An Intimate Wedding at the Parlour at Manns Chapel in Chapel Hill, North Carolina

With 65 friends and family in attendance, Mary Avant (27 and a copywriter and marketing consultant) and Harrison Compton (26 and in hospitality management) celebrated their nuptials with an intimate chapel ceremony and laid-back brunch reception at the Parlour at Manns Chapel in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. “We knew we wanted to get married in our college town of Chapel Hill, where we met, and we found this beautiful little chapel right outside town that had recently been restored and renovated into an event space,” Mary says. “It was beautifully decorated and rustic and was just the right size for our small wedding.” Embracing the chapel’s charming decor, the couple added flowers to the altar and draped greenery around a vintage mirror. Flanking the altar, lush arrangements of greenery and blooms were placed on white rustic wooden pillars. “To complement the light palette and gorgeous wooden accents of the space, we kept our palette soft with blushes, creamy whites, a gorgeous blue-gray hue and little pops of oral greenery,” Mary says. “Nothing about the decor was over the top; everything was really subtle and thoughtfully chosen.” After a personal and sentimental ceremony officiated by the couple’s friend, guests joined the couple for a garden-party-themed cocktail hour and brunch behind the chapel. For cocktail hour, guests enjoyed a Bloody Mary and mimosa bar while snacking on oysters, cheddar biscuits and charcuterie. And for brunch, a Southern-inspired spread of chicken and waffles and beef tenderloin was paired with Malbec and India pale ale. “But I was most excited about the desserts,” Mary says. “I’m a big baker and a huge sweets fan, so we had three types of dessert at the wedding.” Sweets included a small cake for cutting, an array of cupcakes and a doughnut wall that was made by the bride’s father. After the wedding, friends and family joined the newlyweds at one of their favorite watering holes to sing karaoke. “Everyone had an incredible time, and it was just another way to enjoy time with our friends and family on the best day of our lives,” Mary says. —Marissa Hermanson