Our wedding weekend was hands down the best time of our lives. We’d waited 907 days, after all, so there was absolutely no way to wipe the smiles off our faces. Our wedding was also pretty unusual (aside from just the 907 day wait) because we were already married! We eloped in May of 2020 (our original wedding date that was postponed due to cov*d), so our wedding celebration really ended up just being one giant party weekend. Read on to see how we planned everything out!

Friday, December 31st, 2021: Rehearsal, Bridal Luncheon, Rehearsal Dinner, NYE After Party

Rehearsal – 11:00 am

We had our rehearsal the morning before the wedding because there was an NYE wedding scheduled for that evening. This worked really well for us because we got to kick off the weekend a little earlier, and then we were able to have a girls’ and guys’ day before the rehearsal dinner.

Bridal Luncheon – 12:30 pm 

Immediately following the rehearsal, all the ladies went back to my parents’ place for lunch. My mom and I had cooked up some quiche, the famous family strata, and my all-time favorite banana bread the day before, which we served with salad and fruit plates. Most importantly, there were mimosas. We celebrated and shared stories and said cheers to the freakin’ weekend!

Travel to Airbnb – 4:00 pm

Several of the out-of-town bridesmaids and guests booked an Airbnb together near downtown Raleigh so we could all be together rather than staying in the hotel block. This turned out to be super fun and offered a sort of “hub” for the weekend. We checked in and took care of some last minute details before taking a Lyft to the rehearsal dinner.

Rehearsal Dinner – 5:00 pm

Jake’s mom and dad put together a truly beautiful evening for many of our family and friends at Gravy at Jitti space in downtown Raleigh. We had a blast toasting to the weekend! Dinner was buffet style and there was an open bar all evening.

New Year’s Eve Party – 8:30 pm

Because it was NYE, no one wanted the party to end!! This was one of my absolute favorite parts of the weekend because it allowed more time for everyone to be together and yet another excuse for a party 😉 I also did an outfit change, which was SO fun!

Saturday, January 1st, 2022: Wedding Day

The Morning – 8:00 am

I absolutely loved waking up next to Jake on our wedding day. I know that’s not traditional- at all- but, especially since we were already married, we said let’s forget the rules and do what we want. It was so nice to share some sweet moments together before we went our separate ways for the day. This may not be for everyone, but I would recommend it 🙂 Our hair and makeup team also came to the Airbnb at 8:30 am to start on a few bridesmaids’ hair since it takes a long time!

Hair and Makeup – 10:00 am

We arrived at the venue as soon as they were open to us at 10:00 am to get started with hair and makeup. We had the best time playing card games (and foosball in the groom’s room), drinking mimosas, and hanging out in the beautiful bridal street. I also gave my girls their gifts in the morning which was so fun!

Coffee Run (spoiler alert: no free coffee) – 1:00 pm

About halfway through hair and makeup, we realized we hadn’t had any coffee yet! Although I don’t drink caffeine, I do love a decaf vanilla oat milk latte. We’d also heard that the bride gets free coffee on her wedding day (which unfortunately ended up not being true at this store- maybe call ahead and ask!).

Getting Dressed – 3:00 pm

My mom helped me get into my dress- so special!

First Looks – 3:30 pm

I did a first look with Jake, my dad, the groomsmen, and my girls. Jake and I wrote notes to each other just before our first looks, which was a fun way to do it because we were fully immersed in the day; it allowed us to take it all in with a moment of quiet during the day. When we finally got to see each other, all the emotions of the day and all the years of waiting started flowing- it was just the best. I want to relive that moment every day. I also wanted to do a first look with Jake’s groomsmen because the guys are all either family (my brother and FIL) or my buddies. It was so much fun!

My dad… such a sweet moment!

The guys… their faces were my favorite!

My girls!!! I can’t say enough about them. They’re simply the best people. One of my besties was missing that day because she and her hubby had covid – it was truly heartbreaking. Although she was missing in person, she was definitely there is spirit… and we still need to get a photo of us together in our dresses!

Family/Bridal Party/Couples Photos – 3:40 pm

We wanted to take as many photos as possible before the ceremony so we could enjoy cocktail hour. 11/10 would recommend!

The Veil + Final Moments – 5:30 pm

Of course AFTER all the photos were done… I realized I had completely forgotten about my veil! Although I’m bummed the veil isn’t in many photos, these photos I got with my girls helping me put the veil on are some of my absolute favorites of the day. We also had one last swig of champagne and I realized I hadn’t eaten in a very long time, so I had a quick snack right beforehand!

The Ceremony – 6:00 pm

Our ceremony was a little atypical since we were already married, so it was short and sweet- just how we wanted it to be 🙂 We had written our own vows when we eloped, so this time we chose the typical vows. My sister-in-law read 1 Corinthians chapter 13. We also chose to do a unity candle, which was a nod to both sets of parents who each did the same.

Post-Ceremony Champagne – 6:20 pm

It POURED down rain starting about halfway through our ceremony, and it kept raining for about 30 minutes following the ceremony. We had champagne for our guests as they transitioned from the ceremony to cocktail hour, so we ran upstairs right away with our champagne to steal a few solitary moments just the two of us- and to get in a quick round of foosball 😉

Cocktail Hour – 6:30 pm

So much fun finally getting to celebrate with everyone!

Dinner + Speeches – 7:30 pm

Thankfully all the rain had cleared up before dinner and it turned out to be a BEAUTIFUL evening- 70 degrees and breezy. I am so glad we chose to keep the tent open- it made for a lovely, romantic evening. My father welcomed everyone, my grandmother read an incredible poem of our wedding journey, and then my uncle said the blessing. After dinner my Maid of Honor and Jake’s dad, the Best Man, did some amazing toasts.

Dances – 9:15 pm

This was one of my favorite parts of the evening. Jake and I danced to the song “At Last” by Etta James, a long-time favorite of ours- it also felt super appropriate 😉 After I danced with my dad and Jake with his mom, we had a special surprise father-daughter dance for my father-in-law and sister-in-law; Leigh got married almost 10 years ago, but my FIL wasn’t able to be at the wedding so they never had their first dance. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house.

Party!! – 9:30 pm

Sparkler Exit + Trolley Time – 11:00 pm

If you’re getting married in Raleigh, I would highly recommend renting out the Great Raleigh Trolley. It was SO FUN having our whole bridal party ride to the bar after the wedding, and we had the trolley go back and forth among the venue, hotel, and bar until everyone was home safe and sound.

After Party – 11:15 pm

We wanted to go to Raleigh Times, where we had our first date in Raleigh almost 7 years ago (!), but they were closed. So instead, we went to Landmark in downtown- it was a blast!

Sunday, January 2nd, 2022: Farewell Brunch

On Sunday morning we hosted a farewell brunch for all our out-of-town guests who stayed at the Sheraton Hotel with us. It was lovely getting to see family and friends the next day!

It Takes A Village

Our vendors were INCREDIBLE. Not only did they stick with us through TWO postponements over 2 and 1/2 years, but they also went above and beyond for us in so many ways throughout the entire process. On the day, everything came together perfectly thanks to these amazing folks:

• Venue: The Merrimon-Wynne House
• Photography: Jennifer Austin Photography
• Officiant: Rev. Carl Frazier of First United Methodist Church
• Wedding Coordinator: Sally Oakley
• Floral: Brides and Bouquets
• Catering: Rocky Top Catering
• Hair and Makeup: Clara Rankin
• Rentals: Greenhouse Picker Sisters
• Music: Randy Bennett with Bunn DJ Company
• Transportation: The Great Raleigh Trolley
• Donuts: Duck Donuts – Cary
• Cookies: Appalachian Cookie Company
• Stationery: If It’s Paper
• Calligraphy: Jean Clark (email me for her info!)
• Signage: I created the signage myself on Canva (let me know if you want the templates!)

For a post all about what we wore throughout the weekend, click here.