Molly and Mikel's Outdoor Buffalo River Wedding
I woke up the morning of Molly and Mikel's wedding to loud thunder and rain pouring down. Molly had previously told me "I'm totally ok with getting my dress dirty" and today, we were really going to put that to the test.
Molly and Mikel met in Seattle—but their story really began in a shared office space across the country. They were both moving across the U.S. to begin new jobs at the same architecture firm, unknowingly arriving into each other's lives at the same time. Mikel spotted a photo of Molly pinned to the office bulletin board before she even arrived. When they finally met, they formed an immediate connection—a deep, easy friendship that grew slowly, steadily, and meaningfully.
They spent weekends hiking, camping, talking late into the night—building a foundation that would become the core of their relationship. “We are better together and make each other whole...We’re so thankful we had that time of deep friendship. It made the transition to a relationship so easy.” During the early days of the pandemic, they packed up their car (and their dog Baso) and road-tripped from Seattle to Arkansas to stay with Molly’s family. They meant to stay for a week. They stayed for three months. “That’s how I made him fall in love with Arkansas".
So when it came time to plan their wedding, it only made sense to return to the place where so many pieces of their story had come together. They chose to get married on the Buffalo River, surrounded by rolling hills and wide-open sky. Surrounded by their closest friends and family, Molly and Mikel got married on May 24th, 2025. The morning of the wedding began with thunder and lightning. “We had let go of expectations...But I was a little bummed. I really wanted to be outside.” And then—just as guests were arriving—the clouds parted. The sun came out. The entire day unfolded under blue skies and a sun shining bright.
Dinner was served in a working barn that had been recently cleared of hay. Their friend Brian—an artist and designer—created a dreamy overhead installation of vermillion lanterns that swayed gently in the breeze as the evening went on. “There was a moment when we all just stood there and watched them, it was so magical and beautiful.”
