Rebecca is such a joy! We loved every second of her being in the shop. As a crafting QUEEN, she put together a classic but unique look using pieces from two of our favorite American designers – Tara LaTour (made in Minneapolis) and Kate McDonald (made in Charleston). Keep reading to see more of her look (and all of her beautifully made decor)!
Rebecca + Michael | November 18, 2023 | Merrimon Wynne House – Raleigh, NC
Photographer: Ally & Bobby Photography
What did you love most about your wedding celebration? What are some of your favorite details or special moments?
My favorite part of our wedding was seeing the venue filled with all the people that we love. Nothing really prepares you to see all of the people who shaped your life at all different stages in one room together celebrating you and your spouse. We had family, childhood neighbors, college friends, etc. from all the different timelines of our lives converge in one time and place. It’s overwhelming but an absolutely wonderful feeling.
I’m a big crafter so a lot of the decor at our wedding, I made, so it was amazing to see the signs and napkins and paper pieces that I spent months making on display. It felt like all of my hard work had really paid off!
What advice do you have for brides currently planning their wedding?
The less opinions the better! When it came to my dress, I only took my mom because too many opinions can be confusing so I would say only bring 1-2 people who truly know your style. Likewise for everything else it was really just my husband and I who made the decisions because we wanted to make sure our wedding was what we truly wanted and not because of any pressure from others.
What advice do you have for brides looking for their wedding dress?
My first advice would be don’t go in without some idea of what you want. The first time I went dress shopping was a bit of a disaster because I didn’t know how to articulate what I wanted. I knew what I wanted in my head but couldn’t articulate that I wanted an A-line dress and just kept saying tight in the middle then poofs out, which was not very helpful! I will say that I learned a lot of what I didn’t want that first time dress shopping so at least when I came to Gilded Bridal I had much more of an idea. I also went to the Gilded Bridal Pinterest page and went through just about every dress which was incredibly helpful and helped me feel way more prepared!
What made you fall in love with your dress?
I had tried on many dresses by the time I made it to my final choice and was starting to feel like I just wasn’t going to be one of those girls who had that magical moment and knew they had found their dress. There were many dresses I liked but nothing that took my breath away. That is…until I tried on the one! Like I said, I love sparkle but when I tried on a classic, plain white A-line gown I felt like a bride. There were other dresses I tried on that reminded me of something I could wear to a gala or special event but the only place I could ever wear “my” dress was my wedding. In short, I fell in love with it because it made me feel like a bride.
Were there any traditions you bucked for your wedding? What did you do instead and how did it go?
We didn’t do any of the old school traditions like garter toss or throwing the bouquet. And we also didn’t do traditional wedding favors because I’ve found from attending many weddings that people usually forget to take them with them after the wedding or they’re forever stored in a kitchen drawer. So for our “favors” we brought in Krispy Kreme donuts around 8pm and walked around the venue with the boxes encouraging guests to take a donut. It was really fun and everyone seemed to enjoy a late night snack! I think for favors, you can never go wrong with food!
What song got everyone on the dance floor?
Having a wedding in Raleigh is NOT complete without ending the night with “Wagon Wheel.” There’s truly nothing as epic as being on the dance floor and singing “and if I die in Raleigh, at least I will die free,” while literally in Raleigh. As soon as it came in literally everyone rushed to the dance floor!
Florist: Once Gathered
Headpiece: Twigs & Honey via Gilded Bridal
Hair & Makeup: Reign Beauty
