REBECCA AND BEN - Sophie Magazine →

We live in Dallas, Texas but our families and friends live all over the country, so we knew a lot of our guests would have to travel to attend. Because of that, Ben and I decided early-on that we wanted to have a destination wedding that would offer something special for everyone in attendance. When Ben and I flew out to Asheville to see Biltmore Estate, we were blown away with how gorgeous the house and the countryside were! Needless to say, it didn’t take much convincing for us to commit to having our wedding there.

But the beauty of the Biltmore couldn’t keep the rain away as I awoke to a hard steady rain the morning of my wedding day. As I got my hair and make-up done in the room at the Inn on Biltmore Estate, my anxiety grew: our wedding ceremony was to take place outside at the Butterfly Garden and it had yet to stop raining. I was certain the day was destined for disaster. Luckily, the rain cleared just in time for us to do the “first look” on the lawn of the Inn and stayed away for the remainder of the day. In the end, the clouds provided amazing lighting for all of the great photos and parted for a gorgeous, sun-filled ceremony that evening.

The rest of the day went off without a hitch, as well. A horse-drawn carriage carried my dad and me through the garden to the ceremony and, as I descended the s.jpg, I was able to take in how stunning it had all turned out. Our reception, held inside the conservatory, was absolutely beautiful and I only wish there had been more time to visit with each one of our friends and family.

I really have to thank my mom, Barbara Case, and our wedding consultant, Mary Bell, for taking the lead in planning this wedding. I felt strongly about picking out the location and my dress, but I really wanted help with everything else. They did a fantastic job of taking what vision I did have and turning it into an incredible experience.

Our Top 5 Moments

1 My dress. That thing is the most amazing piece of clothing I’ve ever owned.

2 Spending time with my mom during every step of the process. She is amazingly supportive and surprisingly well-suited to wedding planning. Maybe we should do this every year, Mom?

3 Honestly, my eye-roll was palpable when it was suggested I enter the ceremony on a horse-drawn carriage and it took some convincing for me to come around. As it turned out, the time my dad and I spent sitting in that carriage waiting for our entrance cue was an incredible bonding experience and one of my favorite memories from the day.

4 My Maid of Honor’s toast. I have to give it up to the incomparable Emily Scott for writing a speech on the fly that made me laugh so hard and uncontrollably that all the photos of me from that 5 minutes are basically unusable.

5 Marrying Ben. He’s the smartest and funniest guy I’ve ever known. I love him more than anything and I’m proud to be his wife!

Bride: Rebecca Case
Groom: Ben Redfield
Ceremony Location: The Butterfly Garden at the Biltmore Estate
Reception Location: The Conservatory at the Biltmore Estate
Bride’s Dress: Monique L. huillier
Bridesmaid’s Dress: Monique Lhuillier
Groom’s and Groomsman Attire: Jos A Bank
Planning: Mary Bell Events
Photography: Two Rings Studios
Florist: Flower Gallery of Asheville
Hair: Adorn Salon
Make-Up: Kayce Young
Catering: Biltmore Catering
Ceremony Officiant: Rev. Dusty Rubeck
Transportation: Blue Ridge Limousine; Biltmore Horse and Carriage
Musicians: Ginger Kowal, Nancy Steffa and Frances Doff