Romantic Biltmore Wedding

From Ashely, the gorgeous bride:

I grew up going to the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC during the Christmas time.  As a kid and still as an adult today I find the Biltmore to exude nothing but elegance and sophistication.  Each visit to the Biltmore from the age of 10 to now 27 is like a fairytale.  The story behind the development of the estate and the Vanderbilt family is magical and has always intrigued me.  I couldn’t have imagined picking a more perfect location to begin my own fairytale!  With limited time we got to work from traveling to Charleston, South Carolina to pick the perfect dress and a few visits to Asheville to begin the development of our destination wedding at the Biltmore.  Between compiling lists guest lists, putting together each save the date and wedding invitation, selecting colors, flowers, and decor we were really on the go!  On top of the extensive planning and countless hours that went into the preparation for our big day we somehow managed to enjoy weekend after weekend of continued celebrations!  Between showers, engagement parties, bachelorette/bachelor parties and celebrating other close friends engagements we were eating up every wonderful moment of this exciting time with those dearest to us.  Before we knew it, 6 months had come and gone!  It was the week of our wedding and we were both ecstatic!  February 18th, 2012 and our front-lawn ceremony in front of the Biltmore mansion was just days away.

Having guests that were mostly Florida natives you can only imagine the calls I got wondering what to pack for winter weather in Asheville.  Our guests certainly needed no help in what to pack because everyone looked stunning!  Many of our family and friends donned tuxes and floor length gowns with exquisite furs.  It was very “Great Gatsby” inspired!  The weather was perfect, not the expected snow we had been hearing chatter of.  From the moment I stepped up into the carriage for my entry into the ceremony I took a deep breath and took it all in!  This moment was everything I and all little girls dream of and it was finally just steps away.  I think our pictures speak for themselves in showing the excitement, creativity, and joy we experienced that weekend.  For the brides, I hope taking a glimpse at our captured memories inspires you as you plan your big day and encourages you to relish in the moments. For those of you have held the title Bride, I hope our story is a reminder of how special your wedding was to you and how much heart, love and planning went into making your wedding a dream for not only you and your husband, but for your guests as well!

Photography: Mozingo Photography  |  Entertainment:  East Coast Entertainment / Jessie’s Girls  |  Florist:  Kelly’s Bloom Room  |  Videography:  Four Seasons Film  |  Bridal Gowns/ Tuxes: Maddison Row, Charleston, SC & Men’s Wearhouse  |  Hair: Eden Hughes, Charlotte, NC  |  Make Up: Blush by Wendy Balance  |  Ceremony Music: Asheville String Trio, Asheville, NC & Eleven22 Worship, Jacksonville Beach, FL  |  Event Planning: Shay Brown Events  |  Rentals: Classic Tent Rentals, Asheville, NC  |  Invitations: Printed Just Right  |  Horizon Promotional Products, Jacksonville, FL