Relaxed Garden Wedding in North Carolina

I love the look of MERRIMON-WYNNE HOUSE – a North Carolina wedding venue that was built in the 1800’s which exudes charm and elegance. Located in downtown Raleigh, in addition to its picturesque building you can see below, it also has expansive, beautifully maintained grounds. So I was delighted to see this beautiful wedding of Carly & Mike’s by JAKE & HEATHER PHOTOGRAPHY held at this gorgeous venue.

JAKE & HEATHER had this to say about their day, “When Carly and Mike approached us with their vision for their wedding day, we were so excited to see how they would bring the ideas they had to life at the MERRIMON-WYNNE HOUSE. They wanted their day to feel like a relaxed garden party with their dearest family and friends, joyfully celebrating their new marriage. Even though The Merrimon-Wynne House resides in the downtown area, they utilised the green courtyard space to exchange their vows and host a portion of the party. We also went off site to an open and breathable space for their portraits. Their vision was executed brilliantly.

Their day was filled with excitement and anticipation, joy and a few deep breaths because ‘this is really happening’, her great grandmother’s jewellery, an intimate ceremony, lots of laughter, and of course their supportive family & friends celebrating with them.“

HOW DID YOU MEET? We met in a computer science class in college. I walked through the door and immediately locked eyes with Michael. We both felt an instant connection. Shortly after that moment, Michael offered to help me with the homework and we found our study sessions turning into long walks & conversations. It wasn’t long before we became inseparable.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR PROPOSAL: Michael told me to pack for a weekend away – I had no idea where we were headed. As newcomers to North Carolina, we both had an interest in visiting Asheville and exploring the Biltmore Estate. When we drove through the winding mountain roads and I realised we were headed to Asheville, I was elated. Michael arranged for us to tour the Biltmore the following day and there in the gardens he asked me to marry him.

ANY DIY ELEMENTS? My Mom has four sisters – two of which are graduates of the Culinary Institute of America. My aunts teamed up to make all the desserts including our naked cake adorned with succulents and white roses. My mum al
so made all of our wedding favours (mini succulents in clay pots) with the help of some sweet family friends.

DESCRIBE YOUR WEDDING FLOWERS: I wanted a fresh, clean theme that would enhance the beauty of our venue. We kept the flowers neutral with whites and lots of greenery. Each bouquet incorporated succulents, a favourite of mine.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE OUT TO A COUPLE PLANNING THEIR WEDDING? Keep it simple. Don’t overthink things and remember the real reason for the celebration! The love shared on your wedding day will always outshine any decor.

MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT? After our ceremony, we rode away with our photographers to have our pictures taken in a large, open field. Michael and I were able to really soak in the feeling of becoming husband and wife. It was a very special twenty minutes spent at sunset and captured beautifully by our photographers.

IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WOULD CHANGE OR DO DIFFERENTLY? Not a thing!

Thanks to JAKE & HEATHER PHOTOGRAPHY for sharing this stunning wedding with us! You can find more North Carolina wedding photographers in our vendor guide.