A Green & White North Carolina Backyard Wedding

What (or who) helped you most in your planning process and/or on your wedding day?

This is definitely a two part answer for me! My entire family was a huge help for the entire planning of my husband Matt and I’s wedding. But especially my father, who married us and worked tirelessly making my childhood home look perfect! Remodeling their backyard and parts of their home to make it look even more breathtaking than it already was! My mother, who without her, I think we would still be planning our wedding! She was my rock, during the planning and worked the hardest on making sure our special day was just that! As for the day of the wedding our amazing wedding planner Jackie Fogartie was an absolute rock star!!! We used her month of coordinating option and she was a genius! She not only got on her hands and knees to wipe the dance floor after it rained, but her hair even caught fire and she didn’t skip a beat!! She had wonderful ideas and her input was priceless! She really knows her stuff!! 

What was the most important thing to you when deciding who to work with for your wedding?

 I think the first criteria was price! When planning a wedding on a budget unfortunately that has to be the first thing I think about.  A friend had recommended Jackie and we met for lunch and just clicked! My photographer, Cheyenne Schultz Photography was the first vendor I actually chose. I didn’t even have to think about it!  I saw the work they had done at my best friend’s wedding and immediately fell in love!  With the other major vendors that we used they were all family friends! Our alcohol was gifted from one of my aunt and uncle. Most of the flowers we used for decorations were very real looking silk flowers that my mom and I put together in a floral design class! The real flowers like the bouquets, aisle markers and some vases were put together by the teacher we had for our floral class! The catering was done by a friend of my Yia Yia and Papoul’s (that’s Greek for grandmother and grandfather).  With other vendors like our photo booth and bathroom rentals, the most important thing when deciding on who to go with was their reputations. I read several reviews and spoke with people in the industry to see what their opinions were as well! I wanted to make sure I wouldn’t have to worry about anything at the last minute. 

What was your inspiration for your wedding details and/or design?

I think my inspiration was nature. My parents backyard garden is gorgeous! And I always wanted that to be the backdrop of the most memorable day of my life! I went with the garden theme to showcase how beautiful the natural setting could be.  I used very few colors and wanted tons of greenery like seeded eucalyptus and succulents. 

What was your favorite thing about your wedding?

I think the favorite thing about my wedding was seeing how happy every single person was that attended! Weeks after the wedding friends and family were still talking about how much fun they had! It goes to show that if you have good food, fun music and lots of booze, the fact that it rained cats and dogs doesn’t matter to anyone! Picking the right vendors that had impeccable service, put Matt and I first and left their egos at the door were crucial in throwing what is essentially the biggest and best party of our lives!! 

What is your best piece of advice for other brides?

I think the biggest piece of advice I could give to other brides would have to be to stay open to new ideas and don’t be afraid to think outside the box.  This is the biggest day of your life but it doesn’t have to be as stressful as you will eventually make it.  Make sure you put your guests at the forefront when planning the details, after all this is a big party and the guests are very important! At the end of the day the most important thing is is that you will be marrying the love of your life.  Put your foot down when needed but don’t be a diva! 

We love that they obviously share our love for sweet treats as they not only had a popsicle cart, a variety of mini desserts, and even a popcorn bar. What a fun way to wrap such a special day!

VENDORS WHO MADE IT ALL HAPPEN…

Photographer: Cheyenne Schultz Photography // Wedding planner: Jackie Fogartie // Hair: Modern Salon and Spa // Dress from: Poffie Girls // Wedding shoes: Kate Spade  // Bridesmaid dresses: Show Me Your MuMu // Groom’s attire: Jos A Bank // Groom’s Bow tie: Brackish // Groomsmen’s Bow ties: Slim Timber // Florals: Tommy Braswell // DJ: Troy Nguyen, DJ Elementz // Dessert: Mousse Cups from Amelie’s French Bakery  and Petite Fours from The Fresh Market // Rentals: Classic Party Rentals and Charlotte Staging // Bathrooms: Plush Flush // Calligraphy: Carrigan Grow // Dress designer: “Penelope” by Willowby