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Y’all know I’m a pink and gold glitter kind of girl. However, despite what I’m traditionally smitten with, Mary Courtney and Kit’s rustic mountain wedding has me completely in love. I was talking to BDK about this wedding, and I told him that while the wedding is absolutely beautifully designed by Chad Biggs (he agreed!), I think one of the reasons I love it so much is the sweetest interview from Mary Courtney, and the way she and Kit kept their planning focused on creating a wedding full of meaningful moments, and a foundation to build their marriage upon.

Big hugs to our Blue Ribbon Vendor Graham Terhune for sharing this sweet day with us!

What is the one detail or vendor that you were so happy to have as a part of your wedding? Katie, who did my hair, was such a blessing! I have really curly, thick hair, so I was very nervous to have someone try to style it. I met Katie about a month and a half before the wedding for a trial, and from the moment I met her, I felt like she was one of my best friends. She is so gentle and encouraging! My mom, my sister, and I laughed and cried with her talking about life, the wedding, and our shared faith in Jesus. I was so excited to see her again on my wedding day!

We had a shorter engagement, so I did not have much time to waste! I decided to try a store near my parents’ house in Raleigh, Traditions by Anna. At Traditions, I tried on a few different styles and ended up loving the first dress I tried on! It was lace and had straps and a low back, which was exactly what I wanted. There was a detachable train that we originally did not pay any attention to, but we ended up loving it! It made the dress so unique because it was all tulle, so it was a different fabric than the rest of the dress. Our seamstress created a really unique bustle with it. I loved my dress and wish I had another event to wear it to!

We decided to stick to the tradition of not seeing each other on our wedding day until I walked down the aisle. Before the ceremony, we stood holding hands around the corner of a door and were able to pray together without seeing each other. That was such a sweet moment and it was nice to be able to hold his hand and hear his voice after not talking all day!

Our favorite detail was that all our favorite people were a part of our wedding day! Our best friends were our bridesmaids and groomsmen (which is why there were so many). Dave, who married us, also married my parents almost 30 years ago! Our videographer was one of Kit’s old roommates. I lived with a family in Charlotte last year, and the little girls I lived with became like little sisters to me, so they were our flower girls (they thought we were asking them to marry Kit when we asked them to be our flower girls–I can understand, he’s cute)! Our parents were a huge part in helping us pull everything together and covering our day in prayer. All our different vendors felt like old friends to us because they cared for us so well throughout the process.

Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. We wanted our wedding to point to Jesus and how he has changed our lives. We also wanted our wedding to be a celebration, so that helped us choose the songs we used for our ceremony! I walked down the aisle to “10,000 Reasons,” which is a song we both love and felt was a beautiful worship song to celebrate us getting married! We sang “In Christ Alone” as a congregation during the wedding, and when our bridal party laid hands on us and prayed for us during the ceremony, “Death In His Grave” was played.

What made you choose your ceremony and reception venues? Did they have any special significance to you? We wanted to get married in the mountains of North Carolina, and Claxton Farm is right near Windy Gap! Windy Gap is a Young Life camp where we will go on weekend and summer camp trips with Young Life for years to come. We thought it would be special to be able to drive by and say, “Hey, remember when we got married there and it was the best day ever!?” Windy Gap is also where my dad met the Lord when he was in high school and our family went there growing up, so it was a special place for my whole family.

What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? We loved being able to have dinner by ourselves after our ceremony before joining the party again! Some of our best friends did this at their wedding and suggested it to us. It was the perfect amount of time to be alone, since we had not talked to each other all day. It was a sweet moment to realize WOW! We are husband and wife! This is awesome!

Describe your wedding flowers. I wanted beautiful flowers that looked very natural and organic with a garden feel. I don’t love bright colors, so I asked our florist for the flowers to be mostly white and green. She threw in some succulents and different textures and created bouquets, wreaths, and arrangements more beautiful and unique than I could have imagined!

Describe your wedding cake or dessert. Our desserts were incredible! Our friends at Ruth & Randshaw created the most delicious pies. We picked out a few different flavors that everyone would LOVE: strawberry rhubarb, chocolate oreo, pecan, and apple pie! I was so glad they packed us a to-go box of every flavor! Ruth & Randshaw also catered a brunch for my parents and their friends for the morning after the wedding–they are unbelievable bakers and the sweetest sisters!

I was really excited about our first dance because Kit is an incredible dancer and loves to cut a rug! I let him pick our first dance song, so naturally, he picked his favorite song to swing and shag to, which is “You Make My Dreams Come True.”

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. Kit and I met at Clemson University, where Kit was actually the Clemson Tiger for three years during school! We met during my freshman year, Kit’s sophomore year, at my sorority’s spring formal, but it wasn’t until the next year when Kit and his friends lived in the apartment next to me that we started to get to know each other. My roommate was on his Young Life team and in the same major so he was over a lot working on projects and skits for Young Life. Kit says he realized quickly that he was coming over more to see me than to work on projects. He asked me on our first date by mailing me a postcard from Vermont (where he is from) when he went home to visit his family one weekend. We went on a few dates, and then we were off to different parts of the country for the summer. Kit continued to pray for our relationship and that if this was in the Lord’s will, it would work. Finally, that fall when we got, back to Clemson the Lord made it clear that I was supposed to date this boy. It took seven months after our first date before we officially became a couple. The Lord has been a continual thread throughout our relationship and I am grateful He gave me the courage to trust this sweet boy!
Tell us all about the proposal! I was having a really hard day when Kit picked me up in Charlotte on Friday, January 17 to drive home to Raleigh for a wedding that weekend. I cried to him in the car about how I missed him and the distance was wearing on me. Kit sat in the driver’s seat, smiling. I was so annoyed–I didn’t know why he was taking this so lightly! The next morning, we had plans to go on a run, but I was taking my time, not noticing that everyone was trying to get me out the door. My sister tried to get me to wear something cute, but I said, “Tessa, it is 30 degrees outside–I need to be warm!” Soon enough, we were running toward the trail and I wanted to turn a different way than he did, but told him we would come back the way he wanted to go. As we were passing where he wanted to run, I saw a blanket, some flowers, and some books. I stopped and said “Wait, is this for me?” Kit held my hand and walked me over to the blanket, where he gave me a book that had the inside hollowed out and a letter inside. He had written the letter a year and a half earlier, saying he knew he wanted to marry me. I cried, read it twice, and couldn’t stop saying “Oh my gosh!” Then, he handed me a bible that had my new name engraved on it, grabbed my hands, got down on one knee, told me how much he loved me and wanted to serve me and put the Lord at the center of our marriage, pulled out the most beautiful ring, and then asked me if I wanted to marry him. I screamed YES! Back at my parents’ house, I was surprised by his parents who flew down from Vermont, plus a bunch of other friends and family who had come a long way to see us!
When did y’all get married? August 30, 2014
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? Around 290
If you are comfortable responding, what range did your wedding budget fall into? $50,000-$75,000
What was one way you saved money or cut costs at your wedding? One of my family friends from growing up designed our invitations, programs, napkins–she is very talented!
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? Kit always says, “Don’t sweat the petty things.” Planning will seem so overwhelming at times, but if you can take a step back and go on a walk or play outside with your fiancé, take advantage of it! Laugh, cry, talk about things other than the wedding, and remind each other why you are so pumped to start life together. Your wedding day is the best day ever, and guess what? Marriage is a blast–you get to do life with your best friend in the whole world!
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you most looking forward to about married life? We just moved to Columbia, South Carolina to be on Young Life staff! We are so happy to be living in the same city again and working together! Kit is my boss (woah!) and it has been so much fun to work alongside each other, loving college and high school students while sharing who Jesus is and what he did for us. It is such an adventure to move to a new place with your best friend, and we are loving it so far!

Photographer: Graham Terhune Photography / Videographer: Earthswell / Planner: Chad Biggs / Venue: Claxton Farm / Florist: Expressions of Love Florist / Dessert Baker: Ruth & Randshaw / Caterer and Rentals: m7 / Band: Rubberband / Paper Products: Anna Grace Photography and Design / Bridal Salon and Veil: Traditions by Anna / Hair Stylist: Katie Manselle / Makeup Artist: Melissa Doeber / Bride’s Shoes: Anthropologie / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Joanna August / Menswear: Jos. A. Bank

Graham Terhune is a delightful member of our Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory!

marissa Written with love by Marissa
15 Comments
  1. avatar Lisa reply

    Mary Courtney and Kit are the most beautiful couple, inside and out! Their joy and the community around them is so inspiring…and I also love their darling pie display :)

  2. avatar Cheryl Ann reply

    Loved it all, especially the couple’s only dinner. But no pictures of the invite? Being a stationer I NEED to see them, lol…I’m sure they were unique!

  3. avatar Emily reply

    MC is rocking that floral crown like a natural! Such beautiful work, Graham!

  4. avatar Callie Davis reply

    Mary Courtney and Kit, your love is so contagious! I’m so happy to relive this unforgettable day on Southern Weddings!

  5. avatar Graham reply

    Absolutely love this wedding! Thank y’all so much for the feature!!!

  6. avatar Samantha reply

    Thank you so much for this beautiful feature! We are honored to see MC and Kit’s lovely wedding – especially on such an exciting week. Congratulations to all of you ladies on such a beautiful planner and magazine! We are so happy for you and are our hearts full to be a part of such beautiful work! xoxo

  7. avatar callen papy reply

    Where did you get your bridesmaid dresses from?

  8. avatar Styled by Kyla: A Bountiful Pastel Farm Wedding | Kyla Mary reply

    […] by Holly Flora captured by Jose Villa via Style Me Pretty, Groomsmen by Graham Terhune via Southern Weddings, Pie bar captured by Michael and Carina Photography via Southern Weddings, Jam by Sidehill Farm […]

  9. avatar Becca reply

    The bride’s shoes–I see they’re from Anthropologie but would it be possible to find out which brand they were??

  10. avatar Karina Waggoner reply

    This wedding is Beautiful! I am getting married May 7 and we are wanting the brown leather suspenders also.. Where did you find these?

  11. avatar Leather Wedding Inspiration! » Lace and Loyalty reply

    […] Images Above: Left to right, top to bottom, Image 1, Image 2, Image 3, Image 4, Image 5, Image 6, Image 7 […]

  12. avatar Inspiration Board No. 5: Bountiful Pastel Farm Wedding – Kyla Mary reply

    […] by Holly Flora captured by Jose Villa via Style Me Pretty, Groomsmen by Graham Terhune via Southern Weddings, Pie bar captured by Michael and Carina Photography via Southern Weddings, Jam by Sidehill Farm […]

  13. avatar Top 10 Wedding Hairstyles with Flower Crown Veil for 2018 – Oh Best Day Ever reply

    […] Credits: Style Me Pretty | Junebug Weddings | Grace Loves Lace | Wedding Chicks | Once Wed | Southern Weddings | Elegant Wedding […]

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The SW ladies were stunned to hear about the fire that destroyed Claxton Farm, one of the most gorgeous venues in our state, this past Monday night.  We’ve featured so many amazing Claxton Farm weddings over the past few years, and our hearts go out to all of the people behind this business and to all of the brides planning to marry at the Farm.  The one bright spot?  We hear the staff is feeling energized and excited about their plans to rebuild.  We wish them the best of luck and can’t wait to see what’s in store!

In the meantime, check out Alexandra and Jeremy’s gorgeous fall wedding at the rustic barn.  See what we mean?  Their wedding was shot by Woodward and Rick Photographers and designed and coordinated by Ivy Robinson. Catering was by Crest Center,  the cake was by Sisters McMullen, floral design was by The Flora Diva, and paper goods were by Chic Impressions.

 

***To Read Alexandra and Jeremy’s interview, {CLICK HERE}***
 

More Claxton Farm weddings:

Tara and Andrew (Part I and Part II)

Melissa and Ryan (Part I and Part II)

Written with love by Southern Weddings
35 Comments
  1. avatar Jenna Walker Photographers reply

    Could that barn be ANY cooler! This wedding is A-mazing!

  2. avatar Kathryn reply

    Wow – this is incredible! I love the mix of rustic and elegant (but you all probably knew that already).

  3. avatar myra reply

    to this date, this is still my most favorite wedding ever! if it weren’t 10 in the morning and i didn’t have a paper to write i’d raise a glass and toast to ya’ll! :-)

  4. avatar Madre reply

    Nothing I could have imagined could have better reflected the love you have for each other, your family and friends. It will always be the little personal touches that make this wedding uniquely yours. It was a joyful weekend to celebrate a new beginning!

  5. avatar dee reply

    The Rehearsal Dinner was my favorite… so ROMANTIC… Everything from the flowers, lights, food, the traveling white couches and crystal lights… :) It was a dreamy place to be!!

  6. avatar Dawn reply

    Exquisite!! If you think these pictures are incredible – you should meet the bride and groom! They are both as beautiful inside as these photos depict outside. The entire event was perfection and I was honored to be a part of it.Did Pottery Barn stage this wedding?!!? :-)

  7. avatar Maria @ {ritzy bee} reply

    LOVE this! It might be one of my favorite Fall weddings I have ever seen!

  8. avatar David [C+D Photography] reply

    Those are some seriously awesome center pieces. WOW.

  9. avatar Mary Frances reply

    This wedding was simply Beautiful. It was a perfect mix of rustic and elegance. Each detail and every thought that went into making Alexandra and Jeremy’s wedding made it so unique and such an irreplaceable memory for all who attended. It was a pure blessing to have been a part of it! And lastly, wasn’t their sweet flower girl darling!!!

  10. avatar Kia reply

    Awwww…. it looks beautiful! If I ever have a reason to, I’m hiring ALEX as my wedding planner!

  11. avatar Anna reply

    It looks like it was an absolutely magical wedding!

  12. avatar kristin @ the fairmount bride reply

    WOW! The wedding is gorgeous, and I can only hope that have such perfect weather!

  13. avatar Amy reply

    The photographs of the wedding are phenomenal! The venue sites for Rehearsal Dinner, Wedding, and Reception are very unique and bring out the beauty of Western North Carolina and what it has to offer!!

  14. avatar Michael reply

    Looks absolutely beautiful! Love the color scheme!

  15. avatar Garrett reply

    Yup. This was the best wedding ever. (And that’s coming from a late twenty-something who’s seeing his friends get hitched left and right.)

  16. avatar Courtenay reply

    Holy smokes! That was a GORGEOUS wedding! What a perfect day and a perfect way to start a lifetime.

  17. avatar Sandra Bechtel reply

    This wedding was perfected to the smallest detail. It couldn’t have been more beautiful, elegant, casual, and comfortable! From the time we arrived in town until the time we left all of our needs and wants were met, and then some. It was like one glamorous party that made you feel right at home from the rehearsal dinner through the reception. Not to mention, the weather was perfect the whole weekend. A wedding like this was made perfect by the two wonderful souls being united. They are two of the kindest and giving individuals and only they could make this wedding the fantastic gathering that is was!

  18. avatar Susan Fail reply

    Amazing…

  19. avatar Mary C reply

    The wedding was absolutely beautiful!! From the time we arrived until the time we left our days were filled with such detailed planning and beautiful events. The pictures say it all!!!

  20. avatar JS reply

    What an amazing use of color.. the pictures are unbelievable!

  21. avatar Bryan Johnson reply

    That place is awesome!I want to shoot there!Great shots, great post.

  22. avatar Rhiannon reply

    Wonderful eye for detail in everything. Very unusual floral arrangements.

  23. avatar Grant reply

    These are some of the most interesting floral designs I have seen in quite awhile. Whoever is responsible, keep it up!

  24. avatar Kathie Taylor reply

    Really amazing and original designs. The floral designs are especially great!

  25. avatar Will reply

    yo this wedding is tight!

  26. avatar Deb Cox reply

    What a great combination of elegance and earthiness! I love the flower girl’s basket, and unusual and warm floral designs.

  27. avatar Ryan reply

    Simply amazing!

  28. avatar Kristin reply

    Wow, this wedding is marvelous. Exquisite work on the floral displays!

  29. avatar Kristin reply

    I love the use of the fiddleheads throughout – in the floral bouquets, as well as the silverwares, etc. Very cool!

  30. avatar Courtney reply

    this is one of the best weddings ive ever seen. the flowers are the best part. they are amazing!!!!

  31. avatar Joe reply

    this wedding is so cool.

  32. avatar Krista reply

    i love the colors in this wedding. is is a great combination!

  33. avatar Aricka reply

    Visually mouthwatering! It gives me such inspiration!

  34. avatar wedding-planning reply

    That is the coolest farm wedding I’ve seen. I absolutely love the white couches in front of the barn. Just stunning!

  35. avatar Creative reply

    I like the floral designs i saw something similar for wedding flowers on w-weddingflowers.com

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A good ole farm wedding in the North Carolina mountains was perfect for Whitney + John. Locally-grown flowers were loving assembled by the bride’s friends and placed in jars that topped the tables, while napkins with the familiar check pattern of cook outs below the Mason-Dixon sat waiting for barbecue and biscuits. The rustic details and romantic setting in the mountains is as sweet as can be. Guests partied the night away to a bluegrass band and then gathered to give Whitney + John a proper sparkler exit. Thanks again to Oh, Darling! Photography for sharing this lovely wedding!

What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? John and I grew up in Pennsylvania and California, but spent the last 5 years in Chapel Hill, NC. We’ve learned to love so many elements of the culture and the natural landscape of the South. We incorporated our favorites into the wedding. We married in Western North Carolina, which we are convinced is one of the most beautiful places on earth, we served pulled pork BBQ for dinner, our ceremony music was provided by a bluegrass trio, and all of our flowers were grown by a local farmer.
Describe your wedding flowers: Our flowers were one of the best parts of the wedding. Meredith McKissick at Sweet Earth Flower Farm was brilliant. She worked from the beginning to offer us beautiful blooms that coordinated with our theme and preferences. She delivered buckets of flowers the day before the wedding, and our friends and family lovingly arranged them in Weck jars. My bouquet – which took my breath away– was designed by Meredith.
Describe your wedding cake: Jodi and her team at Short Street Cakes baked us cupcakes in four amazing flavors. Our cutting cake was strawberry, made with fresh berries. It was delicious, but we only got one bite at the wedding!
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? John and I got married at a very busy time. We moved up north (to NYC for John, Philadelphia for me) immediately after the wedding, so the weeks leading up to it involved packing and saying goodbye to our home and friends in NC. It was emotional and physically exhausting, but we were lucky to have lots of support. We couldn’t have done it alone.
What range did your wedding budget fall into? $10,000-$25,000
What is the one thing you are most happy you splurged on? Photography!! We’re just so happy and feel so lucky to have had Whitney and Dustin of Oh, Darling! capture our day.
Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line? We wrote simple and honest vows. When we started talking about them several months ago, we only knew that we wanted to say the same vow to one another and that we didn’t want anything overwrought. John and I thought it was important to include a line about how our marriage was about our dedication to one another but also our commitment to the other people in our lives, whether it be friends, family, or our communities. Our favorite lines were “I promise to join with you completely, to laugh with you in joy, to grieve with you in times of sorrow, to serve others in peace and hope, and grow with you in love.”
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you looking forward to in the future? We’re living apart this year for clinical psychology internships, so we just see each other on weekends. We’re making the most of those weekends! Once were in the same place, we are very much looking forward to starting a family, settling into careers, and making a home.

Photographer: Oh, Darling! // Videographer: Brother // Coordinator: Claxton Farm // Venue: Claxton Farm// Florist: Sweet Earth Flower Farm // Wedding Cake Baker: Short Street Cakes // Caterer: M7 Events // Paper Products: Hello! Lucky // Bride’s Dress: Nicole Miller // Bride’s Hair Accessories/Veil: Emersonmade // Bride’s Shoes: J.Crew // Bridesmaids’ Dresses: J.Crew // Accessories: earrings by Katrina Lapenne

nicoleyang Written with love by Nicole
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