Real Wedding Feature: Honoring Pride Month with two Barn of Chapel Hill couples
Morgan Cadell Photography
Celebrating LOVE, all the different and wonderful kinds of love, is truly what brings us joy at The Barn of Chapel Hill. Our couples are beautifully diverse with individual styles, stories, and experiences. They all have one thing in common though - they’ve imagined celebrating their dream wedding in a stunning white barn, surrounded by wildflowers, and feeling the welcoming love and warmth that Wild Flora Farm uniquely brings. As we celebrate Pride during the month of June, we take the opportunity to highlight two of our amazing Barn of Chapel Hill couples. Hosting memorable and meaningful events is our passion and we’re so fortunate to be able to welcome love in all its forms.
In the Q&A below, we take a look back at the thoughtful details that brought our couples’ wedding days to life and learn how important Pride Month is to each one of their stories.
Barn of Chapel Hill (BOCH): Did planning a same sex marriage help to determine which vendors that you chose for your wedding day?
Charli & Lisa (C&L): “Absolutely. We found the Barn and almost every single vendor we ended up working with through a website that catered to gay-friendly weddings. One of the first things we said to every vendor we interviewed was "have you done a gay wedding before?" But it wasn't just about being willing to do a gay wedding ... it was about core values, and how those values translate to actions and relationships.”
BOCH: Was there anything unique about your proposal?
C&L: “I (Charli) thought I was being sneaky for months preparing for my proposal, only to be one-upped when, after I popped the question, Lisa got down on one knee and pulled out a ring box that had been carved by one of our friends. I quickly realized that Lisa had enlisted all of our friends and family members to let me think I was planning a surprise, while they helped her plot against me in secret and design a beautiful custom ring. I still haven't quite forgiven her.”
BOCH: Did you make any unique choices regarding your wedding party and how to highlight the members?
C&L: “We each decided that we wanted to have our own best man and maid of honor, so ultimately we ended up with two best men, two maids of honor, and one best woman. We also wanted our wedding party to wear whatever was comfortable to them, so we had a few women in suits.”
Boch: What do marriage equality rights mean to you?
C&L: “Marriage is fundamentally a promise between two people who are willing to accept one another, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health. Marriage equality is the guarantee that, if we choose it, the struggles and triumphs that marriage precipitates can be had by anyone willing to weather them together.”
Photography: Morgan Caddell Photography | Flowers: Wild Flora Flowers
BOCh: Why did you choose The Barn of Chapel Hill as the location to celebrate your union?
Kacy & Brie (K&B): “We actually chose The Barn of Chapel Hill before it was even finished being built! We toured it with Kara during construction, saw the final plans, and really loved the overall feeling of it. It was obvious how passionate Kara was about the Barn and we knew it would be a beautiful and welcoming venue for our wedding.”
BOCH: What was the most memorable or important moment of your Wedding?
K&B: “Walking down the aisle together to start the ceremony.”
BOCh: What kind of wedding attire options did you choose and why?
K&B: “I wore a dress and Brie wore pants. We gave our wedding party the color scheme and they chose whatever they wanted to wear. The biggest thing for us was making sure everyone was comfortable and happy with their wedding outfit.”
BOCH: What does celebrating pride month mean to you?
K&B: “Celebrating Pride means celebrating the LGBTQ+ community and its past, present, and future - everything from Stonewall to Obergefell to the ongoing fight for civil rights and equality.”
Photography: Ana Teresa Galizes | Flowers: Wild Flora Flowers
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