Abigail + Robert | Downtown Coastal Wedding

A journey of trust and certainty & a family-centered celebration with cool, dusty shades mirroring the Carolina coast.

When looking back on their first meeting in college, Abigail and Bobby both say it felt as though they already knew each other. They began dating after several months of friendship, and Abigail shares that “After dealing with drama outside the two of us, Bobby sat me down and told me he loved me, before we had been on a single date. 

“That night changed everything. We knew quickly after we started dating that we were meant to be, but the next few years of college would put our relationship through many hardships.”

They frequently prayed side by side in Adoration, adopting Saint Joseph as a patron for discernment and purity. “Kneeling side-by-side with him after receiving the Eucharist always gave me such a deep feeling of peace,” says Abigail.

As time passed, however, personal realizations led to a breakup that ultimately lasted six months. Leaning on Our Lady’s intercession, Abigail and Robert both sought growth and clarity, and cautiously began communicating once again. “[I felt hopeful], but still scared of being hurt,” Abigail says. “Bobby proved to me in big ways that he was serious about making us work, no matter what it took. He won back my trust and my heart--which he’d always had.” She secretly anticipated a Christmas engagement, but Robert proposed the following weekend.

From the Bride:

We wanted our wedding day to feel true to us: something special and elegant, but also comfortable and familiar. When choosing the church, we tried to get into the Basilica downtown. When the downtown basilica in our area wasn’t available, we chose to marry at my childhood parish. God knew exactly what he was doing leading us there. The same parish I altar served in as a girl, prayed countless times within, the parish that formed my spiritual connection to the ocean (it is situated right on the beach), and the one my boyfriend-soon-to-be-husband and I attended with my family every time he visited. There really was no better place for us to get married. We did end up choosing the event venue across the street from the basilica for our reception.

The combination of a small beach parish with a rich downtown hall could not have captured our personalities and hobbies better.

With it being a February wedding, the weather could have gone any which way, so I chose colors that were cool but coastal. A dusty blue, gray, and champagne made up the main color scheme, with a lot of creamy white incorporated. Our flowers were gorgeous blue hydrangeas with ivory spray and garden roses, along with succulents that also served as the groomsmen's boutonnières, which were wonderfully masculine. My husband looked so handsome in his gray suit!

Ring shopping is a cherished memory of mine. I remember Bobby really wanted something traditional. He tried on gold bands at first, but they just didn't feel like him. So he really took his time, considering different metals and styles. He settled on a white gold band with a nice edge that looked classic yet modern. It looked so handsome on his hand, and the amount of thought and care he put into choosing it really touched me.

Going dress shopping was a sweet occasion. My mom made me promise not to choose a dress at the first place we visited, because there would be plenty of options. With me were my Mom, my little sister, my aunt, and my cousin. The first place was a local boutique. The dresses I tried on in the style I’d envisioned for myself were not as flattering as I hoped. The second dress was more princess-looking than I wanted, but once I saw myself in the sparkly bodice, all I could think about was how I wanted Bobby to see how special I felt! After trying on more, I put the second one on again with a veil. As I looked in the mirror, my Mom came up to me and whispered, I think you should just get this one! It is still one of my favorite memories.  

Another favorite memory involved my earrings. We were having the hardest time finding the right pair, and eventually brought home two. I wanted my Something Blue to be visible (there was a blue ribbon on my garter as backup). One pair of earrings had a blue stone, but wasn't sparkly enough to match the dress. The other pair was sparkly, but without any blue. My mom eventually found the most beautiful, unique earrings with a light blue stone. They were the perfect accessory to match the dress! My Something Borrowed was a second pair of diamond earrings, which were my mom's--a nice little sparkle behind the show-stopping new ones!

As neither Bobby nor I are "party people", we decided a morning wedding and lunch reception fit us best. Our signature drink was mimosas! The reception was catered by old family friends. Barbeque chicken and homemade sweet potato chips are the two things I remember most.

Our wedding Mass was planned with great care. Bobby's uncle and godfather presided, and a family friend of ours was the Deacon who assisted.

We chose the readings very carefully. I wrote a paper on Tobit in college and was beyond touched by the love story. I had Tobiah and Sarah’s wedding night prayer taped to a "Purity Box" I made in high school.

We chose the Wedding at Cana for the Gospel, because I had lit a candle for us in Washington, D.C. under a mosaic of that mystery when our relationship was at a difficult point. Ephesians was incorporated because it wove together the Genesis account but also stressed important truths about the self-sacrificial role of the husband and wife to make a holy marriage. 

We had a big wedding party to incorporate Bobby's ten younger siblings and my three. The ringbearer, Bobby's godson, had our purity rings tied on his pillow. In Bobby's breast pocket, he had a bonnet I wore when I was baptized. In my shoe, I had a penny my Mom had placed in her shoe on her own wedding day for luck.

We love coffee shops, so we set up a coffee bar at our reception, complete with personalized coffee sleeves. We had a Willow Tree cake topper that reminded us both of ourselves in our early days of dating. And for our first dance, the song was "Without You Here" by the Goo Goo Dolls, because we felt it captured the deeply spiritual (often dramatic) nature of our relationship and efforts to finally be together.

Our little brothers surprised us with a joint toast that we desperately wish we had recorded. Our getaway car was featured a sign my sister drew for us and beer cans my dad had collected when he was a boy. We drove away with "Counting Stars" by OneRepublic playing on the car speakers!

Several guests shared that they felt like they had been invited into an intimate look at our love and relationship. That reception hall was full of so much love, it was overwhelming.

On our wedding day, we could both see our blessings as we witnessed the power of prayer and God's will being done. He knew we were meant to be together and made it happen. 

Not only was our wedding day a beautiful culmination of the prayer and work it took to help us reach the occasion, but also a well of grace to keep drawing upon as we entered our marriage. We are so loved, and so blessed to have been born into strong Catholic families that helped us approach this sacrament with this respect.

Photography: Susie Linquist Photography | Nuptial Mass Location: St. Therese Catholic Church, Wrightsville Beach, NC | Reception Venue: The Upper Room 1871, Downtown Wilmington, NC | Wedding Rings: Perry’s Emporium | Engagement Ring: Kay Jewelers | Bridal Gown: The Wedding Dress Shoppe | Bride’s Hair: Hunter Barnes of Freedom Salon | Bride’s Earrings: Design by Kara, via Etsy | Bridesmaids’ Dresses: David’s Bridal | Groomsmen’s Attire: Men’s Wearhouse | Catering: Milner’s Cafe and Catering, Wilmington, NC | Cake: Pink Baking Co., Wilmington, NC | Floral: Fiore Design House, Wilmington, NC | Table Settings, Lighting, & Rentals: L&L Tent and Party Rentals, Wilmington, NC | Décor: Hobby Lobby, Amazon