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Southern Weddings

Author: Katharine

For years, I have read over and over again that most married couples meet through working together.  (This is really working out for me working at SW with a staff of all women!)   If you don’t believe me click {here} to read more. Or just read on to see proof.  Carolyn + Chad met while both working for the same company in Raleigh, North Carolina. They tied the knot this past summer in Wilmington. Ceremony held at {St. Andrews on the Sound Episcopal Church}.  Reception at the lovely {Porters Neck Country Club}. Floral design by {Always in Bloom}.  And what a lucky couple!  The bride is a long-time friend of phenomenal photographer, {Jessica Claire}, who flew out from CA to shoot their wedding. Thanks so much, Jessica, for sharing this beautiful wedding with us! 

From Jessica: Carolyn and I have been friends for about ten years now. When I look
back on the past decade (whoa, that makes ten years sound longer,
doesn’t it??), I am shocked and amazed at how much I’ve grown up and
changed. When Carolyn and I met, I was so lost with my life. I had just
left the first college I attended, and was coping with the fact that I
would not be one of those people who went away to school, fell in love
with it, and graduated in four years. At this point, I had completed a
year and a half, and the only thing I knew for sure is that there was
no way I wanted to return after Christmas break. So I didn’t.

I spent that semester at community college, repairing my desiccated
transcript and working as a waitress in a crappy little restaurant in
the mall called Spinnakers. I would say that it was one of the lowest
points in my life, only surpassed at that moment by the preceding
months of misery at college.

Enter Carolyn.

Carolyn (along with maid of honor Allison) was working as a hostess
at the same restaurant as what was probably her first job in high
school. She and Allison were about three years younger than me, which
now seems like nothing but at the time seemed like a different
lifetime. I have no idea why we all became friends, but I do know that
these two girls made a very difficult time in my life more fun, more
exciting, and just better in general! I worked at that restaurant for
about a year and then ultimately transferred to NC State, where I
completed my degree happily, all the while working for a local
photographer and figuring out my occupational path.

Over those years, I went from 19-23 and Carolyn and Allison
eventually graduated from high school and went to college as well. We
stayed in touch during that time, and always managed to have a blast on
breaks, summers, and weekends. So many of my good memories from those
years have these girls in them!

So when I was creating my 101 in 1001
list, “Shoot Carolyn D’s Wedding” (#98) was sure to make the list! I
knew somehow that she would be the first to get married–the question
was, to whom?! When Carolyn first told me about Chad, she had her
doubts about whether they would become serious or not. But it wasn’t
long before the conversations changed from “maybe he’s the one” to
“when will he ask??”. I knew then that the wedding would not be far
away! Chad is an amazing person–a real gentleman. He is considerate
and makes sure that everyone around him is comfortable. He is an
awesome cook, a stellar fisherman, and probably a great boat captain as
well–his true love (second to Carolyn, of course). I was so happy for
these guys,and so excited to be part of the wedding.

Tell us your story… Chad and I worked together at the same company. After crossing paths a couple of times and hanging out one night I began to develop a crush.  We ended up meeting out with some friends in town and began to date.
Describe the proposal: Chad had been telling me for weeks before Christmas that he would be buying me diamond earrings. I couldn’t for the life of me understand why he would put his money into earrings instead of an engagement ring. We decided to exchange presents before we both went our separate ways for the Christmas holiday.  I gave him an electric toothbrush and a GPS running watch. He got me some perfume, He then handed me a pretty black jewelry box. I opened it up…..It was earrings…..with bent posts. He wouldn’t let me look or touch them, he put them in my ears and then handed me a card. He had written really sweet things in the card and at the bottom there was a little tab. When I lifted the tab it said there is one thing you should know, your earrings are fake, I looked up and he was on his knee with a beautiful ring. The rest is history. (The earrings were from Kmart.)
What attracted me to my husband was: Listening to Chad talk to customers on the phone while selling technology and sound so confident doing it.   It was something that reminded me of my father while I was growing up, and I knew it was a quality that I wanted in a husband. 
Why do you love your husband?  His caring and has a need to help others. His ability to make me laugh, his thoughtfulness, and his ability to make me a better person.
What attracted me to my wife was:  Her eyes and smile.  Carolyn and I met through some friends at work and after seeing her at work and out for dinner and sporting events, I figured it was time to mix business and pleasure.
A date we went on that well always remember: Chad: We had a lot of great times while dating…the most memorable being a Saturday date in Sunset Beach, NC.  I was invited to spend the day with Carolyn’s parents and relatives for a cookout and introductions.  Her father and uncle were sporting hats with our company logo and we immediately hit it off.  I was using a really cool beach chair that was a hit with the beach crowd.  So many people came up to ask where to get one that we ended up laughing about all the window shoppers on the beach.  Needless to say, everyone in the family has their own similar beach chair now!
Tell us about finding your wedding dress:  My dress is a Tara Keely wedding gown.  I purchased it from the Victorian Rose in
Raleigh, North Carolina.  I tried a couple dresses on and this
definitely was not my favorite (I thought they were too poofy). I left
that day going home to analyze the pictures, with an idea in my head of
what dress I was going to choose.  When I got home, there were more
pictures of this dress than any others, it looked amazing, every time I
looked at them I got this funny feeling, I LOVED IT.  So I went back
the next day, tried it on again, and that was it, the perfect dress.
Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase/verse/or line? We didn’t, we had an Episcopal ceremony and used the traditional vows.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? Carolyn: Probably the wedding ceremony and vows, and dancing with my father.  Chad: My
sister started crying as soon as she came down the aisle in the bridal
party!  Also, the food and cake and definitely Carolyn in her dress
were favorites.

Check back shortly for more from Carolyn + Chad…

Written with love by Katharine
2 Comments
  1. avatar Becka Knight (Studio222 Photography) reply

    I LOVED reading this one. And of course, the images are beautiful!

  2. avatar Teresa reply

    Wonderful, dreamy photos. Her dress makes me fall in love with a sweetheart neckline all over again…

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I am completely smitten with this country-inspired affair from {The Parsons Photographers}. Nothing like a John Deer tractor and an open field, right?!  As you can read in the interview, Colleen + Tom beautifully created a warm, inviting, tradition-filled event. Stunning floral design by {Red Door Events and Design}. Ceremony and reception at {Weston Red Barn Farm}.  Special thanks to the Parson’s for sharing this amazing wedding with us today! Be sure to check out Ashley and Jeremy’s {BLOG} for more.

How did the two of you meet? Tom and I met at a friend’s bbq. I had stopped by to chat on my way to class (I was in my first semester of college & taking an art class that evening). Tom had just returned home from the service (United States Marine Corps) and stopped by as well. I ended up missing class that evening – we stayed up all night talking and laughing. We were both from the same small town but until that night, had never crossed paths before. By the following weekend, we were inseparable.
Describe the proposal: When I proposed to Colleen…that was crazy! I laugh every time I tell this story! I took her up to our property to check on the hay field to see if it was “ready for cutting”. The sun was setting on the 3rd of July – in the distance fireworks were going off left and right. I pulled out in the field and told her to jump out with me and she said “NO”. She went on and on about being eaten up by bugs. So, after arguing about the chiggers I finally talked her out of the truck and took a knee. I asked her to marry me and she was so shocked she actually asked me if the ring was real and if I was serious!
What attracted me to my husband was: I was & still am attracted to the way Tom looks at me. His eyes glisten and he has funny way of curling his top lip that melts my heart.
Why do you love your husband? I love Tom because he always supports me; he stands behind even my craziest ideas. I can come home from a hard day of work, completely discouraged and talking about giving it all up to mow grass & plant flowers for a living. Tom will begin planning on how to attach a lawnmower trailer to my jeep for me, we laugh and then he points out my strengths. He reassures me and gives me strength when I’m weak. Another reason that I love my husband…he began naming our unborn children a year (or less) into our relationship! Tom will randomly call from work to give me another name to add to the list. That is adorable – no one can argue with that!
What attracted me to my wife was: What can I say Colleen has a crazy beautiful smile and a personality to match.
A date we went on that we’ll always remember: Tom & I took a road trip to Corsicana, Texas to see his sister. Tom hadn’t seen her in a few years because he had been in the military and he was so excited. We had been dating for about 6 months and I was crazy about him. We were half way there when Tom looks over at me a says, “you know, your about to meet my sister, what she thinks about you really matters to me, so, if she doesn’t like you its over between us…” We laugh about it now, but I spent the next 4 days on pins and needles!
The weather on our wedding day was: unbelievable, shocking actually! We knew from the beginning that we were probably making a mistake when we set the date for 08/16/08. August in Kansas – it should have been at least 100’, hot, humid, and no breeze! However, Tom insisted on that weekend for numerous reasons – it was the last night of the county fair (which we love to go to together), it was the last weekend before all of our nieces and nephews returned to school, and Tom would later find out that this particular weekend was the anniversary of my grandparents wedding and my great grandparents wedding. We asked everyone that we knew to pray for a breeze for us. In result, the weather was in the high 70’s, nice northern breeze, and a beautiful full moon. Amazing!
What was the design inspiration for your wedding? We began calling it “rustic-chic”. I had envisioned lots of natural elements, deconstructed agra-junk-tiq’s (short for: agricultural pieces, junk, & antiques), and other items that no one else would consider. I knew that I wanted a beautiful dress and Tom was dead set on wearing a tuxedo. We wanted a small wedding party, and we wanted to include as many of our younger nieces and nephews as were willing. Friends thought we were crazy wanting kids to play such a big role but in hindsight we wish we would have included even more – they did such a great job. The entire day was spectacular!
Favorite design element of your big day: Hedge apples, tiny white pumpkins, various old mason jars, wooden boxes made from salvaged barn wood, and rusty barbed wire – this was just the beginning of my list the afternoon that I met Kelli Berry-Szrot with {Red Door Event & Design}. When I described the elements that I envisioned for our wedding, she didn’t even flinch, unlike the previous three florists that I met with. I felt very passionate about many of the details that I was worried about finding a florist. I spent one afternoon with Kelli – throwing out ideas scribbled on post-it notes and babbling about wanting to be unique and fun & she not only loved them but also became just as excited as we were. Tom and I spent several weekends creating boxes from old salvaged barn wood for table arrangements and the alterscape the Kelli designed. We also gathered old mason jars, milk creates, and rusty bared wire from my parents’ farm. We grew white pumpkins, gourds, and gathered buckets of hedge tree apples to decorate with. Kelli handcrafted every detail of the floral arrangements, on site, in a matter of 4 hours the day of the wedding. She used many natural elements in shades of green and cotton candy pink. Amazing arrangements of deconstructed bells of Ireland, antique green hydrangea with green limbo roses, hosta leaves, kale, green hypericum berries, juliet and ranunculas roses and light pink dahlias flooded on old red barn. Every arrangement was different from the next- gently contained by old mason jars and our wooden boxes. Kelli used many container plants that Tom and I were able to plant at our home after the wedding. She scattered hay to create our aisle and our wedding party attendants sat on hay bales in front of 200 natural-colored wooden chairs. When I walked to meet Kelli before the wedding, I couldn’t hold the tears back.
Tell us about finding your wedding dress: I decided very quickly that the bridal boutique experience was not for me! I had an idea in my mind of the dress that I wanted. I called {Laura’s Couture} and spoke with the owner. I told him frankly that I didn’t want to see a bunch of different dresses and I didn’t have a lot of time – I described the vision in my head. A pink dress, with a sweetheart neckline, asymmetrical drop wa
ist – no train, beading, or lace and his reply was “honey, I’m looking at your dress– you need to come see it”. It was a beautiful {Lea-Ann Belter} design. I didn’t even have to try it on.
Describe your wedding flowers: We wanted lots of natural greenery and whispers of a true cotton candy pink weaved throughout. Red Door Event & Design LLC was amazing in their ability to take exactly what we asked for and create more then we could have ever imagined.
Describe your wedding cake: We served our guests apple cobbler rather then cake. Tom’s father had told him an old myth about wedding cake that scared Tom into finding an alternative!
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: My favorite detail of the wedding was seeing Colleen! She blew me away!
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? Tom had been relocated for work and was only able to come home on weekends, I was completing my masters’ degree, and we bought a new home. The biggest challenge for us was juggling our very busy lives and the planning duties. Most of the details were left undone until just a few days before the event.
Were there any special family traditions you included in the wedding? I married an Irish girl! Their family has a tradition that involves Jamison Irish Whiskey! I’ll just say that my night began with me, my best man, my brothers, her brothers and dad – a few lineman buddies, and a bottle. I think her dad wanted to make sure I couldn’t run!
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? The 30 minutes that we snuck off with our photographers. Yes, our photographers…Ashley & Jeremy Parsons were wonderful – they felt like old friends. Immediately following our ceremony, they stole us for a hayride. It gave Tom & I a chance to be alone (sort of) before our friends and family attacked us. To be able to share a few special moments together after we just promised to love and cherish one another for the rest of our lives were moments that we will remember and hold in our hearts forever.
Funniest moment? I began walking down the aisle with my dad and I froze. I turned to my dad & said, “Dad, I forgot my flowers” everyone heard me and began laughing. Tom said that he still couldn’t see me at this point but heard everyone laughing & got scared. I turned to go back for them; thankfully, my brother and sister in law brought my bouquet and my maid of honors (who also had forgot) My dad and I finished down the aisle, each carrying a beautiful bouquet – Tom had the biggest grin one his face!
The most unexpected event on our wedding day was: We had planned to wind our reception down early and head to the little Irish Pub, O’Malley’s, which was a few blocks from the breathtaking bed and breakfast that we spent the night at. What was unexpected was the crowed that followed us! We had the best time which not only included too much Irish whiskey but an awesome band, Wild Colonial Boys and the most beautiful rendition of Danny’s Boy by the pub’s owner Michael Cookley. We laughed, cried, and partied like we never had before!
Three adjectives that describe the day are: it was magical, unbelievable, it was perfect, – that is the best word!
Did you write your own vows? We choose a non-denominational pastor to perform our service; he chose less traditional readings for us. Our favorite spoke to the promises that we were making each other that day and how those promises will never fade.
What advice would you give to someone planning their wedding? Make it yours! Its your day! If you and your future husband want to have a potluck reception then go for it! The more personal details you have the more meaningful it will be for you & enjoyable it will be for your guests. Also, live music is a must! At the very last minute we hired the violists to play throughout our ceremony. It was beautiful!
What’s next for you as a couple?  We are looking forward to at least half a dozen kids and a long happy life!
Other details you want us to know about your wedding: We choose the {Weston Red Barn Farm} in Weston, Missouri to have our ceremony and reception. We wanted our friends and family to have a great time. We encouraged our friends to bring their children and spend the day in Weston, which is a truly magically little town. We wanted them to enjoy the farm setting checking out the piglets, chickens, ponies, goats, and donkeys. It turned out to be a phenomenal choice. Most of our guest booked rooms at local bed & breakfasts and loved their experience. The farm gave us a perfect, naturally beautiful back drop for our event and Steve Fry the farm owner took all of the children on a hayride around the farm while our wedding party gave their toasts and we had our first dance. Our wedding night will defiantly be a hard one to top. Tom tells everyone that he would love to do it all over again every weekend!

Congratulations to Colleen + Tom!  We wish you a lifetime of happiness!

Written with love by Katharine
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Many thanks to {MIND|Castle Studios} for sharing this gorgeous wedding with us.   Julie + Jeff are such a warm and joyous couple and their event reflected that perfectly. A favorite detail: Julie did not carry a bouquet, instead she had flowers attached to the back of her dress (WOW!). Design and coordination by {Vows Wedding Planning and Design} on location at {The Woodmark Hotel}. 

Written with love by Katharine
1 Comment
  1. avatar Sarah Danielle reply

    I adore the ring bearer and flower girl attire! So crisp and timeless!

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