Larissa Lycholaj + Griffin Ray

Larissa Lycholaj and Griffin Ray met in Garmisch, Germany, where they were both attending a military language course. At the time, Griffin was in the Marines, and Larissa was in the Army. The two became fast friends while traveling Europe on their weekends off.

“We had our first date in Venice, Italy, mostly by accident,” Larissa says.

She wanted to see the world-famous glassblowing on Murano Island, and Griffin was the only other person in their friend group who was interested.

“We had wine and seafood by the water, watched the glassblowing, and caught the last ferry back to the mainland when a storm blew in,” Larissa says. “During the ferry ride, Griffin wrapped his arms around me to keep me warm, and I just melted — we were basically living out the plot of a Hallmark movie!”

After Griffin proposed at 1895 Grille during a birthday dinner for Larissa, the couple tied the knot in an outdoor ceremony at Duncraig Manor and Gardens on October 8, 2023.

As a thoughtful touch, the newlyweds wrote personalized thank you notes ahead of time and placed them at each dinner setting.

“We wanted our guests to feel loved and appreciated even if we couldn’t spend a lot of time with everyone who came to celebrate with us,” Larissa says.

photographer: Kristin Guynn
ceremony & reception: Duncraig Manor and Gardens
dress: Vow’d Raleigh
shoes: Loeffler Randall
makeup & hair: Sunshine Beauty & Bliss
groom & groomsmen: Lile’s Clothing Studio
cake: Willabee Market
catering: Duncraig Manor and Gardens
flowers: Reverie Hill Farm
thank you cards: Paper Source