Chattanooga Whiskey Event Hall
Photos by Keren Treviño
The reception was held at Chattanooga Whiskey Event Hall, which for Lily was an easy choice. “I fell in love with Chattanooga Whiskey when I was in college and never imagined I would actually get to have my reception in that space … I just needed Justin to love the space too, and he did.”
As guests arrived at the reception, they were met with a stunning setup that Lily describes as “modern elegance.” Glowing pillar candles, crushed velvet, and gold accents provided an enchanting contrast with the rustic venue. Arrangements featuring ferns and roses draped the sweetheart table and dotted the rest of the venue, while whiskey barrels doubled as a gift table and cake stand.
“We wanted the food to reflect what Justin and I love most,” says Lily. This meant a cocktail hour featuring smoked wings, chips, queso, and salsa and a buffet-style dinner of barbecue tacos with a wealth of toppings. Guests also enjoyed an open bar run by Chattanooga Whiskey staff and two tiered cakes.
The touch of loved ones enriched the evening, from table runners hand-sewn by Lily’s mother to calligraphy done by a close friend. A deeply moving recording of Lily’s late father singing played while she danced with her brother in lieu of the traditional father-daughter dance. “There was not a dry eye in the entire venue. It was such a special way to incorporate our father and pay tribute to him,” she recalls.
Lily and Justin danced the night away with their guests and chose to forego a traditional sendoff so they could be the last to leave at the end of the night.
While she cherished every moment spent with friends and family, Lily’s favorite part of the day was taking portraits with her husband: “It was such a quiet time between me and Justin, and we had time to just bask in the day.”
“I am a huge lover of art, especially the Impressionist period. We went on a small vacation to Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience in Atlanta. Justin added on the virtual reality experience at the end, which was a total surprise, and when I took my VR goggles off, he was down on one knee!”
