Sarah & Alec | The Carolina Inn
Sarah & Alec’s Wedding at The Carolina Inn
Sarah & Alec’s Chapel Hill Wedding
Photographed by Courtney
Few things are more classic than a wedding at The Carolina Inn in Chapel Hill. The hotel’s heart and hospitality are simply unmatched!
This North Carolina wedding venue is located in the heart of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s campus. Selecting The Carolina Inn as their wedding venue was an easy choice for UNC alumni Sarah Eastley and Alec Martschenko. Couples have said “I do” with something Carolina Blue at this stunning establishment for years.
Fine dining from the The Carolina Inn’s own Crossroads Chapel Hill restaurant attracts locals and out-of-towners. Their in-house culinary team creates custom menus for every wedding and event.
Fancy This Photography’s camera lens can’t get enough of The Carolina Inn’s Southern architecture and design. Golden wedding photo opportunities exist inside and outside. From hallways filled with natural light to lush landscaped courtyards.
Take a stroll down dreamy Pittsboro Street and let a warm brick pathway lead you to The Carolina Inn’s famous front porch. Community gathers here for live music and food trucks at Fridays On The Front Porch. This front lawn and porch area can be transformed into an al fresco wedding reception space.
Courtney Collins, partner of Fancy This Photography, captured Sarah and Alec’s wedding at The Carolina Inn on Saturday, July 29, 2023. Courtney was supported by second shooter Amanda Law, another Fancy This Photography partner. The bride and groom took first look photos at the Mormon Institute of Religion - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints before their wedding at The Carolina Inn.
The bride and groom took first look photos at the Mormon Institute of Religion - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints before their wedding at The Carolina Inn.
Classic Candid Imagery by Courtney with Fancy This Photography
Courtney is a pro at getting posed and candid wedding photos. She has perfected the art of executing wedding portraits and family formals. Simultaneously, she can snap authentic images of moments that happen unpredictably between posed shots. Courtney takes pride in capturing memories that otherwise would have slipped through the cracks.
Look for those candid images in Sarah and Alec’s wedding at The Carolina Inn blog. We see it in Alec’s eyes during their first look and in Sarah’s smile as she steps out of a vintage Rolls-Royce motor car for the reception.
Click here to learn more about Courtney and all of the Fancy This Photography team members.
Keep scrolling to witness more from Sarah and Alec’s wedding at The Carolina Inn. Join us in celebrating this beautiful couple’s love!
Sarah & Alec’s Chapel Hill Love Story
Sarah and Alec first met as undergraduates at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2013. But it wasn't until Sarah returned to Chapel Hill for a church event in 2021, that their relationship truly began. Alec, still in school at the time, saw Sarah’s return and knew he had to make a move.
A few months later, the relationship was official. And just a few months after that, Alec packed his bags to move 300 miles away to Baltimore. Absence makes the heart grow fonder. Alec and Sarah’s love grew stronger, thanks to many hundreds of miles on the odometer. After their wedding at The Carolina Inn, Alec moved back to NC, and the couple started a new life together as Mr. and Mrs.
Courtney Collins, partner of Fancy This Photography, captured Sarah and Alec’s wedding at The Carolina Inn on Saturday, July 29, 2023.
Proposal at The Morehead Planetarium and Science Center
Alec worked his connections at the Morehead Planetarium and Science Center and set up a private proposal in the star show theater. There were candles and flowers under the stars. It was an incredibly romantic moment – everything a Carolina girl could want and more.
Morehead Planetarium is located right off Chapel Hill’s downtown Franklin Street. This local attraction is less than a ten-minute walk away from The Carolina Inn. Open Friday through Sunday, Morehead Planetarium is a great pre- or post-wedding activity for wedding guests visiting from out of town. Treat your tastebuds at one of downtown Chapel Hill’s restaurants or take a walk in the arboretum after an adventure at the Planetarium.
Info About Planning a Wedding at The Carolina Inn
Alec and Sarah hosted a beautiful wedding at The Carolina Inn. They shared vows in one of The Carolina Inn’s stunning traditional ballrooms. The room’s beautiful blue carpeting, intricate crown molding and crystal chandeliers call for minimal wedding decorations.
Sarah and Alec’s ceremonial altar consisted of gorgeous floral arrangements on golden pedastals by Flowers by Expressions of Love Florist NC. White, green and blue blossoms were the icing on top of this classic Carolina Inn wedding. Smaller floral arrangements lined the wedding aisle leading to the altar. A live musician, harpist Leigh Stringfellow, played throughout the ceremony.
Event Space Variety + Photo Opportunities
The Carolina Inn has six traditional ballrooms and multiple lawn areas and courtyards for outdoor events. Regardless of where you host your wedding events, every Carolina Inn couple gets to take photos around the gorgeous property! Think black-and-white checkered floors, whimsical archways and lush landscape. Plus, if you’re UNC alumni like Sarah and Alec, landmarks such as the Old Well and Bell Tower are only a short stroll away.
The Carolina Inn has space for up to 350 guests for a standing reception, or 250 seated.
The Carolina Inn has space for up to 350 guests for a standing reception, or 250 seated.
Catering by Crossroads Chapel Hill at The Carolina Inn
Dine with Executive Chef Jeremy Blankenship at Crossroads Chapel Hill, The Carolina Inn's on-site restaurant. Crossroads serves up classic Carolina cuisine for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Try the Crossroads fries or, invite guests to experience afternoon tea, a unique and scrumptious Southern tradition.
Not hungry? Order a handcrafted cocktail from the bar and drink it outside beside a fire pit on the front porch. Sarah and Alec chose a yummy watermelon and mint mojito as a signature mocktail to sip at their wedding reception.
Planning by Sally Oakley Weddings & Events
From saying “I do” to exiting through a tunnel of Carolina Blue streamers, the day went smoothly thanks to planning by Sally Oakley Weddings & Events. All couples who wed at The Carolina Inn are required to hire a professional planner. Fancy This Photography appreciates this rule. We love working with local wedding planners such as Sally Oakley!
Sarah and Alec’s signature drink was a watermelon mint mojito mocktail.
Details Behind Sarah & Alec’s Wedding at The Carolina Inn
Courtney’s lens captured all of the details behind Sarah and Alec’s wedding at The Carolina Inn. We loved the mixture of low and tall table centerpieces filled with white and blue hydrangeas. Tall floral arrangements draw your eyes upward to The Carolina Inn’s gorgeous ceilings. Table settings looked elegantly set against white table linens and Carolina blue napkins.
For dessert, the bride and groom cut into a fabulous four-tier wedding cake by Ashley Cakes NC. Each layer of the cake was divided by fresh white blooms and greenery. Catering by The Carolina Inn had guests asking for seconds. Sarah and Alec’s signature drink was a watermelon mint mojito mocktail. As a late night snack, the newlyweds gave guests scrumptious bags of popcorn!
Guests had fun snapping silly selfies and group pics in a ZimZoom Photo Booth. Sarah and Alec danced the night away with loved ones to music by Bunn DJ Co. The dance floor even had a custom monogram visual.
Sarah and Alec's shared faith and strong family ties made this wedding incredible to shoot. So many moments were truly lovely because you could feel the warmth and kindness surrounding these two, as well as the kindness they showed to each other. Their wedding was classic, and their photos speak to the timelessness that their wedding radiated.
After their wedding at The Carolina Inn, Sarah and Alec enjoyed a honeymoon on The Caribbean island of St. Lucia. Fancy This Photography was honored to document the beginning of this special life chapter.
Congrats Sarah and Alec, we are cheering for you!
Courtney Collins, partner of Fancy This Photography, captured Sarah and Alec’s wedding at The Carolina Inn on Saturday, July 29, 2023.
Photography // Fancy This Photography
Venue // The Carolina Inn
Planning // Sally Oakley Weddings & Events
Cake // Ashley Cakes NC
Florist // Expressions of Love Florist NC
Photo Booth // ZimZoom Photo Booth
Harpist // Leigh Stringfellow
DJ // Bunn DJ Company