Chelsey Bennett + Austin Ballard

Chelsey Bennett + Austin Ballard

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Bridal Guide

Chelsey Bennett and Austin Ballard met on a blind date set up by her cousin at a Fayetteville coffee shop in October 2020. The pair hit it off and got engaged a few years later at the Kindred Spirit Mailbox, something of a local landmark on Bird Island, North Carolina.

From there, the wedding planning got underway. Whenever the couple became overwhelmed with the process, they’d use a code word to signal they were done with wedding talk, a tip they said helped keep planning fun all the way to their special day, Nov. 2, 2024.

Chelsey and Austin hosted their entire wedding weekend at Village Pine Venue, in Carthage. Friday featured a rehearsal dinner catered by Elliotts on Linden, Saturday brought the couple’s “I dos” in the courtyard, followed by a garden-themed reception in the main hall, and Sunday saw guests off with a farewell brunch. After the last table had been cleared, the newlyweds donated their centerpieces to FirstHealth Hospice House.

“It was a good feeling to spread the beauty of our flowers to families who needed it most,” says Chelsey.

photographer: Jennifer B. Photography
wedding planner: White Tie Planner, Coralie Von
ceremony & reception: Village Pine Venue
dress: Bride of the Pines
shoes: Bella Belle
hair: The Polished Bride
makeup: Zenia Beauty
bridesmaid: Savvi Formalwear and Bridal
groom & groomsmen: The Gentleman’s Corner
flowers: Hollyfield Design Inc.
cake: The Bakehouse
catering: Capital City Chefs
rentals: Curated Events
transportation: A Ride Transportation

Sarah Rogers + Lance Wonder

Sarah Rogers + Lance Wonder

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Sarah Rogers and Lance Wonder hail from opposite sides of the country: The bride is from Ohio, and the groom, Washington. Lucky for the pair, they both happened to be living in North Carolina when they met, in 2018.

Fast forward five years, and the couple eloped at Reservoir Park, in Southern Pines, with only their parents, siblings and Lance’s son Maxwell in attendance. Almost a year to the day later, on Oct. 12, 2024, Sarah and Lance celebrated their union in front of a much larger audience at the Fair Barn, in Pinehurst.

The special day was a boho-glam blowout decorated in gold and neutrals, with seasonal touches completing the event. Out-of-town guests enjoyed fall flavors in their goodie bags, which included pumpkin dark chocolate chip scones from local hotspot Pine Scone Café.

“Just about everything on our wedding day was perfect,” Sarah says. “That is, minus a table catching fire during cocktail hour.”

Fortunately, the newlyweds had a team that expertly handled what could have been a crisis.

“Caroline and Allison, our wedding planners from Southern Polished Events, were so great I didn’t even know about the table fire until after our reception ended,” Sarah says.

After the nuptials, which were briefly interrupted by a furry, four-legged wedding crasher, the Varners and their guests moved to Pinehurst’s Fair Barn for a Christmassy celebration.

“Instead of a guest book, we had guests sign ornaments,” Emily says. “We cannot wait to put these on our tree.”

photographer: Monisa J. Photography
videographer: TreeHouse Creative
wedding planner: Southern Polished Events
ceremony & reception: The Fair Barn
dress & veil: Made with Love
shoes: Badgley Mischka
hair & makeup: Chelsea Regan Beauty
bridesmaids: Birdy Grey
flowers: Thistle & Moon
cake: Fancy & Frosted
catering: Elliotts on Linden
beverages: Trailer: Proper Pour Events, Donkey: The Pint Sized Pasture

Meghan Davis + Daniel Munoz

Meghan Davis + Daniel Munoz

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Meghan Davis and Daniel Munoz met at the engagement party of their best friends.

“Neither of us are super aggressive in the dating department, but a year later, when we hung out quite a bit at the wedding — it’s all history from there,” Meghan says.

Dan proposed to Meghan in Tufts Park while they walked around Pinehurst admiring Christmas lights.

“Everyone always says Pinehurst village is like a Hallmark movie, and I couldn’t agree more, especially on that evening,” says Meghan.

The next day was Thanksgiving, and the happy couple celebrated their exciting news with family and friends at the annual Blessing of the Hounds, a favorite local event that formally marks the beginning of foxhunting season.

“Dan and I both wanted to be married in a church, and being from Pinehurst, I always dreamed of getting married at the Village Chapel,” Meghan says.

After their traditional nuptials in the historic chapel on Oct. 12, 2024, the couple celebrated with their guests in the Outlook and 2View Ballrooms, overlooking the No. 2 golf course at the Pinehurst Country Club.

“The weather was really showing off that day,” Meghan says, “so it was an absolutely gorgeous backdrop having everyone out on the course.”

photographer: The Joyner Company
wedding coordinators: Madeline Eckert, Pinehurst Resort; Deborah Davis, The Village Chapel
ceremony: The Village Chapel
reception: Pinehurst Country Club
dress: Vow’d Raleigh
shoes: Nina
hair & makeup: Retro Studio Bar
bridesmaids: Reformation and Jenny Yoo
flowers: Jack Hadden Floral & Event Design
cake & catering: Pinehurst Resort
invitations & programs: Thoughtfully Yours
transportation: Kirk Tours & Limousine

Melissa Jimenez + Franck Krynen

Melissa Jimenez + Franck Krynen

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Franck Krynen exchanged phone numbers with Melissa Jimenez after striking up a conversation with her at an Anthropologie in Raleigh. Later that day, Franck texted Melissa, asking if she wanted to go to dinner the next night. As it turned out, he had forgotten that he already had dinner plans with his mom. The solution? Melissa and Franck went on their first date with their mothers in tow.

“And the rest is history!” Melissa says.

Franck proposed a year later at the Italian restaurant where the couple had their first official date without their mothers.

“Just as the tiramisu dessert was served, he got on his knee and proposed,” Melissa says. “I said, ‘YES,’ and everyone in the restaurant clapped!”

Fifteen months later, the couple said their “I dos” at Pinehurst No. 9 on Oct. 5, 2024. Franck is an avid golfer, so the venue was perfect for their ceremony and reception.

“My wedding day was perfect, filled with love and family,” Melissa says. “I couldn’t have asked for a better day.”

photographer: Jennifer B. Photography
videographer: Davis Video Productions
wedding planner: Madeline Eckert, Pinehurst Resort
wedding coordinator: Divine Nine Weddings and Events
ceremony & reception: Pinehurst No. 9 Clubhouse
dress: White of Raleigh Bridal Boutique
shoes: Badgley Mischka
hair: Hair by Tiarra Jae
makeup: Retro Studio Bar
bridesmaids: Birdy Grey
groom & groomsmen: Men’s Warehouse
flowers: Jack Hadden Floral & Event Design
cake & catering: Pinehurst Resort
transportation: Pinehurst Resort Trolley

Alyssa Veit + Steven Guy

Alyssa Veit + Steven Guy

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Pinehurst native Alyssa Veit and her groom, Steven Guy, met in a classic way — through mutual friends while they were students at the University of South Carolina.

“We have been together ever since!” Alyssa says.

When Steven was ready to pop the question, Alyssa’s mom helped set up the ruse with a very “mom” request. She asked to take family pictures during a vacation to Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. When Alyssa walked down to the beach for what she thought were “silly family photos,” Steven was waiting to propose.

Fast forward a year and a half to Sept. 21, 2024. The college sweethearts exchanged “I dos” at the Weymouth Center, where they spent most of their wedding day outside on the grounds. Together with their guests, the newlyweds danced late into the beautiful summer night.

“The day was everything we could have dreamed of and more,” Alyssa says. “All the small details that you worry about for the months leading up to the wedding do not matter at all, and it takes being surrounded by your closest friends and family, who are all there to celebrate you, to realize nothing else matters.”

photographer: Jennifer B. Photography
wedding coordinator: Pamela Butterworth, Hollyfield Design Inc.
ceremony & reception: Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities
dress: Milla Nova
shoes: Kate Spade
hair & makeup: Chelsea Regan Beauty
bridesmaids: Billy J
groom & groomsmen: Generation Tux
flowers: Hollyfield Design Inc.
cake: C.Cups Cupcakery
catering: Dinner: Two Brothers Catering; Desserts: Elliotts on Linden
rentals: Tables & chairs: Ward Productions; Tent: Richmond Rentals; Bars: BYOBars of Pinehurst
transportation: A Ride Transportation

Laura Faenza + William Oliver

Laura Faenza + William Oliver

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Laura Faenza and William Oliver met through mutual friends, quickly started dating, and two and a half years later, purchased a home together in the Buckhead district of Atlanta, Georgia.

“Little did I know, just a few months after purchasing our first home together, Will had planned to propose in our living room on a Saturday morning in the summer,” Laura says. The bride suspected a proposal was coming but hadn’t expected it to happen at home. “He really did pull off the ultimate surprise,” she says.

Although the couple lives in Atlanta, the bride spent part of her childhood in Pinehurst, where she made many friends and lifelong memories, which now include her wedding day.

With arrangements of white peonies, roses and hydrangeas cascading from the chandeliers, Laura and Will celebrated their new marriage while overlooking the famous No. 2 golf course at the Pinehurst Country Club on May 4, 2024, just a few weeks before the U.S. Open Golf Championship.

“It was almost a homecoming of sorts to one of the places that helped mold me into who I am today,” Laura says. “Will had no arguments on the venue location either, of course, due to his love for golf.”

photographer: Sayer Photography
wedding planner: Pamela Butterworth, Hollyfield Design Inc.
wedding coordinator: Madeline Eckert, Pinehurst Resort
ceremony & reception: 2View Ballroom & Outlook Ballroom, Pinehurst Country Club
dress: Sarah Seven
shoes: Alexandre Birman
hair: Heather Velazco
makeup: Heather Velazco & Ariana Cooper
groomsmen: The Black Tux
flowers: Hollyfield Design Inc.
cake & catering: Pinehurst Resort
invitations & programs: Tiger Lily Invitations

Victoria Eick + Parker Chang

Victoria Eick + Parker Chang

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Victoria Eick and Parker Chang wanted a backyard wedding at a family house in Pinehurst, but they kept running into setbacks. When the couple panicked and called the Weymouth Center only a few months before their wedding to see if the venue still had availability — and it did — the bride and groom knew they were meant to be married there.

“It had the feel of the backyard wedding we had envisioned, just on a larger scale,” Victoria says.

The couple didn’t have a strict theme for their April 6, 2024 wedding, but they were inspired by the cherry blossoms in Washington, the city where Victoria and Parker met and lived.

“Cherry blossoms are not the easiest flower choice for a wedding because they bloom for such a limited and somewhat unpredictable period of time, so we took inspiration from their colors and textures, the spring season and the architecture at Weymouth,” says Victoria.

After a ceremony the bride and groom helped write, Elliotts on Linden catered a family-style meal that incorporated Chinese flavors to honor Parker’s heritage. An almond wedding cake magicked up by the Bakehouse sent guests home happy, with full stomachs.

photographer: By Colette Photo
wedding planner: Vision Events Wedding & Event Planning
ceremony & reception: Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities
dress: Anthropologie Weddings
shoes: Alterre
hair & makeup: Retro Studio Bar
groom: Suitsupply
flowers: Thistle & Moon
catering: Elliotts on Linden
invitations: The Perfect Present
transportation: Kirk Tours & Limousine

Lizabeth Lohmann + Carson Riley

Lizabeth Lohmann + Carson Riley

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Lizabeth Lohmann and Carson Riley met at a piano bar in Asheville, North Carolina. Liz was in town for a girls weekend, and Carson was there for a bachelor party — how prescient.

After the pair became engaged, Carson took his future bride to visit the village of Pinehurst. He played college golf, loves visiting the Sandhills to play all the courses and knew Liz would love the area, too.

She loved it so much that the couple chose to share the special location with their family and friends. Liz and Carson got married on the West Lawn of the Carolina Hotel, followed by a reception on the Carolina Terrace, on April 6, 2024.

The couple wanted to get married outdoors, and the lawn fit the bill. It also proved to be a great choice for cocktail hour.

“The guests were able to play the putting green, which fit perfectly for the golf-themed weekend,” says Liz.

The lush outdoor venue looked timeless with classic black-and-white details, including black tuxedos and dresses for the wedding party; white flowers, linens and a cake; plus, a checkerboard dance floor that the bride and groom just didn’t want to leave.

“We didn’t want the night to end,” Liz says.

photographer: Krista Stevens Photography
videographer: Avery Wooten Fine Art Films
wedding planner: Hannah B Events
ceremony & reception: West Lawn & Carolina Terrace, Carolina Hotel
dress: Alexandra Grecco, Lovely Bride
shoes: Bella Belle
hair & makeup: Chelsea Regan Beauty
bridesmaids: Show Me Your Mumu
flowers: Poppy Belle Event & Floral
cake & catering: Pinehurst Resort
invitations & programs: Tavern Creative
rentals: Curated Events

Colleen Estes + Hugh Shepard

Colleen Estes + Hugh Shepard

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What happens when an inflatable dinosaur meets a Ninja Turtle? They fall in love, at least that’s what happened when Hugh Shepard (the dinosaur) met Colleen Estes (the turtle) at a Halloween party in 2019. Three years later, Hugh proposed to Colleen while they hit range balls at the Dr. Charles L. Sifford Golf Course, in Charlotte. Colleen said, “Yes,” and the bride and groom got married at the Village Chapel on March 23, 2024.

Colleen walked down the aisle in her grandmother’s wedding dress, which was altered and modernized for the big day.

“My mom also wore the dress for her wedding, so it was extra special,” says Colleen.

After the wedding bells rang, the Sandhills Trolley Company shuttled the party across town to a reception at the Fair Barn. That’s where guests boogied down to the high-energy music of Emerald Empire Band. On the way out, they took home bottled honey from Hugh’s beekeeping as souvenirs.

The couple’s only regret? “We really wanted our grand entrance as husband and wife to be a bungee jump from the top area of the Fair Barn, but the venue wouldn’t allow it!” Colleen says.

photographer: Mollie Tobias Photography
wedding planner: Jen Schaefer, Southern Skies Events
ceremony: The Village Chapel
reception: The Fair Barn
shoes: Nina
hair & makeup: Karma Spa Lounge & Beauty Bar
flowers: Jack Hadden Floral & Event Design
cake: Publix
catering: Funky Fresh Catering and Brewmasters
rentals: Ward Productions
transportation: Sandhills Trolley Company and Carriage Tours of Pinehurst Village

Ashtyn Felthousen + Stephen Sawyer Jr

Ashtyn Felthousen + Stephen Sawyer Jr

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When Stephen Sawyer Jr. saw Ashtyn Felthousen practicing alone on the Thistle Dhu Putting Course, he asked if she wanted to play. He lost the game but ultimately won — now they’re married.

“We did not have a ‘traditional’ wedding,” Ashtyn says. “We just wanted family and friends to party, drink, dance and have fun without any stress.”

That made New Year’s Eve 2023 the perfect date for the Sawyers’ wedding shindig. The couple tied the knot in a five-minute ceremony at 305 Trackside. The bride wore white, forgot her veil and then changed into a pearl-and-black sparkly number for the reception. The groom matched her holiday vibes with a green velvet jacket.

SoPies catered the food, which meant a spread of pizzas running the flavor gamut from buffalo chicken to veggie. Guests chased the casual meal with a vintage-style cake baked by Ashtyn’s best friend’s mom. It was flavored with vanilla and cinnamon and had a “Just Married” sign on top.

“It was the best cake we’ve ever had,” says Ashtyn.

Together, in their festive attire, the newlyweds danced into 2024 to the swinging sounds of dueling pianos. A ball dropped at midnight and guests cheered on the passing Amtrak train as “Auld Lang Syne” welcomed the New Year and a new marriage.

photographer: The Photobrief
ceremony & reception: 305 Trackside
dress: Silk Bridal Studio
shoes: I.N.C. International Concepts
catering: SoPies NY Pizzeria
accommodations: The Jefferson Inn
music: Blazin’ Keys Dueling Pianos
rentals: Ward Productions