CALEIGH COENEN & JAMES MCMAHON
September 2, 2023 | Big Red Barn | Little Rock | Miles Witt Boyer
Caleigh and James had an instant connection when they met through mutual friends in 2016. Though James was traveling back to Colorado to attend the Air Force Academy two weeks after they met, the two decided to pack in all the time they could together. They remained friends until the fall of 2017 and have been together ever since.
“We knew that long distance would be a challenge and so we put in the work day in and day out because we loved each other,” Caleigh said. “We did long distance for three years, so when James was finally able to move closer to Arkansas for pilot training, it made all of the hard work worthwhile. We knew then in 2019 that our commitment to each other was unbreakable.”
Caleigh has a self-proclaimed Type-A personality, so James knew it would be difficult to surprise her with a proposal, but James had the perfect plan. While on vacation at the beach, James took Caleigh out to a nice dinner and got down on one knee at sunset while the two were walking along the shore.
“He took my hand and walked me over to a blanket with flowers, champagne and a sign that said, “Cal, will you marry me,” Caleigh said. “I can’t say I remember much of what happened next…the tears were flowing, and the fact that our families were behind us made it all the more special.”
WEDDING VENDORS WE LOVE
Photography
Miles Witt Boyer
Planning and design
Amanda Reed with Amanda Reed Weddings
Wedding dress
Tesori
MORE VENDORS
Venue: Big Red Barn; Florist: Samantha’s Garden; Catering: Catering Unlimited; Bartending: Fig and Foundry; Videographer: Dave and a Camera; Rentals: Eventology and Alchemy Event Rentals; Linens: BBJ La Tavola; Lighting: Lightworks Events; Cake: Shelby Lynn’s Cake Shoppe; Ceremony and reception music: Mega DJ Co.; Invitations: Lauren Ligon; Paper goods: Dayflower Designs; Photo booth: Social Photo Booth Co.; HMUA: NWA Occasions, Andriann Duncan; Car: NWA High Society
Q & A
Q: What inspired your color palette?
A: “I have always loved blue hues,” Caleigh said. “We originally thought James might want to wear his Air Force “Mess Dress”, so we knew that navy and baby blue would compliment his suit. I have always dreamed of huge white flowers, and the color of white is directly related to marriage. I decided to throw in pops of champagne last minute after seeing the four compliment each other in pictures I had seen in inspiration boards.”
Q: Tell us about searching for your wedding dress.
A: “I had an amazing experience shopping for my dress at Tesori Bridal in Fayetteville with my mom and my mother-in-law,” Caleigh said. “…The second I tried on The Dress, I knew that I didn’t need to search any further. It was simple, elegant, classy and timeless. We incorporated pearls into the wedding, so I knew that I wanted to add a pearl veil as well! I think the pearl studded veil completed the look!”
Q: What was your favorite moment of the day, and why?
A: “...Walking down the aisle with my dad seeing my future husband with tears in his eyes,” Caleigh said. “James always tells me I’m the most beautiful woman he has ever seen, but I truly felt that way walking towards him. If you know James he is an even-keel man. He is never overly emotional, but to see his emotions all over his face made the moment so special.”
Q: What personalizations did you plan for the wedding day?
A: “We decided to order trucker hats for all of our guests with the quote that James and I tell each other and our loved ones “Love You Mean It.” The seating assignments were on customized fireball shooters that had the guests’ names and table numbers on them,” Caleigh said. “We had cocktails named after James' plane that he flies, the A-10 Warthog “HAWG Fashioned” and my nickname “COCO for Caleigh” and the state we bought our first home in “Georgia Mule!” We had customized cocktail stir sticks that were the silhouette of the A-10 and our new last name.”
Q: What surprised you about planning a wedding?
A: “I joke that details and ‘perfection’ takes time,” Caleigh said. “We had a whole year to the date to plan and coordinate our wedding. I am not sure if I would have done something with less time! Don’t get me wrong, it is doable, but I think the amount of time we had to plan really alleviated the stress from my end. I honestly found the process surprisingly easy due to the help of our amazing wedding planner and all of our friends and family who helped make the days before and the wedding day run smoothly for James and I!”
PLANNING SECRET
“Amanda Reed,” Caleigh said. “I can not speak highly enough about Amanda. From the second we got engaged, to days after the wedding, she was right by my side. Wedding planning can be overwhelming, but I never felt stressed because I knew she had everything under control.”
BEST MOMENT EVER
“...Walking down the aisle with my dad, seeing my future husband with tears in his eyes,” Caleigh said. “James always tells me I’m the most beautiful woman he has ever seen, but I truly felt that way walking towards him.”
