Candice King and Steven Krueger’s Elopement-Style Wedding at a Tiny Tennessee Chapel Was a Family Affair
Instead of a conventional rehearsal dinner, the bride and groom determined to maintain the tone gentle with a homicide thriller occasion the evening earlier than they exchanged vows. Candice says, “The murder mystery theme was ‘Til Death Do Us Part,’ and it was every bit as cheesy and ridiculous as you’d think it would be! I don’t think I’ve laughed that hard in a long time.” Steven provides, “We greased the wheels with wine and cocktails beforehand, and everyone leaned in to make it a great night.”
On an unseasonably sunny and heat February morning, the couple received prepared at their Nashville dwelling with Candice’s two daughters. “What I’ll always remember is how beautiful that day was,” says the bride. The household deliberate to take a classic limo to the chapel, nevertheless it broke down earlier than arriving at their dwelling. “Well, I damn sure wasn’t going to be late to my own wedding, so the four of us just piled into my car, donned in tuxes and white dresses, and drove ourselves there,” says Steven. “Made it right on time, and that turned out to be our only hiccup of the day.”
The to-be-weds’ households and their officiant all gathered within the wood chapel because the ceremony started. “Walking down the little aisle, I remember hearing the soft sounds of live guitar being played by a friend of a friend that we’d never met, the flowers making this tiny wooden chapel feel like a fairytale greenhouse, and the warm glow of light on Steven’s face,” Candice remembers. “We’d already done a first look at our house, but walking down the aisle in that warm glow of the magic hour felt like our own little secret. Like the rest of the world kept turning in chaos, and we had this small little nook of the world to ourselves. Time slowed down and felt like a love song.”
After exchanging private vows and sealing their marriage with a kiss, the chapel instantly became a celebration with bubbles, music, and toasts amongst their household. “Stripping away the formality of a big, well-rehearsed ceremony created such a fun, relaxed vibe,” says the groom. “It wasn’t at all how I had pictured my wedding when I was younger. And I think that’s what made it so perfect. We got to breathe, laugh, cry, and focus on each other without worrying whether everything was going according to plan.”
After a few photographs with the household at golden hour, the newlyweds headed into a (working) classic automotive and headed to the reception. “We wanted a fun, loud, steakhouse dinner,” Candice shares. “That’s exactly what we got!” Steven remembers, “We ate, we drank, and we cut a boot-shaped cake. Our family members stood up and said incredibly nice things about us. All in all, it was a delight. I highly recommend it.”
Reflecting on the marriage weekend, the couple displays on the way it simply felt magical. Says the bride, “What a gift that on our February wedding day, we got to celebrate by dancing in the warmth of the sun.” Adds the groom, “I can’t wait to show our son one day that he was there, too.”
