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A mountain hike, a car ride, and a breakfast-turned-lunch date were all it took for Annie and Tim to know that they had found something special in each other. While this may have made starting to date an easy decision for most people, they had to consider something unusual before committing to each other–the fact that they would have to be in a really long distance relationship. However, the oceans between Texas and Australia weren’t enough to separate these two, and their months of Skype dates and saving up for plane tickets most certainly paid off. I love the way they combined Southern traditions with favorite things about Australia at their wedding, and in turn, made their celebration completely unique to their amazing love story.

Hugs to our Blue Ribbon Vendor, Feather & Twine, for sharing this lovely day with us!

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. I lived and studied in Sydney, Australia for two years, but even though Tim and I had mutual friends and had been going to the same church the entire time I was there, we didn’t meet until six weeks before I left. Two of my friends invited me to go with them to the mountains, and we met up with some of their friends there, including Tim. I remember thinking he was really cute, but since I was moving home soon, I never imagined we would end up together. On the way home, my friend messed up the axle of the car, we ended up having to leave her car in the national park and ride home with the boys. The next day, Tim drove my two friends and I back to the park, so my friend could get her car towed and fixed. We spent the day together visiting little cafés and going to lookouts until the car was ready. Tim and I literally talked the entire way home, and he asked me to go to breakfast with him the next day so we could continue our conversation. After our first date, we became inseparable, and it took me all of two weeks to completely fall in love with him (which I kept to myself until after he told me he loved me three months later). A week before I moved home, Tim asked me to be his girlfriend, and I said yes, which was definitely one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. We dated long distance for 18 months and did five overseas visits, thousands of Skype calls and millions of text messages. Long distance is definitely challenging, but when two people want it to work, they will make it happen, even if that means spending all of their money on airfare or waking up super early to call each other.

My wedding flowers were amazing! My heart melted every time I looked at my bouquet. It was full of blush roses, anemones, berries, and sprigs of greenery. I wanted something beautiful with a little bit of an earthy feel to it. My bridesmaids’ bouquets were smaller versions of mine without the anemones, and with some brighter pink roses to ensure the bouquets didn’t blend in with their dresses.

Did you decide to do a “first look”? Why or why not? No, a first look wasn’t even an option for us–we both really wanted the moment I walked down the aisle to be the first time we saw each other on the day. It was so special. I’ll never forget his face when he saw me coming down the aisle, and I wouldn’t trade that moment for anything.

Tim and I share a faith in God, and we wanted our ceremony to reflect this. We started the ceremony with a prayer and a worship song. One of our friends, a pastor from Australia, spoke about the foundations needed for a strong and lasting marriage, and he read from Corinthians in the Bible. My dad, who is a pastor in Texas, led us through our vows and married us, which was really special for me. Before we closed the ceremony, my dad prayed over us and our families stood by us, symbolizing their support in our lives and marriage.

What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? Probably holding Tim’s hand during the ceremony while we were all singing a worship song together. I can’t explain how happy I felt–I was finally going to get to marry Tim, and I knew I was making the best decision of my life. Another great moment was during the cocktail hour when the bridal party drove five minutes away to a huge hayfield to take pictures, and we had so much fun. We ran around the field and were all laughing so hard. I am so glad we had that time with our best friends. Plus, the pictures turned out amazingly!

One of the elements that we really wanted our wedding to have was Southern hospitality. We wanted all of our Australian guests to experience how genuine, friendly, and fun Southerners are! The biggest way we incorporated the Southern traditions in the wedding was with our food. Tim and I LOVE Southern food, and for us, BBQ was a must–you can’t get more Southern than a good BBQ, and we had brisket, smoked chicken, sausage, potato salad, coleslaw, and beans. You can’t get BBQ like that anywhere in Sydney! We also did a pie bar to showcase Southern desserts. Our favors were homemade blackberry and fig jams that I made with my bridesmaids and a family friend. One fun element that we included was when we taught the bridal party a line dance at our rehearsal dinner, and we all performed it at the reception. Everyone joined in, and it was so much fun to see the two cultures come together.

Describe your wedding cake or dessert. Our wedding had a ridiculous amount of desserts. We love food and we wanted our guest to enjoy themselves! Our wedding cake was four layers–two layers of chocolate with raspberry filling, one layer of red velvet and cream cheese filling, and a layer of white cake with lemon filling, all covered in buttercream frosting. We also had a dessert table next to our cake table, which my sister and grandmother made most of the desserts for. They baked mini carrot cake cupcakes (my favorite), cookies in the shape of Australia, and milk and white chocolate covered pretzel sticks. A family friend also baked sweetie cookies for us and we brought over a suitcase full of Tim Tams (famous Australian cookies). At our dinner, we had a pie bar instead of cake, to add some Southern tradition to the day. This was one of my favorite things about the wedding because the pies were made from scratch by a local farm close to our venue, and most of the ingredients came straight from the farm itself. My mom and I had a blast going to the farm and taking home a ridiculous number of pies to taste. We chose seven flavors: coconut cream, apple, chocolate cream, lemon meringue, chocolate pecan, buttermilk, and strawberry cream.

Tell us all about the proposal! It was April 2nd and I hadn’t seen Tim since January 8th. I knew that he was coming to Texas to propose, but I expected him to come in March. He worked really hard to make sure I had no idea when he was coming, which was driving me crazy. He even gave his younger sister his phone so she could send me pre-recorded videos, pictures, and messages while he was flying overseas, because he knew that if I didn’t hear from him for a day, I would know he was coming. One of my best friends, Jamie, was getting married at my venue, Oakwind, in May, and asked me two weeks earlier to go to the venue and do a cake tasting with her because her fiancé had a meeting. I didn’t think a thing of this because I had been helping Jamie with lots of the details for her wedding. When we got to the venue, not only did we do a cake tasting, but we also went over almost every detail of her wedding. Little did I know, Jamie and Ann (the venue coordinator) were stalling for time because Tim’s flight had been canceled because of bad weather, and he miraculously got on a flight with another airline just in time. When we were finally done with the tasting, Jamie and I got into the car to drive back home when she started playing a CD from her car. I soon realized it was Tim’s voice coming through the car speakers. Tim had prerecorded himself telling me how much he loved me and how happy he was I was in his life. At the end of the recording, he said “If you want to continue on this journey with me, come and find me.” I jumped out of the car and ran all over the venue looking for Tim–it was about 9:00 at night and was raining. I ran into the barn, which was lit up with candles, lanterns, and fairy lights, and there he was. He got down on one knee and asked me to be his wife, and I said yes. Jamie and her fiancé, Joshua, came in and we all had champagne and cake together in the barn. It was absolutely perfect, and everyone was amazed they had pulled it off because so many things went wrong! The barn Tim proposed to me in is the same barn where we had our reception. It made the venue even more special for us!
When did y’all get married? February 15, 2014
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 150 for the ceremony, 100 for our private dinner
Tell us about finding your wedding dress. This was one of the most difficult things for me–I went to at least ten different bridal stores in Houston. My mom and I even drove all the way to Austin to try on what I thought were my dream dresses, but we still didn’t find the one. I couldn’t believe how picky I was, but I just had this idea of what I wanted in my head, and nothing was quite right. I was moving back to Australia in less than a month and I really wanted to find my dress before I left, so I was definitely praying! One morning, I woke up and decided to try again at a little bridal boutique just 20 minutes from where I live. When I walked into the boutique, the owner remembered me and said, “I think we have exactly what you were describing last time you were here–it just came in.” I tried on the dress, and honestly, all I felt was relief! It was perfect, and EXACTLY what I wanted.
Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line? We decided to say the traditional wedding vows, but we also wrote our own vows. I cried the entire time I wrote my vows–there is something so powerful about expressing your commitment for another person in words. I’m glad we did this because it made the ceremony especially personal for us. My favorite phrase from Tim’s vows was “Annie, I have fallen in love with you, and I make a commitment to myself to fall in love with you daily. I do not just say I do, but I choose to love you through everything.”
Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. We chose our songs together, which was a lot of fun. One of the best nights of my life was cuddling with Tim on the couch and looking for the perfect song for me to walk down the aisle to. We chose “Sun” by Sleeping At Last. Our families walked down the aisle to “Kingdom Come” by The Autumn Film, and up the aisle to “Best Day of My Life” by American Authors. Our first dance was to “I’ll Keep You Safe” by Sleeping At Last. We picked songs that we both loved that would help give the right “feel” to the day.
What was one way you saved money or cut costs at your wedding? The biggest way we did this was buying, borrowing, and doing a lot of the details ourselves. This means you have to plan more, but if you are on a tight budget, it’s definitely the way to go. My mom, grandmother, and I went to about twenty different resale and antique shops to get old tea cups and books for our afternoon tea tables. I also spray painted bird cages from my sister’s wedding for some of the tables. A friend who is a builder tracked down rustic doors and helped me build my photo booth, which looked amazing. Friends really helped us in huge ways.
What is the one detail or vendor that you were so happy to have as a part of your wedding? I am so happy that we chose to invest in great photography and videography. At first, I wasn’t so sure because it took up so much of our budget, but looking back, it is worth it! The day goes by so quickly and I am so happy that we have beautiful pictures and an amazing video to help us remember everything. Tim and I have watched our wedding video again and again, and we love our photos.
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? I guess the biggest piece of advice I can give is don’t compare your wedding to other weddings. Use blogs, Pinterest, and social media as tools for ideas–they are so helpful, but at the same time, appreciate that your wedding is unique, and you don’t have to have a live band or a five-course dinner for it to be wonderful. If you keep the mindset that the day is going to be perfect because you’re marrying the person you love, you will set yourself up for a win. Also, focus on building a strong marriage with your future husband, and really take time to prepare for your life together. Tim and I read books together, went to pre-marriage counseling, and set up a budget before we got married, which helped us grow as a couple during the engagement and set us up for our marriage.
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you most looking forward to about married life? So far, I am absolutely loving married life–it really is the best. Tim and I just moved to a cottage in the mountains of Sydney, Australia, and it’s absolutely perfect. There really is nothing like having your own place together. We are both working and studying and enjoying building a life together. I couldn’t imagine a more perfect person to do life with.

Photographer: Feather and Twine Photography / Videographer: LumaVista Productions / Venue and Catering: Oakwind Estates / Florist: The English Florist / Wedding Cake: Norma’s Cakes and Cookies / Pies: Froberg’s Farm / DJ: The DarKer Side DJ / Bride’s Gown: “Jasmine” by Wtoo / Bride’s Earrings: Valentino / Hair Stylist: Erica at Urban Eve / Makeup Artist: Lily Doyle / Bride’s Shoes: Antonio Melani / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: “Knife Pleated Maxi” in Peach by Victoria’s Secret / Groom’s Attire: SABA / Groomsmen’s Ties: Calvin Klein

Feather & Twine is a delightful member of our Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory!

lisa Written with love by Lisa
7 Comments
  1. avatar Sera Petras reply

    Such a lovely wedding! I love all the soft colors and sweet details. The bouquet shot is amazing!

  2. avatar LEE reply

    OMG what a beautiful wedding!

  3. avatar Olivia Fischer reply

    Beautiful location and Photography !!

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Today’s wedding is close to our hearts because the SW gals know the bride and groom personally. Emily was an intern at Southern Weddings three years ago and our shop manager earlier this year. She couldn’t wait to marry Brendan, and it was clear to us why. Brendan is the nicest guy you’ll ever meet and they both share big hearts, big dreams and a great sense of humor. Their wedding took place just down the road from the SW offices and Caroline Joy did an amazing job at capturing the celebration and the commitment that marked E + B’s big day. We are so grateful that we can share them with you today!

We were both pretty traditional about doing a first look, and Brendan was adamant about not seeing me until I walked down the aisle! We did pray together before the ceremony and exchange notes, which was one of my favorite parts of the whole day.

Did you have something borrowed, blue, old, and new? If so, do tell! I borrowed my mom’s veil. My shoes were blue(ish). My right hand ring was my grandmother’s before she gave it to me several years ago. It was pretty fun to show it to her again at the wedding. And I bought myself a pretty little cross bracelet a few weeks before the big day!

My dad’s only request for my wedding was that he walk me down the aisle to Pachbel’s Canon, so I found a really beautiful acoustic guitar version that now makes me cry! The bridesmaids processed to “Better” by Jess Ray, and Brendan and I also washed each other’s feet as a sign of serving each other in marriage while two of our close friends played guitar and sang “You’re Beautiful” by Phil Wickham. My dad and I danced to “Piano Man” by Billy Joel since that’s always been a favorite song of ours.

Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line? Yes! We really tried to incorporate as much of the Gospel into our vows as possible. Our ceremony was rooted in our faith, so it was very important for us to express our belief that we only love each other because God loved us first. From there, we added in little things that were fun or specific to us. I vowed to make him cookie dough whenever he pleases and he vowed to stop and let me photograph something as often as I want!
What readings, if any, did you have at your ceremony? Ephesians 5:22-33

I love this moment!! It was one of Emily’s most memorable from the day and we can tell how giddy they both are to finally be married!

What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? We had touches of the South throughout the day. We gave guests little fans to keep them cool in the summer heat and had corn hole to play during the cocktail hour. I’m sure most of our guests were pretty stuffed with biscuits, BBQ and sweet potato casserole by the time they left too. We also sent everyone home with little jars of honey.

Oh I love this photo of Emily and her dad! The father-daughter dance is one of my favorite wedding traditions and I love that they had a bit of fun with theirs.

Describe your wedding cake or dessert. Delicious! While I only ate what Brendan smeared on my face, I’ve had Edible Art’s almond amaretto cake several times before, and it’s SO GOOD! We had it surrounded by all of our favorite desserts, from Girl Scout Thin Mints to mini banana pudding cups.
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: I’m a big collector of trinkets, so the tables were filled with tiny antique bottles and mismatched china. I loved collecting all those little bottles with my mom, and it’s fun having them around our new home now! Oh and the twinkly lights–magical!

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. Brendan and I knew each other a little throughout college at UNC-Chapel Hill, but we never actually had a real conversation until I think our senior year. We always seemed to be running into each other, and within a month, we were dating. When we got engaged, we both admitted to knowing that we’d get married after the first date!
Tell us all about the proposal! Brendan’s proposal took all day! He proposed on our one-year anniversary after a full-day adventure. To finish our date, he took me on a little stroll through the UNC’s arboretum, then led me around a corner to this beautiful vine-covered walkway, my favorite spot on campus. I was so confused, to be honest! Right as we walked in, there was a big sign that said “Emily, I love you because…” and my immediate reaction was “Oh hey, there must be another Emily around here!” But when I saw the 100 tiny cards hanging from the walkway’s ceiling and Brendan’s huge smile, I knew it had to be for me. As we walked, Brendan explained each card to me and all the different reasons and ways he loved me. (Yes, he is certainly a keeper!) These cards led out of the walkway, up the street, and past UNC’s Old Well to the bench where we had our first kiss, which was in the rain, no less! The last card said “because I have chosen to,” and after me briefly saying that I was still really confused, Brendan asked me to stand up. He got down on one knee and told me that those 100 things about me were great, but that if they all disappeared tomorrow, he’d still choose to love me forever. With that, he popped the question, and I literally collapsed in his arms! I’ve never been so overwhelmed with joy and gratefulness! I have a bunch more written on my blog here.
When did y’all get married? June 1, 2013
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 200
Tell us about finding your wedding dress. It was the first one I tried on! I’m incredibly indecisive, so that’s actually pretty incredible! It went through quite a few alterations to get it just right, but I remember literally twirling and dancing around the store with my mom and one of my bridesmaids after one of my fittings. My mom made her own wedding dress and used the leftover bits of lace to make the detailing on the belt, which made my dress even more special.
Describe your wedding flowers. I basically told our florist to have fun! I showed her a bunch of pictures of bouquets that I thought were pretty and she took it from there. It was a mix of garden roses, ranunculus, peonies and succulents. We ordered bulk flowers from them as well, and my awesome bridesmaids did all the table arrangements the day of the wedding.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? Praying fervently that we’d have good weather since every bit of our wedding was outside. A rain plan was not easy to put together. And since I was also planning everything on my own, it was definitely a challenge coordinating all the details and vendors.
What is the one detail or vendor that you were so happy to have as a part of your wedding? Oh, Caroline certainly lives up to her middle name! I was so excited to be photographed by a woman whose work and business I admire so much.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? Oh it’s so hard to choose! I vividly remember the moments before I walked down the aisle (and actually seeing Lara and Grace!) because that’s when I saw the reception set up for the first time. I wish I could bottle the giddiness I felt right before we were pronounced man and wife. I loved dancing with my dad under all those twinkly lights. I just remember everything being so magical and better than I ever imagined.
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? At the end of the day, as long as you say “I do,” nothing else really matters. It’s easy to get caught up in a bazillion details that make a wedding pretty, but the fact that two people love each other enough to commit their lives to each other is what makes a wedding beautiful. Take a deep breath, remember why you’re getting married, and everything will fall into place.
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you most looking forward to about married life? A lot! I’m a wedding photographer, so I’m excited to know how my brides feel and serve them even more on their wedding day. Brendan is a second year medical student at UNC-Chapel Hill, so he’ll be getting even smarter than he already is and working to become the best doctor ever! We’re also having a blast finding new ways to love each other and have fun together. So far, building a fort in our living room has been my favorite!

Caroline Joy, Heirloom Vintage China, and Hot Dog! Photo Booth are all delightful members of our Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory!

nicoleyang Written with love by Nicole
13 Comments
  1. avatar Lisa reply

    Emily is SO beautiful and I love, love, love their joy!!

  2. avatar Mary reply

    LOOOOVE her wedding dress! Caroline Joy’s work is always so beautiful

  3. avatar Sara reply

    Love this!!

  4. avatar Emily Payne reply

    Y’all are just the sweetest! Thank you so much for sharing me and Brendan’s big day! :)

  5. avatar My Wedding » Emily March Photography Blog | Chapel Hill Wedding Photographer reply

    […] beauty and joy of my wedding day. I’m so honored that my wedding is being featured today on Southern Weddings, so be sure to hop over there and see […]

  6. avatar Faith reply

    Such a beautiful couple & wedding! Emily, you were a stunning bride!!! :)

  7. avatar Rachel reply

    Oh my goodness this wedding made me tear up a few times! Such great photography to capture those moments.

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    […] We were so excited to share our sweet friend Emily and her now-husband Brendan’s charming North Carolina wedding! See it here. […]

  10. avatar James Gould reply

    Emily and Brendan, what an amazing couple! Me and my wife Alex had such a beautiful time filming their wedding. I just thought I would share their wedding preview film. It makes me happy every time I watch it! http://vimeo.com/79485652

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    […]  Image: Caroline Joy via Southern Weddings […]

  12. avatar kelly stein reply

    soooo cute!!!! loved it!!

  13. avatar Southern Weddings V7 » Emily March Photography | International Destination Wedding Photographer reply

    […] I’ve been a part of. From reader to intern to contributor to shop manager and even having my own wedding grace their blog. I love the heart behind SW and that’s why I think I’ll be a lifelong […]

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