Elegant Inspirational Real Wedding stories

A Whimsical Pink-and-Green Garden Wedding at The Lace House in Columbia, South Carolina

Whenever Iman Hemphill (34 and an industrial engineering package planner) and Benjamin (Benji) Pruitt (32 and an instrumentations technician) travel, they seek out a place to have high tea. “Afternoon tea is a mood,” Iman says. “I wanted to bring that to our wedding.” The antebellum Lace House wa...

A Storybook Wedding at The Harvey B. Gantt Center in Charlotte, North Carolina

Alicia Steed (now Terry, 32 and a senior investigator of elder abuse and financial exploitation) and Tameka Terry’s (36 and health and PE teacher) once upon a time began in college at UNC Greensboro. After a mountaintop proposal and a three-year engagement, the couple kicked off their happily eve...

Nature-Filled Wedding at The Greenhouse at Driftwood in Texas With an Adorable Dog in Attendance

It’s not easy breaking with tradition. Shea Jackson (28 and works in marketing) did a lot of soul searching before deciding to walk down the aisle by herself carrying marigolds, ranunculus and garden roses. “Not everyone is blessed with a close bond with their fathers, but there’s so much pressur...

Cacti Paid Homage to Texas at this Blue-Hued Wedding at South Congress Hotel in Austin

Doing things their own way has always been paramount for Kirk Garza (38 and a property tax consultant) and Warren McAdams (27 and a physical therapist). So much so that Kirk chose to propose with a compass engraved with the coordinates of where they first met, instead of a ring. Throughout the en...

A Tea Ceremony Honored The Bride's Vietnamese Heritage at This Rancho Las Lomas Wedding

Kim and Bill wanted their wedding day to be "to be representative of how our love and relationship felt—easy, open, dreamy, soft, and romantic," says Kim. To bring that vision to life they selected Rancho Las Lomas in Silverado, California, to serve as the venue. The decision to book Rancho Las L...

A Glamorous Ballroom Wedding at The Pierre in New York City

When looking for the perfect wedding venue, Kimberly and Nick considered spots, many of them outdoors, in Newport and Westchester, but ended up settling on The Pierre in New York City for their glam wedding celebration. "We were debating getting married outdoors at some of these locations, but in...

This Couple Tied the Knot with a Romantic Wedding at The Swan House in Atlanta, Georgia

Christina and Shaun's wedding pictures make it hard to believe that they exchanged vows in downtown Atlanta and not at a storied European villa. Tucked in Atlanta's Buckhead neighborhood, The Swan House at The Atlanta History Center served as a regal architectural backdrop to the couple's vow exc...

A Puppy in a Suit Stole the Show at This Romantic Wedding at Machine Shop in Minneapolis

Not only did Sammy and Andy's fall wedding in Minneapolis, Minnesota, have a dreamy blue-and-plum color scheme, a very special VIP, the couple's Yorkie, melted hearts in an on-palette suit. Little Bun B's suit matched Andy's plum ensemble and set the tone for the dreamy, romantic wedding loft wed...

This Couple Served a Seven-Course Meal at Their Wedding at The Caramel Room in St. Louis, Missouri

Despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Kate and  Holt found a way to make fine dining and exquisite service safe and socially-distanced for their wedding in St. Louis. The reception was set up like a jazz bistro so attendees could enjoy the celebration from individual tables while taking in a pri...

A Love of Horses Inspired This Couple's Wedding at Vista Valley Country Club in California

Natasha (Tasha) Lampitt (28 and a veterinarian assistant) is passionate about gathering vintage treasures while Zachary (Zach) Dekker (27 and a park ranger) enjoys hunting in his spare time. Together they created a hunter-gatherer- themed wedding to honor not only their marriage, but the melding ...

A Vibrant, Tropical Wedding Overlooking the Ocean in Kapalua, Hawaii

A typical Saturday surf session became an especially memorable one when Feng Wang (30 and a finance professional) turned it into a proposal to Anna Vu (35 and works in investor relations). After paddling up to Anna, Feng pulled a ring from his wetsuit and asked her to marry him. “I screamed in de...

An Intimate Rooftop Minimony at Dobin St. in Brooklyn, New York

As an emergency medicine physician, Jamie Lee (32) was keenly aware of the potential health risks COVID-19 posed for her nuptials to Asaad Zaman (32 and a video producer). But powerful symbolism accompanied their August 8th wedding date, as it was also Jamie and Asaad’s 10-year anniversary and ex...

One Couple's Late-Summer Garden Party at a Private Estate in Darien, Connecticut

To celebrate their marriage, Allyson (Ally) and Zachary (Zac) planned a backyard wedding—with a country club twist. Their late-summer garden party was hosted at Ally’s family’s home and filled with charm at every turn, from a wedding dress inspired byCarolyn Bessette-Kennedy to poolside cocktails...

This Couple Combined Southern Elegance With Parisian-Inspired Flair for Their Wedding at The DeKalb History Center in Decatur, Georgia

Brandi and Joshua know what they want, down to the very last detail. From the beginning, Brandi had a clear vision for their wedding day. “I was inspired by my favorite movie, Steel Magnolias,” she says. With that in mind, Brandi and Joshua sought to combine Southern elegance with Parisian-inspir...

An Elegant-Boho Wedding at The Fells Historic Estate and Gardens in Newbury, New Hampshire

Though Dale and Michael married at an elegant historic estate on Lake Sunapee, their celebration was decidedly unstuffy. They made sure guests had drinks in-hand for the ceremony, which Dale’s cousin and her husband jointly officiated, and shared laughs during their vows. The casual mood continue...

A Colorful Lakeside Indian-Christian Fusion Wedding at Walloon Lake Country Club in Petoskey, Michigan

With its stone fireplace, wraparound porch and prime waterfront location, Walloon Lake Country Club was a fitting choice for Carrie and Dheeraz  “lakeside elegant” fusion wedding. The couple embraced a flower-forward approach with botanical stationery, floral garlands and punchy arrangements of f...

Champagne, Gold and Burgundy Wowed at This Wedding at the Haseltine Estate in Springfield, Missouri

On the eve of their two-year dating anniversary, Michael proposed to Jenna using only two words. “We were on the ninth hole of a golf course when I pulled a golf ball out of the cup that had the words ‘Will you?’ written on it,” Jenna says. Fifteen months after that, the two became Mr. and Mrs. w...

Classic, Elegant Details Infused This Farm Wedding in St. Louis, Missouri

Anna and Elizabeth “Liz” are  fans of the outdoors and St. Louis’s fall weather, and opted to celebrate both during their October wedding. “Kuhs Estate and Farm checked all of our boxes,” Anna says. “It’s a beautiful landscape on the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers and close eno...

A Classic and Elegant Wedding With Touches of Blue at Carnegie Institution for Science in Washington, DC

Though Cassie and Greg are attorneys, they overlooked securing a noise permit for what ended up being their favorite wedding memory—parading to the after-party with a New Orleans–style second line band. “Two blocks in, we heard sirens,” Greg says, “but the police blocked off an intersection so th...

An Elegant and Eclectic Art Gallery Wedding at King Plow Arts Center in Atlanta, Georgia

Leah and Jason know what they like—and exactly how to combine those things. “We’re black and white when it comes to our tastes, so planning was a breeze,” Leah says. Together, the pair traveled to their shared home of the South (Leah’s hometown of Atlanta, specifically) and mixed their love of bo...

An Elegant City Wedding at the Park Hyatt Washington DC in Washington, DC

Louise and Nomzana’s story began in Zimbabwe. “We both wanted to perform Usher’s ‘Yeah!’ in our middle school talent show,” Nomzana says. Years later, the pair reconnected after they serendipitously moved to DC from Africa. After their engagement, the couple welcomed loved ones from all over the ...

Shades of Mauve Set the Tone at This Wedding at The Wyche Pavilion in Greenville, South Carolina

Greenville locals Chancey and Zach drew inspiration from their home city when planning their spring nuptials at Village Green. “I wanted a tasteful and sophisticated look with a bit of color and character, much like the aesthetics of Greenville,” Chancey says. One year after their engagement, the...

Blush and Gold Wowed at This Wedding at Pelican Hill Resort in Newport Beach, California

Chi met William through the simplest of polite gestures: when he held the door for her. Ever since, the pair has continued to emphasize romantic touches, from small details to grand gestures. In that spirit, their Christmas Eve engagement led to a California destination wedding eight months later...