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Sorry for the delay this morning, friends! It is our last day with V6 before sending her (yes, we call it a her) off to the printers, and good gracious y’all, she is a beauty! Have you placed your preorder yet?

As a new North Carolina resident, I can attest to the fact that this state is easy to fall in love with. Kortney and Kyle met shortly after Kortney moved to North Carolina herself, and after many porch-sittin’ dates and a romantic Christmas morning proposal, they were married in one of the prettiest parts of beautiful NC. The views from their mountain venue take my breath away! Even more breathtaking? The love Kortney and Kyle clearly have for each other–Kortney even says that the hardest part of wedding planning was waiting to marry the love of her life. So sweet!

Thank you kindly to Ivan & Louise for sharing Kortney and Kyle’s wedding with us!

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. I had just moved to Charlotte, North Carolina from Bloomington, Indiana. It was my first full weekend in Charlotte, living in a new place for the first time by myself. I was visiting a church on Sunday, and when I stepped through the doorway of the church, Kyle was the first person I laid eyes on. It truly was a “love at first sight” moment–he made me feel calm in the midst of being surrounded by the unfamiliar, without even saying a word to me. There was something special about this guy. It only took him four weeks to notice me at church! But when he did, he made a point to cut me off during my race for the door and introduce himself. After finding out how much we had in common, including our visions for church planting and our affinity for craft beer, we spent night after night porch-sitting on rocking chairs together at my Uptown townhome, overlooking the Charlotte cityscape. I fell in love porch-sitting with this man whose love for the Lord and calm, caring personality made me feel more comfortable than I’d ever felt before.

Finding my dress was a breeze! I am pretty particular when it comes to my taste and style, so I knew what I was looking for. I described my hope for a classic, yet simple, look and feel, with an empire waist and a sweetheart neckline. The consultant brought out four dresses and the third time was the charm. I put on the gown, my hands found their way to the pockets, and I was sold! My best friends’ tears helped seal the deal, too.

Did you decide to do a “first look”? Why or why not? We decided to forgo a first look for the chance to capture our pure, raw emotions of walking down the aisle and meeting one another at the altar to become husband and wife in front of everyone we love. We wanted to share in the moment with our closest friends and family and I am so glad we did.
Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line? Kyle adapted a classic set of vows to fit our style and commitment. They were beautiful. They displayed our promise to live as positive examples of Christ and to stay grounded in the Word of God. Our relationship wouldn’t exist if not for the work of Christ in our lives; He brought us together.

What readings, if any, did you have at your ceremony? Hebrews 10:23-25: “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” Two weeks before our wedding, we picked this as our family verse to live and love by.

Our favorite detail of the wedding was: The stream! It was so much fun throwing our shoes off and dipping our feet into the cold river to snap a few unique shots. We love being outside, especially near water. During our first visit to the venue, we passed the stream on our way in and I was sold at that moment. The scenic drive through the woods, up the stream and through the mountains, was a fairy tale.

What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? Besides the pimento cheese, sweet tea, and barn reception, our wedding took place in the gorgeous mountains of Western North Carolina beside the Blue Ridge Parkway. It truly a Southern wedding dream, complete with a parasol!

What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? Don’t try to do it alone. I hosted a fun decor-craft party, complete with snacks, Izze’s and music. As long as you make it fun and not too long or complicated, people will be more than willing to help. People are excited to be a part of your special day and need creativity in their lives. Involve others and your day will be elevated from a so-so event to your dream wedding affair, I promise!

Describe your wedding cake or dessert. Our cake was a very special part of our day. Kyle’s grandmother has been baking wedding cakes for her whole life. She has made everyone’s cake in the family, and throughout the years, has never lost her touch. She baked us a delicious white wedding cake with simple lily of the valley icing accents, topped with a festive mini fringe bunting to tie in our theme.

Tell us all about the proposal! Kyle proposed on Christmas morning of 2012. We have been keeping a journal since the day we started dating that we pass back and forth to each other, in which we record every funny moment, road trip, struggle, and happiness. He wrapped the journal as the last gift under the tree. I started getting suspicious when my family was waiting around the gift instead of rushing to the kitchen for breakfast casserole. He had written me a beautiful letter in the notebook, and when I turned the page, I immediately started that silent-happy-cry, because a ring was tied to the notebook binding on the next page. He got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. It was intimate and simple, exactly what I had always hoped for.
When did y’all get married? August 2, 2013
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 130
Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. I walked down the aisle to “Beautiful, Scandalous Night.” The words were perfect for a Christ-centered, mountainside ceremony, and put to words exactly what was happening in that moment. We believe that marriage is the closest thing we’ll experience to a relationship with Christ, and we got married under a beautiful oak tree. The chorus says: “At the wonderful, tragic, mysterious tree, On that beautiful, scandalous night, you and me were atoned by His blood and forever washed white, on that beautiful, scandalous night.” We exited the ceremony to an upbeat tempo of Amazing Grace, to celebrate the joyful occasion of beginning a grace-filled life together. We absolutely love the Avett Brothers and know that they frequently visit Asheville, NC, near our wedding venue, so the perfect first dance song was “Swept Away.”
Describe your wedding flowers. I had a vision for simple and soft florals. My bouquet was a beautiful mix of white and blush pink hydrangea, pale pink lisianthus, and blush pink roses, accented with lambs ear, succulents, and eucalyptus foliage. The stems were wrapped with a band of natural twine. The ceremony aisle was lined with large galvanized buckets filled with a cloud of baby’s breath, personalized with our parents’ wedding dates and our wedding date. The centerpieces were self-assembled with an assortment of whiskey and wine bottles, and were filled with baby’s breath and pink hydrangea.
Did you have something borrowed, blue, old, and new? If so, do tell! Borrowed: The beautiful necklace with diamonds from my grandmother’s engagement ring. Blue: I sewed our initials in blue thread into the inside of my dress. Old: Kyle’s grandmothers lavalier that her mother wore on her wedding day. New: My feather hair piece. Every girl needs to have feathers in her hair at some point in her life!
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? The biggest challenge was waiting–waiting on marrying the man of my dreams was tough! But I had a lot of planning, details, and showers to get me through it! ;)
If you are comfortable responding, what range did your wedding budget fall into? $10,000-$25,000
What is the one detail or vendor that you were so happy to have as a part of your wedding? So many different people came together to help us plan the perfect day. Truly, our day would not have been the same without our loving families, friends, and community. By far, they were the highlight of our day. Also, I loved our giant 36″ balloons tied with handmade tissue paper fringe! They were so fun, and a little violent when the wind caught them, but they brought that extra special touch to our ceremony and photos. Just make sure you have a minivan to haul them in!
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? My most memorable moment was walking down the aisle to my future husband, surrounded by people we love and that love us. It was very simple and laid back, yet elegant. I felt like a princess because of the love that I felt walking down that aisle–by everyone sitting in the crowd, by our bridal party, by my husband, teary-eyed, ready to make me his wife.
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you most looking forward to about married life? We plan to make life as much of an adventure as we can, to laugh a lot, to pray a lot, to dance a lot in the living room, and to eat frozen pizza a lot during these first couple years. We can’t wait!

Photographer: Ivan & Louise / Ceremony and Reception Venue: The Fields of Blackberry Cove / Florist: Blossoms at Biltmore Park / Wedding Cake: Roberta Holtzhower / Caterer: Caroline Allured Catering and Kim Aasland / Special Details: Jessee Nevins of Quaintly Uncommon / Bride’s Gown: “Strapless Shantung Taffeta Sweetheart Ball Gown” from David’s Bridal / Big Fringe Garland Paper: Carte Fine / Bride’s Earrings and Gold Bracelet: Anthropologie / Feather Hairpiece: Etsy / Hair Stylist: Lola Salon and Gallery / Bride’s Shoes: Julie’s Boutique / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: “Drifting in Pink” from ModCloth / Men’s Attire: J.Crew /  Men’s Suspenders: Etsy / Men’s Shoes: Aldo / Craft Beer: Greenman Brewery

lisa Written with love by Lisa
11 Comments
  1. avatar Kat reply

    I love the sweetness of this wedding! Her DIY reception details, the stream & those big, white balloons make my heart smile :)

  2. avatar Pam reply

    How cool to read about your wedding here, Kortney!!!

  3. avatar Kortney & Kyle /// North Carolina Mountain Wedding /// Destination Wedding Photographer » Emily Weis Photography reply

    […] This wedding was featured on Southern Weddings a few weeks ago. It was hard to wait to share my own post until it had been published, but well worth the wait.  I’m even more excited to share it with you all now.  And if you didn’t get a chance to see Southern Wedding’s feature, check it out here. […]

  4. avatar Dana reply

    so many bunting flags; obsessed!

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  9. avatar Tori reply

    You had such a beautiful wedding!!! I hope you don’t mind me asking but I was wondering the estimated cost of the venue. I saw that you put the budget of your wedding but I wasn’t sure what all that entails. I would greatly appreciate it!

  10. avatar Sarah reply

    Where did you find those leather suspenders? They are amazing!

  11. avatar Winter Woodland Wedding Inspiration | Inked Weddings reply

    […] Colin Cowie Weddings (Top Left), Whimsical Wonderland Weddings (Top Right), Southern Weddings (Bottom Left), Etsy (Bottom […]

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Sunny + Chris had quite the untraditional wedding weekend. When days of downpour surrounded their plans, they embraced it. You’ll see from these photos from Leah Bullard that they made for a few beautiful photos, but the rain also brought out the chemistry that S + C share. Quite appropriate for two botanists who wanted to keep things simple and all about family. Though the bride’s side and the groom’s side had never met before the nuptial weekend, a reception the day before the ceremony brought together the family and acted as the perfect start to Sunny + Chris’s marital union.

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. 
We’re both botanists. As you might imagine, there’s not a lot of us, so we’re a pretty tight-knit group. I first met Chris when I started studying botany in 2008. My adviser at the time had dragged me along on a trip to study some privately owned woods in Nashville. He had also invited Chris out. We were intrigued by each other even then, but always kept it to ourselves because we were in relationships at the time. Throughout the years, we would run into each other at meetings and seminars and correspond about various work-related things, but never hung out. It wasn’t until last year that we REALLY got together. I had been a student on a field school in Madagascar. In May, I had spent a month and a half camping in the highland rainforests of Madagascar to study lemur feeding ecology (they eat a lot of plants.) I was so overwhelmed by the experience that upon my return home, I was dying to spend some time in a familiar place. I knew Chris had a map to an unmarked area of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, so I emailed him to inquire about sending me a copy. I was surprised when he offered to just take me personally instead! Since we were both botanists, I didn’t want to read into it too much, so I tried not to let on how nervous I was to meet up with him. The first night we hung out, it didn’t take us very long to find out that we were finally single. In fact, it turned out that we had been interested in each other for years. He immediately booked the rest of our weekend at Dancing Bear Lodge. We spent the rest of the weekend exploring the mountains and hiking together. Our last trip that weekend was to Cades Cove, and on our way out I remember distinctly looking over at him while he was driving and I was just struck with happiness and the overwhelming feeling that I would be with him the rest of my life. A little later, I found out he was also thinking the same thing then. We married less than a year later!

Our whole wedding was extremely non-traditional. Since it was a semi-destination wedding, we wanted our friends and family to be able to get back home in time to get ready for their real lives. Therefore, we had the reception on Saturday night and got married at noon on Sunday. My dad had been hassling us about schedules so much that weekend that by Sunday, I was just over it and wiped out! My dad was about to have a heart attack when he walked into our cabin and saw me in my pajamas and my hair in a towel! Instead of stressing out, I think we woke up and I got ready in 30 minutes while Chris made breakfast. We drove to the church together in his pickup in the pouring rain. My parents were early and already there, and we walked in together under an umbrella.

Did you have something borrowed, something blue, and something new? Borrowed: Our umbrella! My mom happened to bring a clear umbrella because of the storm. We ended up using it as a major prop in our photos. Blue: My shoes and earrings were blue and set the theme for the rest of the wedding. Chris and my father coordinated blue punches of color in their ties, and my flowers were tied together with blue ribbons. The wedding favors that my mom created were sunflower seeds and chocolate in brown envelopes tied together with blue ribbons. Something new: Our outfits! Of course, my dress was new, and Chris’ suit was all new.

My dress was by Maggy London from the Nordstrom Wedding Suite. At the time, I was in classes and it was midterms. I was flustered and feeling the crunch to find a dress, but between studying and work I hadn’t had time to go try dresses on. Browsing the websites of local boutiques wasn’t helping and I was increasingly frustrated and sad with the whole process. Chris simply Google searched “Simple Wedding Dresses” and after about a 30 second browse on Nordstrom’s website he asked, “How about this one?” It was a simple Maggy London dress that came just above the knee and had a halter neckline. It was gorgeous and I immediately knew it was the right one. My mom ordered it the next day. Unbeknownst to me, they only had one in my size left and somehow it got LOST IN THE MAIL! It was during midterms, so my mom didn’t tell me for fear of stressing me out. It was found and when it finally got to the house, my mom called to let me know. I called Chris and his response was “Oh, so they found it?” To which I replied, “What do you mean THEY FOUND IT?!” The cat was out of the bag, but at that point, it was just funny.

Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line? We’re horrible with sentiment, so we left the writing up to the Reverend. Early on, Reverend Cahelo interviewed us and asked for some direction. About a week after, she sent us some options to pick and choose from, kind of like a “mix and match.” She did a wonderful job!

What readings, if any, did you have at your ceremony? 
We kept the ceremony extremely short and sweet. Rev. Cahelo said a few words at the beginning, but they were entirely her own. We asked mostly that our friends and family be honored during the introduction, since they are such an important part to our lives.

Our favorite detail of the wedding was getting our friends and family together. When we first were planning the wedding, we thought travel would be too difficult for some of our friends and family, but closer to the very end we were surprised to find out that many could attend! Before that, because I’m in school in Chattanooga and Chris lives in Nashville, our friends and family had never met. It could have been awkward and horrible, but they all got along splendidly and had a great time talking to each other! Since we had the dinner before our wedding, everyone had a chance to get to know each other on a meaningful level. On the day of our wedding there was no segregation of the “bride’s side’ or “groom’s side.” I think it was a perfect start to bringing our lives together as husband and wife.

What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? 
Most obviously, we’re both Southern. I’m a Tennessee native and he was born in Kentucky and lives in Tennessee. We got married at Cades Cove in the Primitive Baptist Church. It plays a very important role in Southern History as an early settlement for pilgrims looking for prime agricultural land.  Lastly, the wedding was simple. The South is torn between a beautiful dichotomy of being over-the-top, but also keeping it to the point. We kept it to the point and we kept it relaxed. The rain was over the top!

What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? 
There’s so many, but what stands out as the overall zeitgeist of our wedding is possibly the rain. It was a downpour and had been raining for two days. It was no matter though — it made everything just that much more fun and beautiful. One of the last photos we took was outside while the storm was at its worst. Chris and I are standing on a log and we’re face-to-face and smiling at each other and I have my hands over his head and he has his arms around my waist. We’re soaked, we’re surrounded by flooding rain, but we’re totally in love and we don’t even notice. Every time I see that picture it evokes a deep sense of happiness and love, and that chemistry between us is the reason we’re together in the first place.

Tell us all about the proposal! 
It was the most genuine event! I was on break from classes and we decided to spend a few days taking a road trip to St. Louis, MO to visit the botanical garden (a mecca for botanists.) Chris had found this beautiful restored apartment to rent for the weekend in a historical house. I don’t recall exactly which night it was, but we had been spending the day at the gardens and were just lying around that night reading and watching TV. He suddenly became very emotional and asked me to be his wife. It was lovely! He hadn’t planned on it, so we didn’t have a ring. Just our words. We couldn’t have been happier.

When did y’all get married? 
Sunday, April 28th, 2013.

How many friends, family, and loved ones attended your wedding? 
20

Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. 
We went sans-music for the wedding ceremony itself. However, at our wedding dinner the night before, we let our friends and family be the DJ’s by using Spotify hooked up to a nice sound system. We’re all music geeks, so we had a blast coming up with playlists! There was everything from Radiohead, Smashing Pumpkins, Stevie Wonder, Bob Dylan and Simon and Garfunkel. It was so much fun!

What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? I’m still finishing up school in Chattanooga and Chris works in Nashville. Neither of us could really focus a lot of attention to actually planning a wedding, and furthermore, when we did have the time, it often wasn’t at the SAME time. Communication was difficult during the process and we were lucky that my parents really took over and helped us out. My mom was great at thinking of things we needed (wedding favors that she created herself!) and my dad was great at managing the events.

What range did your wedding budget fall into? 
Less than $10,000

What is the one detail or vendor that you were so happy to have as a part of your wedding? 
Leah, our photographer. We looked at many photographers and they were all in about the same price range, but her quality was incredible. She isn’t a wedding photographer; she’s an artist. Chris and I are scientists (awkward scientists). We don’t spend time in front of a camera, but we definitely appreciate good photography. She worked with us and made us feel comfortable, but more than that, she took the photos to the next level. She captured not only us, but everything that made that day so amazing. She’s stealthy, too! There are moments she captured that I wouldn’t even remember, and we didn’t even know she was there!

What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? 
Parsimony! Keep it simple. It was beautiful and fun and we didn’t drown in the details of it. It allowed us to focus on what mattered — ourselves and our friends and family. Before you plan, sit down and make a list of your priorities surrounding the wedding itself and the reason you’re there together in the first place. We love good food and drink and we wanted lasting memories, so we prioritized spending on catering and our photographer. Then, bringing our friends together was a priority, so the next big thing to deal with was finding great cabin rentals. Dogwood Cabins was perfect and we would recommend them again! Everything else consisted of small details, but what matters is the big picture.

What’s next for you as a couple? What are you looking forward to in the future? 
I’m finishing up school. Now that we’re married, it just makes it that much more emotionally taxing to be separate from each other. I’m on track to graduate in December, at which point we look forward to enjoying the simple things that are often taken for granted. Sipping our morning coffee together, being there when he gets home, cooking dinner together. Even if we’re silent, our presence in each other’s lives is key and it’s extraordinarily difficult for us to be separated right now. We could have waited, but we don’t regret it. We belong to each other forever and we couldn’t wait any longer.

nicoleyang Written with love by Nicole
5 Comments
  1. avatar Emily reply

    What a beautiful and unique wedding!! She is right, that picture in the rain speaks a thousand words. Love this so much.

  2. avatar Lisa reply

    They are so beautiful together! I think it was Elizabeth Messina who said she loves rainy weddings because then whenever it rains, the couple will think of their wedding day. How romantic is that? :)

  3. avatar Emily reply

    I love her bouquet! Such a welcome bright pop amidst all the rain :)

  4. avatar Links We Love (May 31, 2013) reply

    […] Southern Weddings: Nuptials in the Great Smoky Mountains […]

  5. avatar Best Wedding Moments of 2013 Contest The Bride Link reply

    […] “I shot this wedding in Cades Cove back in April and it rained the entire day.  This poor couple got drenched in the rain but they didn’t care because they were so in love and so happy to be married!  It was seriously like a scene out of the Notebook!  Here’s a link to the story as it was featured on Southern Weddings“ […]

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Liz + Josh created a beautiful Asheville wedding — somehow the magical marriage of springy and bright and rustic mountain style. Their invitation serves as the perfection introduction to a night full of family heirlooms, fun signage and pretty flowers and fruits.

As a UNC grad, I’m head over heels for L + J’s proposal story — a sunset proposal at the picturesque Old Well on campus. Biggest thanks to Angela Cox for sharing this gorgeous wedding with us!

Did you decide to do a “first look”? Yes, we did. Mainly because I love the way the photos of those moments look, and I love how they help to tell the story of a wedding day: the photos of that intimate moment between an almost-husband and wife are so powerful and emotional. I loved the idea of capturing that feeling on our wedding day.
What readings, if any, did you have at your ceremony? Planning the content of the ceremony was really important to us. We chose one reading that our officiant incorporated into her sermon, and then two others that were read by my first cousins, as well as a final blessing from Rumi to end the ceremony.

Describe your wedding flowers: Oh my gosh, how do I begin? This was by the far the most important part of the décor to me. I love and adore the work of one Asheville’s best florist, Jessica Gregory with Aria Floral, and as soon as we got engaged I knew I had to work with her! My color palette was to be light robin’s egg blue, with neutral accents in the burlap tablecloths and the guy’s linen suits. We used the florals to pop in lots of beautiful coral, hot pink, peach, pale yellow, cream, white, light pink, orange, and bright lime green as well as deep waxy green. I had this dream of using lots of fruit – peaches, Ranier cherries, cut pink grapefruits for their beautiful color, lots of vines, river rocks, and plenty of candle light throughout. I wanted a few tall pieces with hanging candles and then lots of the fruit and flower/orchard feeling carried throughout. I also found photos online of these amazing hanging flower boxes, which were just sort of a fantasy, but Jessica surprised me and made one out of a vintage planter that hung above the vintage mantle Josh and I had hunted around for and found on craigslist. It was GORGEOUS!

We’re seeing more and more of these chalkboard ceremony programs. I love the effect — graphic signage in place of paper goods (though y’all know how much we love paper).

Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding. This was a really important part for me!! My good friend Lauren and a family friend from my parent’s church played flute and hammered dulcimer as the bridal party and mothers processed in. Then we had two songs specifically that we had played for my processional and for the recessional. I walked in to the first 3 minutes of the Fleet Fox’s “The Shrine/An Argument” The lyrics and song were sort of inspirational for us as we planned our entire ceremony, and helped us envision the kind of hushed, intimate, and meaningful feeling we wanted everyone to leave with. We even used the lyrics to create a chalkboard hanging banner that we hung in one of the trees near the ceremony entrance, so everyone could read them. The moment when I started walking and could hear the song filling up the silence in the little mountain glade near a stream – it was perfect and so meaningful, just what I dreamed it would be. We recessed out to “Wouldn’t it Be Nice” by the Beach Boys. We just LOVE how that song starts and

Our wedding was designed to be a tribute to our beautiful Southern mountain home, where Josh and I were both raised. I absolutely loved the assortment of Appalachian quilts we used in our ceremony – Josh’s 90 year old grandmother is a life-long quilter and had created many of them. Her eyes lit up when she saw the brown horse-themed quilt she had made almost 34 years ago for Josh’s nursery. The china plates were also a tribute to our traditional Southern families. We used my mom’s pattern, my maternal grandmother’s pattern, Josh’s grandmother’s and great aunt’s pattern, Josh’s mother’s pattern, my Aunt’s pattern, and my great grandmother’s pattern. Not a single one was broken, to our relief! It was such a treat to see people admiring them. One guest was so excited that her late mother’s pattern was the plate that just happened to be placed at her seat. One detail that wasn’t photographed, unfortunately, was an old wheelbarrow we found in my dad’s garage and set up half-way up the rather steep hill that all our guests had to “hike” through the vineyard, between the ceremony and reception site. We filled it with ice and bottled water and beer, with a barnwood sign we made directing guests to take a little break, grab some refreshment, and enjoy the view! A lot of guests seemed grateful that we thought of it!

Oh how romantic is this photo? Sweet kisses, string lights and a night of celebration? Perfection.

How did the two of you meet? Tell us your story. Josh and I were both born in Western NC, he in Franklin and I in Asheville. His family moved to Asheville when he was in the fifth grade, and we attended the same high school. However, he was three years older than I, so I only knew of him by name. Years later, after we’d both graduated from college and lived elsewhere, we both found ourselves back in our hometown. We had a pair of mutual friends who’d begun dating, and they would often tell each of us that they wanted to introduce us. One evening in June of 2008, the meeting was finally facilitated, along with several other friends, and I found myself have a great conversation with Josh. At the end of the evening, I was excited about the possibility of getting to know him better; he’d gotten my phone number and a few nights later, he called and invited me along with a group of friends to 80’s Night at Broadway’s, one of our favorite little dive bars in Downtown Asheville. It’s a big-time dance party to all the music of our mutual childhoods. After five hours of dancing non-stop, we both knew we would be together. We had our first kiss that night when he dropped me off at home.
Describe the proposal. I am a proud graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, and though Josh went to UNC-Greensboro, he has several UNC alums in his family, so we are both die-hard Tar Heel fans. Every year, it’s our tradition to get each other basketball tickets to see a few UNC home games for Christmas. In February 2011, we headed down to Chapel Hill for the weekend to see a Sunday basketball game. I had some sort of weird premonition while packing for the weekend away that something big might happen, like a proposal. When no proposal happened Friday and nothing happened Saturday, I decided it was just a fluke with no real basis. We attended the basketball game on Sunday (Heels won!) and as the sun was setting, Josh wanted to do one last walk around Carolina’s beautiful campus before we got in the car to drive back to the mountains. We wandered around, heading toward one of the two main quads on campus. The Old Well is a small columned rotunda in the middle of campus, with a beautiful Carolina blue domed roof and white Doric columns surrounding a marble drinking fountain in the middle. It’s one of UNC’s most beloved symbols and a prominent icon on our campus. Legend has it that anyone who drinks from the fountain (or “well”) will have good luck. As we approached it, Josh suggested we each drink some water there for luck. I kind of laughed, but agreed. As I turned around, Josh was kneeling behind me with my beautiful vintage engagement ring in his palm. There are always a small smattering of tourists and students around the Old Well, so needless to say, his proposal had a little audience! Of course I said “Yes!!” as soon as I figured out what was going on.
In what month did you get married? We got married June 2.
How many guests attended your wedding? 175
Tell us about finding your wedding dress: One of my best friends also got engaged within months of Josh and me, and she and I decided to take a little impromptu trip to Atlanta to start our wedding dress search. I really had no idea what I wanted – I had never imagined myself a bride, and couldn’t imagine what would be flattering on me and what I would be comfortable in. My friend and I both agreed we might even get simple white eyelet sundresses – maybe we’d forego the typical wedding dress route. As soon as we each tried on our first “real” wedding gown, that idea went out the window! We went to lots and lots of boutiques, just to see what options existed. A Swiss-dotted tulle drop-waisted dress from James Clifford stuck in my mind over all that I tried. When I returned to Asheville, I couldn’t stop thinking about it, even though the trip had been intended as just exploratory. I started calling around to shops in NC to see if anyone near us carried the dress I’d found. The designer was only available in two boutiques in North Carolina! My mom had seen a picture of it online, but of course I wanted her to see me in it, in person, to make sure she agreed that it might be “the dress.” We called the boutiques, and just one of them happened to have the actual dress in the shop to try on – as part of a trunk show that ended the next weekend! So, we left at lunchtime on a Friday to drive to Raleigh together to try the dress before the trunk show ended. She loved it, and on second sight, I loved it even more! I bought it that day.then builds with a drum into the first chorus! It just makes me smile! There was no other option.
Describe your wedding cake or dessert: This was another thing that I had a specific vision for. I am a person who lives for the details, so I had so much fun planning these specific visual elements, like the look of the cake. I wanted something that go with our Appalachian mountain feel – nothing too perfect or clean – so fondant was definitely out (plus I don’t like that it’s not all that good to eat. Cake should be edible!) I worked with the amazing Tiffany Goode of Tiffany’s Baking Co. and we decided that shaved white chocolate would give a beautiful, rustic, free-flowing texture to the three-tier round cake. I definitely wanted a few big sugar flowers, too. We went with three big peonies that were soft blush pink. It turned out just beautifully and was delicious as well.
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: A few of my top favorites were our vintage mantle with the rows of multi-height hurricanes on top, the moss covered trays I created with corks and beautiful tea-stained tags and calligraphed names that we used for our escort cards, the beautiful chalk board menu and “program” which my friend, the very talented Mandylynn Holt created, the vintage plates we used for dinner and dessert, the strawberry plants that Jessica used to decorate some of the feasting tables, and the alternating hay bale rows and farm benches we used for our ceremony seating. We covered all the bales with vintage quilts collected over many years by the women in Josh’s family and a few close friends.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? With two parents who are small business owners, it just wasn’t possible to have a “dream wedding” budget. When we first started playing with numbers, I admit I experienced a few weeks of disappointment that it seemed there was no way we could afford to do the beautiful Southern mountain wedding that I wanted. But, with some creativity, Josh and I worked out a savings plan and got creative and DIY with as many details as we could. I didn’t want to sacrifice any of the little touches that are so important to me, so we took lots of time and planning energy to find a way to make them all happen, despite a limited budget. I ordered all the fabrics wholesale, and my mom sewed all 30 of the burlap tablecloths and almost 100 feet of linen runners! We scoured yard sales and flea markets and estate sales for over a year to find deals on more dinner plates and dessert plates. We were successful in never paying more than $3 a plate, while using real china for all our pieces. My now-husband, both of our fathers and several of my best girl friends spent two days setting everything up. It was so gratifying to have everyone pitch in to make such a beautiful, memorable, special day.
What range did your wedding budget fall into? We spent between $10,000 and $25,000
What is the one thing you are most happy you splurged on? The flowers, hands down! They were really the one area I spent “above average” on, and it was SO worth it. I feel flowers and candles and lanterns just MAKE an event, and Jessica’s work was exactly what I wanted – I loved every little vine and cherry.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? Walking down the aisle, hearing the beautiful and haunting Fleet Foxes song, and looking at all our friends and family surrounding us in the beautiful mountain meadow, with my new husband waiting just ahead of me at the end of the aisle.
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? Take your time! Try to be organized and disciplined with your lists of what you need to do and when you’d like to do it. Share the calendar somewhere you can both see it. Know yourself and build your wedding vision around what you’ll enjoy spending your time on. I was SO glad the entire time that I hadn’t taken on a bunch of crafts or décor projects myself — that’s just not what I love to spend my time on. Instead, I did a few big things and found great talented friends and artists on Etsy to help with the rest. Josh and my Mom were also BIG helps. Use your mother and fiancé – they want to be involved!!
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you looking forward to in the future? I’m not sure yet! We’ll see where life takes us! We’re both busy with our jobs and looking forward to a trip to NYC to visit my sister this fall. We have some projects around the house we’re looking forward to working on when life settles down, and I can’t wait to celebrate the holiday season as a married couple, finally!

nicoleyang Written with love by Nicole
15 Comments
  1. avatar Mollie reply

    Gorgeous wedding!

  2. avatar Carlene R.D. reply

    I love that they use southern produce in their centerpieces! I adore it. When I got married last fall, I had produce in my bouquet (I’m a dietitian). I have a super soft spot for it! Love your site!

  3. avatar Rose {Rose and Ruby Paper Co.} reply

    Love it – especially the DRESS!! Gorgeous!
    xx

  4. avatar Ceremony Programs, a necessary evil when planning a wedding? « A Connecticut Wedding & Event Planner's Blog reply

    […] YES. Yes, I do think your guests care. Yes, I do think they actually read them. And yes, they do all end up in the trash/recycle bin at the end of the night.  So great! What now? Enter- the chalkboard!!!! The perfect quick fix for this dilemma of magnitude proportion (insert gross exaggeration here). The chalkboard is not a newcomer to weddings- they are enormously popular and enormously useful. Whether shabby chic, retro glam, or black tie elegant, they are incredibly versatile to fit your style. And let’s face it, you can find anything on Etsy. But what about this clever use at this fabulous wedding found on a recent post of Southern Weddings? […]

  5. avatar Elizabeth reply

    I am obsessed with the bridesmaid dress color. What is the specific designer and color?

    • avatar Nicole reply

      Hi Elizabeth! Aren’t they lovely? Those dresses are B2 by Jasmine Bridal and Liz customized the color with a seafoam lining and powder blue chiffon for the outer layers.

  6. avatar Leah Hatton reply

    Would you mind telling me what specific color the Jasmine bridesmaid dresses were?

    • avatar Nicole reply

      Hi Leah! Those dresses are B2 by Jasmine Bridal. Liz customized the color with a seafoam lining and powder blue chiffon for the outer layers.

  7. avatar Five Fun Ways to Use Chalkboards reply

    […] menu via Southern Weddings  |  drink menu via Style Me Pretty  |  drinks via Ruffled  |  good eats via Style Me […]

  8. avatar Linda reply

    I am from Asheville, I would love to know where this venue is? Gorgeous wedding!

  9. avatar Taylor reply

    Hello! I am wondering if you could let me know what color the bridesmaids dresses are! And, where they were purchased? Thanks!

    • avatar Liz (the bride!) reply

      Hi Taylor, these dresses were B2 by Jasmine. I got them at Wedding Inspirations in Asheville. You could call and order them remotely if you’re not in the area. Google them. The dresses are a custom color: Seamist satin lining, with the Powder Blue chiffon outer layer. Style B2078. Hope that helps!

  10. avatar Elinor reply

    What a beautiful Asheville wedding! Love the wedding flowers! Xo.

  11. avatar Spring Wedding Flowers :: Wedding Tips and Trends reply

    […] delicate and airy and make a perfect bridesmaids bouquet to compliment the bride’s. You can see these flowers looked gorgeous together at the wedding of Liz and Josh, captured by Angela […]

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