Alex and Brian are a gorgeous couple with fabulous personalities (Alex’s red hair is to die for, by the way!).  I adored them the minute we met.  They have been together for almost 6 years (actually their 6th year anniversary is the night before their wedding!).  Their ceremony will take place at the majestic Basilica of St. Lawrence in downtown Asheville.  The guests will then enjoy dinner and dancing at the Lioncrest on the Biltmore Estate.  Get to know Alex and Brian, and enjoy the pictures by Jeremy Russell Photography!  I especially love ‘Brian’s prespective’ on how they met!

How did you meet each other?
The long version: (Brian’s Perspective):
August 3rd 2007.  I gave my last high fives and hugs to all that came out to my going away party at the West End Bar and Grill at Elon University.  I would start my long trek to Colorado in the morning and needed a good nights rest. I gave one last look around the familiar place before I headed to the door. Little did I know, my future bride would come strutting into my life before I could even set a foot outside.  In walks Alexandra Frye.  We were introduced by a mutual friend and I was immediately smitten.  Our initial meeting was brief. We said our “hellos” and “nice to meet yous” before she disappeared inside. I remember thinking, “What are the chances Brian? You meet her NOW, the night before you drive half way across the country?” I did not want this to become a “what if?” moment. I turned around and walked back into West End. Confusion spread across the faces of my friends that I had said good-bye to moments before.  Determined to speak with Alex again, I approached our mutual friend. “Your friend is gorgeous,” I said coyly. I didn’t expect her response, “Tell her that!”… so I did. As cheesy as it sounds, I walked up to her and said, “you should hear this everyday… you are GORGEOUS.”  I am doing my best to live up to my surprisingly successful pick up line.  The rest of the night was spent walking Elon’s campus and learning as much as we could about each other. I swear I saw her pupils dilate when I mentioned I rode horses.  This is the story of how we met. That initial bond would survive 1,600 miles apart for over a year. That initial bond will survive for the rest of our lives.
The Short Version:
Brian had a “going away party” at a bar in our college town called West End. He was moving to Colorado the next morning. My friend Kristin knew him really well and drug me to his party. She introduced us and then I walked away. He found Kristin and said “your friend is GORGEOUS” to which she replied “tell her that!” the rest is history 😉

When did you get engaged, and how did he ask?
October 29th 2011
It was supposed to be our last camping trip before it got too cold. Little did I know that I would be doing anything but roughing it that weekend. I spent all Friday night organizing my backpack with camping gear and preparing for what I thought would be a brisk October night in the woods. Brian woke me up early Saturday morning with singing and breakfast in bed. I couldn’t understand where all the energy came from, as he wasn’t usually a morning person. We loaded up and began our 3-hour drive into the Asheville Mountains.  The closer we came to our destination, the colder it became. By the time we reached Max Patch trailhead, snow was falling and sticking to the frozen ground. I looked at Brian with a “what are we doing” look. “Common, it will be fun”, he encouraged. The hike to the summit was freezing but exhilarating with the snow falling harder. When we reached the top, the snow clouds were too thick to reveal Max Patch’s 360-degree view but the wind picked up and parted them just long enough for our special moment. Brian pulled the beautiful kite that he had given me the day before out of his bag and proceeded to fly it. The conditions were perfect (except for the freezing temperatures) and I watched as the kite flew around in circles. I noticed that something was tied to the kite string that Brian was trying to bring to my attention. It wasn’t until later that I realized that it was a fake diamond ring. I turned around to him on one knee with the real ring, asking “Will you marry me?!” It was an indescribable moment. He surprised me with a weekend at the Grove Park Inn and a sunset dinner overlooking the beautiful mountains of Asheville, North Carolina. He had even packed a bag for me so I didn’t have to wear my hiking clothes!

What do you two do for a living?
Alex: Physician Assistant Student
Brian: Sales Representative at Old Dominion Freight Line
What are some of the activities that you like to do together as a couple?
Hiking & Camping with our 3 rescue dogs, Going to concerts, Watching good movies, Cooking together, Horse-back riding, Playing tennis, and Skeet-shooting!

Why did you choose the Basilica as your wedding location and Biltmore Estate as your reception location?
Asheville is our favorite city! We frequently visit  for camping/hiking trips and we got engaged there.  Since we currently live outside of Raleigh, we only had 2 days in Asheville to choose our venues. Alex is Catholic and since we both agreed to have a Catholic ceremony, the beautiful Basilica was a no-brainer. After touring many venues for our reception, the Biltmore just felt like the right place to celebrate our marriage. The gorgeous house, mountain views, and relaxed feel of Lioncrest…Who could say no to that?!

When you think about your wedding, what are you most excited about?
Alex: Walking down the aisle and seeing Brian’s face.  🙂
Brian: Celebrating our love and new live together with the people that mean the most to us.
What do you love about each other?
Alex:  What I love about Brian is…how selfless and genuine he is… ALWAYS. I never dreamed I would find someone with such a huge heart. Being in PA school is tough but Brian makes it easy. He cooks for me every night while I study, sometimes even bringing dinner up to my office. I would probably starve without him (he’s a phenomenal cook)! He helps me out with anything I need…no questions asked. He is my best friend. Being with him is like breathing, I couldn’t imagine anything more natural.
Brian:  What I love about Alex is…her huge smile, it was the very first thing I noticed and it is contagious. I realized quickly that I could 100% be myself around her…it is so easy.  I also love her unyielding passion for animals. If we were to win the lottery, I swear she would buy the biggest ranch money could buy and rescue every dog/cat/horse/animal that needed help.
Anything else you would want people to know?
We are so lucky to have the amazing Tara Jordan as our wedding planner. We would definitely be lost without her. We are so excited to see all of her hard work and our dreams become reality!