November 20, 2021
She was dressed as David Bowie, and he was in an inflatable dinosaur costume. It was Halloween when Hays first saw Bill, though he was too into the Pink Floyd cover band to take note. Fortunately, they reconnected afterward and discussed The Godfather movies over cheese fries. (He required some costume deflation to fit into the booth.)
It’s been nonstop laughter ever since, including their engagement weekend, when they visited Old Edwards Inn in Highlands, North Carolina, for a spa day and then hiked to the base of Glen Falls, where he popped the question. They returned to the Old Edwards Inn for their wedding, which took place in the Orchard House at the Farm.
After postponing the ceremony for a year due to COVID, the couple made the most of the extra time by adding many personal touches to their fall wedding, set amid spectacular mountain views and fall foliage. An Allegro Music quartet played David Bowie and Fleetwood Mac prior to the ceremony, and the couple’s first steps were to “Race by the Prize” by the Flaming Lips, a special request from the music-loving groom. The reception kicked off with tequila shots, blackberry mules, and wine. And the first dance? “Wedding Bell Blues,” of course, with its perfect refrain about marrying Bill. Bill then proceeded to perform a jazzy version of “Baby Got Back” with the band, Mr. Potato Head.
The bride wore a Vera Wang gown, and bridesmaids wore Jenny Yoo from Bella Bridesmaids. Flowers were provided by Floressence Flowers, with a wedding cake by Allessa with Kathy & Company. Hays, sales operations manager at Community Journals, and Bill, in residential sales and design at Fusion Audio + Video, reside in Greenville.
Photography by Jordyn Schirripa
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