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"I knew Kevin before he was this fantastic award winning author. We go way back we knew each other when,” Hadley Goodman recalls laughing.

The couple met in college over 15 years ago, but didn’t really pay attention to each other since they were both in relationships.  “In college we would pass each other in the hall and barely even said hi,” notes Kevin Cropp remembering those days so long ago.  “It wasn’t until five years ago that we realized the attraction when Kevin called me out of the blue and said he was on his way to visit me. It was crazy the chemistry was so palpable. I don’t know how we missed it when we were in college,” says Hadley.

The pair dated for four years and people (especially Hadley’s parents) began to wonder if the day would ever come. Kevin, the self-professed wandering man was not the one to settle down.  Then one day out of the blue, while sitting on the beach, Kevin came out of the water from surfing, sat down beside Hadley, and said, “Lets get married.” And that was that. Almost in shock, she said yes, and the next thing you know they were planning a New Year's Eve wedding less than six months away.

They chose New Year's Eve because the holiday always seems a bit overrated. People are generally looking for a great party and most of the time get let down. “This New Year's Eve was definitely a day to remember and no one was let down. The best part is Kevin will have a real hard time forgetting our anniversary,” jokes Hadley.

The couple chose to get married in the mountains of North Carolina on Hadley’s family’s private land. “We did not want to have anything typical about our wedding, and we wanted our unique touches to speak to who we are,” says Kevin when telling of all the creative touches. The long holiday weekend was packed with activities from pottery painting (the bridesmaids all painted plates and bowls for the couple with a safari theme since they went to Tanzania, Africa on their honeymoon), to bowling, to a rehearsal dinner and after party for out-of-town guests, to an intense game of kickball and a bridesmaids luncheon.

The traditional ceremony was held in the church where the bride was baptized. They didn’t want classic flowers, so they decorated using branches, a ton of candles and the Christmas trees still in the church. Candles were on the alter in memory of their deceased family members, and flowers were placed on the alter in honor of those grandparents who could not make it. 

To give the ceremony their unique flare the groomsmen entered to the congregation singing “Joy to the World.” “The recessional was to G.F Handel’s ‘Hallelujah Chorus,’ much to the amusement of those who wondered if this day would ever come,” laughs Hadley remembering her favorite part of the ceremony.

Instead of a wedding cake they had a Krispy Kreme donut cake. Instead of dinner they had a breakfast (since we got married at 8:00pm). To Ring in the New Year at midnight, mini quiches were passed around made with the southern tradition of black-eyed peas, collard greens and ham to represent health, wealth and prosperity.

Kevin is an author and loves the classics. In the concrete sidewalk we carved a quote from Victor Hugo’s “Les Miserables” that read “When love has melted and mingled two beings into an angelic and sacred unity, the secret of life is found for them; they are then but the two terms of a single destiny; they are then but the two winds of a single spirit. Love, Soar!”

When building the 70,000 square foot tent they planned for everything from high winds, to snow and ice seeing how it was winter in the mountains. The one thing they never considered was that it would rain three inches that day, complete with thunder (the temperature rose 53 degrees that day to 60 degrees that night unheard of for December in the mountains). “They say rain on your wedding day is lucky, so we must be in for a lifetime of luck!” hopes Hadley when remembering the driving, sideways rain that just made the tent seem that much more warm, cozy and inviting to the 400 plus guests. “Most of the utmost memorable experience for us seems to involve the rain, so it was very apropos,” says Kevin. “I love that kind of weather; it could not have been more perfect.”

Rustic elegance is the feel they wanted, so the tent was adorned with a ton of branches, pheasant feathers, coffee beans, apples, split peas, white lights and candles. Outside was a roaring bonfire that continued to burn despite the torrential rains.

At the cake cutting the couple drank from a chalice that was bought by Hadley’s grandparents. There are 10 family wedding dates engraved on it and all are still happily married. Hadley wore my one of her grandmother’s emerald and diamond bracelets and her other grandmother’s diamond necklace. “It was important to me to incorporate all of these family heirlooms since it symbolizes the starting of my own family. I can only hope for as much happiness as they have had,” says Hadley.

Five minutes before the ringing in of the New Year the clouds parted and the rain stopped as if on cue for the spectacular fireworks display.

“You know, at the end of the day, as fabulous as our wedding was I am just grateful to be married to Kevin. He settles my soul we balance each other. I don’t need anything more,” remarks Hadley.

I’d say the best part of our wedding was the fact that our very talented and skilled photographer was able to capture all of the details that were so important to us to make our evening special and memorable. Not only did we meet a great photographer, but we also gained a good friend.