Kristen & Lee | Raleigh Wedding at The Meadows

Slauer Events coordinated its very first wedding in Raleigh, and I am so glad it was Kristen and Lee’s! This bride and groom are energetic, so in love, and fun to be around. Take a look below to see their whimsical wedding day full of natural greenery, rosy mauve, and mixed neutrals.

From the moment I met Kristen I could see she had a vision. Kristen wanted to be involved the decor- including the floral design and table settings. She ordered live greenery garlands from Costco and had her florist drop off a few buckets of loose flowers. The morning-of, she and her bridesmaids placed the garlands on tables and had a lot of fun inserting the flowers. Not only did this save some money, it also allowed her to be creative. When I arrived that morning, she and her ladies went to get ready as I took over the floral set-up. Pro tip- If you have a lot of DIY projects in mind, its crucial to hire a wedding planner or coordinator who can help you execute those on the day-of. Kristen got to have some fun with the flowers in the morning, and then pass the task along to me.

This couple opted not to do a first look, but Kristen did have a first look with her dad! As you can see below, it was full of emotion. Chelsea Renay captured it so beautifully. When Kristen and Lee finally did see one another, as her dad walked her down the aisle, everyone present could feel the joy. It was such a sweet moment, and it took place in the most romantic green meadow. You’d never know you were just minutes away from the city of Raleigh!

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It’s important to think about the flow of guests as they move from the ceremony to cocktail hour. This is when everyone hits the bar all at once, so it’s the moment in the night when lines at the bar will be longest. The last thing anyone wants is for their guests to spend half of cocktail hour waiting in line! There are a few ways to ensure this doesn’t become problematic. #1- hire plenty of bartenders. The rule of thumb is 1 bartender per 50 guests with a full bar, and 1 bartender per 75 guests with a beer and wine bar. #2- consider having a couple of servers pass wine on a tray. Wine-drinkers won’t have to wait in line at all that way. #3- follow Kristen and Lee’s example and bring a tap trailer!

After the their ceremony, Kristen and Lee’s guests made their way to the pavilion for cocktail hour where this tap trailer was awaiting them. Beer-drinkers grabbed a glass and chose a beer from the tap. Not only was it a fun and unique touch, it also kept lines at the main bar down.

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Guests made their way inside for dinner, where they found their place settings adorned with warm candlelight, greenery, and thoughtfully written name cards. Each table was released to the buffet, provided by Whole Foods and staffed by Staff’d Raleigh.

If you’re planning a highly DIY wedding, choose your venue wisely! Kristen’s venue, the Meadows Raleigh, was the perfect fit. Because it allows clients on site ALL day, we had plenty of time to pull her DIY projects together. The Meadows also has a storehouse full of fun rental furniture, ceremony arches, tables, and chairs. All of their inventory fits perfectly with their industrial meets farmhouse look, and it’s included in the rental price. Kristen and Lee decided to use the Meadows’ ladder shelf pictured below to display their olive oil favors.

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Take a look at Kristen’s reflections on the big day:

Describe your wedding in three words:
unforgettable, fun, romantic 

What was your favorite design element from the wedding day? 
The venue space was truly one of a kind. It was the first step of wedding planning that we finalized and ended up being one of our favorite design elements from the wedding day. Having the indoor/outdoor space was exactly the vibe we were going for, and the space offered at The Meadows was perfect. The master layout from the get ready space, ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception was perfect and flowed seamlessly. I loved how the venue space was able to accommodate all our plans and last minute ideas. The space was romantic, warm, and inviting – making easy conversation among guests. 

What is your favorite memory from the wedding day? 
Looking back on the day, it is almost impossible to pick one favorite memory. But to keep it short and simple, one of my favorite memories from the wedding day was looking up during dinner and just taking it all in. Having all of our favorite people together in one spot was amazing. And seeing all the hard work that goes into planning, it truly was magical to see it all come together.

What was your favorite part about wedding planning?
My favorite part of wedding planning was picking out all the details; color scheme, flowers, décor, and of course getting to share such a special moment with my closest friends and family.

What was the toughest part about wedding planning? 
The toughest part of planning our wedding was finalizing all the small details that go into the “master timeline” leading up to the big day. All the small things you don’t think about, like vendor drop-off/pickup, clean up-  all the way down to who was responsible for the trash. Working with a venue space that allowed us to use our own vendors was great, but it also came with the extra responsibility of vendor and time management. Having Rachel and her team (my secret weapon) was the honestly one of the best decisions made. During the entire process, Rachel was there to provide support and guidance. The last few weeks leading up to the wedding was crazy, so it was amazing to have the extra support to lean on. 

How many guests were present at your event? 125

If your feel comfortable answering, what range did you wedding budget fall into? 
1) Under $20,000
2) $20,000-$35,000
3) $35,000-$50,000
4) $50,000-$65,000
5) above $65,000 

What's something that you splurged on?
The venue space and the photography.

What's something you saved on?
Using a venue that allowed us to bring our own vendors was a game changer. We were able to use our own florist, catering, and bartenders, which allowed us to make budget friendly decisions. We also were able to supply our own alcohol which is the only reason we could have an open bar-plus anything left over, we were able to take back home with us.

Vendor Team

Coordination: Slauer Events & Design
Venue: The Meadows at Firefly Farm Preserve in Raleigh, NC
Photography: Chelsea Renay
Floral: Dayspring Flowers and Costco
Catering: Whole Foods
Event Staff: Staff’d
Tap Trailer: Carolina Tap Trailers
Rentals: CE Rental
Entertainment: All Around Raleigh DJ
Cake: Neha Sampat, friend of bride
Transportation: White Horse
Hair and makeup: The Bardot
Bridal gown: Stella York from New York Bride & Groom of Raleigh
Bridesmaids dresses: Jenny Yoo