A Traditional Rustic Wedding at the Laurel Ridge Country Club in Waynesville, North Carolina

Taylor Pryor ( 24 and works in an endocrinology laboratory) and John Lyle (25 and a generator technician) met during college, while attending Wake Forest University and Western Carolina University. They quickly became inseparable and four years later, John asked Taylor to marry him. To pop the question, John took Taylor to the Biltmore House, a spot she had always loved. John’s late grandfather, Jack Lyle was in a movie called The Swan, which was filmed at the Biltmore and his scene was captured in front of the lions at the entrance of the house. The pair headed over to that very spot and asked another visitor to take their photo in front of the lions. After the man had taken the picture, John asked for one more and just as the man held up the camera, John got down on one knee and asked Taylor to marry him. To tie into the vintage theme and traditional style of their wedding, Taylor and John selected a champagne and pale rose blush color palette. Lace and burlap touches were incorporated throughout the day to create a casual, rustic feel. Adding family heirlooms into the decor was important to the couple, who felt it reflected their close family ties and an appreciation of their roots. Antique brooches that belonged to their grandmothers and great-grandmothers were attached to the burlap and lace bows on each of the ceremony pews at the Memorial Chapel and other accents like lace doilies, crystal vases and reclaimed windows were used during the reception. Centerpieces arranged by family and friends using white, ivory and pale pink hydrangeas from a local farm and handmade burlap table runners with vintage lace edging topped each of the reception tables. Another touch to highlight the locale were the wedding’s favors, locally made toffees from Steeplechase Toffee and jars of apple butter from Barber’s Orchard. “Offering our guests a 'taste of Waynesville' was important to us,” says Taylor. “We wanted to make sure as much of our food offered at the reception, as well as the favors, was obtained from local sources. The mountains are important to us as a couple, we were raised here and our romance began here. This is where we are beginning our lives together and we wanted to give our guests something to remember it by.”