1. Down on the Farm
The Fearrington House Country Inn in Pittsboro: It’s got Southern charm and hospitality to match. Situated on an eighteenth-century farm, this rustic English country inn hosts garden ceremonies and receptions in the farm’s beautiful (yes, beautiful!) former dairy barn.
2. By the Sea
For a chic beach wedding (minus the sand ceremony), check out The Sanderling Resort & Spa on the Outer Banks. You can marry in the Soundside Pavilion overlooking the Currituck Sound then head under an adjacent tent after sunset for the reception.
3. Estate Grandeur
We’d be remiss to not mention the Inn on Biltmore Estate—one of North Carolina’s most popular sites and a favorite of Barbara S. Clark of An Elegant Affair. The Vanderbilt-inspired hotel boasts sophisticated soirees nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
4. Garden Charm
Say “I do” at the Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens in Belmont and you’ll feel like you’re one with nature. Kimberly N. Davis of Individual Expressions directed us to this lush paradise where you can exchange vows before a backdrop of white flowers and evergreens in the wedding perfect White Garden.
5. Restaurant Redux
Want to keep the ceremony small? Look for an intimate, historic restaurant. Four Square Restaurant in Durham, a Victorian-era space situated in the restored Bartlett Mangum House, has a screened-in porch and, for the gourmet-loving duo, a contemporary American menu crafted from local favorites.
6. Castle Dreams
Princess brides can make their fairy-tale wedding dreams come true at Castle McCulloch and the Crystal Garden in Jamestown. Exchange vows within the castle’s dramatic stone walls, or outside on a hillside terrace.
7. Inn Style
Whether you prefer the great outdoors (a secluded garden courtyard) or the great indoors (an opulent ballroom), The Carolina Inn in Chapel Hill has got you covered. What makes this top pick of Raleigh-based event planner Ivy Robinson really stand out is its neoclassical Georgian architecture.
8. Chapel of Love
Traditional brides wanting something unique can marry in the chapel on the grounds of the Orton Plantation Gardens in Winnabow. Surrounded by camellias and azaleas, this classic church is a favorite of Charyl Holmes of A Carolina Wedding.
9. Through the Grapevine
No need to travel to France to wed in wine country. Carolina couples can marry at The Villa at the Blueberry Farm, a working state-of-the-art vineyard, where couples can marry indoors before a romantically lit fireplace, or on the terrace overlooking the blueberry fields.
10. Museum Magic
Rich history and architectural talent combine at the Bellamy Mansion Museum in Wilmington, where you can marry in the carriage house of this antebellum treasure. During the cocktail hour, guests can wander the gallery space of changing art exhibits.
-- Christa Vagnozzi
Photo: KPO Photo
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