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Classic Fall Wedding at Old Edwards Inn and Spa in Highlands, North Carolina

If you’re stuck on where to start with the design of your Big Day, I always recommend pulling inspiration from your venue. Always, always. You chose your venue for a reason; whether it be on the water, for it’s clean whitewashed walls, for it’s Southern charm, for it’s stunning scenery, vineyards, architecture… the list goes on. Start there and I promise, you will be able to craft a day that is truly yours. Today’s fete, planned and designed by Lacy Geary is just that for Stacie and Phil—truly theirs. Take a peek through the full gallery from Laura Gordon to see exactly why we couldn’t wait to share this one with you today.

From Lacy Geary… When Stacie and Phil reached out to me they were very clear on the direction they wanted their wedding to take. They were both busy professionals and wanted their wedding day to be elegant and intimate while fitting in with the location but also to be fun and upbeat. We created a design direction that tied into the environment without being overdone and that mimicked the colors of the venue and time of year in the mountains.

They were married between the two apple trees in the garden at Old Edwards Inn. The florals and seating were low to the ground and as minimal as possible so that the backdrop of the tress was the visual impact. We carried the apple blossoms over to their invitations as well as into the escort display at cocktail hour.

Kelly Lenard brought in beautiful florals that tied in the color story we created of various neutral shades of ivories, taupes, dusty rose and an accent color of the richer burgundy. The large iron chandeliers that grace the ceiling of the reception space were covered in greenery to bring the outside in and soften the space without invading the architecture that Stacie & Phil were so in love with. Each element was carefully curated and represented the evening that Stacie & Phil had envisioned.

Photography: Laura Gordon Photography | Floral Design: Kelly Lenard | Wedding Gown: Monique Lhuillier | Cake: Tessa Pinner | Stationary: Paper Birch Designs | Wedding Venue: The Old Edwards Inn And Spa | Planner/Designer: Lacy Geary | Rentals: Party Reflections | Rentals: Crush Event Rentals

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Flowers Galore + a Bespoke Bridal Gown!

Flowers galore AND a bespoke bridal gown? This celebration planned by Asheville Event Co., lovelies, is what wedding dreams are made of. Floressence Flowers bedecked every available inch of this North Carolina wedding with fluffy pink and white blooms – from climbing arrangements on the side of the bridal hut to a grand hanging display at the reception. As if our hearts could take any more beauty, the Bride wore a custom lace creation by Kate McDonald Bridal which included a removable lace skirt overlay for a slightly different look at the reception – so on trend right now! You must see it all, captured by Perry Vaile Photography and Hart to Heart Media, so scroll on and then hit play!

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From the Bride… I envisioned everything just as it was planned! Missie Porter, our Asheville Event Co. wedding planner, went above and beyond to make all my visions for our wedding happen. It was such a fun process, and I wouldn’t change a thing. Our color palette was a lot of neutrals, with a touch of soft pink in the flowers. We went for a more timeless look while playing with the classy rustic feel of The Farm.

My favorite element that we included was having our parents and grandparents wedding pictures displayed as people walked into the reception area. Family is so important to both of us, and we thought it would be fun to incorporate the memories of their wedding days into ours! There were so many great moments. If I had to pick one, it would probably be walking out of the bridal hut with my dad. This was my favorite moment because it really hit me that I was getting ready to marry the love of my life. Also, while making that walk down the aisle, I was not only looking at my husband, but I was looking around at all the faces of our unbelievable friends and family that were there to witness our marriage and help hold us to the covenant that we made before the Lord.

My dress was made by the VERY talented Katherine McDonald of Kate McDonald Bridal. My dress was actually one of the easiest decisions I made during the process. We went to see Katherine in Charleston a year before the wedding, and she was so welcoming and kind. She was super easy to work with and helped me create the dress of my dreams. My favorite part of my dress was the beautiful laced skirt overlay that I was able to remove after the ceremony for a little different look for the reception.

My advice  for Brides-to-be would be don’t stress about the small things! That is one thing that really let me enjoy all the celebrations through out the weekend. What may seem like a big deal to you, your guests most likely won’t even notice. Another piece of advice is something that Eric and I will cherish forever. We snuck away just the two of us to the outside area and took a second to ourselves to really take in what was going on at that moment. It brought us so much joy seeing everyone having such a wonderful time!

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Photography: Perry Vaile Photography | Cinematography: Hart to Heart Media | Event Planning: Asheville Event Co. | Floral Design: Floressence Flowers | Wedding Dress: Kate McDonald Bridal | Wedding Cake: Lush Cakery | Hair + Makeup: Brushworx | Transportation: Elite Limousine | Venue: The Old Edwards Inn And Spa | Music: Simply Irresistible | Photo Booth: ShutterBooth | Rentals + Lighting: Classic Event Rental

A Gatsby Inspired Wedding in the Mountains of North Carolina

What happens when you bring Gatsby grandeur to the mountains of North Carolina? An unforgettable wedding! Asheville Event Co. drew inspiration from the bride’s favorite movie, incorporating quotes and music from the F. Scott Fitzgerald’s masterpiece throughout the big day. With the help of Floressence Flowers and La Tavola Linens, they created an enchanting space – lucky for us, Parker J Pfister Photography captured the eclectic, glamorous event. See it all in the Vault, then get swept away in the film by Caravan Cinematography.

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From the Bride… Prior to planning our wedding, we envisioned a small private wedding in an outdoor setting during the summer. Since our happiest times have been spent in the mountains, we made it our mission to find the perfect mountain setting to exchange vows. After visiting multiple destinations in Vermont (Dave’s home state), Colorado, and California, we knew the search had ended when we arrived at Old Edwards Inn (OEI) in North Carolina. We both had never been in that area before, but it offered a central destination for extended family. Sitting atop a scenic, southwest plateau in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains with OEI’s 5-star resort services made it the perfect setting for our event.

“The Great Gatsby” influenced us, as it is one of my favorite movies, so we incorporated romantic and whimsical F. Scott Fitzgerald quotes into our invitations, cocktail napkins, ceremony, and seating placement signs and chose an overall theme of eclectic glamour. Our first dance was to Lana Del Ray’s, “Young and Beautiful.” As guests entered the ceremony, we served champagne in coupe glasses with a dusted sugar rim. It was important to us that we had a really fun party – luxurious, like Gatsby’s parties were. We even included modern songs from the movie’s soundtrack played by our fifteen piece live band. Guests were also greeted by a sign with a dramatic floral arrangement with a Gatsby quote: “And so with the sunshine and great bursts of leaves growing on the trees, just as things grow fast in the movies, I had that familiar conviction that life was beginning over again with summer.”

We had a few favorite moments throughout the day. Of course, our absolute favorite was the exchange of the vows. My cousin married us – he is known as being hilarious, and he did not disappoint. We were also extremely fortunate to have great speeches at the beginning of the reception by the best man, maid of honor, and mother of the bride. Our family really put a lot of thought into what they said, and those words made all the difference. My other favorite moment was our first dance! After months of practice, the crowd went wild when Dave spun me into his arms and into the air for the grand finale.

Dave and I chose to have a dessert bar opposed to a single large cake. I tend to have a sweet tooth, so I wanted a variety of items available for guests to choose from. Once the dance party started, we distributed aviator sunglasses, glow sticks, and jello shots to get the party really going. We finished with a sparkler exit. The pièce de résistance of the entire event was having all the people we love in one room at the same time.

For all brides-to-be out there, don’t forget to take a time (off to the side) for you and your new husband to look around and savor the moment. Try to be present and share in the love and party that’s happening around you. Also, do your vendor homework. Unexpected things can happen the day of the event, and it’s important to have professional people around you to deal with these items – huge kudos to my great team!

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Photography: Parker J Photography | Cinematography: Caravan | Event Planning: Asheville Event Co. | Floral Design: Floressence Flowers | Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier | Hair and Makeup: Brushworx Hair & Makeup | Hair and Makeup: DanielleStyle | Lighting: Get Lit Special Event Lighting | Band: I Love This Band | Venue: The Old Edwards Inn And Spa | Ceremony and Cocktail Hour Music: Lisa Handman | Invitation and Printed Materials: Atheneum Creative | Invitations and Printed Materials: Atheneum Creative | Linens: BBJ La Tavola | Rentals: Classic Event Rental

These Featured Designers are members of our Look Book.
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Genius Fall Wedding Details You’ll Want to Steal

Would you believe me if I told you that fall weddings are our new favorite thing? I bet you would once I showed you this stunning inspiration from Simply Sarah Photography. Blooming with rich hues and bold design details, it’s enough to convince anyone to cozy up to a new season. See it all (and fall madly in love with every design detail) in The Vault!

From Simply Sarah PhotographyInspired by the stunning beauty of Old Edwards Inn located deep in the hills of Highlands, North Carolina this wedding editorial highlighted the early autumnal hues of the season and the sweet love shared by our darling couple Sarah and Sam. This editorial was designed by Sarah Smith of Simply Sarah Photography and flawlessly styled by Molly Mckinley Designs for our most recent Simply Sarah Social.

Simply Sarah Socials are intimate gatherings for photographers held in beautiful locations across the globe. These pop-up socials are designed to give our attendees the opportunity to work alongside with some of the industry’s top professionals and create stunning imagery through our styled wedding editorials all while learning, growing and fostering a tight knit community among fellow wedding vendors.

Photography: Elizabeth Lanier Photography | Event Planning: Molly McKinley Designs | Floral Design: Forage & Fleur | Wedding Dress: Alexandra Grecco | Invitations: Fig & Flourish | Bride's Shoes: Bella Belle | Jewelry: Susie Saltzman | Hair + Makeup: Jennifer C Nieman | Groom's Attire: The Modern Gent | Venue: The Old Edwards Inn And Spa | Bridal Boutique: Bash Bozeman | Linen Rentals: I Do Linens | Rentals: Crush Event Rentals | Rentals: Professional Party Rentals

Ring In the Season With This Fall Wedding Inspiration

Dear readers, HAPPY FIRST DAY OF FALL! As we attempt to contain our excitement for the return of PSL’s and cozy knits, we invite you to seek solace and soak up the new season with this gallery captured by Melissa Schollaert Photography. It’s a styled shoot complete with cocktails and Paper Daisies Stationery that you’re sure to love and we’ve got every bit of beauty waiting for you in The Vault!

From Melissa Schollaert PhotographyYou can’t get more romantic than falling leaves, fog, a private mountain retreat and celebratory cocktails for this inspired elopement shoot! We infused classic mountain elegance to this shoot which took place at the Hutchinson House at Old Edwards Inn and Spa in Highlands, North Carolina. Hutchinson House is an old, historic house which was purchased an renovated by the Inn and provided an intimate location for this shoot. We infused elegant linens and furniture with fall-inspired decor such as squash and gourds, as well as magnolia leaf garlands. The color palette blended with the mountain backdrop with green tones, golds, warm peach and neutrals. The newlyweds celebrated with a fireside dinner and customized cocktails before a getaway in a vintage car to their honeymoon suite.

Photography: Melissa Schollaert Photography | Floral Design: Frou Frou Inc. | Wedding Dress: Judd Waddell | Stationery: Paper Daisies Stationery | Catering: The Old Edwards Inn And Spa | Hair + Makeup: The Old Edwards Inn And Spa | Groom's Attire: The Modern Gent | Vintage Car: The Old Edwards Inn And Spa | Venue: The Old Edwards Inn And Spa | Beverage Services: The Old Edwards Inn And Spa | Decor: Frou Frou Inc. | Rentals: Professional Party Rentals | Signage: Paper Daisies Stationery

Sparkly Mountain Destination Wedding

A wedding weekend that also doubles as a vacation for the newlyweds? Total win-win. Just ask this lovely pair who planned the perfect party for their nearest and dearest. With Melissa Schollaert Photography on hand snapping up every sweet second, we’ve invite you to escape the ordinary and peruse the pretty via The Vault!

From the Bride + Groom…When we started to plan our wedding, we decided we wanted to have a destination wedding. Both of us are not originally from Atlanta, so we wanted to find another location where all of our guests could come together and the weekend would not just be fun for us but also for our guests. A friend of ours recommended Old Edwards Inn in Highlands, NC. Neither of us had ever been to Highlands, so we decided to make a trip up there for Amanda’s birthday to check it out. Immediately when we arrived in town we loved the quant cute feel of Highlands. Then when we met with the Old Edwards’ Wedding Events team and toured their beautiful Farm property, we knew this was the perfect place. Not to mention, the cool mountain air for an August wedding.

Next to selecting our Wedding Coordinator, Sarah Beth Thie from We Tie the Knots. After speaking with Sarah Beth for this first time, Travis and I immediately felt at ease and knew she was the perfect person to help us bring all of our thoughts and ideas together and help us plan our perfect wedding weekend.

For our wedding we wanted to ensure we captured the beauty of Highlands and Old Edwards. We decided on the color scheme of blush, cream, and green. We tied all of this together through our beautiful flowers of hydrangeas and roses by our florist Chelsea Floral Designs to our invitations, napkins, and koozies from Hi Note. Even to our Welcome Bags made of burlap with a cream handle by A Signature Welcome.

We also wanted to ensure our wedding incorporated special touches…

Amanda’s dad is a huge cigar fan, so we decided to give him a surprise cigar bar at the wedding. With the help of Hi Note, we even added wooden signage to give it that extra special “manly” touch.

We are huge fans of the song Cruise by Georgia Florida Line. Travis happens to be friends with Jessie Rice who co-wrote Cruise. We contacted Jessie prior to our wedding and asked if he would sing it at our reception along with our band Atlanta Showstoppers. He graciously accepted. Jessie and the Atlanta Showstoppers, along with one of our groomsman, Kyle (singing the Nelly version), provided a moment at the reception that everyone in attendance will never forget.

Our photographer, Melissa Schollaert, helped us add a special touch of her own. On our wedding day, we noticed Melissa was also taking photos with an old Polaroid camera, but we were not sure what they were for. As we were about to leave in our getaway car, Melissa handed us a box. Inside the box were the Polaroid photos. This immediately touched our hearts and to this day are our favorite photos.

Lastly, to our favorite memories from our wedding weekend…(1) Seeing each other for the first time as the doors opened and Amanda started to walk down the isle leading to tears of joy from Amanda and a big huge smile from Travis. (2) To having everyone we love in one place together all weekend and seeing their smiling faces.

From Melissa Schollaert PhotographyAmanda & Travis’ mountain destination wedding was full of fun, gorgeous summertime blooms and an elegance that wove itself throughout every detail. Their guests enjoyed an entire weekend of fun in the town of Highlands with a Welcome Party, Rehearsal Dinner and Wedding Celebration at the farm. Their cream, grey and light pink details throughout the stationery and decor perfectly suited the venue. Two of my favorite details were the custom wooden signs and the welcome bags. Every detail was coordinated and designed to flow together and incorporated their wedding logo, colors and graphic elements. They had one of the most fun wedding parties, and they really showed off their talents at the reception. One of their friends who co-wrote “Cruise” by Georgia Florida Line got up and sang the song and the guests went crazy! Even one of the groomsmen joined him during the middle of the song for a completely improvised rap duet interlude and the band just flowed with it. It was one of the most fun receptions I’ve ever had the capture of photographing!

Photography: Melissa Schollaert Photography | Event Planning: We Tie The Knots | Floral Design: Chelsea Floral Designs | Cake: Creative Pastries By Sid | Catering: The Old Edwards Inn And Spa | Hair + Makeup: The Old Edwards Inn And Spa | Band: Atlanta Showstoppers | Venue: The Old Edwards Inn And Spa | Stationery + Signage: Hi Note | Welcome Bags + Favors: A Signature Welcome

A Cozy Inn Wedding That Would Make Any Gilmore Girl Jealous

An sophisticated, cozy chic Inn celebration that would make your favorite sitcom stars jealous (we’re looking at you Rory, Lorelai, Sookie St. James) – check, check, check. With Graham Terhune Photography behind the lens documenting and Inkspot Crow Films recording it all to share, we’ve got Preston + Lydia’s perfect party waiting for you to pin in The Vault! P.S. Find your dream wedding team via here!

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From The Bride…Preston and I met in Atlanta through mutual friends in 2012, but our relationship began on a lake in the North Georgia mountains in August 2013. Since that time, we have shared countless weekends and memories in the mountains of North Georgia and Western North Carolina with each other and with our closest friends and family.

We got engaged in July 2015 in Asheville, North Carolina and quickly decided that we wanted to get married in the beautiful mountains that mean so much to us. Having visited The Farm at Old Edwards before, we knew it would be the perfect setting for us and that the 150-180 guests we were anticipating would be comfortable with plenty to do and places to explore over the weekend.

The team at Old Edwards guided us throughout the entire process which made all of the small decisions incredibly easy to make, especially since we were determined not to stress over the details. The best advice we have is to work with photographers and videographers whose style aligns with your own. We lovingly refer to Graham and Samantha Terhune (Graham Terhune Photography) and MacKenzie and Philip Henry (Inkspot Crow Films) as our dream team. Looking back at the moments they captured has allowed us to relive so many special moments and to enjoy others that we missed throughout the wedding weekend.

Photography: Anagram Photo | Cinematography: Inkspot Crow Films | Floral Design: Floressence Flowers | Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier | Cake: Creative Pastries By Sid | Bridesmaids' Dresses: BHLDN | DJ: Ben Felton | Venue: The Old Edwards Inn And Spa

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More inn-spired weddings below!

Gilmore Girls Inspired Wedding Ideas
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Gilmore Girls Inspired Wedding Ideas
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Rustic + Rainy Summer Wedding at Old Edwards Inn

We started with an elegant Southern celebration this morning from VUE Photography and now we’re soaking up one ulta rainy yet crazy romantic summer wedding in the North Carolina Highlands. A little rain and fog did nothing to this Bride and Groom’s smiles and this gallery is made even more dreamy with this sort of weather. See it all, from rain boots to sweet kisses, right here!

From VUE PhotographyA foggy, soggy day but the bride put on her rain boots and had a blast around this picturesque venue. The weather made for a dreamy, enchanted forest feel and the happy couple celebrated with an intimate group into the night.

Elizabeth and Sam are Chicago dwellers that knew Highlands, NC was the perfect getaway for their intimate wedding!

Photography: VUE photography | Floral Design: Oakleaf | Wedding Dress: Allure Bridal | Cake: Creative Pastries By Sid | Stationery: Wedding Paper Divas | Shoes: Badgley Mischka | Bridesmaids' Dresses: J.Crew | Catering: The Old Edwards Inn And Spa | Band: Drivetrain | Wedding Venue: The Old Edwards Inn And Spa | Accomodations: The Old Edwards Inn And Spa

These Featured Designers are members of our Look Book.
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Rustic Chic Old Edwards Inn Wedding

Surrounded by soft autumn light and sparkling sequined gowns, this darling duo exchanged vows at a local church filled with charm. Guests gathered at the Old Edwards Inn where tables lined with lush arrangements beckoned merriment and gold details delighted. Fit for fiction, Landon Jacob Productions snapped this timeless affair and you can see it all unfold in the gallery, here!

From Landon Jacob Productions… Lindsay and Richard tied the knot in the beautiful Highlands, North Carolina. They married in a local church, and their reception was held at Old Ewards Inn. The tables covered in gorgeous arrangements, beautiful menu cards, and gold flat wear. Their wedding was a timeless Autumn Wedding.

Photography: Landon Jacob Productions | Videography: Back Down South Films | Floral Design: Lindsay Rae Design | Wedding Dress: Anna Maier | Cake: Cream And Flutter | Invitations: Talie Shove | Reception: The Old Edwards Inn And Spa | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Saks Fifth Avenue | Calligraphy: Calligraphy By Clara Copley | Band: EastCoast Entertainment | Favors: Thrive Coffee | Linens: BBJ La Tavola | Rentals: 12th Table | Singer: Maddie Richardson | Singer: Heather Morgan

Rustic Elegance at Old Edwards Inn & Spa

I’m so, so glad that this darling couple’s friend recommended Virgil Bunao to shoot their wedding day, because the results you’re about to scroll through below—well, they’re out of this world. Verge Events and Studio Flora Diva dotted the day with bits of pin-worthy gorgeous, but it’s moments like this one that really bring on the butterflies. And there are so many more right here.

From Virgil BunaoElizabeth and Chuck were the warmest, in-love couple I’ve ever met. It was a sweet throwback finding out that a good friend of theirs recommended me years ago, for “if they ever got married” and I’m so glad that they thought of me and gave me the opportunity to shoot their big day.

Old Edwards Inn and the North Carolina Highlands have been a place I’ve been wanting to shoot at for years, whether it be for a wedding or personal work (and I’m dying to go back!). With Beth’s floral magic and Stephanie and Brittany from Verge Events’ design talents, the whole day and venue just lit up. I knew Elizabeth and Chuck wanted a very mellow and relaxed wedding, and I was in absolute awe over what Stephanie, Brittany, and Beth did. These ladies really took their time with Elizabeth and Chuck and I loved that this couple’s focus was just on getting married, being love, and giving their guests a great time and their list of great vendors truly delivered on all accounts.

I had the opportunity to talk to Stephanie more in-depth about the whole planning process and it’s amazing how she and Brittany drew all of these design elements from the bride’s personality and how they collaborated with Beth from Studio Flora Diva to create a unique space. I loved photographing Elizabeth and Chuck’s decor: from the fall-themed-ruby-red centerpieces decked with feathers and antlers, to their rustic cake by Serena from Artista Cakes, it was a blast using up my film on them.

Ultimately, Elizabeth and Chuck were my favorites to photograph. Every picture of them was so, so good. The way he held her and looked at her; probably one of the first times I ever got emotional over seeing a couple so in love with each other and with their life.

Photography: Virgil Bunao Photography | Event Planning: Verge Events | Floral Design: Studio Flora Diva | Wedding Dress: Ivy And Aster | Cake: Artista Cakes | Invitations: Smock | Ceremony Venue: The Old Edwards Inn And Spa | Reception Venue: The Old Edwards Inn And Spa | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Joanna August | Catering: The Old Edwards Inn And Spa | Makeup: Blush By Wendy | Hair: Emily Wells | Bridal Boutique: Kelly's Closet | Ceremony Musician: Brandon Crocker | Church Pews: Old South Vintage Rentals | Reception Musician: EastCoast Entertainment

These Featured Designers are members of our Look Book.
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Whimsical and Romantic Old Edwards Inn Wedding

The perfect blend of artistic minds, No Regrets Events and Floressence Flowers teamed up at the Old Edwards Inn & Spa and the results are simply stunning. From the mint bridesmaids’ gowns the lucky-in-love couple, every little detail Ashley Seawell Photography captured in the gallery is more than beautiful than the last and can be found right here.

From Ashley Seawell PhotographyJoHanna and Eric chose beautiful Highlands, NC for their wedding weekend. Because most of their guests were traveling from far distances, it was important to them to find a place where their guests could relax. The Bride and Groom decided that The Farm at Old Edwards Inn would be the perfect wedding location because of its captivating views and delectable cuisine. They were excited to bring their family and friends to a pristine space that was peaceful and filled with a natural landscape. The wedding design team and No Regrets Events allowed the busy couple to easily plan their dream wedding from a distance. The soft hues of pink and gray complimented the lush, mountainous landscape. After the ceremony, guests were invited to dine at tables lined with dahlias, succulents, garden roses and hydrangea. Following dinner, the Bride and Groom enjoyed their first dance and cake cutting inside the open air barn.

Photography: Ashley Seawell Photography | Event Planning: No Regrets Events | Floral Design: Floressence Flowers | Cake: City Bakery | Bridesmaids' Dresses: J.Crew | Makeup & Hair: Salon Halo | Wedding Venue: The Old Edwards Inn And Spa | Bride's Dress: J.Crew

Rustic + Elegant North Carolina Fall Wedding

If you were to Google “rustic elegance” these photos by The Reason I Love should pop right up. I Do Events combined the two distinct styles to a tee, mixing the Bride’s family farm with a beautiful tent overflowing with white and blush florals. Elegant but not boring, stunning but not stuffy, this is my type of soiree and I’ll be in this gallery, taking notes for my own nuptials, long after lunchtime.

From The Bride… I grew up in Atlanta, Georgia my whole life. Since the age of two, my family had a farm in Highlands, North Carolina where my parents took us to get away from the city life. Whenever I thought about where I would want to get married, I knew it would either be Atlanta or Highlands. I watched my friends from home get married in big churches and country clubs. But when the time came and I got engaged, I knew a big city wedding wasn’t for me. I wanted to get married beneath the scenery of grand mountains surrounded by the greenery of the trees and blue skies above. I was never one with a great sense of style, so getting married in a place that was beautiful all by itself sounded perfect to me. I am the youngest of five children, and my mother always made it clear that she felt strongly about us getting married in churches. So I knew that one day I would be married in a small church in town, and then have my reception at the beautiful place that had been so special to me my whole life. This, I thought, was what I wanted to welcome my wedding guests into. This, I thought, was love and joy. Another thing I knew when I got engaged was that I wanted a fall wedding. North Carolina is stunningly beautiful in the fall, with vibrant colors of red, orange, yellow, orange, and every shade in between. The weather is unbeatable, with most days in the low 70s with a cool, crisp, clean mountain breeze. So that about sums it up: I knew I wanted to be married in a small church it town, followed by a reception on the farm I’d grown up on, in the state I had known as home for half my life, and in a season where heaven never felt closer.

Three unique details that was infused into my décor were:

1. Beauty in Nature – Like aforementioned, I wanted to get married at a place that was beautiful in its own rite. We chose to get married in the afternoon so that our guests would get to enjoy part of the reception with daylight. After making most of our guests drive a good distance, I wanted them to all be able to see and take in the place that was so special to me and worth driving for. Because of this, we spread out the reception in such a way that I hoped guests would get to see varying angles of the farm. The guests arrived and walked through the lower valley through candles in wine bottles, crossed the creek that runs through the farm over a bridge, past the garden where the last of the summer harvest was, and into the cocktail hour. During the cocktail hour, guests could drink and eat while taking in all the beauty around them. From there, guests moved farther across the farm, through a lighted arbor, into the valley where the main reception tent was. We intentionally faced the tent so that it faced the creek. Elizabeth of I Do Events likes to incorporate the five senses into every event and wanted our guests to not only see all the beautiful sights around them, but also hear all of the sounds. The fun part about having a reception start at 530 and end at 1030 was that guests got to see the farm with daylight and at night. Once the sun went down, lighting was set up to illuminate certain features of the farm. One such thing was lights around the rope swing near the swimming pond. Thus, by simply highlighting features of the farm and allowing the sunlight to run its course, I feel our guests got a full spectrum of experiences on the farm that day.

2. Romance – I always knew I wanted a wedding with an ethereal feel to it. I wanted the decor to be soft, lovely, and romantic. As mentioned before, i wanted our guests to walk away feeling the love Dan and I have together as well as the special love we have for the farm. I really just told Elizabeth and Paul of Rooms in Bloom my color palate and gave them the liberty to design the wedding. We used a soft color palette to communicate a romantic feel. All the flowers were light pinks, peach, and white. The farm has always been a very peaceful place, so we wanted to use colors and decor that alluded to that peace.

3. Elegance and Sophistication – Though I opted out of a black tie city wedding, I still wanted the wedding to be elegant with details of sophistication. The key was striking the right balance of sophistication at a farm. My team executed this perfectly, with satin tablecloths, mercury glass, crystal chandeliers, and a white dance floor. I wanted a country club look in the setting of a farm valley. There were little touches like draping the ceiling of the tent that I think helped give the reception a lot of sophistication and elegance.

My most memorable moment was about midway through the reception. Dan and I were on the dance floor having the time of our lives. There’s a moment where time froze and I just looked around the dance floor at all of our guests dancing. It was in that moment I noticed how packed our dance floor was and how much fun our guests were having. That ultimately is what brides want and what I wanted – for our guests to enjoy themselves. We handed out Dan + Sarah sunglasses and, more importantly, light up tambourines that people just LOVED. Watching others enjoy themselves was such a memorable gift I will never forget.

Our first dance was to a song called “God Gave Me You” by Dave Barnes. Dave Barnes is a good friend of our family’s who I had actually tried to get to come to the wedding to sing live. Meeting my husband Dan was the greatest gift which I will forever be grateful for.

One thing to note was the bourbon bar. The bourbon bar was a huge hit. My husband’s family is partly from Kentucky, and are thus bourbon enthusiasts. We have a playhouse in the valley at the farm that we thought would be fun to surprise Dan with a bourbon bar. I consulted a couple of his guy friends for types of bourbon and recipes and we ended up with the following: 1792, Buffalo Trace, Woodford Reserve, Knob Creek, Angel’s Envy, and Maker’s Mark. The drinks available at the bourbon bar were mint julips, whiskey sours, old fashioned, and manhattans. Elizabeth of I Do Events had a sign made to go over the doorway that said “Dan’s Bourbon Bar.” We had the bar setup with two barrels and a wooden top and a handsome man in a tux making all the drinks behind the bar. With 25 bottles of bourbon, the bourbon bar was busy all night and shut down early.

There were a couple of things we did ourselves. My sister had gotten married at the farm three years before and had some letters made out of large wooden sticks and covered in lights that spelled JOY. She had propped them up on the valley hill. I chose to hang them from the barn.

I had my something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. Old was I had one of my recently deceased grandmother’s handkerchiefs wrapped around my bouquet. I was named after her so I wanted her to represented. My father also passed away when I was two. I had one of his ties and part of my mom’s veil sewn into the under layer of my dress. New was my wedding dress, veil, earrings and shoes were all new. Borrowed and blue was I wore my mom’s original wedding band on my right hand at the wedding. It is a white gold band with sapphires and diamonds.

Photography: The Reason | Event Planning: I Do Events | Floral Design: Rooms In Bloom | Wedding Dress: Joan Pillow Bridal | Wedding Cake: Lydia Clopton Cakes | Church: First Presbyterian Church Of HIghlands | Catering: Epting Events | Lighting: Get Lit Special Event Lighting | Venue: Farm | Rentals: Professional Party Rentals

Rustic Elegance at Old Edwards Inn

This gorgeous soiree right here, it’s proof that when Asheville Event Co.Floressence Flowers and Natalie Watson combine forces, wedding magic happens. There are too many things that I love about this day, my list would keep you here forever. But just to name a few… this garland, this game and this perfect bouquet. Bam, 1-2-3 and I’m head over heels. Plus, there’s more (yes, more!) waiting in the full gallery.

From the beautiful Bride…When Bao and I first got engaged, we knew we wanted to be married in our home state of North Carolina. We live near Washington, D.C. and we knew that planning a wedding long distance could be difficult. I was also about to begin an accelerated nursing degree program, so my mom suggested that we hire a local wedding planner (mom’s always know best!). Melissa at Asheville Event Company made wedding planning so easy. She really listened to all of our wants and needs and came to the table with great ideas.

The minute I stepped into the Farm at Old Edwards Inn, I loved it (and luckily Bao did too once he was able to see it in person). I looked at 13 different venues in the mountains but none came close to Old Edwards Inn. Bao and I really love good food and a rustic feel so the venue was perfect. Chef Klapdohr worked with us to make a seasonal menu that our guests ended up raving about. The floral arrangements were also a big part of our wedding. Bao has a green thumb and loves succulents; I thought pinks and peaches would complement the scenery at The Farm. Our florist, Eatherley, was absolutely amazing. I was blown away by the floral arrangements, the bouquets, and the succulent wall. The most difficult part of wedding planning for me was picking out my dress. I was pretty indecisive on the matter and eventually ended up going with a dress that I knew I would feel comfortable in. I loved having straps on the dress so that I didn’t have to readjust all night. I also had the seamstress modernize my mom’s veil so that I could wear it on the wedding day. It was really special to me and it ended up matching my dress almost perfectly. The day of the wedding was a blur so we were really glad to have great photographers there to capture the memories for us! They were so easy and fun to work with and were the first vendors we chose in the entire process – once I saw their portfolio online I was sold. Bao and I are so happy to have such beautiful photographs of the decor, our wedding party, and our friends and family.

All in all our wedding was pretty close to perfect. The day was beautiful, the food was fantastic, the bluegrass band was a hit, and our guests had a great time. Our families and the bridal party helped us every step of the way which made the process almost stress-free. I cannot even put into words how thankful I am for their support!

From Melissa Porter, the event coordinator at Asheville Event CoCaroline and Bao are such a special couple and they were so laid back about planning their wedding. They were always focused on their loved ones, friends and guests. They wanted a weekend where their guests felt comfortable and had a wonderful time. I love how they incorporated things that were most important to them in their day. Caroline and Bao loved all kinds of beer from local beer to less known breweries and they shared that with their guests with handmade wood beer flights featuring a variety of ales that were passed during cocktail hour. I also loved their guest book! Guests wrote their well wishes on Jenga pieces (their favorite game) and even got to participate in large format Jenga which Bao built and brought to the cocktail hour. One of my favorite ideas was the succulent wall designed by Florresence Flowers – it was used as the stunning backdrop to the ceremony, as a beautiful escort card display and then as the back drop to the super-fun photo booth! Using the backdrop for 3 different areas of the ceremony and reception was a perfect way to reuse decor. Rustic farm tables combined with stunning peach and white floral centerpieces and cafe string lighting completed a beautiful look in the barn at Old Edwards Inn.

Photography: Natalie Watson | Event Planning: Asheville Event Co. | Floral Design: Floressence Flowers | Wedding Dress: Modern Trousseau | Cake: Tiffany's Baking Co. | Bridesmaids' Dresses: J.Crew | Officiant: Darr Conradson | Venue: The Old Edwards Inn And Spa | Cafe String Lights: Professional Party Rentals | Ceremony & Cocktail Hour Music: Unspoken Tradition | Photo Booth: The Photo Blaster | Reception Music: Split Second Sound

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Elegant Old Edwards Inn & Spa Wedding

I can’t help but blush a little when I see the way these two look at each other. It’s a captivating, full-of-joy kind of love. And that love? It’s woven throughout this entire gorgeous day from VUE Photography and Sixpence Productions. Top that off with elegance in every corner and you’ll find yourself perusing one of the prettiest galleries around.

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From the beautiful Bride… Adam and I met our sophomore year at Miami University of Ohio through a mutual friend. His humor, positivity and absolute love of life captured my heart in just a few short months. After four and a half years of moves, long distance, and new jobs, Adam proposed while we were on vacation in St. Lucia with my family celebrating my graduation from graduate school.

As soon as we got engaged, I knew the ideal venue for our June 7th wedding date. I grew up for the majority of my life overseas in London, England. My parents had recently relocated back to the States, to a lake in South Carolina. For the past few years, we had been going up to The Old Edwards Inn and Spa in Highlands, North Carolina and I fell completely in love with it. Adam is a huge outdoorsman and loves camping and hiking, so the idea of getting married in the mountains really appealed to him. Nestled in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the location was the perfect combination of European charm and the great outdoors. It just seemed to click with both Adam and I.

We wanted the wedding to be timeless, classic and elegant, with English and Southern touches, as well as bringing in Adam’s background with glimpses of Midwest ease and charm. Our 145 guests came from across the United States, as well as the United Kingdom and Switzerland, so we wanted to make sure we made the places we have traveled to and hold so near and dear to our hearts, focal points of the wedding design.

Our color palate included champagne tones, muted gold and pops of coral, also drawing on the lush greenery of the venue. Peonies, garden roses, packed hydrangeas and baby’s breath were the flowers of choice, accented by hundreds of candles. Bridesmaids wore champagne J. Crew silk chiffon dresses with muted gold shoes, while the groomsmen wore champagne ties.

We included many British touches throughout the reception, including mini fish and chips at cocktail hour in the orchard and a signature classic ‘Pimm’s Cup’ cocktail- my favorite refreshing summer British drink. The farm to table menu included everything from a Southern seafood ‘action’ station, to tandoori chicken, to fried buffalo chicken biscuits, to truffle mac and cheese- a nice reflection of us. The groom’s cake was a classic ‘Ohio Buckeye’ cake of chocolate and peanut butter and decorated with all of Adam’s favorite sports teams and activities.

Thanks to the amazing vendors and the absolutely incredible Lindsay Pitt at TOAST Events, the wedding was the best night of our lives. I honestly don’t think I have ever smiled or danced that much in my life! It was the ideal celebration to start our married life together.

Photography: VUE photography | Videography: Sixpence Studios | Event Planning: TOAST | Floral Design: Jackson Durham Events | Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier | Cake: Lush Cakery | Invitations: Paper Daisies Stationery | Ceremony Venue: The Old Edwards Inn And Spa | Reception Venue: The Old Edwards Inn And Spa | Shoes: Jimmy Choo | Bridesmaids' Dresses: J.Crew | Calligraphy: MM Ink | Band: Atlanta All Stars | Groom's Attire: Jos. A. Bank | Groomsmen's Attire: Jos. A. Bank | Bride Jewelry: Givenchy | Bridesmaid Jewelry: Kendra Scott Jewelry | Bridesmaid Robes: Plum Pretty Sugar

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Romantic-Rustic Old Edwards Inn Wedding

There’s no doubt that summer weddings are in full swing. But winter Brides? We’ve got you covered today with the sweetest winter soiree from We Tie The Knots, the event planner that just happens to be the beautiful Bride! From an adorable pup to the bridesmaids gorgeous plum Jenny Yoo dresses and all the twinkling lights in between, you can see every lovely bit right here. Callie, you’re stunning as ever, congrats love! 

From We Tie The KnotsDavis and Callie tied the knot on December 29th 2012 in Highlands, NC and celebrated their marriage at The Farm at Old Edwards Inn with a magical winter wonderland reception…. A Rustic but elegant venue with a flare of glam! Callie is the founder of We Tie The Knots, a wedding planning company based in Atlanta, so it was a dream of hers to design everything from start to finish. The décor consisted of silver sequin linens, white faux snow around the centerpieces, mercury glass candle holders galore and much more. This winter wonderland wedding came to life as soon as the doors opened from the church after the ceremony, and the snow started falling! It was a cold one, but incredibly magical…every aspect of everything.

From The Bride…I am not that girl that had her wedding planned since a little girl, believe it or not! I think that’s the best way to go about it though because you don’t have your heart set on a specific month or season of the year, or a specific theme in mind. Between my wedding schedule and Davis’ schedule we were very limited to having the wedding in December. Most brides would say this is not the ideal month for their wedding, but in the end you have to remember you’re just finally getting to marry the man of your dreams!! So, December 29th it was… As soon as we picked the date, I immediately was thinking a dreamy “Winter Wonderland” wedding! Having worked at the majority of the wedding venues in Atlanta, I wanted to do something a little different, a destination wedding but not too far for everyone. That’s when I decided the Farm at Old Edwards Inn would be perfect. The glassed in Pavillion made for a beautiful outdoor view but still keeping everyone warm. This extraordinary venue is located in the beautiful mountains of Highlands, NC. which added to the theme that much more.

I must say the most enjoyable part of the entire planning process was designing the reception, but that’s my favorite part of helping every bride! The venue was rustic but very elegant and classy. With it being during the Holidays, I wanted to keep it a little more formal and romantic. One of my favorite aspects to the tablescapes would have to be the sequin table linens for our estate table… a huge thank you to La Tavola for helping make this dream come true! Another one of my favorite elements was adding snow around every centerpiece on each table, it just completed the theme so perfectly! Our florist, Boukates, went over and beyond everything I had ever dreamed of… she executed my ideas so perfectly and even added a few surprises. One of the most rewarding moments of this entire process was when my event coordinators brought myself, Davis and my sister into the reception before any of the guest came in. I literally just kept spinning circles, tearing up and looking at how perfectly everything came together. All of that hard work, phone calls with my sister and mom, inspiration, diagrams, directions, ideas and dreams all came to life immediately! I can literally say our entire wedding was a dream come true, all thanks to my incredible vendors that I put all of my trust into.

So with all of that said, the most magical day of my life happened on December 29th 2012, and I will never forget marrying the man of my dreams. This wasn’t all about the perfect décor and crazy weather… it was the fact Davis and I waited so patiently for four and a half years for this day. I hope every bride will keep this in the back of their mind, as the planning can get stressful at times. You only get to have one wedding day with this man, enjoy every moment of it and take it all in because it flies by way too fast. It was just a bonus how perfectly smooth my entire day went!

This day could not have been as perfect as it was without my amazing Matron of Honor (my sister/ wedding planner), parents and brother that immediately jumped in helping as soon as they all could. Not to mention I had 3 bridesmaids that are wedding planners, that helps a ton! A special thanks to our photographer, Mike Larson, for flying from California to share this special day with us and capture these incredible photos!

Event Planning: We Tie The Knots | Floral Design: Boukates | Cake: Sweet Peeps Bakery | Invitations: Bella Figura | Reception Venue: The Old Edwards Inn And Spa | Bridesmaids Dresses: Jenny Yoo | Catering: The Old Edwards Inn And Spa | DJ: Nice Guys DJ | Grooms Attire: Nordstrom | Linens: BBJ La Tavola | Linens: BBJ La Tavola

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Casual Yet Elegant North Carolina Wedding at the Old Edwards Inn And Spa

Nuptials in an apple orchard, an elegant reception complete with towering florals from Oakleaf Floral and an overall vibe of pure happiness, this wedding captured by Lang Thomas Photography and planned by No Regrets Events takes charming to a whole new level. It’s picture after picture of smile-inducing pretty, and you can see it all here.

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From No Regrets Events …Karrie and Chase live in Louisville, KY and met (for the third time!) in June of 2011 when Chase was our celebrating a birthday with one of his good friends. If you want to know about the first two times they met, you’ll have to ask Chase because Karrie didn’t find those two previous meetings quite as memorable…including living in the same dorms during their Freshman year while attending the University of Kentucky! But all joking aside, it must be true that third time is a charm because the third meeting made the two previous misses all worth the while.

The couple chose Highlands, NC for as their wedding destination because they fell I love with the area shortly after they started dating. Over a year in the making, their fall wedding weekend was just perfect! Every detail was thought of. The Apple Orchard at Old Edwards’ Farm as the perfect ceremony setting. Mother Nature took care of most of the decorations in the orchard and the talented designers at Oakleaf Floral added elegant touches. As you can see the weather was amazing! Crisp and cool just as you would expect a fall evening in the North Carolina mountains to be.

Photography: Lang Thomas Photography | Wedding Cake: Creative Pastries By Sid | Catering: The Old Edwards Inn And Spa | Hair And Make Up: The Old Edwards Inn And Spa | Apple Orchard: The Old Edwards Inn And Spa | Ceremony Musicians: High Windy | Floral: Oakleaf | Planners: No Regrets Events | Reception Entertainment: The Business | The Farm: The Old Edwards Inn And Spa | Video: John Flower Productions

Highlands Wedding by Melissa Schollaert Photography

This is one of those weddings. One of those timeless beauties filled to the brim with the most gorgeous, yet understated details. A wedding so perfectly classic you can’t help but lose yourself a bit in all the pretty. A Bride so lovely, a Groom so in love and countless personal touches making it oh so memorable – one of those. It’s a wedding you’ll want to take some time to experience, and thanks to Melissa of Melissa Schollaert Photography we all get a first pew view! See it all here!

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From Melissa of Melissa Schollaert PhotographyGeorgia and Scott were married at a quaint little church in the middle of Highlands, North Carolina. Their emotional ceremony was officiated by a friend close to the couple. The reception at The Farm at Old Edwards Inn followed the ceremony.  The bride, groom and wedding party were transported via an old trolley to the farm. They were photographed in an old orchard while the guests enjoyed cocktails and appetizers in the garden. The reception began with the couple’s first dance, as well as dancing with each of their parents. A bountiful meal was prepared by the chef at Old Edwards while guests mingled with each other in the barn. The tables were topped with the bride’s grandmother’s and mother’s lace linens. Some had a mixture of white and cream flowers in small vases, while other tables were topped with tall arrangements. The lovely cake was placed below ribbons hanging from the barn ceiling. The couple displayed old photographs of their parents’ and grandparents’ weddings, as well as their engagement photos, in silver frames on the grand piano. In addition to a wonderful meal, the guests were provided with many treats, including an ice cream sundae bar and a milkshake bar with the couple’s favorite milkshakes and cookie favors, made by the bride and her mother. The milkshakes were a special surprise for the groom, who loves milkshakes. The bride’s grandfather also always made milkshakes for her when she was a child, so the couple created several milkshake flavors in honor of the groom, the bride’s grandfather and the couple. The evening continued with dancing and a grand exit of the bride and groom via a sparkler-lit path to an old, historic car to usher them away to their honeymoon.

Wedding Photography: Melissa Schollaert Photography / Ceremony: First Presbyterian Church in Highlands, North Carolina / Reception: The Farm at Old Edwards Inn in Highlands, North Carolina / Wedding Planning + Production: Maura Scarmack of Honey Darling Events / Décor + Floral Design: Oak Leaf Flower & Garden (828-526-8000) / Catering: Old Edwards Inn / Wedding Cake: Lush Cakery / Cookie Favors: The Bride + Her Mother / Tags: Sweet Peach Paper / Painted Wood Signage: Chocolate Butterbean / Wedding Stationery: Laura Hooper Calligraphy / Ceremony Music: Asheville String Trio / Ceremony Bagpipe: Agan Bagpiping Services / Band: Party Nation / Transportation: Elite Limousine / Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier / Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Jim Hjelm / Groom’s + Groomsmen’s Attire: JoS. A. Bank

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Highlands, North Carolina Wedding by Ozzy Garcia Photography + Brown Linen – Calligraphy & Fine Design

Get ready to pin your heart out lovelies. This fête is filled to the brim with the prettiest little details. Details so perfectly placed they look as though they just magically appeared for these love birds on their big day. And the Bride’s show-stopper of a bouquet? That pretty will be pinned in my mind for quite some time. Ozzy Garcia Photography snapped up too much lovely to list, so kick off your heels and get cozy with the full gallery!

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the bride… Before I met my husband, I would always tell myself, “I want to marry someone where we will be better together than we could ever be alone.” It became my mantra, my vision statement, my theory on life. It was one of those sayings that my best friends would roll-their eyes at anytime there was a breakup or guy troubles. I’d pull out my dusty soap box, reminding them of the hopeful words, wishing the world could hear this statement of faith that proclaimed two always being better than one. This this hymn of truth is what led me by grace to my husband and continued on into the vision and planning of our magnificent wedding day.

We wanted the day to express joy and celebration for all our family and friends, creating an intentional and well-planned space to allow us to remember this once-in-a-lifetime experience. Hearing from so many couples who came before us, we knew that if we weren’t deliberate in taking in each moment, it would pass like a spark in the night. Once we had secured the location, set in the beautiful foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, we decided to retreat for the entire week leading up to the wedding day as a strategic plan to allow family, wedding party & friends to come in early to enjoy good food, wine and time spent together. My brother even brewed several different types of beer especially for the week. Family came together and transitioned the property into an enchanting environment for our wedding. The ceremony was set along the edge of the mountainside, with a beautiful sweeping pathway marking the trail towards the seating area. Memorable moments were shared, and powerful words were spoken by two of our very close friends, a husband and wife team who performed the ceremony. The husband led my husband through his vows and promises and the wife with mine. It was such a strong picture for us to see “better together” in action. With not a dry eye in the outdoor chapel and not a cloud in the chilly, autumn sky, we placed rings on our fingers and promised our lives to one another, forever.

For the reception, we planned a gorgeous, family-style meal, served by our talented caterer and her team. Large white platters of beautiful food were passed with bottles of red and white wine, and family grew closer with each clink of a glass. I designed the sight to be filled with three large, double-wide tables in order to leave lots of room for clean, simple white space along with a few floral arrangements and the large platters of food. Love was whirling through the air and al fresco lighting danced through the night sky as our loved ones made toasts into the early evening, honoring our lives and the lives of our family. We are so grateful to Ozzy for joining in the vision and capturing the intricate and most intimate moments of the day and the few days leading up to the wedding. We could not have been more happy with the outcome.

Wedding Photography: Ozzy Garcia Photography / Event Design, Handmade Items, Flowers, Invitations, Calligraphy + Signage: Brown Linen – Calligraphy & Fine Design (Owned by the Bride) / Wedding Venue: A Private Residence in Highlands, North Carolina / Rentals: Mountain Party Tents & Events / Catering: Taste & See Catering / Wedding Cake: Cakes by Melanie / Production: Jeremy McBryar (jryanmcb@me.com) / Coordination: Weddings by Mary Beth / Wedding Dress: Mia Solano / Bridesmaid Dresses: H&M / Jewelry: Mickey Lynn / Groom’s Suit: J.Crew / Music: Ben & Kelly Smith / Officiants: Matt & Margaret Reynolds

The Bascom Rehearsal Dinner by Olivia Griffin Photography + Walton Event Design

Is it just me or do you want to steal every single charming detail of this Highlands rehearsal dinner for your very own?  Not just me?  Good.  Because I do believe it doesn’t get any sweeter than a fishing-themed rehearsal dinner (the bride’s favorite hobby), complete with gorgeous sunflower centerpieces, a cute-as-can-be cake (a fish, of course) and “live bait” desserts (gummy worms included).  All of that lovely AND stone place cards and I have a really big crush that won’t be going away any time soon.  All perfectly planned by Walton Event Design and captured in amazing images by Olivia Griffin Photography, there is so much more pretty to be seen.  So join me in the gallery for even more!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From Olivia Griffin Photography... This is definitely the most eventful rehearsal dinners I’ve ever photographed.  Everything was thought out by the event planner and the groom’s mother, Jan.  Julie, the bride, loves to fish so the groom’s mother decided to do a fishing theme for the dinner.  I thought this was very thoughtful and sweet of Jan.  Also, the groom’s family is big in the golf scene.  The groom and the groom’s father are actually in the PGA tour and quite successful golfers.  Because of this, the family likes to go with themes other than “golf” for big gatherings.

The rehearsal was held at the Old Edwards Inn, the Farm and then the dinner was held at the Bascom. The place settings were really unique.  Each table was identified by a rock painted with the name of a lake that Julie had fished from so the guests had to find a rock with their name painted on one side and the name of a lake on the other side.

Dinner was served “family style”, which means each table received a large bowl of food for each person to take a portion. Next was desert…and this was really cool.  It was called “live bait.”  Each person got a little dish of oreo crumbs with a gummy worm inside…so cute! However, what came after desert was crazy!  A brief story was told about the groom’s bachelor party weekend and being out on a boat and something about minnows and before we know it, a shot glass with live minnows is being handed out to all the groomsmen!  The reaction was fantastic and it was definitely hard to watch, but everyone took down the shot. Towards the end of the evening came many wonderful and tearful toasts…such a happy and sweet occasion

Photography: Olivia Griffin Photography / Event Planner: Walton Event Design / Videography: Jeff Bradt Video / Event Location: The Bascom / Rehearsal Location: Old Edwards Inn

North Carolina Destination Wedding by Watson Studios

I love Dan and Natalie of Watson Studios. For many reasons, but on the top of my list is their ability to capture the very essence of the couple’s personality in each and every wedding I’ve seen from them. So you know when they were asked to capture the wedding of their dear friend in the gorgeous mountains of North Carolina, it was going to be a good one. Well folks, it turned out better than good. It’s all that is lovely about southern weddings, including the cowboy boots. I highly advise moseying on over to the full gallery for even more southern charm.

Click here to see the entire image gallery!

From the Bride… Three of my loves has always been family, friends and the mountains. So when the love of my life swept me off my feet it wasn’t hard to decide what I wanted for our wedding, which was a good thing since we planned our wedding in five quick months! We knew we wanted an intimate destination wedding in the mountains surrounded by our family and closest friends.  The Farm at Old Edwards Inn in Highlands, NC was the perfect site to be the back drop for our fall wedding weekend with its elegant rustic charm and gorgeous mountain views. I wanted a weekend that friends and family would enjoy as much as we did and look back upon with fond memories and great stories to tell. I envisioned a unique and vintage wedding that was romantic, but still fun.

I’ve been blessed with the most amazing group of girlfriends anyone could ask for, they have become more like sisters than friends and each one has their own unique personality and I knew from the get go I wanted that to shine through, so I picked out the color and the cowgirl boots and they picked out the rest..and it turned out fabulous and fun! I fell in love with my dress before I even put it on. I had seen the dress online and immdediately called up Melissa Sweet for an appointment. It was the first and the last dress I put on! It was romantic, soft and the vintage look of the lace perfectly reflected the style of our wedding and I of course paired this with cowboy boots too!

Who would do our pictures was never a question. My dearest and most talented best friend and equally talented husband, Dan and Natalie Watson.  I knew they would capture every moment and detail of our special day and of course they did!

The day of our wedding could not have been more perfect, it was a cool crisp morning that turned into a gorgeous fall day without a cloud in the sky. The bridesmaids and I spent the day primping and enjoying mimosas on the farm at the brides house. Luckily, the house was next to the ceremony and reception site, which allowed us to sneak peaks at the transformation of the barn while everything was being set up. Our ceremony was outside in a beautiful garden, under a tent. The wedding party walked down to a classical guitarist, the chairs were adorned with my favorite flowers and my sweet husband waited at the end of the aisle….absolutley  perfect!

After the ceremony guests were greeted with sweet tea cocktails served in Mason jars, which is also fitting since my maiden name is Mason. Our guests entered through a walk way with hanging Mason jars with votives into the barn and tent lit with twinkling lights incorporated with twine chandeliers, the tables were covered with a rustic table cloth and topped with eclectic flowers and votives. Old Edwards did an amazing job of creating the perfect fall menu including butternut squash soup served from heated pumpkins! No detail was missed and I can’t say enough nice things about the team at Old Edwards. James and I along with our guests danced the evening awaying soaking up every magical minute. In the end our wedding weekend was everything we wanted and more, but most importantly it was filled with love and memories we will cherish for a lifetime.

Wedding Photography: Dan & Natalie Watson of Watson Studios / Wedding Venue: The Farm at Old Edwards Inn & Spa / Wedding Director: Anne Marie Thompson / Flowers: Oakleaf Flower & Garden of Old Edwards Inn & Spa / Catering & Wedding Cake: Old Edwards Inn & Spa / Wedding Dress: Melissa Sweet / Wedding Invitations: Bella Figura / Wedding Ceremony Music: Donnie Walker / Wedding Reception Band: Uptown Entertainment Band