LPW Wedding Archive

Noel and Tom were married earlier this year in Greensboro, NC at Sedgefield Country Club on a picture perfect day! This wedding is truly out of a scene from an enchanted garden. In fact, Noel and I were actually inspired by a famous Monet garden painting that drove a lot of our design and tied in perfectly with our color palette of navy, hydrangea, cream, blush, and peony.

Noel kept her bridal party small – just her number one gal and daughter, Madison. They each had coordinating bouquets of garden roses, peonies, ranunculus, and jasmine vine.

One of the things that sets Sedgefield Country Club apart is the stunning lawn in front of the club. It’s the first thing you see when you drive up and is the go to spot for ceremonies. We added a clear top tent with antique white chandeliers and soft draping to create an intimate feel while also keeping the beautiful view. Our focal point and WOW factor of the whole ceremony was the unbelievable floral archway created by Just Priceless. We added a few small personalized touches like an Arnold Palmer station (to keep guests cool and as a nod to Tom’s love of golf) and custom aisle markers with a favorite scripture.

Live music greeted guests as they entered the ceremony tent featuring a mix of classic and modern music. Tom is an avid golfer and has a great sense of humor so before the ceremony started, a family friend had a “call to tee” to kick of the processional. 

Noel and Madison were escorted to the ceremony site in a vintage 1965 Rolls Royce. Our something blue!

What a heartfelt ceremony! A family friend officiated on behalf of Noel and Tom before they each read their own vows. It was very important to both Noel and Tom that Madison was included in the ceremony. A sand ceremony was the perfect fit for them!

After the ceremony, guests entered the club for cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. Servers tray passed asiago stuffed potatoes, bacon wrapped shrimp with clover honey, miniature crab cakes with remoulade sauce, and caprese skewers.  My favorite cocktail hour detail were these custom napkins. Tom is a HUGE Bruce Springsteen fan so we *had* to find a way to include The Boss in the wedding.

Jamie Lynn Photography did a beautiful job with Noel and Tom’s portraits. It was HOT y’all and you’d never know looking at these.

The paper for this wedding is easily one of my favorites of all time. Amanda Day Rose created a delicate floral pattern inspired by our design that we incorporated throughout. It was very important to Noel to include scripture in the tablescape in some way. I worked with Amanda to create 5×7 menu cards that listed the menu on the front with a beautiful scripture print on the back. Guests took them home as a favor! Speaking of the menu, guests enjoyed a plated dinner starting with a fresh Summer berry salad of baby spinach, candied pecans, fresh strawberries and blueberries, and local goat cheese drizzled with a champagne vinaigrette. For dinner, guests were treated to a choice of French chicken breast with a butter caper white wine sauce served with risotto and Parmesan asparagus; a New York strip with a port wine reduction served with Yukon gold mashed potatoes and Parmesan asparagus; or asparagus, rainbow chard, baby carrots, cauliflower, and haricot verts over quinoa with lemon compound butter.

Our reception design was feminine, slightly vintage, and elegant with vibrant flowers and mixed metals. I love how all the elements came together from our mercury glass table numbers to the luxurious linens.

If you haven’t noticed yet, the florals for this wedding were the centerpiece of the design. I worked closely with Maxie B’s to translate that into a delicate sugar flower design combined with a rosette design that Noel loves. It tasted even better than it looked! The layers were a mix of lemon almond buttercream and devil’s food cake.

Noel wanted to include some golf touches for Tom and one day I had a light bulb moment. There is a patio outside of the ballroom that we didn’t quite have a plan for. Knowing that this was a family friendly reception with lots of children, I proposed to Noel that we have putt putt on the patio! She loved it and it tied in perfectly with our customized golf ball favors. It was a HUGE hit!

Point200 captured the day beautifully on film! Kick back and enjoy!

Noel and Tom, thank you so much for allowing the LPE team and I to be a part of your wedding experience!

Planning + Design: Leigh Pearce Events | Photography: Jamie Lynn Photography | Videography: Point200 | Venue + Catering: Sedgefield Country Club | Cake: Maxie B’s | Floral Designer: Just Priceless | Rentals: Southern Event Rental, The Prettiest Pieces, Eventful | DJ: K2 Productions | Vintage Car: Sterling Carriage | Lighting: Kenneth Eller | Hair + Makeup: Laura Bray Hair + Makeup | Invitations: Invitations by Dawn | Day of Paper: Amanda Day Rose | Custom Ceremony Signs: Design by Laney

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Leigh Pearce is the owner and creative director of Leigh Pearce Events, a boutique wedding planning and design company specializing in luxury weddings and highly personalized events. LPE is based in Greensboro, NC, and serves Greensboro, Winston-Salem, High Point, Raleigh, Chapel Hill, Durham, Asheville, Wilmington, and the rest of North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and destinations beyond with impeccable and exclusive wedding experiences. Connect with Leigh today at 336-552-5645 or [email protected] about your special event.

Couples like Brooke and Jordan are why we do what we do. These two are the kindest and most genuine people you could ever meet and I’m so grateful to now call them friends! I simply can’t say enough great things about our planning experience and their amazing wedding day. February weddings in North Carolina can be a little nerve wracking – hello ice storms – and we were blessed with the most beautiful, sunny day in Winston-Salem at Tanglewood and Winmock at Kinderton!  I’ve shared some of my favorite details from their wedding day .. you’re going to LOVE our floral (or should I say greenery?) design from Green Bee Floral Designs. And of course, I’ve shared some of my favorite portraits from sweet Megan Travis!

Brooke and I chatted a lot about her color palette to find the perfect balance to compliment our relaxed yet elegant design. We settled on the most lovely combination of creamy white, wood touches, ample amounts of greenery, and tiny pops of burgundy, wine, and deep red.

Brooke and I worked with Marianne at Chic Paper Chick to create this stunner of an invitation. The touches of greenery and pops of red tied in beautiful with our floral designs and the kraft paper envelopes nodded to the abundance of wood in our design and venues.  One thing you may notice.. this invitation is actually for the reception! Brooke and Jordan opted for a small ceremony with only close family and friends. I loved how relaxed and easy this made the earlier part of the day for them. It was truly stress free! If you are interested in doing this for your own wedding: on the invitation side of things, I simply added an enclosure card for the ceremony guests. Easy peasy!

Brooke, Jordan and their families started the day at Winmock for some relation and primping. I love the sweet details captured by Megan Travis. Jordan’s boutonniere by my dear friend, Jen with Green Bee, is one of my all time favorites!

Brooke’s bouquet is the only place we utilized flowers. Yup, you read that right. No flowers! Brooke loves greenery and a natural look when it comes to floral design. We decided that adding a few pops of blooms to her bouquet would make it extra special.. and the result was stunning! Brooke and Jordan opted not to have an official wedding party with bridesmaid and groomsmen. Instead, Brooke asked her closest girlfriends to wear the black dress of their choice and we had nosegays of greenery made for them to include in portraits.

Mount Pleasant Church at Tanglewood Park in Winston-Salem is one of my all time favorite ceremony spots. It is quaint, full of natural light, and the perfect blank slate for design. Green Bee Designs took my vision and design and created the most beautiful ceremony space full of mixed greenery, pops of cotton (a nod to Jordan’s family farm), and twinkling candlelight. It was like a dream! I love flowers more than anyone but this design was SO refreshing and still had the abundance and depth that flowers give. Green Bee knocked it out of the park per usual.

Hands down, my favorite photo from the entire day. I just love these two.

Want in on the hottest wedding trend of 2017? Puppies. All the puppies. One of Brooke’s friends brought the best surprises of the day.. Brooke and Jordan’s sweet pup, Oakley!

Winmock at Kinderton provided the perfect blank slate for the reception. We created the perfect party atmosphere with a comfortable, elegant design, killer tunes, and delicious food stations. My favorite elements were the cozy lounge from Old South Vintage Rentals, the stately wooden bar from Winmock, and the dripping greenery on the chandeliers.

Holly Tate created the most fun menu! It was important to Brooke and Jordan that their stations were tasty and laid back and Holly delivered per usual! At cocktail hour, we tray passed grilled bruschetta, spicy nacho bites, and spice rubbed shrimp cocktail skewers. Guests also warmed up with hot cinnamon spiced apple cider! Once dinner kicked off guests had their pick of a Mexican station (complete with make your own tacos, Southwestern Caeser salad, and grilled Mexican corn), a mac and cheese bar, and a slider station with a choice of beef, chicken, or crab cake sliders. Oh, and don’t forget the french fries! Lastly, because no wedding is complete without something to satisfy your sweet tooth, we offered guests a variety of doughnuts from Krispy Kreme! Maxie B’s created the sweetest *almost* naked cake that was just as delicious as it was beautiful.

A week or so before the wedding, Brooke texted me and said “I have no idea why I haven’t told you this yet.” I held my breath for a minute because who knows what was coming my way. But Brooke laid the best surprise on me! She had purchased a second dress to change into and it was the most beautiful BLACK floral dress. It was SO Brooke and the perfect dress for dancing and heading downtown post-wedding! I absolutely loved it!

Brooke and Jordan, thank you again for allowing my team and I to guide you through your wedding experience. We love you!!

Planning + Design: Leigh Pearce Events | Photography: Megan Travis Photography | Floral Design: Green Bee Floral Design | Ceremony Venue: Mount Pleasant Church at Tanglewood | Reception Venue: Winmock at Kinderton | Catering: Holly Tate Fine Catering | Cake: Maxie B’s | Rentals: Southern Event Rental | Lounge: Old South Vintage Rentals | Invitations + Day of Paper: Chic Paper Chick | Videography: One Love Productions | Hair + Makeup: Boha Salon | Ceremony Music + DJ: Kenneth Eller

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Leigh Pearce is the owner and creative director of Leigh Pearce Events, a boutique wedding planning and design company specializing in luxury weddings and highly personalized events. LPE is based in Greensboro, NC, and serves Greensboro, Winston-Salem, High Point, Raleigh, Chapel Hill, Durham, Asheville, Wilmington, and the rest of North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and destinations beyond with impeccable and exclusive wedding experiences. Connect with Leigh today at 336-552-5645 or [email protected] about your special event. 

This may be my favorite blog post ever.. it’s not everyday that you get to share *your own* wedding on your wedding blog! Style Me Pretty was so kind to feature it last week (see that post here) and I’ve finnnnnnnally narrowed down my favorite images to share with y’all. I’ve shared some of my favorite details and moments along the way but before we get into the pretty, I wanted to say one more thank you to our amazing vendors that made our day so special. Anna, Carla, Karina, Gabby, Stacy, Stacy, Mario, Shannon, Shannon, and Carol, Bryan and I can’t thank you enough!

After tossing around some ideas about destination weddings, my high school sweetheart, Bryan, and I decided on a local wedding with a small guest list of only 65 of our closest family and friends. We chose the Weir-Jordan House in downtown Greensboro for our venue and set the date for October 22, two days after our 14 year dating anniversary.

 We loved everything about the Weir-Jordan from it’s Southern antebellum feel to it’s rich history (it is one of the oldest houses in Greensboro). It checked every box for us — an outdoor ceremony space, a spot for a tent, and an amazing in-house caterer.

Some of my favorite fashionable details were my pearl necklace (that I still wear regularly!) and my shoes. My two favorite movies are Steel Magnolias and Father of the Bride. My mom, sister, sister-in-law, and best friend hosted a Steel Magnolias themed bridal shower for me, complete with red velvet armadillo cupcakes! As an homage to Father of the Bride, I was on a mission to find some cool sneakers and fell in love with these lace high tops from Anthropologie.

Funny enough, Bryan is the one that brought up the idea of a first look! In all my sharing about my work, he must have picked up a thing or two. There is an upstairs, private, Charleston-esque porch at our venue that was an ideal location for a first look. Although we decided not to give each other wedding gifts, I surprised Bryan during our first look with my dad’s gold cuff links. He passed away a few years ago and I thought it would be the perfect way to have him there in spirit. After our first look, we hopped in the car for photos at a favorite local spot, The Proximity Hotel. We really enjoyed having some alone time together before the craziness set it. We highly recommend it!

Next step – select our bridal party! We ultimately decided not to have a large party — all of my girlfriends are married with children or pregnant so I wanted to make the day as relaxed and enjoyable for them as possible. We all got ready together and it was SO much fun. Surprisingly, my best friend from high school went into labor in the middle of the night before the wedding and obviously had to miss the wedding. I took my wedding dress and crashed her newborn session a few weeks later so we could have pictures together! My sister was my maid of honor and looked beautiful in her Jenny Yoo gown .. the fabric and layers of her dress tied in with mine perfectly. My mom’s gorgeous navy dress and sapphire earrings added just the amount of sparkle we needed! Doesn’t she look fabulous? Bryan’s best man, in true Southern fashion, was his father. They looked so dapper in their black tuxedos!

Our sweet flower girls are two of our favorite people in the whole wide world. They looked like little princesses in their tulle and satin dresses complete with flower halos!

Our ceremony was absolutely perfect and by far, my favorite part of the day. I loved our music selections: an instrumental version of Rivers and Roads by The Head and The Heart for our parents and wedding party and an instrumental version of Amarillo by Morning by George Strait, my dad’s favorite song. We had two special readings. A scripture reading by one of our very best friends as well as poem read by Bryan’s sister. We walked back down the aisle to a mash up of Ants Marching and Ode to Joy.

After the ceremony, we sent our guests inside to warm up and for cocktail hour and dinner. Stacy with Savory Street Catering created an amazing custom menu for us! Some of the highlights were pulled pork and collard egg rolls with mango chutney, crab hush puppies with Cajun aioli, butternut squash ravioli, beef tenderloin with white cheddar grit cakes, and mini tomato pies.

For our design, we kept everything elegant, timeless, and classic. Our florist, the Farmer’s Wife, has always been our family florist so it was a no brainer to work with Stacy on our wedding. She is truly like family and created floral magic for us! Maxie B’s made my wedding cake dreams come true with our stunning cake (and Bryan’s dream come true with a layer of Devil’s food cake!). One of my only major must haves was a clear top tent with big chandeliers and a black and white dance floor that I could twirl on. Mission accomplished!!

After dinner, we danced the night away! Our first dance was “You & Me” by Dave Matthews Band. We have been to countless DMB concerts so it was only fitting that we danced to Dave. The chorus is also perfect for a few twirls!

Later in the evening while cake was served, we offered a few more desserts. Bryan has a serious sweet tooth and is, hands down, the biggest Pepsi addict you will ever meet. We offered ice cream float shooters along with cake.. three kinds: Pepsi, Sundrop, and Cheerwine. So good!!

We ended the night with a glowing sparkler exit and hopped in a London taxi cab headed for O. Henry Hotel. It was the perfect day and we couldn’t be more grateful for the experience!

Planning + Design: Leigh Pearce Events | Photography: Anna Paschal Photography | Venue: Weir-Jordan House | Catering: Savory Street Catering | Rentals: Party Reflections + Southern Event Rental | Hair + Makeup: Carla White | Cake: Maxie B’s | Floral Design: The Farmer’s Wife | Wedding Dress: Southern Bride | Mens Attire: Gordon’s Menswear | Bride’s Sneakers: Anthropologie | Bridesmaid Dress: Jenny Yoo | DJ: Mario Parker

When Hannah described her dream wedding, words like classic, natural, elegant, Southern, and festive came to mind. Looking back on her beautiful May wedding to Kyle, I’d say we hit the nail on the head! From the refreshing color palette of raisin, dusty lilac, and gold to the lush and natural florals to the custom chuppah by Just Priceless, all of the design elements were simply stunning. But more importantly than the details, it was a heartfelt day that was truly reflective of Hannah, Kyle, and their families. I hope you enjoy these images from Justin Cook as much as I adored working with the new Mr. and Mrs. Spinrad!

How stunning is Hannah in her lace gown?

Hannah and Kyle opted for a first look before the festivities began. So sweet!

A little rain can’t keep these two down and I have to say, you would never know this was our Plan B, would you? Thank you to Sami from Just Priceless for making our vision for this chuppah come to life. It was even more beautiful in person! I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed witnessing this wedding ceremony. You could just feel the joy and happiness between Hannah, Kyle, their parents, and guests radiating throughout the room.

Thank you, Hannah and Kyle! It was such a pleasure to play a part in your big day! xoxo

Planning + Event Design: Leigh Pearce Events | Photography: Justin Cook | Venue + Catering: Grandover  Resort | Floral Design: Just Priceless | Ceremony Music: Rob Massengale Entertainment | Band: Liquid Pleasure | Rentals: Party Reflections | Cake: Maxie B’s | Lighting: Kenneth Eller | Videography: One Love Productions | Hair + Makeup: Carla White |

Sara and Alex are one of those couples that you just can’t help but have fun when you are around them. I know Anna Paschal Photography and I agree — they are easily one of our all time favorite couples (and weddings!). They are both easy going, but know what they like which made wedding planning a breeze. I have been itching to share their beautiful day for several months — but how do you narrow down the images when every.single.one. is amazing? I just can’t hold this beauty of a day to myself anymore … I am so excited to share Sara and Alex’s classic and colorful Salisbury wedding with you!

Sara and Alex tied the knot on the most perfect, sunny May afternoon surrounded by family and friends in the church that Sara’s great grandfather helped build. We kept the design at the church clean and classic with fun preppy touches to tie into our overall look. Green Bee Floral Designs created the most beautiful mixed green garlands to adorn the church!

I simply adore the color palette we created for Sara and Alex. We gave the typical blush and bashful inspiration a punch of personality and ended up with a palette of peony, blush, peach, and metallic gold with black and white stripes for a Kate Spade touch.

Such a great way to bring a pop of personality to a classic tuxedo — colorful socks!

There are two sanctuaries at Sara’s home church — a modern one that can accommodate the large attendance of today’s congregation as well as the original that Sara’s great-grandfather helped build. When she showed me both spaces, I just *knew* this was the spot for their nuptials.

My favorite portrait of the day! Sara, Alex, and their wedding party took the Salisbury Trolley from the ceremony to the reception. It was a great time in the day to enjoy their friends before getting swept up in the reception.

The Salisbury Train Depot was a new venue for the LPE team to work in. The verdict? We LOVED it!! It is such a unique space in that it is still an actual working train depot. While a train doesn’t stop during the event, one or two are likely to pass by while guests mingle outside for cocktail hour. To keep guests cool while they socialized, Buttercup Cafe + Catering served up libations as well as refreshing cucumber mint infused water. Hors d’oeuvres of watermelon and feta skewers, fried green tomato crostini, and buttermilk biscuits with Virginia ham and apricot chutney where tray passed. With a pretty blank slate for the cocktail hour space, we wanted to bring in some personality and I think these fun striped linens did the trick!

Jen Brannon of Green Bee Floral Designs is my hero. I wanted a living wall-inspired piece for the seating chart and boy, did she deliver! It was hands down my favorite element from my design.

These colorful tablescapes were so fun to design! We started with an overall classic look, added some pops of color inspired by our color palette, and lastly some touches of personality like the striped ribbon napkin ties and the gold striped votives.

Can we all just take a moment to ooohhh and ahhhhh over Sara’s wedding gown? It has easily become one of my all time favorites.

Sara and Alex kicked off the reception with a sweet first dance to “Take The World” by Johnnyswim. It was the perfect song for them!  After dinner, DJ Joe Bunn kept the dance floor rockin’ with a mix of the couple’s favorite tunes. Speaking of dinner, guests enjoyed shrimp and grits, arugala and baby spinanch salad with sugared pecans, strawberries, and mandarin oranges, apricot dijon grilled chicken, and herb roasted beef tenderloin with rosemary au jus.. just to name a few!

Maxie B’s always exceeds my expectations .. but this cake .. oh my word! It was absolutely beautiful. They took my rough sketch along with the duogram from Sara and Alex’s wedding invitations and created this masterpiece. And of course, it was delicious too! The layers were pink lemonade, raspberry lady (one of my favs!), and devil’s food cake.

Design + Production: Leigh Pearce Events | Photography: Anna Paschal Photography | Ceremony Venue: Tyro United Methodist Church | Reception Venue: Salisbury Train Depot | Caterer: Buttercup Café + Catering | Floral Design: Green Bee Floral Designs | DJ: Bunn DJ Company | Rentals: Southern Event Rentals | Transportation: Salisbury Trolley + Holiday Tours | Cake: Maxie B’s | Hair + Makeup: Face Forward

This wedding has everything that makes my wedding planner heart go pitter patter: a wonderful and fun couple, blush and bashful details as far as the eye can see, and fantastic vendor team. It was one of those weddings and planning experiences that I wish I could relive over and over again — and I actually get to! This time with Lauren’s sister, Taylor; and so far, it is shaping up to be just as amazing!

Thinking back to earlier this year on the most perfect May day, Lauren and Thomas tied the knot with 200 of their closest family and friends at Lauren’s home church. Later they danced the night away at the Forsyth Country Club and it was one rockin’ party. I am so excited to finally share this beautiful day and some of my favorite details thanks to Samantha Laffoon’s talent. Enjoy!

These Badgley Mischka’s are the perfect bridal shoe — not too white, a touch of texture, a bit of bling, and jussstttt the right height.

Hands down, these bouquets are my all time favorite! I even included some of these photos on my own wedding inspiration board. Jen of Green Bee Floral Design is brillant and added just the right amount of pink to the bridesmaid bouquets while only giving Lauren her requested “whisper of pink.”

Highland Presbyterian never disappoints! Just look at all that architectual detail.

After the ceremony, guests moseyed over to the reception for hors d’ouerves and cocktails on the terrace of Forsyth Country Club. We tented this area in case of inclement weather (which we had during the ceremony!) as well as the bright May sunshine.

Charlie Band kicked off the reception with some favorite oldies tunes and the party officially started. From there, guests dined and danced all evening! The food station menu offered a variety of selections from a vegetarian display of balsamic grilled vegetables and hummus to primavera pasta and shrimp and grits to crab cake and pulled pork sliders with shoe string french fries. The showstopper of the menu was definitely the beautiful four tier wedding cake from Delicious Bakery.

Planning + Design: Leigh Pearce Events | Photography: Samantha Laffoon Photography | Ceremony Venue: Highland Presbyterian Church | Reception Venue + Catering: Forsyth Country Club | Floral Design: Green Bee Floral Design | Band: Charlie | Hair + Makeup: Carla White | Rentals: Party Reflections | Cake: Delicious Bakery | Get Away Car: Fantasy Limo | Invitations: Minted

Rankin and Brent’s wedding was one for the record books. Amazing couple, picture perfect weather, a stunning Sperry tent, luscious blooms … there is no wonder that Carats & Cake reached out and asked to feature it! You can see the full feature on C&C here and my detailed recap with all the details and memories here. Happy Thursday!