I loved being part of The Big Fake Wedding’s June event in Charlotte – the collaboration with so
many talented, creative wedding vendors to put on an earthy and joyous celebration for Carl and
Symone at Alchemy was inspiring, exciting, and so much fun, and seeing everything come together from the moodboard provided was beyond cool. Alchemy C3Lab is a really unique wedding venue, and I can’t wait to shoot there more- it’s a perfect space for a modern intimate wedding in Charlotte NC.

The Big Fake Wedding is a wedding show that is all about letting couples see local wedding vendors in action. Vendors of all types come together to create an actual big fake wedding, complete with a real married couple who are renewing their vows. For photographers, this is basically one giant magical styled shoot, until after the ceremony is over and you get to hang out at your table and meet all of the rad people who show up 🙂

I signed on to shoot this event in December of 2020, and had been looking forward to it for
months. The entire Big Fake Wedding team was such a pleasure to work with, and everyone was
so helpful, informative, and FUN. The level of artistry and collaboration that everyone brought
was an honor to be a part of! We did a vendor cocktail hour the evening before the event, and it
was a blast to get together and meet everyone.

Alchemy C3Lab Venue

Alchemy C3Lab is one of the most unique wedding venues in Charlotte, being a fun blend of industrial/modern/artsy- I mean, there’s an art gallery inside, how rad is that? Alchemy C3Lab has the best patio for an intimate, modern, outdoor wedding and it was so nice to take advantage of it!

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The Couple:

Carl and Symone have been married for 3 years and have a beautiful one-year-old daughter
(who made a few guest appearances throughout the day!) The Big Fake Wedding was a chance for them to put their wedding clothes back on and do a special vow renewal. Carl wore a gorgeous peach suit from OMJ, and Symone stunned in a dress from Vow’D. Even though it was a vendor collaboration, the special details incorporated for this couple were so sweet! Carl walked down the aisle with their daughter in his arms, and their vows were so joyful and genuine (despite the crowd being mostly strangers!) that I definitely may have shed a tear or two…

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The Vibe:

The warm June day combined with this amazing color palette of neutrals and warm tones
created this magical, boho-natural atmosphere that was unforgettable. I was especially obsessed
with the balloon work that Maggie from Pop Charlotte did. It was such a fun touch and a unique
way to add some pops (ha! sorry NOT sorry) of color.

The BFW Charlotte was covered by Ruffled, you can check out that blog post here and here is the complete vendor list! Everyone involved was amazing and I could sing their praises forever….so instead I’ll just say: go book them for your event. and when you’re ready to get married at Alchemy at C3Lab, you know where to find me!

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Vendors

Venue:
Alchemy at C3 Lab

Food, Drink, & Desserts:
Tega Graze
The Little Cookie Shop
Bake Me Happy Jas
The Standard Pour Company
Luxe Picnics CLT
Common Pops
Flour & Batter

Rentals:
Murphy & Co Events
CE Rental
The Perfect Touch NC
Pop! Charlotte

Wedding Planner + DJ Company:
Dogwood Gatherings and Events
Bunn DJ Company of Charlotte

Florals:
PS Floral Designs – One Soul Events –
Southern Blossom Flowers

Hair & Makeup:
Taylor Pressley Artistry

Jewelry:
Smith and Co. Jewel Design

Attire:
Vow’D Weddings
OMJ Clothing

Videography & Photography:
Gold + Sage
Me! The Hazel Club (Wyeth Augustine and See Through Photography were also there, and they’re the coolest people. it was so fun to shoot with them!)

Other Amazing Vendors:
Live Event Painter Heather Smith
Ryan Ashley The Poet
Ivory Hound Weddings
New Eclectic
Taylor & Co. Travel