1. Real Weddings

An Elegant and Traditional Wedding at The Carolina Inn in Chapel Hill, North Carolina

It was an elegant day with a focus on tradition as David Buboltz, a 28-year-old mechanical engineer, wed his bride Lauren Buboltz, a 27-year-old regis

It was an elegant day with a focus on tradition as David Buboltz, a 28-year-old mechanical engineer, wed his bride Lauren Buboltz, a 27-year-old registered dietitian, at the historic Carolina Inn in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The couple met online, but quickly discovered they actually attended the same church. After a few years of dating, much of it long-distance, David proposed to Lauren at the same Starbucks where they had their first date. To bring their dream of a classy and elegant wedding to life, they used a color palette of grey, peach and ivory, which matched perfectly with their spring nuptials. The beautiful grounds of The Carolina Inn provided a gorgeous backdrop for their outdoor ceremony. At the reception, guests enjoyed an impressive menu of food and danced the night away to tunes from a live band. Throughout the entire planning process, David and Lauren remained focused on their values and what they consider to be the true meaning of marriage. "Marriage is such a sweet reflection of God's relationship with His people — don't lose sight of that in the midst of the planning," they say. "If you keep this perspective, there won't be any disasters, only manageable bumps along the road."

Lauren chose to wear a white A-line gown with a sweetheart neckline and lace with scalloped ends and satin buttons down the back. She purchased the dress at Victorian Rose Bridals in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Lauren's seven bridesmaids donned matching short blue dresses from Anthropologie. Lauren says she wanted them to wear something that could be dressed up or down depending on the occasion and could be easily worn again.rnrn
Lauren's bridesmaids carried bouquets full of pink and peach roses with hints of green while she stuck with a lighter bouquet of ivory and white flowers.
Lauren and David tied the knot in an outdoor ceremony at The Carolina Inn, which they say was the perfect location for the beautiful sunny day. The couple chose the venue because they had been there several times before together. "It was a special place for us when we were dating and was fitting to have our family and friends share in memories there as well," Lauren says.
Peach and cream floral arrangements, white chairs and a beautifully manicured lawn perfectly captured the sweet essence of the spring ceremony.
"We found a wonderful florist (Fresh Affairs) who did a fantastic job with the flower arrangements," Lauren says. "Our favorite part was the gorgeous flower wreath on the door -- a great back drop for the ceremony."
Bride Lauren was able to incorporate a very meaningful touch from her new husband's family into her bridal look. "The best part of the wedding attire was the veil made by the groom's grandmother," the couple says.
The couple chose not to sweat the small stuff when it came to planning the details of their big day, choosing instead to focus on cherishing their time with family and friends.
For dessert, guests dined a beautiful three-tier cake from Ashley Cakes that featured red velvet, lemon with raspberry, and German chocolate flavors.
The couple added personal touches to their elegant reception at The Carolina Inn. "We wanted guests to be reminded of the true meaning of marriage while at our wedding, so we put chalkboards around the banquet hall with scripture verses that highlight God's love for His children," Lauren says.
The couple's 200 guests enjoyed a cocktail hour of signature drinks (Prosecco for the ladies and gin and tonic for the gents) and classic southern dishes like fried green tomatoes with frisee and bacon aioli, bacon wrapped scallops and pimento cheese country ham before eating dinner under beautiful chandeliers.
After enjoying a dinner of fillet of beef, crab cake, chive whipped potatoes and green beans, guests hit the dance floor with the bride and groom.
"We had a live band, the Embers, who were awesome and and definitely brought some good tunes," the couple says. "One of the best memories from the reception was when the groom's friends all surrounded the bride and sang Top Gun's 'You've Lost That Lonely Feeling.'"
For their honeymoon, the couple traveled around the Outer Banks of North Carolina, where they plan to return for their one-year anniversary.