We have had such a wonderful response to the announcement of Spark!  Thank You, Thank You!  I always get so nervous putting big ideas like this out there but you guys have completely blown me away and have made me even MORE excited about starting Spark with a bang.

So… here are the details::

Spark, Nashville will be held at The Aloft, Cool Springs Hotel on August 20 – 22nd

The Leadership Team ::

Lauren Kelly (hey, that’s me!) :: I’m a fiery redhead who is just as comfortable in jeans and boots as stilettos and jewels. Design fuels me. Love captures me.  Marriage enriches me.  I believe love is a journey.  Your love story is a constant work in progress and the more time you spend nurturing each other, the more unforgettable your story becomes.  My faith, love of nature, southern hospitality, eye for design and a crazy free spirit are all integral parts of my approach to life.  I am blessed to share every day with my husband and High School sweetheart, James, along with our two pups (Ty & Oliver).  We live life to the fullest and desire nothing more than to share it with you!

Jenn Giles :: Lately all that marriage can be has been filling my head and journal.  Perhaps it’s the just the preparation of a bride-to-be?  I’m Jennifer Giles, but when we meet in August my honeymooner’s tan will be as fresh as my new last name.  But, don’t let that fool you.  Marriage is something that’s captured my attention, study, and reflection for years.  I’ve been teaching, writing, and leading retreats on various topics for just as long and so I’m thrilled to be able to share one of the seeds planted deepest in my heart – marriage.   Thanks to the many people I’ve learned from along the way, I have a compilation of resources to share with you because I believe in marriages that  can be life-giving, whole, and happy.  I want that to be true of all of our marriages and homes!

Josh & Amber Ulmer :: We’re Josh and Amber Ulmer of Ulmer Studios and we met during our college years and dated, got engaged and married all within 9 months.  Really, when you know, you just know.  Now almost 6 years later, we have a precious baby girl and are well on our way to living out our dream. Though our love of photography was born at different times, once we got together, the love of capturing potentially forgotten moments just multiplied.  Now, we feel so blessed to be able to provide that for others!  Not only are we passionate about capturing life’s little (and big!) moments , but we are also passionate about building a rock solid marriage & flaming the fire to keep it burning for years to come.

Emily Humphries :: I’m Emily Humphries, an East Tennessee native who has made a new home with my husband of three years in the Nashville area. I started Simply Yours Weddings in 2008, because I love helping people walk through the whole process of engagement and making sure they take care of each other. This process has led to another passion of walking with couples who (like us) are just trying to figure out life and how to blend our backgrounds, family and baggage together.

We will have 2 and a half fully packed days that will include ::

4 group sessions

A Couple’s Shoot with Ulmer Studios (it’ll go a little something like this:)

An in-home Interior Design consultation with Lauren & Jenn one evening the week before the retreat along with a follow-up Interior Design consultation during our break out times on the 21st to discuss our design plan for your home — this will include furniture and textile sources, layouts, sketches, a shopping list and a task schedule.

A creative date night customized for each couple

and a few tricks we have up our sleeves.

Sessions will begin the morning of Friday, August 20th so be sure to take off of work as needed.

The Cost ::

$800.00 (early bird rate until June 9 – 30)

$1000.00 (regular rate after June 30)

On top of all of the retreat sessions listed above, the retreat cost includes:

2 nights at the Aloft Hotel

5 of your 7 meals

a disk of photographer selected high-res images from your photo shoot

follow up tools to keep you spark-ing

a few surprises (we really can’t get enough of these!)

and some pretty rad loot

The Nitty Gritty::

- We are keeping this to local couples so we can facilitate the in-home consultations so please make sure you live within 40ish miles of Nashville/Franklin

- Even though you live locally, part of this retreat is actually getting away.  There is no option to stay at home and pay less.

- We do offer payment plans.  After you complete your registration questionnaire we can talk through the options.  We want to make it work for you

- Space is limited to only 8 couples plus our one scholarship couple.

How to Register :: Send an email with the subject “SIGN ME UP!” to lauren@lovemilkandhoney.com.  We will be prompt to email you back with a registration questionnaire and info about the next steps you will need to take to be able to join us in August.

Again, I cannot even begin to tell each of you how excited I am!  We have been prepping our hearts as well as the curriculum for what we know will be an amazing first group of couples so please join us.

XOXO,

Lauren