Cheerful North Carolina Wedding At The Farm

Happy couple holding hands at an outdoor wedding ceremony, smiling

Virginia and Chris's destination wedding in North Carolina hinted at their love for travel but was mostly about tying the knot and putting down some roots. Their college sparked relationship stood the test of time and distance while both of them moved for work and school. Needless to say these two are ready to settle down and plan their next adventures together.
This lovely southern outdoor wedding took place on the rural estate of The Farm. You really must see more of Virginia and Chris's big day. All sweetly captured by Fete Photography, in the full gallery here.

Rustic cabin and white horse on a green pasture, nature scene

Bride in white gown and flowers on a wooden fence in garden

Groom in gray suit poses at a rustic outdoor wedding setting

All about The Farm Wedding Venue in North Carolina The Farm Event Center is a very practical North Carolina Wedding venue that provides you with natural charm, convenience to the city, is peaceful, beautiful, flexible, and reasonably priced. Add to all that, adorable cabins and cottages and service you will always be able to count on – you have just found the place of your dreams. With rustic charm, hardwood floors, a huge fireplace and wraparound porches that are designed for use winter and summer.
Imagine declaring your wedding vows at sunset in the gazebo, a romantic spot nestled in the trees with the Western North Carolina mountains as a backdrop and our lawns for your guests to enjoy the serenity. Love it!

Bride with bridesmaids and vibrant floral bouquets at wedding

Bridesmaids holding vibrant bouquets, perfect for a summer wedding

Vibrant colorful bouquet held by a person wearing a blue dress

From Fete Photography:The bride, groom, and wedding party all got ready on-site in the venue's cozy, rustic cabins. Virginia and Chris had a first look prior to the ceremony. They both wrote letters to each other and read them before seeing one another.

Bride holding a beautiful bouquet of white and green flowers on her wedding day

Couple in wedding attire, bride in blue dress, groom with bowtie

Groomsmen in gray suits and colorful bow ties at an outdoor wedding

Bride and groom wedding photos showing first look and kiss

The ceremony was a cheerful celebration where guests sat wherever they pleased - there was no "groom side" or "bride side." For the recessional Virginia and Chris dismissed each row one by one. They were able to thank all the guests for coming, and guests congratulated the couple too (there were lots of hugs and smiles!).

Colorful flowers in a mason jar hanging on a chair decoration

Wedding ceremony program with floral decor and vibrant pink flowers

Outdoor wedding ceremony with couple kissing, and guests in attendance

Happy couple at outdoor wedding ceremony, under natural arch

Virginia and Chris both love traveling and especially enjoy visiting National Parks. They incorporated US maps and destinations in the seating chart and guestbook. The guestbook was a variety of illustrated postcards with US cities and National Parks.

Vintage postcard wedding guest book station with charming decor

This travel loving couple incorporated their passion into the seating chart. Instead of using traditional stationery they made super cute escort cards and table numbers out of road maps.

Wedding seating chart with map cards pinned on a brick wall

Wedding tables decorated with flowers and wooden details

Rustic wedding table with colorful flowers and table number eight

Colorful flower arrangements in white vases with table number 4

Colorful flowers in white vases decorate a table with chevron pattern

Delicious food assortment featuring various veggies and dips

Wedding photo with horses in a field, kissing couple smiling

From the Bride:I wish I had made it a priority to eat more at the reception. Our caterer was incredible, and once we got the wedding photos back, I realized there were a lot of things I missed that I would have loved to try.

Part of me also wishes we had hired a videographer. Our wedding was pretty intimate, so beyond the budget concerns, my husband and I worried a videographer wouldn't have blended into the celebration well. Now that I see other people's videos though, a part of me wishes I had one of my own!

Rustic wedding cake with pies and flowers

Three-tiered wedding cake on rustic wood stand

Bride and groom's first dance at wedding reception

Read on to see how much this southern outdoor wedding cost. Please note that costs change as the years go by, and prices are subject to change. This is just one couple’s breakdown to give you a rough estimate on how much a wedding like this may cost you.

Ceremony & Reception Venue: $7250 ($1000 for rentals)
Food & Service: $5,800 (not including alcoholic beverages)
Reception Alcohol: $1,000 (we provided beer & wine)
Officiant: $350
Day of Coordinator: $,1500
Stationary: $650 (including Save the Date Cards, Invitations & Postage)
Paper Goods: $200 (table numbers, place cards, menus, etc. — we printed our own & did a lot with stamps, glue, & maps)
Rings: $1,500
Dress: $700 (with alterations)
Jewelry: $75 (banana republic necklace + J.Crew Factory earrings)
Groom's attire: $200
Flowers: $550 (bouquets + loose flowers for vases & ceremony decorations)
Vases: $100 for 45 (vintage milk glass bought at yard sales/consignment stores)
Photography: $4,100
DJ: $600
Guestbook: $20
Cake: $400
Rehearsal Dinner & Cocktail Reception: $3,000
Decorations: $300 (pillows, table toppers, monogram, letters, etc.)
I think our overall budget with EVERYTHING, including travel, lodging, rings, gifts, Friday night events, etc. came to $28,000. Of that, $3,500 was lodging (my parents rented all of the onsite lodging). We did a lot of the work ourselves, and many of the crafts ourselves. I had a few craft days where I supplied the food, wine, and craft projects, and invited all of my girlfriends over. We also spent more money on the location since we could do all of our furniture rentals through the Farm, as well as a lot of unique decorations (bird cage, candles, turquoise dresser for guest book, outdoor games, shepherd's hooks), for a set price.