Vintage Inspired Fashion Meets Warm Mocha Hues and Romantic Timeless Charm at Outdoor Wedding in North Carolina

In this article

Quick Facts:
How did you meet?
Tell us about the proposal.
Describe your wedding attire. What was the wedding shopping experience like for you?
What are your best memories from your wedding?
What is the best wedding advice you can give to engaged couples?
Looking for more vintage-inspired wedding inspiration?
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Jihanne and Demond shared an emotional and heart-warming celebration with their loved ones at their timeless vintage-inspired wedding in North Carolina!

Jihanne and Demond have been building their relationship for over ten years. The blissful couple first met while attending the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2014. As soon as they locked eyes at freshman orientation, they became friends, and as fate would have it, they were assigned to the same freshman dormitories.

Our friendship felt so natural and timeless. It was like we’d known each other in every lifetime. In December, before our first winter break, Demond asked me to be his girlfriend. I said yes…
– Jihanne

In March of 2023, Demond proposed to Jihanne on their university campus, where they had shared so many precious memories, under the legacy-laden Davie Poplar tree. The lore states that if a couple kisses under that tree, they are destined for marriage. Completely taken by surprise and laughing through joyful tears, Jihanne said, “Yes!”.

Jihanne and Demond’s vintage-inspired wedding was a stunning blend of timelessness, vintage charm, and minimalist decor, creating an atmosphere brimming with romance and elegance.

Warm mocha brown and caramel tones were incorporated throughout the wedding, including the groom’s nontraditional attire, adding to the vintage charm of the celebration.

Jihanne’s breathtaking bridal gown from designer Rita Vinieris featured pearl buttons, floral embellishments, and a partly sheer back, with the most gorgeous structured silhouette. Her look also included a nontraditional neck scarf in place of a veil, creating a fashion-forward, yet timeless style with vintage charm.

Further embracing their wedding style, a portion of their wedding photographs were shot on 35mm film, resulting in romantic, timeless photos they will cherish forever.

Every detail of Jihanne and Demond’s wedding was thought out with authenticity in mind, including the dessert. They forwent the traditional wedding cake and opted for a Ben & Jerry’s ice cream bar instead.

We’d encourage you to stay in lock-step with your partner throughout the (wedding planning) process and make sure that you’re creating an environment where you can show up as your truest selves for each other.
– Jihanne

See the charming details of their vintage-inspired outdoor wedding below!

Couple: Jihanne & Demond
Occupations: Brand/Creative Strategist | Health and Wellness Coach
Wedding date: October 24, 2024
Wedding location: The Oaks at Salem, Apex, North Carolina

Quick Facts:

Ceremony entrance songs:
- Jihanne – My aisle song was an instrumental version of “Me & Your Mama” by Childish Gambino. We’ve always loved Donald Glover as an artist, and this song resonates so much with the love we share. The instrumental version is a beautiful and strong deep-cut that brought our guests to tears as my father and I glided down the long, brick aisle.
- Demond – Honestly, I had my aisle song picked out before I picked out the ring! The theme of our aisle music was timeless. When I asked Jihanne to marry me, I was absolutely certain that I had chosen my best friend to be my life partner. I sang all the way down the aisle along with Willie Hutch to the classic ‘I Choose You’.
First dance song: Our first dance as husband and wife was to “In A Sentimental Mood” by Duke Ellington and John Coltrane. We are both jazz fans, and this song stirs something in us that is romantic, passionate, and confident. We self-choreographed the dance and had to include a dip AND a lift for unforgettable moments for us and our guests. We still play the song often through our home, and it will always bring back the fondest memories of the start of the rest of our lives together.

How did you meet?

We met on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2014. When we locked eyes at freshman orientation, we became instant friends. We ended up being assigned the same freshman dormitory, and our friendship felt so natural and timeless. It was like we’d known each other in every lifetime. In December, before our first winter break, Demond asked me to be his girlfriend. I said yes, and our relationship quickly blossomed into a blissful partnership that we’ve been building for over a decade.

Tell us about the proposal.

Demond proposed to me on UNC’s campus in March of 2023 under the legacy-laden Davie Poplar tree. On our freshmen orientation tour, our guide shared that legend has it that if a couple kisses on the stone bench beneath the tree, the couple will marry. I was completely surprised by the proposal, and when Demond got down on one knee, I laughed through tears because we always joked about the legend and even shared a kiss there once or twice during our school days. Demond arranged a post-proposal surprise party with our closest friends and family at TOPO, which was such a significant place to us when we were students.

Describe your wedding attire. What was the wedding shopping experience like for you?

Jihanne: I went dress shopping ONCE! I had no intention of buying my dress at the very first bridal shop I visited, but when I put my dress on, something clicked in me that I’d never felt before.

My mom and sister were in town for Thanksgiving, and we are all huge Say Yes to the Dress fans, so I made an appointment at Bridals by Lori here in Atlanta as a fun Black Friday activity. They were having a trunk sale for one of my favorite designers, whose dresses I’d saved to my Pinterest board, but again, I didn’t expect to find the one. I wore a customized version of the Brinley of the Rivini by Rita Vinieris F23 line and opted for a non-traditional neck scarf as my “veil” to achieve a classic, timeless look. I felt like a real princess in my dress, and it was so hard to keep it a secret from Demond for so long!

Demond: I knew when I turned around to see my bride for the first time, her dress would be something I had never seen before. I wanted to keep the same energy of non-traditionalism for my groom’s suit.

I picked a reddish-brown tweed suit with a mandarin collar. The brown represents the rich soil that emerges when Earth (Jihanne, a Capricorn) and Fire (me, an Aries) meet.

The couple’s special day was full of meaningful details, including wedding programs designed as newspapers and a video showcasing their engagement journey.
– Laura Memory Photography & Videography

Their wedding outfits were inspired from vintage and timeless fashion. Shot on 35mm film, the photography added a nostalgic, romantic touch to their Pantone Color of the Year hued celebration of Black love.
– Laura Memory Photography & Videography

What are your best memories from your wedding?

The best memory of our wedding was the unity that everyone felt when they came into the space to celebrate us. The night before, we hosted an I Do BBQ where our friends and family got to reconnect with each other. The unique thing about Demond and I is that we had been dating each other since we were eighteen, when we decided to get married at twenty-eight. Our families had attended graduations, celebrations, and seen us together for nearly a decade.

The feelings of pride and joy spilled over into the next day, and the love we share with one another was palpable for our guests. During our ceremony, our officiant asked us to turn and face our audience and had them participate in a community vow that bonded them to us in a very special way. Later that night, we opted to have them participate in our unity ceremony. We asked each table to designate one person to light an unlit candle on their table as we lit the fire pit at the venue to signify that we all have a hand in keeping this fire burning.

Emotions ran high throughout the day, with heartfelt tears at Jihanne and Demond’s first look and a touching moment when Jihanne’s father saw her for the first time and both cried. The significance of the day was further heightened by the presence of her family, who overcame the challenges of recent floods in Western North Carolina to join in the celebration.
– Laura Memory Photography & Videography

Jihanne and Demond’s wedding was a testament to love’s endurance, wrapped in timeless beauty and heartfelt moments.
– Laura Memory Photography & Videography

What is the best wedding advice you can give to engaged couples?

Our best wedding advice to engaged couples is to know yourselves. Your wedding day is an outward expression of your innermost feelings and emotions toward your partner and your guests will be able to feel that when they enter the space. We’d encourage you to stay in lock-step with your partner throughout the process and make sure that you’re creating an environment where you can show up as your truest selves for each other.