return in 2022.
Back from the Big Apple, Alex began plotting for the perfect time to ask his long-time pal for a first date.
“[That] August, I needed help with a project, so I reached out to him,” Julia said. “That was his ‘in.’”
By November, Alex had asked Julia to be his girlfriend, and within the year, plans for a wedding were underway.
WEDDING VENDORS WE LOVE
Florist
Arloh Flora
MORE VENDORS
Photography: Caitlin Wilson Photography; Venue: The Record; Day-of coordinator: Celebrate with Gray; Jewelry: Whites Jewelry; Bridesmaid’s dresses: Show Me Your Mumu, Hello Molly, ASTR The Label and Lulus; Groom and groomsmen attire: Suit Shop; Catering: Pam Bodenstein (family friend); Cake: Harps; DJ: Lukas Wiggington; Ceremony chairs: Eventures; Table rentals: Kindred Provisions; Dance floor: Dance Floor Man; Disco balls: Lightworks Events; Wedding dress: Bride KC; Hair stylist: Luxurious Glamour by Britt (Brittany Wiggington); Getaway car: Groom’s Grandpa’s
Q & A
Q: Which elements of the wedding decor were your favorite?
A: “My favorite touch at our reception was our pink checkered dance floor. It was our biggest compliment the entire night and the weeks after. The disco balls and our florals were also some of the best decisions we made. Arloh Flora understood my vision better than I did and made our florals better than I could have dreamed!”
Q: What personalizations made your day extra special?
A: “Our getaway car was Alex's grandpa's car that he fixed up specifically for us,” Julia said. “We felt so spoiled that he took the time to ensure the car was ready for our getaway. We loved taking photos in it and it gave our wedding such a vintage vibe.”
Q: As a wedding photographer, what surprised you most about planning your own wedding? And secrets to pulling off such a memorable affair?
“I was so surprised at how seamlessly our day went from start to finish. We had an amazing day-of coordinator and she made sure nothing was left undone. I did not have to worry about a single thing. She was seriously the best! I will recommend having a day-of coordinator forever.
“A huge perk for planning my own wedding is working in the wedding industry myself. I also purposefully made choices that reflected my personality. From the cake and the dance floor to the disco balls, I wanted to look back and see my personality. I knew being myself would truly make my wedding timeless for me!”
THE WIFE CUT
Julia loved getting her hair cut before her first look with Alex. “I kept it a secret from Alex until he saw me at the first look,” Julia said. “ It was so fun for all of my girls to be in the room cheering, taking Polaroids and bringing such fun energy!”
BEST DRESSED
Julia and Alex asked their guests to wear a pop of pink to their ceremony and reception!
