Alex and Rachel McCormick’s story is one of both loss and love. In June 2020, following her father’s passing, Rachel and her mother sought a distraction by swiping through the dating app, Hinge. Together, they swiped through the Bluff City’s eligible bachelors until one, in particular, caught their eye.
“Together, we saw Alex’s profile, and because of his smile, I sent him a ‘like,’” Rachel shares. “After days of messaging (and lying a little about how much I love the band Tool), we decided to go out for our first date to Young Ave. We stayed until they closed, and when he walked me to my car at the end of the night, we sealed our last first dates with a little kiss.”
It was love at first swipe for Rachel and Alex McCormick. Get to know the happy couple and their story!
“For me, loss led to love,” says Rachel. “I didn’t know what to do with it — with all the love I had for my dad. I didn’t know where to put it. But then I met Alex, and he showed me a safe harbor to lay down everything that I was carrying and could give.”
Alex made plans to pop the question at Christmastime in 2021, but even with careful planning, the proposal was almost thwarted due to the ring’s delivery (or lack thereof).
Rachel knew from the start that Alex’s smile was special, and now she gets to enjoy it forever. Cue the tears!
The proposal was memorable, thanks to a delivery delay, ripped tights, a little rain, and some not-so-stealthy friends capturing photos.
“With plans to see the Nutcracker downtown the Saturday before Christmas, and the ring due in earlier that week, it seemed like a perfect night,” Rachel recalls. “Reservations were made to celebrate afterward, and everything was ready to go until the ring’s delivery was delayed. After days of pressing the jeweler, the ring finally arrived in a buzzer-beater delivery on the morning of the proposal, and Alex hurried off to get things ready.”
After an ecstatic yes in front of a rainy backdrop, Rachel and Alex began planning a wedding to be held nine months later, on September 24, 2022, at Old Dominick Distillery in Memphis.
The invitations, programs, and menu cards were designed by Minted and finished with a beautiful wax seal matching the muted fall color scheme.
Rachel and Alex held their wedding at Memphis’s Old Dominick Distillery.
“We did all the initial planning ourselves and then handed everything over to my mom and her two sisters,” Rachel tells us, adding, “My Aunt Joyce is a wonderful florist, and my Aunt Judy is so creative and has a great eye for decorating.”
With the perfect venue selected, which Rachel describes as both masculine and romantic, she selected cinnamon rose-colored satin bridesmaids’ dresses. Then, she allowed the rest of her color scheme to fall into place. Giving her Aunt Joyce a vague outline of her floral vision, centering on her bouquet of calla lilies, Rachel left the rest of the details to her team of familial experts. “I really wanted to be surprised by everything on the wedding day,” she shares.
Rachel’s dress – only the second she tried on – was an Art Deco gown from The Barefoot Bride in Memphis with 100% cotton details. Thanks to the boutique’s extensive selection, Rachel said it was easy to find something that matched her personality and energy.
Calla lilies were the sole focus of the bride’s gorgeous bouquet, designed by Rachel’s aunt, Judy Bates, of The Added Touch.
Rachel’s bridesmaids were stunning in fall colorways, including cinnamon-rose “Skye” satin dresses from Revelry.
The groomsmen dressed to impress with suits from New York Suit Exchange. The groom wore a custom suit from Indochino.
Rachel wore a Zavana Bridal gown from The Barefoot Bride.
In keeping with tradition, Rachel donned two pieces of meaningful jewelry that served as something old, new, borrowed, and blue. Her best friend, Ouida Meruvia, lent her an aquamarine ring, holding significance beyond beauty and tradition — aquamarine was Rachel’s father’s birthstone.
“My’ something new’ was a gold necklace with a circle of diamonds in the center given to me by my mom,” Rachel shares. “She wanted to remind me that we are always connected even though I am starting my own family now.”
As with the planning and execution, the McCormick wedding celebration centered around family. Alex’s brother served as the officiant, and roughly 120 friends and relatives gathered to witness the festivities.
The McCormicks included a touching tribute to family and those unable to join the celebration.
Rachel and Alex exchanged personal vows in front of a triangular arch with breathtaking florals.
The McCormicks sealed their nuptials with a kiss!
The McCormicks hosted a pre-ceremony cocktail hour, with a buffet-style reception to follow the wedding. In true Memphis style, the spread — catered by Central BBQ — included pulled pork and chicken sandwiches, BBQ nachos, and traditional accompaniments like macaroni and cheese, baked beans, and salad.
Guests were treated to a cocktail hour before the ceremony as well as a Memphis-style buffet complete with BBQ from Central BBQ, sides, fruits, vegetables, and salad.
The newlyweds took the dance floor to the tune of “Light My Love” by Greta Van Fleet before Rachel joined her father-in-law for a touching tribute to her dad, backdropped by “The Fireman” by George Strait.
“We danced to my dad’s and my favorite song when I was a little girl,” Rachel shared. “He was a fireman, and we LOVED George Strait. It was really special. I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to do the dance. It was one of the things I always really looked forward to about getting married when I was a little girl, and after my dad passed, I thought I had also lost my chance for that dance. My father-in-law, Scott McCormick, has been a great gift.”
Rachel and Alex enjoyed their first dance under the iconic Old Dominick Distillery neon.
Rachel and her father-in-law Scott shared a special dance in memory of her father.
The evening continued with an open bar and dance floor. Signature drinks flowed, including an Old Fashioned (his) and the Bee’s Knees (hers). As an added fun detail, the McCormicks brought in Cody’s Caricatures to create memorable takeaways for guests.
When it came to dessert, the pair couldn’t pick a favorite, so they opted to serve them all. The three-tiered naked-style cake boasted a chocolate layer on the bottom, lemon cake in the middle, and strawberry on top, each filled with a matching icing flavor and decorated with vanilla on the outside.
Guests were invited to sit for custom caricatures from Cody’s Caricatures.
Desserts included macarons, cookies, and a cake that had as many flavors as it did tiers.
Sweet LaLa’s Bakery made the stunning naked-style cake.
The reception came to a close, as receptions do, but the party didn’t stop there. Guests walked to Beale Street to keep the fun going all night long.
Following the wedding, the couple opted for an adventurous ‘mini-moon’ at the Grand Canyon National Park and Coconino National Forest, relaxing between both at Cibola Vista Resort and Spa.
Rachel and Alex skipped an exit and opted to keep the party going. The McCormicks and their guests enjoyed a visit to Beale Street.
“My best advice is really simple,” the bride tells us regarding a recommendation for brides-to-be. “Enjoy the day. We all want the perfect wedding day, but things don’t always go according to plan. You have to roll with it and focus on having fun and taking time to soak it all in. It rained, I ripped my dress, we didn’t get to try our cake … things happened. But it was still the most beautiful and meaningful day of my life!”
Cheers to many years of love and happiness for the McCormicks.
Thank you, Rachel and Alex, for sharing your day with us. And thanks to Ashley Benham for the beautiful photos.
RESOURCES:
Venue: Old Dominick Distillery, Memphis, TN
Photographer: Ashley Benham Photography
Bride’s gown: Zavana Bridal gown from The Barefoot Bride
Bridesmaids’ dresses: Revelry: Skye satin dress in cinnamon rose
Hair: Emily Cohen
Makeup: Kasey Acuff
Groom’s formalwear: Indochino
Groomsmen’s formalwear: New York Suit Exchange
Invitations, programs & menu cards: Minted
Flowers: Joyce Bicker of The Added Touch
Catering: Central BBQ
Entertainment: CK Soundz Productions
Cake: Sweet LaLa’s Bakery
Caricaturist: Cody’s Caricatures
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