I Do!
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Fall / Winter 2016
Sophie Magazine’s Wedding Guide
HAPPILY
11 REAL WEDDING STORIES
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Featured Brides
AUGUST 21, 2015
Crystal & Andrew Perfect Timing
OCTOBER 10, 2015
Katelan & André
The Fairytale Begins
AUGUST 22, 2015
(Pictured on cover)
SEPTEMBER 6, 2015
12 Georgia & Chandler 16 Amanda & Andrew Jurassic Wedding
APRIL 16, 2016
28 Erica & Caleb
Destination: Mrytle Beach
Forever and Always
OCTOBER 24, 2015
32 Autumn & Mark Hold On Tight
SEPTEMBER 12, 2015
20 Laura & Chris
Wedding in the Vineyard
OCTOBER 25, 2015
36 Kala & Luke
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"Can't Help Falling In Love"
Sophie Magazine’s Wedding Guide
It was seven years ago when we published the first issue of I Do! Along with this issue, we will have featured photographs from over 80 real brides. Thank you to all of the brides who have shared their love stories with our readers. If you would like your wedding to be featured in the 2017 Spring / Summer edition of I Do!, please email us at writer@sophiemagazine.com. Cover photo by Crystal Pafford
OCTOBER 31, 2015
Tray & Larry
Hauntingly Beautiful
OCTOBER 31 2015
40 Kathy & Jon Falling In Love
JULY 16, 2016
42 Anna & Nicholas
44
Camp Thunderbird Romance
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I Do!
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Sophie Magazine’s Wedding Guide GENERAL MANAGER/PUBLISHER
Patricia Martin Betts
IT/PRODUCTION MANAGER
Jeff Ruminski
CREATIVE EDITOR
Debi Manfre
CREATIVE SERVICES
Carrie Harder Rachel Hoeft Randy Whittington PROOFING DIVA
Karen Shepard
ADVERTISING CONSULTANTS
Pam Hensley Rick Jenkins Rose Lunsford Crystal Pressley
CIRCULATION MANAGER
Sam Howell
To advertise in the 2017 Spring/Summer edition of I Do!, Please call 828.274.8888 ext. 310 or e-mail editor@sophiemagazine.com. Sophie Magazine Asheville Office Park 31 College Place • Asheville, NC 28803 828.274.8888 I Do!, a publication of Sophie Magazine, has accepted contributions which may not reflect the opinion of the publisher. No portion of I Do! may be reproduced without permission of the publisher.
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Crystal & Andrew
A
ndrew and I met in August 2012. I had recently been hired for a job. My mother had worked there for many years, being a mother of two girls there wasn't a soul in the building that she had not showed pictures of her family to. Andrew just so happened to be one of those people, and at that time was when he first expressed his interest in me to my mother. The weekend before I began my first day of work my mom and I were having lunch and ran into Andrew at the restaurant. To me, at that time he was the guy that wore the bright colored running shoes. To my mother, he was her future son in law. She insisted we started dating, I brushed her off. Once I began working, Andrew ended up being my supervisor. I immediately noticed he was assigning me all of the easy tasks to complete. After our shift he approached me and asked if we could grab dinner and a movie. We spent several weekends together hanging out in the the mountains on the Blue Ridge Parkway. It wasn't long before we were inseparable. As always, my mother was right. Andrew's father had recently passed away and the person I had been in a long term relationship with had also passed away around the same time. Our meeting could not have come at a more perfect time. Andrew proposed to me on Christmas morning 2014, it was just the two of us. He made my favorite cinnamon buns and waited until I sat down to eat before popping the question. On August 21, 2015 at 5:00 p.m., we were married outside under a gorgeous gazebo decorated in sunflowers, surrounded by the beautiful mountains and all of our close friends and family. Our reception was held inside the barn with corn hole and horseshoes set up outside. We celebrated our marriage with our friends and family with delicious food and music. It was absolutely perfect! 12 | 2016 Fall / Winter I Do!
Top 5 Favorite Moments: 1 The Walk. This was a special moment for two reasons. I am so
thankful to have had my dad walk me down the aisle and give my hand to my husband. Also, seeing Andrew as I walked down the aisle. His face expressed all of the emotions I was feeling inside.
2 Father/daughter dance. My dad is not a dancer but for three
short minutes I was able to share a very memorable dance with him. It was something I will cherish for the rest of my life.
3 The flowers. Something about sunflowers puts a smile on
my face and they were everywhere! They were gorgeous and I couldn't have asked for a more gorgeous arrangement.
4 Family. It was
overwhelming to have all the people who love us in one room! Andrew's family had traveled six hours to be a part of our day. It meant so much to have them all there with us!
5 The Venue. The
Farm was gorgeous! The mountains made it a beautiful spot for a wedding! I loved that the horses and the donkey were right beside where our ceremony was held. 2016 Fall / Winter I Do! | 13
BRIDE: CRYSTAL WALLS • GROOM: ANDREW DIXON PHOTOGRAPHER: INSPIRED LIFE PHOTOGRAPHY (BRITTANY SISK) HAIR: SONYA ALLMAN OFFICIANT: REV. FRED WERHAN CATERING: FRESH AS CAN BEE (KIM GILLILAND) FLORIST: MADISON FLORIST (KATHY PROFFITT) VENUE: THE FARM IN CANDLER
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Georgia & Chandler
C
handler and I met when I started working at Red Lobster in 2013. I was eighteen and a few months pregnant when I had started working there. The pregnancy complicated things in the relationship that I was in so that relationship ended quickly. I remember the first time I saw Chandler. I couldn't take my eyes off of him. All of the girls had a crush on him and I remember thinking to myself that I'd never have a chance with someone like him especially once he found out I was pregnant. We talked occasionally but mainly just in passing. A few months went by and I told my friend, Stephanie, who worked with us, that I had a big crush on Chandler. She joked about telling him and I told her she could as long as I wasn't at work when she did it. A couple days later, Chandler came up to me and asked me if I wanted to share a lava cookie with him after work. Not only was I infatuated with Chandler, but I felt the same way about the dessert so how could I turn that down? As I ate most of the lava cookie, we talked about our Valentine's Day plans since it was coming up the next week. We both had the same plan! We were working that day. I told him that all I wanted for Valentine's Day was a heart shaped box of chocolates and a BuildA-Bear. Once our dessert was gone, we exchanged numbers and went home. We talked all week until we saw each other at work on Valentine's Day. After work, he handed me a beautiful heart shaped box of chocolates and proceeded to tell me about the all of the effort he put in to make sure he found the perfect box. The next day we took a trip to Build-ABear to complete the gift. After a few more dates, we finally decided to make it official. I couldn't believe how lucky I was! I couldn't believe he was interested in someone who was seven months pregnant. The following month and a half was amazing. He was the sweetest, most caring person I had ever met. I knew very early on that he was who I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. After that month and a half, my daughter, Ava, decided to make an appearance. I was so scared that our relationship wouldn't be the same and maybe he wouldn't be able to handle the stress of a newborn baby. He calmed my nerves when he said "I love you" to me for the first time as I was laying on the hospital bed getting ready to deliver the baby. As I gave birth to my daughter on March 31, 2014, he held my hand through the entire process and I knew that this man wasn't going anywhere. The next few months were incredible. I loved watching him with her. The love he had for her was 16 | 2016 Fall / Winter I Do!
beautiful and the bond could never be broken. We took a few day trips as a family to Greenville, SC just to walk around town or spend a day at the zoo. On December 14, 2014, we decided to take a day trip to Greenville just the two of us. When we arrived, he told me about the horse and carriage ride we were going on. I was so excited to ride through the town and look at the Christmas lights-- that is until we found out they weren't doing carriage rides that day. My disappointment didn't last long because that's when Chandler and I sat down on a swing by a lake and he handed me a long note. In the note he talked about his love for not only me, but for Ava as well. He said he couldn't see his life without us and that's when he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. I couldn't have been happier to say yes! On August 22, 2015, my bridesmaids and I were lined up at Forge Valley Event Center ready to walk down the aisle. With my microphone in hand, I sang Bless the Broken Road by Rascal Flatts as I walked down the aisle to my soon to be husband. This came as a surprise to Chandler so when I finally reached him at the end of the aisle, I choked up as I saw the tears rolling down his face-- a moment I will never forget. The reception was beautiful and we were so happy that we were able to celebrate our marriage with all of the people we love. We did our first dance that we had rehearsed for a few months and were so happy with how it turned out. That day could not have been any more perfect. 2016 Fall / Winter I Do! | 17
Top 5 Favorite Moments: 1 Getting ready with all of my bridesmaids. The endless laughter really helped me calm down.
2 Watching my daughter walk/dance down the aisle as the flower girl. 3 Making the wedding party run away from an imaginary dinosaur. 4 Chandler successfully lifting me during our first dance. 5 Watching Chandler dance with Ava while I danced with my Dad during the Father Daughter Dance.
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BRIDE: GEORGIA FOSTER • GROOM: CHANDLER CONE PHOTOGRAPHER: CAPTURED BY CRYSTAL (CRYSTAL PAFFORD) FLOWERS: BUNCHES DIRECT VENUE: FORGE VALLEY EVENT CENTER CATERING: SAGEBRUSH STEAKHOUSE DJ: ASHLEIGH GEORGE AT SIMPLE THE SOUND
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Amanda & Andrew
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ike many people in Asheville, Andrew and I are both transplants. I am originally from San Diego and he is from St. Joseph, Missouri. We each came to Asheville with a love of nature and the mountains, and are avid foodies. Both being in the travel industry, we met at work. I liked him for months without giving any signs, and since he was always so
professional, I didn’t know he felt the same way. Meanwhile, I pursued another dream of mine, to become a flight attendant and, after much dreaming and determination, I finally obtained my goal! Immediately I put in my notice at work, letting them know that I would soon be leaving to train for my new career. Finally, I worked up the courage to ask Andrew on a date (not the traditional way to do things, but I figured I didn’t have much time, and nothing to lose). To my surprise and delight, he agreed to a dinner date. So we courted, and our romance was fueled by the gorgeous scenery and ambiance of this beautiful city high in the Appalachian Mountains. Asheville not only provides the perfect backdrop for dating, but it offers so many wonderful
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restaurants and eateries that we made a point to visit as many as we could, scouring reviews to choose where we would dine, a different place every week. I was not only falling in love, I was in culinary bliss! Inevitably, I had to leave for training in Atlanta, which meant I had to be away for two months. Andrew made a point to drive down every Saturday just to see me. Finally, training was over and my graduation happened to fall on my birthday, which was also the day Andrew proposed to me with a gorgeous ring custom made by local jeweler Marthaler’s. Finally, we were engaged and planning our perfect wedding, which would take place six months later. We knew we wanted an elegant and simple wedding with a touch of country charm that took full advantage of the beauty of Asheville in the fall. After viewing multiple venues, we decided that the Asheville Botanical Gardens was perfect for our needs. We had no desire for an extravagant wedding because we didn’t want to lose touch with the true meaning of our special day. So we had only our nearest and dearest with us
in an intimate, natural setting. Our wedding party consisted of only a Maid of Honor, a Best Man and two Flower Girls. We even had a lone fiddle player play upbeat folk music while the guests entered and until I walked down the aisle. We needed a photographer who would fit right into our intimate atmosphere. We found Jennifer Mesk, a well-known local photographer with an eye for the eclectic who also writes and photographs for Humans of Asheville, a quirky blog which takes an interest in Asheville and its locals. Not only was I impressed with her work, but she was extremely familiar with the Botanical Gardens and knew lots of hidden locations within the gardens that were perfect for shooting after the ceremony. Our wedding took place in September, when the weather was still fair yet the leaves had just begun to fall. This not only provided great weather, but also added the touch of nature’s colors at their finest. I have always loved sunflowers, and Stargazers Floral Designs incorporated them beautifully into our special day. Not only were they in the bouquets and centerpieces, but they adorned the cake as well. We were catered by Dining Innovations, and the food definitely delivered to our choosy palates. They offered a wonderful menu, and even provided delicious vegetarian options for some of our guests with special diets. 2016 Fall / Winter I Do! | 21
Top 5 Favorite Moments: 1 The reception. We held the reception at the groom’s
father’s house. With such a small ceremony and only about 20 guests, we didn’t have the need for a huge venue. I loved the casualness of it, how everyone was able to feel comfortable and at ease. We didn’t stick to specific traditions and rituals which, I believe, can turn a nice event into a stiff and awkward affair. (Just the idea of garter throwing is enough to make me blush!)
2 First dance. Our first dance ever! It was the very end
of the reception and I had already let my hair down at that point. Andrew surprised me by playing a song which meant a lot to us while we were dating (I Love You by Alex Clare) and it was one of the most romantic moments of my life.
3 Planning the wedding with my mother. We had spent months planning and doing things ourselves and it all came together perfectly.
4 The photography. I absolutely adored how our photos turned out. Jennifer Mesk did a phenomenal job in documenting our wedding and reception. Now we can cherish the memories forever.
5 Marrying the love of my life. Uniting our lives and sharing our special day with our families.
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BRIDE: AMANDA BUTRUS • GROOM: ANDREW ALEXANDER PHOTOGRAPHER: JENNIFER MESK PHOTOGRAPHY VENUE (CEREMONY): ASHEVILLE BOTANICAL GARDENS BRIDE’S DRESS: DAVID’S BRIDAL • CATERING: DINING INNOVATIONS FLOWERS: STARGAZERS FLORAL DESIGNS REHEARSAL DINNER: VINNIE’S NEIGHBORHOOD ITALIAN RESTAURANT FIDDLER: LAURA SMITH
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C Laura & Chris
hris and I met in 2012, when I moved to Athens, Georgia for school. I was looking for a new place to live and he was looking for a third roommate. We met on his front porch and talked for almost an hour about music, our interests, and our lives. We instantly connected, and I ended up moving into his open room two weeks later. Our relationship developed from there- I would wait for him to get off work at night, we would go out on the town together, we would watch movies in our living room, play board games, and cook dinner together. He became my best friend. He even took me to meet his family at Thanksgiving as his roommate and good friend. At the same time, we were falling for each other but thinking that developing a romantic relationship was off-limits due to our living situation. We definitely had more than a few awkward moments of subtly kicking another potential date out of the house to hang out with each other instead. After a while, it became clear that flirting and being friends was not the dynamic that we wanted for our relationship and we took the next step: he kissed me. Seemingly overnight and turtle-speed simultaneously, our relationship evolved and we decided to be together. It is history from there! A little over two years and a different city later, we were living in a little mountain house in Asheville with our newborn son and an engagement ring on my finger. He had asked me to marry him while watching the sunset over Asheville and the mountains, and we talked about how our lives fell right into place from the day we met. We decided to have a small, familyonly ceremony at Addison Farms in Leicester, NC. We were married on a beautiful September afternoon, in the middle of the vineyard, with mountains as our backdrop, and the most important people in our lives there to witness. During the ceremony, we laughed and cried and had some funny moments – like our son throwing a phone onto my dress that stayed there the whole ceremony (ha ha). Our musicians, Natalya Weinstein and her husband John Miller, played the most romantic, perfect Appalachian bluegrass-style music that carried on
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the wind over the vineyard. It was perfect. Afterwards, we all drank wine and danced and played and talked inside the tasting room and patio. After a while, we headed to dinner at Posana. We didn’t reserve any parking, so Chris and I walked all the way through Pack Square Park from the stage area to the restaurant in full-on wedding attire during Goombay Festival! It was absolutely hilarious. Everyone was yelling congratulations, talking to us, pointing… and we were laughing so hard. We had a really low-key, delicious dinner with everyone, and then we went out on the town with our friends and siblings to celebrate! It was so much fun.
Top 5 Favorite Moments: 1 Seeing Chris after spending all morning without him. I felt anxious about my hair and makeup, and if it was all too much because I'm normally a no-makeup, no styling type of person.. and when I saw him everything just melted away. Chris teared up, which I've only seen a few times, and just smiled this huge smile.
2 Walking with my mom down the aisle was incredibly moving for me. My
mom has been such a force of strength and inspiration throughout my life, and I have so much respect for her. It was empowering to have her by my side—she looked absolutely radiant.
3 Seeing my step dad holding my son at the front of the aisle. It took
everything inside of me to not tear up. They both looked so handsome and the two of them standing there smiling at me... it was a really emotional moment.
4 My 86- and 91-year-old grandparents flawlessly dancing to bluegrass
music during the cocktail hour! They flew all the way from Montreal to be at my wedding and I could not feel more grateful that they were able to attend our wedding.
5 Walking through Pack Square Park during Goombay Fest in full-on
wedding gear and sunglasses was hilarious. Everyone was pointing at us, congratulating us, and taking photos. We were meeting the photographer at dinner so it ended up being a kind of private memory for just Chris and I.
BRIDE: LAURA VAN MARTER GROOM: CHRIS PATTON PHOTOGRAPHER: INSPIRED LIFE PHOTOGRAPHY (BRITTANY SISK) HAIR: BRANDELYN AT ANANDA HAIR STUDIO BRIDE'S DRESS: WATTERS ZUANNA GOWN BRIDE'S JEWELRY: PEARLS - A FAMILY HEIRLOOM, PASSED DOWN FROM MY GRANDMOTHER TO MY COUSIN AND EARRINGS FROM BHLDN FLORIST (BOUQUETS AND BOUTONNIERES): COURTNEY AT SHADY GROVE FLOWERS FLOWERS IN VASES: PICKED FROM FULL SUN FARMS MUSIC: NATALYA WEINSTEIN AND JOHN CLOYD MILLER CHAIRS: CLASSIC EVENT RENTALS VENUE: ADDISON FARMS VINEYARD DINNER: POSANA
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Katelan & AndrĂŠ
O
ur wedding day was October 10th, 2015 in downtown Asheville. We had both grown up around the area and could not imagine getting married anywhere else. Andre and I both attended Appalachian State University. We both grew up around the Western North Carolina area but met at college. We were in an exercise science class together and we both joined a study group. We were the last two left in the library after studying and Andre asked me on a date. We went out to eat and to a place to play pool. I am a very competitive person and he did not allow me to win. This made me realize how competitive he was as well, which I liked. Andre is a cyclist and likes to exceed in everything that he does. These are just a few of the many qualities I fell in love with. In the class we were learning about the heart and I tell him often how I never knew he would be stealing mine. It all started with the engagement and at the time we were living in Florida. It was a normal Wednesday in October 2014. Andre and I were discussing what we would like for dinner. He suggested we have sushi from one of our favorite places, Carmines Ocean Grill and Sushi Bar. I thought it was a little strange because we usually do not go out during weekdays. We had a delicious dinner and when we got back in the car he said we should go to the beach for a walk. I thought he was acting strange
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but never expected what would happen next. We parked near the pier started walking down towards the beach when I saw yellowish/white lights on the beach. I said are those lights for the turtles?? Then I suddenly realized the candles surrounding a blanket were set up for ME. He asked me to have a seat and he gave me the ipad where he played a video of our pictures from the past two years. At the end of the video, teary eyed, I looked over and he was on one knee with a ring box asking me to marry him! In that moment I was so overjoyed with love and happiness, I Said Yes! Then he asked are you going to put it on? Shaking and crying he put the most beautiful ring on my finger. It was a Fairytale night that a girl dreams about her entire life. So happy to be spending the rest of my life with my best friend. After the engagement it was onto planning. We had intentions on moving back to North Carolina but when we had gotten engaged we had no opportunities yet for moving. We were planning a wedding in North Carolina from Florida but my mother and family were so helpful with the planning it was a pleasurable experience. We had not personally seen the wedding venue once we booked it but my mother had met with Kim the owner of On Broadway and fell in love with the place and her staff. Everything went as planned on the day of the wedding. It rained but we didn’t care we were getting married! The ceremony was special and a memorable moment for the both of us. We wrote custom vows that showed our personalities and the love we have for each other. After the ceremony the guests enjoyed the amazing food by CÊline Catering Company. Then it was off to dancing the night away. We had glow sticks to add some fun to the dance floor. Everyone enjoyed the glow stick glasses the most. The guests left with the local honey as the wedding favor and hopefully enjoyed the night as much as we did.
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Top 5 Favorite Moments: 1 Our Custom Vows 2 Choreographed garter toss dance by Andre. 3 Celebrating with all our friends and Family. 4 Surprise father daughter breakout dance to Watch Me (Whip/ Nae Nae).
5 Getting ready with groomsmen and bridesmaids
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BRIDE: KATELAN ZIEGLER • GROOM: ANDRE VANDENBERG PHOTOGRAPHER: INSPIRED LIFE PHOTOGRAPHY (BRITTANY SISK) HAIR: BRANDELYN MCDONALD AT ANANDA HAIR STUDIO MAKEUP: MAKEUP AT THE GROVE ARCADE FLOWERS: IT CAN BE ARRANGED OF MARION CAKE: BLACK MOUNTAIN BAKERY VENUE: CELINE AND COMPANY “ON BROADWAY” CEREMONY OFFICIANT: BILL MAIN (ANDRE’S GRANDFATHER) CEREMONY AND RECEPTION MUSIC: MATTHEW PRIDE FROM MR. C’S MOBILE DJ
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Erica & Caleb
C
aleb and I met through friends while we were still in high school, and developed our own friendship. We didn't actually start dating until six years later in July of 2014. Not too long after we began dating we learned that we were expecting, something that wasn't planned but brought us closer together. Caleb has a son, Cameron, through a previous relationship and one day in October, Caleb and Cameron took me to the lake. When we got there, Cameron gave me a handwritten letter asking me if I would marry him and his dad. Of course I said, "Yes!" Soon after our son Beckett was born in April 2015, we started planning our wedding for the following April. We tied the knot on April 16, 2016 with both Cameron and Beckett in the wedding party. It was a beautiful beach ceremony and the reception was a night to remember forever!
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Top 5 Favorite Moments: 1 The sand ceremony with us and the boys. 2 Having the ceremony on the beach with the ocean as the back drop.
3 Having our friends and family there. 4 Our venue for the reception was very intimate
and everything we could have asked for; the food, the cake, and the location.
5 Our dj. He made everything so fun. It felt like we were at a party.
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BRIDE: ERICA CARVER GROOM: CALEB HENDERSON FLORALS: CHRISIE JOLLIE - LAZELLE'S MUSIC: CHRIS ELSWICK VIDEO: JENN KELLY VIDEOS PHOTOGRAPHY: ALFREDA FUNNYE RECEPTION: THOROUGHBREDS CHOPHOUSE & SEAFOOD GRILLE CAKE DESIGN: CAKE CREATIONS BY MELANIE ROGERS PASTOR: DR. ADAM EMRICK BOUTIQUE WEDDING PACKAGES BY MYRTLE BEACH WEDDINGS, ETC.
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Autumn & Mark
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ark and I officially met when I was renewing my driver’s license over ten years ago. Although he will never
admit it, I believe he “accidently” added a restriction I didn’t have so that I would have to return and have it corrected. A few months later, we went out to dinner and had a great time. However, we ended up being close friends until last summer. We met a few times to hike and soon began dating. Because we had known each other for so long and were close friends before, we did not date long before we knew an engagement would come soon. We got engaged in August. Mark planned a picnic on the Crabtree Bald, a beautiful mountain top, and invited my parents. For that reason, I did not expect him to propose at that time. Mark surprised me with a beautiful and unique ring. Someone had placed a sign in one of the curves on the mountain that said “Hold on Tight”, which became a special phrase for us throughout the wedding process We planned an October wedding as fall is one of our favorite times of the year and were lucky enough to select the weekend when the leaves
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were most vibrant. Being an art teacher, I really enjoyed the planning process and I wanted to have an active role in creating what was needed for the wedding. The wedding venue is near where we were engaged and that pleased us both. I enjoyed designing the wedding invitations and programs as well as arranging the flowers for the tables. I wanted to create something a bit different for the tables, so my father made wooden vases for the flowers and candle holders. He also made a beautiful wooden box for the ring bearer to carry on the wedding day. My mother and grandmothers made the favors and table runners. We selected vendors from western North Carolina, all of whom we had worked with before in some aspect. One of my former art students provided beautiful vocals for the ceremony. When the day arrived, everything came together perfectly and was so much more than we had expected. The leaves were vibrant, the sunset phenomenal and our guests enjoyed a relaxing evening. I was elated to marry Mark in the presence of family and friends.
Top 5 Favorite Moments: 1 Getting dressed and ready for the wedding day with my
mother and close friends. My mother and friend Penney helped with the task of fastening the buttons on the back of my dress, which was a challenge at first. I have known Gwen, my hair stylist for years so I was very happy that she was the one who created a beautiful hairstyle for the wedding.
2 Riding to the venue with my father. My father driving us to the
wedding in his and my mother’s convertible. I was nervous by that point and the drive gave us both some time to relax and reflect about the quickly upcoming wedding.
3 Seeing Mark turn around when I began walking to the altar.
Our minister requested Mark and our guests not turn around until my father and I began walking down the aisle. I will never forget Mark’s smile and how happy I felt to see him for the first time on our wedding day.
4 Enjoying time with family and
friends at the reception. When Mark and I joined the reception, the evening fall sky was gorgeous. We were delighted to see our family and friends and have time to spend with them. The best man’s toast was especially touching and humorous.
5 Leaving the wedding in Mark’s
father’s vintage 1957 Ford convertible. Mark and his father have always shared a love for cars, especially vintage ones so we were thrilled when his father loaned us his ’57 to use as we left the wedding, which was one way we included his family in the wedding. We left at sunset via a sparkler send off.
BRIDE: AUTUMN L. HALL • GROOM: E. MARK HOWELL PHOTOGRAPHER: STEPHANIE WILSON • VENUE: HIDDEN VALLEY FARM, CLYDE, GWEN & TRACY BEST BRIDE & BRIDESMAID DRESSES: DAVID’S BRIDAL • BRIDE'S SHOES: WHITE HOUSE BLACK MARKET HAIR: GWEN BEST, ROSEMARY LANE SALON • MAKE-UP: BELKS OF WAYNESVILLE • ENGAGEMENT & WEDDING JEWELRY: SILVER TREASURES FLOWERS: RAY’S FLORIST & INGLES • WEDDING DIRECTOR: JANET BOTTOMS • CATERING: JOY RATHBONE, RATHBONE FARMS WEDDING CAKE: KANDI’S CAKES • CEREMONY VOCALS: HELENA HUNT • CEREMONY & RECEPTION MUSIC: MUSIC EXPLOSION, RANDY NELSON
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L Kala & Luke
uke and I are one of those famous E-Harmony couples! Well, we aren’t in any commercials yet, but we definitely could be. Luke had transplanted to Winston Salem, NC from Texas to attend law school. I was living in Raleigh, NC where I had graduated from college and was working as a teacher. After prodding from family and friends, we each decided to give online dating a try, and within a few weeks, we were matched. We met in Greensboro for our first date. Dinner at a pizza place doesn’t sound so glamorous, but I called my mom immediately after the date to let her know I had found the man I was going to marry! It sounded crazy and like something I had said many times in my teenage years, but this time I really meant it. Luke and I continued to date long distance for a year before I made the move to Winston Salem to give this thing called love a real shot! Living in the same city confirmed for me that Luke was the one I wanted to spend the rest of my life with, and based on the outcome, I think he would agree. The Proposal: In June 2014, we took a trip to Europe to celebrate our dear friends’ wedding. The wedding was in Denmark, but we decided to begin with a European adventure. Our first stop was Paris, my favorite city. Luke had paid attention to my love for Paris, and he took advantage of the opportunity to make it the most special trip I had ever taken. After arriving in Paris and freshening up, we went out to see the city. We took a boat tour on the River Siene and enjoyed a walk along the Champ De Mars. Luke waited to find the perfect Eiffel Tower backdrop to ask me an important question. I remember him asking if I would still say yes if he didn’t have a ring to which I replied “Yes, of course!” But of course, he had a ring, and it was absolutely beautiful! We had not gone ring shopping or really talked much about getting married, so his proposal was a total surprise. We were then able to enjoy the first days of our engagement as we traveled throughout Europe.
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Top 5 Favorite Moments: 1 The ceremony: In the midst of planning the party, the ceremony
often gets forgotten, and it’s the whole reason people are partying in the first place! Our officiant was my youth pastor, and he took time to really get to know Luke in the same way he knew me in the weeks leading up to the wedding when we met for counseling. The personalization of our ceremony made it so much more special for both us and our guests.
2 The first look: We debated about whether to see each other
before the wedding, but we wanted to make sure we had the best lighting for pictures, so we did have a first look. It was so great to have a moment with one another without the pressure of the crowd. We both felt more at ease, and we were able to take some GREAT photos!
3 Our first dance: Luke and I chose to surprise our guests with
our dance moves. We began with a traditional version of “Stand by Me” swaying back and forth as most slow dances go. After the chorus the music switched over to Prince Royce’s version, and we broke into bachata! Our adrenaline was pumping and the crowd was screaming. We’ve never had a more perfect or fun moment together!
4 Having all of our favorite people in one place: We both have
family and friends all over the country. It was so wonderful to have everyone in one place, and it meant so much that they were only there to celebrate our marriage!
5 Our Band: I know this isn’t one moment, but we splurged to
have our favorite cover band at our reception. The Dickens kept the crowd entertained and made sure our reception was fun! At the end of the night, they had Luke and I join them on stage for a performance of “All Night Long.” Unfortunately, Luke was the only person in the building who did not know the words, but we carried on with the help of the band. To end the night, they played “Can’t Help Falling In Love,” which was the song I walked down the aisle to. It was not planned, and I was shocked they noticed such a small detail. BRIDE: KALA STANTON • GROOM: LUKE MACDOWALL BRIDE'S DRESS DESIGNER: ALLURE BRIDAL FROM ANJOLIQUE BRIDAL • BRIDESMAIDS DRESSES: DOVE AND DAHLIA GROOM’S SUIT: TOM JAMES CUSTOM DESIGNS • GROOMSMEN’S SUITS: MEN’S WEARHOUSE HAIR: LACEY KING BENFIELD AND MARY CATHERINE FULMER, STUDIO 109 • MAKE UP: MELISSA BEDOER, POP OF COLOR PHOTOGRAPHER: KATY COOK • VIDEOGRAPHER: DUSTY ABERNATHY VENUE: CREST CENTER PAVILION • FLORAL: WHOLE FOODS • CUPCAKES: WHOLE FOODS • CATERING: M7 EVENTS CEREMONY MUSICIANS: FRETS AND BOWS • BAND: THE DICKENS SIGNAGE/CALLIGRAPHY: DANIELLE OLCOTT, MASON DIXON EVENTS • INVITATIONS: LAUREN VANDY DAY OF COORDINATION: DANIELLE OLCOTT, MASON DIXON EVENTS
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Tray & Larry
T
ray and Larry simultaneously lived near each other in both Florida and Arizona but finally crossed paths shortly after they both moved to the Asheville area. Tray was working as a cocktail waitress at a local bar when Larry finally convinced her to join him for a cup of coffee. 10 years later while on a snowboarding trip in Utah, Larry decided to make it official. He had been nervously snowboarding for days with the ring in his pocket waiting for the perfect spot. He surprised Tray on a beautiful sunny day at the top of Snowbird Mountain in Utah surrounded by amazing views, and she said “yes”! Tray had always wanted to have a Halloween wedding, her favorite holiday, since she was a little girl. When it was the only Saturday date left in the fall at the perfect venue, The Farm- A gathering place, they knew it was meant to be. They were wed on October 31, 2015. The "Hauntingly Beautiful" themed wedding was filled with fall colors, pumpkins, black crows, hot apple cider, seasonal pies, s’mores around the fire pit, yard games, trick-or-treat treat bags, costumes, masks, music and merriment.
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Top 5 Favorite Moments: 1 When we walked down the aisle ALL of our
guests surprised us by wearing masks and costumes! It was very surreal but was such an amazing surprise to see everyone in the festive spirit of the day! They knew I would love it!
2 When we kissed as husband and wife, horns
played in celebration. Everyone was singing and dancing as we exited the ceremony space. I had always envisioned horns playing when we kissed and am so glad I insisted on keeping this idea in my plans. It was like a dream come true and really kicked the party off!
3 We did not plan an official first dance but during
dinner Larry and I just started dancing together. A few minutes into the song all the important people in our lives (dads, moms, brothers, and stepparents) began to cut in and dance with us. It was perfect- we couldn’t have planned it better!
4 Feeling as though my mom, who had
recently passed away, was with us in spirit. We incorporated many special touches; I had her picture on my bouquet, we used the paper cranes from her memorial to hang above the ceremony space, we honored our lost loved ones during the ceremony, and we decorated with tons of black crows (they always make me think of her). She would have loved how the day turned out!
5 Bringing so many of our friends and family
together from all over the country to celebrate our love in beautiful Western North Carolina! It was the biggest and best party we’ll ever throw! BRIDE: TRAY SHAPIRO • GROOM: LARRY SMITH PHOTOGRAPHER:JESSICA MERRITHEW PHOTOGRAPHY • DRESS: HAILEY PAIGE DRESS - HAYDEN OLIVIA BRIDAL FLORIST:FLOWERS BY LARRY • FOOD: MOE’S ORIGINAL BBQ • CAKES/PIES:TIFFANY’S BAKING CO. PLANNER:SUMMER WEMBER - FIREFLY EVENT COMPANY • VENUE: THE FARM
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Kathy & Jon
D
escribing how Jon and I came to be together is in some ways a slow, boring, and uneventful story – we met at work, dated for 6 years, and then without a lot of fanfare, he proposed and we married a year later. In other ways our story was a very unlikely and fortuitous one. Yes, we met at work, but that’s only after we each separately decided to have a great adventure and move to another country; before I came to work in the Cayman Islands, I had never been outside the Philippines – where I was born and raised – and when Jon came to work in Cayman, I’m not sure he even knew where it was on the map! From two very different cultural backgrounds and life experiences to that point, we met and slowly struck up a friendship. Over time,
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we discovered how many of the same values we had, and learned to appreciate and enjoy (or at least tolerate) each other’s unique interests. I still think about the first time Jon tried a traditional Filipino dish with me – I later found out how good he was at pretending he liked it! I also think about the first time Jon brought me to Biltmore, on a day trip from visiting his parents in east Tennessee. The house is such a beautiful place, and walking the grounds with the autumn leaves changing was so amazing. When we decided to get married, I knew exactly where I wanted that to be, and my wish came true when I walked down the aisle with our little shih tzupoodle mix, Cici, to marry my best friend at Biltmore on Halloween in 2015!
Top 5 Favorite Moments: 1 The Maid of Honor’s toast – it was fun but also
so touching, and there wasn’t a dry eye in the room when she finished.
2 Spending the day with my bridesmaids, who
travelled from all corners of the world – Australia, the Philippines, the Cayman Islands, and Washington state.
3 The reception – the food was wonderful, and
everyone seemed to have a good time tolerating each other’s mostly mediocre karaoke and dancing.
4 Standing at the arbor, looking at Jon and all of our guests, surrounded by the fall colors.
5 Seeing the crazy costumes that some of our
guests changed into for our post-reception party in downtown Asheville. BRIDE: KATHERINE VENCER GROOM: JON TREADWAY PHOTOGRAPHER: KATY COOK HOTEL: THE WINDSOR BOUTIQUE HOTEL VENUE: BILTMORE WEDDING PLANNER: BELLE SOIREE VIDEOGRAPHY: NINE WORLD’S FILMS MAKEUP / HAIR: DOLL BOX PRODUCTIONS FLORAL: THE BLOOM ROOM CEREMONY AND COCKTAIL MUSIC: DEANS’ DUETS OFFICIANT: TRILLIUM CEREMONIES RECEPTION ENTERTAINMENT: ASHEVILLE PARTY ENTERTAINMENT
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Anna & Nicholas
D
uring the summer of 2012 Nicholas and I were camp counselors at YMCA Camp Thunderbird in Lake Wylie, SC. We had both attended Camp Thunderbird as campers for many years before but had never really crossed paths. However, the summer of 2012 was different. During the first session, Nicholas was assigned to go with three of his youngest campers to all of their activities. One of those activities was swimming, where I was the pool chief. Every day during that session a particularly outgoing and adorable camper would call me over to talk to Nicholas. From that week on Nicholas and I continued to get to know each other. After asking me to go out several times I agreed, making it official on July 28, 2012. For the first five months of our relationship we were long distance because Nicholas was in school in Florida and I was in school in North Carolina. After much deliberation, Nicholas decided to make an important move up to North Carolina in January of 2013, where we have lived for 3.5 years. During our years in NC, I graduated from UNC Chapel Hill and went on to do Teach For America in Rocky Mount, NC and Nicholas completed two degrees from East Carolina University while working for the City of Rocky Mount. On May 28th, Nicholas proposed by making a slide show with pictures of us, while playing the song “Carolina Gave Me You� from Camp Thunderbird. The photos started with the first time we started dating and went through our entire relationship. Nicholas (continued on page 46)
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knew that I wanted to be proposed to at camp, which was my dream. However, since we were hundreds of miles away he said he brought camp to me. We got married at Lake Eden in Black Mountain, NC on July 16, 2016. It rained throughout the day until the time of our ceremony. The clouds broke and we were able to have our ceremony outside like planned. The rain held off for the ceremony and we were able to take wedding pictures without getting wet and had a gorgeous background with the clouds and the mountains. The reception was held in a rustic barn that had tables set up upstairs and downstairs in the stalls. After the food and the speeches, the tables were removed and the empty floor upstairs was used as a dance floor were everyone danced until the reception was over.
Top 5 Favorite Moments: 1 The Ceremony 2 The Kiss 3 The First Dance 4 Having friends that haven’t been in the same place in years all being together.
5 Having some of the best BBQ and that's saying a lot
since there is a lot of good BBQ places in North Carolina.
BRIDE: ANNA GARRISON GROOM: NICHOLAS PLATT PHOTOGRAPHER: INSPIRED LIFE PHOTOGRAPHY (BRITTANY SISK) FOOD: LUELLA’S BBQ VENUE: LAKE EDEN EVENTS OFFICIANT: MARTINA BARNES
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Sealed With A Kiss ANNA & NICHOLAS
PHOTOGRAPHER: INSPIRED LIFE PHOTOGRAPHY (BRITTANY SISK)
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