21c: How did you meet?
AB: We met in February 2015 at a party while we were both attending college at the University of Louisville. I (Aubree) was looking for my RaiseRed team partner, also named Shawn, when a mutual friend pulled over the wrong Sean. The “wrong” Sean and I started talking and didn’t stop until the end of the party. We ended up going our separate ways that night, but both of us knew there was something that just clicked with us. A few months down the road in October 2015 another mutual friend, tried to introduce us, but quickly realized we already knew each other. The “wrong” Sean became the right one and we’ve been inseparable since.
21c: What were you looking for in a venue? How did you know you found the one?
AB: We wanted somewhere we felt comfortable and, honestly, after having original plans canceled and reorganizing so many times with Covid, we really wanted somewhere that included everything we needed! Our tour at 21c was so welcoming. All staff were reassuring and so understanding in such a strange time of wedding planning. We really loved and trusted that staff at 21c would make our day happen and we would feel comfortable whether our wedding day ended up being just us two or our hope for seventy-five guests.
Pictured: Trong Gia Nguyen, “Win-Win (Flamingo’s Dream)”
21c: If you channel some magic penguin-godmother magic and relive your favorite moment from your wedding day, what would it be?
AB: Our favorite moment of the day was our first look. Originally we were adamantly against a first look, but they just make sense and now we are so glad we had that time together. It took place in Proof on Main, which was closed at that time of the day, and it just felt so intimate and homey. The lounge area is so unique and beautifully curated, we were so excited to get to use it. Immediately after seeing each other, we were able to relax and enjoy each other’s company. The best man even came to the rescue and brought us a bottle of bourbon down so we could enjoy a drink pre-ceremony.
21c: What are people still talking about from your wedding?
AB: Our guests loved our caricature artists and champagne toast with cotton candy topping the glasses! We wanted a unique wedding favor and something that would remind our guests of the day, so a bit of art to take home was a must. We’ve also always loved that cotton candy was a unique treat Proof on Main offered guests and wanted to include it in a fun way. 21c took our request and made it a hit.
Pictured: Valérie Belin, “Porcelain Parrot Bird”, from the series “China Girls,” 2018. Pigment print
21c: Which detail are you most proud of?
AB: I don’t know that there is one specific detail that I am most proud of as the bride… really just the whole thing! We completely switched a lot of our ideas when we moved the wedding to 21c after Covid changed our original plans, but somehow all the little details came together to create a modern wildflower dream in the middle of downtown Louisville.
21c: How did your wedding reflect who you are as a couple?
AB: Our wedding was colorful, intimate, thoughtful, and fun! We love our friends and family so much and wanted everyone in attendance to feel surrounded by love. From the ceremony, to the flowers, the music and the food, our guests were surrounded by memories from our relationship and our favorite things that reminded us of these moments.
21c: Which piece of art got the most Insta love?
AB: Text Rain and Wheel of Fortune definitely won this, although an image in the penthouse that may or may-not be Justin Bieber gave them a run for their money! They are both iconic pieces of art in Louisville and so much fun.
Pictured: Camille Utterback & Romy Achituv. “Text Rain,” 1999. Video, projection software.
21c: Do you have any tips for brides-to-be to make their day as stress-free as possible?
AB: Hire a day-of-wedding planner! Between the 21c staff (Mary in particular) and our planners at Essential Details, they made sure that we did not have anything to do other than show up. It made the day so stress free and just allowed us to enjoy more time with each other and our guests.
Photography by Kendra Farris Photography (@kendra_farris on Instagram)
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Planner: Essential Details
Dress: Rebecca’s Wedding Boutique
Makeup: Bailey Michael Bright Carter
Catering: Proof on Main
Rentals: Southern Classic Rentals
Interested in making a big statement with an intimate wedding at 21c? Click here to learn more about saying ‘I do’ with 21c.
