I met Ashley and Jason several months before their elopement would take place - this was definitely a planned event! When Ashely reached out, I knew she would be so much fun to work with. Even though she and her fiancé resided in central Arkansas, they were originally from California and would have several friends and relatives flying in for the occasion.

Since their wedding would still be on the small side, Ashley and Jason decided to meet their loved ones in Branson, MO for a fun weekend before hopping down to Bella Vista and eloping at the Mildred B. Cooper Memorial Chapel. Did I mention their wedding took place on the 4th of July!? Between the holiday and the wedding, everyone was in high spirits! Be sure to check out Branson 4th of July schedules here.

Wedding day finally arrived and I finally got to meet this wonderful couple in person!. Jason was one of the most calm grooms I’ve ever met! He was so kind and when I asked him if there were any specific moments he for sure wanted me to catch, he responded, “Whatever Ashley wants!” Ashley laughed when I shared that with her! After checking in at the chapel with the groom and officiant, I headed down to the chapel office to meet the beautiful bride.

Like Jason, Ashely was surrounded by the love of her immediate family. Her energy was absolutely incredible! While I am always SO excited to be a part of all my couples’ wedding days, Ashley’s exuberance made me that much more thrilled to be there. Ashley looked absolutely royal in her Low’s wedding dress, so we made sure to capture her bridal beauty while her family headed up to the ceremony.

When Ashley walked down the aisle, nothing but pure love shown from Jason’s face. If you’ve never seen the look of true love, here ya go:

One of their family friends officiated their ceremony and it was so much fun because of how personal she made the ceremony. I learned so many things about this amazing couple - everything from the fact they had been together for over 8 years (!) to learning that Ashley doesn’t love sharing her snacks! Their first kiss as husband and wife was met with applause and a dance party down the aisle. The day concluded and forever began with Jason and Ashley popping the champagne. Check out where to grab your celebratory spirits in Bella Vista here.

Congrats, Jason and Ashley!

If you’re looking for a beautiful place to elope, I would highly recommend considering the Mildred B. Cooper Memorial Chapel. The glass windows of the chapel let in so much light, filling the room with an ambient glow throughout your entire ceremony. There are stunning archways that make for perfect picture locations, along with the double doors that open into the chapel. The staff is also so friendly! This wedding venue should certainly be on your list of places to discover.