The wedding's free – and 13 University of Tennessee students are planning every detail

Daniel Dassow, Knoxville News Sentinel
Updated ·8 min read

Thousands of students have met and fallen in love at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, later getting married and maybe even dancing to "Rocky Top" at their reception.

But only one couple can say the university gave them a free wedding and that a class of undergraduate students is planning their big day.

The UT Department of Retail, Hospitality and Tourism Management selected alumni Shelby Guthrie and Jackson Graham to receive a free wedding worth $25,000, as long as current students could plan and execute the entire thing.

The "Blissful Wish Wedding" is a one-of-a-kind class led by professor Stefanie Benjamin and teaching assistant Nancy Barger, owner of The Pavilion at Hunter Valley Farm, the lakefront venue where the wedding will be held Nov. 9.

The department's advisory board received applications from 71 couples hoping to get a free wedding for 75 guests. Applicants had to be engaged or have been legally married without a ceremony and reception. They had to be at least 21 years old and live in East Tennessee. They could not be related to a university employee, though being alumni was a perk.

Most importantly, they had to be willing to work with a team of students in the role of wedding planner.

Graham and Guthrie, two calming presences and self-described Vols fanatics, were exactly the kind of couple the department wanted for this first wedding production class.

"Shelby is just a peach," said Ashley Hintz, a junior majoring in retail, hospitality and tourism management. "She is the most grateful, low-key, go-with-the-flow, I-trust-you, sweetest bride. Jackson is also amazing. He isn't very picky about certain things and he just wants what's best for Shelby. Them being so easygoing and trusting us and being grateful that they're getting this wedding has been so helpful."

The appreciation goes both ways. Knox News tagged along as the class led the couple on a walkthrough of the venue, presenting them with cake samples to taste and table linens to choose. The couple said their collegiate wedding planners worked like seasoned professionals.

“I tell them thank you, and they’re like, ‘No, thank you,’” Guthrie said. “I’m like, you’re the one giving me a free wedding, what are you thanking me for? That surprises me every single time. They’re all so polite and act like we’re doing them a favor.”

Beyond students and their instructors, more than a dozen local vendors are donating cake, flowers, decorations and entertainment for the big day. Some vendors, like DJ MillionDollaMan, came aboard before the semester began, but most have been secured by students.

Benjamin said she and Barger wanted to give students "full ownership" of the process. The students have visited florists, called bridal shops and studied the couple's Pinterest board like a piece of classic literature, all to prepare for a future when they might be professional event planners.

"They can build their resume. They're building their portfolio with this as well," Benjamin said. "When they go out into the job market or start their own wedding businesses, they already have this evidence of being able to plan a wedding."

A University of Tennessee wedding for lifelong Vols fans

Graham and Guthrie had only 500 words to make the case for why they should receive a free wedding. They spent most of it talking about their love for Rocky Top.

Graham, a native of Johnson City, was only 6 years old sitting in Neyland Stadium in 2004 when James Wilhoit kicked a 50-yard field goal with six seconds left to secure a 30-28 triumph over the Florida Gators. Graham went on to graduate with a bachelor's in business administration and a master's in accounting, and now works at an accounting firm.

“Internships mean so much to getting the job I have now and so this is kind of like their internship,” Graham said of the students planning his wedding. “They’ve all been pretty professional for students. It’s honestly been really great. They’ve been awesome. They didn’t just pick any students. They picked 13 really qualified students.”

Jackson Graham and Shelby Guthrie taste cake samples at The Pavilion at Hunter Valley Farm alongside students from the University of Tennessee's Department of Retail, Hospitality and Tourism Management. Students are planning the couple's wedding as part of their course work.
Jackson Graham and Shelby Guthrie taste cake samples at The Pavilion at Hunter Valley Farm alongside students from the University of Tennessee's Department of Retail, Hospitality and Tourism Management. Students are planning the couple's wedding as part of their course work.

Guthrie, a native of Chattanooga, quickly became a Vols fan when she got to UT. After she met Graham on a summer beach trip with their student ministry, the pair went to football and basketball games together to cheer on the Vols. She graduated with a bachelor's in social work and is now coordinator of Operation Backyard, a local nonprofit that provides free home repairs to low-income families.

The wedding feels like a chance for them to give back to their alma mater while also receiving a huge gift. The only things the couple must pay for are venue insurance, dress alterations and alcohol, which would have been a legal challenge for UT to provide.

“It makes me really happy because we both got our education from UT,” Guthrie said. “I’ve said it so many times, with even the few decisions we’ve had to make or the few things we've been tasked with, I don’t know how in the world we would have ever planned, because it’s neither of our strong suits."

When they received the email telling them they'd won, it took a full day for the news to sink in for Guthrie. Before they applied, she had looked at The Pavilion at Hunter Valley Farm, which sits on Bluegrass Lake in West Knoxville, but concluded the venue was out of their price range and "too gorgeous." In a little over a month, she'll marry her best friend there.

Stefanie Benjamin and Nancy Barger, back row center, and their students in University of Tennessee's Department of Retail, Hospitality and Tourism Management. The students are planning a wedding as part of their studies.
Stefanie Benjamin and Nancy Barger, back row center, and their students in University of Tennessee's Department of Retail, Hospitality and Tourism Management. The students are planning a wedding as part of their studies.

Hands-on class doesn't go easy on students

The wedding planning class is split into four teams: the couple team, the culinary team, the decorations team and the budget and timeline team. For every student involved, it's been hard work.

Hintz, the junior who leads the couple team, said there was "no syllabus week" for the class, which began working on day one to turn the couple's vision into a flurry of vendor contracts and product samples. It could be difficult to get industry professionals to understand that the students calling them were planning a real wedding. Hintz called 32 bridal shops to secure a wedding dress, but only two responded to her.

Erin Consentino, a junior on the budget and timeline team, had a similar experience when she visited florists. Eventually, she found designer Megan Wright of Wild Iris Florals, who agreed to provide flowers.

"At first, I swear she probably thought, 'Is this real? Are you planning a real wedding, or do you just want pictures?'" Consentino said. "I was like, no it's a real, legitimate thing. There is a couple and we're doing a wedding."

The class offers students a chance to connect with local vendors, who have been impressed with the undergraduates' punctuality and preparedness. For many of the 13 women in the class, if they can be event planners or venue owners in the future, they won't have to work a day in their lives.

"A lot of times you take classes in college and you're like, how is this helping me prepare for the future? This class, I totally feel like I'm getting that hands-on experience," Consentino said. "I love having so many of us to fall back on."

The food will be prepared by other students in the department under the instruction of Chef Tyler White, a professor of practice at the UT Culinary Institute.

More than a dozen vendors, from local favorites to emerging artists, will donate their time and resources to the wedding:

Stefanie Benjamin, right, an associate professor at University of Tennessee's Department of Retail, Hospitality and Tourism Management, and Nancy Barger, an industry expert, meet with students planning a wedding as part of their studies.
Stefanie Benjamin, right, an associate professor at University of Tennessee's Department of Retail, Hospitality and Tourism Management, and Nancy Barger, an industry expert, meet with students planning a wedding as part of their studies.

Department is a 'hidden gem' at University of Tennessee

The Department of Retail, Hospitality and Tourism Management gives students unique experiences, but many others aren't aware of it. Benjamin described the small department as a "hidden gem."

"Students don't know about us and that's one of the challenges that we have," Benjamin said. "We're really trying to work to let students know how incredible and fun our classes are and that you actually get this hands-on experience that you just don't typically get in the classroom."

The department thrives on programs that get students working in the field, such as the UT Culinary Institute and the Rocky Top Institute, where students help make products that advance the UT brand and manage the newly re-opened UT Creamery.

Department head Junehee Kwon said in a statement when Graham and Guthrie were selected that the "Blissful Wish" class was designed to put students in contact with professionals in an innovative act of service. The department hopes to repeat the class every other year, giving more couples the chance at a free wedding.

"Since I arrived at UTK, I have been aiming to increase experiential learning opportunities for our students while they serve the community," Kwon said. "We have gone through many steps to get this project approved, and now, I am so grateful to see that we have a deserving couple who will be working with our students and sponsoring partners."

Another perk for the department is the chance to show off some of its best students to prospective employers and community partners.

"They already impressed the couple," Kwon said. "They will continue to exceed their clients’ expectations."

Daniel Dassow is a reporting intern focusing on trending and business news. Phone 423-637-0878. Email daniel.dassow@knoxnews.com.

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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: University of Tennessee Knoxville students plan wedding for class