MICHAELA MURPHY + ALEX DALY

Photographer: Annaliesse Benevides, Abovethewildflowers Wedding Planner & Coordinator: Lanier & Company

Michaela and Alex met on a blind date set up by friends in Rochester, New York, in 2019. When Alex, an Army officer, got stationed in North Carolina, the couple made the trip south, building a house in Southern Pines.

Just after moving in, Alex went for a Saturday morning coffee run and rang the doorbell when he returned. When Michaela answered, her future husband was down on one knee with their cat, George, dressed in a tuxedo.

The couple was married by the bride’s brother in an informal and intimate ceremony, with no one else around. Then Michaela and Alex celebrated their marriage with their immediate family and wedding party. Later, some friends joined them on the dance floor for a total of about 45 people.

Looking back, the couple highly recommends the intimate setting. “We were able to take in every moment and truly enjoy the day,” Michaela said.