Alyssa & Jacob | The Kinsleeshop Farm | Statesville, NC

“Sweet, Helpful, and Responsive”

In June of 2019 Jacob and I matched on Bumble and really hit it off. We met for a Taco Tuesday lunch date. Jacob had a discount thanks to loyalty points, so our date cost 47 cents! I love a deal and found this pretty endearing. Easter weekend of 2022, Jacob planned a weekend away for us with a hike, Airbnb, and dinner reservations. We drove up early Saturday to hike Rainbow Falls. It was a gorgeous, sunny day and Jacob proposed at the top of the waterfall.

We visited many venues and were drawn to Kinsleeshop Farm. We were looking for an authentic, rustic vibe that would match our vision of nature-forward décor and lots of colorful flowers and greenery. We wanted a wonderful indoor space if weather did not permit an outdoor ceremony. The large meadows, woods, and pond on the property also provided many opportunities for outdoor photos. We used the Vintage Barn and Bro Barn for our rehearsal dinner.

Since we designed so many parts of the wedding and reception, we loved that we could be there Wednesday through Sunday to make sure everything was set up to our liking, as well as to spend some family time together. We created our florals with the assistance of both my mother’s maid of honor from 30 years ago, Teresa, and my maid of honor, Elle! Kristin Jacobs at Kinsleeshop was so sweet, helpful, and responsive. She was always very flexible in helping us make full use of the property and we felt so grateful for her help.

The venue has many facilities for a weekend event. The “Wedding Barn” has a well-equipped prep kitchen, bar, storage area, and A/V equipment while the “Vintage Barn” was a perfect rustic spot for our rehearsal dinner. The “Bro Barn” has lots of activities and amenities that made it perfect for the guys to hang out on the wedding day! The “Farmhouse” was perfect for staying on-site and for my bridesmaids and I to get ready. Furnished with lovely antique furniture, the property has many picturesque spots.

I designed and illustrated our invitations as well as our programs and bar menu. My mother made the cake topper, a miniature National Parks sign, as a surprise for Jacob. My father built us many wooden pieces. All these contributions made the day even more personal.

The sun came out just in time for the ceremony. We had an acoustic guitarist at the ceremony to reflect our folksy taste in music. Before the ceremony, Jacob’s aunt gave us a personalized hooked rug she’d made that we stood on as we said our vows, which was so special. Our personal vows made us both laugh and cry. It was a sweet ceremony.

Due to threat of rain, we tented the back patio for cocktail hour, which provided great shade. Ray played acoustic guitar, which gave cocktail hour a casual feel. Our guests enjoyed passed hors d’oeuvres and two signature cocktails named after our cats, the Obi Fashioned and a Nola Paloma! Our reception was just as colorful as I’d hoped, with muted blue-green jute tablecloths and cheerful florals including peach, blush, blue, and various greenery.

We chose vintage-inspired table settings accented with natural textures, such as woven hyacinth chargers and wood rounds in the centerpieces. Recycled glass bottles, bud vases, and jars served as vessels for both flowers and cuttings from our houseplants for guests to take home. Guests commented on the stunning church windows and beautiful view of the property and sunset. Once the sun went down, we wanted everyone dancing.

For dinner, we had a buffet with favorites like salmon and macaroni & cheese. We also included some barbecue for a southern touch. Our cake included several tiers of flavors and was artfully decorated with buttercream flowers to match our florals, along with sugar cookies shaped like Ohio and North Carolina, our home states

We had the best day imaginable, celebrating with our friends and family in such a lovely place! Thank you especially to my parents, Tracey and Scott, for their dedication and creative genius, as well as our family and friends, Teresa, Seán, Elle, and Ben for traveling to help us with all the DIY madness. A huge shout out to all our vendors and the staff at Kinsleeshop, who worked so hard to make the day run smoothly and a heartfelt thank you to our bridal party and guests for their love, support, and friendship! We are so grateful to have had you all there with us!

The Kinsleeshop Farm, Statesville, NC, 704.980.0631, thekinsleeshopfarm.com