After falling for each other in high school, these two sweethearts made their way down their rose-petaled aisle to say their forever I’Do’s at their black-tie wedding at The Ruth in North Carolina.
After a surprise proposal at the magical Longwood Gardens, Morgan and Navarus were ready for their wedding journey to begin. The couple’s event designer Jenkins & Co. gave them a spectacular mix of modern, organic, and luxe elements at their outdoor wedding ceremony at The Ruth.
After the vows the party went inside where guests were treated to an intimate reception with a Jamaican food truck by Marlie Q’s and their beautiful wedding cake echoing the organic vibes of the day from their bakery Sweet It Is.
Scroll down to see more from Navarus and Morgan’s gorgeous day!
- Couple: Morgan and Navarus
- Occupations: Corporate Recruiter| Government Project Manager
- Wedding Date: May 20, 2023
- Wedding Location: Charlotte, North Carolina
Quick Facts:
- Bridesmaids and groomsmen’s gifts: Morgan mailed each of her bridesmaids a personal letter and little champagne bottles to POP the question. Navarus Vegas…
- Ceremony entrance song: Bride: “Can’t Help Falling In Love” by Haley Reinhart
- First dance song: “Best Part” by Daniel Caesar featuring HER
How we met…
Nav and I went to the same secondary school. We used to adore each other from afar since Nav was a 7th grader and I was in 9th grade. Finally my junior year (Nav’s freshman year) he played varsity football and I was a varsity cheerleader. Our friends would joke around with us trying to make things awkward knowing we both liked what we saw in one another. Finally, in the summertime of 2012, we started dating and have been together since August 2, 2012.
Popping the question…
Nav made a fake wedding invitation to someone’s wedding in Pennsylvania since those people recently got engaged it wasn’t out of the ordinary. We drove up from DC and stayed at a hotel in Philly for a night then went to Longwood Gardens where the “wedding” was supposed to take place. This was the excuse to get me all dolled up.
Once we crossed a bridge with fountains all around us he got down on his knee and proposed. He also got a photographer who was hiding in plain site as a pedestrian. We then had an hour-long photoshoot throughout the garden after.
The ceremony…
Wedding style…
Guests wore black tie attire while the venue style was a very organic, botanical vibe with soft pale colors such as champagne and gold. Morgan went for a city chic style with a Sarah Seven dress and tried to go with a Marilyn Monroe vibe for the reception dress by House of CB.
Navarus had his groomsmen in all-black with accent ties, each groomsman had a different shade of champagne to match the bridesmaid they were matched with. The Groom’s style was inspired by James Bond, a Slim fit tailored black suit with an oversized bow tie.
Planning the day…
We were very fortunate with the experience in planning and shopping overall for our wedding. Even though we were in a whole different state, we had the help of Pinterest and our lovely planner, Sacoya Jenkins. Sacoya made the planning process feel seamless.
Celebrating our cultures…
Morgan’s family is Italian and Navarus’ family is from the Caribbean (Jamaica and Guyana) so culture was VERY important. We infused it in a few ways, starting with our menu.
For our cocktail hour, we had a mix of passed appetizers that were of Italian influence, so we had whipped ricotta toast, braised beef arancini, and traditional meatball marinara paired with a Jamaican Food Truck that served jerk chicken, beef patties, and sweet plantains.
We topped it off by having our signature cocktail a “Jamaican Rum Punch” which is the staple drink of Jamaica.
Our best memories…
Our best memory of the wedding would have to be the first dance. It felt like we were the only ones in the room for a split second, and took away all the jitters we had from the ceremony.
Here’s the thing…
Take it SLOW. Go at your own pace. Do not let social media taint your expectations. This is a once-in-a-lifetime moment for you and your significant other to share your love with all of your loved ones – so make it worth it but make it your own.
For more pretty outdoor North Carolina nuptials like this wedding at the Ruth…
Just click here!
Vendors:
- Planner: Jenkins & Co. Weddings
- Photographer + Videographer: Studio Plaxco
- Venue: The Ruth by Beau Monde
- Hair + Makeup: Lindsey J Burchfield
- Dress: Sarah Seven
- Wedding Cake: Sweet It Is
- Rentals + Linens: Curated Events Charlotte
- Florals: Charlotte Flower Market
- Catering: ROOTS Catering
- Paper Goods: Minted
- Cocktail Hour Food Truck: Marlie Q’s
- DJ: Cease Fire Productions
- Wedding Submission Services: Published + Pretty
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