Alana and Nicks Love Story:

“I’m a native New Yorker at heart. Born, raised, NYU Art School graduate. One day I decided to accept a job on a TV show out in Nashville, TN. Wild because no one in our family has ever strayed away from New York, but sure I was that rebel. After a few months of going on dates in Nashville I soon realized the men were way cuter and way more chivalrous (much to the contrary of NYC dating). I finally downloaded Hinge and made a profile. Swipe, swipe, date, date…life goes on no one special as of yet. I was just having fun in my young 20s in Nashville, a new fun city for me. Until my profile matched with Nick’s. Right away I saw he had roots in New York so we started chatting about that. After only one conversation I learned he was in the Army and from Texas. The very next morning he sent me a text message asking to take me out that Friday night October 12th, 2018. I of course said heck yeah he had these piercingly gorgeous green eyes and chiseled jaw. He pulls up to my townhouse Friday night in the biggest pickup Truck I have ever seen (again I am from NY). I could barely get into it in my heels and skirt! We had a blast that night bar hopping around East Nashville. It is so weird to say but from the moment I saw him I knew my life would be changed forever. He would whisk me away into a totally different world than I had ever known or saw for myself. He was a military, hunting, wilderness lover and I was a city girl who was an artist. On our drive that night he asked me to put on a favorite song of mine, I played “Good Kisser” by Lake Street Dive. Until this day that is our song. Nick will never let me live this down but when he dropped me back off at my townhouse he got out of the truck to walk me to my door. We didn’t even make it to the door before I made the first move and kissed him. Since that night he is the only guy I have had eyes for or kissed. We lived about an hour from each other as he was stationed at Fort Campbell, KY. We spent every single weekend together and after only one month of dating he casually was like I would love it if you would come home to Texas with me for Thanksgiving. I didn’t even hesitate when I spit out the words I would love to meet your family. My mom thought I was insane for driving to Texas with a man I have only known a month. But from the moment I walked into his house and met his parents I knew it would be my second home, my second family, a place I could feel loved and happy. Their home felt like my home. They are all native New Yorkers who live in Texas, so I just felt right at home. 

Fast forward to April of 2019. The TV show I worked on got cancelled. My options were to move to Los Angeles to work on another show or choose this new love of only 6 months and move in with him and start a new life. A new home, a new career, a new story is what I chose. It only took us a week to find an apartment in Clarksville, TN and move in together with his 75lb German Shorthaired Pointer named Scout and my 10lb Havanese Garcia. We were officially a family or as Nick calls us “TEAM.”. Fast forward again to January 2020 Nick had to have surgery on his chest in november so we were unfortunately staying in Clarksville longer than he wanted to be so he bought me my dream home! We moved into our first house together January 15th. Fast forward once more to today. We had plans to move to Fort Huachuca in Arizona in May but Covid hit and our plans like most people were obliterated. I had to fly to New York for my 25 year old Spinal X-rays to find out if I needed to get a Spinal Fusion surgery because I have severe Scoliosis. After leaving the surgeons office with amazing news that I wouldn’t need the surgery yet Nickcalled me from Tennessee to tell me the Army is sending him alone to Arizona for 5 months. I am home at our house in TN with our two pups while he takes a Captains Training Course in Arizona. I will be flying to visit him for our TWO YEAR anniversary on October 12th! I cannot wait to see him. We just found out we will be stationed at Fort Polk, LA come February 24th. I am hoping / thinking he will be popping the question before that! He had my mom fly my grandmother’s diamond engagement ring to our house in TN so I have it! My dream is to be eloped at Palo Duro Canyon Texas before we move to Louisiana. We will be moving in with his family in Dallas after we sell the house in November – February so it would be the perfect time to elope with our family present. I would love to stay at the Doves Rest Cabins on Palo Duro Canyon and elope in January!”

Vendor List:

Photographer: Brit Nicole | Texas Elopements + Weddings
Rodeo King Hat
Schaefer’s Laramie Vest
Guys Jacket from Cavendars
Lucchese Boots
Brides Jacket: Blank NYC and Levi’s
Brides Hat: Head of State hats 
Veil was vintage from Nicks Aunt
Wedding Dress: Designed by the Bride, custom made by Amelii.dress, an Etsy shop
Brides Boots: Rujo Boots
Grooms Ring: Kay
Brides Ring: Aurora Designer Shop
Florals: From many Etsy shops and local stores in Louisiana 
Arch Florals: Bloomaco
Arches: @backdrops.g on Instagram
Vow Books: coppercloudcreative on Etsy