I’m so behind on sharing recent weddings on my blog, but that doesn’t mean I’m not smitten with these two or their wedding any less! Thinking back on their wedding day, as well as looking back at these gorgeous images, fills me with so much happiness. From the moment I first talked with Morgan and her mom on the phone til we packed up the last items and turned off the lights after clean-up on their wedding day, it was a true honor and utter pleasure in every way. I am so, so fortunate that all of the couples that I have the privilege of working with have such beautiful, beautiful love stories, and it was so apparent and so obvious that Morgan and Nick were made for one another. They complement each other so well, they are filled with so much faith & thoughtfulness & feeling & love, and they bring out the very best in one another – and in all of those around them. Their hearts for the Lord and for their families and friends were so apparent, and they were so grounded in preparing for their marriage, celebrating with joy and intentionality, in heartfelt hospitality, in soaking up every moment of this season, and in the true meaning of their wedding day.

Morgan and Nick envisioned a wedding day that was classic and timeless, and I think we pulled that off so well and with so many meaningful moments, details, and design elements. I designed their wedding in a palette of navy, black, and ivory with pops of gold and greenery, plenty of romantic candlelight, classic and traditional design elements. From petite all-white bouquets to a bespoke duogram to letterpress details to hand-written notes to all of their guests to custom embroidered linen napkins and everything in between… it was marvelous in every way. My sister told me that this was the most beautiful wedding she’d ever seen, and that’s high praise, too! I’ve also never had so many messages and texts about how radiant Morgan was — not only her gorgeous gown and hair & makeup, but her beaming smile that never left her face the entire day!

When I think back on Morgan and Nick’s wedding day, I think back to so many of the treasured moments I had a peek into witnessing, as well as seeing the joy, emotion, and love between everyone present. There were so many moments that brought happy tears to my eyes, and their wedding day was a beautiful reminder to me of why I love this job: these are once-in-a-lifetime and very highly anticipated moments filled with the purest of emotions. It’s really quite magical, and there was no shortage of this throughout Morgan and Nick’s wedding day. I loved seeing Morgan and her best friends sing & dance with no abandon as they were getting ready, I loved overhearing snippets of the most loving, encouraging conversations, I loved watching Morgan and her best friends Facetiming a very sick and very beloved bridesmaid to ensure she was a part of the day, I loved watching Morgan’s mom’s face as they put on Morgan’s gown, I loved seeing Morgan walk down the staircase to her dad, and don’t even get me started on Morgan and Nick’s first look & private letters to one another! These are all just snippets from the first hours of their wedding day, and it was surely something very special. The love, the excitement, and the joy were so, so palpable, and Morgan and Nick’s smiles never left their faces, especially as they looked at one another.

Breathtaking in every way! Anagram Photo did a phenomenal job capturing so many treasured moments, memories, and details, and every single creative partner was utterly fantastic, as well. I always plan every wedding day to be seamless and flawless, and this one really was – the weather was sublime for late January, we were ahead of schedule all day long, the flow of everything was so happy and smooth, the bridesmaids & groomsmen & families were wildly sweet, loving, helpful, and gracious, and you could feel a very special energy in the air. And how gorgeous are these two together! Morgan’s gown was absolutely exquisite on her, and I loved that she wanted a petite bouquet (with anemones, her favorite!) to complement her bridal look. Her bouquet was so dainty, and I just loved the size of it, too. Morgan’s roommate is a floral designer with Hathaway Floral Design, and how special was it to have her roommate making many of her wedding flowers?! I also loved that Nick’s best man, Dan, was one of my grooms in May! Dan and Katy (see their wedding here!) were the best man and reader/program attendant in Morgan and Nick’s wedding, and Nick was Dan’s best man while Morgan was Katy’s reader/program attendant. It was the BEST planning both weddings, truly… I adore these four with all my heart! And I love that these best friends were married just months apart from one another.

Since their wedding was in January, we planned all along for their ceremony to take place indoors in the carriage house at the Merrimon Wynne. Morgan and Nick wanted their ceremony to be as worshipful as possible and to resemble a ceremony in a church, which I absolutely love. We adorned the carriage house with a greenery chandelier (that later framed the dance floor!), four tall, lush flower arrangements in urns and on pedestals, popped in aisle flowers, and added greenery to the corners of the alcove. Their ivory and champagne programs featured their bespoke duogram, their pastor from their church in Durham officiated their ceremony, guests joined in singing Come Thou Fount, a congregational hymn, together, and they had two Scripture readings. The sunshine shone through the windows beautifully, the music was so special, the air was filled with joy and love, and Christ’s presence was so near as Morgan and Nick exchanged their vows and because husband and wife. Joy upon joy!

They celebrated with French 75s, their signature cocktail, and abundant excitement! Inside the cocktail hour in the main historic home, we had two bars serving their favorite drinks and featuring custom cocktail napkins, navy signage, and beautiful all-white bud vases. They displayed engagement photos on one mantel and then family wedding photos on the other mantels for a very meaningful and special touch. I loved the deep navy linens, the white flowers, the greenery & candles running up the staircase, and all of the gorgeous details to welcome their guests. Perhaps my favorite detail of all were the handwritten notes that Morgan and Nick penned to all of their guests! Navy envelopes with white calligraphy housed these treasured, thoughtful handwritten letters to their families and friends, and I can’t think of a more meaningful or loving gesture on your wedding day. What a special keepsake and thoughtful touch for their guests to bring home with them!

And their wedding party! This entire crew was so stunning/so handsome and even kinder, more gracious, and more fun than you could imagine. They were the sweetest and most thoughtful bridesmaids and groomsmen that celebrated Morgan and Nick so, so well. I loved the classic, timeless navy silk gowns that the ladies wore, and their looks were accented by petite bouquets. The gentlemen looked so dapper in the tuxedos, and everyone together looked so chic, elegant, and classic! I’m so glad I got to see much of this crew again just a few months later at Katy and Dan’s wedding, too.

This reception design was so, so unbelievably gorgeous, if I do say so myself! I used three different linens (as I almost always do!) that complemented each other so well to keep the different looks cohesive yet distinct. The head table was so swoon-worthy with a metallic crinkle linen, gold and glass chargers, patterned gold-rimmed dinner plates, monogrammed & embroidered white linen napkins (the perfect wedding keepsake!), navy menu cards with elegant script, navy place cards, gold flatware, gold-rimmed glassware, and a sprig of greenery atop each plate. Down the length of the kings table head table, we had three towering, lush floral centerpieces, all-white bud vases, taper candles in navy and white, and votive candles emitting even more romantic glow. I adore how the head table came together so much! The other tables were similar with beautiful ivory tone-on-tone floral linens or snow metallic linens, lush compote centerpieces, plenty of candlelight, and the same place settings with navy stationery and gold accents. I love that we were able to utilize the greenery chandelier in the center of the space again, as well. I feel like their reception design was so elegant, classic, and timeless while also being fresh, memorable, and meaningful. I’m deeply smitten with how it all came together and set the stage for the rest of the evening with their guests!

As you know, reception reveals are a personal favorite moment of mine on every wedding day! As a planner and designer, I thoughtfully curate and design every single element of a wedding day, making it as personalized, meaningful, and tailored to my couples and what they envision and want. After planning for many, many months, it’s incredibly rewarding for me – and hopefully even more so for my couples! – to see all our hard work, planning, designing, and decision-making turn into THIS. I love, love, love the reaction Morgan (and Nick) had when she walked into the carriage house to see their reception for the first time (and after a very quick and very seamless flip post-ceremony). Giddy!!! It’s a pinch-me moment for me, and I would imagine it is for my couples, too, since it’s their wedding! Morgan messaged me later, once she saw these photos of the three of us, and said, among many other sweet words, “thank you for sharing in our joy so well!” And it’s so true: your joy is my joy.

Morgan and Nick’s reception was so darn fun and filled with so much celebration, laughter, and sweet moments! Every bit of it was incredible, and you could tell at every turn just how beloved these two are – and how much their love their people, too. Morgan and Nick are so deserving of every bit of this love and celebration, and I could not have asked for a more wonderful couple to work alongside. From start to finish, it was a day focused on joy & love, marriage, faith, celebration, gratitude, and community and gathering with their loved ones. These two are something special, and their wedding day reflected that so beautifully! Endless congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Powers – you two are so, so very loved and celebrated!