An Elegant Affair in the North Carolina Mountains at the Barn on New River

[section title=”The Planning”]
[field title=”Wedding Colors”]

The wedding palette included varied shades of green, taupe, cream and touches of lilac. We aimed to create a look that felt organic and seamlessly tied to the natural surroundings.

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[field title=”Design / Vibe / Vision”]

The Barn on New River in West Jefferson, NC, is surrounded by acres of lush land offering a perfect canvas for a mountain wedding inspired by nature’s beauty. Situated at the base of the western North Carolina mountains, the venue sits alongside a stunning dahlia garden and the winding New River. Eleanor’s family vacation home is nestled on top of the mountain that overlooks the venue, which their family friends own and operate. It was the perfect location for Eleanor and Connor’s mountainside soiree. To help bring their elevated mountain formal vision to life, Eleanor turned to Whitney Bowman Events. “I felt an immediate bond with Eleanor and her mother,” Whitney says. “We are kindred in many ways, and I knew the design and planning process would be joyful and fun with our shared vision for prioritizing guest experience and our love of paper goods and organic florals.” “I was immediately inspired by the vast natural beauty in West Jefferson,” Whitney recalls, “and leaned into textural woods, leather, native florals, and other natural elements in our design. We aimed to create a refined, unique, and modern event seamlessly blended with the beauty of the outdoors. The overall design embodied tranquility and romance, creating an unforgettable celebration steeped in natural charm. Whitney and her team worked with Loly Orozco from the Little Postage House, a boutique branding and stationery company, on their custom save the dates, invitation suite, and day-of items. “We wanted to create a truly unforgettable guest experience that featured a natural elegance, so we worked to weave together nature-inspired elements and sophisticated touches throughout the event. It started with the invitation suite, which served as the first introduction to the couple’s design vision, drawing inspiration from the ferns that grew abundantly in West Jefferson, NC, where the couple had spent meaningful time together”, Loly Orozco says. The suite was meticulously letterpress printed and included several die-cut inserts and a delicate fern pocket that housed all of the invitation pieces. To add a personalized touch, the fern pocket was sealed with a wax emblem featuring the couple’s monogram, ensuring that each guest received an invitation that felt both elegant and uniquely created for the couple. As guests arrived at the barn for cocktail hour, they were greeted by a stunning display of custom-cut, personalized oval wood escort cards. Each card was individually engraved with the guest’s details and cut by the Little Postage House in their studio. The cards were placed on arched walls that featured an intricate wallpaper design that the Little Postage House created to mirror the color scheme and design of the reception linens. As a final touch, delicate lilac tassels hung from the escort cards, enhancing the whimsical and refined atmosphere.

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[field title=”Proposal Story”]

Eleanor and Connor got engaged on a sunset boat cruise in Porto, Portugal. After a long day of travel with flight delays and cancellations, they boarded the boat straight from the airport. It was on this boat that Connor popped the question overlooking the beautiful historic city. The couple then spent the next seven days exploring Portugal together, celebrating their engagement and creating memories that will last a lifetime.

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[board_carousel title=”Bridal Portraits”]

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[board_carousel title=”Flat Lays”]

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[section title=”The Fashion”]
[field title=”Wedding Gown”]

The bride’s wedding gown was a strapless full-skirt cutwork gown by Enaura, which embodied our fern aesthetic.

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[field title=”Bridesmaid Dresses”]

The bridesmaids were asked to express their individuality by selecting a long dress in a shade of green they loved. This created the perfect mismatched look.

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[field title=”Groomsman Attire”][/field]
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[board_carousel title=”Wedding Party”]

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[board_carousel title=”Ceremony”]

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[board_carousel title=”Cocktail Hour”]

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[section title=”The Details”]
[field title=”Food & Drink”]

The reception was a seated southern affair with nods to elevated Southern Appalachian cuisine. As a surprise to the bride, a beautiful wooden canoe featured an Aperol spritz bar to welcome guests along their path to the ceremony.

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[field title=”Florals & Decor”]

Guests were greeted with a gorgeous floral arbor, and as they progressed through the venue, large floral installations created by Floressence Flowers met them at every turn. Textural installations and table centerpieces featuring stunning Garden Roses, Clematis, Ranunculus, and Sweet Peas brought the space to life, while the bride’s delicate Lily of the Valley bouquet added a timeless touch of elegance. The reception venue itself was transformed with custom-built elements designed to bring the fern motif and natural aesthetics to life. Behind the stage, fluted arched walls were erected, featuring custom and intricate wallpaper designed by Little Postage House. These walls framed the space beautifully, setting the stage for the evening’s festivities. Matching fluted coffee tables with wood and linen couches surrounded the dance floor. The dinner tables were also designed to evoke a sense of natural elegance. Textural velvet, ruffled wooden chargers, and tortoise flatware sat atop the stunning floral and striped linens. Wood and letterpressed menu cards acted as a focal point of each place setting. Each menu was secured with a small leather tie, offering a subtle nod to the couple’s refined taste. No detail was overlooked, even at the custom-painted green bar, where leather monogrammed koozies and matchbooks were placed to give guests an extra piece of keepsake memorabilia while reinforcing the overall design theme. “These small and thoughtful details were at every turn of the event—both functional or decorative—to ensure that the couple’s branding was both personal and polished, offering guests a seamless experience throughout the event”, Loly says.

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[field title=”Wedding Cake”]

The stunning bridal cake from Sugar Euphoria was placed atop a living fern and moss linen created by the team at Floressence Flowers in the barn, where cocktail hour was enjoyed.

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[field title=”Readings, Ceremony Music, Reception Songs”][/field]
[field title=”Special Detail #1″]

The pearl trim from the Mother of the Bride’s wedding dress was used for the wrap on the bridal bouquet.

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[field title=”Special Detail #2″]The night ended with an epic fireworks show, set to one of Eleanor’s favorite songs – Sweet Caroline.[/field]
[field title=”Special Detail #3″]

We commissioned a watercolorist to paint portraits of guests. This was such a special touch and a forever keepsake.

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[board_carousel title=”Couple Portraits”]

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[board_carousel title=”Reception”]

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