Featuring Guest Writer Jessica Gobble.

Katie and Anti’s wedding was set to take place in December. While Katie’s vision was to hold a dinner party with close family and friends, their photographer, Jenna, pointed out that God had different plans. As the process went along, styling and planning to a “T” did not turn out to be her cup of tea. Katie explained, “It just started to get out of control, and really stressful.” At that point, she and her fiancé chose to reevaluate their individual priorities for a wedding. One week before they ultimately tied the knot, they made the decision to scrap the wedding plans altogether and spontaneously elope.

For Katie and Anti, the best decision was to abandon the invitations, table settings, and seating charts. Instead, they opted to no longer consider the wedding they were supposed to have. They came back to what mattered most to their identity as a couple—close family and capturing lifelong memories. With these two priorities in mind, the beauty that remained was the perfect balance of detail and relaxation for these two. They were able to keep their amazing photographer, as she graciously changed the date, and Katie became much more comfortable with a simplified planning process.

The ceremony was held in the backyard of one of Katie’s closest friends. Contrary to most backyard weddings, the nuptials were not held under a tent or a gorgeous handmade arch, but in an actual chapel. The Lanier Theological Chapel, enveloped in stone and complete with one-of-a-kind antique furnishing, whispers legacy into it’s echoing crevices and corners. Katie had always dreamed of getting married in this little slice of heaven in her best friend’s backyard, and changing their ceremony plans allowed her dream to become a reality.

Katie and Anti’s love story has truly been centered on family and meaningful relationships. This was perfectly reflected in their special day. In fact, Katie explained, the first time she knew she could spend her life with Anti was on a date at a dog park. As she saw Anti interact and take care of his dog, Vanilla, she knew this was a man she longed to stand by as they grew old.

Katie and Anti’s legacy-focused hearts are so apparent in this Villa Elopement. Getting married in July rather than December and deciding against her original vision did not phase Katie one bit. She realized a wedding that caused her more stress than joy was no longer her dream. She chose to follow her gut and make decisions that brought peace to her heart.

When it comes down to it, this is a monumental component of marriage that many have trouble realizing. The relationship between husband and wife is not the be-all end-all of relationships. The husband or the wife is not the one person that can make all your dreams come true. Instead, marriage releases the white-knuckle grip on the specifics of what takes precedence or priority. Rather than the “what” of the day holding the most weight for Katie and Anti, it quickly and smoothly became the “who” that they cared most about—and that priority can be displayed in a wedding of any shape.

In the same way, the “who’s” of marriage are Katie’s favorite part so far. As she reflected on what she looked forward to most in marriage and has enjoyed thus far, it was none other than getting an entirely new set of family members. This couple cherishes family. They will never regret their decision to forgo the hullabaloo that just did not fit their personalities at this stage in life. They simply desired to have the people close to their hearts standing close to them on the day they chose to make a commitment to each other for life.

Photographs by Silver Cup Artist Jenna McElroy :: Film Scans by Photovision :: Wedding Gown by BHLDN :: Groom's Attire by Hugo Boss :: Music provided by EA Violin :: Cake by Virginia's Cake :: Shoes by Christian Louboutin :: View full gallery of photographs here