1. Real Weddings

Betsy & Paolo: A Summer Wedding in Tryon, NC

Guests gathered from far and wide to watch as transplanted North Carolinian Betsy returned home to marry Italian-born Paolo. The Bride Betsy Thomas

Guests gathered from far and wide to watch as transplanted North Carolinian Betsy returned home to marry Italian-born Paolo. The Bride Betsy Thomas The Groom Paolo Bianco The Date June 22 The two met in New York when they were introduced by a mutual friend. Paolo, who is originally from Milan, had just opened a New York branch for his company; Betsy had just returned from a year teaching in Italy. She says, I loved anything and everything Italian -- including, apparently, Paolo. Four years later he presented her with a diamond ring in a setting that he had designed himself.

The Bridal Bouquet
The Exit
The Pine Crest Inn is set in the heart of North Carolina's high country in the Blue Ridge Mountains. It's a grand old site, on the National Register of Historic Places since 1982. But to Betsy Thomas, who now lives and works in New York City, The Pine Crest Inn is almost like home. I remember going there as a little girl with my family to celebrate the holidays or to meet friends and family for a good Sunday roast after church, she says. She and her fiance, Paolo Bianco, decided to book the entire inn for their wedding weekend. Guests from Italy, England, Denmark, California, and New York would have the chance to experience the best of Southern hospitality.
The Hair
Lemon cake with lemon buttercream frosting topped with sugar flowers and leaves made for a delightful dessert.
The Location