This English Garden-Inspired Wedding in North Carolina Was Influenced by Matisse

The Engagement Ring

Ashley's engagement ring originally belonged to her great-great-grandmother. The center stone is a three-carat European cut diamond surrounded by blue sapphires, more diamonds, and milgrain detailing. "The ring is nearly 100 years old and has never been altered from its original form—it still has my great-great-grandmother's initials engraved on the inside of the band," Ashley shares.

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You're Invited

The invitations, which the bride created with the help of Paper Source, featured artwork by Anugraha Design. They set the tone for the celebration to come thanks to a bold color scheme of teals, pinks, yellows, and blues.

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The Bride's Look

Expecting to feel overwhelmed by the wedding-dress shopping process, Ashley decided to limit her options to BHLDN so that she could try on gowns in the privacy of her mom's home. She stepped into a few dresses before falling in love with the "Hearst" number, which features a deep V-neckline, open back, A-line skirt, and floral appliqué detailing. "I opted to add some fluttery tulle pieces at the shoulder to make it a little more ridiculously fun!" Ashley says.

A Regal Touch

Instead of a veil, Ashley decided to wear a gold crown by AMAROQ on her wedding day.

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A Crowned Bride

"It felt like the perfect blend of Camelot-meets-Game-of-Thrones," the bride says. She decided against jewelry so that the crown would be the highlight of her bridal look.

Colorful Kicks

Considering her job at Anthropologie, Ashley found it hard to resist pairing her bridal gown with Jeffrey Campbell's colorful "Purdy" heel; the pink-and-navy open-toed sandals also featured a chunky heel, which came in handy during the bride's walk down the grassy aisle.

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A Bouquet of Favorites

Flowers were incredibly important to this bride, so she went the DIY route; she asked a wholesale florist to execute her overarching floral vision with preserved banksia, coral charm peonies, yellow pincushion protea, and snapdragons. As for her bouquet? "I used ranunculus, poppies, pink hypericum berries, anemones, tulips, and peony tulips as 'fillers;' the greenery was a mix of lemon leaf, huck, and plumose," Ashley explains.

Groom in Navy

Scott donned a navy suit—which he paired with a pink shirt and blue woven tie—for the big day.

A Floral Dress for the Flower Girl

Ashley's niece served as the couple's flower girl. She wore a dress from Boden with a flower pattern (that referenced the shapes in the ceremony backdrop!) in the wedding's color scheme: teal, pink, and yellow.

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The First Look

Though Ashley and Scott didn't spend the eve of their wedding apart, they decided to have a first look anyway. Ashley managed to keep her wedding dress a secret so that she could surprise her groom pre-ceremony. "I loved the idea of having a first look—and [having the moment of] seeing each other all dolled up chronicled in photo form," the bride says.

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Into the Garden

The couple's secular ceremony took place in the backyard and was officiated by one of their closest friends, Nicole. Ashley's mom read Walt Whitman's "To a Stranger" before the couple exchanged vows. "Scott and I both wrote our own vows, but frankly, vow writing fell by the wayside and we both agreed to improvise once the time came," Ashley says. "Thank goodness the stakes were lower since we had already exchanged vows once before!"

A Matisse-Inspired Backdrop

In addition to the garden's vibrant flowers, a patterned fabric backdrop offered a fun pop of color during the ceremony. "My mom and I worked together on the ceremony backdrop, which was inspired by Matisse's gouache cut-outs," Ashley says.

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Paper Poppies

Regan Rutherford's paper poppies—which were staked into the grassy ground—lined the aisle, bringing a pop of whimsy to the already-lush space.

You're My Best Friend

Following their short-and-sweet nuptials, the newlyweds recessed back up the aisle to "You're My Best Friend" by Queen.

Marigold Tabletops

The duo's reception took place in the backyard as well, where six farm tables were draped in marigold velvet runners.

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The Place Setting Details

Each place setting was anchored by a navy linen napkin; two-toned flatware and blue, white, and gold-patterned plates contributed to the colorful tablescapes.

BBQ Dinner

Ashley and Scott served a dinner that incorporated both of their backgrounds (he's from Texas, while she hails from South Carolina)—hence, their barbecue feast. Along with the expected meats, they served Israeli couscous with tomato, cucumber, feta, and toasted chickpeas, creamed corn, steamed veggies, coleslaw, and mac and cheese.

A Multi-Flavored Cake

The couple's three-tiered semi-naked confection by Suárez Bakery included two flavors—chocolate cake with vanilla filling and a vanilla cake with strawberry chiffon filling. The entire dessert was lightly frosted with vanilla buttercream.

Ashley and Scott sent their guests home with cookies from Milkbar and personalized matchboxes emblazoned with their first initials to thank them for joining in on their big day. The newlyweds chose Paris and Barcelona for their honeymoon—which also doubled as the groom's first trip to Europe.

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Sources

Photography, Perry Vaile Photography

Flowers, Flower Moxie

Catering, Midwood Smokehouse

Stationery, Paper Source, Anugraha Design

Place cards, Minted

Bride's gown, BHLDN

Alterations, Christie's Alterations

Bride's accessories, AMAROQ (crown), Jeffrey Campbell via Anthropologie (shoes)

Flower girl's dress, Boden

Rentals, Party Time Rentals

Cake, Suarez Bakery

Favors, Milkbar

Paper flowers, Regan Rutherford

Day-of paper goods, Paper Supply Station