The Kivus & Camera spring wedding season started wonderfully with CJ & Alex at the Barn at Valhalla in Chapel Hill on Saturday. You may remember CJ & Alex from their fun and colorful engagement session at ECU. Though it was grey and misty most of their wedding day, they still had a beautiful outdoor ceremony and plenty of fun. Before we get too much farther, let’s give a shout to our vendor friends.
Venue: Barn at Valhalla
Hair & Makeup: Nikki Minton & Madison Brighindi
Paper flowers: Centertwine, Etsy
Officiant: Bride’s brother David Wanczyk
Beer & Coffee wagon: Brewmasters Mobile
Catering: Y’all Eat Yet Food Truck
Cake: The Sweet Couple Bakery
Cupcakes: Small Cakes, Durham
DJ: Brandon Ross, Beyond Beats Entertainment
Photo booth: Spark Photo Booth
Rentals: Southern Events Unlimited
Favors: Fuller’s Sugarhouse
Artwork: Margaret Hannah
Let’s start with the guys, since we rarely do that. Alex and his groomsmen got ready in the downstairs game room at the main house at Barn at Valhalla, where they toasted with custom elk horn mugs!
Upstairs, the ladies were getting ready surrounded by the beautiful colors of CJ’s bouquet, petticoat, and custom Converse. Their rings are resting in that custom paper bouquet – the flower with the words is made from Harry Potter pages, because CJ is awesome!
Don’t these two look ready to get married?! CJ rocking a fascinator (keep an eye out – everyone is wearing them!), and Alex with those ECU socks.
I told you about the fascinators! What a fun idea. And I honestly can’t get over the paper bouquets. That’s what I had at my wedding too. I made mine from comic books 😀
The ceremony always arrives before you know it. The Barn at Valhalla team got the fire going out on the deck, and the ceremony guests gathered to watch CJ & Alex make it official. I love that these two chose to have an intimate ceremony and invite plenty more friends and family to the party later.
After the kiss, a walk down the aisle to cheers and congratulations before pausing for a champagne toast!
How fun is this wedding party! Toasting throughout group photos. We already talked about the guys’ steins. The ladies’ say “I solemnly swear that I am up to no good,” and if you don’t know that reference, I don’t know if we can be friends anymore.
I think they’re happy to be married!
Now, on to the reception! The Barn looks pretty even on an overcast, misting day.
The food kept everyone happy and warm. Y’all Eat Yet food truck was serving up sliders and spring rolls.
In both the barn and the tent, CJ & Alex had fun decor pulling in their personalities, from custom artwork to beakers of candy to inside jokes on tables under the tent.
How great is that fannypack CJ was rocking during the reception?! And now, ladies and gentlemen, the most suspenseful jenga game I’ve witnessed to date.
Those first two ladies managed to get their pieces out and up, but how did our purple fascinatored friend fare?
JENGA!!!
The newlyweds went to work for a few minutes, and then played in the championship round of the cornhole tournament
After cornhole were toasts (including a Dundie Award!) and dancing. All the signs of a great party.
That’s a wrap on CJ & Alex’s wedding day at Barn at Valhalla. I’ll leave y’all with a little after-dark magic. Have a great week everyone, and CJ & Alex: enjoy your honeymoon (especially the Disney parts :-D)