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
This is stunning!!