09/22/2018
Perfectly said. To all the brides out there... please read 💗
Dear couples getting married in Wilmington,
You probably chose Wilmington for the very same reasons we did. It is an amazing place, lined with ancient live oaks and cobblestone streets, full of music, history and story and occupied by some of the sweetest, most gracious people alive. Maybe it was the place where you vacationed as a child or the place you went to college, and every time you return, you are filled with the warmth of nostalgia. Or maybe you simply stumbled upon our little coastal town, and there was just something about it that made you want to get married here. It happens a lot. There is something about this place that calls you back, sometimes even causing people to uproot their lives and settle here. There is something so familiar and warm about Wilmington that people want to build memories here.
I promise you, none of that has changed. I’m sure you have been watching the news and are worried. Yes, we took the impact of a giant storm that shook our town. We lost trees and some houses. Several of the historic buildings sustained damage and some of those cobblestone streets flooded. It was, by far, the worst storm I have seen since I came here for college and then couldn’t pull myself away. The impact and damage has been heart-breaking.
But that same something that calls people back here also drives all of us who live and work in this city. We love our hometown. We are eager to rebuild everything that has been lost. The southern hospitality you felt in Wilmington has taken hold full force. Residents are opening their homes, sharing meals, and taking care of the people who need it. Restaurants are feeding the masses, local musicians are holding benefits, the historic landmarks are being carefully tended to. Wilmington is the same place it always was, only now, the character of the town has risen to the surface. And it is incredible. Clean up is happening all over, and little by little we are putting everything back together.
So many of you are asking if there is anything you can do to help. There absolutely is. Get married here. We know rearranging vendors is difficult and calling all of your guests with changes is not how you envisioned this going. We know not being able to have your wedding on the date you wanted is heartbreaking, but the best way to support Wilmington is by keeping your wedding right here (even if it is a month or more from now). There may be some of you who are unable to, but please try.
By getting married here, you bring income into the local community, to the local venues, restaurants, hotels, bakers, florists, musicians and photographers. By getting married here, you also bring lots of guests who may never have been here before. And guess what? There is a very good chance they are going to fall in love with this city, too. And that is exactly what we need. People will want to travel here, get married here, and even live here, and that will provide the support we need to rebuild. Because although our landscape may have changed a bit and there may be a little more sunlight on some of our streets, Wilmington is still the same gorgeous place you and I fell in love with.
Jennifer
Salt Harbor Designs
Photo: Millie Holloman Photography
Lighting: High Performance Lighting and Power
Hair & Make-up: By Melissa Kinnamon
