Bride Tori’s joyful wedding at The Biltmore Estate.
Please meet today’s bride, Tori! Of course, I think that all our bride’s look stunning on their wedding day’s, but it’s hard not to smile while looking at nearly all these photos of Tori – that bed jumping photo is exactly how I hope every single one of our brides feels when marrying her groom! According to Tori, she and her beau Matthew are just “Two goofy people who happened to meet at the perfect time.” While Tori might say “goofy,” I’d say joy-filled! Based on the above comment, I’m a tad surprised by her favorite part of their wedding. Tori said, “The ceremony was our favorite part! I honestly didn’t realize how much fun it would be to get married.” Well, now I see why! That might be one of my favorite reason’s to date. You absolutely want to keep scrolling for more of Tori and Matthew’s Biltmore wedding!
Big SW hugs to Natalie Watson for these sweet photos!
Tell us the highlights of finding your wedding dress. I went with my mom to every shop, and she was always the perfect person to bounce ideas off of. I wanted it to twirl, and I did NOT want strapless. Low and behold, my mom and I fell in love with a twirly strapless gown that we both knew was perfect!
Did you decide to do a first look? We did do a first look, and we’re both SO glad that we did! There were no distractions — we just enjoyed the moment. Another bonus is that at the reception we didn’t have to take time to leave and take photos. We could enjoy our time with each other and with our families.
What made you choose your ceremony and reception venues? One requirement of the wedding was that it be outside. I was raised in north Georgia, so mountains were the backdrop to my life. The Biltmore had the incredible view that I always wanted and amazing service to go along with it.
What were some of the most meaningful or special parts of your ceremony? The ceremony was our favorite part! I honestly didn’t realize how much fun it would be to get married. We exchanged traditional vows, and we also each wrote a letter to each other. They are now hanging on our walls at home.
What was Southern about your wedding? Ha! Everyone and everything. I’m from Georgia; Matt is from Florida; we fell in love in North Carolina. We got married in the mountains. We ate pecan pie to celebrate. We had bourbon in our glasses to toast. We ate s’mores, danced to “Wagon Wheel,” and prayed that we would get through whatever life threw at us.
Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. A quartet played instrumental music as we entered and exited the ceremony. The parents and grandparents walked in to “Thinking Out Loud” by Ed Sheeran and the bridal party walked in to “I Want you Back” by Jackson 5 (so much fun watching them dance in!). I walked in to “How Long Will I Love You” by Jon Boden, which was also our first dance song! And we all exited to ‘Shut Up and Dance’ by Walk the Moon. Matthew and his mother danced to “Boys of Fall” by Kenny Chesney, a throwback to when Matt was a football star in high school. My dad and I danced to “Georgia on my Mind” by Ray Charles, a perfect trace back to my roots.
What did you serve for your wedding cake or dessert? We had pie! This was my second requirement of the big day. I like cake, but I LOVE pie. We had pecan, chocolate, and peach streusel (another homage to my Georgia roots!). We did have a small coconut cake to slice in to for a first bite, but the pies were where it was at!
Tell us your love story in one sentence. Two goofy people who happened to meet at the perfect time :)
Tell us all about the proposal! MATTHEW IS AMAZING! New Year’s is the one holiday that we always spend together. He told me he was going to fly in to Atlanta on December 31st and meet me downtown that evening. I spent the day shopping for a New Year’s dress with my sister and being surprised by my favorite cousin to get my nails done. Right when I thought it was time to go towards Atlanta, my sister and cousin started driving in the other direction. They handed me a laptop and headphones and told me to watch. All of my friends and family began to tell me how much they love me and how they have loved getting to know me and Matt separately and as a couple. When the video was over, we parked, and I was told to put on a blindfold, hold their hands, and follow them. When the blindfold came off, I saw a sidewalk lined with luminaries and flower petals. I followed them until I saw my goofy, tall, perfect boyfriend standing under twinkly lights with a goofy grin dancing to a song from our favorite movie, “About Time.” The rest was perfect, including a friend hiding in the bushes to take pictures and our families back home to celebrate with us.
When did y’all get married? September 3rd, 2017
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? About 120
What was your favorite detail from your wedding? We didn’t want a big fabricated event — we wanted an outdoorsy, charming, casual wedding, our favorite things with our favorite people. Asheville Event Co. made sure that the reception was exactly what we envisioned. They really listened to what defined us as a couple and celebrated it.
What was your favorite thing about wedding planning? We definitely had differing ideas, but they allowed Matt and me to come together and support each other. We learned what was important to each other, and we really advocated for one another.
What was the hardest part about planning your wedding? There were a lot of moving parts! We had a fun gathering for our friends on Friday night, followed by a day at summer camp (the summer camp that Matt went to and worked at) on Saturday. Then we had our rehearsal and rehearsal dinner that night, and all Sunday was full of prepping. We were excited/nervous about everything that had to be done, but Missy (at AEC) made it really easy!
What was one way you saved money or cut costs at your wedding? We didn’t focus on the embellishments too much, but instead focused our efforts on the entertainment and food. We found what was important to us and focused on that. The rest was an added plus, but not something that would make or break our day.
What advice would you give to someone currently planning a wedding? Be around people that bring you up! There will always be people that make the planning a little more stressful. Remember that this is a day for you to celebrate with your betrothed. Surround yourself with people that make it exciting and happy, and that will make it enjoyable.
Photographer: Natalie Watson | Videographer: Magic Hour Creative | Planner: Asheville Event Co. | Venue, caterer, lighting, and dessert baker: Diana at The Biltmore Estate | Florist: Blossoms at Biltmore Park | Rentals: The Biltmore and CER | Band: The Free | Paper products: The Happy Envelope | Bride’s gown: “Agatha 13704” in ivory by Watters Wtoo | Bridal salon, veil, earrings: The White Magnolia | Hair stylist: Love, Daisy | Makeup artist: Blush by Wendy Balance | Bride’s shoes: Steve Madden | Bridesmaid dresses: Watters 244 in Plum from Bella Bridesmaids | Menswear: Men’s Wearhouse | Ceremony musicians: Ron Clearfield
I love their joy! I can completely relate to Tori’s sentiments about the ceremony, too! :)