If this North Carolina wedding had nothing else but those gorgeous country views, it would still be at the tip top of our Smitten List. But, it also happens to boast one perfectly gorgeous dress, a style that matches those views in ease and beauty and picture perfect photography by The Beautiful Mess so we're thinking this is a total home run and there is even more of it in the gallery.
see more of this beautiful day here!
Chris and I didn’t want a typical wedding because we are far from typical. I also wanted a mix of vintage with an eco friendly twist yet budget friendly, so I decided the theme was eco-vintage and all my friends said “Eco-vintage, what?!” I didn’t really think this was a defined theme so I figured we could do whatever. Hence, a morning ceremony followed by a brunch reception with lots of do it yourself pieces. Who can resist champagne and Bloody Mary’s? Not us!
The ceremony was held on the expansive lawn with a breathtaking view of the mountains. The fog had just lifted before the ceremony and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky, a beautiful crisp fall morning! A harpist played before, during, and after the ceremony which added a simple vintage touch. Chris and I wrote our own vows and our friend that set us up on our blind date married us. After our very (emphasis on the very) quick ceremony, guests retreated to the barn area for morning cocktails. The vendor allowed us to purchase all the alcohol which saved a lot of money! We chose to include a local wine and champagne from Ashevilla Wines as well as a local beer, Highland Gaelic. Unfortunately, no local vodka was available for the Bloody Marys! The barn was decorated simply, with local flowers from the Enchanted Florist, Granny Smith apples from the local farmers’ market, decorations made by Chris’ mom, favors made by my matron of honor (chocolate covered pretzels, Shilling Chocolatier) and our lovely cupcake table. I had my brother find a felled tree on his property and cut it into several pieces of varying heights to hold our cupcakes and mini cheesecakes. He thought I was crazy but he didn’t argue. The florist added her touch and it resulted in a very “eco-vintage” look. Oh, and that tree was from Pennsylvania, brought down by my parents on their drive to Asheville! The flowers were taken to a nursery home after the wedding and the apples were either eaten by the guests or given to the farm animals. It was important to us not to have a lot of waste and use local where possible.
We had a dance floor outside and frisbees, footballs, and horseshoes on the lawn. Our guests enjoyed the casual feel and found themselves laughing, running, and dancing through the late morning early afternoon. Chris and I made our own iPod mix for music which was a mix of Katy Perry to Sugarland to Johnny Cash. Every song was picked for a reason which took some time but resulted in a very personal mix which I cannot stop listening to even now! A friend mixed it up by being a guest and our MC. It made everything much more personal since I’ve known him for 15 years. The food at the reception was beyond deliciousness, stuffed fresh toast (I could eat this every day!), omelet station, cheese grits, fresh fruits and pastries. Miniature ponies were in the pasture and cows grazed on the nearby hillside. An old tractor next to the barn turned out to be a fantastic spot for pictures. Lastly, our photographers, The Beautiful Mess, could not have been more perfect. They listened to what we wanted and put it with what they know. Candice and Daniel captured our day as I remember it, a fun, and casual gorgeous day with our friends and family which oozed love from all sides. Ahhhhh, to be a bride again…
Photographer: The Beautiful Mess / Wedding Gown: J. Major's Bridal Boutique, Charlotte, NC; Designer: Watters Brides / Bridesmaid Dresses: J.Crew / Groom's Suit: Banana Republic / Hair & Make-up: Suraj Spa & Salon, Asheville, NC / Venue: Claxton Farm / Caterer: M7 Event Solutions, Weaverville, NC / Ceremony Music: Classic Touch Music, Weaverville, NC / Florist: The Enchanted Florist / Favors: Shilling Chocolatier, LLC (friend of bride) / Cupcakes: Kyrie Henninger (friend of bride)