A Kentucky Derby Wedding: The Real Wedding of Haley and Jake Messmer

Photos ByRebecca Shehorn Photography

Written By

Chrysa Keenon

Date

October 2, 2019

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Haley and Jake were high school sweethearts before they tied the knot. Jake proposed at the Cincinnati Zoo, one of the couple’s favorite spots. Haley recalls, “It was the baby hippo, Fiona’s, first birthday!” We’re so excited that this couple gets to share an anniversary with such an adorable animal!

This couple wanted to keep their southern roots in their wedding. Haley says, “We wanted to incorporate Kentucky touches, especially bourbon and horse racing which are two of our favorite things. I had no idea what I wanted in terms of flowers or a dress.” But we’re thrilled at the style she picked out! The elegant style of Haley's dress is simply swoon-worthy, and here's a secret that makes it even better: it has pockets!

When it came to planning, Haley made use of a planner in typical Type-A fashion. “My aunt bought me a planning book that had checklists in it that I used--this was so helpful with the little details,” she says. “I had a checklist of things I wanted to do each week or month in order to stay on top of things.”

What we love

Haley wore her mother’s wedding veil--that was also worn by her sister and aunt when they got married! Her necklace was crafted from her late grandmother’s wedding ring. We love that Haley and Jake worked together with their caterer to create the perfect menu fit for any foodie. Haley even handmade over 300 bourbon balls for their wedding dessert, using her grandmother’s famous recipe--can we get the leftovers, please?

Advice from the couple

Haley advises finding the balance of doing a task yourself and delegating while in the planning process. She instructs, “Enjoy every minute! Make sure to look at the details you worked so hard on! Don’t stress about the small things--everything will be perfect and work itself out.”