North Carolina Weddings

I love this wedding. I know that’s a bold opening statement, but it’s true, and when you love someone (or some wedding) you should tell them. The bride designed a romantic affair centered around her love of all things vintage and all books, and Orangerie Events was the talented planner to put it all together. If your heart needs a little warming this morning, make sure to visit the gallery from Brett & Jessica!

From the planner… Your eyeballs might pop out of your head after you look at how amazing the details are from Amy and Thomas’ wedding on Amy’s family farm in North Carolina. Amy is a high school English teacher and knew from the day she started planning her wedding that her love for all things vintage and reading would be the foundation for her wedding design.

Even before the wedding day, Amy set the tone for her wedding with her stationery. Custom “Bingo” card Save the Dates were sent to guests. For the invitations, Amy and Thomas decided to design them to look like vintage library cards. Guests were in for a visual treat from the moment they arrived to the family farm on the wedding day. The ceremony site was created using vintage church pews adorned with hanging greenery and handmade pillows. As a backdrop for the altar, the bride created a backdrop using pages from vintage books. A welcome table was topped with an antique scrapbook for the guest book and custom programs. Guests were given cones made from sheet music and filled with lavender to toss onto the couple as they exited as husband and wife.

The bride looked stunning while carrying a bouquet designed with a dark color palette and wrapped with a black and white stripped ribbon and adorn with an antique heart-shaped locket. Thomas wore a boutonniere wrapped with sheet music. Even the podium used by the ceremony readers and officiant was handmade by the bride’s father.

Moving onto the cocktail hour, guests enjoyed chocolate dipped waffle cones and appetizers on the property’s dock overlooking the pond. The waitstaff fit the part by wearing bowties and suspenders and using antique serving trays. A custom seating chart was hanging from a post to direct the guests to their seat for the dinner portion of the reception. As guests moved onto the reception, one long table set for 75 people awaited them. Each place setting featured an antique fork place card holder notating the seating assignments. The tables were decorated using ivory table runners, antique books, floral arrangements, vintage salt and pepper shakers, porcelain dog figurines and vintage bells.

Not wanting to leave out the younger attendants, the bride’s mother’s dining room table was turned into the kid’s table. Each kid had a personalized meal in a kraft box at their seat and as decor, cookie jars filled with animal crackers, popcorn and oreos was used. In lieu of a traditional wedding cake, friends and family brought various desserts which were put on display on an antique table. A china cabinet was used to display the cake plates and china.

Following dinner, guests moved onto another area on the farm for lawn games including a Rook table, corn hole and croquette. The bride’s father built a fire pit complete with a vintage mantle and church pews were used to create a relaxing seating area complete with custom decor pieces and a basket with blankets and shawls. Guests were encouraged to take their pictures for the couple’s scrapbook by standing in front of the elementary school chalkboard. The couple left their reception to a shower of confetti.

Every detail of this wedding was meticulously planned and I am so beyond grateful to have been able to coordinate such an incredible day for a loving couple who are beautiful both on the outside and inside.

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Photography: Brett & Jessica | Flowers: Brides & Bouquets | Event Design: Amy Plant, Bride | Event Planning: Orangerie Events | Venue: Family Farm in North Carolina | Catering: Belle’s Catering | Rentals: Classic Party Rentals | Invitations: Yes Dear, Studio | Vintage Decor: Plume Rentals

Preppy or not, this inspiration shoot from A Southern Soiree and Robyn Van Dyke Photography is going to steal your heart. Pink throughout, black and white stripes on it all, flowers that are everything… I could go on and on about every beautiful detail, but I need to leave a little room for that cake. Oh, that beautiful Sugarland cake. It’s worth a trip or two to the gallery, this one.

From the designer… Our styled wedding shoot took place in Wake Forest, North Carolina at The Sutherland, a beautiful plantation home surrounded by gorgeous gardens. The inspiration for the shoot was to combine the color palette of blush and gold tones into a southern garden wedding with modern touches. It was the perfect combination of sophistication and charm! The ceremony location was staged in front of the home and the door was adorned with florals, black and white ribbon and gold touches to set the tone for the wedding day. The tables were set with beautiful, modern china paired with gold glassware and silverware. The bouquets and table centerpieces were full of romantic flowers in whites, greens and light pinks. We pulled the modern aspect into the shoot by selecting a black and white striped runner and coordinating napkins to really complete the look. The whimsical chair covers for the bride and groom really set them apart from the others! The beautiful cake accentuated the blush and gold color scheme with a modern cake stand that we all just loved! The invitation set, table number, menus and place cards truly helped tie the entire look together. So many amazing vendors collaborated to make this styled shoot a success and we can’t thank them all enough! [dotted] Photographer: Robyn Van Dyke Photography | Designer: A Southern Soiree | Venue: The Sutherland | Rentals (Linens, Glassware, Tableware, Chairs): CE Rentals | Floral Design: English Garden | Cake: Sugarland | Stationery: Paper Buzz | Wedding Dress: Tre Bella Bridal | Bridesmaid Dress: Bella Bridesmaid | Hair and Makeup: Makeup for Your Day

The color palettes that I seem to be drawn to the most are the ones that pretty much throw all color matching rules out the window and instead embrace each and every hue with open arms. This is just such a wedding. With a rainbow of color in tow and a match up of chevron linens and a loft like backdrop, Events by La Fete crafted these details into a day that feels all at once modern and eclectic. And there’s no shortage of big smiles. Have a look at the pretty images by Michael Moss Photography with even more in the full gallery right here.

From the Bride…Mike and I met on my birthday and needless to say it was the best birthday ever! At that first meeting instantly we knew we shared a unique connection. Our conversation was effortless, our differences intriguing, and our similarities comforting. In the three years of dating we learned so much from each other and knew that in a lifetime we would most definitely be better in the presence of each other.  When Mike proposed the answer was obvious and our wedding planning journey began!

We wanted our wedding guests to experience our love story. We wanted our personalities to shine and people to think… “this is definitely Margo and Mike.” I wanted to break away from what people thought of as traditional wedding decor and really create a unique and eclectic but beautiful day! I wanted a modern organic garden feel for the reception decor and we were so incredibly lucky to have an amazing wedding planner and the support of family and friends to make this happen! The color palette consisted of purples, ivories and greens with pops of orange and yellow.  There were 3 alcoves in the wall so we decided it would be an amazing place to hang “wall gardens” to warm up the space.  The wall gardens were uplight with amber lighting and cast really funky shadows which created such a unique ambiance. We further incorporated the modern garden feel with sprigs of fresh lavender at each place setting and a beautifully wrapped package of locally made chocolates.  

The cake table and escort card table were truly works of art!  The escort card table was created with vintage wooden planks to elevate the mini bud vases which held a single billy ball and the guests table assignment.  We really wanted this to be a focal point and the height variance created with the wood planks was the key to achieving this.  To soften the look succulents and lots of moss were used around the base of the table.  The cake table also incorporated the moss and floating strands of smilax. An amazingly talented friend designed our perfectly unique invitations, programs, menus, and escort cards. The bright vibrant color combo just tied everything together and embodied that modern, fun, mid-century feel that we love!  We were also able to incorporate the custom monogram (MM) from the invitations throughout the decor.

As for the dress I wanted something that was beautiful all on its own. Something that was different, but still had a traditional feel. As soon as I tried on that Vera Wang gown there was no turning back. It was also a work of art and completed the dream of a day! Our entire wedding day from our intimate, traditional ceremony to our fun and eclectic reception was better than we could have ever imagined. Seeing what we envisioned brought to life and being able to share such a special day with the best family and friends truly made it that best day of our lives!

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Photography: Michael Moss Photography | Floral Design: Fresh Affairs | Event Design + Planning: Events by La Fete | Ceremony Location: Sacred Heart Cathedral | Reception Location: The Stockroom | Invitations: Brandi Gull | Rentals: Party Reflections | Lighting + Music: SPIN | Hair + Make Up: Make Up For Your Day | Calligraphy, Bunting + Table Numbers: Calligraphy by Carrie | Dress: Vera Wang | Shoes: Badgley Mischka | Boutique: Alexia’s Bridal

Are y’all ready for some fabulous farm wedding inspiration? That’s exactly what we’re serving up this morning darlings and let me tell you, every bit is pretty as a peach. Thanks to the fab lineup of vendors including Chelsey of Gather Together, we’ve got a handful of photos from Sarah Der Photography that are sure to inspire any southern style soiree. And Bonus? We’re including a little interview with lovely Chelsey herself, to find out how she makes all the pretty happen!

SMP: Hi, Chelsey! Tell us a bit about yourself and Gather Together Events.
GT: Hello! I am a born and bred North Carolinian, who once lived in Charleston and returned to my home state six years ago. I started Gather Together Event Planning + Design three years ago after experience in catering, corporate events, and hotels. Those roles left me craving creativity in event design and deeper relationships with my clients. In three short years, Gather Together has brought me so much joy as a business owner, designer and planner. I work closely with each client and feel so honored to be a part of the most special day of their lives.

SMP: What services do you offer?
GT: Gather Together is a full-service planning and design company offering custom packages of services to clients. We try to provide just the right support our clients need, whether that’s wedding day coordination only, full-service planning and design, or somewhere in between. Anything wedding-related, we are there and ready to tackle: venue selection, vendor negotiations, budgeting, layout planning, event design… not to mention, we often help clients navigate through etiquette and family issues, and sometimes simply offer a hug and a shoulder to lean on when things get stressful!

SMP: Can you describe your process with each couple?
GT: Beginning the wedding planning process with each couple, the first thing to focus on is priorities: What is important to them? What are their values? What makes them tick? This is the very simplest basis to decisions. Love great food & drink, but don’t care so much about flowers? We will make sure your caterer is over the top awesome and that your centerpieces are simple, tasteful and just right for the budget. Do they value buying local? We will make sure the caterer and florist source from local farms, and use seasonal produce. Knowing a client’s priorities paves the way for all next steps: Deciding on layout and flow of the event, selecting vendors, planning the timeline and more.

SMP: Best part of your job?
GT: It is truly an honor and a pleasure to become so close with clients and be trusted with their wedding day. The best part of my job is, knowing that we only have one shot to pull it off, seeing everything turn out beautifully with the bride, groom, and guests having the time of their lives. Seeing all of the hard work come together is so rewarding. Thanks and love from our clients who we’ve become so close with means the world.

SMP: Favorite moment of a wedding?
GT: Without a doubt, the moment before the bride walks down the aisle is my favorite moment of a wedding. It is filled with so much anticipation, joy, and love. The bride sees all the people she loves, gathered together in one place, just for her and her groom. It is a quiet, sacred, beautiful moment. I am so blessed to be able to experience this. Yes, I almost always shed a tear of happiness.

SMP: Any advice for brides + grooms to-be?
GT: Besides hire a wedding planner? My advice would be, to plan for your marriage, not just your wedding. Be each other’s best friend. Love and forgive unconditionally.

From Gather Together Events… The Farm & Factory styled shoot was inspired by the rich history of Durham, NC and the sweet charm of the South. The Cookery, a recently opened local kitchen and incubator for food entrepreneurs, was the perfect setting to reflect Durham’s manufacturing and tobacco industry roots. Constructed in the early 1900’s, the exposed brick walls, hand-crafted metal work, and exposed wooden trusses tell the story of Durham’s rich history. The bar features a tobacco warehouse shutter, its facade made from an old Durham water tower and its foot rail made of a track from Durham’s historic trolley line. Railings on the stairs and mezzanine are comprised of metal crescents from the historic Heart of Durham Motel, and the center piece is a catwalk from the old Liggett Meyers building.

The Watering Hole bar, featuring a “Rusty Nail” signature drink and the “Working Man’s Lunch” beer, was adorned with a saddle and coffee can vases. The floral palette softened the look throughout the room. Our “farm girl” bridesmaid wore a necklace made of fresh roses and greenery, and our bride donned a single bloom of Queen Anne’s Lace in her hair. The burlap covered farm table was decorated with milk bottles and crates holding garden roses, astilbe, herbs and other beautifully textured blooms. Chalkboard farm animals at each place setting brought a quirky southern farm detail.

The catering reflected a modern Southern menu, with items like the Dairy Maid Chevre and Beet Stack (and a behind the scenes perk that only we know—everything tasted as good as it looked!). Specialty lighting perfectly accented the space, including a custom created LOVE sign and a chandelier made of pipes and Edison bulbs. Beautiful chalkboard lettering complemented the style of the letterpress paper suite, and wood grain in the cake detail matched that of the invitations and favor tags. Bags of grits for the bride and groom’s exit accompanied the favors on the table–what better way to put a Southern spin on the traditional rice toss exit?!

Re-imagining one of our favorite cities proved great fun and we hope it lends creative and beautiful Farm & Factory wedding inspiration to real brides!

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Photographer: Sarah Der Photography | Event Styling & Design: Gather Together | Venue: The Front Room at The Cookery | Floral Design: Tre Bella Florist | Catering: Donovan’s Dish | Decor: Farm & Filigree | Rentals: Party Reflections | Lighting: Get Lit Special Event Lighting | Paper: Shed Letterpress | Calligraphy: Write Handed Calligraphy | Cake: Details Cake Design | Favors: Big Spoon Roasters | Dresses: Tre Bella Bridal | Menswear: Bernard’s Formalwear | Hair + Makeup: Makeup for Your Day | Models: Lindsey Didsbury, Louise Rose & Mike Shannon

My heart always feels a little fuller whenever I get my hands on a classic Southern wedding. But this, my darlings, is classic with a twist. A DIY twist that personalizes this Charlotte affair from the inside out. It’s everything I adore about handcrafted weddings wrapped up in one seamless day. See it all from inContrast Images’ captures right here.

From the Bride…We aren’t sure if we truly believe in “love at first sight,” but Jon says he had the closest thing to it, at least, when we met! We met in college, at a dinner party he and a group of his NC State friends hosted for a group of Carolina girls. Despite the huge rivalry between us, my friends and I were really excited about a group of guy friends, a rare find at Carolina. I noticed Jon seemed to be following me around that night, but I didn’t read into it. He had other plans, though, which I became aware of only a few days later when he began intentionally pursuing me. I was resistant at first, not sure how someone who barely knew me could be so sure he wanted to date me. A year-and-a-half later, a few months before our wedding, Jon’s mom told me that she and his dad had prayed since Jon was little that he would very clearly recognize the girl he was supposed to marry when he met her – and then I understood how he had been so sure!

We chose Alexander Homestead for our reception venue because it was a unique combination of settings I envisioned for our event – a charming historical home with a beautiful outdoor area and a barn fit for a formal, sit-down dinner. I considered several other places first, but the formal venues were too formal for my DIY ideas, yet I also wanted a full-course, sit-down dinner. We knew about Alexander Homestead because our family friend Steve Onxley, of Onxley Architecture, designed its dairy barn. I immediately loved it more than other barns I had seen because it had a fresh, dressed-up atmosphere inside. There were twinkle lights hanging from the rafters, light wood-planked walls and doors, and an adorable brick-floor atrium on the other side. One of the things we loved most was that we could slide the barn doors open when it cooled off at night to open the party up to the outdoors and give us a pretty view of the backyard. The sprawling lawn was a beautiful area for the guests to mingle during the cocktail area while we took pictures with the bridal party in front of the house. And the space in the barn was large enough to seat all of our guests together, rather than splitting them up into separate rooms, something we were trying hard not to do.

We were married in a nearby church that allowed us to bring in our own pastor, the pastor of Jon’s church during college, who also did our pre-marital counseling. My younger sister sang one of my favorite songs, “Thy Mercy, My God” by Caedmon’s Call, with one of Jon’s friends playing guitar and one of my bridesmaids playing violin. That was one of the most meaningful moments of the day for me. The flowers were my favorite detail of among the décor. I went with a pale pink, peach and ivory color palette, dainty accents, and soft edges in full, tight bouquets. My florist selected ivory garden roses that looked so similar to blooming peonies, which weren’t available the week of my wedding. White ranunculus and succulents were two of my other must-haves. Peachy pink garden roses filled out the arrangement, dusty miller leaves created a softening effect, and seeded eucalyptus added touches of greenery. Queen Anne’s lace, silver brunia berries and white freesia were the accents that tied it all together. My bridesmaids’ bouquets included the same accents, but in place of the peony-look-a-likes and succulents were white dahlias and ivory spray roses. My two sisters were my matron and maid of honor, and their bouquets stood out with vibrant peach dahlias. Rather than blooms on the guys, we did cotton boutonnieres accented with brunia berries.

What we wanted most for our guests was simply a beautiful evening where they could relax and be served dinner, and then dance the night away! We hand-selected all the songs from the cocktail hour through the last dance to make sure all the music was a reflection of us and what our guests would enjoy. My heart was so full at the end of the night, as so many people told us over and over how fun it had been and how perfectly everything turned out!

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Photography: inContrast Images |  Ceremony Location: Amity Presbyterian Church | Reception Location: Alexander Homestead | Floral Design: Bouquet Floral Design | DJ: Agape DJ | Cateting: Smart Choice Catering | Linens: Party Reflections  | Cake: Cakes by Mary Ann | Cinematography: Peyton Lea Productions | Hair + Makeup: Jennifer Ericksen | Wedding Dress: Lula Kate via J. Major’s Bridal Boutique | Bridesmaid Dresses: Alfred Sung via J. Major’s Bridal Boutique

Piece together the perfect moments of this Ritz Carlton wedding, and you’ll find a day that will stand the test of time — a classic romance and thoughtfully designed celebration. Planned in the hands of Weddings and the City, it’s the kind of affair that glamorizes the black-and-white basics and oozes with elegance from head to toe. Kristin Vining captured every last bit, and there’s much more to love right here.

From the Bride…It is so hard to choose just one “best thing” about our wedding day, so I won’t!  A few specific events or aspects of our wedding stands out to Drew and me.  Our favorite moment of the wedding was oddly enough the 15 minutes we had to ourselves in between the ceremony and cocktail hour.  Our fabulous coordinator at The Ritz-Carlton, Rebecca Cochran, stole us from the madness of transporting our guests from the church to the cocktail hour and brought us to a private room in the hotel where she had hors d’oeuvres waiting for us.  We were able to breathe, have a little bite to eat, and really take a step back to absorb what had just happened.  We both cherish this moment because it allowed us the private time together to relish in the fact that we were married before embarking on the rest of the evening.

One of my favorite parts about our wedding day was having all of our loved ones and friends from over the years in one place.  It was so cool to be able to look around and be surrounded by people from all different stages of your life at one time.  It was an overwhelming feeling of love and support that just made the day so amazing and fun!  

Finally, I cannot conclude without talking about our band.  My father, who grew up with and has an education in music, researched for months before finding our perfect band.  While he is very open-minded, he has extremely high standards when it comes to music, so I felt totally comfortable leaving this job to him.  And thank goodness I did, because he sure did deliver!  Simply Irresistible came from Atlanta, GA and literally brought the house down.  They were flawless and never let the energy lag.  From the moment they started playing until their set was complete (they took no breaks!), our whole wedding was up dancing and having a great time.  To this day, our friends still talk about how awesome Simply Irresistible was, so it makes us feel good to know that everyone had a great time.

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Photography: Kristin Vining Photography | Ceremony Location: First Presbyterian Church Charlotte, NC | Reception Location + Catering: The Ritz-Carlton | Event Planning: Weddings and the City | Floral Design: The Place for Flowers | Rentals: Party Reflections | Transportation: Sunway Charters & Tours | Hair + Makeup: Jami Svay | Invitations + Stationery: Salutations Fine Stationery & Gifts | Music: Simply Irresistible, East Coast Entertainment | Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier | Veil: Family Heirloom | Shoes: Badgley Mischka | Bridesmaid Dresses: Amsale | Tuxedos: New York Bride and Groom

There’s next to nothing I love more than a perfect all-white wedding. It’s the ultimate in romance and gets me weak at the knees faster than you can say seaside chic. And with Stellar Events on board to design a day that’s clean, calm, but above all, beautiful, you know the full gallery will be inspiration to the max. See each and every one of Kellie Kano’s captures right over here.

From the Bride…Shortly after becoming engaged, Tim and I decided that we’d be married near my parents’ beach house on Figure Eight Island, one of our favorite places. With busy jobs on the opposite coast and zero wherewithal when it comes to event design, we immediately enlisted Courtney Arnold of Stellar Events. Courtney listened to what we wanted — relaxed and clean style — and together with my mom, she ran from there. I only insisted on three things: Kellie Kano for photography, Big Swing and the Ballroom Blasters as our band, and a Sperry tent for the reception. Although our wedding was in May, a freak tropical storm was hanging off the coast all weekend. On the day of the wedding, the sun came out but the wind was crazy. At the end of a wind-blown cocktail hour on the marsh, Tim and I stood on the deck off the tent, waiting to be called for our first dance while our guests took their seats. I think that was my favorite moment — standing hand-in-hand and whispering with my new husband on the edge of the sparkling intercoastal waterway as the sun set, taking in the gorgeous results of Courtney’s effort and the sight of our guests mingling and laughing with one another, all within the shelter of this enormous tent that was shuddering in the wind. It was so surreal and perfect in every way.  And if there was still any doubt about whether this was in fact the best day of my life, the five-hour dance party that followed dinner certainly sealed the deal!

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Photography: Kellie Kano | Ceremony + Reception Location: Figure Eight Island, NC | Event Planning: Stellar Events | Floral Design: Dam Haddock Fiore Fine Flowers | Sperry Tent: Skyline Tent Rentals | Event Rentals: Party Suppliers  | Cake: Flower & Flour | Cinematography: Lifestage Films | Lounge Furniture: Pomp | Band: Big Swing & the Ballroom Blasters | Hair + Makeup: Blush Haus’ of Beaute | Wedding Dress: Vera Wang | Shoes: Jimmy Choo | Bridesmaid Dresses: Jenny Yoo |

When it comes to wedding venues, those infused with the beauty of the outdoors always make it to the top of our favorite’s list. Because really, you can’t go wrong with a wedding day surrounded by nature. This Claxton Farm affair is proof. Paired with pretty, understated details, flowers by Aria Floral that simply add to the natural surroundings and images by Caroline Ghetes worthy of a good, long perusal, this is the perfect poster child for Team Farm Wedding. Soak it all in right here.

From the Bride…Jason and I love the outdoors – the beauty of being surrounded by nature and the excitement of exploration as a couple. This was certainly the case when we ventured to the Northwest in 2011 for a long vacation. Within the first few days of our excursion, we had embarked on a strenuous 15-mile backpacking trip up, over and down a mountain in Olympic National Park. The views were breathtaking. The isolation from “everyday noise” was refreshing. The comfort of each other’s company was reassuring. And when we reached the base of the mountain, Jason popped a very special question and I said YES to many more equally-exciting journeys. Staying true to form, our October 2012 wedding was set in the rolling hills of the western North Carolina mountains. With family and friends gathered on a gorgeous Fall day, we allowed the farm property and natural backdrop to shine in their own right. Minimal touches of organic décor and warm lighting plus DIY accents, such as wrapped mason jars and vintage-inspired signage, rounded out our interpretation of rustic romance and down-home coziness.

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Photographer: Caroline Ghetes | Venue: Claxton Farm | Event Coordinator + Caterer: M7 Event Solutions & Catering | Floral Design: Aria Floral | Cakes+ Pies: City Bakery | Hair: Benjamin Thigpen | Officiant: Howard Hanger | Ceremony Musicians: Bella Corda | Reception DJ: Sound Extreme Entertainment | Wedding Dress: Jim Hjelm Blush via Hayden Olivia Bridal | Veil/Hair Accessory: Hayden Olivia Bridal | Belt/Sash: White by Vera Wang via David’s Bridal | Shoes: Elie Tahari | Bridesmaid Dresses: Costa Blanca via Belk | Groom + Groomsmen Suits: J.Crew + Banana Republic

When it comes to weddings handcrafted from the heart, this one ranks among the best. It’s a traditionally elegant take on a wooden rafter, exposed brick, industrial-style reception and I for one am a major fan. And while A Southern Soiree coordinated every element to perfection, the very best details were the ones that couldn’t be planned. The sneak kisses between him and her, and the bride’s sweet smile that’s completely contagious. Nancy Ray went above and beyond with photos that are sure to become treasures, and there’s more to see and love right here.

From the Bride…North Carolina in the fall (with family and friends and my best friend waiting for me at the end of a long aisle AND my dad by my side) – when and where and how could life get better? Jon and I got married in October and we won’t ever forget that special day. I’m a lucky girl and I know I’m blessed. Not only do I have a man who inspires and supports and loves me everyday, but I have a mom who knows how to throw a good party. She knows that champagne is always a good idea and that beauty is in the details – and these two ideas served our vision.

We wanted an intimate/warm/industrial/artistic/elegant reception, and we found the perfect location for it at The Stockroom. The white wooden rafters and exposed brick created a stunning blank canvas for us to fill with special touches (and lots of dancing). From the gorgeous creamy-whites and organic greens in the flowers by Artfully Arranged to the bold artwork provided by Themeworks and Southern, gluten-free favorites by Catering Works, our reception was outfitted with thoughtful love. And thank goodness we had Kailey with A Southern Soiree to coordinate it all and keep us focused on enjoying every moment! My most favorite details were my bridesmaids’ looks, the champagne tinsel stirrers and the secret stickers on the bottom of Jon and I’s shoes.

I fell in love with a Victoria Nicole dress not long after I walked into Traditions by Anna. The clean, classic, understated-ness of the dress felt distinctive and totally right. For the bridesmaids, to offset my minimalism, we brought in unexpected colors from JCrew and moonstone earrings by Julie Vos. Each bridesmaid had her own style from head to toe and I can’t think of a more beautiful bunch! As for the champagne tinsel stirrers – my mom is pretty amazing, and you may need to contact her directly for her secrets. She says they were easy to make (but then again, she said the glittered votives were easy to make as well!).  They added pure excitement to the bubbly (and even a few hairdos later in the night).

One more detail we loved were the stickers Jon and I had on the bottom of our shoes. Under my right foot was a blue heart sticker with the cut out words “I DO” – and under Jon’s was a blue heart sticker with the cut out words “ME TOO”. We shared ‘something blue’ and physically had this promise grounding us throughout the day. We didn’t even need to order the stickers because my mom whipped them up with her Silhoutte. We loved everything and everyone and especially each other.

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Wedding Photography: Nancy Ray Photography | Wedding Coordinator: A Southern Soiree, Kailey Branham | Floral Design: Artfully Arranged | Ceremony: St. Michael’s Episcopal Church | Reception Venue: The Stockroom 230 | Caterer: Catering Works | Linens + Rentals: CE Rental | Lighting + Furniture: Theme Works | Invitations: Paperwhites | Hair + Makeup: Salon Blu | Band: Rubberband Band | Transportation: Olde South Trolley | Getaway Car: Vintage Mustang, Family Friend’s| Bridesmaid Dresses: J.Crew | Wedding Dress: Traditions by Anna, Designed by Victoria Nicole | Bride’s Robe: Plum Pretty Sugar | Groomsmen Suits: Astor and Black

A black and white wedding at the Ritz is like the mother of all timeless affairs. It’s just about as good as it gets. And whether you’re a bride-to-be or way past your days of “I do,” this modern ballroom beauty will stop you dead in your tracks, guaranteed. You must spend time in the gorgeous full gallery where every photo from Nathan Abplanalp somehow seems prettier the last, followed by a viewing of Life Stage Films’ video that’s equally as elegant.

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From Nathan Abplanalp Photography…This is a wedding I had been looking forward to for a long time. Scott and Tania are such a modern and classy couple with impeccable taste in venue and style as shows through with their wedding being held at the Urban Garden in Uptown Charlotte, NC. The soft light and modern lines of the venue gave the added kiss of elegance to put this wedding over the top, especially with the pink and silver accents. 

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Wedding Photography: Nathan Abplanalp Photography  | Wedding Venue + Cake: The Urban Garden at The Ritz-Carlton | Floral Design: Flowers by Lingky | Wedding Planning + Rentals: Hall & Webb Event Design | Paparazzi Stand: JMS Entertainment | Wedding Cinematography: Life Stage Films | Officiant: Patrick Maloy | DJ: Split Second Sound | Hair + Makeup: Lindsey Regan Thorne | Wedding Dress: New York Bride & Groom | Suits: Mens Warehouse

It may rhyme with another holiday but Ballantyne Hotel & Spa was made for a New Year’s Eve wedding. Or at least, this NYE wedding. The soft grays and sparkly silvers, the campy-chic hats and tiaras, the lush florals and the faux NYE ball… made for this fabulous venue. And of course, add Steve Michael of Kristin Vining Photography into the equation, and it’s all over. Over in a wave of total fab. There is no countdown to the gallery… it’s right here, right now.

From the bride … Jeremy and I were next door neighbors in Charlotte, NC for over a year before we met, in May 2008. We would always offer a quick smile and wave, but never progressed to a full conversation. However, one spring day in 2008, my mother was visiting and walking my dog when Jeremy decided to introduce himself and boldly suggest that she set us up on a date. Surprisingly, she obliged, he and I finally met, and we have been together ever since. Life has taken us from Charlotte to Chicago for Jeremy to attend graduate school and now to life in the Big Apple, New York City.

While we were living in Chicago, I came on a snowy February Friday in 2012 after a long weeks work to Friday, find a stack of packages on the counter. This wasn’t uncharacteristic, considering my eBay business and love of online shopping. I ignored the packages, but after some prodding from Jeremy, I began to go through the boxes. The first one held my engagement ring, and Jeremy got down on one knee in our living room and proposed, to which I repeatedly screamed yes in response. I was so happy with the proposal – nice and quiet in our own home, just like I’d wished for.

We knew almost right away that we’d get married in North Carolina – my parents live there, it’s where we met, and the winter weather was much kinder than Chicago. I began planning right away, flying to Charlotte to meet my mother to begin searching for venues. We visited a wide range of venues all over North Carolina, from farms to hotels to high rise buildings, but we both knew when we arrived at The Ballantyne that it was the place! I’d always wanted an October wedding but didn’t think I would have enough time to plan, so we settled on New Year’s Eve – a decision that I’m so glad that we made. The planning process was stressful at times, but always lots of fun, and I got to rely heavily on my future mother in law and bridesmaids for their input and suggestions. We were so lucky to ring in the New Year surrounded by our closest friends and family!

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Photography: Steve Michael & an assiciate for Kristin Vining Photography | Cinematography: Isabel’s Corner | Flowers: New Creations Flower Company | Day of Wedding Coordination: The Graceful Host | Cake: Cake Lady Jill | Music: Split Second Sound | Venue: Ballantyne Hotel & Lodge | Invitations: Kate’s Paperie, NYC | Shoes: Jimmy Choo | Dress: San Patrick | Hair & Makeup: Lindsey Regan Thorne | Bridesmaids Dresses: Amsale

Elegance and ease are two of my favorite buzz words when it comes to beautiful weddings. And it’s that sense of fabulous styling without any of the fuss that inspired this country club affair from Caroline Ghetes. It’s a timeless wedding with pretty tucked around every corner (plus one crazy awesome dance party!) and you can catch even more right here.

From the Bride…After 8 years of dating this wedding was destined to happen. Obviously we are not ones to rush things so we set the date almost a year and a half after we got engaged in January 2011. I had always envisioned being married in May and being a planner by nature the time was well worth it.

The Amsale dress I chose was the perfect representation of my personal style. I gave it a bit of flair with a beautiful crystal beaded appliqué that I had sewn onto a silk ribbon and fastened into a belt. The color palette of nudes, peaches and corals were perfect for the absolutely beautiful day we were blessed with. Our florist used my favorite big bloom flowers, peonies and garden roses to create the bouquets and centerpieces and brilliant coral ranunculus for the boutonnieres. Getting ready with my bridal party at my family’s home which was so comfortable and sentimental, being surrounded by so many memories. Going the non-traditional route we chose to take pictures with the entire wedding party before the ceremony which meant Cameron and I would see each other beforehand. This allowed for more personal moments and extra reception time after the ceremony. I couldn’t have imagined it any other way. I probably stated that I wanted simple elegance a million times and that is exactly what was achieved. Nothing was over the top or seemed stuffy. It was so true of who Cameron and I are. Never ones to be too serious this wedding had to be light hearted and full of dancing. We wanted our guests to feel completely comfortable and let loose. My mom had spent months collecting different votives to make sure the room was lit with an abundance of candle light to create the ultimate romantic feeling.

Our band, The Maxx, was so amazing. They literally kept everyone dancing the entire night, including Cameron and myself. Towards the end of the evening after executing all of my signature dance moves in my wedding dress, I changed into a more dancing appropriate Thread Social number. To keep with the light heartedness of the evening a totally random selection of hats were passed out at the end of the night. The room was filled with people tearing up the dance floor in sombreros, sparkly top hats, cowboy hats, straw bamboo hats and berets, which was absolutely hilarious.

Walking out to our get-a-way car at the end of the night under a shower of lavender was the last sweet touch to an amazing night. Now almost a year later we still have people tell us that they had such a great time at our wedding, which truly makes us so happy to know that they enjoyed themselves as much as we did.

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Wedding Photography: Caroline Ghetes Photography | Reception Venue: Carmel Country Club | Floral Design: The Place for Flowers | Band: The Maxx  | Wedding Dress: Amsale via Nitsa’s | Hair + Makeup: Colour By Candace  | Shoes: Badgely Mischka | Transportation: Sunway Charters | Tuxedo +  Mens Attire: Jos. A. Bank

Anytime a Carolina wedding comes our way, we know it’s going to be an instant charmer. And with all that southern charm alongside a sense of easy elegance, it’s not hard to see why this bash set at The Balcony on Dock was a complete and total hit. Salt Harbor Designs put together all the beautiful blooms and Theo Milo Photography caught every last chevron-inspired detail. It’s a wedding we just know you’ll want more of, and you can find it right here.

From the Bride…My husband and I met and fell in love in Wilmington, North Carolina, and when he proposed we both immediately knew that’s where we wanted to get married.  We wanted our wedding to reflect our love for this beautiful coastal community.  We started the planning process by selecting our ceremony and reception venues.  For our ceremony we chose The Little Chapel on the Boardwalk, a church located across the street from the ocean.   At first we had a difficult time settling on a reception venue because Wilmington offers so many wonderful locations, but when we saw The Balcony on Dock, in downtown Wilmington, it instantly became the obvious choice.  The building dated back to the 1840s, and we loved the historical feel of the exposed brick walls, hardwood floors and large windows overlooking downtown.  We chose a gray and white color scheme, and incorporated chevron print throughout our design.  Our invitations from Bon Bini Print and Design featured a rendering of Wilmington’s historic riverfront drawn by my dad.
 
I originally wanted an all lace dress, so when I chose a ruched dress by Romona Keveza, I decided to incorporate lace into my veil instead.  I wanted to honor the memory of my grandfathers, who both passed away, by stitching fabric from an old pajama shirt and necktie into the lining of my dress.  The bridesmaids wore JCrew dresses in aged driftwood, sandals from Fibi and Clo, and handmade necklaces. Our pictures were very important to us, so we decided to do a “first look,” which allowed us to spend plenty of time before the ceremony getting great shots, and plenty of time afterwards mingling with our guests.  Our photographer, Theo Milo Photography, suggested the NC Arboretum as a spot for pre-wedding photos.  It was one of our favorite parts of the day!  The weather was beautiful and the gardens were gorgeous.
 
After our ceremony, our wedding party made the 8 mile trip from the beach to downtown in a restored trolley.  We enjoyed horderves and cocktails under edison lights on The Balcony’s patio.  At some point, I saw a youtube video of a ukulele player covering Billy Jean, by Micheal Jackson, and thought that live ukulele covers would make for a pretty cool cocktail atmosphere. After cocktail hour we made our way to The Balcony’s third floor dining room.  Salt Harbor Designs decorated the space beautifully with large lanterns and floral centerpieces that included hydrangeas, brazilla berries, and lambs ear.  A few of my favorite touches were our “cupcake in a jar” wedding favors, a made-to-order mashed potato station and a signature key lime martini cocktail.  We ended the night by making a grand exit in a vintage British Taxi.

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Wedding Photography: Theo Milo Photography | Ceremony Venue: Little Chapel on the Boardwalk  | Reception Venue: The Balcony on Dock | Floral Design: Salt Harbor Designs |  Cake: Nickis Cakes | DJ: Active DJ Entertainment | Invitations and Welcome Bags: Bon Bini Print and Design | Ukulele Player: Kent Knorr  | Guest Favors: Perfectly Frosted | End of Reception Transportation: The British Taxi | Rentals: Party Suppliers | Lighting: High Performance Lighting | Wedding Dress: Romona Keveza via Traditions by Anna | Bridesmaid Dresses: J.Crew in “Aged Driftwood” | Bridesmaids’ Necklaces: Handmade | Bridesmaids’ Sandals: fibi and clo

Wedding Wednesday is without a doubt my favorite day of the week. It’s a day where we kick up our heels and celebrate with a slew of stunning weddings just because we can. And this week it all starts with this Chapel Hill affair set at, designed and planned by the impeccable Fearrington Village. It’s a family-centered celebration that Sarah Der Photography captured to total perfection. Click here for even more!

But before you hurry off to the gallery, join me for a viewing of the beautiful wedding film from Josh Sliffe Videography.

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From Sarah Der Photography…The bride and groom were married at Fearrington Village in Chapel Hill, NC on a mild winter day in November. The wedding was rustic, simple, a bit “European garden” in sensibility, centered on family/friends and their faith. The groom is Korean and the bride is Chinese, so they included a few of the traditional customs–a tea ceremony and an activity during which in order to kiss the bride, the groom had to overcome challenges set by the bride’s bridesmaids! They both LOVE food and the put together a menu of delicious and comforting Southern-inspired food. The bride even did all the lovely calligraphy herself! Such a beautiful, family centered celebration.

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Wedding Photography: Sarah Der Photography | Assistant Photography: Alex Bee Photography | Wedding Venue: Fearrington Village in Chapel Hill, North Carolina | Cinematography: Josh Sliffe Videography | Wedding Planning + Event + Floral Design: Fearrington Village | Invitations + Calligraphy: The Bride | Ceremony Music: Elegant Ensembles | Band: CatBaby | Wedding Dress: Jim Hjelm | Bride’s Robe: Silk and More | Bride’s Earrings: Gretchen’s Pretties | Shoes: Toms | Bridesmaids’ Dresses: J.Crew | Hair + Makeup: LULA Hair + Makeup

You would never guess that this bride wasn’t the girl spinning around in her mother’s veil at eight years old dreaming about her one day wedding. Because just as she picked a super charming husband, she planned a super beautiful wedding. A Southern Soiree was on hand to help bring her newly discovered dream to life, and Robin Lin Photography graciously captured every sweet detail. We’ve filled a gallery with them all, so click here for more!

Hart to Heart Media captured these two in an entirely different, but totally beautiful way…

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I was never the type of girl that dreamed about her wedding and I had no idea where to even begin after we got engaged. I met my now to be husband while he was living in Hermosa Beach, CA and I was living in NYC. I was out there with a bunch of my college girlfriends when we meet Memorial Day 2009. We began a long distance relationship 3,000 miles apart and after 8 months of bi-coastal flights he ended up getting a job in NYC. Time flew by and after two and a half years dating, he proposed in Hermosa Beach, the same place we met.

Once we settled back into NYC, I was initially overwhelmed thinking about where to even begin but slowly my vision for the day began to come together. We both wanted the day to feel extra special with personal details but didn’t want as much of a traditional setting. We got married in my childhood church in Chapel Hill, North Carolina followed by a shabby chic reception in the old Lucky Strike tobacco mill at American Tobacco in Durham, NC. We didn’t know about the venue until we started looking through a few local North Carolina wedding magazines. We fell in love with the venue as it had the casual feel we were going for and the large space was filled with exposed brick, beams and beautiful hardwood floors. We just knew this was the perfect space to celebrate with our family and friends.

Since it was an empty space, we were responsible for bringing in everything we needed for the big day- rentals, flowers, food, lighting and the list goes on. Since we were living in NYC and working with all different vendors I created a Pinterest page to help my vendors understand my vision for the day. We wanted garden flower boxes and mason jars filled with white hydrangeas. Market lights and lanterns to fill the large ceilings with a romantic glow. We both wanted this to be a party so we used red wine bottles as table numbers and set up the seating family style. Each wine bottle contained quotes about celebrations, family & friends. Our wedding invitations were market light themed and that carried through to every detail- wedding programs, menus, and place cards that were held up by wine corks. We used an old barn window as our seating chart and created signs for our gift table that were the top 20 reasons why we loved one another. Since we were steering away from some traditional elements, we had a mini wedding cake surrounded by smaller cakes and cupcakes. Other details included mason jars that held our signature cocktail, moss initials for the entrance doors, a vintage car to carry us after the ceremony to the reception and a photo booth for our guests. I also wore my sister-in-laws veil and garter and my great grandmothers brooch was attached to my bouquet.

The day went off without a hitch and I couldn’t have done it without all of my vendors, especially, A Southern Soiree, Robin Lin Photography, Hart to Heart Media, Get Lit Lighting and Durham Catering.

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Photographer: Robin Lin Photography | Wedding Coordinator: Kailey Branham, A Southern Soiree | Ceremony: St. Thomas Moore, Chapel Hill NC | Reception Venue: Bay 7 | Caterer: Durham Catering Company | Makeup: Colleen Kelly, Greensboro NC | Hair: Posh, Kris and Shannon | Band: Groovetown | Rentals: Classic Party Rentals | Cinematography: Hart to Heart Media | Florist: Tre Bella | Lighting: Get Lit | Cakes: Miel Bon Bons | Photobooth: Behind the Curtain Photo booth | Vintage Car: Loni’s Antique Cars

Wedding Wednesday just wouldn’t be complete without a one-of-a-kind styled shoot. And what better way to get inspired than some bohemian whimsy from our favorites at Almond Leaf Studios? Asheville Event Co. tucked in all texture, layers and unabashed beauty our hearts can handle, while Claxton Farms served as this shoot’s naturally lovely setting. Pay a visit to the full gallery for even more pretty, and be sure to catch the film for a behind-the-scenes peek!

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From Almond Leaf Studios…Fall in the mountains of Asheville, North Carolina is just heavenly.  Rolling mountains, beautiful colors of reds, yellows, oranges and greens – natural and beautiful. Claxton Farm, a 500 acre working farm protected by land conservation, provided the perfect backdrop for our Bohemian inspired shoot.   Colors of plum and tangerine, along with natural elements of feathers, moss, and  plants complimented the bohemian style look of our bride and groom.  Hot apple cider and blackberry pie completed the look. 

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Photography + Cinematography: Almond Leaf Studios  | Planning + Design: Melissa Porter of Asheville Event Co  | Venue: Claxton Farms | Models: Lindsey Thomspon and Sam Tux Frame | Floral Design: Blossoms at Biltmore Park  | Dress: Ship to Shore | Pies: Tiffany’s Baking Co. | Farm Table: Studio Wed Asheville | Printed Materials: Sweet Pea Sunday

This sweet North Carolina couple had just one criteria for their DIY wedding: to be the best day ever. And it absolutely was thanks to the family and friends who came alongside to handcraft every wedding detail, inside and out. From the bride’s dress and veil, both handmade by her sister, to the couple’s friends who teamed up to coordinate, decorate and design, it’s a wedding of stunning simplicity that let nothing outshine the love. The whole day was captured behind the lens of Heather Fink Photography and you can see all that and more right here.

From the bride…We got married in my parents beautiful backyard located in Salisbury, North Carolina. The weather was surprisingly cool and perfect for a late August evening. My sister (also my Matron of Honor) made my dress and veil. Friends of ours coordinated the wedding, decorated the cake, arranged flower bouquets.  Our budget was very small so all of the decorations were DIY with the help of my amazing bridesmaids. It was the happiest, most beautiful day of our lives. We laughed so much, and cried a little bit when we promised that we would love each other til death do us part (we wrote our own vows). The reception was informal and very comfortable, we finished up the evening at dusk with Chinese lanterns, which were a big hi-light for us We wanted our wedding day to be the best day ever, and it absolutely was.

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Wedding Photography: Heather Fink Photography | Venue: Bride’s Parent’s Home in Salisbury, North Carolina | Floral Design: Friends of the Bride | Catering: Friends and Family | Wedding Invitations and Programs: DIY | Wedding Dress + Veil: Made by the Sister of the Bride | Brides Shoes: Flora, Carlos by Carlos Santana | Hair: Friends of the Bride | Makeup: DIY

Good morning SMPers. If bowties and billy balls make you smile and if pretty prints and a fresh pink palette are your cup of tea… ok let’s face it, if charm is your thing you’re going to heart this preppy garden wedding in a big way. From planner extraordinaire, A Swanky Affair this darling Durham soirée is as cute as they come. It’s North Carolina chic and you can see the rest of the beautiful images by Kristin Byrum Photography in the gallery.

From the Bride… Daniel and I met at Duke University as we were both about to embark on a 6-week study abroad program in Australia. Fast forward seven years later, I was living in DC and Daniel in Philadelphia. Daniel suggested that we go to Duke one fall weekend in 2011 to visit the Lemur Center (world renowned!) and catch a football game. Much to my surprise, while there, in the Sarah P. Duke Gardens, he got down on one knee and proposed to me. We knew almost immediately that we wanted to have a fall wedding in the place where we met. We set our wedding date — November 3, 2012. Our wedding ceremony would be outdoors in the same spot in the Duke Gardens where he proposed in November 2011.

Daniel and I spent almost a year planning our wedding — as a team. He was such a trooper and I’m lucky to have had him be such an integral part of planning our day. We wanted our wedding day to reflect us and give a nod to our favorite things, including fall and the wonderful seasonal fare that comes along with it. We decided on a color palette of warm coral and gray. After scouring Pinterest and wedding blogs for inspiration, I was able to incorporate all of my current obsessions — stripes, chevron, and succulents. Etsy put us in touch with a number of amazing vendors (artists really!) that made our gray and white striped runners, the chevron flags, provided our individual potted succulent plants for each place setting, chevron pillows, and the calligraphy for our menu, place card flags, and table signs. Daniel selected craft beer from five different breweries representing each state between North Carolina (where I grew up and where we were getting married) and Pennsylvania (his current home state) to serve at the reception. We gave a nod to fall with the persimmon fruits that Tre Bella included in our floral arrangements along with succulents, billy balls, dusty miller, garden roses, and fiddlehead ferns. In the early fall when figs started showing up in our local grocery store, we knew we wanted to have a signature cocktail around them: fig bourbon fizz. Our caterer, Durham Catering Company, put together a delicious fall menu using locally sourced, seasonal ingredients that included french onion soup, braised short ribs, and stuffed acorn squash.

Daniel worked his magic on the computer and put together the various signs used at the reception — for the bar, the guest book table, the gift table, the entry way area, and our chairs. I got in touch with my crafty side and love of geography by making our escort board — painting the map of the United States and using twine and washi tape to connect each guest to their current location — so everyone would know where each other came from! About a week before the wedding we spent an afternoon together repotting 125 succulent plants that had been shipped to DC from an Etsy vendor in California. Our family helped us with many of the last-minute details leading up to the big day — including assembling our wedding programs and wrapping each plant with a particular colored ribbon (for meal choice) and flag with each guest’s name. It was fun to get them involved and we were thankful for their assistance, distributing some of the final tasks.

We were especially glad that we hired an event coordinator to handle month-of to day-of final details. Amanda Scott of A Swanky Affair was invaluable in the assistance she provided — confirming and finalizing the details that we set in place. We loved working with Kristin Byrum Photography and were incredibly happy with their beautiful images that perfectly captured our day. It made a world of difference to have Kristin and Aaron as our photographers — their sweet and warm personalities show in their images. Kristin was especially incredible — shooting our wedding 8-months pregnant!

After pouring ourselves into the planning, Daniel and I were both extremely happy with how everything came together so perfectly, even the weather. Hurricane Sandy skirted North Carolina just a few days before our wedding so we were incredibly grateful for a beautiful sunny and warm fall day on November 3rd. Surrounded by our close friends and family, with great weather, in such a beautiful garden setting — our wedding day was more special than either of us could ever imagine it would be.

Wedding Photography: Kristin Byrum Photography  / Venue: Sarah P. Duke Gardens at Duke University, Durham, North Carolina / Wedding Coordinator: Amanda Scott of A Swanky Affair  / Floral Design: Tre Bella Flowers / Officiant: Reverend Mel Baars / Invitations: Bella Figura / Catering: Durham Catering Company / Cake: Cinda’s Creative Cakes / Rentals: American Party / Chargers: Party Reflections / Calligraphy (Invitations + Menus + Place Cards + Table Number Cards): Angelique Ink / Cocktail Napkins: Fine Stationery / Striped Runners: chiquiita / Chevron Flag Place Cards: rosepetalpaper  / Chevron State Tote Bag: The Wedding Chicks Shop / Wedding Dress: Wtoo by Watters via Love Couture Bridal / Programs: Hello Tenfold / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Alfred Sung via Joielle / Bride’s Shoes: Lavender by Vera Wang / Bridesmaids’ Shoes: Nina / Bridesmaids’ Earrings: JCarterHandmade / Flower Girl Dress: J.Crew / Ties: Ties.com / Socks: Bold Socks / Musicians: Arioso Strings / DJ: Frank Meldau of Bunn DJ Company / Hair + Makeup: Posh the Salon / Suits: Brooks Brothers / Bus: Duke Transportation / Getaway Car: Loni’s Antique Cars / Succulents: TheSucculentGarden / Ribbon: M&J Trimming / Hanger: noce / Chevron Pillows: bedbuggs / Bracket Table Number Cards: Paper Presentation / Straws: Isakay Boutique / Sparklers: I Love Sparklers / Paper Lanterns: Paper Lantern Store / Rings: Mervis Diamond / Guest Book: My Publisher

Never ever will I tire of soft pink and cream neutrals, paint-chipped chairs turned beautiful, and old wedding photographs clipped on a clothesline. Every image captured by Oh! Darling Photography and Sarah Der Photography portrays loving nods to the past while the happy couple have candid excited moments about their future. Bravo to Christine Andrews, who put this splendid day together so very perfectly. And you have to view the film by Heart to Heart Media, whose camera rolled as the bride and groom had their first look in an Alpaca field! And the fun doesn’t stop there. Head on over to the gallery complete with sparklers and some furry friends!

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From the Bride… One particularly rainy morning the week before law school finals, I dragged myself out of bed and prepared myself for another long day at the library. As I made my way to my car, I saw a piece of paper on my window and quickly grabbed it as I jumped in to hide from the rain. It was a piece of folded notebook paper and, for some reason, only after I started reading did it occur to me that this was abnormal. But before I could think too long about the oddness of its appearance, the impossible happened. Well, the impossible for that study-filled, migraine-inducing, and rainy period of my life. I laughed. A boy had written me a note. A note saying that he had been meaning to say hi but hadn’t had the chance. A note saying that he would like to get to know me if I was willing. A note that changed my life because that boy is now my husband.

The biggest challenge I had in wedding planning was parsing through traditions. Decisiveness is not my strong suit, but I did know that I didn’t want to get caught up with certain wedding hoopla just because it’s expected. I wanted that period of our lives to mean something to us rather than feel contrived. We chose Claxton Farm as our wedding venue, opted for a dessert table instead of a wedding cake, and skipped the flower throwing and garter performance. We hired venders we loved and let them do their thing with only slight guidance. The day flowed seamlessly (largely due to the skills of Christine Andrews) and was filled with love, laughter and happy moments.

The Christine Andrews… The wedding took place at an enchanting barn called Claxton Farms. It is perfectly nestled in the hills of Asheville, NC, “halfway” between the two’s families- New York and Miami. When you are on the property, there are no signs of outside civilization- no rootfops, no roads, nothing but the hills of North Carolina and a couple of llamas that live on the property. It truly sets the tone for an intimate venue. Everyone that manages this facility (M7 Solutions) was a pleasure to work with.

The ceremony took place outside in the meadow. After the wedding party and groom proceeded to the altar, the bride exited from a draped barn door to meet her love to the sounds of a violin and viola. The altar was simple and exquisite, consisting of two wooden urns filled with flowers and green accents that complemented the landscape. The bride, groom and officient stood on a circle of white flower petals. The breathtaking views became the backdrop for the two’s vows as the wedding parties casually stood to their sides. After the ceremony, guests were invited to have cocktails and appetizers on the barn patio while the wedding party took photos on the meadow. Guests sat on vintage patio furniture provided by the Darling Bee or stood around wine barrels used as cocktail tables as they caught up with friends and enjoyed the scenery. Guests grabbed their handmade table card amongst wedding photos of family members clothes-pinned to close-lines. They could sign the guest book, which actually consisted of three jars sitting on a vintage table. Each bottle had a tag tied to it with twine that read “1 year”, “5 years”, or “10 years”, and each was accompanied by a notepad on a clipboard. Guests were encouraged to write notes and put them in these jars that the bride and groom will break open on the anniversary noted on the bottle. These bottles are on their bookshelf in Manhattan.

After dinner and first dances, guests were invited out to the patio for a series of other activities. They could either roast s’mores over a campfire, enjoy scotch and cigars, or eat dessert from the dessert table. Instead of doing a traditional wedding cake, the couple decided on a dessert table, which was designed and catered by Ruth & Ranshaw. It was beautiful. Using an old mattress spring, a picnic table from the property, antique inspired plates and trays, and books, it offered guests a smörgåsbord of options, including milk and cookies. One of the bridesmaids even brought treats from her company out of New York to add a little more love to the dessert table- No Bake Makery. As the night neared a close, guests were handed a handmade sparkler set that included a custom matchbook to use for the couples exit. Guests lined the path as the two ran down to their vintage 1948 Windsor Limousine provided by Elite- Limos and drove away. Truly a romantic end to a perfect evening.

Wedding Photography: Oh! Darling Photography with Sarah Der Photography / Wedding Venue: Claxton Farms in Asheville, North Carolina / Wedding Planning + Design: Christine Andrews / Floral Design: The Bloom Room / Wedding Cinematography: Hart to Heart Media / Wedding Catering + Desserts: Ruth & Ranshaw + M7 Event Solutions & Catering / Bridesmaid’s Treats: No Bake Makery / Rentals + Design: The Darling Bee / Transportation: The Elite Line / Wedding Dress: Lazaro / Hair: Beth Benischek / Makeup: Aimee Crepeau 

Brought to us by Krystal Kast Photography this The Fearrington House wedding is one part southern charm, one part antique elegance, and 100% gorgeous. This sweet-as-can-be couple brought their loved ones together in North Carolina to celebrate their union in true vintage style. Filled to the brim with beautiful blooms and pretty pops of purple and pink, their event was DIY done right. The bride crafted tons of the adorable details herself and you can see every last lovely bit and bobble right here in the gallery.

From Krystal Kast Photography … I am thrilled to share this elegant garden wedding with you! I first met Carrie and Nick in August of 2011 and instantly fell in love with this couple. Not only were they genuinely smitten with each other, Carrie had an amazing talent for scouting out antiques and crafting. With this combination, I knew their wedding would be spectacular and Carrie and Nick extended true Southern hospitality at its finest!!! Indeed, the wedding day showcased their many talents and love for each other as well as the love for their family and friends. The details were so thoughtfully put together with heirloom antiques as well as vintage details that Carrie and her mother collected just for the event. They collected over 175 vintage plates for their 3 course dinner at the reception!

Wedding Photography: Krystal Kast Photography / Wedding Venue: The Barn at Fearrington House / Event Coordination: Gilda McDaniel and Cheryl-Anne Kast of the The Fearrington House / Floral Design: Mary Stevens of The Fearrington House / Wedding Cake + Catering: The Fearrington House / Cake Topper: Heirloom / Ceremony Music: Arioso Strings / Cocktail Music: Tommy Edwards Bluegrass Experience / Reception Music: In Full / Graphic Designer: Liz Diller / Hair Piece: Lo Boheme / Makeup: Pamela Hung from OnLoKtion Makeup / Dress Designer: Ivy and Aster / Shoes: Kate Spade / Bridemaids Dresses: J.Crew / Scarves: J.Crew / Jewelry: Heirloom + J.Crew / Rings: Custom-made / Groomsmen’s Suits: Jos A. Bank / Groomsmen’s Shirts: J.Crew / Men’s Ties: Banana Republic