ERIN
- May 15, 2020

EARTHY SPRING WEDDING WITH CHOSEN FAMILY

TED + DAN // DEERHAVEN GARDENS - MAY 15, 2019

Oh. My. Gosh. I’ll never stop gushing about these two.

T+D’s wedding weekend was a dream example of being true to yourselves and creating the most meaningful wedding experience. T+D wanted to celebrate with their best friends (chosen family!) and carry on a really special tradition.

A little history. . . their chosen family has a tradition of hosting small, intimate weddings with just their group of 15ish folx. The engaged couple picks a favorite destination (sometimes going international) and then plans out a whole vacation with activities, events, dinners, etc. T+D totally went all out for their chosen family to share the full Asheville/Western North Carolina experience. They chose Deerhaven Gardens for their venue and vacation rental for the weekend, and it was the perfect mix of private luxury and Asheville convenience! Deerhaven partnered with Red Fiddle Vittles to privately cook/prepare all the guests’ meals so everyone could stay together at this incredible retreat.

I worked closely with T on the details and I mean it when I say EVERY detail was considered! We planned through each moment they wanted to experience including how everyone would move through the space, the enchanting Tellico Band for pre-ceremony cocktails, the intimate ceremony, the ‘Vanity Fair’ photoshoot, and their amazing dinner together. I’m so glad Amelia Fletcher took the most incredible photos to capture every detail & moment (she’s always down to try weird things like smoke bombs for me! haha!).

FAVORITE DESIGN DETAIL: How do I pick? I love all the details since I designed it! Ha!

T+D wanted to create an English-garden-meets-Western-North-Carolina feeling that pulled in textures & seasonal colors from the area.

We collaborated with Carolina Flowers to create the perfect English-wildflower-garden look using soft spring florals from her local farm. I personally think the flowers always tie the look together because it adds so much texture, movement, color, and context for the design. We paired the garden florals with earthy potteryware to amp up the texture and add that truly WNC aesthetic. The intention was to keep things as local as possible, so I loved that Red Fiddle Vittles’ pottery plates were from a local artist & that they sourced fresh local food for the weekend.

What really brought every element together was T+D’s coordinating tweed suits. It was the perfect English, earthy, springy, Appalachian vibe and was the cherry on top for the whole design! I’m so glad Amelia Fletcher took the most incredible photos to capture every detail & moment!

FAVORITE MOMENT: The WHOLE ceremony.

T+D wanted their wedding ceremony to be as personal and intentional as possible. I was honored to help plan and write it with them since their “Viking Warrior Princess” BFF officiant just had a baby! The ceremony was down by the waterfall feature where T+D made a dramatic entrance down the stone staircase with beautiful live music in the background. The guests stood in a circle so that every person could enjoy & remember this moment together. T+D wanted their guests to participate in the ceremony, so we did a ring-passing ritual that created such a powerful & memorable moment for everyone. The ceremony ended up being much longer than anticipated, but was filled with so much love & joy. It was one of those magical ones that I will never forget.

T+D will always be so special to me. Their wedding was such a reflection of them and their commitment to each other & their chosen family. This group of people is truly special and you can’t help but feel a bit jealous that you’re not in it. I’m so lucky T+D chose me to be the planner on this one, and I can’t wait to keep on reliving this day!

XOXO - Erin