Grace and Sal’s wedding was one for the books. Planning this was so much fun, and the vendors who worked together to pull it off made it even better. The best thing about planning Grace and Sal’s wedding was that most of it was actually a surprise to them! When we initially spoke with Grace and her mom, they had a vision in mind, but then the bride took a step back and we really took that vision and went above and beyond. Grace’s husband Sal is from Mexico, so it was very important to incorporate his culture into different aspects of the wedding. Most of the planning process was between Carly Marie Events, and the mother of the bride, Anna, so that all of the details would be complete surprise to the bride and groom on the big day!
Once the vision was set, we knew exactly which vendors would make a good fit. It was especially important to use as many local vendors as we could. Hosting the wedding at Gralyn was a given for Grace, because she grew up in Winston-Salem, going there often and making so many memories there. We knew we would need space to spread out, but still wanted to keep everything in the back yard area of Graylyn, which is filled with oak trees. We worked closely with Party Reflections to find the perfect tent that would hold all the guests, the gorgeous decor and the dance floor and stage!
One of the main focal points of the wedding design was a Day of the Dead altar that would be up on display the entire weekend of the wedding. Sourcing thousands of marigolds from multiple local farms, Green Bee Florist created a show-stopping scene. Prettiest Pieces designed multiple lounge areas, bar areas, the structures for the Day of the Dead altar as well as so much more all to fit the theme of the wedding. No space of the wedding was over-looked, with gorgeous details at every point.
When you have a wedding of this magnitutde with many intricate designs, you have a lot of meetings and walk throughs with different vendors. During one of these meetings we were musing on ways to add even more of a wow factor, and beer burrows were mentioned. We weren’t sure we would be able to get these cuties to Winston-Salem, but after a chat with our friends over at Summerfield Farms we were able to bring two of their donkeys over to walk around and greet guests! It was such a fun addition to the day and a huge surprise to Grace and Sal.
There were so many details, creativity, and design that went into Grace and Sal’s wedding. From the beginning, the couple wanted it to be an immersive experience for their guests. So many of their guests were coming from all over the country (and the world!) and they wanted everyone to mingle and be together to celebrate the day. Every detail, from the wide variety of food, different types of tequila, the Day of the Dead altar, all the marigolds and papel picado banners, and the music and decor, were executed with such intention. Grace and Sal both have big families and so many friends and they wanted everyone to just enjoy each other’s company and dance and have a great time. Everyone definitely did just that!
Planning this wedding and working with Anna, Grace, Sal, and all the wonderful vendors was truly amazing. It was such an honor to plan this wedding and work with a team of vendors who understood what the vision was for this day and nailed down every detail. We are so sad it’s over, but are so excited to share all the beautiful photos from this gorgeous day!
Vendors
Planning – Penn with Carly Marie Events
Venue – Graylyn Estate
Photography – Kelsey Nelson Photography
Florist – Green Bee Floral Designs
Donkeys – Summerfield Farms
Tent & Rentals – Party Reflections
Specialty Rentals – Prettiest Pieces
Lighting and Sound – Sound Illusions
Cake – The Humblebee Shoppe
Band – East Coast Entertainment
Hair and Make Up – Ego Hour and The Parlour
Ceremony Music – Elegant Ensembles
Cocktail Hour Music – Federico Pivetta
Invitations – Pinecrest Printery
Calligraphy – Calligraphy by Carole
