In my humble opinion, weddings infused with family are the best kind. And this one from Almond Leaf Studios is truly intertwined with lovely little bits from the couple’s nearest and dearest. From the Bride’s father reading scripture and her siblings performing a ceremony duet, to the handmade cake made by Mom, florals, signage and so much more, there’s family love in every corner of this day. See it all here!
From the beautiful Bride…When envisioning the look and feel of our wedding, Alex and I knew we wanted it to exude timeless elegance with a softly-southern, rustic-romantic feel. We channeled lush, airy and dreamy, with a hint of stateliness. An outdoor ceremony was a must and we knew wanted it in North Carolina where we both were raised and will always call home (in our hearts if not in our mailing address). More specifically, our vision of the day was crafted around the idea of a beautiful farm—reminiscent of the landscape ever-present in our eastern North Carolina upbringing and my family’s roots. Rose Hill Plantation—the backdrop of our beautiful weekend—gave us just what we were looking for in a venue: a rustic farm feel bursting with natural beauty, elegance, and southern charm.
For our color scheme, we took cues from nature and opted for an understated palette of soft neutrals with accents of blush, peach, sagey greens and jadey grays. Rather than competing with the natural beauty surrounding us, we wanted our wedding to complement it so we pulled colors from the venue and turned them up a notch for added vibrancy.
We elected not to hire a professional wedding planner and, while planning our own wedding seemed a daunting task at first, it proved to be quite rewarding — allowing us to be incredibly involved in the planning and execution of a day which proved to be one of the best of our lives. Thankfully, we had some extraordinary help along the way. Growing up about 20 minutes from each other, Alex from a small city and me from a smaller town, our families were effortlessly intertwined throughout the local arts and athletics communities. This also meant that many of our family-friends overlapped, so we were very fortunate to have a community of people that wanted to share their talents and contribute to our special day. As a result, our wedding was full of personal touches. One of my favorites was having my two adorable young cousins serve as my train bearers, masterfully carrying my gown as my father and I processed down the aisle to “Canon in D” played by a string quartet. My father, a retired actor and eloquent orator, read our scripture lesson. My brother and sister, both musicians and performers, sang and played a duet during the ceremony. Our wedding cake was homemade by my talented mother (a local pastry chef and restaurateur) and our breathtaking floral arrangements and centerpieces were designed by family friends who are highly esteemed in the floral industry. Even the décor was tailor-made as custom wood signs, created by another artistic friend of family, dotted the grounds of our ceremony and reception leaving guests with witty remembrances of our day. We truly felt that the start of our life together was wrapped in blanket of love handcrafted by the people who know us best. It’s a feeling we will never forget.
We are so grateful for the wonderful, talented group of vendors (friends and family included) who helped make our day more perfect than we ever could have imagined. It transported us all to a magical place that we can always return to, through Almond Leaf’s photography, Robert Caprio’s videography, and in our own glowing memories.
Photography: Almond Leaf Studios | Wedding Gown: Lea-Ann Belter Bridal Flagship Boutique | Invitations: Antiquaria | Ceremony Venue: Rose Hill Plantation | Reception Venue: Rose Hill Plantation | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Dessy Collection By Vivian Diamond | Catering: Rose Hill Plantation | Makeup Artist: Paloma Studios | Hair: Church Of Evangelical Faith | Band: Risse Band | Groom's Attire: Steinbeck's | Groomsmen's Attire: Steinbeck's | String Quartet: Dee Braxton-Pellegrino Et Al | Wedding Dress Boutique: Traditions By Anna