A Simple Gray and Yellow Wedding at the Borden Building in Raleigh, North Carolina

Julie Verrault, 28, a veterinarian, and James White, 29, a legislative administrator, lived next to each other in the same dorm during college. The two had lived next each other for almost a year before they actually met. “I actually hated living next door to him,” admits Julie. “There was always loud music coming through the walls. My roommate and I were convinced there was a drum set in there.” Right before the start of their junior and senior years of college, Julie and James finally met on a day trip to the beach with mutual friends. James headed to Italy for a semester abroad, but the two kept in touch through e-mail and post cards and started dating once he came back to the U.S. after Christmas. To pop the question, James planned a little surprise for Julie. For Christmas that year, James had bought Julie a yearlong subscription to Birchbox. He intercepted the August box, opened it, tucked the ring box inside and stuck it back in the mail. “I was so excited it was finally here I didn't even notice the ring box at first! Inside the box was my grandmother's ring which I had always wanted. She had passed away the year prior, so it was very special to me,” says Julie.When it came time to tie the knot, Julie and James chose the Borden Building, a historic home in Raleigh surrounded by lush gardens, a stone circle and outdoor amphitheater, to the host the event. “The grounds were beautiful and the front porch of the house was the perfect place for a bar,” says Julie. In terms of d?cor, they opted to keep things simple for the affair in order to achieve a laid-back, fun vibe. “We really wanted to focus on having fun and spending time with all of our family and friends,” says Julie. The couple chose a gray and yellow color palette and selected a casual menu of classic party foods and cupcakes that allowed guests to eat at their leisure and encouraged socializing.