October 2024 | Photography by: Rebecca Sigety
Where did you two meet?
I grew up in Indianapolis and Zach grew up in Raleigh. We both attended college at UNC-Chapel Hill at the same time but never officially met there, despite having many mutual friends. We were probably in the same place at the same time dozens of times. After both moving to Charlotte post-college, we finally met through those mutual friends and started developing a friendship. Soon thereafter, at a concert, that friendship transitioned into a relationship.
What was your first date?
Our first official date was about a week after the concert. We went to a local Charlotte restaurant, Leroy Fox. The conversation was effortless and comfortable which made it an easy decision to keep seeing each other. Every year around the time of our first date, we make a point to go to Leroy Fox and reminisce.
How did Zach pop the question?
It was a beautiful Friday afternoon in May, and we simply did one of our common post-work decompressing activities – frisbee golf. There is a short 9-hole course in the park in our neighborhood that we enjoy playing. We played the first eight holes just like any other time, but on the tee of the last hole, Zach proposed. It was the most excited, and truly most surprised, I’ve ever been. I still don’t know how he got that one past me. Also worth noting I was somehow winning which never happens (Zach claims he was distracted). The second surprise was both our parents waiting back at our house ready to celebrate!
What was the vision and design/floral inspiration for your wedding?
We wanted to take advantage of how naturally beautiful Cannon Green is. We wanted lots of greenery, complimenting the gorgeous courtyard and then natural blues and greens with pops of more vibrant color for flowers. We were able to keep it simple, true to our own style, and let the venue speak for itself.
How did you select Cannon Green as your venue?
We were pretty sure we wanted to land on a venue in Charleston because the city is special to both of our families. We also thought we’d want to be closer to downtown to allow our guests to enjoy the city between events. We only saw one other venue right before Cannon Green, and I knew the whole time our next stop was probably going to be the winner. Once we got to Cannon Green, I think we both knew pretty immediately this was the perfect location for us. The layout was perfect – we wanted our ceremony to be outside but then have the option to retreat inside with the summer heat. The staff was wonderful from the second we got there. The location in town is ideal – making all our logistics a breeze. There was also the huge plus of the amazing food, which was important to us, plus the venue being pretty much a one-stop shop. We subsequently cancelled our trip to another city we were considering. Numerous people after we booked the venue raved about their experiences at Cannon Green which made us even more confident in our decision. We couldn’t have been happier.
What was most important to you on your special day?
The biggest thing for us was being around the family and friends who we love and enjoy spending time with. We wanted everyone to have a great time, enjoy the food, and get down with us on the dance floor.
#1 piece of advice for couples planning their own weddings:
We can’t claim to be an expert here but we just tried to focus on the things that for us make weddings the most fun or memorable, which was an awesome band, a great venue and location, good food, and our favorite people. This is a very personal event so do whatever makes you happy.
