Katie & Phillip Shumaker

KATIE & PHILLIP SHUMAKER

Photographer: Britt Croft Photography Wedding Planner: Jack Hadden Floral & Event Design

Katie and Phillip spent months researching venues, from their native Maryland shores to the Florida Keys, before deciding that a wedding was the perfect time to introduce friends and family to their new hometown of Pinehurst. Guests were welcomed to the area with a Friday night party at the Magnolia Inn patio, featuring a popular Moore County band, and gifted with a collection of local treats. Their Saturday ceremony was at a church they had grown to love. And for the reception, it was Weymouth — where instead of popular trends, the bride focused on elements she would look back on and love for years to come. Among them was a lounge with custom neon lighting; a custom crest; signature drinks, named after their dogs; and to-go burgers and fries by Rocky Top Catering. The only request that went unfulfilled? A wish that time would slow down.

Ceremony: Community Congregational Church | Reception: Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities | Dress: Stella York and Tadashi Shoji (Reception) | Shoes: Jimmy Choo | Bridesmaids: Nordstrom, Anthropologie and Lulus | Groomsmen: The Black Tux | Flowers: Jack Hadden Floral & Event Design | Hair & Makeup: Silverceiling Beauty | Cake: The Bakehouse | Custom Neon Sign: Paige Walker, NARWALL | Custom Crest: Surcie Stationery and Gifts | Entertainment: Whiskey Pines and The Company Band | Lighting: Ward Productions

2019

Tiffany & Alexander Turner

TIFFANY & ALEXANDER TURNER

Photographer: Pinehurst Photography

Alexander popped the question to his high school sweetheart with the help of the couple’s 6-month-old son, who snapped on a onesie with a box that read “check yes or no” for the occasion. Sparks flew as Tiffany said yes — and not just because the proposal was during a fireworks display at Walt Disney World. For their low-key, outdoor wedding, Tiffany’s crew scoured thrift stores and estate sales for goblets that would add a colorful splash to reception tables. This full-time student and her lifelong executive chef, who catered the wedding himself, then made a toast to keeping love on the front burner.

2019

MaryEllen & Kyle Appel

MARYELLEN & KYLE APPEL

Photographer: Six Foot Photography Wedding Planner: Vision Events Wedding & Event Planning

Kyle may live in the fast lane, but it was MaryEllen’s heart that was racing when her college sweetheart got down on one knee at a Virginia speedway. On a hill overlooking the track and the rolling, distant mountains, Kyle’s parents snapped photos from a hidden vantage point as MaryEllen said yes. The couple’s four-legged child, Lexy, rejoiced, tires squealed, and they were off to nuptials filled with custom touches. Members of the wedding party woke to a breakfast cooked by Kyle’s granny before heading to the church hand-picked by MaryEllen’s father. Instead of cake, the couple served up treats from an ice cream cart; and rather than a monogrammed watch or money clip, groomsmen were gifted a custom caricature. Today, when the couple take a glance in the rear-view mirror, they don’t see a thing they would change.

2019

Ashley & Steve Labarre

ASHLEY & STEVE LABARRE

Photographer: Pinehurst Photography Wedding Planner: Vision Events Wedding & Event Planning

If there’s one way to test the mental fortitude of a new lover, it’s plummeting to the Earth from 14,000 feet up — but Ashley’s work commitments forced this adventurous Army couple to settle on a first date option that was a little more grounded. Three years later, Steve revisited the idea of a skydiving date by planning to propose right after parachutes returned them to terra firma — but Ashley found the ring. So while the couple have yet to jump from a perfectly good airplane, they took the plunge in a summer wedding at the Fair Barn. A fun, casual ceremony that incorporated their own children (Kyla, 9, Lucan, 8, and Addyson, 7) was high on their wish list; and a taco dinner, photo booth, bubbles, and a toast of sparkling grape made it memorable for the more than 40 kids in attendance.

2019

Jamie & Kent George

JAMIE & KENT GEORGE

Photographer: Heather Gunter Photography Wedding Coordinator: Bailey Grinde, Pinehurst Resort

A vase, filled with stones hand-picked and prayed over by each wedding guest, reminds this Charlotte couple of the love they shared with friends and family at their sentimental Pinehurst wedding. This union was focused on making memories, beginning with a proposal that incorporated a three-hour scavenger hunt and family members of the bride and groom. Kent’s love of golf and Jamie’s family connections led the two to pick Pinehurst, where Jamie let the area’s natural beauty take front-and-center in the ceremony on No. 9. Guests from 18 states were on hand to watch the couple say their own vows, a flower girl blow bubbles down the aisle, and a ring-bearer, armed with a water gun, play security. Jamie and her dad performed a surprise choreographed dance, and guests partied while wearing glowing jewelry and glasses. As if all that wasn’t sweet enough, guests departed with custom heart-shaped glazed doughnuts.

2019

Whitaker & Lee Lagioia

WHITAKER & LEE LAGIOIA

Photographer: Pinehurst Photography Wedding Planner: Vision Events Wedding & Event Planning

After saying yes to Lee’s proposal (facilitated by the couple’s dog, Tilly), this busy professional would have been perfectly happy tying the knot at a courthouse near her Washington, D.C.-area home. Thanks to some convincing by her mom and step-dad, who frequently vacation in the area, Whitaker agreed to a rustic, low-key garden wedding at a venue far more down-to-earth than its big-city counterparts. Little details, like on-theme cupcakes, were secured from afar with the help of an expert planner. At the reception, a DJ spun hits from the ’80s and ’90s, and the power couple turned their focus from sales and finance to turning up on the dance floor.

2019

Jennifer & Matt Curtis

JENNIFER & MATT CURTIS

Photographer: Sayer Photography Wedding Planner: Maggie’s Farm

These frequent fliers are often galavanting across the globe for work or play, but enjoy the comfort of their love nest in Raleigh. It was fitting, then, that Matt would propose on the couple’s front porch — with a wine bought at a Parisian cellar, no less. They enjoyed a rustic, whimsical garden-themed wedding at Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Jennifer’s hometown of Southern Pines, and moved the party outside for the reception at the Weymouth Center. Guests closed out the night in a clear tent beneath the stars, as the band played a soundtrack to the couple’s next great adventure.

2019

Mary Jessup & Aaron Wilkison

MARY JESSUP & AARON WILKISON

Photographer: Pinehurst Photography

Butterflies beset these Moore County kids each time their rival middle school teams met on the court, and again in the hallways of their shared high school. Somehow, they didn’t start seriously dating until college — but just a few years after graduation, the two were on a train to Washington, D.C., where Aaron had planned a sunrise proposal under the cherry blossoms. During a late morning ceremony at Mary Jessup’s childhood church, Bethesda Presbyterian in Aberdeen, mothers of the bride and groom lit a candle to signify two families uniting. The newlyweds were chauffeured to a reception at 305 Trackside via an antique car, and guests enjoyed a brunch of doughnuts and a biscuit bar. After a stay at the Holly Inn in Pinehurst, the couple jet-setted to a honeymoon in Belize.

2019

Lindsey & Brady Palmer

LINDSEY & BRADY PALMER

Photographer: Brittany Anderson Photography Wedding Planner: McLean Events

During family vacations in Pinehurst, a young Lindsey would gaze up at The Village Chapel and dream of one day marrying her prince within its walls. Years later, at the Jefferson Inn, friends would introduce her to a young airman who would make his princess’ dreams come true with a waterfront proposal in Charleston, S.C. — complete with a ride in a horse-drawn carriage. The fairy tale continued with a spring ceremony put on with help from Brady’s 5-year-old daughter, McKenna, and a reception at the Country Club of North Carolina, where Lindsey’s parents have been members for more than 30 years. A custom crest, featuring the couple’s favorite things, was on display as guests enjoyed cocktails and a live band. Following a spirited rendition of “Country Roads,” guests waved American flags as the newest members of Pinehurst royalty drove away in a golf cart.

2019

Virginia & Jonathan Kennington

VIRGINIA & JONATHAN KENNINGTON

Photographer: Paige Kentner Photography Wedding Coordinator: Bailey Grinde, Pinehurst Resort

If you enjoy the thought of a miniature dachshund being named after a NASCAR driver, just picture him running as fast as his little legs could go to help his dad, Jonathan, propose. Virginia couldn’t help but say yes to the question attached to Junior’s collar. Because this Raleigh couple can agree on just about anything but college teams, planning a traditional wedding was a breeze. The two were married at Virginia’s home church, West End Presbyterian, in a simple ceremony that showcased their love for God and each other. By reciting Virginia’s childhood prayer with their guests, the couple entered the next phase in their lives while honoring the shared values that brought them together.