While attending Auburn University, Katherine “Kat” White-Spunner and Barrett Richardson Trotter had a mutual friend who tried to set the two up, but a date never transpired. Seven years later, Barrett requested to follow Kat on Instagram. They established rapport, and the football coach drove from Auburn, Alabama to Kat’s then-home of Dallas, Texas for their first official date—at long last!
Despite the many years that it took to start their courtship, the couple only dated for ten months before Barrett proposed. One particular evening, he asked Kat to go on their typical sunset stroll two hours early. When they reached the pier, they sat down and Barrett asked to read something special. He pulled out his journal and shared what he had written three years before meeting Kat. In the book, he had divulged in the qualities he hoped and prayed he would find in his wife someday. After he finished telling Kat this, he asked her to marry him. Through happy tears, Kat said, “Yes.” They adjourned to the Grand Hotel where friends and family awaited them. Kat confesses this was the best day of her life.
Kat had always wanted to marry at her family friend’s venue, the Chapel Farm in Fairhope. “They were gracious enough to let us,” she says. “Everything was outside and spaced out to accommodate for COVID-19.” The couple’s wedding planner, Jenna Laine, coordinated all of the logistics. “Jenna did an amazing job at getting things done and eliminating all stress from the planning process,” Kat adds. “It was hard to balance a full-time job with wedding planning, but luckily Jenna is great at what she does.”
Selecting her bridal gown was one of the first decisions Kat made after the proposal. She originally saw herself in a long-sleeved dress but did not find anything that resonated. It was an intricate strapless gown by Mira Zwillinger. Zwillinger actually designed a custom jacket to slip over and create the illusion of sleeves.
“The dress is super detailed, so I knew I did not want a ton of accessories,” Kat explains. She did not intend to wear many accessories, but her father surprised her on the morning of the wedding. Her parents have given her add-on diamond bracelet links since she was young, and on this day she received the final link. Kat paired the dress and bracelet with Jimmy Choo heels. Chasen Lipscomb applied Kat’s dewy makeup, and Becca Townley Snell styled her hair.
The bridal party wore different style Jenny Yoo dresses in the same icy blue colorway.
On March 6, 2021, Barrett and Kat married in a ceremony that was “centered around the Holy Spirit.” Kat continues and notes that “we wanted our guests to feel the presence of the Lord as soon as they drove on the property.” The view showcased the sprawling lake and the wooden cross on the other side of the nearby lake.
Kat let the Wildflowers team have the freedom to decorate the space with florals, and they perfectly achieved the crisp and clean aesthetic she sought. Kat confides, “They designed something better than I could have imagined.”
When looking back on the ceremony, Kat remembers how it felt to stand at the altar with her groom. “It was an out-of-body experience. It felt like it was just me, Barrett, our pastor, and Jesus” she says. “I kept forgetting there were hundreds of people watching us. I’ve never felt that much peace. I knew it was ordained.”
The newlyweds ventured upstairs to share a meal alone, in their own company. Kat confesses that she ate quickly because she was ready to mingle with guests at the Hamptons-inspired reception. Barrett and Kat joined the party for an evening of dancing and cake by Couture Cakes. Melissa Munger Art captured the joy and glee of the night with live portrait painting.
