White Thread

Archive for the ‘Venues’ Category

Loving these images sent to me by KMI Photography of a recent photo shoot at the Dudley Mansion.  Built in 1825 by North Carolina’s first elected governor, the mansion sits in the heart of historic downtown Wilmington, right along the Cape Fear River.  With gorgeous grounds dotted with forged iron gates, stone benches and romantic fountains, it is about as perfect a backdrop to a southern wedding as you can get.

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Lovely right?  The whole space has recently undergone a major renovation and is opening up once again to host private parties in 2010.  I absolutely love all the romantic nooks and crannies old houses have and the Dudley Mansion certainly takes that concept to a whole new level.

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A Beautiful Event did the bride’s flowers and tablescape for this shoot while Fountaine Bridal provided the gown.  Makeup was done by N Salo Salon.  And if you’re anything like me, that incredible veil/headpiece caught your eye.  It’s a vintage piece  from aMuse, a boutique milliner specializing in just this sort of gorgeousness.  I want everything from there.

Thank you Kevin and Lauren for sharing these images with me!

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Posted by Dina @ White Thread in Venues on January 14th, 2010   |   2 Comments

You might recall a few weeks ago I posted about an event I was taking part in called Bubbles & Bling.  It turned out to be a super fun, intimate evening with some great area vendors, brides-to-be,  yummy champagne at Solas and to die for bridal fashion from TreBella Bridal.  I was flattered to be asked to style the private dining room at Solas into a chic, modern rehearsal dinner space.  Thanks to the fab Martha Manning, the whole thing was captured to share with you today.

The evening started out on Solas’ new, retractable roof covered deck (so awesome…now you can have cocktails up there all winter long!)  Some of TreBella’s new dresses were on full display as the models weaved their way in and out of the roof top cabanas.  I loved this set up.  It let you get right up close to the dresses and even touch them if you wanted.  So much better than looking longingly from afar like at most fashion shows.

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After some yummy champagne cocktails and dress gawking, the party moved downstairs where Bailey’s Jewelry had a gorgeous display of bling for everyone to “oooo” and “aaaah” over.  Cinda’s Creative Cakes provided an equally bejeweled and delicious cake.  A few more models floated through the party, even stopping for a minute to pose in the rehearsal dinner space your’s truly pulled together for the event.

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In keeping with the very modern aesthetic of the space, I really wanted the room be pretty, not overly “done” and utilizing as much of Solas’ existing inventory as possible.  Anyone can design an over the top space using all rented pieces but since the goal of the event was to display the space to brides-to-be as a chic alternative for your private dining events, I wanted to use as much of what they already had on hand as possible.  Two long 12′ tables provided seating for 24 guests with plenty of room left over for a loungey seating area.  You could easily nix this area in exchange for more tables if your party required more seating. To work with the existing black, white and red colors in the room, I decided to make jewel toned purple my main inspiration.  Simple white satin linens, crystal beaded chargers and purple napkins were all provided by CE Rentals.  I love the pop of color that the purple napkins give the table. Everything else was provided by Solas and available for use at any event you host there.

I collaborated with TreBella Flowers on the floral elements of the table design.  Simple white and purple orbs of the ever budget friendly carnation look modern and chic in this setting, adding just the right amount of texture.  I added a bit more “bling” with some crystal-encrusted tea light and candle holders throughout.

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This was such a fun event!  A huge thank you to the folks at Solas for letting me get involved and to the lovely ladies at TreBella for pulling me into the mix.  I loved meeting so many brides-to-be and hearing first hand what they’re looking for, what challenges they’re running into, etc.  Writing the blog is great but actually talking to you ladies is 100x better!

And of course, this whole post wouldn’t exist without the phenomenal work of Martha Manning.  Not only is she super talented but she’s honestly so stinkin’ nice, it hurts.  If you are still on the hunt for a photographer or have just recently gotten engaged, do yourself a favor and call Martha.  I promise you will not be disappointed.

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Posted by Dina @ White Thread in Flowers & Decor, Inspiring Eye Candy, Venues on December 16th, 2009   |   6 Comments

topsix

If you’ve been following along, you know White Thread is doing a fun feature in collaboration with photographer Martha Manning that I’m calling “Martha’s Top Six“.  Check out the first installment on the Carolina Inn here.

Continuing on our tour of the Triangle, Martha’s next pick is The Carolina Country Club in Raleigh.  This historic and stately private golf club in the heart of downtown Raleigh has played host to many a wedding.  But it’s no wonder when you see how beautiful and immaculate the grounds and the club itself are.  And all those years of experience can translate into a smooth and snag-free wedding day.  Isn’t that what we all want?

From Martha:

Perfect for: Couples who have a lifelong tie to the Raleigh area.  With its historic Five Points locale, Country Club membership is often a family affair.  Newly transplanted to Raleigh from elsewhere?  Fear not, you too are welcomed to host your event there.  Just make nice with a current member as their sponsorship of you is the minimum requirement for hosting your wedding at this locale.

Must take shots: You really can’t go wrong anywhere on the beautiful grounds, but one particularly gorgeous shot that I always try to get is at the end of the night in front of the very dramatic club entrance.

Where to wed: In keeping with the historic downtown Raleigh vibe, a ceremony at the nearby St. Mary’s Chapel is perfect.  Listed on the National Registry of Historic Places since 1970, this charming little white chapel sits on the equally pretty St. Mary’s School campus.  With seating for 250 it’s actually not all that small.  And don’t worry; affiliation with the School is no longer required for use of the Chapel.

Coming right up, a pretty, pretty, pretty St. Mary’s Chapel/Carolina Country Club wedding from Martha .

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Posted by Dina @ White Thread in Venues on November 9th, 2009   |   1 Comment

topsix

Today is the first installment of our series with photographer Martha Manning.  A couple of weeks ago, I announced that Martha would be sharing her perspective on some of the best places to tie the knot, acquired over her 10+ years of experience shooting weddings around the Triangle.

First up, the Carolina Inn!  This historic icon in the heart of Chapel Hill embodies all things Southern – grand antebellum architecture, stately magnolias and a reputation for unbeatable hospitality.  No wonder it’s so popular for weddings!  Certainly the Carolina Inn is not an “undiscovered” gem, but that doesn’t make it any less of a gem.  They have gorgeous, drama-free weddings down to a science there, and that counts for a lot in my book.

From Martha:
Perfect for: Those longing for a definitively Southern (and a bit more traditional) wedding.  And of course, those who bleed Carolina blue!  The Inn’s association with the University and on campus locale have long made it a popular wedding site with UNC alum.  Translation:  peak months book up early (frequently over a year in advance).  But do yourself a favor and consult the football and certainly basketball schedule before choosing your wedding date! Traffic can be brutal otherwise making for a potentially late start to your ceremony.

Must take shots: Candid shots among the large magnolias on the side of the Inn are a must, as are some formal images in the The Colonnade hall with its famous and striking checkered floor.  And of course, with the Inn’s close proximity to iconic campus landmarks, be sure to get out for a walk to the Old Well.  Just your stroll through the gorgeous campus will produce some amazing shots.

Where to wed: Certainly the Bryan Courtyard at the Inn is a popular location but consider also the Newman Catholic Center, the University United Methodist Church and even the Forest Theater at the University Botanical Gardens for great alternatives all within close proximity to the Inn.

And of course because nothing tells a story like beautiful pictures, Martha will be back in a few with a gorgeous real wedding at this magical place.


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Posted by Dina @ White Thread in Venues on October 27th, 2009   |   1 Comment

My love affair with barns began years ago with this one image from Modern Bride.  Since then I have day dreamed often of styling a wedding inspired by this.  Billowing muslin curtains, wheat sheaf wreaths, a casual but elegant vibe.  The whole thing is right up my alley.  So whenever I come across a really lovely barn wedding, I sit in awe for a bit.  I love the juxtaposition of all the pretty, soft elements and colors with the rustic barn backdrop.

barn-wedding
{Photo credit:  Modern Bride}

barn-weddings
{Photo credits:  First row: Union Photography, Second row: Todd Rafalovich Photography, Third row:  Allyson Magda Photography, Fourth row: Daria Bishop Photographers, Tyrone Farm, Fifth row: Allyson Magda Photography}

And lucky for you (and me!), there is no shortage of fabulous barn locations here in the Carolinas. Here are some to consider if a barn wedding is as enchanting to you as it is to me:

(I’d love to build this list out and make it a great resource for barn loving brides-to-be.  If you know of a great barn location for a wedding, leave a comment below please!)

North Carolina

The Fearrington Barn – outside of Chapel Hill
The Barn at Valhalla – Chapel Hill
The Shawnee Springs Barn – Banner Elk
The Black Mountain College Barns – Lake Eden
The Fair Barn – Pinehurst

South Carolina

The Dairy Barn – Fort Mill
The Field Trial Barn – Fort Mill

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Posted by Dina @ White Thread in Venues on October 14th, 2009   |   2 Comments