Google+ North Carolina wedding Archives - Page 4 of 24 - Southern Weddings

Southern Weddings

Tag: North Carolina wedding

Small town life is a beloved part of Southern culture–I’m certain many of y’all can relate to Molly’s pride in her quaint hometown! Molly loved growing up in Saxapahaw, North Carolina, and although she and Aaron met in Chapel Hill, they couldn’t resist the opportunity to dig into Molly’s roots and welcome their loved ones to Saxapahaw for their big day. Complete with hearty Southern cuisine, an abundance of family heirlooms, and many nods to their heritages, Molly and Aaron’s celebration held all the charms of a small town itself. Molly says, “The sense of small town community during our celebration was the most natural part for us, and by default, it was the most Southern part!”

Thank you so much to our Blue Ribbon Vendor A. J. Dunlap for sharing this lovely day with us!

Tell us about finding your wedding dress. Before flying home for winter break, my mom encouraged me to try on dresses in Austin with my best friend. I found the most wonderful secondhand/consignment designer dress shop, Second Summer Bridal. We had a great time while I tried on every style of dress, just for fun, until I tried on THE ONE. I knew I couldn’t buy a dress without showing my mom anything, so I tried to let it go. Back in North Carolina for Christmas, I tried on many more with my mom, but couldn’t get that one dress out of my mind. Knowing it was a one-time sale, I called back in January with the slightest bit of hope it was still in the store. It was fate–no one had bought it yet! I went in the first week I was back in Austin and sealed the deal! After all the dresses I tried on, this was the one that made me feel like a bride!

Our florist was Pine State Flowers. They only use locally grown, North Carolina flowers. This meant we had to be flexible to what type and colors of flowers were in season locally, and we had a beautiful and sustainable end result!

We were so grateful to have family friends who took part in our wedding and helped us save money. A dear friend did bridesmaids’ hair, family friends were the musicians, a church friend made our cake, my best friend designed the invitations and ceremony programs and wrote on all the windows and chalkboards, a dear friend directed the ceremony, and a family friend was our amazing DJ.

Did you decide to do a first look? Why or why not? YES! Knowing we wanted space and time to ourselves to be mindful, present, and soak in the powerful commitment we were about to make was of the utmost importance to us. Having that time for just the two of us to reflect, laugh, cry, joke around, and be ourselves was essential.

What made you choose your ceremony and reception venues? Did they have any special significance to you? I am from the small town of Saxapahaw, and all of my maternal family is from small mill towns along the Haw River. In fact, my grandmother worked third shift in the Saxapahaw Mill while attending business college! Once the heart of the community, the Saxapahaw Cotton Mill closed in 1994 due to tornado damage. In high school, I would drive past it and admire the dilapidated and boarded up building. Over the past decade, the Mill has been renovated into a thriving, central part of the Saxapahaw community, and houses the Haw River Ballroom. My family has fallen in love with the rejuvenated sense of community in Saxapahaw, so the Ballroom was a natural first choice for Aaron and I. Fun side note: the wedding was the first time my grandmother had returned to the Mill since working in it.

The BEST part about our entire wedding was how community-centered and relationship-based it was. Aaron and I are both from small towns and value community, so we made it our goal to create a “church” within the ballroom, and to honor and celebrate the relationships and connections with our own church families, friends, individual families, extended family, and the community. All of the cotton used throughout the wedding was grown by a North Carolina farmer in Tarboro. The seating assignment windows were composed of various antique windows–the four-pane window came from Aaron’s great-grandparents’ homestead house that is over 150 years old, and the six-pane windows came from Aaron’s maternal grandfather’s historic shop. The handkerchief were gifted to my maternal grandmother on her wedding day. She recently found them, unopened! The drawers for cards came from my maternal great-grandmother’s Singer sewing machine. She taught my mom to love sewing, and I am named after her. The ring bearer pillow was sewn by my mom from her dad’s old jeans, and the smallest ring tied to the pillow was my baby ring! Aaron’s nephew, one of the ring bearers, carried my grandmother’s family Bible down the aisle. My veil was made from my mom’s blusher wedding veil. All the bud vases and bottles were collected during my engagement by my mother and grandmother. My grandfather passed away last winter, and these have been a blessing and the perfect project for my grandmother. There were also photos of our parents and grandparents on their wedding days displayed at the reception!

What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? The sense of small town community during our celebration was the most natural part for us, and by default, it was the most Southern part! On top of the family heirlooms used, we also incorporated the best kinds of Southern food! Served in small plates to encourage mingling and conversation during the reception, guests feasted on meatloaf with mashed potatoes and green beans, shrimp and grits, and macaroni and cheese with collards and black eyed peas. All catering was from the local “five star restaurant in a gas station,” the Saxapahaw General Store. There’s nothing more Southern than getting married in an old cotton mill, eating good Southern food, being surrounded by the community that raised you, and getting to spend the rest of your life with your best friend!

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. We met the first month of college at UNC Chapel Hill, living in the same dorm. Aaron helped Katie, my suitemate, carry some packages down to our rooms one day. Katie introduced me to this cute guy who helped her, and the rest was history! For the next four years of college, we were inseparable–study rooms, basketball games, football games, dance performances, the Varsity theater, Carver Street, He’s Not Here, Brown Summit, and Saxapahaw. After graduating, Aaron moved off to Charlotte, and I headed to the tiny town of Eden. During Christmas of 2011, we realized we couldn’t stand being apart any longer, and we haven’t been since. Fast forward to August 2013, and Aaron and I moved to Austin, Texas so I could attend graduate school at UT-Austin. Aaron found a corporate recruiting job here and graduated from Western Carolina’s online graduate school. We have been in Austin for over two years and are embracing the Texan way of life for now!
Tell us all about the proposal! We were so excited to return to UNC for homecoming in November 2014. Once we were back in Chapel Hill, Aaron suggested we walk through campus and visit the UNC Basketball Museum. While we were walking towards the museum, I thought I would be so romantic and suggested a stop at Craige, our freshman dorm, where it all started. After sitting on the front steps of the dorm where we fell in love, we stood up, I blinked, and Aaron was on one knee! After his proposal, we continued on to the basketball museum without calling anyone. #goheels
When did y’all get married? November 7, 2015
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 200
Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line? We did not write our own vows–we used the less traditional vows from the United Methodist Church’s liturgy. A favorite line included: “I take you to be my husband/wife, from this time onward, to join with you and to share all that is to come.”
What readings, if any, did you have at your ceremony? My brother and two dear friends read at our ceremony–a task with more significance to us than being in the wedding party. They read three scripture passages: Song of Solomon 2:10-14, 16a; 8:6-7a, Romans 12:9-18, and Colossians 3:12-17.
Describe your wedding cake or dessert. A family friend made a gorgeous four-tiered pound cake with buttercream icing, with the top layer saved for our first anniversary! You can’t beat a good ol’ Southern pound cake!
How did you plan for your marriage while planning your wedding? We felt it was very important to keep our relationship at the center of the wedding planning and were mindful of discussing not only the details of the big day, but also what we wanted our future to look like together. Premarital counseling with our minister, readings books together, and spending the majority of our time together not wedding planning helped enormously with this!
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? One very special thing to me was having my brother walk me down the aisle to meet my father. My brother, Peter, and I have an incredible relationship and I wanted to honor that in this way.
What’s next for you as a couple? What memories are you looking forward to making together? We will stay in Austin, Texas for the next few years before returning home to North Carolina. We are so excited to make our new house a home together and continue to explore and enjoy this unique Southern town as partners in a new, married light!

Photographer: A.J. Dunlap Photography / Videography: Olivia Wilkes / Videography and Sound: Ana Caicedo Macia / Video Editing: Anna Norwood / Venue and Planner: Haw River Ballroom / Florist: Pine State Flowers / Wedding Cake: Brenda Moss / Caterer: Saxapahaw General Store / DJ: Jason Barnes of JMB Marketing / Bridal Salon and Hairpiece: Second Summer Bride / Gown Alterations: Kira Kouture / Bride’s Earrings: Judith Bright / Hair and Makeup: Tease and Blush / Bride’s Shoes: Toms / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: RenzRags / Menswear: Combatant Gentlemen / Groomsmen Ties: The Tie Bar / Invitations, Ceremony Programs, and Calligraphy: Linsey Gray Creative

A.J. Dunlap is a delightful member of our Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory!

lisa Written with love by Lisa
4 Comments
  1. avatar A.J. Dunlap reply

    Oh, how I loved this wedding! Thank you so much for sharing their day and their story!!! xoxo~A.J.

  2. avatar Anna Norwood reply

    Check out this video feature of Molly and Aaron’s special day!
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCbru_s6lj4

  3. avatar Laura reply

    What a beautiful wedding and sweet couple! Love the small town feel!

  4. avatar Ryan reply

    Could anyone provide more details on the bridesmaid dresses? My fiancée and I are very interested in several of these dresses but cannot find the specific dresses on Renz Rags

Southern Weddings reserves the right to delete comments which contain profanity or personal attacks or seek to promote a business unrelated to the post.  And remember: a good attitude is like kudzu – it spreads.  We love hearing your kind thoughts!

Reply to:
close

There are countless ways to honor loved ones at your wedding, and choosing a meaningful venue is one of my favorites. It’s truly a beautiful thing to start your marriage in a place that holds sweet memories or history, and inviting your guests to experience that place too makes it all the more special! That’s exactly why Sarah and Adam chose Bald Head Island for their wedding–Sarah’s grandparents were active members of the BHI community since its development, and Sarah has countless memories of vacations and croquet games (a passion of her grandparents!) on the island. When she and Adam realized how many of their guests would have to travel to be a part of their big day, they decided to choose a place everyone would enjoy as a vacation spot. Bald Head Island was a natural fit, and I’m sure their touching ceremony and celebration added yet another layer of meaning to this special place for both them and their families!

Thanks so much to Rachel Red Photography for sharing this lovely day with us!

My mother flew from Virginia to Houston so that we could look for my dress. We blocked off two full days and booked appointments at salons all over town. Day one, we struck out, and our first appointment on day two went about the same way. I picked out and tried on several dresses, but never fell in love with one. I figured that this was going to be a repeat of the previous day, but then, the sales associate asked if she could pull a gown for me to try. When she brought it over, I was definitely skeptical, but once I saw myself in the dress, I fell in love! It was exactly what I wanted, but didn’t know how to ask for. I bought the dress immediately and couldn’t have been happier with it.

What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? The most memorable moment from our wedding would definitely be when Adam and I saw each other for the first time. Without a doubt! I’m getting all teary-eyed just thinking about it. The look on Adam’s face was absolutely priceless. I could see and feel how much he loved me. It was the perfect way to start off our ceremony and reminded me how lucky I am to have him in my life. I’m so glad that we waited until that moment to see each other and I know that he feels the same way.

We decided not to write our own vows. As much as we love the intimacy of them, there is something about traditional vows that really spoke to us. We wanted to speak the same words that have been spoken for generations and have marked the start of so many amazing love stories. While we didn’t customize our vows, we did sit down with our officiant to discuss the ceremony. We wanted to make sure that it was an expression of our relationship. The instant we met our officiant, Kevin, it felt like we had known him for years. He did such a fantastic job infusing our personalities into the ceremony while still keeping everything classic.

What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? Both of our families have roots in the South, but many have moved away over the years. We wanted to make sure that they were able to experience all of the best aspects of the South while they were down here. We welcomed our guests with tote bags stuffed with koozies, water, and island maps so they would be island-ready. We even included mini flashlights because it gets unbelievably dark on Bald Head Island. We wanted to take advantage of the gorgeous September weather and the fabulous setting by hosting our wedding outside. It was a bit risky considering we were on an island during hurricane season, but we’re from the South and a little weather doesn’t scare us. We did commit a pretty bad sin though–we got married on a football weekend. In our defense, we waited until Sunday afternoon, so we didn’t miss the game. Our rehearsal dinner had barbecue with all the fixin’s, homemade pimento cheese, and SEC football. Go Gamecocks! At the wedding itself, we served spicy shrimp and grits and provided rocking chairs for our guests to sit back and relax on.

There were so many different reasons why we chose to get married on Bald Head Island. Our families are scattered all across the country, and there are even members deployed overseas. We knew that people would have to travel to attend our wedding, no matter where we held it, so we wanted to host the wedding somewhere that everyone would truly enjoy. Beautiful beaches, Southern charm, and a laid back atmosphere…does it get any better? My grandparents built a home on Bald Head Island when it was first being developed, and my family and I have so many amazing memories on the island. Unfortunately, my grandparents are no longer with us, so this was one way for me to have them there and make them a part of my wedding day. We specifically chose the Bald Head Island Club for our wedding as another way to include my grandparents. They were club members for a very long time and were very active in the BHI community. They also happened to LOVE playing croquet and would travel around the country to do so. They brought that love with them to the island and played a huge role in having the croquet green added to the club. So, while we aren’t croquet players by any stretch of the imagination, we took a quick break from the wedding to play a couple of strokes. It was only a few minutes, but it really allowed us to slow down, appreciate the moment, and honor two amazing people.

Describe your wedding flowers. I absolutely loved our wedding flowers!! I wanted something soft, feminine, and romantic. The ladies at Kickstand Events did a fantastic job. They used garden roses, ranunculus, stock, hydrangea, spray roses, roses, and dusty miller in shades of peach, blush, coral, ivory, white, and gray. I really wanted the colors used in the florals to complement the beachy color palette, and they definitely did!

Our wedding cake was DELICIOUS! I am a huge cake fan. I don’t have a sweet tooth–I have an entire mouth full of sweet teeth. This was one of the wedding details that I was most excited about. I have always loved the look of big, traditional wedding cakes, but I usually hate the white cakes inside. Like my mother always says, “If it’s not chocolate, why bother?” I too subscribe to this philosophy on life. Fortunately for me, Adam doesn’t like sweets, so he let me have full control over the cake, and I couldn’t have been happier! One Belle Bakery did a fantastic job bringing everything together. They had the cutest cake names, and I’m a sucker for things like that. The top layers were a variation of their “Hey Y’all-mond” (an almond cake with chocolate fudge), the third tier was the “Lord Have Mercy” (a chocolate-chocolate chip cake with chocolate fudge), and the bottom tier was my own creation, “Orange you Sweet” (a chocolate cake with mandarin orange custard). The cake looked just as good as it tasted, and the team at One Belle Bakery got the cake from the mainland onto the ferry, then onto the island and set up at the club with no issues. I was incredibly worried that something would happen to my cake, and it didn’t! Thank goodness!

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. From Adam: Sarah and I met about nine years ago in Richmond, Virginia through mutual friends. It didn’t take long for me to realize that she was “the” girl. We continued to hang out throughout that summer, and every chance I could, I would invite her to wherever I was. Unfortunately, we were both headed off to different college towns after the summer. There really wasn’t any communication over the next four years, but then we both returned to Richmond to start our “adult” lives. I had started working at an IT company and she started working at a jeweler. One day, I got a call from one of my clients who needed someone there ASAP to take care of an IT problem. I got there and, lo and behold, I saw Sarah. I immediately lit up inside and didn’t know what to do, so I froze. After that second, I knew that I was not going to let her go again. I asked her out to dinner and the rest is history!
Tell us all about the proposal! From Adam: We had decided to move to Houston for a job that Sarah couldn’t pass up, but before we left, we wanted to have a going away party. I had spent weeks prior to this trying to find the perfect ring and figure out how to propose to the love of my life before we left all of our friends and family. I decided that there was no better way than with all our friends and family in one place at the party. That night, people had started to gather, and eventually, I got everyone outside for goodbyes and speeches. After everyone had finished saying their words, it was my turn. I started to thank everyone for coming and saying that we would miss them. As I was wrapping up, I told everyone I had a story to tell. Sarah had no idea what was about to happen. I began to tell the story of the song I heard in the car when I was thinking about our future together, and as I ended the story, I looked at Sarah and dropped to one knee. She stumbled backwards as tears started to fill her eyes. I finally got the chance to get the girl I had always known I wanted…and she said yes!
When did y’all get married? September 20, 2015
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 50
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: It is so hard for me to pick out a favorite detail from the wedding because I loved absolutely everything. If I had to pick one, it would be the bracelet that I wore. It says “Love you always” and was custom made for me using my stepmother’s handwriting. She passed away when I was 14 years old. She was an absolutely incredible woman and I miss her every day. I couldn’t imagine my wedding without her, so my dad and I had this bracelet made. Every time that I looked down, I was reminded that she was there with me and always would be. I haven’t taken it off since my wedding, and certainly don’t plan to any time soon.
If you are comfortable responding, what range did your wedding budget fall into? $25,000-$50,000
What was one way you saved money or cut costs at your wedding? We tried not to skimp on anything, but to make the most of our wedding budget, we reused the bridesmaids’ bouquets as floral decorations on the cake table and sweetheart table. We also split costs and extras with another bride who was getting married on the island. Sharing is caring, right?
What’s next for you as a couple? What memories are you looking forward to making together? We’re getting settled into life as a married couple. Now that our wedding planning is done, we can finally have a life and get settled into our new house! That has been on the back burner for months, so we’re really looking forward to making it feel like home.

Photographer: Rachel Red Photography / Planner, Florist, and Paper Products: Kickstand Events / Venue and Caterer: Bald Head Island Club / Wedding Cake: One Belle Bakery / DJ: Active Entertainment / Violinist: Maura Kropke / Bride’s Gown: “Style #504” by Martina Liana / Bride’s Hair Accessories: Brickhouse Bridal / Bridal Jewelry: Hearts on Fire / Bridal Jewelry Store: Thomas Markle Jewelers / Handwriting Bracelet: Anastasia Savenko / Hair Stylist: Larry Davis / Makeup Artist: Wisp Salon & Spa / Bride’s Shoes: Badgley Mischka / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Donna Morgan / Menswear: Jos A. Bank

One Belle Bakery is a delightful member of our Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory and Donna Morgan is a delightful SW sponsor!

lisa Written with love by Lisa
5 Comments
  1. avatar Rachel Ashcraft reply

    Thank you so much for featuring Sarah and Adam’s wedding! It was the most gorgeous and sentimental day and I can’t imagine another couple more deserving of the spotlight. I appreciate you hard working ladies at Southern Weddings!!

  2. avatar Karen Miller reply

    With a bit of prejudice perhaps, as I am the mother of the groom, I want to say that this was one of the most beautiful weddings I have ever attended. From the spectacular setting, and beautiful color scheme chosen by Sarah, to the incredible efficiency of the wedding planners and staff on the island, it was truly a dream wedding!!!! Thank you Rachel for capturing all of the splendor of this event in your beautiful photographs!

  3. avatar Lindsay reply

    I am obsessed with this wedding! Every details is gorgeous! And the proposal…. Precious!

  4. avatar The Great Escape | The Dandelion Patch reply

    […] Featured Below: Southern Weddings […]

  5. avatar 15 Awesome Ideas To Embellish Your Wedding Getaway Car! reply

    […] photo: Rachel Red Photography // planner & florist: Kickstand Events // via: Southern Weddings […]

Southern Weddings reserves the right to delete comments which contain profanity or personal attacks or seek to promote a business unrelated to the post.  And remember: a good attitude is like kudzu – it spreads.  We love hearing your kind thoughts!

Reply to:
close

While I know spring tends to get most of the love from brides thanks to the blooms and the weather, as a December bride myself, I might be a tad bit partial to winter weddings, especially ones that take advantage of already-in-place Christmas decor. From the big red bow-accented garlands to the twinkle lights, there is something so magical about classic holiday decor that makes everything feel extra special! I love than Anne and Nick chose the beautiful Carolina Inn for their December celebration because of its rich history and central location to their families. This sweet couple then took full advantage of the Inn’s gorgeous holiday decor and added just the right amount of their personalities and meaningful details. And y’all, how classic and lovely is Anne’s all-white bouquet, accented with magnolia greenery? So dreamy!

I’m so glad our friend and Blue Ribbon Vendor Robyn Van Dyke was on hand to capture this joyful day!

Tell us about finding your wedding dress. I am a really decisive person when it comes to clothes, and my wedding dress was no exception! I had an amazing time looking at dresses with my mom, thinking about Nick and my special day, and playing dress up! We looked at Diva’s Bridal Boutique in Greensboro and almost immediately decided on a gown. I had actually put on the gown and wasn’t crazy about it, but when they made it “fit me” (i.e. pulled it back so that I had a waist, etc.), I just knew. I loved it, my mother loved it, and I knew it was right.

Describe your wedding flowers. I knew from the start that I wanted to use whites and greens. Kathy at The Purple Puddle turned that desire into something beautiful. I loved the use of magnolia greenery, white hydrangeas, roses, and gardenias. They were so beautiful and fragrant!

The first look was the best decision Nick and I made about our wedding! We were guided by our amazing photographer, Robyn Van Dyke, to consider a first look because the light level was low on our wedding day. We fully trusted the Van Dykes and realized very quickly that this was a special opportunity to be together on our wedding day in the midst of the chaos. The moment was just what we had hoped for–better even! We saw each other for the first time that day surrounded by our friends, we had time together to pray, talk, and process what that day meant, and it was the most special and memorable moment of all of the wedding festivities!

Our wedding music was special from the start. Music is such a beautiful part of worship, and we wanted to glorify the Lord through the music we chose. Not all of it was Christian, but most was, and all was classic. A dear friend from dental school played the violin and the organist for CUMC played the organ and the piano. Nick and I each met multiple times with the organist to discuss our musical selections, hear his input and interpretation, and decide on the final selections. Our favorite hymn, “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing,” was selected as a special song. It was a time of transition in our service and meant so much to both Nick and me. We do not take for granted our many blessings–family, education, calling to service, friends–and the musical interpretation by Gentry (our violinist) and the pianist brought us to tears. We both pray our marriage brings us closer to the Lord and gives us the opportunity (and the challenge!) to glorify Him. It was just so special.

What made you choose your ceremony and reception venues? Did they have any special significance to you? We love Chapel Hill! Both of our families have a history in this area, we met and fell in love here, and it was a central location for our loved ones. Christ United Methodist Church has a kind wedding ministry, and everything about the church began to line up with our values. The music was lovely, the services were classic, and the structure of the wedding ceremony was everything we could have hoped for. It was perfect! The Carolina Inn has everything perfected–it was so easy to coordinate with our vendors because just about everyone had worked at the historic inn before. We quickly realized that December 20 was the perfect weekend to have a wedding there–the inn is decorated beautifully for Christmas, and it is a relatively calm time for them. The Carolina Inn is a gorgeous, well-oiled machine, a classic Chapel Hill landmark, and extremely reliable. It was a dream come true!

At our reception, Nick and I danced to Ed Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud.” We first heard this when we were apart over the summer of 2014–I was in Utah and Nick was in Africa. We heard it, both teared up, and knew it was the right song for our first dance. In particular, the line, “Honey, your soul can never grown old, it’s evergreen,” spoke to us. We couldn’t help but see how special our parents’ and grandparents’ marriages were and hope for a lifetime of devotion to one another.

Sweet Memories made the most delicious cake! We had two flavors: sweet potato spiced cake with caramel and white chocolate filling, and lemon cake with white chocolate mouse and raspberry puree. Both were incredible!!!

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. We met in dental school! Nick was a first year and I was a second year. We went to medical school prom with friends and became inseparable. We spent about two weeks together before I called my mom and dad and told them I was in love (so crazy!)! Nick and I began officially dating on Easter Sunday 2013 and were engaged less than a year later!
Tell us all about the proposal! Nick and I love time when we can be alone together, laughing and talking. We had planned a spring break trip to camp in Death Valley and Joshua Tree and spend a night in Vegas. On the way to the airport, Nick pulled off the road and said, “Let’s go on a walk; it’s a beautiful day!” I suspected what was about to happen and noticed that both of us were shaking! It was hilarious and awesome and absolutely perfect. We arrived to a quad on UNC’s campus where we had enjoyed many picnic dinners during our courtship. I had no makeup on, and we were just completely relaxed at the beginning of an amazing week together. It was more perfect than I had ever imagined!
When did y’all get married? December 20, 2014
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? About 175
Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line? We said classic vows, which was a very intentional decision. We wanted everything to be traditional.
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: I loved wearing my mother’s earrings and the same veil that both of my sisters wore in their weddings. I also wore the bracelet that Nick’s grandmother, mother, and sisters wore in their weddings and the pearl bobby pins that once belonged to my grandmother. It all made me feel like these women were with me throughout the day, which meant so much!
How did you plan for your marriage while planning your wedding? I think the reason that wedding planning was so fun was because we were focusing on preparing for our marriage! We read several books, including “The Five Love Languages,” “Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts,” and “Things I Wish I’d Known Before I got Married.” We also met for premarital counseling several times with the pastor at CUMC. We had conversations over dinner about our hopes, dreams, short-term and long-term goals, and aspirations, and made sure we let each other know why we loved one another. We prayed quite a bit and sought wise counsel from family and friends who are married. All of these things really added to the depth and meaning of our engagement.
What was one way you saved money or cut costs at your wedding? We decided on the things that really mattered (venue, great food) vs. the things that didn’t (buffet vs. plated dinner, monogrammed vs. non-monogrammed napkins) and allocated funds according to those decisions. We also knew that for our crew, beer and wine were sufficient. We did all of the toasts at the rehearsal dinner, so there was not champagne at our reception; instead, we served spiked cider during our cocktail hour.
What is the one detail or vendor that you were so happy to have as a part of your wedding? Robyn Van Dyke!!! We LOVE our photos and were thrilled to have our day documented by friends. They did an amazing job, and I still can’t believe we were so blessed to have them as such a major part of our wedding day. They really were perfect.
What’s next for you as a couple? What memories are you looking forward to making together? We are so looking forward to having control over our time so that we can travel together! We are excited for Nick to graduate from dental school and for me to hopefully match at the pediatric dental residency of my choice. We are on the brink of major changes and professional growth, which is thrilling! We are also excited to have children one day, although that will have to wait a few years. :)

Photographer: Robyn Van Dyke Photography | Planner: Carly of Events by La Fete | Ceremony Venue: Christ United Methodist Church | Reception Venue and Catering: The Carolina Inn | Florist: The Purple Puddle | Cake Baker: Sweet Memories Bakery | DJ: McSound Productions | Paper Products: Reaves Engraving Inc. | Bride’s Gown: Martina Liana | Bridal Salon: Diva’s Bridal and Boutique | Hair Stylist: Becca of Salon 135 | Makeup Artist: Stephanie Sevilla | Bride’s Shoes: Badgley Mischka | Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Alfred Sung | Menswear: Tom Dixon at The Executive’s Cutting Edge

Robyn Van Dyke is a delightful member of our Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory!

marissa Written with love by Marissa
2 Comments
  1. avatar Erica reply

    Beautiful tray! I would love to feature this in my kitchen!

  2. avatar featured: southern weddings » Robyn Van Dyke Photography Blog reply

    […] to share that Anne & Nick’s gorgeous winter wedding at The Carolina Inn was featured on Southern Weddings during the week of Christmas! The joy from this wedding day will always make it one of my all-time […]

Southern Weddings reserves the right to delete comments which contain profanity or personal attacks or seek to promote a business unrelated to the post.  And remember: a good attitude is like kudzu – it spreads.  We love hearing your kind thoughts!

Reply to:
close
Top