1. Real Weddings

A Winter Estate Wedding at The Stanly House Garden in New Bern, North Carolina

Katrina, 23 and Chris, 30 are both in the military and first met while playing a video game online. After years of being in a long-distance relationsh

Katrina, 23 and Chris, 30 are both in the military and first met while playing a video game online. After years of being in a long-distance relationship, Chris surprised Katrina with a New Year's Eve proposal while celebrating on a riverboat cruise along the Savannah River. The couple planned a destination garden wedding at the Stanly House Garden in New Bern, North Carolina with winter wreath and branch accents playing up the seasonal date.

The couple exchanged vows during a winter outdoor ceremony at Stanly House Garden, a historic home in New Bern, North Carolina.
Evergreen wreaths hung from alternating chairs, adding a seasonal flare to the outdoor affair.
Katrina's Southern garden venue served as inspiration for her classic lace gown.
Katrina added personality to her bridal look with a vintage beaded purse.
"One of my biggest fears was the weather since the wedding was at the end of December," says Katrina. "But luckily it ended up being in the high 70's!"
A blush floral belt complemented Katrina's color palette and added a personal touch to her strapless lace gown.
"When I first moved to North Carolina, my mother and I went to Tryon Palace in New Bern," says Katrina. "It was this area that first made me fall in love with gardening and I've been doing it ever since so it was the perfect place for our wedding!"
"Since our wedding was right after Christmas, we used a lot of white throughout including hydrangeas and branches that were painted white for our centerpieces," says Katrina.
Since Katrina and Chris were hosting a destination wedding, they decided to treat guests to locally made holiday soups.
Oversized flower petals made from white fondant created a cascading modern flower design on the three-tiered all white cake.