Crystal Bridges Museum Wedding | Kat +Preston

Mar 29

Bride getting married at crystal bridges museum in bentonville arkansas in gallery room — Crystal Bridges Wedding

Chic Wedding at Crystal Bridges Museum in Bentonville, Arkansas

Alright kids, have you ever dreamed of getting married in an art museum? When I was first moving my life to Northwest Arkansas, I would say the majority of places people told me to visit first was Crystal Bridges. It’s the iconic staple of Bentonville and a place that you can return to numerous times and see something in a different light or even something you’ve never seen before. I love nostalgia, as we all know, I try to focus my photography around it. Photographing Kat & Prestons portraits in the gallery halls surrounded by so much history that spans five centuries made me go into creative overload.

Kat’s vision from the start was always classic and chic vibes. Depending on which package you book through Crystal Bridge’s, you can get exclusive private access to the museum’s art galleries just the two of you (oh and me your third wheel of course) during your wedding to take portraits and most importantly have some quiet alone time together before the big party. Kat had her indoor ceremony and reception in the Great Hall, but there are other venues in the museum you can choose from as well as an outdoor setting in the garden. Considering getting married at Crystal bridges? Check out all the deets here and don’t forget to say hey if you need a wedding photographer! :)

I felt like I had a blank canvas to work with during their wedding. Having all of the gallery rooms readily available, the different contrasting rooms really let me experiment with lighting and color. I knew Kat’s bridal section during her wedding needed to be elegant clean and sleek, like her dress from one of my favorite dress boutique’s here in Fayetteville, Tesori Bridal. I put her against a white all in one of the galleries and went wild, taking double exposures, finding the movement in her dress and giving each photograph the look of simplicity. If you’ve ever considered having your bridal party wear all black then the answer is YES, DO IT TO IT! The classy, simplistic and bold contrast between Kat’s white dress and their black dresses under the pine beamed ceilings looks so elegant. Check out her first look with her girls, it’s the sweetest moments. I highly recommend doing a first look with your bridal party and especially your father or important family member.

from the bride:

Why did you choose your venue and what did you love about ?

We picked Crystal Bridges because it was one of the first places Preston took me to in Arkansas. I am a huge museum nerd and loved the overall aesthetic of the museum. My vision behind our wedding was simple, timeless elegance and crystal bridges encompassed those. There are a couple of things I loved about Crystal Bridges. One being the floor to ceiling windows in the great hall. Second being the art galleries. I was dead set on only doing indoor pictures rather than outdoor because I wanted to capture the beauty and elegance of the museum.

Where did you go on your honeymoon?

Preston and I went to Riviera Maya, Mexico and stayed at El Dorado Seaside Suites. I told preston my only needs were that I wanted an all inclusive resort with a pretty beach. Riviera Maya was definitely just that. Our resort was amazing, staff was friendly, beach was breathtaking and overall a very affordable trip.

What advice would you give to future couples getting married?

Advice I would give - splurge on a photographer, have a wedding planner (100% worth it) and I wish I would have done a videographer. Other than that enjoy your wedding day! It goes so fast.

Crystal Bridges is always bringing something new to the table and I would highly recommend paying it a visit if you haven’t already. Check out the current exhibition calendar here! There’s also a five mile outdoor trail system and paved where you can visit and see sculptures of all kinds. One of my favorite exhibitions is the North Forest Light Show during December outside of the museum!