Real Weddings
Liz and Adam’s Fearrington Wedding
Click here to watch Liz and Adam’s full wedding video from Adam Gilbert Films!
How did you and your partner meet?
At a New Year’s Eve party! We had both decided to focus on ourselves in the upcoming 2019, so neither of us were at all anticipating anything even remotely romantic. Adam’s close friend Alex had invited him to the dinner party; unbeknownst to either of them, Alex’s sister, Jenn, had invited her own close friend, Liz, to the same party. Since Adam’s annual resolution was to “talk to strangers”, he sat with Jenn instead of Alex that night. He was instantly captivated by Liz, the sharp-witted law student with the infectious laugh; we spent the hours after dessert bonding over art, music, tragedy, triumphs, and all manner of conversation topics. We almost missed the fireworks! As the post-midnight hours flew by and our friends started going their separate ways, Liz grabbed Adam’s phone and typed out the first line, to which Adam responded on the second:
Do you want to leave because I don’t
Yeah, let’s stay for sure
Tell us about the engagement!
To honor our first meeting on New Year’s Eve three years prior, we took a trip to Spain to ring in 2022. We had designed the engagement ring together a few weeks beforehand, so Liz knew that a proposal was imminent; Adam leaned into that by heavily hinting to her that she should get her nails done that day and wear her nicest dress for a special Nochevieja dinner that night. With all the over-the-top clues that something special was happening that evening, Adam played his biggest surprise: proposing that morning! During a stroll in Madrid’s Parque del Retiro, he found a secluded spot on an under-traveled path and asked the most important question of his life. And all the hints were valuable after all – we savored a stellar feast that night to celebrate the New Year, fiancées at last.
What made Fearrington the place for you to say “I do?”
We dated long-distance for the first year of our relationship; Adam was in NYC and Liz was finishing law school at Duke. On one of Adam’s visits down to Durham, about six months in, we booked a dinner at the Fearrington House restaurant for a romantic treat! Bolstered by a stellar (and very effective) wine pairing, we casually asked our waiter if there happened to be any rooms available that night. Amazingly, one was vacant! So with nothing more than our dinner outfits, we stayed over, enjoyed an amazing breakfast, and then poked our heads into the Barn the next day. We were captivated by the space’s warmth and grandeur, and we half-jokingly said it would be the perfect place for our future wedding. Four years later, we made it happen!
Describe the highlight moment of your wedding day
Truly, it’s impossible to distill the grandeur of the weekend or the day into a single highlight! But one moment stands out as the perfect encapsulation of the experience: holding hands at the altar, facing the crowd of our loved ones, feeling the sun through the trees and the new rings on our fingers, and walking back down that aisle together, united for all of life’s adventures to come.
What was the biggest surprise of the day?
We knew that Gilda was an absolute rockstar of a planner and coordinator, but we were stunned by how efficiently and thoughtfully she hemmed Liz’s post-dinner party jumpsuit minutes before we re-entered the Barn! It was the prime example of her attentiveness and care. Truly, the whole weekend felt joyful and effortless, and that is absolutely because of all the effort that the staff put into the event. We’re deeply grateful!
What was your biggest surprise about wedding planning?
Planning was genuinely fun! Yes, it was definitely a lot of work, but we loved collaborating together to craft the weekend of our dreams. We had a blast picking our menu items, designing the decor, tasting the cake options, and plotting out the big and small details of the wedding. After the planning, we were joyfully surprised by how easily we could “let go” and trust Gilda and the team to execute on our vision. They had our full confidence, and they truly delivered! Case in point, to describe their thoughtfulness: the floral designer knew that Liz loved lantanas, and surprised us by growing them in her own backyard so that they’d be included in the bouquet. Stunning!
Anything you want to add about your wedding story?
We cannot adequately express the magic of our wedding weekend; the warmth, excellence, and deep care from the Fearrington staff and the various stellar local vendors really made for a perfect experience. We’re forever grateful to them, and we can’t wait to visit Fearrington over the years to celebrate many anniversaries ahead!
Photos: Krystal Kast
Videographer: Adam Gilbert Films — click here to watch the full video!
Hair and Makeup: Ashley Mooney Hair + Makeup
Wedding Gown and Cape: Pronovias
Bride’s Shoes and Hair Accessories: Sophia Webster and Jennifer Behr
Bride’s Reception Jumpsuit: Show Me Your Mumu
Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Dessy Group
Groom’s Attire: Ike Behar, Chazmatazz Formalwear
Stationery and Paper Goods, including menus, table cards, and welcome signs: Pineapple Street Designs
Cake Design and Custom Cookies: Fearrington House’s Kara Millard
Officiant: Erika Buell
Performance of Dr. Joshua Bennett’s “Balaenoptera”: Glen Pannell
Ceremony Music: Arioso Strings
Reception Music: DJ Randy Bennett
