They say that geniuses pick green and after looking through all these gorgeous images from Caroline Ghetes, I can’t help but agree with whoever they are. This DIY bride mixed the perfect amount of natural and elegant elements to create a truly unique feel for her wedding day. And I must say, I’m totally obsessed with all the green accents from the moss covered tables to the bridesmaids dresses, it’s all about the green, baby. Click here for even more.
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From the bride… There are a few things Kyle and I love most in the world: good friends, family, food, North Carolina and the mountains. We wanted our wedding to be an event that celebrated our love for one another while sharing the things we love best with our closest friends and families. When we drove up the long gravel driveway to the event barn and field at Claxton Farm, the venue search was over before it really began. Hugged by the mountains and secluded from everyday life, this venue was the perfect place to share our wedding with those most important to us.
Our vendors took care of all the big stuff, but we wanted to have a hand in the wedding as well, so we got to work buying, borrowing, and making all the small details for the wedding. The charger plates were purchased second-hand, and I painted them a charcoal gray to match our color scheme. I made all the table numbers, and we printed and stamped the place cards. The favors were home-brewed beer by Kyle and a friend, and we also had fig, peach, and pear preserves that my grandmother made. We also designed and printed all the labels for the beer bottles and jars of preserves. We used the cake knife Kyle’s grandmother offered for us to use that has been used at her family’s weddings for well over 100 years. All the signs were either handmade, borrowed, or written on old windows we found on Craigslist. The guest book was bought from Etsy and we made luminaries to line the pathways with. I even cut all the lace off the bottom of my mother’s wedding dress and had it sewn onto my veil. When Claxton Farm put all our details together with the hard work of our vendors, it was exactly what we had hoped it would be. A combination of old and new, natural and elegant, and we felt it was a step away from the traditionally elegant weddings we had recently been to.
Despite a little rain, the day was perfect. There were no nerves, no worries, just complete and total bliss. I couldn’t wait to walk down the aisle and see Kyle. Our ceremony was written/assembled 100% by us. The readings were selected to represent our feelings on love and marriage, the overall tone was what we wanted to share with our guests, and we wrote our own vows. There were a few raindrops during the ceremony, but right before the end, the sun peeked out from the clouds. It was one of those perfect moments, the kind of thing you won’t forget. The evening proceeded with dinner, socializing, and finished up with lots of dancing. The team at Claxton Farm stoked up the fire and before we knew it, the night was over and we were off. It’s true what they say about your wedding flying by.
Photographer: Chicago wedding photographer Caroline Ghetes / Venue: Claxton Farm / Makeup: DIY by the bride / Hair: L’eau de Vie / Cake + Dessert: Cakes by Jane / Caterer: M7 Events / Florist: Jessica Gregory of Aria Floral /Officiant: Susie Greene / Ceremony Musician: Blue Ridge Tradition / DJ: Brian O’Toole (919-740-6260) / Wedding Dress: Tara Keely via Victorian Rose Bridal / Veil: Lace from mother’s wedding gown added to a veil from Victorian Rose Bridal / Shoes: Nordstrom / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Priscilla of Boston / Groom + Groomsmen Suits: Men’s Wearhouse / Groom’s shoes: Zappos / Stationery: Wedding Paper Divas / Save the Dates: NattyMichelle / Transportation: Elite Limousine / Bride’s DIY Resources: Michaels, A.C. Moore, Lowes, Etsy + eBay