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We have a treat for y’all today–a Maryland wedding! This northernmost Southern state (it is technically below the Mason-Dixon, after all) was the perfect place for Whitney and Benjamin to gather their loved ones from Savannah, Washington DC, and everywhere in between. The pastel colors and flowers they chose were undeniably feminine, but I love that Whitney made sure to include Benjamin’s two wedding requests: a choir to sing “Oh Happy Day” as they left their ceremony (so fun!) and a fabulous live band at the reception. After reading through their sweet interview though, I can’t help but wonder if these two even noticed all of the lovely details at their wedding–they are clearly so smitten with each other and were totally focused on becoming husband and wife!

Thanks so much to Karena Dixon for sharing this pretty day with us!

My something blue was a pair of beautiful blue topaz earrings Benj gave to me as a gift on our wedding day. For something old, I carried a crystal clutch that was once my Grandma Honey’s, and I had a piece of my momma’s wedding dress and my Grandma Gretchen’s wedding headpiece wrapped around my bouquet. It was so nice to honor both of my grandmothers and my mother in that way! My shoes and perfume were my something new.

From Benjamin: My most memorable moment of our wedding day was seeing Whitney for the first time on The Strand. I am usually tight with anticipation or anxiety about big moments, but when I saw her, everything washed away and I could not have been more relaxed. She looked drop-dead gorgeous, so I also realized that I was fighting way above my weight class. I knew without a shadow of a doubt that this journey was going to be incredible.

What made you choose your ceremony and reception venues? Did they have any special significance to you? We chose our reception venue first. We wanted our reception to be close to the water near Easton, MD (where I am from), and the Tred Avon Yacht Club fit the bill! They have great spaces and delicious food as well. We didn’t want our guests to have to travel too far after the ceremony, so we started looking at churches in Oxford. After attending a service at Waters United Methodist Church and experiencing feelings of warmth and fun among the congregation (their choir is great!), I knew we had found the spot. It was also less than a mile from the Yacht Club, so it was a perfect fit!

Describe your wedding flowers. I LOVED my wedding flowers! I knew I wanted to combine the soft pastels of spring with romantic whites. I also knew I wanted to carry a full, lush, peony bouquet. The reception table arrangements alternated vases overflowing with white, pastel, peach, and pink garden flowers (hydrangeas, peonies, roses, football mums, and dusty miller), and candelabras with smaller satellite arrangements of the same pastel flowers. Everything was gorgeous!

What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? As a classic Southerner, Benj insisted on wearing a cream dinner jacket and a custom made houndstooth tie and cummerbund set. More importantly, we both agreed that keeping our guests limited to close family and friends would be central to our ceremony and celebration. The church felt like a giant hug and our reception was a huge party. No one celebrates like the South and very few places put so much emphasis on a family-based upbringing. Many of our guests were true Southerners, either by location or by heart, and that resonated throughout the weekend through everyone’s love and support.

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. From Benjamin: I met Whitney in our freshman dorm at James Madison University in the fall of 2005. We immediately became great friends and partners in crime throughout our college years. Our relationship blossomed further when both of us moved to the Washington, DC area. As a native of Savannah, GA, this was quite a change of pace for me, so it was welcome news to hear that I would have my buddy in town. Eventually, we were hanging out with each other five nights a week, but we never saw each other much on the weekends, because Whitney had friends in Baltimore and Annapolis that she would visit regularly. As our relationship slowly turned into something that was more than friends, I finally convinced her to give me a weekend and go camping with me. When she started calling me “Ben” instead of “my friend, Ben,” her family knew the jig was up after months of telling her (rightfully so) that she was in love with me, and I had the same feelings.
Tell us all about the proposal! At 7:00 a.m. on Sunday, December 18, 2012, Benjamin woke me up saying it was time to go to the beach. I obviously protested, but my excuses didn’t work and we were out the door by 7:15. When we got to the beach, Benj pulled out a bag he had packed with blankets to lay on and get warm. We found a nice spot and sat there to watch the sunrise. As the sun peeked over the Atlantic, Benj suggested we take a walk to the water’s edge, where he got down on one knee in the early morning light and opened a box containing a gorgeous sparkling ring. I didn’t give him the chance to say anything before I emphatically said “YES!” He then got to say what he had planned, which was heartfelt and perfect, and I again gave him my answer. We returned to our blankets, popped a tasty bottle of champagne he had packed, and spent the next two hours alone with the excitement of our future life together before announcing it to our friends and family. It was a wonderful day!
When did y’all get married? May 18, 2013
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 125
Tell us about finding your wedding dress. Finding my dress was actually a LOT easier than I thought it would be! I was sure I would be indecisive and not find “the dress” on my first trip. I was in Maryland for my friend’s bridal shower the weekend I bought my dress, so many of my bridesmaids were able to come with me. We went to Betsy Robinson’s Bridal in Baltimore, and surrounded by my momma and five of my best friends, I found my dress after only trying on about six! The choice was clear when I walked out and the tears started flowing from my companions, along with the comment “You look like a BRIDE!” I knew I had found the dress I would wear walking down the aisle.
Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. One of Benj’s only requests for the wedding was to have a choir sing “Oh Happy Day” as we walked out of the church, so that is what we did, and it was amazing! For our first dance, we danced to Etta James’ “At Last” sang by our band. We have always loved that song and felt it spoke to our story as a couple. We had a very spirited first dance and the band was incredible!
What was one way you saved money or cut costs at your wedding? To save money, I kept one question in mind when making decisions: “Would I REALLY regret not having ___ for our wedding?” If the answer was not a definite yes, I moved on.
What is the one detail or vendor that you were so happy to have as a part of your wedding? We were so happy my Grandma Gretchen could be at our wedding. She passed away over Christmas and always said she wanted to live to see her only granddaughter walk down the aisle. We are so thankful she was not only able to be there, but also to dance and enjoy our wedding with us.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? My most memorable moment was right before dinner, sitting at the head table and taking in everything around me. I was sitting next to the love of my life at a table with our younger brothers and best friends, surrounded by both our families and family friends who have watched us grow into the people we are today. Behind us was the river I grew up on and the band was playing some soft tunes that sounded incredible. I felt so fortunate and blessed in that moment, it still gives me chills to this day!
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? Try to incorporate both of you into the wedding! Benj’s only requests were for a choir at the ceremony and a large live band. Being able to see how happy he was with both of those things made the day even better for me too!
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you most looking forward to about married life? We just bought our first house! We are excited to make it our own and live and grow in it together. I asked Benj this question and he said, “I am looking forward to growth. I look forward to growing as a person, as a friend, as a husband, and eventually as a father. My wife helps me every single day to become the best version of myself. I look forward to continuing to be able to look in the mirror and see someone that is worth the woman that God brought into my life. I look forward to teaching our kids how to fish, water-ski, and sail. I look forward to continuing to be happy with what I have been blessed with; now, today, and tomorrow. I do not look forward to losing my hair.” Who wouldn’t love this guy?!

Photographer: Karena Dixon / Planner: Kari Rider Weddings and Events / Ceremony Venue: Waters United Methodist Church / Reception Venue: Tred Avon Yacht Club / Florist: Monteray Farms / Wedding Cake: Julie Bakes / Rentals: Eastern Shore Tents and Events / Band: The XPD’s / Bride’s Gown: “Mimi” by Watters / Bridal Salon: Betsy Robinson’s Bridal / Paper Products: La Paperie / Hair Stylist: Serendipidy / Bride’s Shoes: Kate Spade / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Carol Hannah, Saja, Amsale / Custom Crab Mallets: Bay Imprint

lisa Written with love by Lisa
6 Comments
  1. avatar Laura Radniecki reply

    What a BEAUTIFUL day!!! Ahhh, everything was truly picture perfect!

    All of this southern talk makes me [a born and bred Minnesotan] want to become a southern belle! :)

  2. avatar Southern Weddings Weekly Round-Up – Southern Weddings Magazine reply

    […] and Grayson‘s wedding included a sentimental ceremony and lots of sweet treats! Whitney and Benjamin had the sweetest first look at their nautical pastel Maryland wedding. We’re so honored to […]

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    […] Karena Dixon via Southern Weddings (left); Matt And Lena Photography/Martins Alves via Style Me Pretty […]

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    […] Photography   |   Laurel McConnell Photography   |   Rebekah J. Murray Photography   |   Karena Dixon   |   Studio Eleven Weddings   |   Alea Lovely   |   Shannon Moffit Photography   […]

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    […] Karena Dixon Photography via Southern Weddings […]

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I can only imagine how much Haley and Dylan’s wedding from V6 inspired not only countless brides, thanks to the bright color palette and unique design elements, but also, many Southern grooms, thanks to the delectable-looking bacon bar! This fun Charleston wedding is a feast to the eyes, as well as a fabulous representation of Haley and Dylan’s self-proclaimed “over the top” personalities. They chose the bold colors and details to reflect their belief in living life to the fullest. Considering how much fun it sounds like everyone had, I’m sure the night was a wonderful reminder of this for their guests as well!

We’re so glad Tim of Timwill Photography was on hand to capture this special day and share it with us!

A Charleston Bride does such a great job with florals, I didn’t have to give much direction. Our flowers were bright red, pinks and corals, and most were displayed in a variety of gold containers. They were a mix of spray roses, cymbidium orchids, tulips, dahlia, hydrangea, peonies, ranunculus, celosia and lisianthus.

Being in the wedding industry, I always wanted to choose a time of year that was considered “off-season.” However, Dylan proposed in November and I didn’t want to wait until the winter of 2014, so summer it was! Lowndes Grove is my most favorite spot in Charleston, so there was no doubt with that choice!

We chose our ceremony music based on the music we both loved, and we were okay with not being super traditional. We chose a string duo to play some more modern songs. I walked down the aisle to “Imagine” by John Lennon and we recessed to “All You Need is Love” by the Beatles. Our officiant was also the president of our college–it was very important to us for him to be included in our big day. He is the most inspirational speaker and was very special to us.

Did you have a cocktail hour? If so, what was it like? Our cocktail hour was on the front lawn of Lowndes Grove. We served a specialty cocktail made of champagne, St Germain, and brandied cherries. The glass was rimmed with edible gold glitter! The weather was absolutely perfect and the sun was just starting to set on the Ashley River.

What was the design inspiration for your reception? To put it mildly, we are pretty over-the-top people. Dylan and I love making a statement and we wanted the room to be filled with color and truly embody us as a couple and how we live our lives to the fullest. With the help of our planner, Melissa, we chose a palette of red, pink, and metallic gold! We also wanted the lighting in the tent to be insane–Technical Event Company used a mix of amber uplighting and gold chandeliers to really amp up the natural beauty of the plantation.

Who was your favorite vendor and why? Melissa, our wedding planner. She really kept us sane the entire time. Her attention to detail is unrivaled and I had never met someone more organized than me until I met her! I rarely meet someone that can fully read my mind (especially when it is going in a million directions) but then rein me in at the same time. I remember at one point she said, “No Haley, we cannot have a fully gold confetti wall, edible gold glitter, gold cakes, gold chandeliers and a gold dance floor”–and sometimes I needed that!

What kind of food did you serve? Custom hors d’oeuvres were passed along with oysters on the half shell during cocktail hour. Chef Nico Romo of Fish Restaurant catered an entire custom menu based on our favorite meals and family recipes. Some of our favorites were “Dylan’s Bacon Bar” that included pork belly sandwiches, “piggy pops,” and even bacon-infused bourbon. We also served fried catfish and gravy with horseradish mashed potatoes, which is a staple in the Harper home! My parents wrote a cookbook together based on family recipes, so it was important to us that we shared some of our favorites with everyone. Having amazing food was probably most important thing to us. That is one of the reasons we chose Lowndes Grove–so we could use their caterer!!

We chose to have three different cakes! All were beautifully done with various gold designs. My favorite cake had gold polka dots and a fondant bow that mimicked the bow on my wedding dress. We had three flavors: chocolate with honey buttercream, lemon with passion fruit mousse, and raspberry jam and almond cake with cinnamon cream cheese.

Best advice or most memorable comment someone made to you during the wedding celebration: “Hold hands, look both ways and stay together.” My dad said this in his toast. It is something he has told me since I was a little girl and I never realized until that night how important it really was.

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. Dylan and I met mainly because my college roommate and one of my best friends had a huge crush on him. While I was out of town one of the first weekends of our freshmen year of college, he and his friends decided to play a prank on her! I came home to a completely turned upside down room–drawers flipped upside down, sheets off the bed, and everything a complete mess!! The next time I saw him, I told him he was never allowed in our room again. Our love story is definitely a little slower–we started as inseparable friends and our foundation is based on that friendship. It wasn’t until a year later that we decided to take that risk of turning our friendship into something romantic. After that, we never turned back.
Tell us all about the proposal! Dylan told me that we had a work dinner to go to at one of my favorite restaurants in Charleston, Charleston Grill. We arrived about ten minutes late. They served us a glass of champagne and let us know that our party was late as well, which seemed odd to me. We were escorted to the courtyard area, and not a minute later, Dylan was down on one knee asking the most important question of my life! He had also booked a photographer to capture every moment of the proposal! I wanted to call my parents immediately, but Dylan told me that he had a surprise outside and to not get on the phone. I was then surprised by my very best friend and maid of honor, Ashley, and our best friend Clarke on rickshaws draped in string lights with a “JUST ENGAGED” sign! The rickshaws then drove us to Fish Restaurant, where we were greeted by family and friends. It truly was the most magical night and we’ve never felt so loved!
Tell us about your beautiful engagement ring and how/why your husband (or the two of you!) chose it: I always thought I knew what I wanted in an engagement ring, but found I was so wrong when I actually went and tried them on! Dylan ended up getting a ring made for me that included some family stones, which made it very special for us. It is a five-stone round diamond ring, and it is stunning! My wedding band is all rubies and family stones from my grandmother. Dylan’s wedding band is a gold band engraved with lyrics from our wedding song, “The Best is Yet to Come,” and our wedding date.
Three adjectives that describe the day are: Fabulous, romantic, unforgettable.
How many friends, family, and loved ones attended your wedding? 180
Tell us about finding your wedding dress. What was your favorite thing about it? My wedding dress was beautiful, and the second I tried it on, I knew it was the one. My mother, mother-in-law, and one of my friends came dress shopping with me over Thanksgiving, and our last stop was Maddison Row. Lindsey, the store manager, made me feel 100 percent comfortable throughout the entire process and we still see each other often. My favorite part of my dress was the horsehair bow with lace ends that was around the waist. We also incorporated this design on our cake.
Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line? We used a mix of traditional and contemporary vows. We thought it was important to focus on the words and what we were promising to one another, so we worked really hard to make sure each line was something we would and could live by for the rest of our lives. Our favorite line was “All that I am, I give to you and all that I have, I share with you.”
Were there any family traditions you included in the ceremony? My mom gave me her penny that she wore in her shoe for good luck the day of her wedding.
What was the most memorable or touching moment about your wedding day? The morning of my wedding, I started the day having breakfast alone with my parents. Being both only children, this was a big day for us! Afterwards, my dad dropped my mom and I off at Lowndes Grove to start getting ready, and not much later, I received a flower arrangement with a note that read “I love you, Ms. Harper!!! Love, Daddy.”
Did you toss the garter or bouquet? Yes! We had too. You don’t see it too much at weddings anymore, but I swear, it is the most fun part! Something funny always happens. At our wedding, Dylan totally missed everyone during the garter toss, so he had to do it again!
Tell us about your grand exit. We had a sparkler exit, which I think always looks the most magical in pictures! Then we left in a 1966 red Pontiac GTO!!.
What was Southern about your wedding? We are both from the South, so we definitely included some Southern traditions. Dylan gave his best guy friends monogrammed rocks glasses with our wedding date and bourbon and coke in a cigar box. Dylan’s fraternity brothers did their traditional “round up,” which is where they basically all sing in a circle and pour beer on one another. We nixed the beer throwing for our wedding though! During the ceremony, my dad walked me down the aisle, Dylan’s dad was his best man, and we both had a house party instead having a bridal party. My high school girlfriends and I have a hanky that we are passing down with our new initials on it to wrap around our bouquets. I was the second person to use it and it was really special. Before the ceremony, we opted not to see each other at all–I think that may be where all the nerves came from, but it was so worth it once the doors opened and I walked onto the front lawn at Lowndes Grove.
Did you take a honeymoon? If so, where? We decided to go to San Francisco and wine country. Dylan and I are total foodies and love a great glass of vino. We wanted to go somewhere that would get us out of the heat a bit and allow us to really enjoy our time together.
What advice would you give to someone currently planning his or her wedding? Two things: have a welcome party, even if it is something small or a get together at a local spot. It really helped us make our rounds and say hello to everyone so we didn’t feel pressure on our big day. Second, hire a planner. They make your life way easier throughout the whole process so that you feel 100 percent carefree during your wedding week and while you are away for your honeymoon.

Photographer: Tim Willoughby / Videographer: Film Anywhere Productions / Planner: Melissa Barton with A Charleston Bride / Designer and Florist: A Charleston Bride / Venue: Lowndes Grove / Catering: Patrick Properties Hospitality Group / Wedding Cake: Susie Ieronomo / Bride’s Gown: “Promise” by Monique Lhuillier / Bridal Salon: Maddison Row / Bride’s Shoes: Christian Louboutin / Bride’s Earrings: Croghan’s Jewel Box / Bride’s Veil: Vera Wang / Hair Stylist: Paper Dolls, Carrie McLeod / Makeup Artist: Elina Mille / Groom’s Fashion: Ben Silver / Paper Products: Lytle Cannon / Rentals: Snyder Event Rentals / Linens: Snyder Events Rentals and Nuage Designs / Transportation: Lowcountry Loop / Lighting: Technical Event Company / Band: Charleston Groove Factory / Ceremony Music: Other Brother Entertainment / Calligraphy: Paige Tanenbaum / Officiant: Dr. John Griffith

A Charleston Bride is a delightful member of our Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory!

lisa Written with love by Lisa
7 Comments
  1. avatar Amanda {Planning It All} reply

    I love all of the thought that went into crafting a menu that was meaningful to the couple and their families!

  2. avatar Southern Weddings Weekly Round-Up – Southern Weddings Magazine reply

    […] at a venue that is both incredibly stunning and deeply meaningful to Catherine’s family. Haley and Dylan‘s fun personalities came through so perfectly at their bold red and gold wedding. Kelly and […]

  3. avatar Lindsay {Everistta} reply

    Love all the colors in this stunning wedding! The multiple cakes so pretty!

  4. avatar Charleston Wedding Film by Film Anywhere Productions – Southern Weddings Magazine reply

    […] will always remind us of how in love we are. You can find Haley and Dylan’s wedding on the blog here, and lots more wedding films […]

  5. avatar Andrea Follman reply

    Can you tell me where you ordered the koozies from?!

  6. avatar Brittany reply

    Please tell me where you ordered the koozies from

  7. avatar Dana reply

    Where did you order your drink koozies from?

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Y’all are in for a real treat! While we Southern Weddings ladies pick the confetti out of our hair and revel in the amazingness that we were able to celebrate with so many of y’all last night at the launch party, you get to enjoy this super fun wedding! Before I gush over all the goodness, I have to say that Kristin Vining, the photographer of this gorgeous soirée, and I share a common bond. Both of our darling husbands actually played on the same baseball team in Charlotte, though sadly, at different times! I’m tickled to know her!

Now to gush over Rachel + Zack’s day. Lisa and I kept looking at the photos and saying how fun this wedding looked! Maybe it’s R + Z’s outlook on life: “We want to live like the world is our playground, even though the farm will always be home.” Or maybe its’s that Rachel’s outlook on flowers: “go big, or go home” (my personal theory on hair and eyelashes). Either way, we can’t help but smile when we scroll through this wedding!

Big hugs to Kristin for sharing it with us!

We were so honored to have LulaKate outfit us for the Launch Party–we didn’t want to take our fun frocks off! I imagine these gals felt the same way!

For flowers, we used the concept “go big, or go home.” My bouquet was a monster, but an insanely gorgeous monster. I wanted peonies, and a whole lot of them. Our florist spared no expense at making each table feel lush, with the most beautiful flowers. My mother and my grandmother have always loved flowers, and we managed to knock even their socks off. I will never regret our flower budget.

Did you decide to do a “first look”? Why or why not? Absolutely. We wanted to have some time together prior to all the craziness, and this was the perfect opportunity to do so. Also, we wanted to have the majority of the pictures out of the way prior to the ceremony, so were free to party with our guests after we became husband and wife.
Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line? We decided to do traditional vows, and we were very happy with that choice.

Gah, they look like they are having so much fun!

Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. We walked down the aisle to “Marry Me.” I have loved this song since the day it came out and found it fitting to walk down the aisle too. We walked back up the aisle to “Signed, Sealed, and Delivered.” We wanted it to be fun and peppy (plus, we wanted to lighten the mood and start the party!).

What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? My groom is Southern to the core. He was raised in tobacco fields and hog farms. While our venue was modern and I fancy myself a lover of all things city, the food was a nod to the South, with good ole shrimp and grits, chicken tenders, ham biscuits, etc.

Our favorite detail of the wedding was: I would probably say the overall design. I know that encompasses a ton of details, but a good design was what made all the “itty bitty” details happen. I think having a design board to work from (courtesy of Katrina, our planner) and to provide to all the vendors was one thing that made our wedding unique. Every detail fell into our overall design. There was an “image” or “look” we were going for, and I think it was achieved in the end.

Describe your wedding cake or dessert. Why have one cake when you can have three? We had three wedding cakes, all with different flavors. The cakes were absolutely amazing and one of the focal points of the wedding.

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. We met during our first year of college at North Carolina State University. One of my sorority sisters was having a party at her house and she was hoping to introduce me to one of her male friends from her hometown. Upon arriving to the party, I immediately knew that there was no connection between myself and the gentleman that she had “picked out” for me. Instead, a dark-haired, tall fellow wearing a pink polo shirt had caught my eye. We spent the night getting to know one another and exchanged numbers at the end of the evening. Zack called the next day to invite me to a movie, but I was too studious to ditch class, so I turned down his offer. Luckily, he didn’t get scared off too easily and invited me to lunch at a little Italian restaurant the next week. After a wonderful lunch and a kiss on the cheek goodbye, I called my mom and told her that he was the one. The rest is history.
Tell us all about the proposal! Zack proposed Christmas Day of 2010. After spending the day with family and friends, we were purportedly headed back to my uptown Charlotte apartment that I was living in at the time, but instead, we made a wrong turn. Before I knew what was happening, we were turning into the Ritz Carlton. Zack said we were stopping just to have a few drinks, which I didn’t think to be unusual, so I got out of the car and proceeded inside without any suspicions of what was coming. From there, I learned we were not only going to have a couple of drinks, but we were also spending the night. After checking into our room and coming back down to grab drinks, I noticed the staff to be more than attentive than usual and very chatty. I just assumed everyone was in the Christmas spirit! What I didn’t know at the time was that our suite upstairs was being turned into a candle-filled space that would become the scene of our engagement. At one point, I was so tired that I begged Zack to take me back to the room, but he kept stalling. I think he walked me around every inch of the hotel. Finally, when he allowed me to go back to the room, I opened the door to find more candles than I had ever seen in one place in my life, and out of my peripheral vision, I saw a little box on the corner of the bed. Before I had time to process what was happening, my love was down on one knee popping the question. Of course, I said a resounding YES. I should add to this story that throughout all of this, it was snowing. Yes, snowing in the South on Christmas. It was a breathtaking view looking over the candles in our room to the window of one of the top floors of the Ritz Carlton to see the snow falling outside.
When did y’all get married? April 13, 2013
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? About 200
Tell us about finding your wedding dress. Finding my wedding dress was easy, as I found it on the very first day we went dress shopping. I had seen a picture of the dress in a magazine and found a place in Charlotte, North Carolina that carried it. Upon trying it on, I knew it was the one, but allowed myself to try on a few others and go to one other bridal boutique. By the end of the same day, my mom and I were back at the first store buying my dress and the beautiful sash to go with it.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? During the wedding planning, I transitioned from law student to new lawyer. My time was so consumed with my career that I felt like the wedding was going to be put on the back burner. By hiring a wedding planner, I was able to let someone else make sure all the details were accounted for and all the i’s were dotted and t’s crossed.
If you are comfortable responding, what range did your wedding budget fall into? $50,000-$75,000
What is the one detail or vendor that you were so happy to have as a part of your wedding? There are actually three people that I could not have done without: my planner, my photographer, and my hair/make-up artist (who also did the fashion styling). They were the perfect trifecta. Together, they made my day absolute perfection (at least in my eyes).
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? The one thing I will never forget is rounding the corner of the aisle and seeing Zack standing at the end with tears running down his face. It was at that moment that everyone and everything else slipped to the back of my mind and I was focused on getting to Zack and becoming his wife.
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? I believe going at it alone is a HUGE mistake. I think hiring a good team is essential to having your day go seamlessly and having peace of mind that all hands are on deck to take care of the details. It is worth the extra money to have less stress in the long run.
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you most looking forward to about married life? As a married couple, we want to live like the world is our playground, even though the farm will always be home. We want to sneak in as many vacations as possible prior to starting a family. We also look forward to building our very first home in Eastern North Carolina.

marissa Written with love by Marissa
8 Comments
  1. avatar Kristin Vining reply

    Eeeeekkk!! This lights up my heart and tickles me pink!!! My sweet, Marissa…love you and that little family beyond words. Thank you for sharing this amazing wedding…start to finish it was designed beautifully by Come + Together Events (Katrina Hutchins) and little Rach and Zach have imprinted on my heart forever. THANK YOU to you…AND the entire SW Team for putting together the most perfect story of this day! HUGS!!! ~ K

  2. avatar Rachel Sholar reply

    Thank you for the absolutely beautiful feature. It will forever be one of the very best days of our lives. We couldn’t be more thankful to all those that made it happen. R + Z

  3. avatar Featured: Southern Weddings » come+together events reply

    […] so much to Southern Weddings for featuring Rachel+Zacks’ big day. I can’t do it with out the amazing vendors that I am […]

  4. avatar Katrina Hutchins (Come+Together Events) reply

    Thank you ladies so much for featuring this sweet wedding! You are the best! xo

  5. avatar Emily reply

    Love their rooftop ceremony, and of course love their mini food! :)

  6. avatar Corinna Hoffman reply

    Love how they paired gray with pink & orange.

  7. avatar Southern Weddings Feature | Lindsey Regan Thorne | wardrobe stylist + makeup artist + hair reply

    […] What an honor it is to have work featured on Southern Weddings! […]

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