We met the old fashioned way – on the internet. In all seriousness though, I am really grateful for how we met. We have very different social circles and I can’t imagine how we would have otherwise. .When we first started dating, it was fairly casual, as Maggie was finishing grad school and didn’t know where she would end up afterwards. It became clear pretty quickly, however, that we were perfect for each other, and we both fell head over heels in love. I moved in with Maggie after a little less than a year. A few months before Maggie finished her PhD at Duke, I wanted to make clear that regardless of what the future may hold for Maggie, I wanted to be together. So I decided to propose and bought a ring.

In the fall of 2015, Maggie was preparing to defend her dissertation at Duke, while applying for post docs all around the country. It was a very stressful time, and the future felt uncertain. We had been together for about a year, but it felt like the right time to make sure she knew that whatever the future brought, we were in it together, for the long haul.

I bought a ring, and on a Sunday, after a long day of gardening together (we planted a tree that day), I proposed to her when we out walking the dog, in front of our favorite garden in the neighborhood. She was completely shocked, and said “Of course I’ll marry you.”

We waited until after Maggie finished at Duke in the spring, then we began planning. Fearrington was the only venue we actually visited after researching places on the internet. We knew right away it was the right place for us.

We always said the wedding theme was “Classy As Fuck.” You can edit that verbiage however you like. We wanted an elegant wedding that incorporated natural elements like the gardens around Fearrington. Classy with just a hint of rustic.We are avid gardeners, a passion we discovered and developed together, so the gardens at Fearrington were a natural choice for us.

The florals were absolutely gorgeous! We gave our florist swatches of the bridesmaid’s dresses and input on particular flowers we liked – especially sunflowers! – and trusted ourselves to her expertise. She didn’t let us down. In addition to bouquets, Maggie wore flowers in her hair, as did our flower girls. For centerpieces, we chose to alternate between tables with traditional flowers and vases filled with water and stems. It was beautiful! The main thing that was important to us with the centerpieces was that they were low enough that our guests would be able to see each other across the table to allow for conversation to flow.

For our color palette, we took inspiration from the season, opting for warm and cheerful tones. While we are not particularly religious, we did want to include a bit of those elements to honor and respect family members who are. We felt that our officiant, Barbara, did a wonderful job in helping us craft a ceremony that achieved those goals.

One of Erin’s friends came up from Asheville to run the Photo Booth. It was a huge hit!There is also a Wagner Family tradition we didn’t manage to escape – Maggie’s uncle Tom will rewrite the lyrics to a popular song to fit the occasion, and gather his family to sing it. During the band’s break, they sang a rewrite of John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads” themed around us and the Chevy Bolt we had recently purchased. It was corny as hell, but a lot of fun.

From the marrier, Erin

Photographer: Krystal Kast Photographers

Officiant: Rev. Barbara Lodge

Floral designer: fearrington flowers

Cake designer: Fearrington Cakes

Caterer: Fearrington House

Ceremony venue: Fearrington Village

Reception venue: The Fearrington Barn

Event planner: Gilda McDaniel

Dress: BHLDN

Band: Affirmative Groove

Makeup artist: Makeup By Ashley Mooney

Submitted via Two Bright Lights