Amanda Reed Weddings (2025)

28/01/2025

Meet Amanda! Born and raised in Central Arkansas, but proudly calling Northwest Arkansas home for over two decades (but forever claiming to be at least a decade younger than she actually is), Amanda Reed is a multitasking force of nature who makes juggling life, business, and a little sparkle look effortless (sometimes).

As the Founder of Amanda Reed Weddings and Events, Amanda launched her company in 2011 after falling head over heels for event planning. With a degree in interior design and a flair for creativity, Amanda has become one of Arkansas’s most trusted and sought-after wedding planners. She takes immense pride in her team, the relationships she’s cultivated with an incredible network of vendors, and the clients who trust her with the most important moments of their lives.
Amanda’s events are anything but ordinary. Her signature style? A seamless blend of jaw-dropping elegance, playful personality, and just the right amount of unexpected magic. “The surprise moments are what make it unforgettable,” she says - and her clients wholeheartedly agree.

When she’s not designing events that make Pinterest rethink its game, Amanda is living her best “momager” life. Whether she’s cheering on her kids at track meets and football games or running a packed schedule of dance competitions and auditions, she’s got it all handled with energy to spare. And if she’s not managing a client’s big day or her family’s calendar, you’ll probably find her scouting out Gucci’s latest drop or soaking up the sun on a beach somewhere (g+t, double lime, in hand, of course).

With humor, heart, and a signature sprinkle of pixie dust, Amanda encourages her team to turn ordinary days into extraordinary experiences. For her, event planning is more than a job - it’s a dream come true, a creative outlet, and a labor of love.

Weddings may be our bread and butter, but no event is too big or small. Every moment, every celebration is an opportunity to connect, create, and make memories that last forever. Amanda believes that every client's story deserves to be told in its own unique way, and it's her privilege to help bring that vision to life!

21/01/2025

Meet Madi! Also known as Amanda’s other half or “chaos controller,” Madi is the Brand Manager for ARW. She is our incredibly patient and eager office boss and oversees a little bit of everything in the company. Anything from coming up with all our wedding graphics to somehow always “knowing a guy” when we need last-minute orders placed. She organizes all the chaos that naturally follows the team around and is always there to read our minds and jump in headfirst, no matter what. Madi handles the office behind the scenes as well as keeping Amanda organized and standing. She is one of our best designers and occasionally jumps in to handle private event planning (when she has time😉). She’s also not afraid to call us on our own BS, which we often need, and we appreciate the humility.

We love Madi, and ARW would be in shambles without her keeping us all in line! 🫶

20/01/2025

Meet Kolby Bowman—a proud Arkansan with a heart full of Southern charm and a knack for making magic happen! As an MBA student at the University of Arkansas (graduating this May!), Kolby is all about mixing hustle with heart. His love for creating unforgettable moments shines through his role as a Wedding + Event Planner with Amanda Reed Weddings.

Since 2023, Kolby’s been turning “I do” dreams into stunning realities. What started as a fun way to work with the sweetest brides and flex his entrepreneurial muscles has turned into a full-blown career he absolutely lives for. Kolby doesn’t just plan weddings—he curates vibes, designs elegance, and sprinkles a little extra glam/fun wherever he goes.

When he’s not busy being the life of the party (or your wedding), Kolby loves hyping up the fabulous ladies of ARW, supporting his dream team of vendors-turned-friends across the country, and living his so-called “lavish lifestyle.” Ready for Kolby to design and deliver the wedding of your dreams? Let’s make magic happen! XO .amandareedweddings

17/01/2025

Let us be the first to introduce THE Terri Court! Also affectionately referred to as Ms T, Big T, Lil T, just plain "T," even Judy (IYKYK), she came to us from her lifelong home of Texarkana, Texas. We joke (but it's true🤫) that she can always find a Texarkana connection with anyone she meets!

Terri has a background in all things event related: design, decorating, catering and management. Her years of experience in all of these areas come together to create exceptionally managed and beautifully designed weddings and events.

T's hobbies include wedding planning, spending time with her family, wedding planning, hanging out with her T-town besties, wedding planning, reading, wedding planning, decorating, wedding planning, eating Chicken Salad Chick with her work besties, wedding planning....You get the idea!

Terri is completely dedicated to this team and her clients, often referring to her work as her "dream job."
.amandareedweddings

16/01/2025

You already know and love her but we'll introduce her once again. Insta, meet Taylor! Our perfectly petite, logistically savvy, and at times, questionably calm amidst chaos Event Planner + Designer (you can count on every single one of these features to be perfectly displayed on any given wedding day). This season marks Taylor’s seventh year with the ARW team and while we can’t believe it’s been that long, we can’t remember what we did without her.

Elle Woods is her role model, Audrey Hepburn’s iconic tea length wedding dress is her favorite, and she’s still waiting for someone to get her J.Lo’s wedding planner emergency kit. Taylor is our snack queen + we can always count on her to have a problem solving snack in her Mary Poppins bag… Rain on your wedding day? Taylor has already come up with and executed the perfect and most logical rain plan all while making sure your tummy is happy.

She’s a sucker for Sour Patch Kids and her favorite moment on a wedding day is fluffing the dress before her client walks down the aisle. When she’s not wedding planning, you can find Taylor enjoying live music or hanging out with her husband, Will, and her daughter, Ellie. 🤍

We feel so lucky to have Taylor and she is the perfect addition to this team! .amandareedweddings

14/01/2025

Meet Jade! Or “Jader-tater” as we often refer to her around the office! She’s been working with the ARW team as a Planner and Designer for quite some time now and has absolutely killed every second of it! She says that this team has made her fall more in love with everything planning + design and also, unfortunately, Dr. Pepper (IYKYK).

When she’s not daydreaming of weddings, you can find her with a cup of coffee or a fishing pole in hand. As the certified office country girl, she’s great at keeping everyone up to date about the upcoming country music concerts, farm trends, and southern sayings (fun game: count how many times Jade says “y’all” during a planning meeting 😉)!

She loves and dedicates herself to this team and her clients so well! We love you, Jader + can’t wait to continue to watch you grow through this next season! 🫶 .amandareedweddings

26/12/2024

As this Christmas Day begins to wind down, I find myself reflecting on the wild ride that has been 2024. A decade or so ago, who knew that one day we would have eight incredible part- and full-time planners and a continually growing crew of the greatest interns and associates you can imagine (plus our partridge, Madi)? It’s evident in retrospect how much we’ve grown, not just as a service, but as a family. 2024 has been a masterclass in growth—both for this company and for me personally. We have had the privilege of collaborating with some truly amazing vendors from around the world who really are the magic behind the curtain and clients who remind us that friendship is the best kind of adventure. It’s like we’ve been handed a backstage pass to the greatest show on earth, and spoiler alert: the drama is real, but the love is even more spectacular! Planning these stories for amazing humans - turns out it’s also the ultimate test of patience, grit, creativity… and caffeine consumption. It’s been a whirlwind of love, laughter, and just the right amount of chaos - sort of like trying to manage a group of groomsmen who put the limits of “open bar” to the test!

But let’s talk about the real MVPs: this incredible team and the amazing vendors and clients who’ve made this year absolutely unforgettable - your dedication and creativity serve daily inspiration. Thank you for filling our hearts and our calendars. From late-night brainstorming sessions to early morning meetings, it’s been a ride that we wouldn’t trade for the world (well, maybe for a lifetime supply of Dr Pepper and/or Diet Coke and/or McDonald’s sweet tea, depending on who you ask), to the heartwarming moments shared with our special couples who entrust their special days to us, it’s like we’re all part of a perfect romantic comedy. So here’s to growth, gratitude, and the glorious messiness of it all!

Thank you to everyone who has been part of this journey—your support means the world to us. Here’s to more epic love stories, unforgettable celebrations, and maybe a few less last-minute emergencies in 2025!

XOXO Amanda

Favorite Christmas(ish) bride ever photographed by

06/12/2024

Welcome to the iridescent wedding of the year presented to you in 35mm film. Roll the tape🎞️🫧

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02/12/2024

In case you didn't get enough sweets this weekend, here's a little cake for your Monday afternoon🤍

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29/11/2024

Thanksgiving. The one day a year we sit down with our loved ones, enjoy a meal together, and remember the many things we are thankful for. We could sit here and write for days abut our blessings - from our vendor “family”, happy couples for whom we get to make dreams come true, and on and on. But since a lot of us are sitting around new or different tables this year, here are some words of encouragement to try and get you through.

1. You're going to get asked how marriage is going or how wedding planning is. Aunt Kathy is going to give all her advice and say she can plan the wedding because she did it once in the 80s. It's okay! Give them small details and tell them you're saving the rest for wedding day… and remember, they're only asking because they care!

2. To all the parents with empty seats at the table. It's okay! They're going to come back. This is only one day of the 365. You'll get many more days and meals with them and you'll get used to the new normal. It's hard to watch your kids grow up and start their own family but it's a part of life and a part of your family's beautiful journey.

3. You don't have to eat all the weird dishes on the table... we know how you feel and fortunately, McDonald’s is open late!

4. If you're thinking about popping the question, we're here to tell you go for it! It doesn't have to be something grand and orchestrated, make it heartfelt and special for you two and be present in the moment. Take a Xanax or a shot if you need to calm the nerves and remember, it’s only 4 simple words (to which you probably already know the answer). And when they say yes, you know who to call first! 😉

Happy Thanksgiving, insta family! We love each and every one of you and wish you nothing but a peaceful, tasteful holiday! Cheers!

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22/11/2024

We have to apologize… we've been keeping a secret and are finally here to discuss it. It's time we introduce the new Mr. and Mrs. Trevor Walker! We traveled to New Orleans for this French Quarter Wedding, which did not disappoint. Beignets for days, ceremony under the tree of life, and a secondline parade by the one and only Kinfolk brass band. These Louisianans know how to party! If anyone wants to get married in NOLA, hit us up, we will happily go back!

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11/11/2024

Let's talk about Aspen.
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On July 13th, at 11,212 feet in elevation, these two love birds got married at The Little Nell in Aspen! Here are our top 5 favorite moments from the trip:
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1. Hanging out in the Dolce & Gabbana spa with the girls all morning (pampering of a LIFETIME)
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2. The 10-minute gondola rides up and down the mountain all weekend. 10 minutes of peace and quiet with no cell service 😌
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3. Champagne sabering with the bride! And the groom cutting his finger 2 minutes later trying to spray the champagne! He was fine; no stitches were needed.
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4. Getting “stuck” on the mountain when a storm rolled in, and the gondola closed due to winds…. The storm rolled out when the party ended, but we were a little scared, considering there was no other way down. (like, really, the only other way is walking down with the bears 🐻 🫣)
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5. Secretly playing “dunkaroos” outside trying to hide it from mom! Definition of dunkaroos: a slapping game where player one dunks their head in a bucket of ice water, numbing it, while player two slaps the sh** out of them when they pull their head up. Very entertaining for bystanders. Very satisfying for the person slapping. Very painful for the receiver if you're not drunk!

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05/11/2024

Celebrating BIG today with two of our very favorite couples! One year ago we were tackling two epic weddings simultaneously in Bentonville. One at Crystal Bridges with The Hintons and the other at Thaden Field with The Kelleys! Both weddings brought the party to Bentonville, going hard all night long. We hope you all celebrated big today with lots of cake and champagne (and a different sort of bottle for the newest member of the Hinton family)!

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31/10/2024

In planner world, Halloween is the one night a year a planner isn't the only one experiencing jump scares! To celebrate, here's our top 10 jump scares we've experienced this year:

1. The wrong cake showing up on wedding day.

2. A rental company calling to say all 300 plates you rented broke on the truck.

3. Your styrofoam cake melting and having to pretend to cut into it (also there was no real part of the cake, it was all styrofoam)

4. Guests RSVP the night before (or morning of 🙃) the wedding.

5. The shuttle dropping guests off and not coming back to take everyone to reception leaving us all stranded in the middle of a park.

6. Running out of food for dinner - this one goes back to number 4. You know who you are.

7. A guests showing up in white to the wedding. Its like seeing a ghost all night long.

8. Smelling gas at a wedding and having to evacuate everyone while 300 candles are still lit in the room.

9. Trying to light 100 sparklers while drunk guests are using them as sword fights. Hair, clothing, and skin have been burned.

10. Your car running out of gas, getting a flat tire, or getting pulled over when leaving a wedding at 2am.

Bonus: Driving bride and groom to their hotel after a wedding cause there aren't any Ubers and the couple going back and forth between making out and the groom crying because he's so happy drunk.

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21/10/2024

Anyone want to go to Cabo? We’ll plan your wedding! Or your anniversary! Family vacation? Say the word. We’re already packed.

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18/10/2024

The Night Before.

A night that should be filled with a little bit of practice, a few drinks (pace yourself😉) and a whole lot of laughs and love!

Key to a great night before:
1. Short and sweet practice. Only invite the bridal party and parents/those actively in the wedding. Dates and special friends - meet us at dinner! We will make sure everyone else is in line on the wedding day.

2. Dinner. 30-50 of your closest friends and family! The people that mean the most!

3. Speeches! Let your friends give their advice and love (and share those embarrassing middle school stories) the night before. This group is who can handle the crazy that maybe the entire wedding doesn't need to hear.

4. Welcome party. This is where you can invite everyone from the wedding to come celebrate and enjoy! All the people who traveled far and wide can get a drink and start the celebration early with you!

5. Go to bed early!!! Don't go out and party till 2am! It might be your "last night single," but you don't want to be hung over the next day! Bride, groom, bridesmaids, groomsmen, and even parents - have a few drinks, with some water in between, and get a good night's rest! You can go wild after the wedding!

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11/10/2024

You asked, and we delivered (and even if you didn't ask, we're still delivering, so like, comment and scroll!😉)

Welcome to the wedding of Miss Mary Claire Paddock and Mr. Benjamin Garrett-Ryan Gresham! These two celebrated BIG in Park City, Utah, with their closest friends and family. The couple tied the knot at sunset on the Flagstaff Deck at Stein Eriksen Lodge, overlooking the undeniably gorgeous ski runs in all their fall glory! Lush lavender and ivory bloom overlaid their hand-painted aisle runner. Afterward, guests were welcomed into the Lodge for cocktail hour, greeted with hand-crafted cocktails and hors d'oeuvres before the curtains were pulled, stunning guests with the vision of the reception inside. Manhattan serenaded the guests as dinner, speeches, and first dances were enjoyed before the lights dimmed and the party began. Conga lines formed and drinks were splashed as every guest spun on the dance floor. The couple ended the night with a private last dance before making a grand firework exit surrounded by friends and family. Overall, the wedding was easily 100/10 on the ARW wedding scale (we’ve seen our fair share of events), and we will forever be grateful to have been a part of these special days! Cheers to The Greshams! We love you both BIG!

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10/10/2024

Okay, okay. We're finally (almost) recovered from Mary Claire and Garrett's stunning wedding in none other than Park City, Utah and are ready to debrief! Buckle up, let's get into it:

Started off the trip with Sushi at Sunset! An intimate rooftop disco night for MC + G's closet friends, complete with hand-rolled Sushi by the renowned food artist Diego, carefully devoured with everyone's welcome gift, custom chopsticks, and ended the night with a bit of wedding luck in some adorable fortune cookies! 🍣🥢

Friday morning, as the fog lifted, the boys teed it up in their very own pre-wedding tournament at what we believe to be the most beautiful golf course in Utah, if not the country, Soldier Hollow! ⛳️🏌️

At the same time, the girls got dressed up beautifully in blue for a morning bridal luncheon! Pastries, mimosas, gifts, and laughs, these girls had so much fun we had to kick them out because (nameeeeeee) was closing! 🥂

Finally, to wrap up the night, a mountain chic rehearsal dinner and welcome celebration at the renowned Kimball Terrace with all their guests! Cowboy hats, hand-rolled ci**rs, and Papaw’s famous ribs welcomed the guests into the couple's favorite city, where we again had to kick everyone out because the venue was locking up the doors! Let's just say these Hope, Arkansans and Texarkana, Texans will party all night, and there's no stopping them!

Stay tuned! Wedding details are up next! The photos are TOO GOOD not to have their own post!

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Amanda Reed Weddings