A Southern Soiree

Redirecting You to Our New Blog!

2010-08-08T16:06:00.000-04:00

Bea and Dwayne featured on Style Me Pretty!

2010-08-03T13:07:00.002-04:00

We are so honored to have this fabulous wedding featured on Style Me Pretty! Bea and Dwayne were fabulous to work with and their wedding was absolutely stunning! Check it out on Style Me Pretty and look for our blog post about them soon!

We've been featured!

2010-07-30T00:10:00.004-04:00

Abigail and Joe featured on Southern Weddings Blog. Part 1 is here and Part 2 is here! Enjoy the deliciousness!

Amy and Rod's wedding

2010-07-21T22:53:00.025-04:00

Amy and Rod were married in July in downtown Raleigh. Rod and Amy had planned an amazing week for their family and friends and we were so thankful for being included in their big weekend! Their color palate was black, white and green and it was so crisp and clean and beautiful! Everyone had such an amazing time and Rod and Amy were such an amazing couple to work with! Enjoy their amazing images from Shane Snider below!

Rod and Amy had a "first look" before their ceremony at the Carolina Country Club. This is a great idea if you are running on a tight schedule or want to enjoy your cocktail hour because you are able to take most of your photos before the ceremony!

Love Rod's reaction here!

This is one of my all time favorite photos. We all had to be very quiet waiting in the narthex of the church and our flowergirl was just making sure everyone was following the rules. :)

The amazing Tesh Parekh created a portrait of the ceremony in real time as a gift to the couple. Check out the finished product here, so amazing!

Such a gentleman, holding the door...and the bouquet!

Rod made a very touching speech to Amy and their guests, lots of laughs!

Amy was on the NC State Dance team, as were alot of the bridesmaids and guests. We were treated to a couple performances by them, it was awesome!

Gotta love the sparkler departure!

Congrats Amy and Rod, best wishes you two!

Vendors:

Reception: Carolina Country Club

Photographer: Shane Snider Photography

Videography: Barton Creek Weddings

Entertainment: Mitch with Bunn DJ Company

Florist: Fresh Affairs

Stationary: Paper Cafe

Cake: Swank Cakes

Rentals: CE Rentals

Transportation: Harrison Global

Amanda and Wes

2010-07-11T22:12:00.025-04:00

Amanda and Wes were married in June in Winston Salem, NC. Winston is one of my all time favorite towns because it has some great history but also because it is the birthplace of the Krispy Kreme! :) Wes and Amanda were planning from afar (like alot of our brides) and entrusted us to help with their entire planning process. Amanda was such a doll to work with and seeing her enjoy her beautiful day was so rewarding for me! Enjoy the beautiful images from Photo Innovations below!

Amanda's beautiful bouquet full of tulips and ranunculus, delicious!

Our colors for this wedding were yellow and navy and it was stunning! The yellow florals looked amazing against the bridesmaids navy dresses.

Is she not adorable?!

Isn't she just gorgeous?!

Amanda and Wes are married!

Amanda and Wes's favor cards, they made a donation to the Shelter for Help in Emergency. Many of our brides are taking this route in lieu of a standard favor

Lanterns were hung in the trees around Graylyn and the White Garden looked gorgeous when the sun went down!

Their yummy and gorgeous cake!

Graylyn at night, just beautiful!

Just a few pics of the many rooms that we used for the wedding.

View of the Atlantis room from the White Garden.

Amanda and the girls dancing the night away thanks to the one and only Joe Bunn from Bunn DJ Company. The dance floor was packed the entire time he played for us!

Congrats Wes and Amanda, you were a dream couple, love you to pieces!

Vendors:

Ceremony: Centenary United Methodist

Reception: Graylyn

Photographer: Photo Innovations

Florist: Floral Visions

DJ: Joe Bunn, Bunn DJ Company

Lighting: Bunn DJ Company

Band: Adrian Duke Project

Cake: Ketchie Creek Bakery

Rentals: CE Rentals and Hauser Rentals

Dress: Nitsa's

Sarah and Brian

2010-07-07T20:46:00.013-04:00

Sarah and Bryan were married in May at one of my all time favorite locations, Wakefield Plantation in Raleigh. Their staff is so amazing and the food is delish! Sarah and Bryan are such a cute couple, so in love, and their relationship is so darn sweet! Their ceremony was threatened by some looming thunderstorms and we had a scary clap of thunder in the middle, but we finished just in time before the skies opened up! Timing is everything :) Mike Bayley captured the gorgeous images of their wonderful day, enjoy!

The boys goofing off before the ceremony!

Lovely programs, handmade by the bride!

The happy couple are married!

Check out those storm clouds...

Absolutely stunning bridal party!

Another great wedding, thanks to Sarah and Bryan for including us in their special day!

Vendors:

Ceremony and Reception: TPC Wakefield Plantation

Photography: Mike Bayley

Rentals: CE Rentals

Stationary: Jaclyn Parks

DJ: Kent Bloms from Bunn DJ Company

Sneak peek of Kelly's big day

2010-06-16T00:36:00.015-04:00

Kelly and Will were married in May in Mt Airy, NC. Enjoy a sneak peak thanks to a combo of personal photos taken by me, Classic Party Rentals and Fresh Affairs! The professional images from Walters and Walters will arrive shortly. In the meantime, enjoy!

Hundreds of flowers in Fresh Affairs warehouse for Kelly's wedding!

Darby, our ridiculously adorable ring bearer!

The Fresh Affairs truck full of flowers!

One of the many pomanders used throughout the wedding.

The ceremony being set up!

The sides of the outdoor chapel.

The view of reception at Raffaldini as you drive in to the property.

Another view of the tent!

Hydrangeas and roses floating in the fountain.

The flower fountain!

Our Laura gets married!!

2010-06-15T23:39:00.015-04:00

One of our amazing coordinators, Laura got married in May at a private home in Mebane. She has been planning her wedding since she was a little girl and it turned out beautifully! She did such a great job pulling off the gorgeous details and everyone had an awesome time, including me! Even though I did direct her ceremony, I got to enjoy her reception as a guest and I loved it, such a treat! Ken from Bunn DJ Company had us on the dance floor all night long, he was awesome! Enjoy her fabulous photos from the wonderful Lashelle Chappell!

Love her pink shoes! Her and I had been searching the internet for the perfect pink shoes for both of our weddings and she found this gorgeous pair, so cute!

Isn't she stunning!

Very cute flower girls, they were very excited for their big wedding day job!

Laura's yummy bouquet!

Laura's dad walking her down the aisle, very touching moment!

During the ceremony, to honor Marc's deceased grandparent's, Laura and Marc released 2 balloons. It was very touching!

LOVING the lighting in these photos, just gorgeous!

Just a few of the many details! One of my personal favorites (For those who know me know that this should not be a surprise) was the delicious cookies that family members made for the cookie bar. There were so many different flavors and they were all so yummy!

Laura and Marc did a waltz in honor of Marc's grandparents that have passed, it was beautiful!

An amazing wedding, so happy to see our little Laura married! Love you guys!

Vendors

Catering: Triangle Catering

Photography: Lashelle Chappell Photography

Florist: Fleurtations

Cake: Sweet Memories

DJ: Ken Holmes from Bunn DJ Company

Rentals: Classic Party Rentals

Officiant: Robin Renteria

Ceremony and Cocktail Musician: Zach Winningham

More Meredith and John

2010-06-03T20:10:00.032-04:00

Meredith and John were married on Bald Head Island at the Shoals Club in April. It was an amazing weekend for everyone involved, Meredith and John truly have such amazing family and friends! Meredith is a fabulous woman and I truly felt blessed to be a part of her special weekend. Because everyone was coming from all over it was important to them for their guests to feel welcome from the moment they arrived in Southport. We greeted guests upon their arrival at the ferry terminal with welcome bags and info for their stay on the island. From that point on, the guests were able to spend lots of time with the bride and groom at multiple events leading up to the wedding itself. Overall it was a great time had by all, with an awesome couple. Checkout the gorgeous images of the wedding and reception thanks to the ridiculously talented ladies at Whitebox Weddings!

Meredith's gorgeous bouquet, the peonies were divine!

Cute starfish bout's!

Bridesmaid's bouquets, these looked amazing against the color of the girls dresses!

The boys on the beach!

My stunning girls Alice, Hallie and Katie greeting the guests.

So here's the story with this photo...Laura is applying bug spray to one of the groomsmen's hair because the ginormous beach flies decided to hatch that weekend. And let me tell you, these flies are not normal flies. Once they decide you are their target they fly directly into your hair and burrow in there trying to drive you absolutely insane. I wish we had video of them in action, it was like nothing I had ever seen!

Meredith and John saying "I do!"

We had multiple centerpieces for this wedding, they varied depending on where the tables were located.

Great capiz chandeliers that the florist provided for the tent, they were gorgeous at night!

Pashmina's were provided for guests just in case they got chilly.

Yummy cake with edible seashells!

Once the band started it got crazy!

Even more crazy...

Crazier...

Full on madness!

Congrats Meredith and John! It was an amazing weekend and we loved every second of it!

Vendors:

Ceremony and Reception: Shoals Club (Tabatha and Erin were absolutely amazing to work with!)

Photography: Whitebox Weddings

Florist: Kim Fisher Designs

Rentals: Classic Party Rentals

Dress: Jenny Lee

Groomsman's suits: Joseph A Banks

Band: Party on the Moon

Housing for the Island: Bald Head Island Ltd

Mandi and Tim

2010-05-27T22:55:00.031-04:00

Mandi and Tim were married in May in Oxford, NC. To say that Mandi was special to me was an understatement, I love her to pieces! And I have to say, these two are so in love, it was such a joy to see! Plus their family and friends were absolutely amazing and supportive, they are both so truly blessed!

Back to details, shades of purple were our main focus for this wedding with an accent of champagne. I loved the color combo and it worked so beautifully together! Their ceremony was held in Oxford Baptist Church with their reception at Henderson Country Club. Our amazing photographers were James and Meridith of Walters and Walters, who provided us the gorgeous images you see here! Enjoy the fabulous eye candy!

Mandi and Tim's initials on the doors of the church, so cute!

Pew markers inside the church

The amazing floral altar piece at the church, stunning! It was easily as tall as me (well that's not saying much!).

The gorgeous letterpressed programs.

Flowergirl pomanders

Bridesmaids bouquets

Mother's bouquets

Mandi's amazing bouquet. Her mom had custom charms made to hang from her bouquet to honor loved one's that have passed.

Mandi with her dad right before the big moment!

The happy couple!

Tim surprised Mandi right after the ceremony with another band for her ring, so sweet!

Don't you just love the shoes? I want a pair for myself!

Their first dance. Two of the groomsmen sang it for them, it was very sweet!

The entrance of Henderson Country Club.

Custom coozies! Love it!

Their yummy cake, so delicious!

Love her! So happy she chose me to help with her big day! Congrats Mandi and Tim!

Vendors

Venue: Oxford Baptist and Henderson Country Club

Photography: Walters and Walters

Floral designer: Fresh Affairs

Rentals: Connie Duglin and Classic Party Rentals

Cake: Swank Cake Designs

Stationary: Paper Cafe

Band: The Fabulous Kays

Dress: Traditions North Hills

Abigail and Joe

2010-05-27T21:05:00.012-04:00

Abigail and Joe were married at the beginning of May at the amazingly gorgeous Raffaldini Vineyards . Abigail and Joe were a wonderful couple who wanted to be very conscious of having a green wedding, it was lovely! Abigail had such wonderful ideas and it was a joy to work with her! As you can see in the gorgeous images below by the amazing Abigail Seymour , the day turned out to be absolutely stunning! We had great vendors to work with on this wedding, they are all listed below! Enjoy the stunning images from Abigail!

We couldn't have asked for a more gorgeous day, the weather was wonderful!

Pale pink peonies were carried by the bridesmaids. We took the escort cards and pinned them with mini clothes pins to a gold ribbon and hung them right inside the tent.

Aren't they just the picture perfect couple?

To bring a little pop of color to the tent we hung poms from etsy in clusters on either side of the chandelier in the tent. Turned out amazingly, thank goodness Abigail Seymour was not there to catch images of the sheer terror I experienced while 15 feet in the air on a cherry picker!

The antique milk glasses Abigail collected for the wedding.

The place cards were placed at each place setting in wine corks collected by Joe and Abigail.

The centerpieces for each table, we used very natural elements, herbs, artichokes, etc.

Raffaldini is a stunning venue and I so enjoyed working there with such an awesome couple! Congrats Abigail and Joe!

Ceremony and Reception: Raffaldini Vineyards

Rentals: CE Rentals and Hauser Rentals

Photography: Abigail Seymour Photography

Flowers: Amy Lynne Originals

Caterer: Pepper Moon Catering

Poms: PomLove, Etsy

Transportation: Yveddi

Dress: Priscilla of Boston

Guest Accomodations: Fairfield Inn

Meredith and John make Weddings Unveiled!

2010-05-20T19:12:00.002-04:00

We just received word that Meredith and John are featured on Weddings Unveiled! Check it out!

Check us out on the news!

2010-05-08T00:32:00.003-04:00

We were recently interviewed with one of our fabulous couples about planning a wedding on a budget by Renee Chou with WRAL. Check it out here!

Meredith and John sneak peak!

2010-05-03T13:56:00.009-04:00

Meredith and John were married at The Shoals Club on Bald Head Island at the end of April and here is a sneak peak from the fabulous ladies at Whitebox Weddings. They are absolutely amazing and their images prove it! Enjoy and look for more images to come!

Letters like these make it all worth it!

2010-05-03T13:36:00.003-04:00

We just received this amazing email from one of our brides. This absolutely made my day and yes, I shed a few tears over it :) Brides like these make me love what I do even more!

First, there are no words to thank you enough - but, I'll try my best to sum it up with a few.

Thank you for making our wedding weekend the most amazing weekend of our lives - truly. Every single detail was perfect because of you and your wonderful team. I have never met somebody who not only met but exceeded my own attentiveness to detail; you not only did so, but did it with such incredible grace and your ever-calming smile and laughter. Our guests felt welcomed throughout the weekend, had a blast at each of the events, and have all commented that the details were absolutely perfect. From the organized shuttling of people to the ferry; to the trams that were timed perfectly for departure; to the beautiful set up of each event; to the way that you helped me and our families just relax and enjoy the weekend - we were all blown away by you as a person and a coordinator. I loved every single second of the weekend, and felt absolutely calm throughout, knowing that you could handle anything that came your way. I don't know how anybody could have done a better job handling our many demands and combining the detailed vision that our two families had for the weekend. My only regret is that it is over, and I can't call you regularly for pep talks about anything that comes up - but I guess that's what John is for now :). I know you are off to your next big, perfect event; but I hope that you get at least a day or two to sit back and be proud of the amazing fete you pulled off -- a perfectly organized, ridiculously fun, very detailed, and beautiful wedding weekend in a pretty complicated setting. Really - you deserve all the praise for the weekend, and I hope you know how grateful John and I and our families are for you and everything you did for us. Thank you.

Like I said, there seem to be no words, and I could go on for quite some time. But I hope you realize how grateful we are to you and how much we appreciate all you did for us.

Christine and Mark

2010-04-26T13:41:00.019-04:00

Mark and Christine were recently married at the gorgeous Preston Woodall House in Benson, NC. Christine and Mark were an amazing couple and it was such a wonderful experience working with them. Christine was so darn sweet, she just constantly made you smile! Their wedding was an intimate event with their friends and family from all over the world who so clearly love them both to pieces! We had wonderful vendors on this wedding, as usual! Preston Woodall was awesome as always, their staff is always on point and go above and beyond! Not to mention the food is delish! Fresh Affairs created the gorgeous florals (and I mean gorgeous!), the ballroom was stunning! Sweet Memories made the yummy cake, it was gorgeous as well! Last but not least, Brian Mullins took all of these amazing images, his eye for detail is spot on and it shows in his gorgeous images! Enjoy!!

This photo is not really of my face, if you look closely you will see me pinning the boutonniere in the reflection of my glasses! So cool!

I love, love, loved the bridesmaids dresses from Lela Rose. So cute!

Christine had both her mom and dad walk her down the aisle, it was very sweet!

The happy couple right after the ceremony!

Yummy cake, thanks Donna!

All I can say is gorgeous!

Instead of favors, Mark and Christine made a donation to a Haiti relief organization, and let their guests know with these tri fold favor cards.

Their first dance! Check out the "I Do" on the cake in the background made out of roses and orchids. So pretty!

The bride and groom's sweetheart table with Christine's bouquet of calla lillies, hydrangea, and lily of the valley.

Love the sparkler exit! Congrats Mark and Christine, best wishes!!

Michelle and Caleb

2010-04-07T20:38:00.015-04:00

Michelle and Caleb were married in February at Michelle's mother's home in downtown Raleigh. They had a very small ceremony and reception with 20 of their closest friends and family. Michelle and her mom were so wonderful to work with and I was so excited to Michelle and Caleb's big day come together! We had wonderful vendors, Posh Nosh provided the delicious and I mean yummy, plated meal. Fresh Affairs created gorgeous florals, including a stunning ceremony altar and the most gorgeous chandelier I have seen at an event! Bunn DJ Company supplied the lighting to create the amazing ambiance when the sun went down. Also, check out the fabulous images from Joey and Jessica Seawell, they are always a joy to work with and their images are amazing! Enjoy!

CE Rentals supplied all the china, flatware, glassware, linens and chairs. It turned out to be absolutely gorgeous all together!

A peek at the altar Fresh Affairs created. When the sun went down during the ceremony, the backdrop was absolutely gorgeous, it just glowed with candlelight!

We raised the chandelier in the dining room (I bumped my head on it a few times before we decided to raise it!) and filled it with florals. It was so pretty!

John Boisvert played during the ceremony and reception. He is incredibly gifted and I was incredibly impressed by all the songs he played!

The front door of the home during the reception. Bunn DJ Company placed lightigh at the front door and Fresh Affairs lined the steps with floating candles of all sizes.

Congratulations Michelle and Caleb, I loved working with you!

New, exciting changes on the horizon!

2010-03-21T20:38:00.004-04:00

We have some very exciting changes on the horizon, starting with a new logo, website and collateral. I am SUPER excited and so happy with how everything turned out, it should be live and ready to go within the next month. Above is a little teaser screen shot of the new website, it's gorgeous and I love it to pieces!!! A huge thank you to Anoroc, our ad agency's team worked their tails off for me to come up with some amazing ideas to capture exactly what I wanted. Deb, Alex, Rachel, and Nancy are so talented and I cannot thank them enough! Not to mention, I love cuddling with all their adorable pooches every time I visit. Big smooches to all of you!

New Martha Stewart Weddings

2010-03-21T20:30:00.004-04:00

So, I picked up the new Martha Stewart Weddings today and not only did I love almost everything in it, but there was a wonderful article about a question that I get almost EVERY day, what to do about kids at weddings. While kids can be lots of fun at weddings, as evidenced by the photo above from Tom and Tera's wedding, they can cause issues. This article addressed almost every question that I normally get regarding kids at weddings. Check it out, super informative!

Cary Magazine Bridal Show at The Umstead

2010-03-10T23:48:00.003-05:00

Wedding season has officially begun and that means that bridal shows come with it! In the past month we have exhibited at the Carolina Inn Bridal Fair and the Cary Magazine Elegant Weddings Gala at The Umstead. Thanks to CE Rentals and Fresh Affairs for helping make our booth look stunning! Thanks to Brian Mullins for the beautiful images of our booth at The Umstead and stay tuned for new wedding images starting with Caleb and Michelle's gorgeous wedding in February!

Melissa and Michael

2010-02-04T20:31:00.015-05:00

Melissa and Michael were our last couple on 2009 and were married in December at the Grande Marquise Ballroom. They were both so darn sweet and wonderful, that I couldn't ask for a better couple to close the year out with! Their friends and family were just as wonderful to be around and my staff and I had a great time a their wedding!

We had great vendors for this event, the Grande Marquis was awesome to work with and Meredith and her staff were always on point. Unforgettable Food Affairs provided delicious food for the evening, and trust me, no one left hungry! Our buddy, Ashley from Ashley Cakes made delicious cupcakes in different flavors for the guests. My favorite was the red velvet, yummy! Last but not least, Ashley Stephenson from Story Photographers provided the gorgeous images for their big day. Enjoy the details below!

Such a cute flowergirl!

She's checking out all the pretty jewelry, I think she picked out her engagement ring while she was there!

Their gorgeous ceremony, I LOVE Christmas weddings!

Melissa and Michael did a sand ceremony instead of a traditional unity candle.

Their first dance :)

Delicious cupcake tower, yummy!

Bouquet toss

Bride in training!

Congrats Melissa and Michael, I know you will have many happy years together!

Tom and Tera

2010-01-25T11:58:00.015-05:00

Tom and Tera were married in October in Raleigh and I have to say they were easily one of the coolest couples I have ever had the pleasure to work with! They constantly had me in stitches! I think one of the coolest things about them is that they have a genuine love for each other and they are always having fun together, such an amazing couple!

Once again, we had awesome vendors for their wedding! Their ceremony took place at Fairmont United Methodist and their reception was at the Museum of Natural Science downtown. The fabulous florals were provided, by our fav's, Lyn and Michael at Fresh Affairs. The reception music was perfect thanks to Mitch from Bunn DJ Company, as you will see in the photos below, he had them on the dance floor all night! Last but not least, Christobal Perez from Azul Photography took our amazing images, stunning as always! Enjoy!

Love it when great photographers capture that moment when the groom first sees his bride, a must have image!

Tom and Tera were transported by Tera's dad in his antique Mercedes, so cool!

For cocktail hour, we had a bluegrass band play for the guests. So much fun, this is my new favorite trend!

Their first dance as husband and wife.

Coolest cake cutting shot EVER! Thanks Chris!

Congrats you two! I loved working with you and your wedding was a blast, best wishes!

Ann Marie and Mark

2009-12-27T16:22:00.017-05:00

Ann Marie and Mark were married in October in downtown Raleigh. Ann Marie and I worked together for a long time and I truly found her to be so delightful! She is always laughing and you always want to be around her! Plus her sense of style is fabulous! Unfortunately, I was horribly sick the week of the wedding, but I wouldn't miss her big day for anything, so I loaded up on vitamin C and water and enjoyed every second of her gorgeous wedding!

As always we had wonderful vendors for her event. The ceremony took place at Sacred Heart and the reception was at Sitti (if you live in Raleigh, you might be living under a rock if you haven't been here, delicious!). The florals were created by the always amazing Lyn and Michael at Fresh Affairs. All of our rentals were from Classic Party Rentals, who went above and beyond in creating a beautiful tent in the courtyard at Sitti. The amazing lighting and sound was provided by Bunn DJ Company, the reception looked GORGEOUS, thanks to their lights! Last but not least, the stunning photos were taken by Christobal Perez with Azul Photography, who documented their whole day in amazing detail. He truly has a gift for what he does! Enjoy the details below!

The bouquets were gorgeous, they were filled with ranunculus and lambs ear, two of my fav's!

Their wedding took place during the Bailey's big scavenger hunt for a $20,000 diamond ring, and of course, the historic church was a stop on the hunt for the ring, so we spent a good amount of time deflecting scavengers!

It was raining at bit after the ceremony, so Christobal got creative and did the portraits in some fun locations and they turned out beautifully!

Isn't she gorgeous?

They were just plain silly!

We lined the communal table at Sitti with composites of colorful florals and candles, gorgeous!

The tent in the courtyard at Sitti. It was draped with red fabric and chinese lanterns, and the tables were filled with floating candles. It was stunning!

Instead of the traditional sparklers, bubbles or rose petals, we decided to print love in different languages on signs for the couple to run through. It was such a fun idea and my new fav!

Congrats Mark and Ann Marie, I am so thankful to have been a part of your special day, best wishes!

Leigh and Tony's Wedding

2009-12-02T13:47:00.017-05:00

Leigh and Tony were married November 28th at St Mary's Chapel with their reception at The Umstead Hotel and Spa in Cary. Leigh and Tony were so awesome to work with, we had so many laughs together! I love them both to pieces, they are truly an amazing couple! Their wedding had amazing details, almost too many to mention, but the amazing Shane Snider provided some shots of them for us. Fresh Affairs provided floral genius for this wedding, it was absolutely breathtaking. The always wonderful Rev. Barbara Lodge created a beautiful ceremony for the couple that left me in tears! Arioso Strings provided the gorgeous ceremony and cocktail hour music.

At the reception, we had amazing vendors as well. I can't say enough about Ami and her staff at The Umstead. Everything from the service to the food was perfect! Sweet Memories created out gorgeous cake and and provided the cupcake favors for guests to take home. DJ Randy Bennett from Bunn DJ Company had the guests dancing all night long, literally an hour after the couple left! Dave from Coastal Cigars rolled cigars for the guests throughout the night, this is an awesome touch, guests love it! American Furniture Rentals provided all our lounge furniture for the terrace, perfect for guests to relax and enjoy their cigars on! CE Rentals provided all the beautiful linens, chairs, and chargers. Overall, it was an amazing event, absolutely stunning, enjoy the images below!

We lined the sidewalk to the Chapel with floating candles in various sizes, stunning!

They're married!

The head table at the reception. It was lined with floating candles, and tons of peonies, amaryllis, bells of ireland, roses, hydrangeas and orchids.

Each guest was greeted with their own vase holding their place card.

The couple's first dance on their all white dance floor.

Their gorgeous cake!

The terrace was filled with tons of floating candles, floral pomanders and lanterns.

Congrats Leigh and Tony!!

Kristen and Wei

2009-11-29T21:56:00.015-05:00

Kristen and Wei were married in September in Durham at the Doubletree in RTP. They live in NYC but Kristen is from NC so they chose to be married here. Kristen has a fabulous fashion sense and was a dream to work with because she had wonderful ideas for the wedding. Planning her wedding was a complete family affair, which I loved! Her mom, aunt and sister were all very involved which made it that much more special!

For this wedding we used a few asian touches mixed with traditional. You'll see in the amazingly gorgeous images from James and Meridith at Walters and Walters the beautiful details. It was a great wedding full of fun and laughter and thanks to DJ Joe Bunn of Bunn DJ Company, the guests left with their feet aching! He always knows how to keep a party going all night long! Enjoy the fabulous images below!

Kristen's gorgeous red shoes, yummy!

The boys :)

A few of the parasols we used throughout the ceremony and reception

We had t0 move the ceremony inside due to rain, but Kristen was all smiles walking down the aisle.

The "I do's"!

The tent for the reception

Dancing the night away!

Their gorgeous and yummy cake compliments of Ashley at Ashley Cakes!

The couple wanted a photo booth for guests to enjoy during the reception. Thanks to Joe Bunn and Palmetto City Photo Booths for providing it for us!

Sparkler exit!

Congrats Kristen and Wei!

The best wedding video ever, seriously!

2009-11-11T01:22:00.003-05:00

So, at Meredith and Dan's wedding I experienced the most amazing wedding video/toast ever and I asked them if I could share, because I loved it so much. It's a little over 10 minutes, but is so sweet and funny, the guests were doubled over in their chairs! Just a warning: there are a few naughty words in it, so don't blast it at work :)

Meredith and Dan

2009-11-11T00:51:00.014-05:00

Dan and Meredith were married in September at The Rigmor House in Chapel Hill. These two were some of the most awesome people I have ever worked with and I enjoyed every moment! Meredith and Dan wanted to spend their day surrounded by friends and family and let me tell you, they had some of the most amazing friends and family. I met so many wonderful people at their wedding, they are such a lucky couple to be surrounded by such great friends!

Enjoy their gorgeous photos below from Robert Filcsik Photography, he and his wife did an amazing job on the images, they turned out beautifully!

Meredith's gorgeous bouquet of calla's.

The Mayhem String Band played for the ceremony and reception and they were amazing! Dan and Meredith's guests danced the entire night, non stop!

Dan and Meredith's ceremony was so beautiful, one of my favorites!

Isn't he such a cutie! The ringbearer was quite intrigued by the ENORMOUS grasshoppers at the Rigmor House, he spent most of the day chasing them!

Dan and Meredith had so many wonderful toasts filled with lots of laughs, but the best came from Dan's brother. It was by far the best toast/video that I have ever seen at a wedding! My next blog post will contain the video :)

This was one of my favorite details about this wedding. The couple brought in a professional griller to grill steaks for each guest. They were wonderful!

Once again, another amazing couple that I am blessed to work with! Congrats Dan and Meredith!

Leigh and Tony's engagement party

2009-10-25T22:01:00.010-04:00

Leigh and Tony's engagement party took place at Haywood Hall earlier this month and it was such a beautiful event! I have been working very closely with the 2 of them on the wedding and this party and they are such an amazing couple. They are both so sweet, kind and funny and not to mention the fact that they and my dog, Albie, have bonded over peanuts in my office (that is a long story!).

I love Haywood Hall for smaller events like this, the garden is amazing and the big magnolia tree is perfect for hanging votives and in this case, pomanders of flowers, crystals and lanterns. Lyn and Michael at Fresh Affairs created our GORGEOUS florals. Every piece was absolutely stunning! The Catering Company of Chapel Hill put together a delicious, southern menu for us with sea bass, pork tenderloin and collards. Shutterbooth provide a photobooth for guests to play around in and Sweet Memories made 3 different flavors of cupcakes for the guests to take home. Bunn DJ Company provided our fabulous music for the evening. All of our gorgeous rentals including the tent and amazing chandeliers came from CE Rentals. Last but not least, the ridiculously talented Shane Snider took all of the images at the event and provided these for us. He captured everything perfectly, enjoy the images below!

Pomanders of roses, orchids, hydrangeas and peonies hung from the trees at Haywood Hall. Also, in the trees were lanterns and votives that created a gorgeous glow as the sun went down.

Yummy cupcakes from Sweet Memories. 3 different flavors, chocolate, lemon pound with strawberry mousse and sweet potato!

The gorgeous tent!

Floating candles lined the walkways to the tent, absolutely stunning!

Leigh and Tony's wedding takes place in November, we are looking forward to sharing their special day with them!

Tom and Tera Sneak Peak

2009-10-25T21:53:00.005-04:00

Another sneak peak for you courtesy of Christobal Perez with Azul Photography from Tom and Tera's ridiculously fun wedding a few weekends ago. More to come soon!

Mark and Kelly sneak peak

2009-10-25T21:45:00.004-04:00

Here's a sneak peak of Mark and Kelly's wedding at Bay 7 earlier this month. More great photos to come from the fabulous Lynette Mittendorf! Enjoy!

Dana and Michael

2009-10-23T15:29:00.016-04:00

Dana and Michael were married at Crenshaw Hall in Wake Forest in June (yes, I know I'm late on blogging this!). Dana was such a sweetheart, I loved spending time with her throughout the planning process. She was always smiling and she lights up a room when she walks in, not to mention she is gorgeous :) Dana and Michael had a vintage wedding wedding planned with lots of beautiful touches. We had awesome vendors, as always! Kathy and her team from Rocky Top Hospitality provided the delicious food. They are a dream to work with and we never have a worry with Kathy! Our gorgeous florals were provided by Lyn and Michael at Fresh Affairs and our delicious cake was provided by Sweet Memories Bakery. Dail from Bunn DJ Company provided the sound for the ceremony and the reception and he rocked it out! Our amazing images were provided by James and Meridith at Walters and Walters, they never cease to amaze me at the beautiful images they capture! More details and vendors below!

Sara at Paperwhites Press created all of our paper for Dana and Michael's wedding. The invitations were letterpress, my all time favorite!

Dana's gorgeous bouquet, full of peonies, lisianthus, and roses, it smelled so delicious!

A few shots of the tent before the guests arrive!

Love the high five after the kiss, so cute!

The gorgeous head table!

The bride and groom's cake topper. The topper is from the 1920's and belonged to the groom's grandparents.

The all white candy bar, yummy!

In addition to the candy bar, the bride and groom gave their guests custom Jones Soda with a photo of the couple. Very cute!

The head table later in the evening, gorgeous!

The girls having a great time on the dance floor, thanks to Dail!

The vintage red car they departed in!

Instead of petals, bubbles or sparklers, the guests threw lavender, it smelled delicious!

Congrats Dana and Michael, best wishes to the both of you!!

Kathryn and Mark

2009-10-11T14:20:00.018-04:00

Kathryn and Mark were married at the Carolina Inn and they were such a sweet and fun couple. We spent many meetings sharing lots of laughs (and chocolate chip cookies, see below!) and I loved planning their wedding! Both Kathryn were very busy and lived in DC so we had a few whirlwind planning trips and thanks to a wonderful team of vendors, they had a fabulous wedding! Carolina blue was the main color for this wedding with accents of brown and ivory, a nod to the couple's ties to UNC. Thanks to James and Meridith at Walters and Walters for taking the amazingly beautiful images, enjoy below!!!

Kathryn and Mark greeted their guests with custom welcome bags when they checked into the Carolina Inn. Such a cute way to welcome your out of town guests!

A special good luck shot to the groom before the wedding!

Gorgeous bouquets, thanks to Lyn and Michael at Fresh Affairs. They not only looked amazing, but smelled delicious as well!

Kathryn and Mark had an interfaith ceremony and it was important to the couple to be married under a chuppah. We took a non traditional approach and created a "chuppah" interpretation with fabric and pomanders of flowers to create a gorgeous ceremony backdrop.

The couple had 2 officiants, Rabbi Ettin and Rev. Barbara Lodge for their ceremony. I have worked with both multiple times and they worked together to create a beautiful ceremony for the couple.

This is such a classic Mark picture, he's hilarious!

Gorgeous place cards created by the wonderful ladies at the Green Kangaroo.

The Old Well Room took your breath away when you walked in. Fresh Affairs created gorgeous tall centerpeieces for the tables and CE Rentals provided Carolina blue taffeta linens. At each place setting, guests received a custom chocolate from the bride's sister, who owns Mama Laura's Chocolates.

Most of the time, we try to let the couple in the ballroom to see the room before the guests enter. But for Kathryn and Mark we showed them the room for another reason! Mark is a die hard lover of chocolate chip cookies and literally could survive solely on them! So, as a surprise Kathryn had Sweet Memories create a chocolate chip cookie tower for Mark. Placed on top were custom bobbleheads of the couple. Mark was completely surprised and dug right in!

As soon as the couple was introduced we went straight into the Horah and the couple and their guests danced full force throughout the entire song! It was madness!

Closeup of the custom bobbleheads!

Fun with cake cutting, thanks for the yummy cake Sweet Memories!

Kathryn's sister made an awesome toast. She started with their middle school yearbook, so we all know what that means!

Kathryn, Mark and their friends were so much fun and kept the dance floor full all night long. They had the best of the best, Joe Bunn from Bunn DJ Company. Joe had them dancing (and singing along!) even before dinner started and it was madness all night long. The energy was amazing and he truly created a reception to be remembered!

Kids are always so funny to me, but this little one was so darn cute. He was breaking it down on the dance floor and Kathryn's expression says it all! Such a cutie!

Congrats Kathryn and Mark, I really loved working with you guys and I will miss all the laughs (and the cookies!)

Jamie and Michael featured!

2009-10-07T16:56:00.002-04:00

One of our awesome couples from last year, Jamie and Michael are featured on Delovely Designs blog. Check it out at this link!

Be careful who you let make your wedding slideshow!

2009-10-07T16:05:00.001-04:00

Check out this wedding slideshow made by a friend of the couple. There seems to be another person in their relationship though according to this slideshow ;) Click here to enjoy!

Mimi and Tanner

2009-08-31T21:41:00.017-04:00

Mimi and Tanner were married in July at the Forest Theater and the Carolina Inn in Chapel Hill. They were a super cool couple, so much fun to be around! You can tell they truly love each other, every time I saw them it made me smile! This wedding was full of gorgeous details starting with Mimi's dress! It was absolutely breathtaking, one of the prettiest I have ever seen. On top of it she had 6 inch heels and she walked up and down the steps at the Forest Theater in them without tripping or falling, absolutely amazing! Their ceremony was an interfaith ceremony performed by the always wonderful Rev. Barbara Lodge and a Hindu priest, Pravin Shukla. Elegant Ensembles performed our gorgeous ceremony music and our sound was provided by Ken from Bunn DJ Company. After the ceremony, guests headed to the Carolina Inn where Katie and her awesome staff did an amazing job, as always! Our stunning florals were provided by our great friend Lyn Graves at Fresh Affairs. Our band for the evening was the John Brown Entertainment Group, they kept everyone on their toes all night! Of course, our fabulous photos were provided by Meredith Davenport of Christian Oth Studio in NYC. She was a joy to work with and provided all of our beautiful photos, enjoy!

Her gorgeous broach on her dress, stunning!

Our very dapper guys hanging out at the Carolina Inn before the ceremony. Love their suits, I'm very excited about the new grey suit trend!

Mimi's gorgeous bouquet, it smelled divine. Thanks Lyn!

Mimi and her Dad walking down the aisle. She looked gorgeous, there were gasps from the guests as she walked down the aisle!

Elements of the Hindu ceremony, both sets of parents sat on the stage at the Forest Theater with the couple.

This could be my favorite letterpress program ever!

The happy couple!

The couple's engagement photos that were taken in NYC were on display at the reception. Also, for favors guests took home individual boxes of custom chocolates created by Miel Bon Bons in Carrboro.

The gorgeous centerpiece in the Gallery at the Carolina Inn.

Lots of fun was had by all, they had a great crowd full of energy! Another great couple to add to 2009's amazing weddings! Congrats Mimi and Tanner!

Katie and Mark

2009-08-28T19:29:00.013-04:00

Katie and Mark were married in July at the brand new Convention Center downtown (they are only the 2nd couple to do so!) and their reception took place at the also new, Marriott City Center. Katie and I have known each other for awhile since we went to high school together, so when they came to me to help them plan their wedding, I jumped at the opportunity! Katie was an incredibly busy bride so Mark and I worked on alot of the planning, and I must say, Mark was tons of fun to work with. He had so many great ideas and we had lots of laughs! Mark wanted lots of great surprises for Katie and the guests. One of my favorites was when Mark sang first Asian boy to Katie during the reception. Check out the Youtube version here, Mark's was much better! Immediately following that Mark surprised Katie with a Hawaiian honeymoon, I think everyone was in tears, one of the best surprises at a wedding to date!

We had wonderful vendors, as usual! Our great photography was provided by Ferdy Neubauer and his team. Some of the photos here are from Ferdy, while some are from friends of Mark and Katie. The convention center staff was top notch and they responded to every single need that we had! The Marriott City Center was amazing as well, Kim and her staff were wonderful and I must say the food was delicious! Our florals were provided by Watered Garden and their great staff. Last but not least, out ceremony and reception music was provided by Mitch at Bunn DJ Company. He had guests on their feet all night long!

The Convention Center placed Katie and Mark's engagement photos on the LCD screens around the property. It was a really fun touch!

Through the windows in the Convention Center there was a beautiful view of the downtown cityscape. I loved this concept!

The girls had the cutest bridesmaids dresses, I wanted one for myself!

Love this image!

Each place setting had a handmade paper crane (there were 100's of these!). Also each table was named after one of the animals in the chinese zodiac and their place cards were labeled with the corresponding animal to their table.

Mark and Katie departed to sparklers in a horse drawn carriage (another one of Mark's surprises!).

Another wonderful wedding, full of amazing surprises, one for the books for sure! Congrats Mark and Katie, thanks for including me in your perfect day!

Southern Bridal Show & Expo

2009-08-21T22:23:00.004-04:00

On August 16th we participated in the Southern Bridal Show and Expo produced by Forever Bridal at the NC State Fairgrounds. Check out the beautiful images from Brian Mullins, he was kind enough to grab some shots of our booth (which I always forget to do!). Thanks Brian :) Also a big thanks goes to Fresh Affairs for providing our gorgeous flowers, CE Rentals for the amazing linens, china, and chairs, Bunn DJ for our lighting and Island Sound DJ's for our TV! This was a great show, we met lots of wonderful brides and I look forward to doing it all again next year!

Jessica and Ben

2009-08-21T21:22:00.014-04:00

Ben and Jessica were married in June at Wake Forest Baptist Church and Wakefield Plantation. I first met Jessica when she was visiting Wakefield while I was setting up for Nikki and Billy's wedding in 2008. Jessica, her mom and I hit it off right away and we had a great time planning her wedding! Jessica easily is one of the sweetest, kindest brides I have ever worked with. She and Ben are such a cute couple, seeing them together always made me smile! Thanks so much to Ben Waddell for providing the gorgeous images, this was our first time working together, and he did a fabulous job!

Fresh Affairs created all our wonderful florals, I love these sweet and simple pew markers!

Ben and Jessica had a large bridal party, 10 on each side! Instead of placing them all on the altar, we lined them on the stairs, it turned out beautifully!

Love this picture!!

Jessica with the absolutely adorable ring bearer, Eli. Could he be any cuter?

Gotta love the sparkler exit! From here they hopped on a golf cart that their bridal party had decorated, I must say they did a great job! Thinking about adding them to my decor staff ;)

Congrats Ben and Jessica!

Stefanie and Jonathan

2009-08-13T22:18:00.012-04:00

Stefanie and Jonathan had their ceremony and reception at the fabulous Wakefield Plantation at the beginning of August. Stefanie loved the combo of turquoise and red and I was so excited to be working with such a fun color palette! Jonathan and Stefanie were such a sweet couple, I truly loved working with them both. Stefanie's mom was also very involved in the process and she was such a joy to work with as well! We had wonderful vendors (as usual!) and I can't thank them enough for making Stefanie and Jonathan's wedding a success! Jaclyn Parks and her wonderful staff at Wakefield are so attentive and do an awesome job! Fresh Affairs created our gorgeous florals for the ceremony and reception. Swank Cake Design made the yummy 4 tiered cake, so delicious! And we can't forget the always amazing, Joe Bunn of Bunn DJ Company who had the guests going crazy on the dance floor all night long! Seriously, they didn't want to leave the dance floor! Last but definitely not least, enjoy the beautiful photos from my name buddy, the fabulous Cara Galati of F8 Photo Studios.

Red rose pomanders that we hung from the chairs along the aisle. This is my all time favorite rose variety, so gorgeous!

Stefanie wanted flowers in her hair instead of a veil and she looked beautiful. We pinned 4 single orchid blooms in her bun, stunning!

The happy couple!

Loved this cake, beautiful and yummy!

For the centerpieces we used a mix of red roses, tulips, and ranunculus mixed with lots of candlelight. Very romantic!

This could be my favorite favor of all time! Each guest took home a caramel apple dipped in turquoise sugar to match the wedding. Thanks to Miss Debbie's Specialty Apples for making these for us, they were wonderful!

The main ballroom at Wakefield, gorgeous!

The guests having a great time, thanks Joe Bunn! Another great wedding, another great couple, I couldn't ask for a better job! Congrats Stefanie and Jonathan!

More Justin and Renata

2009-07-28T23:15:00.015-04:00

More photos for your viewing pleasure from Justin and Renata's big day, thanks to Ana Kirin and Studio One Photography! To see the original post click here :)

One of the many reasons why I love Renata, she is absolutely fabulous!!

Loved the guys suits, grey is my new favorite for the guys. The shoes were pretty darn cool too!

For the guest book, guests took polaroids of themselves and wrote a special note to the couple. Then they attached the photo with a clothes pin to the note and hung it on twine that we had strung. One of my favorite guest book ideas!

Could he be any cooler? So cute!

Justin and Renata's gorgeous bridal party!

The very cool centerpieces. The apothecary jars were filled with moss and orchids and had the table number placed inside. Renata's dad made all the wooden stumps that were placed on the tables, they were amazing!

Love it!

It's not a successful cake cutting without cake on the face!

They had an East Coast vs West Coast dance off, I think it ended in a tie, it was pretty close...

The guys rocking it out, thanks to DJ Joe Bunn. They ripped up that dance floor!

More Jenny and Jordan

2009-07-28T22:56:00.011-04:00

More images from Jenny and Jordan's wedding at Fearrington, thanks to our amazing photographer Joey Seawell. If you missed the first blog post, check it out here!

I love these colors against the navy dresses, gorgeous!

These girls were so much fun, there were so many laughs!

Jenny saw a previous wedding that I had done with the galvanized buckets hanging off the chairs with wild flowers and she fell in love. We did a very similar look here, except we used shepherd's hooks.

Beautiful programs with their monogram!

Cocktail hour on the patio of the barn.

Delicious cake and yummy cupcakes from Magnolia Bakery in NYC!

Nothing's better than a guy on another guy's shoulders pouring champagne...

Kailey, Jenny, Me, Jordan, and Whitney. Love them!

This group danced all night long, they were so much fun! Another great wedding!

We've been blogged!

2009-07-26T22:25:00.003-04:00

Hi everyone! We had an amazing wedding this weekend at the Forest Theater in Chapel Hill and we worked with my favorite officiant, Barbara Lodge. She is so wonderful to work with and is such a seasoned professional, I always know we are in good hands with her. This was a Hindu/Christian ceremony, so Barbara co-officiated with Guru Shukla. Check out her blog post about the wedding here and stay tuned for some amazing photos from Meredith at Christian Oft in NYC!

I expect to see this at the rest of my weddings this year!

2009-07-25T13:37:00.002-04:00

Hey everyone! This has been all the buzz in the wedding industry the past few days. You must check this video out!

Jenna and John

2009-07-02T23:04:00.016-04:00

Jenna and John were married in May at Preston Village gazebo and their reception took place in the Grand Ballroom at Prestonwood Country Club. Jenna can be best described as my "ray of sunshine bride". Everytime she walked into a room, she instantly brought smiles to everyone's faces. Her and John are so in love and seeing them together makes everyone giddy! Jenna and John both had wonderful families, it's easy to see how they became such amazing people!

We had wonderful vendors for this wedding, as usual! Capital Style helped us carry all the guests to the ceremony site in their awesome buses. Ken from Bunn DJ provided the beautiful ceremony music and of course, the reception music. Our gorgeous florals were provided by none other than Lyn and Michael from Fresh Affairs. They never cease to amaze me! Last but not least, our amazingly talented photographer, Joey Seawell and his fabulous wife, Jessica, provided all the stunning images. These two really have a great eye for detail, as you can see!

I was in LOVE with this bouquet. It smelled so delicious, I could have eaten it! It was filled with so many of my favorites, sweet peas, ranunculas, peonies, and my all time favorite, lisianthus.

This is one of my new favorite ways to display table numbers. A photo of the bride and the groom at the age listed on the table number are placed on the table card. For example, in this photo above, they were both 3 years old in the photos. So cute!

Lots of beautiful baby pink!

Their ceremony site, we had a few sprinkles, but everyone stayed put and it quickly moved through!

Instead of a unity candle, Jenna and John did a sand ceremony. Jenna's sand was pink and John's was brown to match the wedding colors.

Just love this shot!

Our gorgeous centerpieces at the reception.

Instead of favors, Jenna and John made donations in the names of family members who had passed away.

Their first dance.

Their yummy cake, thanks to the fabulous pastry chef from Prestonwood!

In addition to the cake, they also had a dessert bar filled with mini pies and pastries!

The sparkler departure! Congrats Jenna and John!!

Jenny and Jordan

2009-06-24T22:03:00.006-04:00

Jenny and Jordan were married at Fearrington this month and it was an AMAZING wedding! Jenny and Jordan were both involved in politics, so they were incredibly busy and had little time to plan their wedding, so of course they enlisted us to help! They were both so wonderful to work with and we had so many laughs along the way. I really loved the colors for this event, the bridesmaids wore a beautiful shade of navy and our flowers were shades of purples, pinks and green. The colors were so beautiful against the natural setting at Fearrington, it was gorgeous! The ceremony took place at the Dovecoat lawn near the restaurant and the reception was held in the barn. Our fabulous photos were taken by Joey Seawell and his awesome wife Jessica. I stole these from their blog because I couldn't wait to post them, so please forgive me Joey! Can't wait to see the rest of them!

Jenny looked amazing! The wonderful Ginger Mullins did her hair and Bobbi Brown actually sent a makeup artist down to do her makeup as a gift to Jenny!

Their ceremony was amazingly heartfelt, one of the best I have witnessed!

Jenny and Jordan's first dance was to a great song that was a first for us. It's called Paperweight from the movie Last Kiss, check it out, it's awesome!

Jordan's brothers made amazing toasts at the reception, they had everyone in stitches!

The guests had a great time dancing to the band, Crush. Later in the evening one of the guests actually hopped on another's shoulders to top off everyone's champagne on the dance floor, it was hilarious!

I love sparkler departures, so pretty! Congrats Jenny and Jordan, I will miss you guys!

Dana and Michael Sneal Peak

2009-06-24T21:55:00.003-04:00

Here's another sneak peak for you from Dana and Michael's wedding in June at Crenshaw Hall in Wake Forest. Once again our fabulous images are from Walters and Walters, more beautiful images to come!

Kathryn and Mark Sneak Peak

2009-06-24T21:37:00.003-04:00

We have been in wedding overload and I have tons of new images to post from events but I wanted to post these great shots from Walters and Walters from Kathryn and Mark's wedding at the Carolina Inn. This wedding was tons of fun and I will have lots more to show you soon! Enjoy!

Renata and Justin

2009-06-19T18:53:00.016-04:00

Renata and Justin can be summed up in one word: FABULOUS! Renata is an actress in Vegas and could be one of the most talented women I have met. She has a beautiful voice and is completely gorgeous as you can see below, but her personality is just amazing and she is so much fun to be around! Not to mention the fact that she was starting a brand new show in Vegas and barely had time to breathe and was so amazingly calm throughout the whole planning process. Justin was pretty great too, he could be one of the nicest groom's ever!

Renata had really great, unique ideas and I loved being able to work with some fun new concepts. Peacock feathers, moss, and wood were our focus, so we used vibrant colors, blues and greens, with a few touches of orange and pink. Their ceremony took place at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Durham and their reception was at The Golden Belt Loft, also in Durham. Once again we had amazing vendors! The gorgeous bouquets and florals at the reception were provided by Fresh Affairs. Lyn and Michael created an amazing centerpiece at the reception that could be the tallest I have ever seen! Absolutely beautiful! Also, our delicious food was provided by Coleen at Posh Nosh. Their staff was wonderful and took great care of the guests. Our gorgeous lighting was provided by Rick at Total Production Services. The amazing photos were taken by Ana Kirin at Studio One Photography. And last, but not least our music was provided by Joe Bunn himself from Bunn DJ. Joe went above and beyond for this wedding and it was a total success thanks to him! Renata and Justin's friends were all so talented and they rocked that dance floor all night! There was even an East Coast vs West Coast dance off. Overall it was a great night, I miss working with them already! Congrats Justin and Renata!

Love this blue, it is my new favorite color!

I love this alternative to the traditional floral boutonniere. They each consisted of a "flower" made of grosgrain ribbon with a peacock feather attached.

The bridal party was awesome! They were so much fun!

Love this shot! Justin gave each of his groomsman a custom pair of Converse and he changed into his pair after the ceremony.

We had these very cool cabanas for lounging, the guests loved them!

Our gorgeous and yummy cake from Swank Cakes. Thanks Wayne and Chuck!

Check out that lighting, beautiful!

Courtney and Brian

2009-06-02T13:45:00.016-04:00

Courtney and Brian were married this April in Chapel Hill. They were such an adorable couple, loved working with them! Both of them are so full of energy and so much fun to be with! Their friends and families were so much fun to be around and had us laughing through the whole process! Both Courtney and Brian went to Carolina and Brian played football there, so it was a no brainer to have it in Chapel Hill. Their ceremony took place at St Thomas More Catholic Church and the reception took place at the Carolina Club. Once again, we had great vendors and everything turned out so beautiful! Sallie and her staff at the Carolina Club were awesome, they work so hard to make sure everything is perfect! Our amazingly gorgeous photos were provided by Steve Exum himself from Steve Exum Photography. He is such a pro and is so wonderful to work with! The coolest part was that we had two Triangle legends, Liquid Pleasure as our band AND we had Joe Bunn from Bunn DJ Company playing as well! If you haven't heard Liquid Pleasure, you must go see them, they are such a great party band! When the band wasn't playing, Joe took over and got the entire party going! It was such a great experience to have to the two of them play the reception! Check out the images below!

Her dress was gorgeous!!! One of my favorites!

Our gorgeous programs from The Green Kangaroo. So beautiful!

Her fabulous shoes, these by far are my all time favorites! We created a shrine for them at the reception :)

The moment before we sent her down the aisle. I love this shot, me and my girls are so excited!

Post ceremony beer run at the gas station. I'm adding this into all my wedding day schedules ;)

Courtney and her gorgeous bridesmaids!

Our main buffet centerpiece, check out the flowers! We created branches with balls of hydrangeas and orchids, since they were favorites of the bride. The ice sculpture in the center was a huge hit too, especially because it was covered in shrimp!

Our very yummy gelato bar! This is a must have at your reception if you love sweets!

As favors, the couple made a donation to the Atlanta Humane Society in honor of their guests. So, we thought it might be fun to give guests something yummy for their pets back at home, so we had custom dog bones dipped in green and blue pet friendly icing!

Liquid Pleasure entertaining the crowd!

Bubble exit!

The happy couple departed in Brian's family's Carolina blue Caddy driven by Brian's brother, it was great!

I love my brides!

2009-05-27T22:04:00.003-04:00

So, being a wedding planner is completely nutty sometimes. There are days when I am crawling up my stairs to my house at 3 am because I can't feel my feet, covered in sweat, food, flowers, etc. To some this may not sound like too much fun, but this is what I live for! Nothing is more fulfilling than looking at our beautiful couple's surrounded by their friends and family, knowing that they will remember this day forever.

So on to my point :) We recently had a wonderful couple, Renata and Justin who were married in Durham. It was a fabulous wedding (photos to follow!) and I recently came across her blog post about us which gave me chills when I read it. Reading it truly warmed my heart and made me realize that the I love my brides to pieces and knowing that I made a positive impact on their day, rather it be large or small, means the world to me! Check out her post below and an image from the wedding:

A Southern Soiree- A all the way ...plus plus:)

Raleigh, NC

View Website

Cara and her staff were amazing. She actually helped us plan 2 weddings since our first venue fell through 3 months before after we had been planning well over a year! Every step of the way Cara was there to help us get everything together. She answered countless questions, never let a phone call or an email go unanswered and was always on top of whatever task needed to be done. The day of went a bit crazy when the power at our reception venue went out 15 minutes into the cocktail hour.... NIGHTMARE! But she and the rest of our vendors worked tirelessly to ensure that everything that could be done, was done & that everyone still had a great time.

She fielded all kinds of deliveries to her house as I was planning from out of state. Her home became a storage place for our personalized napkins and stir sticks, photo books, lance crackers and whatever else we needed. She put together and delivered the NC themed welcome boxes for us - absolutely anything we needed she did, and I can't thank her enough.

The reception venue was immaculately gorgeous. Which is the biggest compliment of all, because she managed to take all the things that myself and my wacky family created and put them together to make something truly beautiful and unforgettable. I knew I could really relax the day of because whatever problems there were I knew that she would take care of it. I don't think I would have been able to really enjoy the wedding without her.

At the end of the night when our car (scheduled through the hotel) didn't show up ...her assistant Stephanie drove us to the Umstead! I'm telling you- whatever it takes, they will do it to make it right. Love them all to bits.

Amanda and Matt

2009-05-26T15:25:00.009-04:00

Matt and Amanda were a very cool couple, I met Amanda over a year ago at a bridal show and we hit it off immediately. She is a super sweet girl and such a pleasure to spend time with! She had tons of great ideas for her wedding so we got straight to work! Their ceremony took place at Good Shephard Lutheran Church in Raleigh and their reception took place at Tavola Rossa. Once again we had fabulous vendors for this event! Lyn and Michael from Fresh Affairs created amazingly unique florals for this wedding. Mikito orchids were a key element with this wedding and they definitely are one of my new favorites! Ashley from Ashley Cakes provided our yummy cake. Joe Bunn from Bunn DJ was our DJ and he had everyone on the dance floor all night! That man seriously knows how to get people on the dance floor! Also, our beautiful photos were provided by Amy with Your Still Life Photography. This is our first time working with her and she was so great! Enjoy her photos below. Congrats Amanda and Matt, here's to many happy years together!

Our very cool boutonniere's, check out the bead at the base of the calla lilly, love it!

One of the gorgeous church arrangements by Fresh Affairs. Check out the mikito orchids, so beautiful!

Our very cool bridesmaids bouquets, loved the mini bamboo!

The beautiful cake, thanks Ashley!

We had candles everywhere!!! Tavola Rossa looks so amazing in the candlelight and it definitely added a special touch to their event.

Adrian and Shoshannah

2009-05-07T21:49:00.013-04:00

Adrian and Shoshannah were married at Duke Chapel in March and were our first wedding of the 2009 season. This was a beautiful wedding with elegant and classic details, which were very important to the bride and groom. Adrian is a pastor and much of his congregation was in attendance, it really was a testament to how much they care for Adrian and Shoshannah and what wonderful people they both are! I loved working with Shoshannah, we had tons of laughs throughout the process and I am so glad to have been a part of their wedding! There I go, gushing again, back to the details!

Our super sweet photographer was Sarah Seay, from Sarah Seay Photography. This was my first time working with her, but I promise it will not be the last, because she was great! All of the photos are hers below, of course! Our gorgeous flowers were provided by Fresh Affairs, and they were amazing! I swear, every time they deliver a bouquet they just get prettier and prettier and Shoshannah's was no exception! Loved it, loved it, loved it!

The reception was at the gorgeous Prestonwood Country Club. That ballroom really is like no other, it's such a great location! Fresh Affairs also provided our florals at the reception and once again, it was beautiful! Joe from Bunn DJ Company was our DJ for the evening and as usual, he didn't disappoint! Guests filled the dance floor from the moment he started playing and didn't leave it all night! The coupe departed on their honeymoon in a shower of sparklers, it was a great event! Congrats Adrian and Shoshannah!

Shoshannah's super cute shoes, love them! And I love what Sarah did with this image!

This is my new favorite thing for flower girls. Forget the baskets, pomanders are in! Plus the flower girls love it!

The first kiss as man and wife and trust me, it was a good one!

On their way from the Chapel to Prestonwood in their Classic Car from Capital Style. Love these shots, classic!

So, this is my favorite head table set up and we did this for Adrian and Shoshannah. It's not for everyone, but it makes such an impact in the right room and as you can see, is absolutely gorgeous!

Round menu cards, instead of the standard square or rectangle. Love these!

The fabulous (and yummy!) cake. Prestonwood's pastry chef has such wonderful cakes, we always look forward to them!

Everyone having tons of fun on the dance floor!

Growing up in North Carolina, I was practically raised on Krispy Kreme's and I find that wedding guests seem to love them as much as I do!

The beautiful sparkler exit, a great ending to an amazing wedding!

I'm still alive!

2009-04-30T00:05:00.002-04:00

Hi everyone! Yes, we are still alive, just insanely busy with the start of wedding season! We have some beautiful weddings to show off very soon, so stay tuned! Here is a little teaser from Adrian and Shoshannah's wedding in March, enjoy!!!

New blog series: Our friends

2009-03-24T12:31:00.008-04:00

Starting today, we are beginning a new feature on our blog! In conjunction with Photography by Walters and Walters, we are "interviewing" vendors that we have been working with over the years and bringing them to you! It's all in fun, very informal, just a chance for us to spotlight and help you get to know someone new!

Our first interview is with Joe Bunn, from Bunn DJ Compan y in Raleigh. Joe has been on the scene for years, and is a legend in the Triangle because of his amazing ability to keep dance floor's full all night long! So, as our first interview we came up with some semi random questions for him and below are his very thoughtful answers. Enjoy!

Q. Describe yourself in 5 words

A. Energetic, Semi-smart, Creative, Fun, Flirty

Q. What's the coolest thing you have ever seen at a reception?

A. I played at a reception where they had a cake lowered from the ceiling on a motorized wench!

Q. Who would play you in a movie?

A. A Rock Star

Q. If you won the lottery, what is the first thing you would buy?

A. A completely restored, triple black, 1965 Lincoln Continental Convertible.

Q. Do you have any hidden talents?

A. I sing great in the car!

Q. What do you think is the greatest invention?

A. No brainer, the iPod!

Q. If you could ban one song forever, what song would it be?

A. The Chicken Dance

Q. Target or Walmart?

A. Target

Q. What's one thing that people don't know about your job that they should know?

A. That it's alot harder than it looks!

Q. Where do you see yourself in 30 years?

A. Owning this business and a couple of others, but not dj'ing at the age of 67!

Meghan and Chuck

2009-03-03T22:05:00.012-05:00

Meghan and Chuck were married in December in Wake Forest at the Stone Chapel with their reception at Wakefield Plantation and were our last couple of 2008. Both Meghan and Chuck are in the Air Force, so they were separated from each other(most of the time by an ocean!) through most of the planning process. I will have to say, they are a truly amazing couple! We throw around the word soulmates alot, but I can honestly say that these two were meant for each other. Seeing them together gives me the warm fuzzies! Meghan and I hit it off immediately when we chatted over the phone and I knew immediately that her and I would not only have a great time planning her wedding but that we would also become great friends! She is such a sweet, caring person and I was so happy to be a part of her special day! Ok, so enough of the gushing, on to the wedding!

Their ceremony took place at Stone Chapel in Wake Forest. Unfortunately, it was a little rainy, but we made the best of it! Check out the pics below from one of the cutest photographers around, April Sirit with Evoke Photography. Not only is she tons of fun but she does beautiful work as well!

Each of the bouquets were wrapped with lace from Meghan's late mother's dress. This was such a sweet touch, I loved it!

The kiss!

I loved the placecards! Each table was named after a location that had signifigance to Meghan and Chuck. Each table had a photo of the location and instead of just listing the table name on the place card, we used the image. The guests loved it, and they looked amazing lined up!

Each guest had a yummy chocolate chip cookie at their place setting. Cookies were significant to the bride and groom, so we wanted to include them in the reception. Also, a donation was made to a breast cancer charity for each guest.

I love this image! This was taken during the toasts, but I love it because it captures the candlelight in the reception. That was very important to Meghan, so we filled Wakefield with candles, as you can see on the fireplace!

We used the long head table in the middle of the room that I love and thanks to Fresh Affairs it was filled with beautiful gerberas, hydrangeas, tulips and lots of candles!

Just ahd to include this shot! Joe Bunn from Bunn DJ was our DJ for the evening and as usual everything was perfect! Not sure what was going on here though...

Their cake from Sweet Memories was delicious as always! Check out the cake toppers made by the bride's brother. They were models of the bride and the groom's plane's that they fly. We had to make sure that Meghan's plane was in the lead though!

Congrats Meghan and Chuck, you were a blast to work with and I wish you all the best!

Fun Facts

2009-03-02T18:36:00.005-05:00

Hey Everyone! I stumbled on these fun facts from the Association of Bridal Consultants (ABC) and I thought I would share with all of you. Amazing how things have changed!

Some more fun facts:

The most popular honeymoon destination in 1958 was Niagara Falls. In 2008, it was Hawaii!

In 1958 couples made their getaway in a Chevy Impala costing $2,700. In 2008, a very cool Toyota Camry for $18,570.

The most trendy gift in 1958 was $12.95 Corningware casserole dish. In 2008 the gift of choice was a $399 Nintendo Wii.

Fifty years ago, the hottest music was the Everly Brothers' All I have to Do is Dream and Danny and the Juniors' At the Hop. In 2008, according to the ABC, it's Alicia Keys' No One and Madonna/Justin Timberlake's 4 Minutes.

Laura and Kevin published again!

2009-02-27T12:26:00.004-05:00

One of my all time favorite couples, Laura and Kevin, were published again by The Knot on their new Outer Banks Wedding website! Their wedding took place in Duck, NC and was so much fun! Check out the full write up and all the photos from the wonderful Mary Basnight here. Also, if you are planning a wedding in the Outer Banks, check out The Knot's new website!

Triangle Wine Experience

2009-02-20T20:37:00.007-05:00

The Triangle Wine Experience is a Gala that ISES puts on every year with the proceeds going to the Frankie Lemmon Foundation. For the past two years, I have had the pleasure to be a part of this amazing event that brings in winemakers from all over the world. Over 6 days, we worked to transform an 150,000 square foot warehouse into a Winter Wonderland. I've included the before and after images, they really are amazing. One of my favorite parts was a gigantic live tree that was the center of the space. Lyn Graves with Fresh Affairs, hung crystals from the branches, it was so beautiful! It was an amazing event and I can't wait for next year!

Before

After!

Me with James Auerbach, ISES President, and his wife Ann

Masquerade Fun

2009-02-11T20:45:00.003-05:00

My good friend Cara from F8 Photo Studios just posted this on her blog and I just had to post it! It was taken from one of our December weddings, Kim and Rich at Preston Woodall. As you may have read in their posting, Kim made masks for every guest and they were so beautiful! This wedding was so much fun for us, but what made it even better was that there were fabulous vendors. I love going to a wedding, knowing that the people I am going to work with that day are seasoned professionals who are great at their job and the vendors I worked with on Kim and Rich's wedding are just that! From left to right, here we are having some fun with the masks: Max from F8 Photo Studios, Mel from Bunn DJ Company, Cara from F8 Photo Studios, me :), and Stephanie, our assistant coordinator.

The Special Event in San Diego

2009-01-30T19:02:00.009-05:00

As most of my clients know, I spent this last week in San Diego at the Special Event, which is a big trade show that us event professionals go to in order to further our education and check out all the cool new trends, etc. I am sad to leave San Diego, but so excited to share all the new ideas I have, especially all the cool new color palettes, they are fabulous! Anyway, just though I would share a few photos with you all! Enjoy!

Me and the Forever Bridal girls (Laura and Jane) hanging out during a break.

Our table at the Wedding Luncheon at the Hard Rock Hotel. Our speak was Carley Roney from The Knot, she was great!

Another table at the wedding luncheon. The theme was black and white and there were 16 different tables looks, it was absolutely amazing!

One of the tables in the tabletop gallery at the show.

This one was my favorite, so beautiful!

This was my favorite booth in the exhibit hall, it was very cool. Love the chandeliers!