Boone Tavern Berea, Kentucky
The historic Boone Tavern in Berea, KY is affiliated with Berea College and has quite an interesting history.
This Colonial Revival-style hotel was built in 1907 by a firm from New York, constructed by students from the Woodwork department and using bricks from the college’s brickyard.
It’s original purpose was to serve as a restaurant and hotel for the overwhelming number of guests the President of Berea College hosted regularly.
In 1930 word spread of the luxurious hotel in Berea, KY, and during this Automobile Age the location on the Dixie Highway and in the center of Berea it quickly became the perfect destination for travelers.
Today you can have your wedding at the newly renovated and historically recognized Boone Tavern, now certified as a LEED hotel — a green building certification.
With some of the finest amenities, your guests will love to linger under the 2-story portico entrance on the east side, stargaze under the dining room skylights, and relax in one of the 64 guest rooms.
There are many special touches that you’ll encounter when you stay at this charming tavern, like the solid wood cherry furniture that was crafted by the students at Berea College.
You’ll love that the Boone Tavern has a one-wedding weekend rule, meaning that you will receive the utmost attention your wedding day deserves.
Green Apple Photography was delighted to join Allison and Spencer at the Boone Tavern for their wedding.
To celebrate their love we asked them to fill out a questionnaire to tell us all about their big day.
Read below to hear what they had to share!
How did you meet?: Tinder LOL. Spencer was living in Somerset at the time and was up in Lexington for a Halloween party when we matched. We quickly realized we were from the same hometown and knew a lot of the same people. Spencer has even been friends with one of my first cousins for years!
When/where did you go on your first date? We had our first date back in November 2019. I drove down to Somerset for the date and since there’s not a lot to do, we did a wild combination of things. For dinner, we went to Casa Grande, a very popular Mexican restaurant in Somerset. We then went to Baskin Robbins for some ice cream. We made a stop at Jarfly, a locally owned brewery in Somerset. We didn’t want the night to end, so we drove around the town for a while. When Spencer dropped me back off at my car, he leaned in for a kiss BUT if you ask Spencer, I initiated the first kiss. It is a hotly debated topic in our household.
Tell me a bit about how you fell in love?
Allison – I knew I was really interested in Spencer because of his style and music taste, but most importantly, his sweet, gentle spirit and kind heart are both second to none. I knew without a doubt I loved Spencer when, one morning, we were eating breakfast and I shared with him the story of my oldest brother’s passing. My brother had a heart defect and died on Valentine’s Day when he was only 17 years old. It truly changed everything about my life and who I am. Spencer was so sweet, and he cried along with me. Right there in the middle of IHOP.
Spencer – For me it kind of grew organically over time in a slow burn kind of way. I noticed more and more that any time I thought of Allison or was around her, I was feeling more and more complete. Then one day I just knew I loved her. She is earnest and kind. She is who I envisioned myself being old with and making dumb jokes to in our senior living facility.
How did your spouse propose?:
Spencer asked me if I wanted to go on a long weekend trip to Cincinnati on Memorial Day weekend 2021. I was a little suspicious because he isn’t often the type to suggest going on trips. We rented an Airbnb in Over The Rhine that was so cute! The morning after we arrived, Spencer got up early and went to Findlay Market nearby where he bought a beautiful bouquet of flowers and a tiramisu cupcake. He brought them back to the Airbnb, sat down next to me and said, “As of today we have been together 574 days. Wanna spend a couple million more with me?” and pulled out the ring. I was so shocked and the beautiful ring genuinely took my breath away. It was so authentically us because it was low key and a private, cozy moment. He did it early in the day so we could ride the high of it all day long. It will always be one of my most favorite memories.
Where/when did your spouse propose?
May 29, 2021 at our Airbnb in Cincinnati.
If you love story was a movie what would you title it?
Allison – Spencer’s title is so good I can’t even top it.
Spencer – “Look at this Cat: How a grumpy old dog fell in love”
Describe your relationship in 5 words?
Allison – relaxed, loving, trusting, fun, wrestling
Spencer – laughing, loving, learning, longing, wrestling
What is something that means the most to both of you?
Allison – Spending time doing what we love with the people we love.
Spencer – The simple Saturday morning coffee and donut we share together.
What was the most anticipated part of your wedding day for you both?
Allison – As the months and months of wedding planning went by, the thing I thought about most was what it would be like walking down the aisle and seeing Spencer for the first time. We didn’t do a first look, so I knew that when Spencer saw me, it would be his genuine reaction to seeing me in my wedding dress. I thought about how much we would cry, because I knew without a doubt we would both cry. And we definitely did. It was amazing and also felt kind of unreal because we had been planning for so long and it was finally here. There’s a photo in particular that I adore – it’s of Spencer and our officiant/friend Brandon. You can tell Spencer is emotional as he’s standing at the altar and Brandon is smiling as he has a reassuring hand on Spencer’s shoulder. It shows how much love and care there was between not only Spencer and me, but our entire wedding party.
Spencer – I just kept looking forward to the moment when she would be walking down the aisle and we would be there surrounded by all of these people that wanted to spend this moment with us. The family some of us haven’t seen in years. The friends that we have been talking about this to for months. Just surrounded by this special group of people. The photos from the moment Al walks in and I am staring at her. That is that specific moment. You can just see and feel all of that and I am so happy it was captured.
Did anything unexpected happen? What was the outcome?
Allison – OH YEAH. People always say that your wedding day is a whirlwind and let me tell you, I was whirled and winded. Because there were some other hiccups throughout the day and our loved ones were making sure those things were fixed so that Spencer and I didn’t know about them, we forgot to bring Spencer’s ring to the ceremony. There’s an amazing photo of the moment everyone realizes Spencer’s ring didn’t make it – I’m laughing, Spencer has a hilarious shocked look on his face, Brandon is grinning and smoothing things over, my Matron of Honor Allie is laughing but also has a “what the heck???’ look on her face, and Spencer’s Best Gal Jen has the most amazing surprised face. It was the funniest and best part of the whole ceremony. It had not only been an emotional ceremony up to that point but an emotional day, and that moment really provided great comic relief. Thank GOD one of the photography assistants ran up to the parlor where we got dressed and grabbed Spencer’s ring so it was ready for us as we exited after our recessional. She really saved the day!
Spencer – The ring…..oh lord….the ring moment.
Were you nervous? How did you squash those nerves?
Allison – I was nervous because neither Spencer or I are really fond of being the center of attention and this was an occasion where Spencer and I were quite literally the center of attention. I was nervous I would trip walking down the aisle or something like that but thankfully I didn’t. Christora did tell us to squeeze our butts to stop from crying LOL but I forgot and still cried. My makeup did hold up PERFECTLY though thanks to the phenomenal hair and makeup artist we had, Cheyenne Perkins.
Spencer – I jokingly say I never like to be “perceived”. Being the center of attention is not my favorite thing. Thankfully, I had my team with me and Christora there to make everything as easy as possible.
What song did you walk down the aisle to?
Allison – I walked down the aisle to Levitation by Beach House.
What are you most looking forward to as a married couple?
Allison – I’m looking forward to building our lives together. I’m looking forward to learning Spencer better every day, to giving him a big hug when I come home from work every day, to celebrating our birthdays and anniversaries together for years to come. I’m looking forward to watching our nieces grow up and being there for their soccer games, ballet recitals, band concerts, whatever it may be. I’m looking forward to adopting cats and dogs and having a place we can call our own. I’m looking forward to growing a marriage and a life together that will rival even the greatest love story of all time.
Spencer – I am happy to be spending the rest of my life with my best friend. We will have adventures, stories, lots of enjoyment watching our nieces grow, hugs, and loving on the inevitable houseful of furry animals that she will convince me to allow in.
What was your wedding inspiration?
We wanted something that would be “us” but also timeless. Spencer and I are pretty nontraditional and have never really subscribed to a lot of conventional ideals. Our venue, Boone Tavern, has a pretty classic aesthetic but we were also able to add our own flair here and there. We were also on a smaller budget, so we had to be pretty thrifty. The vintage vases in our centerpieces were from the peddler’s mall and the flowers in those vases were from Trader Joe’s – my mom arranged all the centerpieces herself.
What’s your wedding song and the significance?
Our first dance was to At Last by Etta James. We wanted a song that had stood the test of time and also had lyrics that were significant to us. Spencer and I felt that the lyrics and the instrumentals in the song were perfect for how we feel about each other – it’s a dreamy song and it just makes you feel good to hear it.
What advice do you have for anyone getting married?
Allison – Do what makes you happy. It is YOUR day! It can be so easy to get caught up in what your parents/families want or what will make everyone else happy, but it’s your wedding. Whether you want a smaller or bigger wedding, whether you want it to be traditional or nontraditional, do what makes you happy! Even with your honeymoon, go where you want to go. We went to Salem and Boston, MA and when we told people that’s where we were going, a lot of times their reactions would be something like “Really? I thought you’d go somewhere tropical!” But we don’t super love the beach or super hot weather so typical honeymoon destinations weren’t really what we wanted. It’s your honeymoon and if there’s something you want to do, you should do it! The week Spencer and I spent in Salem and Boston was an absolute dream. We were on cloud nine after the wedding and we got to disconnect from the world for a short while and just be with each other in a place we loved. It was incredible.
How did you feel at the end of the day?
Allison – Once we said our goodbyes to everyone at the reception and we got to our room, we were exhausted but so happy. We stayed up talking and laughing about all the crazy things that happened that day and how insanely fast it all went by. But most of all, were so incredibly happy to be married. That’s the important part.
Spencer – Like the busiest day of our life was over…and that I wanted to do it all over again.
Vendors (include their Instagram if you know it please)
Venue: Historic Boone Tavern @boonetavernky
Dress: David’s Bridal @davidsbridal_lex
Tux: Calvin Klein
Rings: Allison’s rings – Etsy Shop: TigerGemstones @tigergemstones ; Spencer’s ring – Etsy Shop: BellysaJewelry
Florals: Bridal/Wedding Party Florals – Etsy Shop: EvergreenBride @evergreenbrideflorals; Arch/Arbor Florals – Ling’s Moment @lingsmoment; Centerpiece Florals – Trader Joe’s
Jewelry: Necklace – David’s Bridal; Earrings – Target
Shoes: Vans @vans
Officiant: Brandon Blevins
Bridesmaid Attire: Azazie @azazieofficial
Groomsmen Attire: Express @express
Caterer: Boone Tavern @boonetavernky; Cupcakes/Wedding Cake – BabyCakes Cupcakes @babycakes_cupcake
Hair and Makeup: Megan Perkins @megancheyannehair
Hairpiece / Veil: Hairpiece – BellaVia
