Courtney + John's Fall Mountain Destination Wedding in Blowing Rock, NC

"I’ll dance with you."

That’s how it all began on the night of February 9th at Christy’s Europub in Greenville, North Carolina. Otis Redding’s "On the Dock of the Bay" began playing on the jukebox. Courtney felt the sudden urge to dance, so she tried to convince her friend to dance with her. Luckily, her friend turned her down. That’s when John spontaneously stepped in and exclaimed, “I’ll dance with you.”

The two had never met before, but Courtney was impressed by his confidence, his smooth shag-like dance moves and his vintage velvet sports jacket. After plenty of dancing, John bought Courtney a drink and asked her on a date.

Two days later they went on a date to The Daily Grind. They ordered a bottle of 14 Hands Cabernet Sauvignon & sat in a booth for almost two hours just talking. They were so wrapped up in conversation that they forgot to order dinner. The waiter actually asked if they were planning to order food since the kitchen would soon close.

“From that day on we became best friends.”

— Courtney

Fast-forward 3 years, 1 month and 21 Days.

April 1st 2014.

For weeks, Courtney made a huge deal out of her “half birthday,” teasing John about planning a celebration. So John, being the wise guy he is, decided this would be the perfect time to propose. He prepared her the same meal that he did on their very first Valentine’s date; lemongrass ginger salmon. He opened a bottle of 14 Hands Cabernet & “On the Dock of the Bay” played in the background. After dinner John came out onto the balcony of their apartment and got down on one knee ring in hand. Courtney started to get teary eyed, but then realized that the ring in front of her was actually her mom’s cubic zirconia ring that they found just the day before.

Needless to say she was not happy at all. John quickly returned inside to avoid any repercussions of his actions only to return with the real ring. Courtney quickly transformed from being angry and confused to pleasantly surprised.

“My mother presented me with the sleeve of her wedding dress, which I gave to the florist to wrap around my bridal bouquet. That was my ‘something old.’”

— Courtney

“My “big sister” from my sorority was my matron of honor, and my “little sister” was a bridesmaid. After receiving my bridal bouquet, they surprised me by presenting me with both of their quill pins along with my own. I fastened all three pins to my bouquet to serve as my “something borrowed.” The gesture meant a lot to me.”

— Courtney

“My sister made both of my garters.”

— Courtney

“I loved having the opportunity to do a “first look” session with my daddy. After I finished getting ready, I hid in the master bedroom while my dad was escorted outside to the balcony attached to the suite. His back was turned towards me as he gazed out into the horizon over the Blue Ridge mountains. I followed him outside, tapped him on the shoulder, and Heather captured the moment beautifully as he turned around to face me. His glasses fogged up and his eyes welled with tears of joy.”

— Courtney

“A major appeal of our wedding venue was the breathtaking view of the Blue Ridge Mountains. For months, we had been looking forward to saying our vows outdoors, overlooking the scenic mountainside with its beautiful fall colors. Much to our dismay, the weather did not cooperate, forcing me to make a last minute decision on the morning of the wedding to move everything indoors. The ceremony took place in Crestwood’s main dining room, which has floor to ceiling windows, showcasing the view. It was the next best thing to being outside in the crisp autumn air and felt very intimate. Although things didn’t go as planned, the ceremony was just as romantic and beautiful as we had imagined.”

— Courtney

The Bridal Processional was “Here comes the sun” by The Beatles (string quartet)

“We had a lot of fun with the light-up tambourines, maracas and glasses!”

— Courtney + John

Advice?

Bury the bourbon bottle on the right day for better weather.
Things will not always go as expected, but as soon as you walk down that isle and see the love of your life, nothing else matters. It's your big day, have fun!
Another piece of advice to bride & groom would be not to become so consumed with "expectations" - try to relax and enjoy the celebration with the people they love most. The day will literally fly by so fast; it's like hitting "pulse" on a blender! (Side note: I was pretty anxious and overwhelmed after the ceremony until after the cake cutting. It wasn't until after a friend pointed out to me- that she could tell I looked uncomfortable- that I was about to relax and seize the moment)