Woodland Wedding With Serene Forest Chapel: Morgan & Joey

Morning time together became a new ritual for Morgan and Joey, who had just moved to their Texas apartment, sight unseen. Morgan was taking classes in the afternoons and evenings for her Master’s degree while Joey worked evening shifts.

Words by Morgan. Images by Madi McGraw Photography.

The couple had met at the University of Mississippi and were beginning their new life together. Each day, Joey would bring Morgan coffee, and after she got out of bed, they’d make breakfast together, enjoying their sacred time of connection and conversation before the day ahead. In March of 2021, Joey brought Morgan her coffee as usual. When she got up, she saw a full breakfast had already been prepared. As they ate, they began chatting normally about the day ahead. Joey, knowing the importance of the little things, shared with Morgan how special these simple mornings together had been. At the end of his heartfelt speech, he proposed.

Enveloped by dense woods and botanical wonder, Morgan and Joey’s wedding day maintained a no-fuss approach with an undercurrent of serene woodland beauty. Nestled in the mountains of Arkansas, their unique wedding chapel was set on over 200 acres of the Garvan Woodland Gardens habitat preserve.

The intimate ceremony filled the chapel with undeniable warmth, pouring ever upward into the vaulted glass ceiling of the room. During the planning process, Morgan was captivated by photos of veils on Pinterest. She relished in her own dramatic veil photo-ops and embraced how her pearl veil gently trailed along the forest floor. Subdued Victorian-era flourishes included bronze vases, golden trays, and a bridal bouquet tied with blue chiffon and tiny charms.

To show their gratitude, the couple included handwritten notes at each place setting. Centerpieces were designed by Morgan with the help of her sister, mother, and Joey’s aunts. Two wedding cakes rested atop vintage-inspired cake stands as guests dined outdoors and made their way along stone pathways twisting through the forests. It was no surprise that Morgan’s initial inspiration around the idea of wildflowers that blossomed near her childhood home was offered in multitudes by the serene beauty of the botanical gardens.