Isn’t this wedding party as captured by Jake + Heather srsly the sweetest with their ensembles from BHLDN + The Black Tux? So darling. Our bride Sam, owner of Samantha Meyer Studio, happens to be a major DIYer and took on a whole slew of creative projects for their North Carolina wedding. A crafty couple with impeccable style? Speaking our language already…
This dreamy, ethereal gown is Etoile ‘Ariane’ from BHLDN, which looked pretty gorgeous along with those Jenny Yoo bridesmaid skirts, if you ask us!
Sam + Stephen live and work in Chicago, but used the wedding as a chance to show their 125 guests Chapel Hill, where they met at the University of North Carolina. Rock Quarry Farm had an outdoor bar and campfire, and being family-owned, they were totally open to the idea of them having fam all come together for a big ‘set up party’ to prepare for the big day.
Sam says, One of my favorite moments was after our first look, when we exchanged gifts together on the front porch of the farm house. Stephen planned our honeymoon secretly while I was planning the wedding, and he promised me that on the wedding day he would finally tell me where we were going—that was his gift to me. He pulled out a giant world map, held it up, and had me play “Hot and Cold” until I figured out that we were heading to the Azores Islands off the coast of Portugal (which was amazing, by the way!).
Flowers & Flour was behind the bridal bouquet + flower crowns, and Sam and her ‘maids complemented them by arranging their own bouquets full of organic, lush greenery. See how she pulled off that hand-dyed silk ribbon, below, too.
We wanted the wedding to have a romantic and elegant style, without taking itself too seriously. So we had lots of greenery, ethereal fabrics, and pretty calligraphy and watercolor details, but also plenty of fun touches like an ice cream truck, a bluegrass band, lawn games, and a campfire. We wanted to design a gorgeous and romantic day to help tell our love story, but also an event that our guests would enjoy and remember!
Okay, ready for this mega DIY list? Here goes… I created the invitations, escort cards, table numbers, chalkboard, cornhole board designs, wooden sign designs, programs, favors, and lots of other little signs around the venue. In addition, my aunts and uncles made all of the flower arrangements on the tables and around the farm, and my bridesmaids and I made their bouquets and the boys’ boutonnieres. We picked up most of the flowers from local farms, and collected the vases from the dollar section at several different Target stores! I hand-tore and dyed silk to make the ribbons for the bouquets, boutonnieres and invitations (which was my favorite and the easiest DIY project—so much so that I taught a workshop on how to make silk ribbon back home in Chicago! I also created the dip-dyed napkins for the tables, and made the little lottery-ticket favors that sat atop the napkins. My brother and some handy friends of ours built the lawn games, wooden signs, and escort card display frames.
They had a bluegrass band for the ceremony + cocktail hour, but Stephen made the playlist for dinner and dancing. They also created their own cocktail recipe, and they even used rosemary from her cousin’s garden in DC in the mix! And, as you can see, the ice cream truck was a total hit…
One amazing tip from Sam for all you DIY brides: Use Pinterest to collect inspiration, but narrow it down as you go along. Once you’ve landed on dresses, delete all your dress pins, for example. That way, you can hone in on your style without getting overwhelmed. So good!
Congratulations, S + S!
Photography: Jake + Heather / Videography: Ian C Dunne Films / Venue: Rock Quarry Farm in Chapel Hill, North Carolina / Day of Coordination: Family / Bridal Bouquet, Table Garland, & Flower Crowns: Flowers & Flour / Other Flowers: DIY / Hair: Syd’s Hair Shop / Makeup: Kimberly Mareno / Invitations, Calligraphy, Signage, & Paper Goods: Samantha Meyer Studio / Catering: Hillsborough BBQ / Ice Cream Truck: The Parlour / Music: Big Fat Gap Band / Rentals: American Party Rentals / Wedding Dress: Etoile ‘Ariane’ from BHLDN / Shoes: UGG wedges / Clutch: Antique / Bridesmaids’ Skirts: Jenny Yoo from BHLDN / Tops: J. Crew, LOFT, & Francesca’s / Flower Girl’s Dress: Amazon / Groom & Groomsmen: The Black Tux
