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 .