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Alexandra + Jeremy
Monday, June 9, 2008 at 03:37AM {Real Wedding: Alexandra + Jeremy}
The weather was: Absolutely Perfect. It was the quintessential fall day in the mountains of North Carolina. The sun was shining, fluffy clouds were in the sky and a cool mountain breeze was blowing throughout our evening.
What was the design inspiration for your wedding? We wanted bold, warm colors that would match the brilliant fall leaves found throughout Western North Carolina during that time of year. We also wanted the event to have a relaxed, organic flow. Most importantly, we wanted to thank our guests for joining us for the weekend by designing an experience that they could actively share in. (See Kissing Menu) We wanted our guests to walk away from our wedding and say they could see "Alexandra and Jeremy's touch" in each facet of the evening, so we built our events around our upbringings. Jeremy's rural roots and love of the mountains were reflected in our rehearsal dinner setting, while my international experiences were reflected in our cocktail hour and dinner.
What colors did you choose for your wedding? My bridesmaids wore chocolate brown silk dresses accented by sashes in varying shades of deep reds and burnt oranges. The groomsmen wore ties matching the sash color of their bridesmaid partner. My sister was the one exception – she loves the color purple, so we made sure her sash was purple. The flowers--bouquets, boutonnières, ceremony and reception décor--echoed shades of red, orange and gold.
Describe your wedding flowers: In a small nod to the years I spent growing up in Southeast Asia, our flowers featured several orchids and tropical blooms thoughtfully placed in all of the arrangements.
Describe your wedding cake: YUM! The {Sisters McMullen} whipped up the tastiest concoction ever--2 tiers of chocolate, and 1 of almond chocolate-chip, all layered with butter cream frosting. We also served {Sisters McMullen} cupcakes (pumpkin, lemon, vanilla) and milkshakes a few hours into the dancing as a late-night treat.
How did you and Jeremy meet? We met each other while we were both attending Vanderbilt University. Though we met two years prior to officially dating while participating as student mentors for freshmen orientation, it took the unlikely combination of service-learning, improv comedy, flag football, and knee injuries to bring us together as a couple. Be sure to ask us for the details when you meet us!
Describe your engagement: Unsuspecting bride-to-be at the Inn at Biltmore Estates given an early Valentines day surprise to last a lifetime.
What attracted me to my husband was: His quick wit. His openness to learn and try new things. His kind heart. Those wicked blue eyes. He’s always striving to learn more and improve, all while keeping the “us” in mind. He challenges me to try new things and step outside the routine while celebrating my successes and supporting me through the moments of struggle.
What attracted me to my wife was: Her love for others, her unjudging attitude and global perspective on life, and her long legs to give our kids a chance.
A date we went on that we’ll always remember: Jeremy here - the date I will most remember is our very first lunch date. It was the day before my knee surgery, and I was cooped up in my house. Alexandra brought by lunch and a handmade key-lime pie. I thought any girl that brings pie to a lonely, injured grad student is the right girl for me. My roommates and family who arrived later that evening agreed we were meant for each other between their bites as they finished off the pie!
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: The kissing game menu. My husband put together a great list of toast alternatives – instead of simply kissing when a bell was rung or a glass was clinked, we put our guests to work. Jeremy created a mini menu that listed some fun kissing alternatives. Guests could either serenade us with a song (the "Singapore Sing"), demonstrate a kiss for the bride and groom to copy (the "Carolina Kiss"), recite a limerick about love (the "Irish Blessing") or share some time-honored marriage advice (the "French Toast"). Some amazing talent came out of the woodwork that night, including a tag-team comedic rendition of "Can't Help Falling in Love" and a few kisses that we can't copy for you here.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? Doing everything from a distance. Our wedding was in Asheville, but we lived in the Charlotte area at the time. Our only “local” Charlotte vendors were our wedding planner, {Ivy Robinson}, and our stationer, Aubre Zerebnick of {Chic Impressions}. Other vendors were based out of Raleigh-Durham, and still some from Asheville where our wedding took place. My husband's family is from Southern Illinois while my parents live in New Jersey. Let’s just say we sent lots of emails and made tons of phone calls over the 19 months of our planning!
Where there any special family traditions you included in the wedding? Family is what we hold most dear, so we were sure to include our family in events throughout the wedding weekend. We were both escorted in by our mothers and fathers, and our immediate siblings were part of the main ceremony. Jeremy's father--an elder at his home church--lead prayers before meals, and my father did a wonderful job with his speeches and hosting duties at the reception. We were honored to have our grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins in attendance, and we were sure to honor those relatives who have passed on or could not be there to celebrate this milestone with us.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? Looking out at the faces of our friends and family during the ceremony. We are so lucky and so loved!
Scariest moment? At the end of the evening when we ran through sparklers held by our guests. The scene was beautiful and marked a memorable end to the evening. However--If you knew our high school and college friends after a night of partying, you too would be scared having to run by them while they held hot, pointy sticks at eye-level.
The most unexpected event on our wedding day was: My father-daughter dance. We finally decided on our song 5 minutes before we took to the dance floor. Luckily my dad’s a great leader and has some great moves, too.
How was your wedding different than the way you’d always imagined it would be? We had only imagined it piece-by-piece; yet when it all came together, the result was a seamless representation of us both individually and as a couple.
Three adjectives that describe the day are: Relaxed. Fun. Unforgettable.
Did you write your own vows? We pieced our vows together from both traditional and modern thoughts on union. Jeremy and I shared the same beginning and ending vows, but wove more personal promises in the middle. I vowed to learn how to cook and be limitless with my backrubs, while he promised to love me unconditionally like our dog Rosey does and never let our (future) children leave the house without an SPF of at least 25 (thanks to his pale complexion!).
Funniest moment? When my husband vowed to “look like” me! He meant to say he promised to “look up to” me – a poke at our slight height difference. Everyone got a good laugh out of that moment, and it helped ease any nervousness moving forward with the ceremony.
Reader Comments (4)
she loves the color purple, so we made sure her sash was purple.wedding purple flowers...
Dating and going outside with your spouse once in a week make your marriage works and this will bring more love, romance, faith in your relationships. But you must aware of dating tips so that your spouse never feels hesitation, insecurity and disrespect for you. Many times showing you more caring and loveable creates problem in relationships and this will create relationship conflict in couples. In such situation couples don’t have to wait for restore relationship by their own if you are not able to communicate freely and comfortably. Try to consult marriage counselors to resolve marriage issues before it turns in to some serious problems.
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