Sarah + Lee: A Modern Fairytale Wedding at Moretz Mills, Hickory, NC
“Lee and I got engaged on October 3rd in Fripp Island, South Carolina at about 7:00 in the morning. We went for a walk on the beach and along the way found a perfectly intact, still living, sand dollar. Lee bent down to pick up the sand dollar, got down on one knee, and pulled a ring out of his pocket. He had a romantic weekend planned for the rest of our trip, including a stay in a beautiful bed and breakfast in Beaufort, South Carolina, a carriage ride around the historic town, and dinner reservations on the water.”
(Read more of Sarah + Lee's love story HERE)
“Our wedding had a theme of modern elegance. We wanted it to be classic and timeless, yet still incorporating modern elements and style. We wanted it to be fun, while still being elegant. Every detail of the day incorporated back to this theme - from our color story, to our reception venue, to the wedding party attire.”
“I wanted the colors of our day to all be accents, without one color being too dominant. The soft accents of blush and gold were represented throughout all aspects of the day, from the bridesmaid and flower girl dresses, the invitations, the wedding favors, and the reception decor, and created a soft, romantic feel.”
“Lee and I both wanted the men to wear traditional black tuxedos, black bow ties, and suspenders. The black tuxedos brought in a classic element that served as a great complement to the flowy, romantic pale blush chiffon bridesmaids’ gowns. The bridesmaid dresses were by designer Jenny Yoo.”
“Our first look was something that we were deciding up until the week of the wedding if we wanted to do. I am so glad that we decided to do it! In the middle of all of the wedding day craziness, nerves, and anticipation, it was a very welcome calming moment in our day. Seeing Lee in that moment before we walked down the aisle, and having that moment together alone before we said “I do” gave me an indescribable sensation of comfort and an overwhelming feeling of happiness and love.”
“My dress was a modern take on the princess wedding dress. The top was a corset adorned with lace and a sweetheart neckline with soft layers of tulle making up the huge ballgown skirt. I wanted a big, princess dress, but I also wanted something that was glamorous and romantic. I found it at Ladies of Lineage, a quaint but elegant boutique located in the Dilworth neighborhood of Charlotte. I actually spotted the dress when I walked in the door and instantly knew it was special.”
“My veil was a cathedral length and my something borrowed from my matron of honor, also my sister-in-law, who wore it when she got married.”
“I bought my shoes before I bought my dress. I had them picked out from before Lee and I were even engaged. They were Kate Spade gold glitter peep toe pumps and fit perfectly with the gold details that were incorporated throughout the wedding.”
“We were married in the church that I grew up attending, St Aloysius Catholic Church in Hickory. Our officiant was the same priest that married my oldest brother, in St Aloysius, in 2004. While he retired years ago, it was still important to us that he officiated the ceremony. We opted for simple decorations for the ceremony, just a few tulle bows to line the reserved pews, and flower arrangements at the front of the church.”
“The trolley was one of my favorite elements of our day. Between the ceremony and reception, a trolley chauffeured the wedding party to take pictures, and then to the reception.”
“When we booked our venue, it was still under construction. The floors were covered in dust, no lights had been installed, we had to enter from a muddy, back stairwell. But, it was perfect. With a little imagination, I could tell that this was exactly the venue I had imagined for our wedding reception. From the hardwood floors, to the exposed brick walls, and the massive wrought iron windows, the space was exactly the place where I imagined Lee and I would celebrate our wedding.”
“Cocktail hour was in the foyer of the reception venue. Passed hor d’oeuvres of goat cheese stuffed dates, antipasto skewers, and chicken and waffle skewers were served. Shortly after, the guests were invited to enter the reception space.”
“For our dinner, we opted to do food stations. We had a salad bar/mashed potato bar station, a pasta station, and a carving station. After dinner, all of our guests danced the rest of the night away!”
“I was obsessed with the way every detail of our wedding came together. I got excited about every single detail and every single decision. Looking back, I wouldn’t change a thing. One of the most exciting things for me was seeing all of the pictures of the day from Heather and Jason. Seeing everything come together after over a year of planning, and seeing our day captured so beautifully, was definitely one of my favorite parts. The day goes by in such a blur, it’s so fun to look back at pictures and see things I didn’t even notice on the day.”
“We made our grand exit to sparklers, surrounded by our family and friends!”
Any advice for future brides + grooms?
“Enjoy every second of your day, it goes by in a blur! Don’t sweat the small stuff, no one else knows if something has gone wrong! Keep in mind that what is most important is that you are getting married, to the love of your life, surrounded by an incredible support system of family and friends. Lucky you!”
Ceremony Venue - St. Aloysius Catholic Church, Hickory, NC
Reception Venue - 74 South at Moretz Mills, Hickory, NC
Wedding Coordinator - Tara Bland, Tara B's Eventful Planning, Hickory, NC
Decor and Floral Design - Tara B's Eventful Planning
Rentals and Speciality Draping - It's My Party, Hickory, NC
Catering - Liazzo’s, Hickory, NC
DJ - AAA Entertainment
Cake - Icing on the Edge, Charlotte, NC
Shuttles - Christian Tours
Trolley - Ridgeline Trolley
Hair - Pam Matheson, The Bentley Salon
Makeup - Tonya Parks Makeup, Charlotte, NC
Bridal Shop - Ladies of Lineage, Charlotte, NC
Dress Designer - Lis Simon
Shoes - Kate Spade New York
Bridesmaid Dresses - Jenny Yoo
Honeymoon - Cocobay Resort, Antigua
“This all inclusive resort was the perfect way to relax for a week after the stresses of wedding planning! We enjoyed a private cottage on the water complete with a private pool at this all inclusive resort on the beautiful Coco Bay in sunny Antigua.”
Photography - Revival Photography, Jason + Heather Barr
“When we found Heather and Jason, we immediately knew that they were the photographers we wanted to capture our day. They have this talent of bringing their pictures to life and telling a story about your day through photography. Planning a wedding is so time consuming and you spend so much time on every detail, that seeing it captured so vividly, in a way that tells the story of your perfect day, so much so that even people who weren’t in attendance could feel included in the day, is a beautiful thing. Watching Heather and Jason work is fascinating, because you can see their minds constantly working, trying to find the perfect angle, the perfect light, and the perfect shot. Heather and Jason did an amazing job from our engagement pictures, to my bridal portraits, to our wedding day of making Lee and me feel completely natural and comfortable in front of the camera.”