Cori Jo and Amanda's Destination Wedding

Cori Jo and Amanda’s Destination Wedding

Cori Jo and Amanda’s intimate and emotional destination wedding photos and interview are sure to make you tear up…as a seasoned event professional, it takes a lot for me to get emotional, but I found myself getting very teary at their first look and ceremony photos. Read on to see the whole story.

When did each of you know you wanted to get married? When did you fall for each other?

CJ: The summer of 2018 I knew that Amanda and I either needed to get it together and take the next step. (We were breaking all the lesbian stereotypes by being together for over 3 years and not living together or having any other big commitment to cement out relationship.) We each did some major soul searching and got honest with ourselves which allowed us to be honest with one another. I loved her enough to meet her where she was at and luckily she kicked it into gear and has loved me well ever since.

A: It took me a while to finally make the commitment to marriage. I tend to overthink things easily and get in my head. After realizing that Cori Jo is my person, the one I want to tell everything to I truly allowed myself to fall hard. Ultimately it just didn’t seem possible to have her out of my life.

photography by brooke a lewis photography

How did you get engaged?

A: We went to St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands the summer of 2020 (smart planning, huh?) for a close friend’s wedding. I had bought the ring a few months in advanced and was waiting for the perfect time. I asked the bride of the wedding in St. Thomas for her permission to propose to Cori Jo during this trip and officially got on one knee on July 4th 2020 on Honeymoon Beach at sunrise.

CJ: I was 95% sure that she was breaking up with me until she dropped to one knee; still one of the only times I've been happy to be wrong.

Can you tell us about a few favorite moments of your wedding day?

A: Top moments of our wedding day: Our first look at the top of the Turret of our venue was just magical and emotional and intimate. I loved getting to see my bride all by myself, and get the nerves of the day out. The amazing catered food from Cowboy Caterers really was abundant and all that we could ask for. Lastly shot gunning a beer with the wedding party after the ceremony really helped start the mood of the reception and fun experience for us all to gather ourselves before everyone arrived.

CJ: I really, really loved being at Stone Haven Castle. Amy and her team at Vintage Soul Events truly created an experience for us all. Honestly, I still can't believe that was our wedding day; truly the most perfect and uplifting day of my life.

What do you think you'll remember the most from your wedding 50 years from now?

A: I think I’ll remember our first look the most.

CJ: The speeches our loved ones gave were truly touching; I don't think I'll ever forget how it felt to be truly surrounded by love.

What details in your wedding did you incorporate that were deeply meaningful to the two of you?

A: The details were ALL Cori Jo. She has an eye for the details. I really loved all the flowers, her dress that was made perfectly for her, my custom shirt [which I would typically never ever splurge on]

CJ: I will accept this answer; my OCD and love for coordination really came in handy for our wedding. I am almost positive I drove our wedding planner crazy because I just kept saying I wanted an experience for everyone who took the time out of their lives to drive up a mountain in Arkansas to party with us in a castle. I mean, how many people have done that before? Our wedding just felt like us and that is something I am incredibly proud of.

What were each of your thoughts when you met for the first time?

A: When I first met Cori Jo I thought “wow this girl is interesting and has a story that I MUST get to know.”

CJ: Hand to God, I whispered to my friend, "Oh my gosh, there's another lesbian in the program!" (I had been the only one during undergrad.)

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How did you feel when you saw your spouse for the first time on your wedding day?

A: I cried so hard when I first saw Cori Jo at the wedding. I was so nervous and just happy to be able to be comforted by her.

CJ: I had no words, I just reached for her hands and face. Nothing else mattered.

Vendor Team

Photography Brooke A Lewis Photography

Planning & Florals Vintage Soul Events

Venue Stonehaven Castle AirBnB

Catering Cowboy Catering Co.

Video MAIIGO

Cori Jo’s Gown Rococo Bridal

Calligraphy Cori H. Beasler

Amanda’s Custom Shirt Mr. Ooleys