Brook & Juan | Purlear, NC

Brook and Juan planned their destination mountain wedding in Purlear, NC. They were planning remotely together from Georgia and Michigan. Their wedding guests traveled in from all over the country and even some traveled from abroad to gather and celebrate their North Carolina mountain wedding. 

The Venue

They chose Sky Retreat as their wedding venue in Purlear, NC for many reasons. The gorgeous all-season's 30 acre wedding venue has over 6,500sq.ft. in its Grand Event Hall and includes many other amenities such as, but not limited to: 

• 60ft Wall of Windows Showcasing View

• Two Dressing Suites

• Catering Receiving Kitchen

• 50x30ft. Covered Veranda

• Large Outdoor Fireplace

• High Vaulted Ceilings with Crystal Chandeliers

• Professionally lit Waterfall Garden

• Indoor / Outdoor Ceremony and Event Options

• Various set-ups for both Intimate and Grand Events

• Expansive Outdoor Ceremony Grassy Knoll

• Large Ceremony Paver Pad

• Onsite Lodging

• Grills

• Outdoor Picnic Areas

• Fire Pits

• Pond

• Hiking Trails

Besides all of this, you are welcome to bring your own caterers and there are no upcharges or corking fees for using outside vendors. 

Sky Retreat provides wedding staff to coordinate parking during events. There are also items such as a golf cart shuttle, wedding arbors, and a gas fire pit available to rent. 

In addition, it also offers on-site lodging for your wedding guests. They can choose to stay in one of the 14 log cabins and enjoy an extended wedding weekend. This can simplify a large part of your wedding room block worries.

The Food & Drink

Juan took the lead on their wedding food and beverage selections and made some great choices. They booked with Cranford Brothers Barbeque to cater their food, Dom Bakeries to bake their cake, and Carolina Crafts on Tap to handle bartending for them. 

For dinner they served Pulled Pork, Pulled Chicken, Mac N Cheese, Dirty Rive, Sweet Potato Casserole, Potato Buns and an assortment of their homemade sauces. 

For the bar, they had two signature drinks and an assortment of beer and wine. Their signature drinks were Strawberry Margaritas and Juan Collins. 

The Logistics

Brook and Juan planned their wedding remotely from Georgia and Michigan. They were intentional with their time that they had together so they could maximize the effectiveness of their wedding planning. Planning from a distance and incorporating different cultures can be hard, but their dedication and understanding made it seem like a breeze. Juan’s family is Columbian and Brook’s is American. They wanted to honor both cultures while also focusing on themselves and their marriage. They did this graciously while incorporating the ringing of the cow bell to introduce their first dance, parts of their ceremony, and the general music selections that were chosen. 

The other logistical opportunity was planning a mid week wedding in the mountains. Their wedding was on a Wednesday which offered some conservative wedding pricing, but also some logistical opportunities for friends and family traveling. Guests were actually able to find lodging more easily and many of their travel plans were also at a more affordable rate due to a mid-week wedding being less common than a weekend wedding. 

Entertainment was another item that they focused on. Because they were not doing a first look, they wanted to be sure their guests were entertained during cocktail hour when they were taking the bulk of their pictures. Hiring Welter Entertainment was an incredible decision and took care of this easily and smoothly. Pete Welter, their DJ, specializes in customizing experiences for weddings and adds a level of entertainment that still offers elegance and never feels overbearing. Guests played wedding trivia during cocktail hour when they were not too busy taking pictures with and petting the burrows that were hired on through the venue. 

Another fun aspect to their wedding was their intention around shared photos. They used the app PhotoCircle to collect candid pictures from their friends and family and everyone was able to share them together. 

The Design 

Their wedding design and decor really leaned into the property and the beautiful views that it affords. They took a minimalist approach and let the property speak for itself. They had beautiful floral arrangements made for the ceremony that were then re-purposed for their two long head tables. Each round table had a centerpiece or a re-purposed bridesmaid’s bouquet for their decor. It was simple, elegant, and beautiful. 

The Timing 

Guests began to arrive at their destination wedding on Tuesday afternoon. Brook and Juan had rented the larger cabin at Sky Retreat and hosted their friends and family for a cook out that afternoon before their ceremony rehearsal that evening. It was a fun and casual way to welcome guests who were all arriving at different times. 

Wednesday morning everyone woke up and began their day with a nice cup of coffee and an excitement to celebrate the soon to be married couples. Hair and makeup started around 8:30 and was wrapped up by 2:00. They opted not to do a first look, but instead spent the time taking portraits with their wedding party and family. 

Their ceremony began at 4:30 with cocktail hour following. Since they had not done a first look, they spent the bulk of their cocktail hour taking pictures with family and friends. Nothing was missed out on though and the smiles didn’t stop. After they had finished their pictures, they gave a few hugs and said some hellos before sneaking off to have a private wedding dinner - just the two of them. This allowed them to really take in the moment and spend intentional time together before heading into their first dance. While these pictures are amazing, they do not do justice to this first dance. Their nerves were high, but their steps, moves, and spins were on point. It was one of the best first dances we have witnessed. We followed with a cake cutting, mother son and father daughter dance and then the dance floor opened. The night ended with guests lining up for a bubble send off while Brook and Juan did a final private dance. They drove off in a decorated car and their guests headed home. 

The Ceremony

Sky Retreat is a wedding venue that offers multiple ceremony location options. Plan A was to have the ceremony on their large ceremony paver pad. Plan B was to have the ceremony on the covered terrace. Both offer stunning views and are right next to each other. Due to concerns over the weather, we had to pivot to Plan B with impending rain on the horizon. Last minute they made a brave decision and we moved back to Plan A. The weather held off and we had a beautiful wedding ceremony. 

Brook and Juan included both of their families in their ceremony. Juan’s parents joined him at the wedding altar while they waited for Brook and her dad to come down the aisle. Once Brook and her dad were at the altar, her mom joined them and they all exchanged embraces. It was touching and a special moment that included all of the parents. 

Another fun personal touch was to include their dog to walk with their flower girl down the aisle. 

Their vows were beautiful and led by a close family friend who added the extra personal touch of knowing them and their love and speaking to it during the ceremony. 

The Team: 

Wedding Photography: Timeless Carolinas | @timelesscarolinas

Wedding Planning & Coordination: Nancy Ess Events | @nancyessevents

Wedding Venue: Sky Retreat | @skyretreat

Wedding DJ & Entertainment: Welter Entertainment | @welterentertainment

Wedding Florals: Sweet T Florals | @sweettflowersnc

Wedding Catering: Cranford Brothers BBQ | @cranfordbrothers

Wedding Cake: Dom Bakeries | @dombakeriesnc

Wedding Bartending: Carolina Crafts on Tap | @carolinacraftsontap

Wedding Hair & Makeup: The Velvet Edge Salon | @thevelvetedgesalon

Wedding Linens: The Festive Elk | @thefestiveelk