Anna + Josh married at Trinity United Methodist Church in Southport, NC on May 9th, 2015. The bridal party was escorted to the church by Wilmington Trolley Co., where Michael Gillman was able to capture timeless moments of Anna and her bridesmaids’ before the big moment. The church was decorated with large ferns and baby breath wreaths creating a unique “southern garden” flair. The bouquets & boutonnieres were a mix of cream and blush colored roses that were beautifully arranged by Whole Foods. The ceremony was accompanied by the lovely church pianist Cathy Furpless, which added to the traditional southern feel of the day. As the ceremony began, I was pleasantly surprised to see the bride and groom’s mothers sit next to each other - you don’t see that every day! Josh + Anna's have their moms to thank for their union since their mothers have been best friends for 20+ years! The families would vacation together in the summertime and it wasn't long before Josh saw the beautiful, young woman Anna had grown up to be. What a great way for Anna + Josh’s family’s to express their blessing. It was refreshing to create such a simple yet elegant atmosphere; sometimes less really is more in such a traditional church!

As the ceremony came to an end, guests were invited to take the trolley to the Southport Community Building to enjoy cocktail hour. They then had the option to order signature drinks or a beer from the beer garden that Josh built out of palet wood with "Josh" and "Anna" beer taps. They even had "Josh" champagne and "Anna" wine. River Landing had appetizers ready to go with lots of amazing stations for dinner. The chicken and waffles on a stick were killer! Anna + Josh's guestbook was interactive. The photographer brought a Polaroid camera to snap pictures of guests enjoying the cocktail and dinner hour. Then, guests signed the images underneath with a short message. What a fun and easy way to create a guestbook for the newlyweds! I know Anna + Josh will appreciate the magical (and sometimes funny) moments that were captured of their friends and family on film.

The reception continued to have a simple yet elegant feel with a tasteful color scheme of blush, white, cream, seamist blue and gray. Each table was decorated with a seamist linens, romantic lace runner topped with a silver organza runner. We used the bridesmaids' bouquets in a tall silver vase with a small succulent on each table scattered with pearls around each arrangement, creating a classic yet effortless look throughout the venue. A few of the tables had tall candelabras with large florals to balance out the overall look in the reception space. Anna's aunt created the flowers used throughout both venues with an exception of the bouquets and boutonnieres. 

While everyone was eating dinner, I had my eyes on the stunning 5 tier homemade cake. Anna's mother, Gwen, made this gorgeous cake!  It was decorated with charcoal gray sparkles and lace trim, not to mention garnished with blush colored roses. Can you blame me? After the cake was served, DJ Adam of DJ Wilmington invited everyone to go outside to witness Anna + Josh’s first dance as husband and wife. They chose the song “Thinking Out Loud” by Ed Sheeran and as cliché as this sounds, it really felt like they were the only people in the room! Anna also shared a special dance with her step-father before Josh shared a touching dance with his mother. Guests were then welcome to the dance floor for the good luck dance and to celebrate for the rest of the night.  Due to Tropical Storm Ana's unexpected visit to the coast, we rented a tent from 3 Cheers Party Rentals the day before the wedding so we could continue the party outside into the evening. However, the extreme wind from Tropical Storm Ana caused us to take the last 30 minutes of dancing inside but this quick change didn't stop any of the guests from having a blast until the very end! We felt so lucky to be a part of such a beautiful reception in such a perfect little town! We are so happy for you Anna + Josh, we wish nothing but the best!

Favorite Wedding Moment:
Anna & I grew up together as next door neighbors in Southport so I was sad when she moved away in late elementary school. Years later, I found out Anna was planning a wedding in Southport with another childhood friend, Josh, so I couldn't be more ecstatic when they asked me to be their wedding planner! It was such a fun day working at the wedding seeing so many familiar faces. 

Vendors
Ceremony Venue: Trinity United Methodist Church
Reception Venue: Southport Community Building
Ceremony Music: Church pianist - Cathy Furpless
Reception Music: DJ Adam with DJ Wilmington
Catering: River Landing
Photography: Michael Gillman Photography
Lighting: Edison lights & chandeliers from Bride
Tent Rental: 3 Cheers Party Rentals
Rentals: ETC Party Rentals
Flowers: Whole Foods of Wilmington
Cake: Mother of the Bride - Gwen
Transportation: Wilmington Trolley Co.
Hair + Makeup: Misty
Officiant: Pastor Jeff Gardner
Month-Of Coordination: Knot Too Shabby Events
Attendees: 125 people

Kasey + Jeff tied the knot on May 2nd, 2015 at the beautiful and calm Bald Head Island just off the coast of North Carolina. This fun, loving couple from Virginia Beach said “I do” at the sweet and secluded Bald Head Island Chapel officiated by Jim Brown, which was followed by their reception at the Bald Head Island Club. They were accompanied by 95 of their closest family and friends in this lovely island weekend getaway. Guitarist, Carlos Lorberfield, played his acoustic guitar throughout the ceremony, which was a wonderful touch. The couple rented multiple golf carts so they were able to get from the ceremony to the reception in no time. Knot Too Shabby Events was hired to make this enchanting day go smoothly; they even gave us a golf cart to get around island easier!

Before the ceremony,  Andrea and her team from silverceiling made sure Kasey looked like a princess before taking part in a "first look" with Jeff and soon after walking down the aisle! Simple but elegant centerpieces were provided by Special Arrangements by Lyn Moser. Lyn also designed a baby's breath wreath to put on the door of the chapel accompanied by pretty floral aisle markers on every other pew. The talented Erin Costa Photography caught many of the special moments throughout the evening, including sunset pictures of the couple on the beach, Kasey + Jeff's first dance followed by an epic father daughter dance showdown.  Story Mix Media is a wedding video app they used that offered 4 cameras to use throughout the night to capture all of the highlights and the company takes all of the footage to create a special video for the newlyweds. 

The color scheme selection consisting of navy, blush, white, and gold all came together with rentals from  Etc. Party Rentals and Party Suppliers. The reception space looked absolutely amazing with a mix of round, rectangular and square tables. All of the tables had navy linens, blush napkins with a burlap runner except the head table, which used a navy and white striped linen. I loved the variety of tables we used complete with gold votives and lush flowers designed by Lyn. Attendees headed inside after cocktail hour on the breezy patio to find a BHI map seating chart (creatively crafted by Kasey) which lead them to their specific seat. The table numbers were clear wine bottles as a "message in a bottle" with twine and navy/white ribbon. The escort cards at each place setting were cute, blush shells with the name card tucked in. There were so many tiny details that made the overall tablescape complete! A gourmet meal consisted of ribeye steak, garlic mashed potatoes and vegetables was provided by the Bald Head Island Club.  This might have been one of my favorite "vendor meals" ever! A white 3 tiered cake with blush roses was provided by Creative Cake Design by Tammy Hodge. After guests enjoyed the cake, dancing started immediately! Charles from Active DJ kept the newlyweds and all of the guests on their feet during the reception! Towards the end of the reception, Nye's Ice Cream Sandwiches were brought out for a late night snack! 

Watching Kasey + Jeff and all of their guests having a blast was so enjoyable for the whole Knot Too Shabby Events team! One of my most enjoyable parts of the day was seeing how close the bridal party was and to hear the stories behind how some of them met one another was incredible! Kasey's brother, the best man, is the one who introduced Kasey + Jeff! Thank goodness for close friends and family! Congratulations Kasey + Jeff! We hope you never stop dancing and wish you so many years of love, laughter and happiness!

Favorite Wedding Moment:
I've never seen so many of the wedding guests stay up and dance throughout the entire night. It might have had something to do with our awesome DJ but these folks loved to dance! It was so much fun to watch all of the dance offs, wobbles and silly faces from the bridal party and the guest. The older folks gave the younger ones a run for their money in the "best moves" category and I loved being able to watch everyone enjoy the evening on such a magical island!

Vendors
Ceremony Venue: Bald Head Island Chapel
Reception Venue: Bald Head Island Club
Ceremony Music: Carlos Lorberfield
Reception Music: Active DJ
Catering: Bald Head Island Club
Photography: Erin Costa Photography 
Videography App: Story Mix Media
Rentals: Etc. Party Rentals & Party Suppliers
Gold Votive Rentals: DP etc.
Flowers: Special Arrangements by Lyn Moser
Cake: Creative Cake Design by Tammy Hodge
Ice Cream: Nye's Ice Cream Sandwiches
Officiant: Jim Brown 
Hair + Makeup: Andrea from silverceiling
Month-Of Coordination: Knot Too Shabby Events
Attendees: 95 people

On a beautiful Saturday afternoon in April 2015, Cameron + Richard tied the knot at The RiverRoom accompanied by 100 of their closest family and friends. The ceremony was held on the deck outside of The RiverRoom as the sun started to peak through the clouds, which was followed by a lovely reception held inside. The couple rented wooden benches from ETC Party Rentals for ceremony seating. Knot Too Shabby Events was hired for month of planning by this laid back and fun couple. The elegant bouquets, boutonnieres, corsages, centerpieces & greenery on deck handrail were created by the aunt of the bride, Millie Griffen. We had an abundant amount of help from the bride's family before the festivities began. The reception area was set up with round tables with white linens and printed green overlays. Millie used white hydrangeas and greenery with willow branches in tall cylinders for each table centerpiece. To top off this pretty look, we hung navy and white Chinese lanterns from the Edison lights.

While we were setting up, Cameron was being treated like a princess, as every bride should on their wedding day; her hair was done by Paige at Seagrass Salon and her makeup was done by a Bobby Brown consultant.

The officiant, Randy Johnson, hosted a beautiful ceremony, which put a smile on everyone's faces. However, the flower girl Anna, Richard's daughter, lit up the room with her beaming personality. Sarvis Images captured the beautiful moments throughout both the ceremony and reception. During cocktail hour, guests enjoyed being outside where lights were strung overhead which were provided by AV People. Then, guests enjoyed a tasty meal from Middle of the Island, including an ice cream bar! Music throughout the ceremony and reception was accompanied by DJ Wilmington, who also introduced the married couple for the first time! Cupcakes were provided by Creative Cake Design by Tammy Hodge. Having the opportunity to experience how family centered these newlyweds are made this wedding day extra special! Congratulations Cameron + Richard (and Anna)! We wish you many years of laughs, love and happiness.

Cameron's WeddingWire Review:
"Melissa was great to work with! She definitely took all the stress of planning and having to deal with the vendors away from me and made it very easy to have a wonderful time at our wedding. She had great ideas and was also flexible about meeting with me and my crazy schedule."

Favorite Wedding Moment: 
Watching the groom's daughter Anna be involved in the ceremony and how happy she was to see her father's happiness for his stunning bride. Anna was super sweet and I really enjoyed hanging out with their family.

Vendors
Venue: The RiverRoom 
Music: DJ Wilmington
Catering: Middle Of The Island
Photography: Ashley Sarvis of Sarvis Images
Lighting: AV People
Rentals: Etc. Party Rentals
Flowers: Millie Griffen 
Cake + Cupcakes: Creative Cake Design by Tammy Hodge
Officiant: Randy Johnson
Hair: Paige at Seagrass Salon
Makeup: Bobby Brown
Dress: Camille's of Wilmington
Month-Of Coordination: Knot Too Shabby Events
Attendees: 100 guests

Kaylynn + David wed at The RiverRoom in downtown Wilmington, NC on Saturday, April 11th, 2015 during Azalea Festival 2015. The ceremony took place outside on the deck with around 90 guests, where we were able to enjoy Dockside Strings and a breathtaking view of the Cape Fear River. The couple lined against the pretty brick wall of the JW Brooks Building and used white resin chairs for guest seating. The aisle chairs were adorned with baby pictures of the couple. A Boxed Event provided the gorgeous white flower arrangements with light pink accents for the wedding and bridal party. After the ceremony, guests celebrated and blew bubbles at Kaylynn + David as they took their first steps as husband and wife! After the ceremony, guests were invited to enjoy live music, crafts and vendors in the traditional Azalea Festival downtown while we flipped the deck for cocktail hour.

As cocktail hour began, guests were able to order drinks at the bar followed by snapping a photo of themselves with a classic Polaroid camera to find their seating assignment for the night! They could then go back outside to the deck to enjoy putt putt, corn hole, hula hoops, and more. The overall theme was wine and golf, which is why we kept the decorations playful and interesting. Each table was named a different golf course with fun facts about the course on the back.

The reception felt rustic yet classy as the color scheme used neutral colors with pops of light pink and peach. We added a romantic touch with lace overlays on each table. There were gorgeous pink flower arrangements, silver vases atop a glass mirror that really made the candle light pop. We strung the guests polaroids along the brick wall with twine and small clothes pins. We also set up a date jar where guests were able to share their best ideas of a date for the newlyweds. I can only imagine all the crazy suggestions their friends and family made! Edison lights were strung inside the room from AV People and Knot Too Shabby Events staff added ivory flower balls to the ceiling to complete the look. Dinner was catered by K & W which was served buffet style followed by the best part of the night, dessert! Cake and an assortment of cupcakes were provided by Creative Cake Design by Tammy Hodge. 

After dessert, DJ Wilmington introduced the couple's first dance to the song “All of Me” by John Legend, followed by an open dance floor for the night. Around dusk, guests were invited to go outside to enjoy fireworks along the beautiful Cape Fear Riverwalk. As the newlyweds were sent off, we held sparklers which was truly a magical moment for everyone! Theo Milo Photography captured the majestic moments throughout the entire night and we cannot thank him enough! The pictures alone are enough to make your heart melt. Congratulations Kaylynn + David, we wish you guys nothing but happiness as you enter this new and exciting chapter together.
 

Favorite Wedding Moment:
Enjoying the fireworks from Azalea Fest weekend on the deck of The RiverRoom with all of the wedding guests. Wilmington always has one of the best firework presentations and this year's festival did not disappoint. I love the photo from Theo Milo of the lovely couple kissing with fireworks in the air behind them! What a fun night! 

Vendors
Venue: The RiverRoom
Ceremony Music: Dockside Strings
Reception Music: DJ Wilmington
Catering: K&W Cafeteria
Photography: Theo Milo Photography
Lighting: AV People 
Flowers: A Boxed Event
Cake + Cupcakes: Creative Cake Design by Tammy Hodge
Rentals: ETC Party Rentals
Chalkboard Design: Southern Bee Designs
Makeup: Chelsea Sule
Officiant: Verna Daye
Month-Of Coordination: Knot Too Shabby Events
Attendees: 90 guests

Sam + Cade married in Wilmington on a rainy Friday at Kenan Chapel in Landfall with a reception to follow at The RiverRoom. They do say that it is good luck to have rain on your wedding day so we did not let this stop us from having a great time. The intimate wedding included 40 wedding guests. Knot Too Shabby Events was hired to decorate and coordinate the reception venue. The couple rented wooden farm tables for guest seating, hired Fiore Fine Flowers for gorgeous tall, white hydrangea and green centerpieces complete with gold plate chargers and white china plates. Sam + Cade even hand-made their own wooden candle votive holders. The escort card at each place setting was a small cookie jar filled with goodies. The groom came in early the day of the wedding to hang their own twinkle lights and they looked amazing as the sunset over the Cape Fear River in Downtown Wilmington.

DJ Professionals & Video introduced the bride and groom into the reception where they went right into the first dance. Following the first dance, we enjoyed a delicious dinner from Thyme Savor Catering with wedding cake from One Belle Bakery. The white lace wedding cake was so pretty and tasted even better than it looked! 

After relishing a nice meal, Sam + Cade continued to savor the evening with their most loved guests. KTSE had a great time working with Sam + Cade to give them their dream wedding day. We could not have been more happy with how everything turned out. Congratulations Sam + Cade! We wish you many, many, many years of love, happiness and bliss!

Favorite Wedding Moment:
Watching Sam + Cade ride off into the night in the always classy British Taxi. I've said it before and I'll say it again. There aren't many things better than watching a happy bride and groom leave the reception after a wonderful wedding day. The long hours of planning were worth all of the stress when I saw how happy Sam + Cade were. I also enjoyed all of the planning meetings I had with Sam throughout the year leading up to her big day because they usually involved wine and tapas! 

Vendors
Ceremony Venue: Kenan Chapel of Landfall
Reception Venue: The RiverRoom
Reception Music: DJ Professionals
Catering: Thyme Savor Catering
Photography: Kristina Ritter Photography
Lighting: Groom
Rentals: ETC Party Rentals
Flowers: Fiore Fine Flowers
Cake: One Belle Bakery
Dress: Fountaine Bridals
Transportation: The British Taxi
Month-Of Coordination: Knot Too Shabby Events
Attendees: 40 guests

Knot Too Shabby Events is a proud member of Wilmington Weddings + Events. This local wedding association is a one-stop-shop for any bride planning a wedding in the Wilmington area. On the WWE website, brides can search for vendors, gather tips on the blog and even sell wedding items on the site through the Facebook page. In addition to this great website, the vendors get together every month for either a speaker meeting, bridal mixer, or a fun vendor night out. In March 2015, KTSE had the pleasure of planning another vendor meeting with the talented Annie Franceschi of Greatest Story Creative as our speaker. Annie spoke to us about getting to know our clients on a more personal level and learning how to tell their own stories. I found her lesson to be very informative and I definitely changed my approach a little after hearing what she had to say.

After Annie spoke, the vendors enjoyed food and drinks from Riverwalk Landing, corn hole on the riverfront deck, tunes by Jewell Events with whimsical lighting from Illuminating Events. Desi's Floral & Design Studio did a great job with designing flowers for the event. We chose a gray and teal color scheme. The talented Chris Brehmer shot photos of the event and you can see some of his images below. One of our sweet treats was a s'mores bar from Alison's Cakery. So many options...so little time! Anchored in Love was there to video the event and you can also find their short video below. Thank you for all of the vendors that took time to showcase your talent and a special thanks to those who attended!

Favorite Event Moment:
Planning this event for fellow vendors and having the opportunity to show off some of my work. It is always a pleasure getting to see some of my vendor friends but it's even better when I have a chance to showcase what I can do. I liked beating them all in corn hole with my partner Alison too! 

Vendors
Venue: The Riverwalk Landing
Food/Beverage: The Riverwalk Landing
S'mores Bar: Alison's Cakery
Flowers: Desi's Floral Design Studio
Photography: Chris Brehmer Photography
Videography: Anchored In Love Photo + Video
Music: Don Jewell of Jewell Events
Lighting: Illuminating Events
Speaker: Annie Franceschi of Greatest Story Creative
Coordination + Design: Knot Too Shabby Events
Attendees: 50 vendors

So you may be wondering, "what the heck is a fake wedding?" A fake wedding is a bridal show alternative where newly engaged couples are invited to attend a mock reception to experience what their wedding day could be like. I hand-selected one vendor of every category and then started planning the big event. You may have read about the last fake wedding I planned that was inspired by Alice in Wonderland. You can read about that one here. This time around, we wanted to capture the everlasting love and romance in Romeo + Juliet. The three hour event took place at Saturday, February 28, 2015.

On the day of the fake wedding, we were busy setting up the space at The RiverRoom with a staged ceremony on the deck and full on reception inside complete with food, drinks, photo booth, desserts, and dancing. All of the couples in attendance witnessed bridal party introductions, a first dance, toast, cake cutting, bouquet toss, and a sparkler send off at the end. Each couple was given a swag bag filled with goodies from all of the vendors and discounts from local shops. The cast bridal party looked absolutely amazing in dresses from The Wedding Dress Shoppe and suits from Cape Fear Formal Wear. TJ Dunn Style Consultant styled our bridal party with accessories from Bevello. 

One of the event favorites was the newlywed game where couples were asked to turn back-to-back and answer funny questions, like "who's in charge of the remote," "who will say I'm sorry first," and "who's a better driver". The winning couple won a gift basket. This was not the only prize given away that afternoon. We had a huge prize raffle with over $3000 worth of prizes. All proceeds went to benefit the NICU at New Hanover Regional Medical Center and we raised nearly $2000! 

I love planning these fake weddings and I know couples really enjoy attending them. Couples have the opportunity to get inspired for their own wedding while personally mixin' and minglin' with some of the best vendors in the area. I am pleased to say that this event was FEATURED with a 14 page spread in DIY Weddings Magazine. We couldn't have pulled off such a successful event without the help of all of our vendors. Thank you very much for your hard work and for those who attended, thank you so much for coming. We hope you enjoyed it as much as we did! For those of you interested in attending the next fake wedding, stay tuned. Knot Too Shabby Events is starting to plan another fake wedding for Spring 2016 for all couples with Fall 2016 weddings and beyond. So come, eat, drink and be fake married with us!

Favorite Fake Wedding Moment:
Seeing all of the "wedding guests" amazed at how much the fake wedding was like a real wedding. Many couples came up to me and complimented the various elements, like how real the toasts seemed. Although the bridal party only met each other a week before, they seemed like they had been friends since childhood. It's all about having a vision and bringing it to life and that is exactly what we did!

Vendors
Venue: The RiverRoom
Photography: Anchored In Love
Videography: Brick Street Cinema
DJ + Photo Booth: DJ Professionals + Video
Lighting: The Audio Visual People
Coordination + Design: Knot Too Shabby Events
Event Styling: A Boxed Event
Flowers: Desi's Floral & Design Studio
Lounge: Eventful Furniture + Design
Rentals: Etc. Party Rentals
Cake + Cupcakes: Hot Pink Cake Stand
Caterer: A Thyme Savor
Drinks: On The Rocks Bartending
Vintage Chest: Cath's Chair Covers
Calligraphy, Signs, Graphics + Paper Goods: Southern Bee Designs
Transportation: Event Shuttle Service
Wardrobe Stylist: TJ Dunn Style Consultant
Dresses: The Wedding Dress Shoppe
Hair + Makeup: Adrianne Lugo Professional Hair & Makeup
Men's Suits: Cape Fear Formal Wear
Bride: Candace Lippard
Groom: Chad Tait
Maid of Honor: Brittany McDouglas
Bridesmaid: Ginger Dawdy
Best Man: Mike Durohombre
Groomsman: Alexander Willis