Featured Weddings
Chloe + Jesse: An Intimate Fall Celebration at The Lumen House
Featured Wedding
Sometimes a wedding's entire design story starts with a teenager picking out a dress. When Chloe's 16-year-old daughter—her maid of honor—chose a rich burgundy gown, she unknowingly set the entire aesthetic in motion. That single color choice would define everything: dark, moody, romantic florals against The Lumen House's stark black and white architecture, creating the kind of dramatic contrast that stops you mid-scroll. For Chloe and Jesse, who went from neighbors in 2021 to their first date in January 2023, the intimate November ceremony was the natural next step—a celebration as intentional as their relationship.
A Proposal Worth Hiding a Fanny Pack For
Jesse proposed in Turks and Caicos during their annual summer vacation, which meant Chloe had no reason to suspect anything. As they overlooked the turquoise water from their villa, one of her favorite songs playing through the speakers, Jesse told her he wanted to spend every summer there together.
Then he dropped to one knee.
"Suddenly it made sense why he bought a fanny pack for the trip," Chloe laughs. He'd needed somewhere to hide the ring while keeping it on him at all times.
When they got home and she asked the obvious questions—So, when do you want to get married? What kind of wedding do you want?—Jesse's answer surprised her. He wanted that fall. And he wanted to invite everyone. Three hundred people, to be exact.
Chloe panicked. "He clearly had no idea about wedding planning timelines."
They compromised: an intimate November ceremony with fewer than 30 guests, with a larger reception party planned for Spring 2026. (They hired Poppy for both.)
The Vision: Moody Romance Meets Modern Architecture
The Lumen House made the decision easy. Its modern, minimalist architecture—all clean lines, black and white, dramatic angles—spoke for itself. Chloe knew immediately she didn't want to fight against it. She wanted to complement it.
Once her daughter chose that burgundy dress, Chloe started Googling. Then Pinterest-ing. The more she saw dark red and burgundy arrangements, the more certain she became. "I loved the dark, moody, romantic vibe," she explains. "It felt like it captured my personality and our love so well."
The venue's stark aesthetic needed something bold to hold its own against all that architectural drama. Burgundy florals wouldn't just stand out—they'd become a stunning counterpoint, warmth against coolness, organic curves against geometric precision.
The Florals: Where Drama Meets Intimacy
For an intimate ceremony of under 30 guests, the florals had to do serious work. Every arrangement needed to make an impact without overwhelming the carefully curated guest list.
The color story was unapologetically dark—deep burgundy anchored by mini calla lilies in Bloody Mary and Cranberry tones, with dark chocolate anthuriums adding an unexpected, almost gothic edge. Madelon Red cymbidium orchids brought sculptural drama, while cascading red amaranthus created movement and that sought-after organic flow that's having a major moment right now.
But here's what made the palette really sing: the balance between deep and soft. Quicksand roses in creamy beige tempered all that moody richness, while antique red and lime green hydrangeas—another trending choice for modern couples—added lush volume without overwhelming the composition. Purple snapdragons introduced vertical interest, and dark maraschino scabiosa brought those inky, almost-black tones that photograph so dramatically against white architecture. Safari Sunset leucadendron and Nobbio burgundy carnations rounded out the textural story.
Chloe's bridal bouquet captured the entire mood: romantic but with edge, structured but organic, the kind of arrangement that photographs beautifully in moody natural light. The mix of sculptural stems like anthuriums and orchids with softer hydrangeas and trailing amaranthus struck that balance between maximalism and restraint—enough drama to hold its own in photos, enough subtlety to feel intentional rather than overdone.
"The flowers were the focal point," Chloe says. "The venue's modern, minimalist architecture speaks for itself, so I only wanted to complement it with stunning flower arrangements."
And stunning they were. When she saw the final designs on the day-of, her reaction was immediate: "They were exactly as I envisioned, but also so unique."
A First Look Worth Reliving
If you ask Chloe which moment she'd choose to experience again, there's no hesitation: their first look. "It felt like time stood still and it was just my husband and I and the genuine joy and surprise we had from seeing each other for the first time. It was a very emotional moment."
Against the venue's stark black and white backdrop, with those dark burgundy arrangements framing the scene, they had a few minutes that belonged only to them—before the ceremony, before the guests, before anything else could compete for their attention.
What Made It Theirs
For a couple who went from neighbors to spouses in just under three years, this wedding was never about following a template. It was about embracing the intimate, leaning into fall's romantic moodiness, and trusting their instincts.
Chloe's advice for couples just starting to plan? "Get ideas from Pinterest. Also, hire a planner."
The Plannerie Co. helped them pull together an 11-day-engagement-to-wedding timeline that would make most people's heads spin. Look Love Babes handled hair and makeup. Onyx and Arrow Collective captured every moody, romantic moment. And against the architectural canvas of The Lumen House, those dark burgundy florals did exactly what Chloe hoped—they made the modern feel warm, the minimal feel lush, and the entire celebration feel unmistakably them.
Sometimes the best design choices start with a text from a teenager. Sometimes your future husband is just next door.
You just have to pay attention.
Vendor Team
Dress: @galialahav from @anjoliquebridal
Venue: @thelumenhouseevents
Photographer: @onyxandarrowcollective
Planner: @theplannerie.co
HMU: @looklovebabes
Flowers: @poppyflowersco
Videographer: @scweddingfilmmaker
Caterer: @roots_catering
Coffee: @eclipse_coffee_and_tea
Car: @carolinaclassiccarrentals
Music: @deansduets
Cake: @littlerosedesserts
Rings: @windsorjewelersnc
