Today marks 7 years with Sugarface and one month and 3 days since we got married. It’s a great day to share a recap and some details from our micro wedding in Durham, North Carolina!
We got engaged on Valentine’s Day 2019 and originally planned for a wedding on 10.10.20. Alas,the pandemic laughed at our intentions. So, we rescheduled and waited til vaccines were made available. Once we were vaccinated, Sugarface picked another fun calendar date, the palindrone, 12.3.21. Still a little wary about safety, we pared down our guest list and celebrated with a micro wedding at one of our favorite coffee shops/restaurants in Durham.
The Venue: Namu
Fun fact, my first blog post after moving to North Carolina was actually a feature on Namu, a coffee shop that had just opened. It’s one of my favorite hangout spots and I’ve featured them so often on both my Instagram and blog. They have such a gorgeous patio, where Sugarface and I sometimes sit to enjoy their burrito bowls and kimchi fries. So we knew we’d love their catering menu. It just felt like the perfect match for us. The twinkle lights on the patio are romantic. The multiple fountains and the bamboo trees lining the property give the space a zen and relaxing vibe.
Namu has both beautiful outdoor and indoor spaces available to rent. We were very lucky for mild December weather, making it possible to use their gorgeous pergola in their garden. The pergola was the perfect place to hang most of the 1,000+ paper cranes. More about the paper cranes later!
With just 32 guests, we fit nicely inside Namu’s private house space. By happenstance, Namu’s accent decor complemented our pink and gold wedding colors.
Another wonderful thing about working with Namu is that their event coordinator also provides day-of coordinating services. I became so emotionally attached to Madison and defaulted to her expertise when I was overwhelmed with decision fatigued.
Namu
5420 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd, Durham, NC 27707
https://www.namudurham.com/
1,000 Paper Cranes
With some help from my sweet friends and my mom (Thank you, Mef, Janet, Tara, Cassie, Anh-Tuan, and Miranda!), there were over 1,000 origami cranes at our wedding, all made with old books owned by my late dad. There are a few interpretations of the significance of 1,000 cranes. It can be a wedding wish of a long happy life together. It can be a get-well wish for an ailing person. Or, it can be a memorial. These 1,000+ cranes were all three. A wedding wish for Sugarface and me. A memorial to my dearly-missed dad. And a get-well wish for my bestie, Kim who couldn’t be at the wedding because of her recent cancer diagnosis.
Donuts > Cake
Another detail that I loved is the donuts. Sugarface and I opted for glazed donuts instead of a traditional wedding cake. You might already know I’m obsessed with donuts. I introduced our guests to Early Bird Donuts. We picked them up that morning, and they still were gloriously delicious hours later.
We’re Forever Grateful
Lastly, there’s something solemn about having a micro wedding during year 2 of a pandemic while grieving the loss of your dad. Honestly, leading up to 12.3.21, I cried a lot. Getting married is a grief trigger. Big life milestones have a way of highlighting the absence of those we miss. But all things considered, it ended up being a beautiful day. Sugarface and I were surrounded by people who made us feel loved and supported, both by those physically there and those there in spirit. We’ll forever be grateful.
(Happy 7 years together, and 1 month & 3 days of being married, my love!)
If you’re reading this and are looking for a wedding photographer, I’d love the honor of photographing you! You can see more of my work here.
Complete Vendor List for Our Micro Wedding
- Venue: Namu
- Catering: Namu
- Day-of-Coordinating: Namu
- Hair and Makeup: Wink Hair & Makeup
- Photography: Shot by Beach Photo, edited by me, Curious Notions LLC
- Donuts: Early Bird Donuts
- Tableware and Linens: American Party Rentals
- DJ: Bunn DJ Company
- Florals: bowerbird flowers
- Party Favors: Boring Cookies and Ube White Chocolate Chip Cookies by Bad Oven
Purchased Decor:
- Thrifted vases for paper cranes
- Dusty Rose Tablerunners
- Table Number Frames
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