Coastal Celebration Planned by Anthem House
Joey Erdie and Garcelle Vierra grew up in California and met as teenagers. The pair began dating after high school, while Garcelle attended Chapman University and Joey entered the Air Force. Their love carried them through a long-distance relationship, moves across the country and Joey’s overseas deployments for nearly a decade until the couple settled in Goldsboro, North Carolina. After spending a day together in Duck, a town in the Outer Banks, Joey popped the question on the beach across from the Bodie Island Lighthouse. Experienced planner Amanda Honeycutt of Anthem House helped the couple plan a Wilmington wedding inspired by their Californian roots.
The couple celebrated their coast-to-coast love story on April 23, 2022, at Airlie Gardens in Wilmington. Amanda Honeycutt, creative director of luxury planning company Anthem House coordinated the special day, which didn’t take place without a few hiccups. Joey was deployed seven months prior to the wedding date and didn’t know if he would be back in time for the April date. Luckily, he returned home just 17 days before the big day.
“Amanda was wonderful at keeping us together and our vendors informed when we had potential hiccups with our planning,” Garcelle says.
Relaxed Californian Elements Tie Together this Coastal Wilmington Celebration
The couple chose rentals and decor in olive green, terra cotta and merlot shades paired with neutrals. Incorporating their own home furniture to helped to make the reception feel like an extension of their own living room. The natural beauty of Airlie Gardens was accentuated with Californian elements like olive branches.
Personal touches made a beautiful ceremony even more sentimental. In a sweet nod to her maternal grandmother, aunt and mother, who all wore the same dress on their wedding days, Garcelle carried on the tradition by wearing a replica of the original. Also in a nod to her paternal grandmother’s memory, Garcelle’s bridesmaids held Lily of the Valley bouquets, her favorite flower.
A Classic Wilmington Wedding at Airlie Gardens
After the ceremony at the Basilica of Saint Mary, guests mingled under the massive Airlie Oak that’s draped in Spanish moss and lit by market lights. “Cocktail hour was gorgeous – the lighting, the weather and the venue was perfect,” Joey says. A family-style alfresco dinner under a white sailcloth tent followed. Jillian Knight Photography and Serrano Film Co. captured the intimate day. For an extra-personal touch, the couple served their guests several different flavors of cake from their favorite local bakeries.
“[Amanda] and her assistant, Maggie Hendrickson, set up the most beautiful tablescape for us and really brought our goal for our wedding to life,” Garcelle says. “Looking around on our wedding day and seeing everyone so relaxed and enjoying themselves was the best gift, but it didn’t hurt to be in such a beautiful setting!”
