My list of Favorite Things in the Whole Wide World just grew by two. Small North Carolina mountain towns and this gorgeous, stunning, classic, beautiful wedding. Both captured by Nam Nguyen Photography, the North Carolina setting is swoon worthy, thanks especially to this fabulous wedding. Any adjectives I forgot? How about permagrin-inducing, butterflies in the stomach, goosebumps on the arm, wonderful. That ought to cover it for now – until we get lost in the pretty, pretty gallery!
Matt came to Cashiers with me for the first time at the tail end of a cross-country drive from San Francisco to the east coast. I was moving back for graduate school and Matt was helping me with the drive. By the time we reached North Carolina after nearly ten days on the road, we knew we were heading towards marriage. We were engaged three months later.
I knew that Matt would love the mountains and was not disappointed. The small town of Cashiers and the unassuming beauty of the area easily make you feel right at home. We debated the practicality of getting married in this small mountain town, but hoped that our friends and family would enjoy the mountains and that our wedding could be a nice getaway for some.
We also knew that it would be a sacrifice for some friends to make the trip from California, New York, D.C. or other reaches of the country to celebrate with us. With that in mind, we tried to make the weekend as much a celebration of the people we love, as it was a celebration of our love for each other. We planned a seated dinner so that we could have time to visit with our guests and soak in the time with friends and family over a good meal and great wine. We knew the weather in the mountains could be unpredictable, so we provided each guest with an umbrella displaying the same design as our save the date – a picture of the tree swing where we got engaged. We also created a “family-tree” that showed how all of our friends and family were connected to each of us and to each other. Our friends loved checking that tree as they met new people to see how they were connected.
The wedding weekend was a perfect celebration – perfect even in it’s imperfections! My advice to brides to be is to surround yourself on your wedding day with the people who love and support you. Wedding days can be a little nerve-racking, no matter how much you have organized and planned ahead of time, and only the people who know you best will be able to help you laugh and soak in this very special day.
Photography: Nam Nguyen Photography / Flowers: Parties To Die For / Event Planning: Ashville Event Co. / Ceremony Location: The Episcopal Church of the Incarnation / Reception Location: The Chattooga Club / Shoes: Kate Spade / Dress: Monique Lhuillier / Cake: Classic Cheesecakes and Cakes