Megan and Grant’s Wedding at Belk Chapel in Charlotte, North Carolina

Megan and Grant’s wedding at Belk Chapel in Charlotte, North Carolina, was an absolute dream to photograph and the entire wedding party was a delight. There were many moving parts to this event, so Megan and I worked together to create a detailed timeline to make their day seamless.

Since there were three different shooting locations for the day, I brought along an assistant to gather details, keep the timeline in check, direct the bridal party, and keep track of the portrait shot list so nothing is missed. Because of the hard work put into the fine details, prior to the wedding, all of the events flowed perfectly.

I’ll tell you more about the shooting of this wedding later, first let’s hear from the Bride.

A short intro about the couple

Grant and I both attended Ardrey Kell High School in Charlotte, NC but we were 2 grades apart. Grant and I also attended the same church, which is how we officially met in 2017. We were volunteering at a Women’s shelter in Charlotte and that afternoon he messaged me on Facebook. I was attending Auburn University at the time and Grant, having just graduated from

the University of South Carolina, was planning on moving to Dallas, TX.

We texted or talked on the phone almost every day for 3 years, building a friendship, with both of us knowing we wanted more but the timing never seemed to be right. Then, in 2020 we were both home due to COVID and finally went on our first date. We talked for four hours and both immediately knew we would spend the rest of our lives together.

I was finishing Pharmacy School at Auburn University and Grant moved to California, so for 2.5 years we were long-distance. In September 2021, Grant asked me to marry him and that was definitely the easiest answer!! Finally, in June 2022, I finished Pharmacy School and moved to join Grant in San Francisco, CA. I work as a pharmacist for the San Francisco VA Medical Center and Grant is nearing 6 years working for Toyota Corporate. We are having the best time as newlyweds exploring the west coast.

How & why did you choose your venue?

A family member got married at the Belk Chapel and after attending her wedding, I was set on having my wedding there. I took Grant to look at the chapel, and he also loved it. The church is beautiful and really speaks for itself, especially when the afternoon light shines in from the left across the pews.

Truly nothing like it! With the church being so stunning, we knew our reception venue had to match its beauty. The Terrace at Cedarhill is absolutely breathtaking. Because Charlotte was so important to both of us, the second we saw the city view from the veranda, we knew the Terrace was where we wanted our reception to be held.

What was the theme/vibe? why?

Modern falls. I enjoy all the bright colors of fall, while still having a clean/modern look. Our florist, Not Your Granny’s Florist did an amazing job with all the florals. She truly made all my wedding dreams come true. Our event planner, Crystal, with Best Impressions, ensured all the reception tables were clean, yet colorful.

How did you choose your suppliers?

I read many reviews on “The Knots” and Instagram to find out about vendors. Our wedding planner, Jane Daniel, also provided us with some vendors that we ultimately decided to go with.

Did you DIY? If so, where did you go for inspiration and tutorials?

Our food/cocktail signs were DIY. I used Instagram for inspiration and had the best time designing them for the wedding.

How did the planning work? Who helped? How long did it take to plan?

I am a huge organizational person. I created numerous spreadsheets, itineraries, packing lists, and even a wedding binder. We started planning the wedding immediately after we got engaged because of how hectic post-COVID weddings were. Jane Daniel was a huge help in planning and organizing, especially because I was planning the wedding from the West Coast. My mom, Anne Cullip, and Grant’s mom, Barbara Jorgensen, were also huge help during the planning process.

Any fears or worries about the day?

My only fear about the wedding day was the weather, which turned out to be the most gorgeous October day in Charlotte.

Any things you wish you did or didn’t do?

I have no regrets about our wedding day, other than we wish it could have lasted all night!! From start to finish of our wedding day, everything ran smoothly, our vendors were so professional and ensured everything was perfect.

Advice for future couples?

Hire a wedding planner. There are so many things to think about throughout the process and they have done it so many times. It also gives peace of mind on the wedding day that there is someone there who knows your vision and will do everything to make it come true without having to bother you on the biggest day. Also, walk through the day with your planner so they have an accurate depiction of the timeline you are hoping for. Lastly, there will be something small that doesn’t go how you thought it would, but no one else will know it, so just let it go and enjoy the night!