Megan and Luke’s wedding day at The River Room was a super unique and special day for both of them and for me, too! I usually get to know my couple through video chatting or doing an engagement session before their big day, but Luke was deployed for basically the whole time Megan was wedding planning. He got home just two weeks before their wedding!! I still felt close to Megan when I first met her on her wedding day because we had been emailing so often. She even sent me a picture of her dress when she found it – I LOVE when that happens! It was so special to feel close, even though we were just meeting. 

The whole day was an extra special celebration since Luke had just gotten home and was seeing all of his favorite people. It was a really beautiful celebration of their love. Feeling comfortable and having a lot of fun was really important to Megan and Luke. And they really did have so much fun! For their introductions at the reception, they shotgunned vodka Redbulls and then danced the night away with their guests. 

After their reception ended, they changed clothes and walked over to their favorite basement dive bar. I came along because, as a North Carolina photographer, my afterparty rule is I will always come to your afterparty if I don’t have  a wedding the next day or a long drive home. I am so glad I got to be a part of theirs because I ended up getting some beautifully unposed, perfectly candid bar photos that are some of my absolute favorites of the day. 

The River Room 

I just have to take a minute to highlight their incredible venue. It is perfectly located in downtown Wilmington and is such a beautiful, flexible venue space. One of the really awesome things about its location is that there is a ton of variety in the surrounding downtown area. We went on a short little walk around the venue for couples portraits, and we got so many incredible looks! 

It has two main areas: the indoor space where the ceremony and reception were held, and the outdoor patio that overlooks the river where cocktail hour was held. I love how clean, bright, and modern the indoor area is. You can do a lot with the space if you want, but minimal decor is still beautiful because the venue is lovely enough on its own! Brittanie Raquel Events was the incredible force behind the event planning and florals. They were AMAZING to work with. I am always impressed by a team that handles a room flip well, and BRE did an incredible job during the cocktail hour.

Vendors

Venue – The River Room, Wilmington, NC

Planner & Florist – Brittanie Raquel Events

Caterer – A Thyme Savor

Dessert – The Pink Baking Co

DJ – Coastal DJ

Bridal Shop – Camile’s

Dress Designer – Justin Alexander

Groomswear – Calvin Klein

HMUA – Bridal Style Beauty