Kelly and I go a long way back; we’re talking to our elementary school days, so when Kelly reached out to me to chat about her upcoming wedding, I got really excited. I felt like Will Ferrell’s character, Buddy the Elf, jumping for joy when he found out that Santa was coming to the toy store (“I know him!”). We quickly setup a virtual chat to discuss their wedding, but of course, we caught up on what her and David are doing out in the DC area, where they met, and talked about being an aunt (I also know Kelly’s two sisters).

Kelly and David are incredibly thoughtful, intelligent individuals who are planning a very elegant and joy-filled wedding (which, we LOVE!). They have decided to exchange their vows this summer outside at the Jefferson City Country Club, which is located in Jefferson City, Missouri. They’ll celebrate with their loved ones with a beautiful indoor reception at the country club as well.

To learn more about David and Kelly and hear a bit more about their planning experience, be sure to keep reading.

Many thanks to our super vendor friend, Alex Hutchinson Photography, for sharing these images with our team!

Tell me about how you and David met.

You know you went to Purdue if you were a regular at Chumley's Schooner Night. Students would grab their schooner, a goblet of sorts, and go to the local bar to grab a beer with friends. Kelly was enjoying her time when a handsome man in a purple shirt swooped in and asked if he could join the conversation. Kelly and David instantly hit it off with great conversation, and by the end of the night, Kelly asked David to ask for her number. Little did they know this would be the beginning of their love story.

Who proposed? Tell me about it!

During COVID lockdown Kelly and David spent a lot of their free time hanging out on the roof of our apartment. It became a special place of us to relax. One fall day, David organized a plan to finally pop the question. Kelly's friend, Claire, was to drive up from North Carolina as part of the surprise. Kelly and David's friends were organized to help capture the proposal over FaceTime so that our families could attend virtually as well. One week before the expected proposal date, David got a text from Claire letting him know she was a hour away. Turns out he gave her the wrong day for the event. David rushed to get everyone else on board for the new proposal date, because it was a beautiful day and he couldn't have Claire turn back around and drive home. They went up to the roof to relax with a glass of wine and order dinner, when David got down on one knee and proposed. Of course Kelly said yes!

How did you decide on the Jefferson City Country Club as your wedding venue?

We originally were looking at venues in Oregon (where David is from) and DC (where we live). Both had beautiful options, but they were wayyyyy outside of our budget. The Jefferson City Country Club provides multiple amenities and flexibility to put together a wedding and reception that met our wants and needs.

How did you find all of your vendors?

Most of the services were provided through the Country Club or referrals from the Country Club. Terra also provided many referrals which were extremely helpful.

What has been the most enjoyable aspect of wedding planning?

Picking out the music for the ceremony and reception and picking out flowers.

Do you have any advice for recently engaged couples?

If it's within your budget, go with the all inclusive planning package; it will be worth every penny. Do your best to prioritize your desires for the wedding day, and consistently refer back to them. Also, make sure to set aside date nights with your significant other when you don't think about or discuss the wedding at all.

What are you most excited about for the day of the wedding?

Finally getting married in front of all of our family and friends!

what are three words to describe the feel of your upcoming wedding?

Elegant, Natural, Joyful

What made you decide to hire a planner?

We wanted enjoy our time with friends and family leading up to and on our wedding day, and not be distracted by the little details we forgot to account for.

Hey, I’m Terra!

Born and raised in Missouri, I’m a grateful wife and dog mom to my rescue pups, Hildi & Lola. I’m a true believer in the pursuit of bold dreams, learning from mistakes, and staying curious.

I'm a girl that lives in her Chacos during the summer, and I'm typically always wearing lipstick. Yes, red is my preference! When I'm not helping engaged couples plan weddings, you'll find me on stage teaching Jazzercise classes. Needless to say, creating engaging experiences that leave people feeling good afterwards is my passion. Seriously!

I’ve created this blog and my wedding packages to empower you to plan an awesome wedding day and put all of the stress and obligations straight into the dumpster! Now that sounds like a party.