Sean & Hayley share love at Graylyn in Winston-Salem, NC

After a short break in December, the 2011 wedding season began about 2 weeks ago in my hometown of Winston-Salem, NC. Sean and Hayley set the bar high, with a fantastic wedding weekend which had every detail covered. A very entertaining and heart felt rehearsal dinner on Friday night led to the families getting together on Saturday morning at 1703 Restaurant.

After the breakfast, we took a short drive over to the beautiful Centenary United Methodist Church in downtown Winston-Salem. Here I learned that not only was this the same church Hayley’s parents were married in, but, coincidentally, it was also their anniversary. In addition, they were able to find the same organist who played at the parents wedding, bring him out of retirement, and play for Hayley and Sean (they had every detail covered!). The ceremony was perfect and another short drive took us to Graylyn for the reception.

Graylyn is possibly the quintessential location for a wedding reception. Elegant, classy, timeless – perfect – and with the help of Graylyn’s own amazing Paula Glover, and the additional coordination from 1703′s Lisa Stocklin, this reception was setup perfectly. From the flower pieces, to the hanging lantern balls over the covered pool, to the beautiful cake from Edible Art of Charlotte, this was the place to be on Saturday night. After dinner, 11 piece band Big Swing and the Ballroom Blasters took everything into overdrive for some sensational singing, music and dancing.

This was a fantastic way to start 2011, and I thank Hayley, Sean and their families for having me part of this perfect day. Cheers to the newlyweds, and let’s enjoy some photos!