You could say Drew and Lindsay were designed to be together. We’re honored they chose Proximity Hotel in Greensboro for the site of their whimsical garden party wedding. The couple first met while they were students studying graphic and architectural design at UNCG. They lived in the same dorm on the same hall, and became fast friends their freshman year. One day, Lindsay was outside on campus preparing to sketch some buildings for class and realized she had forgotten a pencil. She immediately called Drew, knowing he was in art classes too. She asked if he could bring her a pencil, secretly hoping he would stay for awhile. Not only did he oblige, but he also brought a blanket and snacks for a picnic. Needless to say, neither one of them did much drawing that day.
After eight years of dating, Drew decided it was time to ask an important question. The night of their engagement, he tricked Lindsay and told her they were going to stay at her parents’ house for the weekend. He secretly had a romantic evening in store, starting with dinner and a stay at Proximity Hotel where he later proposed. Once wedding planning began, the couple didn’t bother scouting out any venues, as they instantly knew where they wanted to wed. They had always loved the simple and contemporary elegance of the Proximity and its significance became even more sentimental after their engagement there.
With Drew and Lindsay both having careers in design, it was only natural that their wedding would be full of original details that reflected the nature of their personalities and their love for one another. Their creativity shone through in every aspect of the wedding, from the lighting down to the pillows—each detail held special meaning for the couple. Wary of the unpredictable nature of the weather, Drew and Lindsay opted for an indoor wedding. Their ceremony was held in the hotel’s social lobby, which was transformed into a beautiful garden. The bride chose ivories, corals and greens, reminiscent of a spring garden for her colors, and florist Brenda McLamb incorporated white, peach and coral calalillies, tulips, roses, ranunculus, green hosta leaves and flexigrass throughout the space.
Two existing tables framed the altar in the social lobby and were decorated with votives of flexigrass, candles and coral roses. Petals, boxwood plants and topiaries lined the aisle.
Bringing the outdoors in: The hotel’s social lobby was converted into a magical garden for the ceremony.
Lindsay’s father played a very instrumental, artistic role in the design details of her big day. To accentuate the garden party ambiance of the evening, he took delicate fern leaves, painted them bronze to resemble feathers and styled them in the table arrangements. He also painted several metal-wire framed “lantern” candle holders bronze, as well as the handmade wedding cake stand.
The Weaver Room featured pencil favors, lanterns, a fun photo guestbook, and a wishing tree.
Combining their passion for design, Lindsay designed lanterns and Drew meticulously fashioned 16 of them in various sizes out of cardboard. Each lantern contained a battery operated candlestick and was suspended at different levels in the Weaver Room.
Drew and Lindsay liked the interactive and personalized concept of having a photo-guestbook, so a Polaroid station complete with custom-made dry erase boards and props was set up for guests to take photos. Guests could clip their photos to rods of hanging ribbons in the bride’s colors. They also placed a special “wishing tree” outside the Weaver Room, hung with escort cards directing the guests to their seats. Guests could then write words of wisdom, advice, and good fortunes, and then later hang them back on the tree.
For wedding favors, the bride and groom gave their guests white mechanical pencils (resembling # 2 pencils)—a nod to that day on the grass at school. The pencils were inscribed with the quote “don’t be afraid to take the next step,” a quote that came from a fortune cookie Drew got after his and Lindsay’s dinner on the night of their engagement. A large picture frame was hung near the wishing tree, outlining the story of their courtship and the significance of the pencils, so guests could read it as they found their escort cards. Lindsay’s father painted the picture frame, and Drew upholstered the board inside with spring green fabric, stitched ribbon to the board and then wove pencils through to hold them in place.
Lindsay created vignettes in the lounge areas with window benches, club chairs and throw pillows made by their minister’s wife. Lindsay had them monogrammed with an embroidered “B” for Bremer.
The bride and groom set up a “Signature Sips” cocktail station, alongside assorted wine and beer.
Roasted Red Pepper & Smoked Gouda Galettes, Bacon-Wrapped Braised Beef Short Ribs with Mashed Potatoes and Green Beans, and a triple-tiered wedding cake with spring green ombre ruffles and coral roses.
Chef Designed Menu by Print Works Bistro
Cocktail Hour Menu:
- Mini Crabcakes with Remoulade Sauce
- Roasted Red Pepper and Smoked Gouda Galettes
- Baked Brie with Fig, Honey & Orange Marmalade
Plated Dinner Menu:
- Seasonal Greens with House Vinaigrette and Creamy Herb Dressing
- Chicken Cordon Bleu with a Tarragon Cream Sauce, served with Mashed Potatoes
- Bacon-Wrapped Braised Beef Short Ribs, served with Mashed Potatoes
- Pan-Seared Salmon with Honey-Lime Butter Sauce, served with Rice
- Green Beans
- Bread & Butter
The bride & groom’s head table, lined with a Fiorenza Mushroom table runner. Tables were adorned with flower arrangements by Brenda, bronze-painted lantern candleholders and other mercury glass and metallic accents selected by the bride.
Square and round tables were adorned with table runners, bronze candle lanterns, coral butterfly place cards, and floral centerpieces which featured the bronze “feathers” Lindsay’s dad made.
Lindsay made coral butterflies out of a variety of seeded paper (so guests could later take them home and plant them). Each butterfly featured the guest’s name, color-coded by the entree they ordered, and was clipped on to a water glass as a place card.
Dancing with coral uplighting
THE WEDDING MAGIC MAKERS
- Ceremony Venue: Proximity Hotel, Social Lobby
- Reception Venue: Proximity Hotel, Weaver Room
- Chef Designed Menus: Print Works Bistro
- Photography: Liz Grogan
- DJ/Lighting: K2 Productions
- Tables: Party Tables
- Desserts: Cakes by Chloe (Red Velvet, Strawberry, Lemon-Raspberry and Vanilla) and Cheesecakes by Alex
For more information about planning your wedding or event Greensboro, North Carolina, please email our wedding and event specialists or give us a call at Proximity Hotel: 336-478-9111 or O.Henry Hotel: 336-478-9112.