Blue and Yellow Spring Wedding at The Bradford Incorporating Jewish Wedding Traditions

Courtney and Aaron tied the knot at The Bradford in New Hill, NC in April 2023. A total of 135 guests made the journey to central North Carolina to celebrate their soft natural spring wedding. Despite a rainy day prior, the sun came out in all its glory for their special day.

The couple had meticulously planned a timeless spring wedding, aiming for a clean and classy look with a touch of nerdy prep style for their wedding theme. They wanted to create a classic and comfortable atmosphere, incorporating soft natural colors like gray, blue, and yellow wedding details.

What excited them the most was the opportunity to throw a fantastic party for their loved ones. Living out of state, they were eager to reunite with family and friends and make their wedding a truly memorable and fun experience. The medium-sized wedding was a perfect fit at their European-inspired venue.

Planning an Out of State Wedding

Courtney & Aaron, both introverts in their late 20s, reached out to us shortly after getting engaged. Both are originally from North Carolina and currently call Boston home, having moved there so Courtney could pursue her MBA and Aaron could work towards his PhD in marketing. Their journey together began three years before their wedding planning journey began, and it was during a memorable trip to Europe in August 2021 that Aaron popped the question. They now found themselves in the challenging position of planning a wedding out of state.

When they contacted us, they hadn’t set a date or booked a venue, and they were eager to have someone with extensive knowledge on the ground to guide them through the process and help bring their wedding vision to life. We immediately got to work organizing a venue tour day for them while they were visiting their parents, and the tour day included visits to six different venues in the Triangle area.

Not only did we help them with the first steps of planning a wedding, including finding the perfect venue, but we also recommended a full vendor team to ensure their day would come together flawlessly. Over the course of 19 months, we worked closely with Courtney & Aaron, building a strong team to bring their wedding vision to life.

They understood the value of hiring an expert who could distinguish between what was necessary and unnecessary. Additionally, they were looking for someone who could assist with the overall design theme. While they didn’t consider themselves particularly creative and lacked a Pinterest collection of wedding motifs, they entrusted us to create a cohesive wedding aesthetic that truly reflected their personalities. With their different cultural backgrounds, they were excited to blend their traditions and bring their loved ones together.

One way we added personalized touches to their wedding was through the table names. Each table was named after important milestones and memories in Courtney & Aaron’s relationship, accompanied by short descriptions of their significance. For instance, the 21C table represented the location of their first date, the Gremlins table commemorated their first movie together, Atlanta symbolized their first trip as a couple, and Dublin marked the place where they got engaged.

In addition to these personal touches, we also made sure to incorporate Jewish wedding traditions into their special day. This included the symbolic breaking of the glass and the energetic hora chair dance.

Originally, the plan was to have the ceremony in the large back field. However, a big storm left the ground wet and muddy. We always have a weather contingency plan in place, especially for spring weddings when rain is likely. To ensure the comfort of the couple and their guests, we decided to move the ceremony to a side field off the terrace. This area features a beautiful white fireplace and doesn’t get muddy, providing the perfect alternative.

This change seamlessly led to cocktail hour on the European-style terrace. The terrace boasts a grid of square pavers with charming market lights hanging overhead. It created a delightful ambiance for guests to enjoy while sipping their drinks. Adjacent to the terrace, a small ballroom awaited, where the bar and photo booth were set up for everyone’s entertainment. As the evening progressed, the larger ballroom became the center of attention, accommodating dinner and dancing for their 135 guests. To meet the couple’s preferences, we were able to place the DJ in a location that wouldn’t put the speakers too close to guest tables, so we designed a long, skinny dance floor that allowed guests to easily join in on the excitement.

Soft Spring Wedding Details for a Timeless Couple

The morning of the wedding kicked off with Courtney’s hair styling session at a salon. That afternoon, the bride and bridesmaids arrived at the venue to finish getting ready in the elegant upstairs suite. Meanwhile, the gents prepared in a separate suite, where they indulged in some video game fun before suiting up.

Courtney looked stunning in her fit and flare gown, featuring a sweetheart neckline and a deep illusion slit. The dress was adorned with delicate tulle and a beautiful floral applique. To complete her look, she wore a simple diamond necklace and earrings, and her hair was styled in a sophisticated updo, topped with a long veil. Her bouquet consisted mainly of white and cream flowers, with pops of blue, while her bridesmaids carried vibrant yellow bouquets that contrasted beautifully with their light blue dresses. Aaron, the groom, looked dashing in a navy suit paired with a white shirt and a light blue tie. He added a touch of flair with a yellow pocket square, and the groomsmen and bridesman matched his classic attire.

The couple shared a heartwarming first look on the front steps of the venue, followed by beautiful moments and photos with their wedding party before the arrival of their guests.

At 4 pm, the guests started to arrive and were escorted to the ceremony field on the side of the property, following a path around the front building.

The welcome table, situated on the terrace next to the ceremony area, was adorned with a light blue tablecloth and featured a decorative white card box, a jar of bubbles for the ceremony send-off, and printed signs. The signs, designed with a black script font on white paper, were delicately accented with soft blue flowers. The invitations, crafted from light blue cardstock with white script, perfectly complemented the Carolina Blue ring box and the scattered flower petals.

Blue and Yellow Wedding Ceremony with Jewish Traditions

For their special day, the couple decided to go with a blue and yellow color scheme. To set the stage, they rented a beautiful copper chuppah, which we placed in front of a white outdoor fireplace. They rented a chuppah from Petal & Oak, who also decorated the structure with a gorgeous floral arrangement featuring blue and yellow flowers, complemented by light greenery. To add an extra touch, the bride’s family added faux flower accents to the aisle chairs and centerpieces, enhancing the overall blue and yellow wedding design.

At 4:30 pm, we gathered the family, wedding party, and couple at the front of the house, eagerly awaiting the start of the procession. The wedding party made their way from the front of the house to the side field, creating a beautiful path for the bride’s grand entrance. Each side of the wedding party consisted of five members, including a gentleman among the bride’s crew.

Before the procession began, the officiant, groom, and best man took their places at the altar. Then the couple’s siblings and parents made their way down the aisle, followed by the rest of the wedding party in pairs.

Adding a touch of symbolism and tradition, the couple decided to include two unity ceremonies in their wedding. First, they lit a unity candle, symbolizing the merging of their lives and love. Then, they performed the Glass-breaking Jewish Wedding Tradition, where they shattered a glass to remind everyone of the fragility of relationships and the importance of cherishing them. 

To wrap up the ceremony on a high note, as the newlyweds walked down the aisle, there was a delightful bubble ceremony sendoff. Bubbles filled the air, creating a joyful and playful celebration for all.

Alfresco Cocktail Hour on the Terrace

After the ceremony, everyone enjoyed mingling during an alfresco cocktail hour on the terrace. The beautiful European-style terrace was adjacent to a small ballroom that included an open bar and photo booth, and Cake Couture passed appetizers.

Guests were encouraged to take part in the photo booth, since the guest book consisted of print outs from the photo booth. The photo booth attendant asked guests to tape a copy of their photo booth pictures into the guest book and sign beside them.

At the end of the cocktail hour, Fofia Studio Creation gathered everyone at the front of the venue while the couple snuck upstairs to a balcony overlooking their guests for a great photo op with everyone in attendance.

When it was time for everyone to head to their reception seats, they found their names on a large seating chart. It had table assignments with numbers and names that were special to the couple. Each guest table was named after places that meant something to the couple, like their alma mater, hometowns, and favorite vacation destinations.

Timeless Spring Reception Design

The Bradford’s ballroom features soft, neutral walls, beautiful wood floor, lovely chandeliers, and an abundance of windows that flood the space with natural light. When it came to the guest tables, we had a mix of long tables and round tables. The round tables were adorned with white linens and navy napkins, while the long tables were dressed in navy linens with white napkins.

For the couple’s sweetheart table, a white linen was complemented by a light blue table runner and matching blue napkins. They purposely avoided using navy on their table to ensure it didn’t blend in with the groom’s navy suit. To add a touch of romance, we moved the flowers from the base of the Chuppah to the base of the sweetheart table. A beautiful vase held the bride’s bouquet, adding a lovely focal point.

The centerpieces on the guest tables were simple yet charming. Each table had a name sign on a stand, surrounded by loose yellow and white flowers and greenery. The couple wanted to keep the floral details minimal, so the only real flowers were used in the ceremony and personal arrangements. The place settings were kept clean and uncomplicated. Each guest had a soft quarter-folded napkin, along with flatware, pre-set water glasses, and place cards.

The dessert table was also set up in the grand ballroom, adorned with a blue linen. A square, silver cake stand displayed the couple’s three-tier white cake. The design was simple yet lovely, accentuated by yellow flowers and a cake topper featuring the letter “N” for their last name.

Classic Reception Moments with a Jewish Hora Dance

The reception started at 6 pm. First, the parents of the couple were announced, followed by the groomsmen and the bride’s tribe, and finally, the couple themselves. As soon as they entered, they kicked off the evening with their choreographed first dance.

Before the plated dinner was served, the couple took the opportunity to give a warm welcome speech. The food, provided by Cake Couture, was absolutely amazing and was served promptly to the 135 guests. Once everyone had finished eating, it was time for the toasts. Both dads, the best man, and the maid of honor gave heartfelt speeches that had the guests laughing, cheering, and celebrating.

After the toasts, it was time for the formal dances. Aaron shared a special moment with his sister as they danced to their late mother’s favorite song, and then Courtney then danced with her father.

Following the formal dances, DJ Ava of DJ Ones got everyone on their feet with an anniversary dance. The dance floor was packed as the guests enjoyed the first few songs. To honor Aaron’s Jewish heritage, we then had the Hora dance, which was an absolute blast for everyone. DJ Ava did an incredible job leading the celebration and making sure everyone had a great time, even those who were not familiar with the tradition.

After hours of non-stop partying, the wedding came to an end with a final group song. Everyone joined in and belted out the lyrics to Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin'” at the top of their lungs. Courtney and Aaron bid farewell to their guests and left the venue in style, thanks to a private transportation company.

Overall, it was a night filled with love, laughter, and unforgettable moments.

Wedding Song Selections:

Family Processional: Instrumental version of “Stand by Me” & “Canon in D”

Wedding Party Processional: Piano version of “Carolina In My Mind” by James Taylor

Bridal Processional: “Can’t Help Falling in Love” by Kina Grannis

Recessional: “Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours)” by Stevie Wonder

Wedding party introduction: “Treasure” by Bruno Mars

First Dance: “Best Part (feat. H.E.R.)” by Daniel Caesar

Father Daughter Dance: “Because You Loved Me” by Celine Dion

Groom and Sister Dance: “Landslide” by Fleetwood Mac

Last group song: “Don’t Stop Believin’” by Journey

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