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Old Lystra Inn Wedding Venue Chapel Hill | Emerald & Earth-tone

~ Elope NC and Green Wedding Guild Styled Shoot at Old Lystra Inn in Chapel Hill, NC ~

This past April I participated in a styled shoot challenge sponsored by Elope NC and Green Wedding Guild. Where 6 teams worked to plan and create a sustainable elopement using the following guidelines.

Flowers must be sourced locally and seasonally, and no floral foam may be used.

No “new” items may be purchased for this shoot. Decor may be rented, borrowed, or thrifted.

Attire & accessories may be pre-loved, from a rental company, or from a sustainable designer.

Food (if used) should be seasonally & locally inspired.

Stationery (if used) should contain recycled content, be sourced from sustainably managed forests, or in some other way promote sustainability (eg: seed paper, bamboo paper, etc.).

My team’s theme was emerald and earth-tone brunch with design elements inspired by antique Edwardian vibes since Old Lystra Inn was originally built circa 1890.

The Venue

I had never been to Old Lystra Inn, so I was in for a nice surprise. It’s located in Chapel Hill, only a 10 minute drive from downtown, but driving there I really felt like I was going home to the Appalachian mountains. It was a beautiful scenic drive, and I really felt like I was out in the country.

The inn itself is gorgeous as well. Despite being originally built around 1890, it has been completely renovated, but not in a way that takes away from the historic character. It was originally built around 1890 as the Windy Oaks Inn, then later became the home of Paul Green, the Pulitzer prize winning playwright, and is currently known as Old Lystra Inn.

Getting Ready

Since it’s an inn there are a lot of options for where couples can choose to get ready. The bride got ready in a room along the eastern side of the inn, with this amazing antique wardrobe I utilized to get some photos of the dress. While the groom got ready on the upper level.

Speaking of the dress, we worked with Beautiful and Borrowed Bridal to rent this amazing dress. They have a great selection of gowns for all sizes, and are a sustainable and affordable way to get the gown of your dreams.

The groom wore a gray suit, subtly incorporating emerald through his pocket square.

Since the theme was emerald, we obviously had to have some emerald jewelry. There was an emerald and silver wedding band with leaf detailing, an emerald and diamond engagement ring, and a green onyx and gold signet ring for the groom.

Ceremony

The ceremony took place in the back garden with the forest as a backdrop. Our florist, Shannon from Élan House, created this arch from dyed pampas grass in a myriad of green and teal hues.

"I wanted to create something out of the ordinary, using minimal blooms that could be used repeatedly. I played off the color choice of Emerald, which signifies balance and harmony. " - Shannon (Élan House)

Featuring live painting by Annie at Stroke of Whimsy. I am always astounded by live painters and their skill, but I think Annie in particular was amazing. She does such a great job at capturing movement and emotion.

See the final image on her site here.

Reception

The reception area was set up in a tent next to the venue with a sweetheart table, and guest table. Both tables repurposed decor from the ceremony, using the bouquet as a centerpiece for the guest table, and pampas grass decor at the sweetheart table. The  emerald china, wooden candlestick holders, earth toned depression glass goblets, and other decor

came from Southern Vintage Table in Hillsborough, NC. They have a huge selection of vintage/antique decor and accessories, and its really fun to browse their shop.

"This aesthetic started with the emerald jewel-tones complemented with earth-tones like browns, but the brunch theme was the star here. I really enjoyed featuring brunch treats, not only the food, but as an edible centerpiece. The small treats were pretty and on a variety of stands, with green fruits spread on the table beneath, so nearly every part of the table design was rented or edible. The decor from the ceremony was repurposed for the sweetheart table design, and we wanted to show that elopements can be beautiful without being extravagant." -Stephanie (Beauty & the Budget)

Portraits

On the other end of the venue, behind the log cabin, there is a vast forest with a fallen mossy log that is the perfect secluded spot for some quiet time with your partner. This would be a great place for a first look or a private vow exchange. It almost feels like you’ve taken a portal into a fairy tale land. If you’re not engaged it may be a good place to look for your Fae king 🙃

Vendors

Planner: Beauty & the Budget

Photographer: Vidr Photography

Florist: Élan House

Rentals: Southern Vintage Table

Gown: Beautiful & Borrowed Bridal

Suit: New York Bride & Groom

Jewelry: Diamond's Direct

Dessert: Crepe Cakerie

Hair: Stolochi Hair

Makeup & Officiant: Ministry Makeup

Live Painting: Stroke of Whimsy

Click here to view more weddings Click here to view more styled shoots Click here to view a helpful resource for planning a sustainable wedding