Amanda & Aaron are the kind of couple who weren’t going to let a little rain get in their way, and they said their vows while a light rain came down in the middle of Mordecai Historic Park in Downtown Raleigh, in front of 125 of their closest friends and family. Many of the guests – and even the bridesmaids – traveled from Amanda’s home state of Vermont, and this group of people were so excited to be reunited for the purpose of celebrating Amanda’s great love that they would have partied and danced the night away in the middle of a hurricane.
Surrounded by amazing people who truly adore this special couple, Amanda & Aaron were able to bring in some amazing friendors (friend-vendors) who worked diligently despite the weather to make the day beautiful and seamless. Their friends Dylan and Emma Harver were the ceremony musicians, and they performed the most beautiful version of the Skype Boat song on guitar and violin when the bride walked down the aisle; Scottie Taylor, a close friend of the bride, officiated the ceremony. Scottie was kind enough to share her transcript of the ceremony with us, which shares just a small but beautiful piece of who this couple is.
As the ceremony ended, guests walked with umbrellas overhead to the tented reception area, where they were greeted by a table full of board games, space to mingle, and a canoe full of wine and craft beer. The couple and their bridal party explored Mordecai Historic Park with their photographer, Krista Moll Photography, another talented personal friend of the couple. By the end of the night, noticing how muddy Amanda’s dress had become, Amanda and Krista chatted about the possibility of bringing the dress on a hiking trip in the near future to do a trash-the-dress shoot with a waterfall in the mountains.
As cocktail hour ended, the couple was introduced into the reception by a local band, Urban Soil, who provided the entertainment for the remainder of the evening. Guests were invited to choose their dinner from two food trucks that were brought into the park, Porchetta and Gonza on Wheels. As the rain died down and guests finished their meals, many took to the dance floor while others played a game of Polish horseshoes or cornhole. The dance floor was filled with excited guests for the remainder of the evening, except when the band took a break for the bridal party to give their speeches. Groomsmen Ricky and David and bridesmaid Dana all shared the sentiment that Amanda & Aaron were a simply perfect couple, and that each person in their respective friend groups knew that this marriage was going to be something special.
The Vendors: