Stephen & Jemima’s Holiday-Inspired Wedding

Winter Wedding at The Bradford Designed by Magnolia Collective

Stephen Vance and Jemima Philip tied the knot at a winter wedding at The Bradford, with help from Magnolia Collective. Below, enjoy this couple’s sweet story and get inspired by the holiday inspired celebration!

The couple’s love story began back in 2018, many miles away from Stephen’s home in North Carolina. It was just a coincidence that they both happened to be in living in Iowa City during the summer of 2018. And that’s where they met. When Stephen left Iowa, the couple dated for a year and a half long-distance. But, being apart didn’t stop them from building their relationship through FaceTime calls and monthly weekend visits. Over Thanksgiving, Stephen got down on one knee and proposed. Then, the couple said “I do” in December 2020 at The Bradford.

plum gold wedding invitations
Red and Pink Bridesmaids Bathrobes

A Winter Celebration at The Bradford – A Unique NC Wedding Venue

“After choosing each other, picking The Bradford for our venue was among the best decisions we could have made,” Jemima says. “Little did we know how important it would become with the pandemic coming about, because the space and accessibility that The Bradford afforded us helped us make this a safe and truly celebratory experience.”

When Jemima and Philip first toured The Bradford, the Daughtry Ballroom was still under construction. Still, they fell in love immediately with the grand venue.

“The Bradford helped us make this a safe and truly celebratory experience,” Jemima says. The couple also took advantage of the venue’s overnight accommodations and spent the night at The Bradford before the wedding.

Top NC Wedding Planner – Magnolia Collective

When it came to planning, the couple also made a great choice in Magnolia Collective. “I don’t think I have enough time to tell you how absolutely incredible it was to have Meagan Culkin on our team,” Jemima says.

While the bride was living in Iowa and Charlottesville, Virginia, for most of the months they were planning the wedding, Meagan and her team handled everything back in NC.

“This wedding would not have happened if we didn’t have the Magnolia Collective team behind us. From coordinating vendor meetings on the few weekends I flew into town to keeping us updated on lockdown policies to coming up with a whole plan B backyard wedding the week-of, we owe our sanity and relationship to our planners,” Jemima says.

The Bradford winter landscape NC
Bridesmaids Indian Bride Sepia

Planner Kudos: Stress-Free Wedding at The Bradford Thanks to Magnolia Collective

Jemima believes that with the stress of the pandemic, if it wasn’t for the Magnolia Collective team, the wedding wouldn’t have been able to happen. From coordinating vendor meetings to coming up with last-minute contingency plans for the wedding and, the planners were not only exceptional communicators but also a much needed support system for Stephen and Jemima. “We owe our sanity and relationship to our planners,” Jemima says. Not even the challenges of long-distance planning or a pandemic could hinder Meagan.

Clearly, pandemic couples have learned how valuable a wedding planner can be! We love hearing rave reviews about planners like Magnolia Collective.

Winter romantic courtyard The Bradford

Personalized Details From CE Rental

Raleigh-based CE Rental helped Jemima and Stephen pull together an event personalized just for them. The Bradford is an amazing blank slate venue, and Magnolia Collective worked with this Raleigh rental company to pull together a gorgeous winter look unique to the couple’s taste.

“From the furniture groups to the elegant velvet linens, the choices available were truly limitless. … I would highly recommend CE Rental,” Jemima says.

Holiday Inspiration for The Bradford Wedding by Magnolia Collective

Festive details that spiced up the wedding day included custom beer steins and evergreen boughs sprinkled into the floral arrangements and in Jemima’s bouquet. Mini holiday ornament place holders doubled as fun wedding favors. Jemima and Stephen’s wedding color palette of burgundy, blush, evergreen and gold added to the understated holiday vibes without being over-the-top. All of these details gracefully hinted at the spirit of Christmas which was just a couple weeks away from the wedding date. 

Garden patio The Bradford winter outdoor seating
Beer steins custom wedding favors

Catering for a Multicultural Wedding

Vimala’s Curryblossom Cafe was also a meaningful part of Stephen and Jemima’s big day. The authentic South Indian and Southern cuisines reflected the marriage of the Southern and Indian cultures and harmoniously celebrated the joining of the two families.

“Vimala and her husband Rush made our wedding weekend such a memorable experience. With our wedding being a blend of both Southern and Indian cultures, her experience cooking authentic South Indian and Southern cuisines for the last 35 years really celebrated the joining of our families even on our dinner plates,” Jemima says.

The families of the couple enjoyed a fully traditional South Indian breakfast the morning of the wedding for an extra dose of comfort. Jemima says it was just what her grandmother would have prepared for them!

Impressed with this design by Magnolia Collective? Learn more of Meagan Culkin’s insights – we worked with her on this Wedding Boom Planning Guide!

The Bradford is truly one of the most romantic wedding venues in NC! Click here to see our full list of the most picturesque venues in the state.

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