Intimate Christmas Wedding At Castle McCulloch

Pedro & Katie planned an incredibly romantic winter wedding for a week before Christmas, with an intimate guest list of 30. Although the couple didn’t select their date based on the holidays, it definitely educated their design choices. One thing we really enjoyed about their design aesthetic was that it gave the warm and welcoming Christmas/holiday atmosphere using crisp black linens with white overlays and a pop of metallic red with the charger plates, as well as incorporating evergreen and white berries into the floral design. This gave a festive feel without being over-the-top elves and candy canes.

Castle McCulloch in Jamestown is one of our favorite timeless venues. The stone sanctuary is a beautiful venue draped in legendary features. The castle carries its own ambiance, so it gives a lot of options for decor – you can either bring in minimal design elements and let the venue speak for itself (which, with the textured stone walls and the intricate woodwork of Castle McCulloch, makes for an elegant and fairytale kind of feel) or you can completely transform the space to make it completely and uniquely your own! Plus, during the holidays, the venue is also dressed in garland and candlelight, which extended the ambiance.

Pedro and Katie’s wedding day was full of joy as the couple swayed between tears to giggles while expressing their love for each other. Pedro is a calm, quiet man who was so excited to marry his bubbly sweetheart, Katie. Pedro also pinned a photograph of his late mother in his jacket over his heart so she would be with her son as he married his new wife. We thought this was a beautiful way to honor her on their special day!

Sentimental mementos were also intertwined into their big day. Pedro used to play in the minor leagues, so details showing their love of baseball were seen throughout the venue. Pedro’s baseball career was included in very subtle ways – there was a mini baseball bat decorating the head table that was customized with their names and wedding date. Also, Katie gifted Pedro a shadowbox with his baseball card and a ticket for one of the games that she attended that he played in! I always enjoy seeing our couples incorporate little nods to their interests, hobbies, and passions.

After the ceremony, the castle transitioned into a warm and cozy reception. Rosa Mae designed the decor and provided the dinner and cake, and it was stunning! This wedding showed that a small guest count doesn’t mean any less of an amazing event experience – this was truly everything that one would see in a “big wedding” so it gave them the luxurious feel that they wanted, and saved them a lot of money, too!

During the celebration, we escaped for a few moments to capture their portraits around the castle. The soft winter lighting was perfect for us that day. Plus, we were able to sneak in a few romantic nighttime portraits as well! Winter weddings are great because you’re not dealing with 90-degree weather or spring and summer thunderstorms for outdoor portraits. The cold is a factor, but NC has some relatively mild winters so it hasn’t been a hindrance. We do our best to break up the portrait sessions so it’s not one straight run outside in the cold! I think that would be our biggest tip to people – really plan out your timeline (and stick to it, lol) to allow breaks from the cold.