An Intimate Chapel Hill Wedding
They say rain on your wedding day is a good omen. That tale rings true for Amelia and Chris, who saw a downpour during their intimate Chapel Hill wedding. The couple tied the knot at the same spot where they got engaged – The Parlour at Manns Chapel in Chapel Hill. The sweet, historic white chapel and grounds provided Amelia and Chris with their ideal setting for a cheerful celebration with their closest loved ones. Raindrops were kept at bay during their reception in The Parlour’s courtyard under a tent, while the pair made use of the stormy weather to create unique photos with their wedding party.
Chris and Amelia’s Love Story
For Carrboro native Amelia and Chris, a native of Chesapeake, Virginia, love came quickly. Amelia, a UNC alumna, and Chris, a Virginia Tech alumnus, matched on a dating app. They met up for their first date in August 2018 at Whit’s Frozen Custard in Hillsborough. It was on this day that they both found the qualities that they were looking for in a partner: laughter, fun and honesty.
A Proposal at The Parlour at Manns Chapel
After dinner at Acme on Jan. 24, 2020, the day before Amelia’s birthday, Chris proposed to her at The Parlour at Manns Chapel. What Amelia first thought was a public tour of the venue was a romantic surprise. Chris had rented out the venue and had it filled with hundreds of candles. When he asked Amelia to marry him, it was an easy yes.
The Parlour at Manns Chapel had always been a place holding special meaning for the couple, who had booked the venue many months before they even got engaged. Amelia recalls that “[I] got the same feeling visiting The Parlour for the first time as I did meeting Chris, just a sense of OK, this is the one.”
Planning the Big Day
Amelia cites her difficulty letting go of control over wedding day details adding to her reluctance to hire a wedding planner, but since The Parlour requires couples to hire a planner, Amelia and Chris hired Chelsea Van Armen of Lucky Day Events Co. Amelia says that, looking back on the process, she doesn’t have any regrets about hiring a wedding planner despite her initial hesitation.
“Chelsea was my wedding angel. She was so patient with my millions of questions and was just so organized on the day of. As someone who has trouble letting go, I had complete trust in Chelsea,” Amelia says. “I can’t recommend her enough. Chelsea and her fiancé are now lifelong friends.”
Intimate Chapel Hill Wedding Ceremony
Rain on their wedding day, April 24, 2021, didn’t put a damper on the celebrations – instead allowing Amelia and Chris to have a unique umbrella photo shoot with their photographers from Connection Photography. They tied the knot inside The Parlour’s bright chapel decorated with white floral arrangements with hints of greenery.
The floral arrangements were created by Kelly of Color Fields, who grows all of the flowers used in her artistic creations. Inspired by the design of their own home, Amelia and Chris chose a color palette focused on neutral tones of gray, silver and white. The simple and elegant theme brought out the natural beauty of the venue, which didn’t require much additional decoration to bring to life the intimate wedding ceremony.
“We couldn’t have picked a prettier venue or nicer people to work with [than] at The Parlour. It will always hold a special place in our hearts,” Amelia says.
Custom Wedding Day Details
The couple made their ceremony as personal as possible by including their own handwritten vows and handpicked readings. Continuing the personal details throughout the evening, cocktail selections from Brewmasters Mobile were named after the couple’s three dogs: The Finley, The Roscoe and The Rusty. Cocktail napkins were decorated with their photos, wedding date and a cute phrase; “We can’t hold our licker.” Amelia says that Brewmasters was one of their favorite vendors, who “are such nice people, and they allowed us to create a custom package with their adorable tap trailer.”
After the indoor ceremony, the reception was hosted in The Parlour’s courtyard that features sweet market lighting and garden-like details directly adjacent to the chapel. Rentals from CE Rental were “gorgeous, and they executed exactly what I had in mind,” Amelia says.
Guests were kept safe from sprinkles under a clear tent from Capital Events. Amelia, Chris and their guests enjoyed food from the couple’s favorite Durham pizza joint, Pie Pushers, who saved the day when other catering plans fell through.
Amelia’s favorite memory of the wedding day was her first dance with Chris, who says that his most cherished moment was walking down the aisle with Amelia after saying their vows. But he admits that their first dance is a close second in his book!
After dinner, the couple and their guests enjoyed sweet treats from Mama Bird’s Ice Cream, a mobile dessert bar. Since ice cream was a part of their first date together, serving dessert at the wedding was a must! Edible Art Bakery & Dessert Cafe created a unique and fun peanut butter and jelly-inspired cake for the wedding, with raspberry filling and peanut butter frosting, which was inspired by one of Chris and Amelia’s favorite foods.
Amelia and Chris’ Words of Advice
To those planning their own wedding days, Amelia says to put yourself and your partner first. “My number one piece of advice is do what you want. There will be a ton of other people’s opinions forced on you, but try not to listen to them,” she explains. “You and your fiancé are the opinions that matter. Make sure the wedding feels like the two of you.”
She also recommends choosing vendors who you enjoy spending time with – because you will be spending a lot of time with them on your big day! The couple also suggests using a partial- or full-service wedding planner.
The couple and their loved ones danced the night away accompanied by DJ Paradime. At the end of the evening, Amelia and Chris departed from The Parlour with a sparkler exit. “Then we said goodbye to our guests and hopped into our getaway car and pinched ourselves that we were actually married!” Amelia says. The couple now live in Hillsborough with their three dogs, cat and two ducks.
Did you know that The Parlour at Manns Chapel is one of the wedding venues chosen for our list of the most romantic and picturesque venues in the Triangle? Click here to view the full list!
