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THE CAPE FEAR LIVING WEDDING GUIDE
Welcome to your go-to guide for planning a beautiful coastal wedding with Cape Fear Living. From charming waterfront venues to talented local vendors, we bring together everything you need to create a celebration that feels effortless, personal, and unforgettable. Whether you’re envisioning an intimate seaside ceremony or a grand gathering, explore inspiration, expert advice, and trusted resources to help bring your dream day to life along North Carolina’s Cape Fear coast.
BEAUTY CREW MOBILE: Elevating Bridal Beauty Through Effortless, On-Location Glamour in Wilmington’s Wedding Scene
Beauty Crew Mobile was born from something simple and meaningful: friendship, trust, and a shared love for being part of life’s most important moments. Co-owners Shelly She and Lindsay Webb first found themselves working with many of the same brides, happily saying “yes” to being part of their wedding days.
BEYOND THE PHOTOS: How Ben Adams Turns Wedding Days Into Lasting Family Stories
As part of our wedding editorial series, we spoke with Ben Adams, the creative force behind Storyteller Adams, about building a photography experience rooted in emotion, connection, and storytelling. Based in Wilmington, Ben approaches weddings with a deeply human perspective, focusing less on perfectly posed moments and more on the relationships, emotions, and fleeting interactions that make each celebration unforgettable.
THE CITY CLUB: A Setting Steeped in History, Designed for Modern Love
Within the heart of Wilmington, The City Club of Wilmington offers a wedding experience where timeless Southern charm meets elevated, full-service luxury. In conversation with General Manager Bryan Chappell, it’s clear that every element of the venue is thoughtfully designed to create celebrations that feel both seamless and deeply personal.
A CINEMATIC APPROACH TO WEDDING STORYTELLING
From his earliest days in a high school darkroom to his studies in documentary filmmaking at Duke University’s Center for Documentary Studies, Will Fryer’s path into wedding photography and videography has always been rooted in storytelling. What began as a hands-on introduction to image-making quickly grew into a deeper fascination with how moments can be preserved, shaped, and re-experienced through both still and moving images.
VERZAAL'S FLORIST & EVENTS: A Family-Led Legacy of Wedding Floral Design Rooted in Storytelling & Intentional Detail
With a legacy rooted in Wilmington since 1931, Verzaal’s Florist has long been a trusted name in the community—now thoughtfully led by husband-and-wife team Brandon and Brittney Wells Brown. Together, they continue to evolve the family-owned business into a full-service floral and event design company, blending tradition with a fresh, intentional approach to wedding design.
INSIDE ST. THOMAS PRESERVATION HALL
Set within one of Wilmington’s most architecturally striking historic buildings, St. Thomas Preservation Hall is a venue where preservation and celebration exist in careful balance. With soaring ceilings, original structural details, and a design ethos rooted in honoring the past while embracing modern events, it has quickly become a sought-after setting for couples looking for something both atmospheric and deeply personal.
EFFORLESS ELEGANCE: The Bridal Artistry of Lauren Schulz
For Lauren Schulz, the path to bridal hairstyling wasn’t exactly linear—but it was always quietly taking shape. From childhood afternoons spent braiding teammates’ hair and experimenting with dolls, to initially pursuing degrees in Chemistry and Marine Biology, her journey reflects both curiosity and creativity. It wasn’t until after graduation, when she began reevaluating what truly fulfilled her, that she returned to that early passion and committed to hairstyling.
FROM COASTAL BEGINNINGS TO WEDDING STORYTELLING
Brittany Castillo’s path to wedding photography began in 2010 in a small coastal village in Costa Rica, where she first documented surf culture, nature, and life by the ocean.
KINDRED: Where Heritage, Hospitality, and Coastal Elegance Meet
Set along the shoreline of Carolina Beach, Kindred is a venue shaped as much by its history as by its coastal surroundings. Once a long-standing community gathering place where generations marked life’s most meaningful moments, the building has been thoughtfully reimagined into a modern wedding and events space that still carries the imprint of its past. Original architectural details sit alongside a bright, coastal-chic design, creating a setting that feels both timeless.
CANTERBURY STABLES: A Timeless Coastal Horse Farm Reimagined for Bespoke Weddings
Tucked just minutes from the coast in Wilmington, Canterbury Stables is a wedding venue that feels worlds away—where coastal air meets the quiet romance of a historic horse farm. With its centuries-old live oak, sweeping pastoral landscape, and refined equestrian aesthetic, the property offers a setting that is both transportive and deeply rooted in legacy. Here, timeless charm and modern sophistication exist in perfect balance, creating an atmosphere of unhurried luxury.
MACKENZIE OTTINGER: Captures Weddings Through a Candid, Emotional Lens
Mackenzie Ottinger of Sounds of Shutter, is a wedding and lifestyle photographer with a heartfelt, documentary approach to storytelling.
THROUGH THE LENS: A Conversation with Wedding Photographer Meagan Forbes
In conversation with photographer Meagan Forbes, we explore the story behind her decade-long journey in wedding photography and the passion that first sparked it all.
INTENTIONAL WEDDING DESIGN WITH AMANI AFFAIRS
Long before she was orchestrating elegant wedding weekends and seamless celebrations, Jihan Francois was assigning roles, drafting order forms, and mapping out growth plans for a childhood friendship bracelet business. For the founder of Amani Affairs, planning has never been a learned skill—it’s been an instinct.
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