Do you remember being young and watching all the old school Disney movies? You know the ones – Cinderella, Snow White, Aladdin. So many of my favorite throwbacks had a common theme. The poor princess overcomes struggle and strife to win her handsome prince and they have a big wedding in a castle overflowing with flowers and doves and hundreds of friends and admirers.
For
me, I was left with a faith in fairy god-mothers, and a deep desire for a flying carpet and a genie BFF. For many others, a different seed was planted that grew into daydreams about castle weddings and princely grooms.
Today’s story has all of the above. Well, not the genie nor the flying carpet; but it does have the castle, the princess, and even the princes. A truly “fairy-tale wedding” that went down right in the heart of Asheville.
The ceremony took place on November 26th, 2016, at 6 in the evening.
It was a chilly Appalachian night, but Homewood Castle, in the historic Montford district, was filled with
the kind of warmth and light that only love can create.
Under the high ceiling and sparkling chandeliers, the Senyo’s hosted a wedding fit for a true king and queen. However, the dreamy ambiance and deeply romantic setting were not all that made this ceremony special.
Like many in contemporary society, Linda and Jake both have children from previous relationships. Therefore, it was important to them to make both of their boys a part of the ceremony. So when I asked what made their day truly special for them, Linda’s quick response made the mother in me crumble into a ball of sopping emotion, “Our family vow that we took with our kids.”
I’m choking up again just thinking about it. A wedding is traditionally the symbolic joining of a man and a woman; but in modern society, the term family is constantly being redefined. To incorporate a vow with their princes was forward-thinking, and shows the Senyo’s commitment to their future as a family, not just as a couple.
Now, I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking that because they had a dreamy castle wedding, Linda’s father must own a hundred golf courses and Jake’s family finances must look equally as impressive. In reality, they’re a normal Asheville couple. The truth is, they didn’t have to go bankrupt to pull off a fantasy wedding. If you’re savvy and persistent, you can get exactly what you want.
“I wouldn’t have cut anything out to save money. I made sure nothing was over-the-top crazy. Being realistic with your budget and knowing a little can go a long way, while still making your wedding dreams come true.”
Jake is the owner of local company Elevation Restoration & Floor Cleaning, and Linda assists him, as well as running her own Mary Kay business. Photography is by Thirteenth Moon.
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