A little bit of rain never hurt anybody! And it certainly didn’t stop Aimee and Jamie from enjoying their gorgeous destination barn wedding at Memory Mountain located just outside of Asheville, North Carolina! This Florida couple had always dreamed of a fun mountain wedding and decided the rustic elements at Memory Mountain would be the perfect fit for their special day.

The beautiful spaces at the venue were elevated with an all-white floral palette and an assortment of loose greenery. The final touches of candles throughout the space created a romantic setting for this sweet couple and their close friends and family.

We are so lucky we got to be a part of this wedding—this was our last wedding as scheduled before the COVID-19 pandemic forced most of our couples to postpone or cancel.

VENUE

Memory Mountain at Wolf Laurel, located in Mars Hill which is just a thirty minute drive from Asheville, is a gorgeous venue in the Blue Ridge Mountains that includes multiple sites for ceremonies, lodges for family and friends and plenty of spaces for a fun reception! Aimee and Jamie decided to make use of the different spaces by sharing a sweet lakeside first look with their kids, a beautiful ceremony at the Hitching Post and a romantic candle lit reception at the rustic, barn event center built in the 1800s.

FLOWERS

Aimee and Jamie wanted an elegant, classy wedding with a focus on white flowers and touches of colors similar to grey and silver sage. This spring wedding took place just after some of our favorite flowers started blooming! We created a beautiful assortment of floral pieces with an array of white blooms and various greenery. Aimee dreamed of a wide, organic bouquet with a loose assortment of white flowers such as anemone, garden roses, white stock and astilbe. We finished the bouquet with eucalyptus and ruscus and tied it off with velvet silver sage ribbon that perfectly complimented the bridesmaids dresses! The classic boutonnieres were put together using white ranunculus and mixed greenery, finished with ivory ribbon.

ATTIRE / HAIR & MAKEUP

We loved Aimee’s stunning, lace wedding dress! We really appreciate all the delicate details in the fabric and the gorgeous low back design. The dress was perfectly accessorized with some beautiful, elegant jewelry like the gold earrings with matching back necklace.

The girls looked beautiful in their elegant silver sage dresses. Aimee and her bridesmaids also rocked some custom jean jackets that doubled as the perfect bridesmaids presents! We especially loved how Pop of Color styled everyone’s hair - we are a big fan of delicate braids and loose curls!

Jamie and his groomsmen looked so handsome in their grey vest and suit thoughtfully paired with a silk silver sage tie and pocket square. Their wedding rings, a gold diamond band ring for Aimee and a black Tungsten ring for Jamie, were held in a beautiful ring box shaped like a coffin—a note to Aimee’s profession as a funeral director.

CEREMONY

The outdoor ceremony took place at the Hitching Post which was wonderfully decorated to create an intimate space for Aimee and Jamie’s closest friends and family. The venue’s owner, Steven, created a custom wooden sign engraved with “The Mendiolas, est. 2020” and it was hung at the entrance of the Hitching Post pavilion. The aisle was lined with an assortment of white pillar candles decorated with mixed greenery. The ceremony site itself was decorated with draped ivory fabric and a beautiful floral arrangement that brought together the wedding design theme. The ceremony site was finished with a few candles to complete the space and create a romantic setting for Aimee and Jamie to say their I Do’s.

The bridal party walked in one by one to “More than Words” by the Piano Guys and Aimee and her father followed while DJ Patrick put on the Piano Guys version of “A Thousand Years.” Aimee’s step-father, Zeke, performed the sweet, thoughtful ceremony while their kids performed the roles of flower girl and ring bearer. Everyone was so excited to be a part of this delightful couple’s special day and there was hardly a dry eye during the ceremony. Once the couple exchanged their vows and were officially married, the bridal party headed out as the DJ played “You Make My Dreams Come True” by Hall & Oates.

RECEPTION

The reception started with a fun cocktail hour for guests as they enjoyed the lakeside porch at the Barn Event Center! They were treated to some delicious appetizers created by Moe’s Original BBQ including fried mac and cheese, boudin balls and hogs in a blanket. Guests also enjoyed taking pictures with an authentic restored fire truck from the early decades of the 1900s.

The reception space inside the Barn Event Center was turned into an elegant space for everyone to enjoy dinner and dancing. The farm tables used for guest seating were decorated with a mixed greenery garland and pops of white flowers. The centerpieces were finished with an assortment of white pillar candles and silver mercury votives. Aimee and Jamie’s sweetheart table was similarly decorated with greenery garland draping the table to the floor and surrounded with a mixed assortment of pillar candles. Memory Mountain offered a beautiful variety of vibrant mismatched china to add some color to the the place settings!

Once guests were seated and the bridal party was introduced, Aimee and Jamie entered the reception to “We Go Together” from the Grease soundtrack and slid right into their first dance to “Tangled Up In You” by Staind. The first dance was followed by sweet parent dances and a welcome made by the newlyweds. Guests enjoyed a classic southern barbecue buffet which included pulled pork, smoked chicken, collard greens, mashed potatoes, and buns. Moe’s Original BBQ really treated the out of town guests with an assortment of unique, delicious BBQ sauces that allowed guests to experience both western and eastern NC styled BBQ!

As dinner started winding down, the best man, maid of honor and Aimee’s brother shared some sweet words and toasted to the happy couple. Once the party got started, everyone got on the dance floor and had a blast! Our favorite moment from the dance party may have been when Aimee put on a Panda hat from JCM’s photo booth. Talk about a fun group! The newlyweds were sent off with a fun bubble exit and everyone headed to their cabins after a wonderful day filled with love, laughter and special moments!

We are so grateful to have been able to be a part of this amazing couple’s wedding day! We loved working with this vendor team to create the perfect destination wedding experience for Aimee, Jamie and their friends and family. Cheers to the Mendiolas! It was a pleasure!

VENDORS

Venue: Memory Mountain at Wolf Laurel

Photography: JCM Photography

Planning and Floral Design: Carolina Love Events (Yes, that’s us!)

Catering: Moe’s Original BBQ

Entertainment: Ready Play Entertainment

Hair and Makeup: Pop of Color

Officiant: Family Member