Remember a little while ago we shared Julia’s gorgeous bridal portraits? Today we’re serving you her wedding at Berry Bridge Resort!
When Julia and her sweetie, Phillip, met while attending the wedding of mutual friends, little did they know they’d end up also saying “I do”! In time, these two healthcare workers got engaged (during the pandemic, no less!) and began planning an intimate, COVID-conscious wedding. Says Julia, “Keeping it small allowed us to focus on what was important for us in a wedding—beautiful photos, good food, and an elegant affair. We wanted an opportunity to gather with our closest family and friends to safely celebrate our marriage.” As you’ll see, they did a lot to ensure everyone was safe without compromising the warmth and love, including an outdoor ceremony, social distancing, masks, and hand sanitizer favors.
You’ll also see captures of their epic first dance, which was to Coldplay’s “Sky Full of Stars,” for which they learned the moves on YouTube!
Julia shares the details of their day, including Phillip’s sweet proposal and the performance of a song from Hamilton, below.
How did you guys get engaged?
“Phillip took me a weekend trip to Grandfather Mountain in North Carolina. He’d planned a mountaintop proposal but altered them when a storm closed the peak trail. So, after waiting for an hour for the storm to pass (while I blissfully watched Frozen 2 on Disney+ unaware of the upcoming proposal), he popped the question on a picturesque lower trail nearby!”
wedding dress: Lea-AnnBelter Mona via Bellissima | photographer: Beautiful Life Films and Photography | full vendor list at bottom
Tell us about your day!
“Fortunately, having gotten engaged during the pandemic, we planned from the start for a COVID-conscious wedding. As health care workers, the last thing we wanted was for our wedding to be a super-spreader event. Keeping it small allowed us to focus on what was important for us in a wedding (beautiful photos, good food, and an elegant affair). We wanted an opportunity to gather with our closest family and friends to safely celebrate our marriage. We had the ceremony outside with households sat six feet apart, followed by a socially distanced cocktail hour and plated dinner reception. Favors? Masks and hand sanitizer, of course! We did the traditional first dance and mother/father dances, toasts, and cake-cutting (with cupcakes for guests). The finale was a sparkler send-off in Phillip’s Z28 Camaro. We truly enjoyed the day and time spent with loved ones.”
One detail you couldn’t live without?
“I didn’t think we’d enjoy it so much, but we did a signature cocktail called the “Phil-lie Ju-lip”—basically a mint julep that combines our first names. I thought it was clever, and our guests loved them.”
Describe your wedding day in five words or fewer:
“Elegant, intimate celebration of love.”
What was the funniest moment of your day?
“My twin sister Andy rewrote the words to a Hamilton song as part of her toast. My other sister performed it with her, and it was so funny and perfect.”
What was your something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue?
“Old and blue: A family, Art Deco-style ring with sapphires. Also had blue in the bouquet.
Borrowed: The hair clip my twin sister wore at her wedding.
New: Everything else! veil, shoes, and my Mona dress.”
Three words that best describe your partner:
“Phillip is thoughtful, sweet, adventurous.
Julie is driven, positive, enthusiastic.”
Where did you go on your honeymoon?
“Hilton Head Island, SC! We stayed at the Inn at Harbour Town in Sea Pines.”
Any advice for future brides/grooms?
“Enjoy the process (being engaged, wedding planning, starting a future with your fiance)! It all flies by so fast!!”
Julia + Phillip’s Berry Hill Resort Wedding Vendors
wedding dress: Lea-AnnBelter Mona via Bellissima | photographer: Beautiful Life Films and Photography | venue, catering, and coordination: Berry Hill Resort | hair + makeup: I Do STYLE | florals: Buttercups | rings: Windsor Jewelers
