1. Real Weddings

Jen & Neil: A Spring Wedding in Pittsboro, NC

Out with some friends but wary of the pickup scene, Neil and Jennifer struck up a conversation at a bar one night. Nothing came of their meeting at th

Out with some friends but wary of the pickup scene, Neil and Jennifer struck up a conversation at a bar one night. Nothing came of their meeting at the time, but a few months later, Jen found herself still thinking of the amiable stranger to whom she’d so enjoyed talking. As she tried to muster up the nerve to “casually” drop into the running store where she knew he worked, Neil, having the same thoughts, tracked down her email address and asked her to dinner. This time, their bond stuck. The Bride Jennifer Modliszewski, 25, graduate student The Groom Neil Jacobs, 32, atmospheric scientist The Date April 9 Two years later, while watching the sun set at Wrightsville Beach on their anniversary, Neil asked Jen if she loved him enough to spend the rest of her life with him. Jen had suspected Neil might be plotting a proposal, but she was still overcome when he got down on one knee -- she managed a “Yes!” and the planning began.

Since Jen studies plants, she didn’t used to have a specific favorite flower. So when Neil asked her what sort she liked one day, she blurted out “tulips.” These simple blooms inspired a springtime motif for their wedding, with the couple choosing a periwinkle blue theme to complement the natural whites and greens of spring. Jen carried an oversize bouquet of rich white tulips.
The Flower Girl
They chose the Barn at the Fearrington House for the reception site, a rustic property on a former dairy farm.
The Ceremony
The newlyweds thanked guests with tins of forget-me-not seeds to symbolize love and remembrance. “They’re a pale blue color, plus they went along with our spring theme,” Jen says.
The Reception
Jen and Neil's centerpieces were made up of blossoms in pale blue, deep purple, white, and green.
Neil wore a black tuxedo with gray tie and vest, while his attendants wore black ties and vests.
The newlyweds shared their first dance to “The Look of Love” by Diana Krall. “We both loved this song, until we got out in front of everyone dancing, and realized how long it is!” Jen says.
The Rings
Jen and Neil's cake was a three-tiereded chocolate and almond flavored cake decorated in white frosting with blue accents.
The Escort Cards
Jen wore a strapless, textured silk Lea-Ann Belter Bridal gown with a satin band at the bust that included Swarovski crystals on the bodice, buttons and loops along the back, and removable silk flowers that Jen placed on the sash of her flower girl’s dress. She loved her single-layer, fingertip-length veil so much that she wore it the entire night.
The Wedding Party Looks