Sandra and Joe by A Swanky Affair

Joe and Sandra were college sweethearts who met while they were both at Johns Hopkins University. When they decided to take the marriage plunge they knew that it would be the perfect fit to wed on Labor Day in Durham.

Family and friends arrived from all over the country to share this special day with the happy couple. The ceremony was held at Durham's Duke Gardens, surrounded by breathtaking landscapes ― the perfect backdrop to the bride's color choices of turquoise, green and white. Guests kept cool outdoors by waving fan shaped programs while waiting for the party to begin. The evening festivities at Paridize, a chic and colorful local hot spot, started out with cocktails in the courtyard. The surrounding trees were decorated with hanging globes and a spectacular ten-foot waterfall. Mojitos were served to guests along with Grey Goose and Patron shots all night long to keep the party going.

The dinner was held in the main restaurant, a very colorful building with large murals on the ceiling and elegant paintings on the walls. The flowers for the seated dinner were all white roses, spider mums and hydrangeas. These tasteful touches allowed the colors and details of the restaurant to pop.

The pre-meal appetizers included goat cheese stuffed mushrooms, crostinis with black olive tapenade, candied fennel with goat cheese, maple bacon wrapped scallops, proscuitto with truffled fontina, crepes with spinach and pine-nut empanadas. For the main meal the guests were given the choice of grilled lamb chops with a rosemary mustard crust, filet mignon with shrimp scampi or Scottish salmon.

The wedding cake was a trendy and striking black-and-white design made by a family member and personally driven to Durham from New Jersey. Surprised by a memorable dance number courtesy of their bridal party, Sandra and Joe danced the night away with friends and family, making their wedding an unforgettable occasion for all.