You might remember the news stories about Chad Biggs and Chris Creech, the first same-sex couple to marry in North Carolina when the legislation passed last October. Almost a year later, on NC Pride day, the couple celebrated their union with a classic wedding ceremony at Melrose Knitting Mill in Raleigh followed by a stylish Gatsby-themed reception at The Cookery in Durham. You can find their wedding featured on the pages of SB&G’s 2016 magazine, with additional images by the talented Southern Love Studios featured below.
Chad and Chris’s relationship began on their very first date in 2006. The two men bonded quickly while they enjoyed watching Chad’s daughter Sabre play with Chris’s two young foster sons. Eventually, the foster children were reunited with their family. They remain close to the couple and all the children were there as a part of the family for the union nine years later.
After hearing the story of their marriage and in an effort to honor the legalization of same-sex marriage in NC, The Cookery approached the couple and offered to donate its space and services for a formal wedding reception. Although Chad and Chris were saving funds for a celebration, they were able to host a much grander event when several other wedding vendor friends asked to contribute towards their day. As the lead planner of Chad Biggs Event Planning & Design and the exclusive event planner at Babylon and the Melrose Knitting Mill in Raleigh, Chad was able to coordinate his dream wedding with the help of the team of local wedding professionals!
For Chad and Chris, the day was a tribute to equal rights for all. Video footage of their October 10, 2014 marriage at the Wake County Courthouse played on a big screen as they entered the reception – a reminder of how significant this moment was not only for them, but also for same-sex couples across NC.
Guests enjoyed a beautiful reception event with glittering gold details, jewel-covered floral arrangements by Expressions of Love Florist, and a customized monogram design in an art deco style that showed up throughout the wedding from the program to the cake topper. The menu from Donovan’s Dish included Southern favorites such as chicken and waffles and shrimp and grits, and was accompanied by signature cocktails. The party-era theme and upbeat music inspired the crowd to dance and even enticed a few to sing along.
Earlier, during their first look photographs, Chad presented Chris with a new David Yurman band and he shared, “This moment, that location and those rings signified the beginning of a new chapter of our lives that we would welcome with friends and family, exactly how we would have wanted it to be when we first legally wed.”
PHOTOGRAPHY Southern Love Studios | REHEARSAL DINNER Babylon Restaurant and Lounge | PLANNING & DESIGN Chad Biggs Event Planning & Design | CEREMONY VENUE Melrose Knitting Mill | RECEPTION The Cookery | CATERER Donovan’s Dish | FLORIST Expressions of Love Florist | PARTY RENTALS American Party Rentals | PHOTO BOOTH TapSnap | ACCOMMODATIONS Hyatt House Raleigh, North Hills | MINISTER Dr. Brent Myers | VIDEOGRAPHER Focus Media | MEN’S FORMALWEAR Jos A. Banks (Cameron Village) | BRIDESMAID DRESSES MAGGI Bridal | CAKE Simply Cakes | GROOMSMEN GIFTS Versace cologne | BEER Ponysaurus Brewing Co. | CALLIGRAPHY Calligraphy by Carrie, Marika Wendelken and Meghan McFarland | CEREMONY MUSIC Laura Byrne, Harpist & Pam Nelson, Flutist | RECEPTION MUSIC Spin DJ Services and Numinous Steel | TRANSPORTATION ABC Worldwide, The Bridge Bus, and Royal Parking | HAIR Simple Bliss Manuel Eason & Matthew Melino | MAKEUP Maria Franco | WEDDING FAVORS Bottles of +&+ Cava with a tag that reflected the date Chad & Chris 10.10.14
