Wedding Highlight: Alyssa and Nate

Alyssa & Nate were married in October at the historic Haywood Hall House & Gardens, in Raleigh, North Carolina. Their beautiful outdoor ceremony was threatened with a little rain and wind, but everyone took it in stride and enjoyed a lighthearted, joyful ceremony overflowing with laughter and all the feels.

Photo Credits: Him & Her Photography

What stood out about their ceremony: A super fun couple and a perfect wedding party to back them up

I met Alyssa and Nathan at a wedding show and could immediately tell that they had a really fun vibe. When we got together over smoothies to chat about what they wanted for their ceremony, they just reinforced that impression. They are friendly, generous, and fun to be around. These two met while working at The Mellow Mushroom in Wake Forest, and I thoroughly enjoyed writing the story of how they met, came together, and got engaged. Nate surprise-proposed under an epic blanket fort on their anniversary, which I knew all of their guests would love hearing about. I also got a lot of great feedback from family and friends that really added some extra joy into their ceremony. What I didn’t know yet was that their wedding party was every bit as fun as they are!

We held Alyssa & Nate’s rehearsal at the Capitol Building in downtown Raleigh due to their venue being unavailable. Alyssa arrived last and was greeted by enthusiastic cheering from her large wedding party, and that’s how we kicked it off! It was a little difficult to keep such a rowdy group focused, but we kept things fun, laughed a lot, and went through everything thoroughly. Before the hour was up everyone was feeling good and ready for the big day, and my voice was a little hoarse!

On Alyssa and Nate’s wedding day everyone was excited and ready to party! The great thing with a custom ceremony like theirs is that the ceremony really sets the mood for the rest of the night, rather than feeling like this awkward piece with a totally different vibe. The wedding party was pumped, everyone did an amazing job, there was a lot of laughter and a few happy tears, and except for a brief spot of light rain and a few (very loud) acorns on a nearby tin roof, the uncertain weather cooperated.

After the ceremony I had the privilege of witnessing Alyssa & Nate’s beautiful private vows to each other before we signed the marriage license, which was truly an honor.

Alyssa & Nate were such a fun couple to work with— Congratulations, you two!