Brooke McGinness & Hayden Lessenberry
June 15, 2019 / Conway
Legacy Acres
Brooke McGinness and Hayden Lessenberry’s love story began way back in high school. Hayden was the senior quarterback and Brooke was the totally smitten cheerleader crushing on him from the sidelines. After six years of dating, including four years of long-distance, Hayden got down on one knee and popped the question on April 7, 2018.
He surprised Brooke at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art while she was walking through the outdoor exhibits with her best friend. Brooke and her friend turned a corner and there was Hayden waiting at the end of a path with a bouquet of flowers. She remembers not being able to say “Yes!” fast enough.
“Oh boy, it’s beyond difficult to pick just one thing I love most about Hayden,” Brooke says. “He truly has a heart of gold and is so kind to everyone he meets. It was why I fell in love with him in the first place and continue to fall more in love with him every day.”
THE INSPIRATION
From the beginning, Brooke had always imagined their overall wedding style to be classic and timeless. She wanted a light and airy aesthetic, but also make it elegant and chic with unique florals and lush greenery. Brooke found the perfect venue thanks to her dad. Brooke had another venue in mind, but her dad convinced her to check out Legacy Acres in Conway. She toured the space with her dad, and after seeing the space and the incredible chandeliers, she was smitten.
The “wow” moment of the wedding came in the form of the incredible floral dance floor. The reception style was inspired by the blush pink watercolor-like dance floor design featuring floral tulip branches. The room was also filled with luscious florals layered throughout the tables and massive arrangements anchoring the dance floor. The design was carried through into her invitation suite with a matching floral envelope liner.
Since flowers played a big part in the décor, Brooke chose a traditional round bridal bouquet filled with white peonies, playa blanca and spray roses, ranunculus, hydrangea and quicksand roses and peach stock.
A special floral illustration was elegantly woven throughout the wedding, from the invitation suite to the custom dancefloor — a showpiece among the beautiful reception décor.
HOW THEY CUSTOMIZED
Brooke’s favorite fashion moment of her wedding day was her “something blue.” She channeled Meghan Markle’s reception style and wore a custom aquamarine emerald-cut ring that had been passed down in her family from her godfather to her mom. Brooke’s mom worked with Sissy’s Log Cabin to set the stone in a white gold setting with pavé diamonds. “I was honored to wear the ring for the first time, as I know it will become a family heirloom for generations to come,” she says.
• • •
Brooke worked with Silks A Bloom to come up with a unique spin on the traditional boutonniere. Hayden and his groomsmen wore boutonnieres decorated with wild blackberries, hellebores, spray roses and more. They looked good enough to eat — so much so that the couple’s Golden Retriever puppy ate Hayden’s boutonniere while they were taking their couple’s portraits.
When guests entered the ballroom for the reception, they were greeted with two large boxwood champagne walls filled with hundreds of glasses of the couple’s signature drink “Remi Rosé.” It was made of sparkling rosé with fresh raspberries. DJ Tee Rose played house jazz music while guests enjoyed pimento cheese crostinis, caprese skewers and rosemary pork skewers. For the couple’s first dance, they decided to switch things up and dance to a throwback – “Stickwitu” by the Pussycat Dolls.
The only wedding day snafu ended up being one of Brooke’s favorite memories. After dinner, when guests started filling up the dance floor, the lights went out. It was a blackout except for the glow of candlelight.
“I remember glancing around for my groom, thinking he was about to break out in a surprise dance or something and next thing I know, Anne-Claire is running up to me explaining that the power went out, but it was being fixed right away,” Brooke says. “All I could do was laugh! Everyone got a 5-minute break from dancing and got to see the florals and décor absolutely glowing in the candlelight! It was honestly so beautiful.”
Mickey's Cakes and Sweets in Little Rock created the couple's classic seven-tier wedding cake.
VIDEO
WEDDING VENDORS WE LOVE
PHOTOGRAPHY
Lela & Lyla
VENUE
Legacy Acres
Conway
FURNITURE RENTALS
Party Time Rental & Events
Little Rock
WEDDING DRESS
Unveiled Bridal Collection
Little Rock
JEWELER
Sissy’s Log Cabin
Little Rock
MORE VENDORS
| Videography | Betwixt Magnolias |
| Planning | Anne Claire Allen Planning & Design, Little Rock |
| Florist | Silks A Bloom, Little Rock |
| Furniture rentals | Hank's Event Rentals, Little Rock Eventology, North Little Rock |
| Custom Dance floor | The Dancefloor Man, Little Rock |
| Linens | La Tavola Fine Linen, Napa, California |
| Lighting | Central Arkansas Entertainment, Little Rock |
| Cake | Mickey's Cakes and Sweets, Little Rock |
| Monogrammed cookies | Three Best Bakery, Little Rock |
| Caterer and drink service | Boulevard Bread Company, Little Rock |
| DJ | DJ Tee Rose with Central Arkansas Entertainment, Little Rock |
| Ceremony music | Alisa Coffey, harpist |
| Invitations | Hobart Print Studio, Bryant |
| Bridesmaid dresses | Bella Bridesmaids, Little Rock |
| Groom/groomsmen attire | Jos. A. Bank |
| Hair | Heather Copeland with The Fix Salon, Little Rock |
| Makeup | Merry Kline with Belle & Blush, Little Rock |
| Transportation | Robyn's Rolls, North Little Rock |
| Rehearsal dinner venue | Copper Grill, Little Rock |
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