Lea Ballard + Chris Sanford | Nov 21, 2017
Chris and Lea's love story goes way back... all the way back to high school! He had moved to town during the summer before her senior year and the two met while working at the same restaurant. Although Lea didn’t care for him at first, Chris persisted and kept asking her to hang out until she finally said yes. They hit it off and went on to date for two years before it was time to make things official. It was close to Christmas when Chris told Lea that her Christmas present was on the tree (she fondly remembers, “It had been there for, like, two weeks without me noticing!”). She got up to look but didn’t see anything there and when she turned around to tell him so, there was Chris down on one knee asking her to marry him (and of course, she said yes!).
For their Charlotte wedding, Lea and Chris envisioned a wedding that was romantic with vintage touches. A lilac color palette with rose gold accents provided a dreamy, airy feel and played perfectly off the vintage décor of lanterns, bird cages and candlesticks. Their traditional ceremony took place outside at the gorgeous Vesuvius Vineyards on a perfect November day. It was important to the couple to honor Chris’ mother who passed away in 2013 so they incorporated several sweet moments into their ceremony to honor her memory. The flower girls wore dresses made from the fabric of Lea’s mom’s wedding dress and carried bouquets in lieu of tossing flowers. The ceremony was beautiful with gorgeous handmade wooden doors (crafted by Lea’s dad!) at the start of the birdcage-lined aisle and an amazing alter with hanging lanterns and lilac flowers.
One of the most anticipated and best moments of the day was seeing each other for the first time as Lea walked down the aisle. They chose the traditional approach of not doing a first look so it was such an emotional and special moment for the two of them!
Their lilac and rose-gold reception was filled with twinkle lights, rustic décor and lots of S’s for the new Mr. and Mrs. Sanford. Guests enjoyed a fabulous candy bar and an awesome DJ who kept everyone energized on the dance floor all night long! It was truly the sweetest day!
Congratulations to the newlyweds!
Still looking for the perfect photographer to capture your big day? Click HERE to meet some of the best in the area! And take a look at Lea & Chris' engagement session here!
Florists
The Salty Petal
Venues
Vesuvius Vineyards
Photographers
Rebecca Hicks Photography
Entertainment
L-Town Entertainment
Caterers
Chilling and Grilling
Paper Goods + Calligraphy
David's Bridal Invitations
Attire
David's Bridal
