ENGAGED! River Valley Issue 18

ISSUE 18 2021

Talk Derby To Me

EQUESTRIAN STYLE AT ELLIS PARK

Get Your Glow On

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SKIN RESURFACING SHARING THE

Bridal Emergency Kit THE ESSENTIALS YOU NEED

love IN OUR BEAUTIFUL River Valley

REGION

Just Rennie’s Catering can help make your dream wedding come true

Jesse & Gena Photography

Dreams come true Esther Bloom Photography

We cater at: Just Rennie’s Tuscan Wine Room City View at Sterling Square The Crescent Room Discovery Lodge Evansville Museum The Old Courthouse The Old Post Office The Pagoda JustRennies.com 812-401-8098

Esther Bloom Photography

Photo by Neeley Photography

Inspiration 10 Race to the Finish 20 Drive-In Romance 26 Alpaca Boho Elopement

Photo by Kalli June Photography

Real Weddings

Photo by Patton Photography

Pro Tips

Photo by Star Noir Studio

Local Love

36 Savanna & Long

42 Mitch & Stevie

5 Bridesmaid Jewelry

35 Just One More

8 Bridal Comfort

56 Maddie & Kent

33 Bridal Essentials

49 Mistletoe Manor

53 Capers Emporium

68 Erin & Pedro

61 Conkright Aesthetics

65 Knob Hill

74 Lyndsi & Luke 82 Amanda & Corey

Photo by Neeley Photography

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LETTER FROM THE EDITORS It’s finally here! This long-awaited issue was months in the making.

We have cars, horses, and fancy hats for all your inspiration needs. We took outdoor style to a new level with a retro-era, drive-in theme and a day at Ellis Park where we got to get cozy with some equestrian beauties! Plus, this issue is chock-full of advice on the best pre-wedding skin treatments you need to get your best glow and the essential items every bride needs to have in their emergency kit for her big day. So get excited, get planning, and sign up for our new newsletter so you get inspiration and local wedding information delivered to your inbox weekly! Just go to www.engaged-rivervalley.com

Cheers!

CO N N E C T W I T H U S

JoElle Knight and Nikki Davis

@ENGAGEDRIVERVALLEY

@ENGAGEDRIVERVALLEY

ON OUR

@ENGAGEDRV

JOELLE KNIGHT

FOUNDER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Cover

It's always a great day when you get to spend it with horses! Our Ellis Park equestrian shoot was an epic day for all of us as we got to don fascinators, drink mint juleps and pet two stunning race horses. Rarely do we have a photoshoot without any hiccups, but for once, everything went seamlessly. The sun was shining, the breeze was blowing, and our vendor team had a blast with our group of girlfriend models while we took in the sweeping views of our local track. Bree Neeley with Neeley Photography captured every stunning moment of the fun and colors of our styled derby day.

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NIKKI DAVIS

MANAGING EDITOR

Meet The Team BEHIND ENGAGED! JoElle Knight Co-founder and Editor-in-Chief JoElle Knight has been in the event and wedding business for over 15 years. Whether it is coordinating and creating community events for area nonprofits, creating beauty for weddings and many of the styled shoots you see on these pages, or getting giddy over new wedding venues, she always has an eye for quality, design and new trends. Obsessed with décor, DIY projects and home renovations, she loves to overhaul houses and bring personality into her surroundings.

When she is not writing, creating or designing, she is with her 3 kids and husband dreaming of new projects, summer yard sales and epic books. You can follow her on Instagram at @joelleelisehome

Bobbi Hammonds Web & Graphic Designer Bobbi has been our website guru since ENGAGED debuted, and she now handles the layout of each issue.

Bobbi began her graphic career over 10 years ago, specializing in design and hand illustration. Her artistry can also be found in many of our photoshoots showcasing her 5 Pink Peonies LLC, custom stationery.

A woman of many talents, she has written a children’s book, magazine articles and assisted many local businesses with their branding and marketing. Her greatest work, though, comes at home as the mother of 5 girls, one of which has special needs. She has become an advocate for local families dealing with children with special needs, and her handicap parking campaign has been featured on multiple local news sources. Bobbi’s idea of fun are home renovation projects, whimsical drawings, being with her family, and going to Disney World, her happiest place on earth.

Follow her on Instagram @my_5_girls

Nikki Davis Co-founder and Managing Editor Nikki Davis has been a leader in the local wedding industry for almost 20 years.

She began her wedding career as a photographer then moved into producing local wedding shows. In 2007, she founded the Evansville Wedding Networking Group to connect local wedding vendors and create friendships. Her passion for giving back has led her to be a driving force behind many local non-profit agencies and initiatives. Nikki is the organizational mind behind ENGAGED, where she uses her networking and writing skills to provide information and inspiration to local brides and connecting them to the local vendors that can bring their wedding to life. She lives in the Historic Boehne House in Evansville, where she, her husband and 2 kids take care of a menagerie of pets.

Check out more about Nikki and her family's many adopted pets on Instagram at @1000milemom

Julia Baker Accounts Manager Just call her Mama Bear.

Julia is not only our accounts manager, she is also Editor-in-Chief, JoElle Knight’s mother. With a career in sales, education and small business management, she was the perfect fit for representing ENGAGED! For years, she witnessed the passion and hard work put into the creation of the magazine and we couldn’t be happier to have her at the helm of our partner accounts. You will find no one else who champions the ENGAGED! brand more.

When she is not building relationships in our local wedding industry, she is loving on her grandchildren, traveling or doing home-reno projects.

FEATURE ARTICLE

Bridesmaid Jewelry

Taking care of your best friends, gal pals, the

seamless and enjoyable for everyone.

most important girls in your life…your

Camelot, we have found that most of our brides

bridesmaids! When thinking of bridesmaid

tend to purchase the bridesmaid jewelry and

jewelry, it is important for the bride to

use it as a gift that they give to their bridal party

communicate to her bridesmaids about the

on the night of the wedding rehearsal. The

jewelry for the big day. One of the first questions

second big question that pops up is what

is who is paying for the jewelry. Is the bride

jewelry are the bridesmaids going to wear?

paying for the jewelry and gifting it to her girls,

There are typically three ways in which brides

or are the bridesmaids paying for their jewelry?

decide to decorate their wedding tribe for the

Both ways are common and acceptable, but

big day:

communication is key to making the process

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All of the bridesmaids match The bride selects an assortment that each bridesmaid can choose from Each bridesmaid can choose whatever they want to wear When choosing between your options, it is important to keep in mind the style of the bridesmaid dresses including how dressy or causal the dress may be, necklines, sleeves, and whether or not your bridesmaids all have pierced ears. At Camelot, our top selling line for bridal jewelry is Olive + Piper. One of our biggest comments from brides who choose this beautiful line is that they feel like their bridesmaids will be able to wear the jewelry again whether it be to work, other weddings, or

nights out on the town. Whatever style you are going for, make sure your bridesmaids feel beautiful and empowered for such a special day.

Natalie Lewis, MPSA, GIA GG, Owner Camelot Jewelers

FEATURED ARTICLE

Bridal Comfort on Wedding Day Your wedding day is one of the most magical

carefully so your dress doesn’t get dirty from

days of your life, you’ve planned and stressed

dragging the floor, but make sure you’re able to

and waited for this day since you were a little

dance the night away with no literal ankle-

girl. One of the most common mistakes brides

breaking!

make on their wedding day is forgetting that they’re going to be wearing the same thing all

Secondly, what you wear under your dress

day long and will be on their feet for HOURS!

should not be an after-thought! A lot of brides

Let’s talk about classy comfort, ladies! There’s no

choose to suit up in spanx or form-enhancing

reason for you to be physically uncomfortable

undergarments of some kind. That’s fine and

on your wedding day, you should be able to

dandy, but make sure you can breathe when you

enjoy every moment. A few adjustments can

sit down and are truly comfortable so you don’t

make the difference between truly enjoying

find yourself shedding your spanx in the

yourself and having blisters halfway through

bathroom of your reception halfway through the

your ceremony.

cupid shuffle! Some dresses have sewn-in cups so you don’t need to worry about a bra. Just

First, let’s talk shoes! Your choice of shoe is yours

make sure those cups provide enough support

entirely, if you want a glitzy heel that makes you

for you to be comfortable for the entire time

feel like cinderella - go for it! If you’d rather wear

you’ll be in your dress. Many brides choose

chucks or boots - go for it! A few things to

lingerie to wear under their dress that is

consider before the big day no matter what shoe

intended for later on that night. Try it all on and

you’re wearing: Are they new shoes? Consider

wear it for an extended period so you know what

breaking them in by wearing them around the

to expect from it under your dress - it’s probably

house in thick socks (pro tip: dampen the socks

not intended for all-day wear!

a little to mold your shoes to your foot) Will you wear them the entire day? Depending on your

Depending on your personal preference, you

shoe choice (and heel height) you might

may choose to have a purse or bag that stays

consider having a change of shoes for the

with you or your bridal party on your wedding

reception. Consider your reception shoe

day. This might be a great place to store your

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change of shoes, some Tylenol, your lipstick and a stick of deodorant that might come in handy more often than you think. Other options for having those items close by for quick comfort include pockets of bridesmaids dresses, pockets of suit jackets or your handy day-of coordinator!

Pockets can often be added to bridesmaids dresses during alterations - a total game changer!

One more thing when considering your wedding day comfort level is your emotional comfort. Are you emotionally prepared for all the feelings your wedding day will bring? Maybe you’re a social butterfly who is comfortable talking to everyone in attendance or maybe you’re the exact opposite who really doesn’t feel comfortable being the center of attention. Both are fabulous - do what you’re comfortable with!

Some brides choose a receiving line after the ceremony, some go back and dismiss everyone individually from the ceremony, and some choose to talk to everyone at the reception.

Whatever you choose, just make sure you’re comfortable putting yourself in that situation. It’s your day! You should be comfortable all day so you can enjoy the magic of the day!

Abby Heidenreich Day One dayoneweddings.net abby@dayoneweddings.net

ENGAGED! RIVER VALLEY EXCLUSIVE INSPIRATION

Race to the Finish

Produced by JoElle Knight & Nikki Davis

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Get this Look PHOTOGRAPHER NEELEY PHOTOGRAPHY VENUE ELLIS PARK HORSE OWNERS JOHN, DANA & DONNA HANCOCK GOWNS ROSE & BLISS BRIDAL FLORAL ZEIDLER’S FLOWERS CAKE PIECE OF CAKE BAKERY STATIONERY 5 PINK PEONIES ENGAGED! RIVER VALLEY

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ENGAGED! RIVER VALLEY INSPIRATION

Drive-In Romance Produced by Kassy Lauer & Bree Neeley

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Get this Look PHOTOGRAPHER NEELEY PHOTOGRAPHY DRESS AND TUX ROSE & BLISS BRIDAL CAR ASHLEY CORBETTA VENUE HOLIDAY DRIVE-IN – ROCKPORT, IN HAIR KYRA JO WEBSTER MAKEUP BILLY THORN

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ENGAGED! RIVER VALLEY INSPIRATION

Produced by KC Smith

Alpaca Boho Elopement

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Get this Look PHOTOGRAPHER KC CAPTURES LOCATION ALIVE N' FUZZY ALPACA FARM STYLIST @GLAMOURGRINDEVENTS FLORIST @STERLINGSTEMSKY BOHO COUPLE @ASPEN_MEETS_WORLD & @JACOB_VINCENT33

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Want to create a miniemergency kit for your bridesmaids? Here are some ideas for the essentials!

Additional possible items: • Deodorant towelettes • Nail polish remover pad • Pony tail holders (clear) • Double sided tape • Stain remover • Facial tissue • Mini skin blotting tissues

Bobby Pin s

Tampon

Pain reliever

Clear nail polish Dental floss

Adhesive bandage

Emery Board

Deodorant

Mints

Antacid

Hairspray Safety Pin

Mending kit

Bridesmaid Essentials

LOCAL SPOTLIGHT

Just One More

Just One More, owned and operated by Jake and Kristi Luebbe out of Newburgh, Indiana, is the first Piaggio Ape tap truck in the Tri-State area. The tap truck, named “Maelee,” is the perfect aesthetic centerpiece for any event imaginable, small or large – weddings, corporate events, bridal or baby showers, backyard pool parties, markets, and food truck festivals just to name a few. With Maelee’s small size, you have the flexibility to feature her not just at your outdoor events, but she can easily be moved indoors for any events where the venue has an accessible standard double door.

Maelee serves up to four different beverages at one time. For non-alcoholic beverages, we proudly feature Joe Brewski’s AWESOME variety

of handcrafted products made right here in Evansville. With options including lemonades, cold brew, and sodas we are sure to find the perfect combination that will meet your needs.

Don’t stop there though; beer, wine, Prosecco, and cocktails are certainly able to be served for your private events. The sky is the limit, if you can think of it, there is a good chance we can figure out how to make it work!

To find out more, check us out on social media platforms @JustOneMoreMobile and our website, www.justonemoremobile.com.

We cannot wait to make Tri-State events memorable for years to come while leaving your guests always wanting Just One More!

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ENGAGED! RIVER VALLEY REAL WEDDING

Savanna & Long

SAVANNA & LONG In Savanna’s words “We met our 3rd year of medical school during orientation for clinical rotations.

We were practicing suturing on pig’s feet and we happened to sit next to each other. I thought Long was hilarious and he liked my laugh. We became good friends at first and eventually started dating.

For our first date, we decided to finger paint along to a Bob Ross episode. We still have the paintings hanging in our apartment and they actually turned out quite good! He proposed to me under a hidden water fall under a cliff in Iceland while we were vacationing there at the end of medical school.

We had taken a few trips to Hermann Missouri to visit the wineries there and we thought it would be a perfect place to have our wedding. We are obsessed with Halloween and all things spooky so we, of course, had to get married on Halloween. We wanted the wedding to incorporate the spookiness of Halloween, yet remain classy so we had a masquerade theme. It was also perfect that that night was the Blue Moon. We also incorporated our love of whisky into our ceremony by drinking from a barrel of whisky we had aged ourselves as our ‘unity ceremony.’ We had Halloween themed snacks and drinks at the

reception and our guests danced all night with us to a mix of Halloween music and our favorite songs.”

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Making Magic PHOTOGRAPHER ESTHER BLOOM PHOTOGRAPHY DESTINATION VENUE HERMANN HILL WEDDINGS FLORAL TERRA FLORAL CUPCAKES THE CUP

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ENGAGED! RIVER VALLEY REAL WEDDING

Mitch & Stevie

MITCH & STEVIE In Stevie’s words, “Mitchell and I met when we were teenagers. We went very separate ways after high school when I went off to college in Florida and he was deployed to the Middle East with the Army. We hadn’t spoken in over ten years, when we randomly ran into each other. We quickly reconnected over our love for sports and motorcycles and made up for lost time.

He proposed under the St. Louis Arch on our way to a Cardinals game in September 2019 and I spent the next year planning our wedding during the pandemic. It was terrifying not knowing what was going to happen or if we would even get to have our wedding! We had to change our venue only two months out because of COVID restrictions.

Thankfully, we stumbled across Black Jack Vineyard which was a perfect fit for our eclectic, fall wedding! I had big hopes for a fall-themed wedding with a boho/ vintage feel. My mom and I scoured yard and estate sales for over a year, collecting antique frames, centerpiece vases, and rugs. We made almost everything ourselves. Our daughter, Isamae, even helped out with a lot of the decorating. The weather turned out absolutely beautiful and we had the perfect day.”

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Making Magic PHOTOGRAPHER BOULDER CREEK PHOTOGRAPHY VENUE BLACK JACK VINEYARD FLORAL DELICIOUSLY ORDINARY INVITATIONS K. MADISON DESIGN DÉCOR FAMILY & FRIENDS CAKE & CUPCAKES GRANNY PUCKETT’S CUPCAKES BRIDAL GOWN ANNE’S BRIDAL

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ON OUR RADAR

Mistletoe Manor:

A Premier Southern Indiana Wedding Destination

Searching for a stunning wedding venue in the tristate area that can meet all your wedding

planning needs? Look no further than Mistletoe Manor, located in the charming town of Santa Claus, Indiana. Mistletoe Manor is the ideal destination for an intimate indoor wedding or large outdoor ceremony and reception. The light and airy home could also be used for a rehearsal dinner and can provide lodging for your bridal party, wedding party, or guests. The newly renovated manor offers nearly 5,000 sq. feet of customizable event space and can sleep up to 21 people. A sweeping grand staircase just inside the entry way is perfect for capturing classic wedding party photographs. The cozy loft, spacious living room, updated kitchen, and numerous bedrooms provide ample accommodations for wedding preparations or longer stays.

Mistletoe Manor sits on nine acres of land, offering plenty of space and privacy for an outdoor wedding or reception. The landscape provides an incredible backdrop for your wedding photography; the spacious green lawn just outside your door is surrounded by beautiful woodlands, and the manor is only a few steps away from a scenic pond and historic barn.

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activities in the area as well. Head out for a hike at the nearby state and national parks, enjoy a quiet horseback ride along a winding trail, or take a spin on the coasters at nearby Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari.

Mistletoe Manor is the perfect location for an unforgettable wedding experience.

For more information or to book, visit: www.staysantaclaus.com/property/mistletoemanor/ or call (812) 686-3268

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VENDOR FEATURE

Capers Emporium

If your mealtime often has a deja vu feel to it,

food, not to mention more fun. Plus, the store's

you're not alone. The majority of American

cooking classes provide an opportunity for

households have nine different meals they make,

cooks of all experience levels to raise their

rotating through the same choices over and over

game, learn new techniques, broaden their

again. Capers Emporium aims to change that!

culinary repertoire, and add new options to their meal rotations, and what a perfect opportunity to

Located in New Harmony,

bring your guests together for a bridal shower or

Indiana, Capers Emporium's goal is to get

unique bachelorette party???

people back in the kitchen and around the dinner table. To that end, it features carefully chosen kitchen gadgets and tools that make it quicker and easier to create tasty, nutritious

Private cooking class parties can be customized for the type of cuisine and the method of preparation desired. Hands-on?

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Sure. Prefer observation only? That's fine, too.

Mind-blowing air fryer classes that feature dishes from cheeseburgers to cheesecake, brussel sprouts to salmon are particularly popular, as are courses in making bread and cheese. Attendees leave feeling empowered, inspired, and ready to hit the kitchen. And because tasting is believing, no one leaves hungry. Capers is accomplishing its mission, one class at a time.

Photography by Neeley Photography

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Maddie & Kent

MADDIE & KENT In Maddie’s words, “Kent and I met at a friend’s bonfire when we were just 15 and 16. I actually accused him of hitting on me twice, but turns out he has a twin brother that tried to get my number first! We starting dating shortly after that night and it only lasted about a month before he dumped me so he could hang out with his friends more - typical teenage boy!

After high school, Kent went away to college and I stayed in Evansville. During Christmas break of our freshman year of college we were running with the same crowd again and things evolved from there. Kent went back to school and told all his roommates he was going to go back home and get me to marry him. I dumped the guy I was seeing at the time and Kent moved home from college after he finished out the year - we haven’t been apart since!

In June of 2018 we had our first son. In April of 2019 with baby in tow, Kent dropped to one knee and asked me to be his wife. Of course I said YES!!! Since then, we’ve welcomed another baby boy and celebrated our first anniversary.

As far as our wedding goes, we had one rule - make it FUN! Before the ceremony even began, I “ICED” Kent. If you aren’t familiar with that game, it’s where you hide a Smirnoff Ice for someone to find and once they discover it, they have to take a knee and chug the beer. I tricked Kent into thinking we were taking a picture on opposite sides of a door to build anticipation before the ceremony.

But of course, instead of holding his hand, I handed him the drink.

He got me back later, don’t worry!“

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Making Magic PHOTOGRAPHY PATTON PHOTOGRAPHY VENUE CITY VIEW FLORAL BLOOM FLOWER STUDIO ARCH AND CHAIRS TRU EVENT RENTALS DJ ALL ABOUT YOU DJ CATERER CULINARY INNOVATIONS BY APRIL BOEKE CAKE BEA SWEET TREATS MENSWEAR MEN’S WEARHOUSE BRIDAL GOWN HOUSE OF WHITE BRIDESMAID DRESSES ELLA PARK BRIDAL

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VENDOR SPOTLIGHT

Conkright Aesthetics

The single most important factor in the success of aesthetic (cosmetic) surgery is the surgeon you select. That is why you need to know the

training and experience of your aesthetic plastic surgeon. For over 30 years, Dr. J. Michael Conkright has dedicated himself to the goal of providing unsurpassed excellence in aesthetic (cosmetic) surgery. Dr. Conkright is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and is a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

To achieve the best desired results for his patients, Dr. Conkright creatively utilizes all the traditional, newest, and most innovative techniques and procedures always keeping his patients safety first in mind. With an artist’s eye, Dr. Conkright’s procedures are skillfully performed to address the unique needs and desires of each individual. Dr. Conkrights ultimate goal is always to produce both a natural and elegant result while maintaining the desired individual look and character of the patient. If you should decide on surgery, you can be assured that Dr. Conkright will provide the highest quality of aesthetic (cosmetic) surgery.

Their office also offers non-invasive procedures/ products such as: BOTOX® Cosmetic, JUVÉDERM® XC Injectable Gel, Hydrafacial, Jan Marini Glycolic Facial Peels, and Microneedling And what's new at Conkright Aesthetics?

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Introducing MORPHEUS8 to stimulate the production of collagen and resurface your skin to discover a younger looking you! Morpheus8 is a fractional skin treatment that stimulates collagen production of the underlying layers of the dermis. Targeting these deeper layers of skin of the face and body can be remodeled to reveal a more radiant, youthful appearance!

Morpheus8 can be used on any body areas such as the face, neck, upper/around the eyes, abdomen, back, and legs!

Then for those in the bridal party who have a little more time to prepare, don't forget that Dr. Conkright can help you with breast augmentation, liposuction for body contouring, and/or tummy tucks. These procedures can be performed with minimal down time and recovery to help you look your absolute best for the big day!

For more information visit, call, or check them out online!

7201 E Virginia Street, Suite D, Evansville, IN 812-842-0240 www.beautifultoo.com

From the editor

2019 was when I started my keto journey with a total weight loss of 55lbs +. So I did a thing. I chose Conkright Aesthetics for two surgeries to kill a lot of birds with one stone and to help me find a happier, healthier version of myself. I can't speak more highly of Dr. Conkright and his team. They have treated me like gold, and I am always more than happy to have a one on one discussion with you if you ever have any questions about my surgeries and if something similar might be right for you. Since late 2019, I've worked really hard to take the steps to be where I wanted to be weight-wise to finally commit to this last stage, and I'm so excited to finally be to that finish line of that race, so that the next one can begin (back to running, here I come!!!). I absolutely LOVE the way I look and feel, and this is just the beginning of my next journey of my health and wellness.

-Nikki Davis, Engaged Managing Editor

Ad Here ENGAGED! RIVER VALLEY

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Bob Davis, Agent 1209 Lincoln Ave Evansville, IN 47714 Bus: 812-491-7888 www.evansvillesf.com

VENDOR SPOTLIGHT

Karson Kollker Knob Hill Tavern

Karson started working at Knob Hill Tavern full

concept of a party house was born. Opening in

time with his father Dan in his early 30’s, and he

2017, Knob Hill House has hosted small

the third generation of Kollkers that have been in

weddings, showers, business meetings,

the restaurant business. He graduated from

retirement parties, etc.

Memorial High school, then pursued a degree in finance at Ball State. After graduation, he

In 2020, the Kollkers were making a push to

worked in the food industry for AmeriQual as a

really see Knob Hill House grow when the

Purchasing Manager and later Pierre Foods as

pandemic hit. Now, as more gatherings are

the Director of Business Development, before

taking place, they are excited to begin a

settling in on the family business.

Knob Hill Tavern has been a staple in Historic Newburgh since 1943. When Dan bought it in 1991, he renovated the dining room and added on to the kitchen. He later added the terrace making the tavern a hot spot for people to enjoy their craft beer and premium bourbon selection while eating their favorite Knob Hill dishes inside or out.

Nestled behind the tavern sits Knob Hill House, a small gathering place and party venue. For years, the building housed families of various previous owners or employees. With a need for storage for the tavern and office space, in 2015 the Kollkers initially decided to convert the building into a nano-brewery with storage and an office. However, as things materialized, the

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renovation project that will place a covering over the outdoor seating area. Once additional parking is created, they will be able to double the capacity for events. They offer a full service bar and catering options for all parties.

For information on booking at Knob Hill House, email Aaron Mauck at knobhillhouse@gmail.com

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Erin & Pedro

ERIN & PEDRO In Erin’s words, “My husband, Pedro, and I met on our very first night at college. We both attended the University of Southern Indiana and lived two doors down from each other in the dormitory. We instantly hit it off during our “ice breaker” game the very first night, quickly became friends, and then shortly after became a couple. We met on night one of college and then got to spend day 1,345 graduating together.

The most important detail we brought into our ceremony and reception was honoring one of Pedro’s best men and best friend, Zachary Bailey.

Zachary unfortunately passed away 3 years prior to our wedding. We stood a large portrait of Zachary in our ceremony next to Pedro and included an open seat at our head table during the ceremony to remember Zachary by.

We have now been married for just over a year and are expecting a little girl in four short months. We have grown and endured so much in the last 7 years, but one thing that has stayed consistent is us.”

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Making Magic PHOTOGRAPHY KALLI JUNE PHOTOGRAPHY VENUE KLUBHAUS61 DJ EVANSVILLE DJS LLC CATERING SCHNITZELBANK RESTAURANT DECORATOR CHRISTINA WAGNER HAIR LOGAN EASTHAM

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Wondering WHAT TO DO after you say

“I do” Talk to

NIKKI DAVIS for ALL your Real Estate Needs!

Scan the QR code to get started with Nikki!

Or visit ListWithNikkiEVV.com

Nikki Davis 812.449.4118 • NikkiDavis@FCTE.com ListWithNikkiEVV.com F.C. TUCKER EMGE REALTORS®

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Lyndsi & Luke

LYNDSI & LUKE In Lyndsi’s words, “Back in 2016, Luke and I matched on Bumble and had our first date at our favorite restaurant, Los Bravos.

From that day on, we had many date nights at Los Bravos, road trips to New Orleans, Wichita, Orange Beach, Chicago, St Louis and many more. He then proposed in February of 2018, during a basketball game at Grayville High School, where he was the athletic director at the time. He involved the cheerleaders who did this cheer at halftime, ‘Some wait a lifetime.

Some meet by fate. Some meet on tinder and some on first dates.

Our teacher is ready and Yes, he is BOLD. We've said it all year, Cause it never gets OLD! Red plus Black equals GOLD!’ Then the planning of the best day of our lives began!

The ceremony was at Trinity Lutheran Church in Darmstadt.

This was very special to me because my parents and family have all gotten married at this church. Family and friends are very important to both of us, so we couldn’t imagine our day without including them. We had a very large wedding party which included bridesmaids, groomsmen, maid of honor, matron of honor, best men, ushers, a flower girl, ring bearer, and wedding helpers. My papaw was my world and he died in 2014. So, to make sure he was always with my on my wedding day, I had his pioneer emblem from his blue jean work shirt

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stitched into my wedding gown for my something blue. Our reception was one for the books and it wouldn’t have been possible without our amazing wedding planner and organizer, my mom – Lana Gruszewski! She made our wedding ideas come to life. One of our biggest loves, is our dogs and we of course had to include them in our wedding day, so we had dog treats at the wedding for our guests to take home to their furry friends. Our dogs were rescued as strays and we named them after my husband’s favorite bourbon, Basil Hayden. So of course, I had to surprise my husband and have a groom’s cake with the Basil Hayden logo on a whiskey barrel.

We had 12 flavors of popcorn for our guests, flavors ranging from dill pickle to caramel to grippos.

We also had to bring in our love of football to our wedding day.

My husband is a football coach, so when it came time for the garter toss, he tossed the garter on a football! We our also a house divided, Vikings fans and Packers fans. We let our guests choose Vikings or Packers colored koozies to keep their drinks cold!

To end the night, we had fireworks and hotdogs from River City Dogs. We still talk about our wedding day and how we wish we could relive it with all of our friends and family.”

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Making Magic

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DESTINATION WEDDING ENGAGED! RIVER VALLEY REAL WEDDING

Amanda & Corey

AMANDA & COREY Corey and I met in 2009 at a Plain White T's concert out at USI. But, it wasn't until we ran into each other at a house party months later that we started to become friends. We already had a basis of our love of 'emo music', then we found out we have a similar sense of humor.

Over the years we would make goofy videos lip-syncing to songs, going on drives, and hanging out at parties. There was one week where my car was in the shop and Corey offered and would not accept gas money - to pick me up and take me to school out at USI. He lived on the westside of Evansville and I lived in Newburgh... Yet we were still both blind to the fact that there were more than friendly feelings between us.

Eventually we did go our own separate ways in life, and we did not speak to each other for close to 7 years. Finally, in 2019, I sent Corey a Facebook friend request and a message asking "How the hell are ya?" We hung out later that week; We did not skip a beat with the jokes, reminiscing, and the sparks were loud and clear this time around. I later moved in with him in early 2020, we proposed to each other 12/23/2020, and celebrated our commitment to each other on 8/21/2021 with our closest friends and family for our wedding at Chapel in the Hollow.

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Making Magic PHOTOGRAPHY STAR NOIR STUDIO VENUE CHAPEL IN THE HOLLOW FLORALS ERIN M. ADAMS ARTISTRY LLC MACRAME TWISTED VIBES STUDIO DRESS/HAIRPIECE ROSE & BLISS MENSWEAR PAUL'S MENSWEAR INVITATIONS 5 PINK PEONIES SHOES CHUCKS FROM CONVERSE

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ISSUE 17 2021

ISSUE 13 2020

Wedding Planning

DURING COVID

Bonfetti

EPIC CREATIVITY AND FUN

Covid Honeymoon

Editors’ Picks

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Pandemic Weddings

REAL COUPLES AND THEIR COVID WEDDINGS SHARING THE

THE BEST OF 2019 WEDDINGS!

Honey Bee

THE SWEETEST INSPO SHOOT EVER

love IN OUR BEAUTIFUL River Valley

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