Southern Wedding Inspiration from The Carolina Inn Bridal Showcase

In our world, January means wedding show season! It might be cold outside with an early setting sun, but this is our favorite time of year. Our latest edition of Southern Bride & Groom magazine has just been published, and we get to spend a couple of days each week handing it out and chatting with newly-engaged couples who are just getting started on their wedding planning journey. This is what makes our work feel truly meaningful. But these events are fun for another reason, too – the local vendors pull out all the stops to showcase their talents, as well as the latest design trends. Some wedding shows are so pretty that couples could leave having planned every last detail of their wedding design. Today, we are sharing oodles of Southern wedding inspiration from The Carolina Inn Bridal Showcase.

SB&G magazine – and Mama Parks – has been part of this show for all 22 years it has been held! We adore our longstanding relationship with The Carolina Inn – a stunning Chapel Hill NC historic hotel and wedding venue known for its high class service and atmosphere. One of the most impressive offerings of The Carolina Inn Bridal Showcase is the vignettes that are scattered throughout the property. Tented receptions on the Carolina Inn lawns are very popular for weddings, especially during the spring and fall. This allows an outdoor vibe alongside the experience of amazing cuisine and upscale amenities. It doesn’t get much better than dining in style under a clear tent with a floral chandelier centerpiece!

Vignette team: Viva L’ Event, Tre Bella Flowers, Classic Party Rentals, Mason Dixon Calligraphy, Sugar Euphoria
Formal with flair: Tre Bella Flower‘s elegant floral arrangements, and fine china, is juxtaposed with gingham linen Bursts of color and gold foil on buttercream cake keep dessert classy yet delish – by Sugar Euphoria Who doesn’t love Queen Bey?? We adore this vibrant custom backdrop for the sweetheart table.The pastel haven shown above in one of the Carolina Inn parlors was designed by La Cosa Bella Events.Erin McLean Events created rose frames in her booth – we adore this idea for a wedding!Several issues of SB&G mag spotted on the table of Makeup for Your Day.These wedding favors from Bumble & Branch are too cute for words – and perfect for an eco-friendly wedding!Tre Bella creates amazing floral design (shown in vignette at top, as well as the beautiful display above), and is also Durham’s only full-service bridal salon. Visit their clothing boutique and gift shop on the ground floor of Main Street before your appointment at the wedding dress boutique upstairs!We loved the artistic floral creation that University Florist made for our boothAll photos above are by the incredibly talented Fancy This Photography, who is also a Preferred SB&G Vendor!

The second section of photos, below, are contributed by Mikkel Paige Photography . Vases on shelving is a great modern backdrops. We loved this little display by A Southern Soiree.There was no shortage of eats and treats at the Bridal Showcase! We can’t ever resist indulging on Andia’s Homemade Ice-Cream!The whimsical theme that The Carolina Inn utilized this year for their event was captured perfectly in the above ballroom scene. In the brilliant tabletop display, ability to converse does not get lost with this extravagant design.