Photography: Lang Thomas Studios

WEDDING PLANNER

Pink Roses and Ivy Gates: A Historic Estate Wedding

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Lang Thomas Photography

Olivia Elise Events

A historic estate, an ivy-draped garden ceremony and a reception beneath crystal chandeliers gave this wedding a romantic, old-world feel. Blush pink roses, green hydrangea and ivory blooms carried through the day, paired with Kentucky bourbon touches that made the celebration feel personal.

From getting ready among floral wallpaper and rose-pink drapery to dinner and dancing under a draped tent, each moment had its own character. Handcrafted details, including ruffled signage, a sage seating chart and petal cones, tied the whole day together.

Wedding Profile & Quick Facts

Couple: Caroline McCullough & Austin Mayer

Wedding Date: June 20, 2026

Season: Summer

Venue: Whitehall Estate

Location: Louisville, KY

Wedding Style: Historic Estate Romance, Garden-Inspired Elegance, Tented Reception

Color Palette: Blush Pink, Ivory, Soft Green, Sage and Gold

A Getting-Ready Suite Full of Charm

Caroline prepared in a room that could have been designed for a bride. Striped wallpaper with climbing roses and garlands, a gilded mirror, a white mantel and rose-pink curtains with tasseled trim surrounded her as her mother helped with the final buttons. Her mother wore a pale blue floral gown with a halter neckline, which looked soft against the pink and green of the room.

Caroline’s strapless ball gown had a fitted bodice and a full tulle skirt scattered with three-dimensional floral appliqués. Sunlight from the tall window showed off the layers of the skirt and train, which spread across the vintage rug.

Her bridesmaids waited nearby in blush satin gowns with one-shoulder necklines and oversized bows. Their reactions during the reveal were full of smiles, happy gasps and clasped hands, a joyful start to the day.

Portraits with a Four-Legged Guest

The couple’s portraits took advantage of the estate’s grounds. Beneath a white column and a canopy of mature trees, Austin, in a black tuxedo with a white rose boutonniere, crouched beside Caroline for photos with their golden retriever. The dog’s open-mouthed grin matched the couple’s.

Caroline’s bouquet was a soft cluster of blush peonies and ivory roses, tied with bare green stems for a fresh, hand-gathered look.

Wedding Party on the Front Steps

For the wedding party photos, the group gathered on the stone steps of the estate’s columned façade, with its balcony and fanlight doorway as the backdrop. The bridesmaids’ blush gowns glowed against the white house, and the groomsmen wore classic black tuxedos with bow ties and boutonnieres.

Each bridesmaid carried a bouquet of green hydrangea and ivory roses, and several raised them overhead as the couple shared a kiss in the center. Caroline’s train spilled down the steps in front of them.

A Garden Ceremony in Pink and Green

The ceremony took place in a hidden garden. Guests entered through an ivy-covered wrought iron gate topped with a floral installation of pink roses, white hydrangea and airy green blooms. Beyond it, a stone aisle led between rows of dark wood chairs tied with white fabric.

At the end of the aisle, tall urns of pink roses and hydrangea stood on fluted white pedestals before a weathered stone wall and a backdrop of magnolia leaves. Each chair held a paper petal cone on a blush ribbon, printed with a note asking guests to toss their petals high as the newlyweds exited as a pair.

Welcome Details and a Bourbon Toast

Guests were greeted by a ruffled white welcome sign in green script, flanked by potted camellia trees with white blooms. A hanging bar menu, trimmed in eyelet ruffles, offered “Hers” and “His” signature drinks, a dirty martini for Caroline and a Woodford Reserve old fashioned for Austin. Beer, wine and spirits were listed below.

A cocktail table in the garden held a tray of crystal glassware, a jigger and two bottles of Kentucky bourbon, Castle & Key and Bardstown Bourbon Company, set beside a pedestal arrangement of roses and hydrangea. Nearby, a table of chilled champagne bottles and rows of flutes waited at the edge of the tent.

The seating chart was a sage green panel with a “CA” monogram, two arched, framed seating lists and a flower box of roses and hydrangea.

A Reception Beneath the Chandeliers

The reception tent was draped in billowing white fabric, with strands of bulb lights and gold crystal chandeliers overhead. Round tables with pinstriped linens, gold chiavari chairs, sage napkins and gold flatware gave the space a fresh, classic look.

Place settings had woven rattan chargers, scalloped white plates and handwritten-style place cards. Small bouquets of pink roses and green hydrangea sat in glass vases, and the floor arrangements by the head table echoed the same flowers.

Cake, Cheers and a Dance Floor Finale

The three-tier white cake had a textured finish and was decorated with ranunculus and a single blush rose on top. It sat on a silver filigree stand beside champagne flutes and a bouquet of peonies. As guests looked on, Caroline and Austin cut the first slice together, laughing. Austin had changed into a white shirt with rolled sleeves for the evening.

Later, Caroline changed into a short white mini dress and white heels for the dance. Under a chandelier wrapped in greenery, the couple danced on a checkered wood-and-white floor in front of a live band with a saxophonist, keyboardist and guitarist. The stage was lined with trailing vines, which kept the garden feel into the night.

From the rose-papered getting-ready suite to the ivy-framed ceremony and the dancing under the tent, Caroline and Austin’s wedding was filled with romance and Kentucky charm.