North Carolina Weddings

Touching Outer Banks Wedding Video

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From Erin McLean Events…Danielle + Alex’s design was created around a gorgeous boho chic vest from Anthropologie that she loved. We wanted to bring a garden feel into the rustic feel of the Cotton Room. We brought in pops of sparkle in the champagne sequin linens, gold rimmed chargers, and gold table numbers, to add a sophisticated edge to the boho feel of the space. Danielle and Alex brought in creative pieces of themselves by offering a local coffee brand as favors for the guests and even bringing in a espresso bar during their reception. She also chose to integrate farm tables to give the reception a cozy and intimate family gathering feel. We incorporated beautiful wooden custom signage as an element that Danielle and Alex could have as a keepsake in their home.

Despite having to change ceremony venues at the last moment to accommodate the impending hurricane, their day was magical. The Chuppah transformed the space in the garden feel that Danielle so wanted. The rain even subsided long enough for the couple to capture a few photos on Duke University’s campus, where they first met and fell in love, and Alex proposed.

I’ve been trying to write this intro for about an hour now, but I honestly can’t see through the tears. These wedding videos always slay me, but this one from Swell Weddings is really doing a number on my tear ducts. No lie, this gorgeous couples’ first look will send chills up your spine (and if you are like me, make you cry like a baby), and you can see just what I mean when you hit play below.

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Rain Couldn’t Ruin this Rustic North Carolina Fall Wedding

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Outdoor Weddings Tented

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Al Fresco

From The Bride…My husband and I met while working together at Norbanks Sailing Center in Duck, NC in May 2011. He had recently taken the job as the site manager for the watersports company, and I had just graduated college and was planning for a fun summer before the “real world” with girlfriends. We fell in love with each other and the Outer Banks that summer, and made both our move and relationship official that September. We were married 4 years later on September 20, 2015 right in front of the pier where we first laid eyes on each other. We were the first and probably only couple to ever wed at Norbanks. Shortly after meeting John, I took a job as the private events coordinator at a nearby country club called The Currituck Club. We held our reception there with the most wonderful team of vendors. After planning over 200 weddings, we both believed that less was more, and kept our wedding as true to us as possible. It had a casual garden feel full of flowers, greenery, italian bistro lighting, beautiful linens and a clear top tent. We had both rain and sunshine, the perfect mix to make up the perfect day. We saw each other for the first time half way to the venue overlooking the ocean. The rest is history!

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Casablanca Bridal

Rose Collection - Volume XXXI

Magnolia Fall 2015

Beloved By Casablanca Bridal- Vows in Valencia

A Hillside Fairytale

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This is the best success story for all brides-to-be to keep in mind when weather worries begin! Despite hurricane wind and rain, this wedding went off without a hitch, and with Jacin Fitzgerald Events leading the charge, and help from Tie That Binds and Groove Collection, these two never stopped smiling. Caroline Lima captured the memories in the making, both wet and dry, all in our Vault right this way!

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Rustic Weddings

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A Rustic Wedding in Highlands, North Carolina

From the Bride… Dean and I met through mutual friends towards the end of our junior year at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. After a little over four years of dating we got engaged at our favorite spot in Chapel Hill, Merritt’s Pasture. Not long after that, the wedding planning began! We were at a bit of an advantage since my sister has photographed many weddings and has made a lot of friends in the wedding industry. She told us that we had to get in contact with Jacin Fitzgerald, of Jacin Fitzgerald Events. This was the best decision ever! Jacin helped us make our wedding day exactly what we wanted. Not only did Jacin rock from a professional standpoint, but we feel we have made a life-long friend. My parents agree, and several friends told us after the wedding that they were in love with Jacin. She went out of her way to make sure personal touches were put on every aspect of our day to highlight our personalities. We would definitely recommend Jacin to anyone looking for help with their wedding plans and details.

We both knew that our ideal wedding would be outside with a lot of meaningful touches. We searched around North Carolina for the perfect spot. We finally found Lake Eden Events in Black Mountain. As we drove onto the property we knew we found something special. As we were booking, I remember my dad looking over at me and saying “Are you sure? You know there’s no back-up plan here for a wedding this size.” I looked right back and said “I’m sure. I’ve looked at the Farmer’s Almanac, next October is going to be warm and dry.” Ha! Talk about famous last words. About a week out from our wedding the forecast began to take a scary turn thanks to Hurricane Joaquin. Jacin watched it like a hawk and provided a lot of updates. We moved from Plan A to Plan B to Plan C and then all the way to what seemed like Plan J. This probably sounds pretty stressful, but it really wasn’t. We knew we were in good hands.

The wedding day finally arrived! The ground was saturated from a week’s worth of rain, the hurricane winds were raging, and the rain was coming down. A bride’s worst nightmare, right? Nope! Everything went off without a hitch! Our wonderful photographer, Caroline Lima, took the effort to stop at several stores on her way to Black Mountain to gather as many clear umbrellas as she could find. She arrived with the biggest smile on her face and a “Let’s do this” attitude. Everyone was so great throughout this whole process. The staff at Lake Eden went out of their way to make sure we were all happy and comfortable, Jacin was doing her thing and making everything perfect, Caroline and her second shooter (Katherine Miles Jones) had everyone laughing, and our friends and family were the support and troopers that we knew they would be.

Dean and I had our first look in the rain, and despite it also being cold, we loved every minute of it. The rain let up a little as the ceremony began and our friend and officiant, Hunter Scott, gave us the meaningful ceremony we hoped for. Right after we were announced husband and wife there was a brief break in the sky. This was just in time for family formals. Caroline gathered us all and took the opportunity to get all of the family pictures we asked for. Then it was on to the reception. Our reception was exactly the celebration we had dreamed of for months! The food, which was provided by Black-Eyed Susan Catering, was absolutely delicious! The staff was also great and made sure our guests were happy and that the drinks were flowing all night. We met with Cyn of Black-Eyed Susan Catering several months earlier for a tasting and knew we made the right choice. We had such a hard time choosing our menu because everything was so tasty. The band ROCKED the dance floor all night long! Music was very important to both Dean and I so we made sure to take our time to find the band that was right for us. We were so happy that we found Groove Collection and that they were available for our date. We knew they were going to be great, but they blew our expectations out of the water! The dance floor was crowded all night long like we hoped. So many friends commented that this was the best wedding band they had ever heard and we can’t disagree.

We loved every single aspect of our day, despite the weather’s best efforts to rain on our parade. Our friends and family braved the storm and traveled from near and far to shower us with so much love. We were fortunate to have the best team and to have worked with some of the best vendors out there. Tie That Binds created the most meaningful paper products and other design elements that made our details so special. I really don’t know what Mekala of Tie That Binds can’t do. She created perfect invitations, menus, and beer labels (for the homebrews my talented husband made!), among other things that really brought everything together.

We truly cannot express how lucky we were to work with such amazing people. Everyone that played a role in our wedding went above and beyond in so many ways. We are beyond thankful to have had the wedding of our dreams, which was captured so perfectly by Caroline. We will never actually get to relive that day, but the photos come incredibly close to bringing us right back in the moment.

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Next up on our day of Brett Heidebrecht, we’re headed to the North Carolina mountains for the ultimate autumn “I do”. With a backdrop of golden leaves and pinch-me views, this couple tied the knot amongst so much natural beauty it nearly stole the show. Fall brides, The Vault is officially your inspiration goldmine.

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Country Club Hotels + Resorts Weddings

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Winter Wedding Shoot Inspired by the Mountains

From the photographer, Brett… The North Carolina Blue Ridge Mountains provide one of the most breathtaking views for a ceremony I’ve ever had the privilege of photographing. What started out as a rainy morning turned into a sunny, blue skied day out on the beautiful High Hampton Inn lawn with the face of Rock Mountain and Hampton Lake in the background.

It’s one of those views that seems too good to be true. All eyes on the majestic mountain, that is until Shepard made her way down the aisle in her showstopper of a gown by Monique Lhuillier.

From the lawn we moved to a beautiful tent out on the golf course. The Retreat out of Atlanta serenaded as Brendon & Shepard shared their first dance on the black and white checkerboard dance floor. After dinner the band played one of the liveliest dance parties I’ve seen and even included an impromptu cameo by one of the guests on saxophone. We closed the night with sparklers, the bride and groom charged through as their friends and family wished them a cheery goodbye.

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Wedding Dresses

Monique Lhuillier

Monique Lhuillier Bridal Fall 2015

Monique Lhuillier Bridesmaids Fall 2015

Spring 2016

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I might be in the minority, but I am such a fan of the winter months. And winter in the mountains? Well, that’s my dream. So I love seeing talented folks like Live View Studios and Michelle Wright Events embrace the beauty of the season in a way that reminds me once again why I love this season. Oh, and the florals from Amy Lynne Originals? Don’t even get me started. Too good. See more winter pretty in the VAULT.

From Live View Studios…The barren, neutral backdrop of winter in the mountains was the canvas for this warm and vibrant wedding inspiration. Drawing from the natural terrain and simple living in the mountains, a wood table and mismatched chairs were set for dining with a dusty blue silk runner spilling over from the tabletop, mimicking cascading waterfalls and rushing mountain streams. Fire, in the form of candlelight, brings romance and also inspires the bold color palette. Touches of gold, from the candlesticks to the gold goblets at each place setting, invoke elegance and tie in with the natural tones from the hops used in the floral centerpieces and bouquet. Velvet and silk ribbons fall gracefully from the bride’s lush bouquet. The cake with it’s delicately torn edging pairs perfectly with the handmade paper from the invitation suite, and is embellished with fresh blooms and fruit. Our bride is gorgeous in a lace and chiffon Sarah Seven dress adorned with a gold and silk belt and dripping crystal and gold earrings designed by Lindsay Marie. Her beautifully braided hair is accentuated with a gold and crystal headpiece, and like the fog that rises and shrouds the mountains, her stunning veil wraps and pools around her and her lover as they embrace.

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Sarah Seven

Signature Bridal

Gold Label

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Outer Banks Wedding Showcase at Sanderling Resort + A Giveaway!

The Outer Banks in North Carolina is simply made for marrying, I don’t need to tell you that. So when the fabulous Sanderling Resort let us know they were hosting an amazing Outer Banks Wedding Showcase on March 19th, a virtual celebration was most definitely had. Think a bevy of uber-talented vendors meets gorgeous inspiration meets yummy treats. This is a can’t miss event, lovelies.

You’ve always dreamt of saying “I do” with the cool ocean breeze in you hair and the breathtaking scenery that is The Outer Banks as your backdrop, so why not attend the Wedding Showcase that will make all of that (and more) totally possible. I’m talking over 30 Outer Banks wedding experts sharing their insights and piecing together your dream wedding. From the cake, chocolate and Italian Ice samplings to the Relaxation Lounge with complimentary hair and makeup consultations to the live entertainment and foot massages, there is something for everyone. And don’t even get me started on the stunning tablescapes and gift bags. It’s going to be soooo awesome.

What are you waiting for, loves? Grab the one you love (or your besties!) and make plans NOW to attend the Outer Banks Wedding Showcase at Sanderling Resort on March 19, 2016. Your dream day is waiting.

What: The Outer Banks Wedding Showcase at Sanderling Resort is giving away a one night stay (either March 18th or 19th, 2016) for the Show, plus two tickets to attend! (Value $299)

How: Simply tell us in the comments below why you CAN NOT WAIT to say “I do” on the Outer Banks!

Who: One lucky winner, chosen completely at random, will be announced right here on SMP on Friday, March 11, 2016. For terms and conditions, click here. Good luck, lovelies! xo

More North Carolina weddings here!

Engagement Session in the Blue Ridge Mountains

The only thing better than a mountaintop engagement is a mountaintop engagement with Graham Terhune behind the camera. He captured the incredible beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains with a couple who still managed to perfectly steal the show. Head to The Vault for a gallery that’ll have you dreaming ahead to autumn days.

From The Bride-to-Be…Mac and I met while studying in London, England. Even though we both were attending the University of Florida it took traveling across the pond for our paths to cross. After two months of friendship our relationship grew into an unbreakable bond that continued to grow once back in the States.

Mac proposed on July 10, 2015 in my hometown of Sarasota, FL at sunset on Lido Beach. Immediately after, we both knew that we wanted Asheville, NC to be where we tied the knot. Stumbling upon Graham and Samantha Terhune as our engagement and wedding photographers was such a blessing. We wanted our engagement session to be as natural as possible and the Terhune’s were our perfect match! They understood our vision, which was perfectly captured in our photos. How much Mac and I love each other and the natural beauty the late-fall Blue Ridge Mountains came out better than we could have imagined.

We cannot thank Graham and Samantha enough for braving the 40 degree weather with 20 mph winds to photograph our engagement photos! They are the perfect combination of our style while staying true to our rustic romantic wedding theme and colors.

Classic + Elegant North Carolina Country Club Wedding

If you’re wondering what a classic and timeless wedding looks like, this is it. With a country club setting, the couple’s monogram throughout, and a color palette of blush, gold, and cream, this wedding is as elegant as they come—and full of personal touches, including a small photo attached to the Bride’s bouquet to honor her recently deceased father. See all the pretty from Allison Kuhn Photography in The Vault!

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Classic Weddings

From Allison Kuhn Photography…Emily and Michael were a joy to work with. Their easy-going and fun personalities made photographing their wedding easy. Emily’s incredibly classic and elegant taste was clearly reflected in the stunning Modern Trousseau dress when chose. Everything being located at one of Charlotte, North Carolina’s most up-scale venues, Charlotte Country Club. Large crystal chandeliers and hardwood floors made her reception a beautiful site. With help from Anne Markey of Favor Me Events, these wedding details were beautiful. Emily chose a white ceramic tray with her initials etched in gold as a guestbook for guests to sign.

Emily lost her father earlier in the year, and so honored him with a small black and white photo attached to her bouquet.

Each bridesmaid wore a different dress…all 12 of them. Having so many friends in Emily and Michael’s wedding party was such a reflection of the love surrounding them in life. They are such good souls and I know they will have a great life together.

From The Bride…I envisioned an classic, and romantic feel to our wedding with a slight shabby chic vibe. When I walked into Charlotte Country club I knew it was the perfect place to host the reception as it is the oldest country club in Charlotte. It has beautiful vaulted ceilings, huge mirrors, and amazing chandeliers that set the stage for the night. We wanted this to be a special day for us but also a fun night for all of our guests. We had a formal sit down dinner for 250 guests and then the band started for a fun night of dancing.

My color palette was blush, gold, and cream. I had bridesmaids pick out any dress they wanted in blush and we worked the other colors into the flowers and other details. I wanted china incorporated so we brought in an assortment of china plates that our salad (fried green tomatoes) was served on. We brought in tons of candles to lighten the room, and had an assortment of flowers and lanterns on the guests tables

My favorite moment of the night was dancing to the band with my new husband and all of our friends and family. Michael and I had our first dance choreographed by First Dance Charlotte and it was so much fun to show it off after a few months of practice. Once the dance floor opened up to everyone, it was packed all night! We both love to dance as do our families so picking the band was a very important part of our planning. My dad passed away two months before the wedding, but before he did so he helped me pick out the band. We went through their entire play list and selected the songs we wanted played at our wedding. It was so much fun hearing the songs as they were played and remembering this fun moment with him. We also had sunglasses made that had the foundation that was started in my dad’s name on the side. Everyone loved putting these on and joining us on the dance floor!

My favorite crafted detail was having our monogram used throughout all of the details of our wedding. It first appeared on our invitation created by Pink Toast Inc. and we continued to use it on our programs, menu, napkins, and coasters. My favorite part was having it monogrammed on a big serving platter which we used as our guest book.

My Modern Troussea from Hayden Olivia Bridal: I love this designer because you can basically create your own custom dress. I was able to take the bottom of one dress, the top of another, and the back of another and put them all together. I had a full bottom with a high lace top and cap sleeves. The back came down low and had a satin bow where it met the bottom.

In lieu of favors we donated to the Russell C. Guerin Foundation for Melanoma Research. To go along with this, we passed out sunglasses once the party got started that everyone immediately put on and showed off on the dance floor.

Charlotte Country Club in House baker made the best wedding cake I’ve ever tasted and it was so beautiful too! I wanted a simple raked cake with flowers draped on it and it turned out perfect.

I found out that I was able to plan the wedding of my dreams in just 5 1/2 months. I give tons of credit to my amazing wedding planner but when I first started I thought this would be impossible. It actually made things much easier because I didn’t have too much time to think about things, I just made decisions quickly and that was that. I did have to make sure I knew what my non-negotiable were and be flexible on other things. For example, I knew I had to have the reception venue, so we had to have the wedding on a Friday instead of a Saturday. If you have a shortened time frame, it doesn’t mean you can’t have the wedding you’ve always dreamed of!

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Modern Trousseau

Spring & Fall Classics

Spring 2015

Fall 2015

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Rustic + Romantic Mountain Wedding at Claxton Farm

I’ve got a bit of a photography crush on this talented lady, Perry Vaile, right here, and this North Carolina wedding only feeds the fire. Under the guidance of Asheville Event Co., these two said “I do” with a backdrop to take your breath away and when the rain started to fall, the dancing really took off. See this showstopper and more in our VAULT right this way!

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Courtyards & Cobblestones 2016

From the Bride… My husband and I celebrated our wedding in Asheville, North Carolina as it was close to our family who were unable to travel, an attraction for family and friends who were traveling, and it’s simply beautiful. We wanted to keep things simple and allow the natural beauty of the area be the backdrop of our celebration. Claxton Farm was recommended by Asheville Event Co. (our planner) and as soon as we saw it, we knew it was perfect. We wanted our guests to be comfortable and Claxton, located in an Appalachian mountain valley with 360 degree views, was strikingly gorgeous while at the same time provided plenty of shelter from the frequent storms that roll through the mountains during the North Carolina summertime.

We were humbled to have friends and family travel from all over the world to celebrate with us. We wanted to honor their effort with good food and a great party.

There was no theme exactly, I just wanted to keep everything simple and elegant. We were able to add a couple of personal touches to the occasion. My husband and I are known to enjoy a little bourbon so I saved bourbon bottles and repurposed them into flower vases at the reception. I folded 1000 paper cranes for our wedding, which according to Japanese legend symbolize eternal good luck. Bless those family members who diligently detangled the strands of paper cranes after a mountain storm swept through the valley 30 minutes before the ceremony. Another special touch was that my father, sister and brother sang “Swept Away” by the Avett Brothers with a bluegrass band during our ceremony.

There were some surprises such as a couple of quick rainstorms during the evening, which gave the night a magical quality – and who doesn’t love to dance in the rain?

Perry Vaile Photography was one of the very first vendors we requested and we were fortunate to have her capture our day. I had spent some time perusing wedding photos and her film photography stood out with its elegance and dreamlike quality. It’s such a blessing to be able to remember the love and joy shared that night in her resplendent photos.

We were very impressed with the professionalism and talent of all of our vendors, especially Liz Tallent of Asheville Event Co. As the wedding weekend came upon us, we were able to hand off all of the details to her, and she allowed us focus on what was important, which was to spend time with our family and friends and enjoy the party. Our wedding was one of the best days of our lives, and we were fortunate to be surrounded by so many friends and family who really know how to have a good time.

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Wilmington is made for marrying, there’s no doubt about that. So when a group of seriously fabulous, hand-picked creatives team up for a walking tour meets mock wedding extravaganza known as Courtyards & Cobblestones, it’s what we call a can’t-miss event. Think a beyond brilliant evening of yummy food, drinks and never-ending inspiration. This is going to be sooo much fun, my friends.

Taking a beautiful stroll through downtown Wilmington is always amazing, but add in the most innovative wedding professionals that Southeastern North Carolina has to offer and it’s an entirely new level of awesome. I’m talking SEVEN fully styled venues from a team of industry geniuses that know everything there is to know about throwing a fabulous wedding. It’s an experience like none other, complete with live music, table settings, florals, lighting, cake tastings (yum), cuisine samplings, beverages, photo booths AND fabulous giveaways. That’s a lot of awesome for one event.

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Whether you describe yourself as engaged or simply soon-to-be, grab your nearest and dearest and make plans NOW to attend Courtyards & Cobblestones, A Walk Through Wedding Row on January 16th AND the Mix & Mingle Brunch on January 17th! Tickets are available here. Happy planning, lovelies!

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Rustic + Romantic North Carolina Farm Engagement Session

What do you get when you take one very sweet couple, a picturesque farm setting (complete with beautiful horses and a quintessential red barn), and Keepsake Memories Photography behind the camera? E-sesh magic with the power to convince city girls like me that rustic farm engagement sessions are truly stunning. See all the pretty in THE VAULT!

From The Bride To Be… Our story is kind of interesting—Bryant and I grew up right down the road from one another (about five minutes apart) but never actually meet until college where he and I both attended East Carolina University. Bryant was actually my older brother’s college roommate and good friend! Even during that time I never actually met him. In 2011, I was 19 years old and Bryant had just celebrated his 22nd birthday were we meet through mutual friends out and about one night. That night we immediately connected and have been together ever since. That very night one of my best friends even spoke about how she could not wait to give a speech at our wedding about the night we met!

It was April 5th 2015 and Easter Sunday. We had planned on going to church and then back to Bryant’s sister’s house to eat lunch and watch his nephew do his first “Easter Egg Hunt.” After church we headed to Lindsey’s house. Once everyone arrived we immediately began the hunt because John-Bryant was getting fussy. Bryant and myself walked around with John-Bryant picking up eggs and getting wonderful pictures. Most of the eggs where your traditional plastic Easter eggs… However, after a while I notice a big and beautiful egg perfectly perched in the corner just waiting. Eventually JB noticed this egg too and immediately walked over to grab the egg. As he did this I notice Bryant getting down with him and eventually propping up on his knee. When I realized what was happening I began to back away and overcome with joy. I always thought to myself I wouldn’t ever be that girl that cried but I was wrong… very wrong. I was so overwhelmed and surprised and I couldn’t have been happier. My brother Holt and his now wife Kate were getting married that very Saturday (April 11th) so during my brothers wedding planning I wasn’t even thinking this would happen anytime soon. Needless to say it was the perfect day.

We have now been together four years and have enjoyed every second being with him. He is my best friend. We are getting married Oct. 1st, 2016 in Goldsboro North Carolina. Our engagement pictures are very special to me because they were taken at my aunt and uncles home who are two very special people to me. I am a school counselor at Tommy’s Road Elementary in Goldsboro and Bryant is a salesman for R.A Jeffery’s in Goldsboro.

Romantic Graylyn Estate Wedding

If pretty weddings excite you, then you might want to take a seat because this elegant estate wedding is what we like to call heart palpitating pretty. For this stunningly sentimental celebration is the type of day that proves love is in the details (like the Bride’s bouquet that honored her late mother), and thanks to Marcie Meredith Photography we get to witness each heart achingly beautiful moment in THE VAULT!

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Luxury Venue Outdoor Weddings

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Al Fresco

From Marcie Meredith Photography…I am honored to have been a part of Ashley and Josh’s wedding. It was a magical day full of so much love. And talk about a couple that absolutely adores each other! I can’t say enough about the way they would stare into each other’s eyes and their sweet embraces. It was sheer bliss! Emotions were high as Ashley honored her mother who had passed with a picture on her bouquet, a seat at the ceremony, and a candle lighting later in the evening.

Graylyn Estate was an amazing setting for this fairy tale wedding. The style was very much about soft elegance. Pinks and ivory were sprinkled everywhere, from the flowers to the attire and other décor. The grounds of Graylyn are already so incredible that everything was icing on the cake! My favorite design element had to be the beautifully painted ivory welcome sign. It embodies everything about this wedding!

From The Bride…To any upcoming brides out there, I certainly recommend a first look! It’s not tradition but it was nice to have a minute to talk to each other about everything we were feeling and to just have a minute alone together before the night took off. Not to mention my nerves…Just needed a kiss to put them all away!

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Wedding Dresses

Jim Hjelm

Fall 2015

Spring 2016 Collection

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Charming Southern Merry Hill Farm Wedding

With pies baked by the Bride’s mother, her horticulturist father involved in the flower arrangements, and food catered by the couple’s favorite deli from their college days, this wedding was, as the Bride put it, “So special [because] we could look around and know that every detail had a purpose and reflected some piece of our relationship.” See all the special moments from Graham Terhune in THE VAULT!

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Elegant Highlands, NC Wedding

From The Bride… Alex and I wanted every detail from our wedding day — from the food to the escort cards to our individual vendors — to be meaningful and personal to us. Merry Hill Farm was the perfect venue because it was not only beautiful and charming, but it also gave us the flexibility to bring in our own style. We were also thrilled to be getting married near Chapel Hill, NC, which is where we met almost 5 years ago while students at UNC-Chapel Hill. One of our favorite places to eat together when we were students was Mediterranean Deli, an amazing restaurant in the heart of Franklin Street that serves healthy, fresh, authentic Mediterranean and Greek style foods. They were the first (and only!) place we looked to select our caterer. After our wedding, we had dozens of people tell us that it was the best food they’d ever had at a wedding! We had to agree. :) For dessert, we wanted to do something a little less traditional. My mom is a wonderful baker, and one of her specialties is homemade fruit pies. We knew it would be a huge undertaking, but she was honored and thrilled when we asked her if she would make pies for our wedding. In all, she made 25 fruit pies (apple, peach, & blueberry!), which we served with vanilla ice cream from our favorite local creamery (Maple View Farms). For our bar menu, instead of having a signature cocktail, Alex wanted to showcase some of his favorite craft beers. In addition to four of our favorite wines, Alex picked out 11 different craft beers, including two from our favorite local breweries.

One of my favorite details from the wedding was the flowers. My dad is a horticulturalist at Sarah P. Duke Gardens, and I knew I wanted him to be involved in picking out flowers and designing our arrangements. He helped me find a wonderful independent florist (Theo Roddy) who he frequently works with at the Gardens. (Theo also did the flowers at my sister’s wedding!) Theo and my dad worked together to design the table arrangements and select the flowers for the bouquets. I wanted the arrangements to have a free, effortless style, and I could not have been more pleased with how they turned out. The bouquets were stunning! My dad also put my aunts and uncles to work making wildflower arrangements to place throughout the venue. My favorites were the arrangements in old watering cans! Among some of my other favorite decorations were my family’s tandem bicycle (which Alex and I also used in our engagement photos) as well as the bicycle-stamped escort cards, which we hung out on mini clotheslines. (Can you tell we like bikes?)

Our wedding was magical. And, part of what made it so special is that we could look around and know that every detail had a purpose and reflected some piece of our relationship. We also could look around and feel an incredible sense of gratitude, knowing that we were only able to pull everything off with the support of so many family members and friends.

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Donna Morgan

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Donna Morgan Collection - Core Chiffon

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The Tie Bar

Spring 2015

Spring/Summer 2015

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Sawyer Baird has this way of capturing weddings that leaves us in awe time and time again. Her camera turns moments into works of art, and this elegant summer day is no exception. It’s a love-at-first-sight kind of gallery waiting in The Vault, and one I promise you’ll never want to leave.

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Colorful North Carolina Wedding

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From The Bride…Russ proposed on a Charleston plantation by sitting me on a beautiful live oak branch, tying the ring box to our beloved dog’s collar, and getting down on one knee. Although both of us were born in the Midwest, we fell in love with the South while living briefly in Asheville. Although we moved to LA shortly after our engagement, when it came time to plan the wedding, we knew it would be in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

We wanted our wedding to be elegant yet unfussy with amazing food, Southern charm and stunning natural setting that would need little adornment. We found all of that at gorgeous Lonesome Valley. We were blessed with the most gorgeous spring day, with mountain laurel in full bloom, blue skies, and dramatic Carolina clouds rising over the box canyon.

Planning a wedding is a full-time job and I knew early on I needed help. My amazing mother and mother-in-law took on the brunt of the details with the help of our planner, Elizabeth, whose local contacts and experience was incredibly helpful for us planning from afar. I was determined our wedding would be beautiful but not lavish and I aimed to invest in the things that really mattered to us – food, photography, and a beautiful tent that could accommodate everyone in case it poured rain (but it didn’t, thank goodness!)

I work in the arts as the director of a contemporary art gallery and my husband is an architect, so suffice it to say we had very strong feelings about the design and decor—however translating that into a wedding is not easy and I was lucky enough to find our stylist Sarah Ingram, whose impeccable taste and eye mirrored mine. I trusted her completely; we had a modest budget and she was amazing in helping us invest in details that made the most impact. Our decor was a neutral palette, with pops of grey, soft blue and buttery yellow which felt sophisticated yet understated. My bridesmaids selected their own dresses from Jenny Yoo’s line in various shades of grey and blue.

Finding my dress was a miracle of patience and good luck. I quickly learned that I was not a fan of traditional dresses, nor was I prepared to spend thousands of dollars on my dress. I was on a mission to find something effortless, classic and romantic and I was determined not to spend more than $2,000. After being so disappointed at several shops, I fell in love with the Rebecca Schonoveld separates at the Sentimentalist in Atlanta, the most amazing dress shop. My dress had a tulle skirt that felt like air and a classic, simple bodice that stayed up all night without straps.

Two days before the wedding I found my sparkling caplet from BHLDN and had it overnighted on impulse to the wedding. All my wedding jewelry were sentimental family heirlooms; I wore my beloved Nana’s pearls and my great great grandmother’s vintage diamond watch, my wedding band from the 1930s and was my husband’s late grandmother. My earrings were my something borrowed, vintage diamond and citron drops lent from a very dear friend.

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Bridesmaid

Jenny Yoo

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Jenny Yoo

Spring 2014 Maternity

2016 Bridesmaid Collection

2016 Bridal Collection

Spring 2017 Flower Girl Collection

Spring 2017 Bridal Collection

Spring 2017 "Jenny by Jenny Yoo" Collection

Spring 2017 Accessories Collection

Fall 2016 Separates Collection

Spring 2017 Lingerie Collection

Spring 2017 Separates Collection

Spring 2017 Bridesmaids Collection

Spring 2018 Bridal Collection

Spring 2018 "Jenny by Jenny Yoo" Collection

Spring 2018 Flower Girl Collection

Spring 2018 Bridesmaid Collection

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BHLDN

Bridal 2016

Bridal 2019

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Rebecca Schoneveld

2017 Collection

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I love a duo that isn’t afraid of a little color. And these darling sweeties? They’re embracing vibrant fuchsia and pink in the most wonderful of ways. Think a drop-dead gorgeous al fresco celebration filled with romantic florals from MEWS Designs, pretty paper goods from Janine Rae Designs and breathtaking images from Robyn Van Dyke. See every last moment sitting pretty in THE VAULT, then stay tuned for a sweet film from Simile Productions below.

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Al Fresco

From Robyn Van Dyke Photography… Kristin and Brandon’s wedding day was so beautiful and overflowing with joy and laughter! It was a perfect, sunny October day and The Bradford was the perfect location for them and their gorgeous outdoor ceremony and garden reception!

As soon as we arrived, every one was full of excitement and anticipation, and we loved witnessing all the sweet moments shared between them and their families! There were gorgeous details and amazing paper goods galore, as well… thanks to Kristin’s sister who is the talented lady behind Janine Rae Design!

One of my favorite moments of the day was when Brandon saw Kristin for the first time walking down the aisle… his eyes immediately glistened with tears and thankfully the pastor had a tissue on hand! After they exchanged their heartfelt and hilarious vows, they were joyfully announced husband and wife and we were able to take lots of pretty portraits of this gorgeous couple before they danced the night away underneath the stars and twinkling lights!

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David's Bridal

"Wonder" by Jenny Packham Accessories

"Wonder" by Jenny Packham Bridal

"Wonder" by Jenny Packham Bridesmaids

David's Bridal Spring 2018

Oleg Cassini Spring 2018

WHITE by Vera Wang Spring 2018

Truly Zac Posen Spring 2018

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Emerald Isle Winter Wedding Inspiration 2 Ways

Sitting down to this scene would make me one seriously happy winter wedding guest. The gilded menu goodness just hits me in the best kind of way. And it’s just one of the looks in this joyous shoot from Keepsake Memories Photography. From traditional to modern, we want to hear—what winter wedding look would you choose?

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From Keepsake Memories Photography…This styled shoot at the Watson House in Emerald Isle, North Carolina, is a wonderful sample of the various directions a bride can choose for a winter wedding. And with classic red to winter white, there’s a plethora of seasonal style that spans far beyond the traditional looks we’ve come to know.

The white-washed and classic exterior of the property proves to be a beautiful backdrop for any occasion. A couple of the bridal looks in this shoot lean towards a timeless style, with white gowns, sleek hairstyles, and darling pastel-inspired bouquets.

In sharp contrast are the looks that incorporate confident, sensational red hues with stunning poinsettias, red roses, berries, and a bright lip on the bride. Even a modern, beaded black sweater, black pencil skirt, and sky-high stilettos create the perfect outfit for a holiday wedding reception!

One venue – multiple looks. And with the right style, a girl can temper the sting of winter in brilliant bridal fashion.

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Justin Alexander

Spring 2016

Spring 2018

Justin Alexander Fall/Winter

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Intimate Fall Elopement in North Carolina

Eloping is one of my favorite ways to marry. It’s intimate, cozy and meaningful… and in the case of this stunning day set against the mountains of North Carolina, entirely breathtaking. Think rich autumn hues, awe-inspiring landscapes and a bouquet by Four Seasons Florist that will take your breath away. Head to THE VAULT for every beautiful image captured by JoPhoto. It will make your Saturday.

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