Cozy Vintage Wedding at Meadows Inn | New Bern, NC
~ Small, intimate summer wedding at Meadows Inn in Downtown New Bern, NC ~
Daija and Zachary chose Meadows Inn in Downtown New Bern, NC for its cozy and vintage atmosphere to host their special day. This intimate space was the perfect spot to capture Daija and Zachary’s memorable moments. New Bern’s weather could not have been better, with bright blue clear skies, the couple was able to take photos outdoors before their ceremony inside the Inn. Their goal was to get photos with an artistic flair that paid attention to details in surrounding areas.
Meadows Inn, New Bern, NC
The Meadows Inn in New Bern, North Carolina, is a charming and historic bed and breakfast in the heart of downtown. Surrounded by charming shops, live theatre and music, and historical sites, the Inn provides guests with an ideal location for exploring the rich history and cultural attractions of this coastal town. Built in 1847, and opened to the public in 1980, the Meadows Inn has a longstanding fixture in the community. The Meadows Inn gives a truly historic feel in every room and allowed Daija and Zachary to have the vintage aesthetic they were looking for. The venue’s location allowed for some spectacular shots with the historic street as a background. The entrance of the Inn features bright greenery and beautiful florals that help capture this couple’s sparkling personality. The innkeeper at the Meadows Inn coordinated the event; from flowers to the officiant, she planned everything out, making the process of planning a wedding easy and relaxed for Daija and Zachary. Another fantastic perk of this venue is the opportunity to incorporate your honeymoon directly after your elopement! By booking a room with the Inn you are able to experience the beautiful historic Downton New Bern, NC during your honeymoon. The Inn also offers special packages such as the “Making Memories Package” which will make your stay even more romantic. Within the local area, you can find the NC Historic Museum, Tryon Palace & Gardens, The Birthplace of Pepsi, boating, golfing, fishing, and more.
Ceremony
Daija and Zachary’s ceremony took place inside the Inn surrounded by a few of their closest friends and family. The wedding was quite chill and relaxed. The ceremony was held in the lounge area of the Inn, in the downstairs parlor. The room has a historic fireplace with two large windows filling the room with a ton of light. The antique cushioned parlor room chairs were set up in rows for their friends and family to use during the ceremony. They exchanged some humorous moments during their ceremony such as Daija initially placing Zachary’s ring on the wrong finger. They chuckled as Daija realized.
ALSO, let this be your reminder to request your officiant move to the side when you have your first kiss. That way your photos don't end up with this awkward peek-a-boo.
After the ceremony, Daija and Zachary joined their guests outside to take more photos. The party experimented with fun poses like the iconic “Charlie’s Angels” as well as getting your typical group shots.
Reception
Following the ceremony, there was a cake and punch reception as the entire party had reservations for a late lunch at a nearby restaurant. Cake and punch receptions used to be really popular, especially in the 40s and 50s, but fell out of fashion for more elaborate and expensive plated dinner receptions with a separate cocktail hour. Opting for a cake and punch reception also added to the vintage feel of the day. If you are considering one for your wedding, make sure that you schedule your ceremony away from major mealtimes and specify somewhere on your invitation or wedding website that you're having a cake and punch reception. While cake and punch receptions are becoming more popular, guests may assume dinner will be served and wait to eat. Choosing a local restaurant near the venue to have a meal later in the day is a perfect option to continue the celebration with your guests. Their punch consisted of lemons and raspberries that paired perfectly with their cake. For their cake, Daija and Zachary chose a beautiful two-tiered red velvet cake covered in white icing. They cut the cake in front of their guests before sharing the first bite. While enjoying the red velvet cake, the couple opened presents from their guests and shared fond memories. Soon after, the couple and their guests left for their lunch reservations at a nearby restaurant.
Details
The color palette for this wedding consisted of whites and greens. The floral arrangements included white carnations, roses, baby’s breath, and white daisies combined with other greenery. White roses were also placed as an accent on the wedding cake. These colors paired beautifully together and let the vibrant colors of the venue stand out. Daija and Zachary got their wedding bands and engagement ring from Bailey’s Fine Jewelry in Greenville, NC, their hometown. Daija’s engagement ring included a stunning sapphire with an emerald cut full bezel setting and a simple gold band. Zachary's ring was a simple black wedding band. Their rings were vintage-inspired, fitting their overall cozy and vintage aesthetic.
Flower bouquet from a wedding I recently attended.... the bride was beautiful, the groom handsome. Everyone had a wonderful time - held at the Merrimon-Wynne House in Raleigh NC
Tim & Lane From North Carolina Officiated Their Love With These Matching Bands. Made Of White Gold & Diamonds. Wishing Them A Lifetime Of Love & Happens. Congratulations From The Ritz Jewelers Family in Los Angeles.
This summer Wren and Ciel headed to the Orange County Courthouse in Hillsborough to elope in the presence of their friends and family. It was a beautiful day, with an air of excitement, anticipation, and a bit of chaos/spontaneity.
It was a DIY wedding, with the couple hand-making their outfits and floral bouquets for their party, and staying up late the night before the wedding to finish!
After everyone arrived, we headed inside for the usual process of the witnesses signing the license and paying the fees.
Once that was completed we rejoined with the group to head to the ceremony location and divvy up the flowers.
They had their ceremony in the courtyard under the large tree between the old and new courthouses. You really could feel the love and excitement from everyone.
The orange county courthouse offers three options for ceremony language/script. To be honest, I don’t remember the variations and differences in the options. If you were curious, I’m sure you could ask when you called to schedule your appointment. Since Wren and Ciel are non-binary and go by they/them pronouns, they chose the option that didn’t specify gender or bride/groom.
After the ceremony we separated from the larger group to get some couple’s portraits. The newly installed River Park Arch made a beautiful backdrop, and a quiet spot for a private vow exchange.
River park is one of my favorite parks in the Triangle (Pullen, Dorothea Dix, and Eno River Parks are all also on my list of favorites). For a park in the middle of downtown, it has a lot of wide open space, trails, and amazing huge trees. The river walk boardwalk is also a great greenway that takes you along the Eno River. Durham’s American Tobacco trail is great, but nowhere near as scenic as Hillsborough’s River Walk.
Their rings were so beautiful. I have a soft spot for things that are fantasy and nature inspired, as well as the non-traditional.
While we’re on the topic of attire, I want to bring up their clothes again. I was so blown away by their outfits, before I even knew they made them themselves. Both garments were historically inspired; Wren’s waistcoat was based on an Edwardian pattern. Not to deviate too far from the topic of this blog post, but I love historical fashion and arts & crafts (sewing, crocheting, painting). And Edwardian/Art Nouveau are one of my favorite time periods in art/fashion (along with rococo and Italian renaissance). My point being, I really loved and appreciated their attire.
We then headed to meet back up with the group, who were having some sorbet at Matthew’s Chocolates. I had some too and it was delicious! The chocolate flavor was so rich and delightful.
Before they headed off to dinner reservations we got some group photos and had a bouquet toss.
Vendors:
Ceremony Location: Orange County Courthouse, Hillsborough, NC
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