We knew we were going to adore Clare when she came in to Gilded wanting to match her dress to one very important accessory: the gold sneaker wedges she knew she wanted to get married in. Luckily, we’re also obsessed with gold here, so we had just the dress! Clare and Austin’s beautiful, intimate wedding was so very Raleigh, and the meaning imbued in each thoughtful detail fills our hearts with joy for them.
Clare & Austin | October 8, 2022 | Salisbury Street Parklet & Little City Brewing – Downtown Raleigh, NC
Photographer: Chanel Productions
How did you and your spouse meet?
Our love story started like so many these days – online. Austin sent me a message on OK Cupid, and a few messages later we were in a brewery in Cary having beers. I used to bring my friends’ dog on first dates so I could use the dog as a reason to leave if I was not having a good time (also, if you don’t love dogs…it’s not going to work out). It wasn’t necessary to have an out on this date! We definitely lost track of time, the next thing we knew we had been talking for over four hours. Austin walked me to my car and gave me a kiss on the hand as I got in, and I reached out the next day to set up date number two. I lived in Downtown Raleigh at the time, and the city was the backdrop for our first year together – in particular we used to get drinks at Raleigh Raw and then walk up to the Parklet on the corner of Salisbury and Hargett Streets to play guitars together. So when it came time to pick our wedding venue and plan the day we decided the Parklet was where we wanted our ceremony, and everything we did, served, and shared had a chill but festive DTR feel.
What did you love most about your wedding celebration?
What are some of your favorite details or special moments? We had a very small ceremony (20 guests) and we asked all of them to wear some version of our wedding colors, purple and gold. First off, this was an awesome bonding activity before the wedding happened. I can’t tell you how many fun photos I got and how many text threads I was a part of with people sharing ideas and helping each other find great outfits. Second, we bought everyone purple sunglasses and it was a really sunny day so everyone just wore them. It tied all the colorful outfits together, and at one point in the ceremony when I turned to look at everyone who was there. It was MAGICAL to see. Third, since we did not have a formal wedding party, it made everyone a human of honor for the day! Also the pictures are amazing.
What made you fall in love with your dress?
I knew from the start that I did not want an all-white dress and was looking initially at all-gold dresses for inspiration. I found my dress online when I was looking at the Gilded website and I knew I needed to try her on. I had a few other options that I really liked, but as soon as I put on that dress I really just kind of knew I was going to buy it. I didn’t pick my dress the first time I came in, BUT that trip and the dress gave inspiration for our reception. The vendor who we initially went with canceled on us the week prior to dress hunting and I was feeling really stressed out about finding a new spot on super late notice. The day of my session at Gilded my friend had a hard time finding parking and ended up over by Little City Brewing. She suggested we all get a drink there after I tried on dresses. We sat in the brewery and talked about how well it fit with the vibe for our wedding and how awesome the dress would look within all the green and gold of the space. It was a perfect match, and I booked the venue AND bought the dress the following weekend.
What risk(s) did you take when planning? Did it pay off?
Our venue was a tiny park in a couple of parking spaces downtown, which we could not book, and was outdoors during hurricane season. The weekend before the wedding we actually got a visit from hurricane Ian and I panicked and booked a backup space. Yes, you read that correctly – we did not have a rain venue until the week before. And yes, it paid off. On our wedding weekend the weather was perfect, and we went to the park the day before the ceremony to plant flowers and add our decorations. No one touched them overnight. The ceremony was on a busy street corner in downtown Raleigh, which was awesome. Want to make a 20 person ceremony feel bigger? Just add tons of people walking, driving, and pub trolleying by calling out congrats, cheering, and honking their horns. It was so joyful.
Were there any traditions you bucked for your wedding? What did you do instead and how did it go?
Austin is legally blind, so we decided that we were not going to have an aisle to walk down since he could not see me coming anyway. Instead, we walked to the ceremony together, met our parents at the corner for hugs and kisses, and then walked in holding hands. It made the ceremony more ours, and was very true to how we go through the world together.
Dress: Dearheart via Gilded Bridal
