Love at Lavender Oaks Farm

Lavender Oaks Farm Love at

By Marie Muir

usan Langford, owner of Raleighbased wedding dress store Gilded Bridal, lifts the train of a Tara LaTour gown for a model as she makes her way through rows of purple plants toward a farm table set with doilies and Antoinette Bleu china. A chorus of harmless, albeit drunk, bees hum happily above fields of lavender, interrupted only by an occasional squeal of joy from one of the styled shoot’s participating vendors. 

Heart of NC Weddings Vendors Venue Lavender Oaks Farm / Photographer Arika Jordan Photography / Florals Bowerbird Flowers & Apothecary Rentals CE Rental / Dress Gilded Bridal / Formalwear Bernard’s Formalwear / Hair and Makeup Pinup Studio / Caterer Beau Catering / Stationer Ashley Triggiano

Ashley Triggiano created this illustration of Lavender Oaks Farm.

ABOVE Mikayla AnnaBelle Marshall’s enchanting hair and makeup by Pinup Studio beautifully complements whimsical earrings by Gilded Bridal. RIGHT Travis Cotton and Mikayla AnnaBelle, both of UC Models, share a dance underneath the farm’s fairy-tale gazebo.

In the fading sun, the scene looks as if it were in the south of France. But North Carolinians may be surprised to learn that Lavender Oaks Farm is nestled in the countryside forests of Chapel Hill. Karen

Macdonald and Robert Macdonald purchased the property to start their own lavender farm in 2015 following an inspirational trip to Provence. Today, Lavender Oaks Farm is a local wedding and event destination sought out for its refurbished historical barns, enclosed forest setting and on-site shop filled with farm-made goods. The venue’s design and amenities were carefully planned by the Macdonalds to meet a couple’s needs on their wedding day, from luxury suites for getting ready to comfortable outdoor gathering spaces. There’s even a white folly gazebo, named for its decorative structure, that invites vows or intimate dances to be shared beneath its curving limbs.

Arika Shelest of Arika Jordan Photography captured Diane Joyal and Lily Joyal’s vision of a late June wedding at Lavender Oaks Farm. This mother-daughter duo is the heart and soul behind Bowerbird Flowers & Apothecary. They created floral arrangements with movement and organic composition that accentuate the natural beauty of the farm. Shades of mauve, blush, buttery yellow, pops of pink and, of course, lavender, consumed the camera – a perfect palette for Arika, who is admired locally for her bright,

ABOVE Ashley Triggiano dropped lavender petals into the wax seals on these circular dinner menus. RIGHT UC Models’ Mikayla AnnaBelle in a Tara LaTour wedding dress from Gilded Bridal with a bouquet by Bowerbird Flowers & Apothecary. BELOW Antoinette Bleu China from CE Rental party suppliers in Raleigh. LEFT Bowerbird Flowers & Apothecary and Beau Catering created a sweetheart table inspired by the south of France at Lavender Oaks Farm.

colorful photography style. Spanish pottery, taper candles and antique linens enhance the rustic-chic ambiance of the overall design.

Dressed in a cornflower blue suit from Bernard’s Formalwear in Durham, the groom raises a glass to toast to his bride, whose hair and makeup look effortless thanks to Pinup Studio. Meanwhile, Arika’s camera captures a colorful spread prepared by Beau Catering. Vibrant dishes like grilled peach crostini, stuffed peppers and steamed mussels from Carteret County, North Carolina, add flavor and fun to the

ABOVE Glassware from CE Rental. RIGHT Beau Catering’s steamed Carteret County mussels, grilled peach salad and heirloom tomato salad. BELOW A Lavender Oaks Farm-inspired invitation suite by Ashley Triggiano.

tabletop. But before any of the imaginary guests can dig into this delicious meal, they must take a moment to read a line from the poem “Union” by Robert Fulghum on a circular dinner menu designed by

Ashley Triggiano.

“Look at one another, and remember this moment in time.”

As the sun sets and market lights begin to glow, this group of vendors gathers to celebrate the styled shoot’s success with Champagne and camaraderie. Each vendor’s skill set is remarkable individually, but truly magical memories are made when they come together.

RIGHT Hillsborough-based Beau Catering creates dishes that are both aesthetically pleasing and appetizing. BELOW A beautiful tabletop design by Bowerbird Flowers & Apothecary with linens and tableware from CE Rental.