From the beginning, Katelyn and Phillip’s number one priority was creating a wedding that honored the Lord above all else, and everything about the design and planning flowed from that foundation. Katelyn reached out to EBJ in February for a July wedding and even with a condensed planning timeline, we began our venue search with an open map.
Her vision centered on a big tent, beautiful views, and a convenient, central location for her traveling guests. We explored venues along the coastline of 30A, throughout the Blue Ridge Mountains, and in other Georgia cities. Each location offered something beautiful, but ultimately home felt like the truest fit. Katelyn and Phillip chose Hidden Trace Farm, a private property in Franklin, Tennessee, where Katelyn grew up attending a Christian camp with her family. The farm is rich in quiet charm, rolling fields, and a natural sense of peace that aligned beautifully with their vision for the day.
Katelyn and Phillip were married at Second Presbyterian Church in Nashville, the same church where her parents once exchanged their vows. Every detail was designed to honor the Lord and reflect the beauty that comes from a Christ-centered marriage, including worship music led by Katelyn’s friend Merritt Jones.
The overall design was inspired by the image of a young woman sitting in a field of flowers, reading her Bible beside the stillness of a quiet pond. This visual depicted a tender moment with God, surrounded by His perfect peace and unspoken beauty. With that in mind, the palette came to life, filled with joyful color, yet grounded by an undercurrent of calming blue and green tones.
On the farm, Presley discovered several old church pews and immediately knew they belonged in the reception tent. They offered a meaningful connection to the couple’s deep and steady faith, creating the perfect first impression as guests entered the tent.
Bailey of Imogen Floral Design created florals that captured the essence of who Katelyn is. Simple in style but bright and undeniably beautiful. They were a representation of her inner joy and grace. Incorporating the image of Katelyn sitting by the pond, surrounded by a field of wildflowers, we decided to use baskets and minimal vase hardware to create a natural and easy feeling in the space. The arrangements were constructed with single ingredient blooms to create color blocking and a sense of joyful color on each table.
The single ingredient arrangements paired seamlessly with the hand block printed linens sourced from The Mended Company, a brand that crafts beautiful work while creating economic opportunity for survivors of modern day slavery in South Asia. Incorporating their linens added a depth of meaning that extended beyond design and linked the wedding day to a greater story of restoration and hope, a narrative the family understands well through their adoption of two boys and the creation of their own nonprofit over the years.
Another priority for Katelyn and her family was creating a comfortable guest experience. Their desire was to give their guests a welcoming environment as soon as they stepped on the property. In Tennessee, the heat is at its peak in July, so air conditioning was an essential addition to the tent to make their guests feel at ease and part of the family. When guests entered the tent, they were greeted with a cool breeze and a refreshing drink at the custom designed bar, painted in Katelyn’s favorite shade of blue. DJ Scott Bishop of Premier Entertainment created an inviting atmosphere for mingling and dancing behind his custom designed stage facade, also painted blue.
After Mr. and Mrs. Phillip Wilder were introduced, guests were invited to the unique food stations, catered by Flavor Catering. This style of service allowed the guests to move around freely, choose their own pace, and settle into conversations naturally instead of being seated with a formal seating chart. The mix and mingle style reception created an atmosphere that felt lively and social which describes Katelyn and Phillip’s love.
Katelyn and Phillip’s wedding day was more than a beautifully styled celebration. It was a testament to their faith, their families, and the intentional choices they made throughout the planning process. What began as an open map gradually led them back to a place that felt familiar and to the One who is at the center of it all.
While the wedding day unfolded on Saturday, the EBJ team and our incredible vendor partners began the build on Wednesday, crafting a four-day production that brought the full vision to life. Take a peek behind the scenes to see how it all came together, filmed by Alex Hernandez of Alex G Films.
We were grateful to bring their story to life through thoughtful design and a shared foundation of faith that guides our work at EBJ & Company. If you are envisioning a wedding day rooted in Christ, we would be honored to bring your vision to life with the same intentional and heartfelt approach.
Vendors:
Ceremony: Second Presbyterian Church
Reception: Hidden Trace Farm
Photography: Erin Fox Photography
Videography: Wakefield Films
Planning & Design: EBJ & Company
Florals: Imogen Floral Design
Rentals & Tent: Curated Events
Dance Floor: EventWorks
Lighting: High Tone Entertainment
Draping: Quest Events
Catering: Flavor Catering
Bar: J.Jackson Mobile Mixologist
DJ: Premier Entertainment
Ceremony Music: College Grove Strings
Cake: Publix
Hair: 931 Bridal Co
Stationery: Paper Eliza
Restrooms: Posh Privy
Air Conditioning: Herc
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