Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral

Ceremony

The Country Club at  Wakefield Plantation

Reception

Fall

Our Wedding

Our Story

Photos

Order of Events

Wedding Party

Q + A

This hotel is 6 minutes from the reception venue and 33 minutes from the ceremony venue. <a href="https://group.trubyhilton.com/m9e5au" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Please use this link to use our hotel block</a>, available until 11/7, or by calling Hilton Reservations toll-free number at 1-800-HILTONS and mention the&nbsp;Laird/Bowyer 11.29.25 Raleigh NC&nbsp;or the unique code&nbsp;91P&nbsp;to receive the group rate.

Tru by Hilton Wake Forest Raleigh North

This hotel is roughly 15 minutes from the ceremony venue and 23 minutes from the reception venue, close to downtown and in the heart of North Hills. Fun fact: the rooftop bar is where Matt and Julia had their second date! <a href="https://www.marriott.com/event-reservations/reservation-link.mi?id=1745336769183&amp;key=GRP&amp;guestreslink2=true&amp;app=resvlink" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Please use this link to use our hotel block</a>, available until 10/29.

AC Hotel Raleigh North Hills

This hotel is roughly 15 minutes from the ceremony venue and 25 minutes from the reception venue, within walking distance of Crabtree Valley Mall and close to downtown Raleigh. <a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.marriott.com_event-2Dreservations_reservation-2Dlink.mi-3Fid-3D1747751865302-26key-3DGRP-26guestreslink2-3Dtrue-26app-3Dresvlink&amp;d=DwMFaQ&amp;c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&amp;r=L7r6po-8ehJFSwkjIQGvwniMzOMunDaDHEnoiKI_BiE&amp;m=GOmC5ntvom2abiIu5SaycgUXLLiyRxlBDXgija0OsZme4pA8RqFL1f-dGRHuWbiC&amp;s=oAwe-4OMGwJ7mjB628zqMLx5C-MH5OON1NqWOkbIDKo&amp;e=" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Please use this link to use our hotel block</a>, available until 11/7.

Courtyard Raleigh Crabtree Valley

This hotel is also very close to our reception venue and about 35 minutes from the ceremony venue.

Fairfield Inn & Suites Raleigh Wake Forest

Raleigh-Durham International Airport

Union Station Raleigh, NC

Travel

The Southeast's largest natural history museum features dinosaurs, whale skeletons, live animals, walk-through dioramas, special exhibits, hands-on science education and accessible scientists. IMLS National Medal Finalist, 2014. General admission is free.

North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences

A North Carolina holiday staple! If we weren't getting married that night, we'd probably be here seeing the fabulous Chinese Lantern Festival! Tickets go on sale later in the year!

North Carolina Chinese lantern festival

Sandwiched between downtown Raleigh and the airport, this oasis of green features a stand of 300+ year-old hardwood trees, more than 32 miles of hiking, biking and horseback riding trails, camp sites and lots more for nature lovers.

William B. Umstead State Park

One of the leading art museums in the American South, the North Carolina Museum of Art (NCMA) recently completed a major, three-year expansion that places it in the front ranks of museums nationwide. The NCMA offers a permanent collection spanning more than 5,000 years, a variety of celebrated exhibitions and public programs, an amphitheater for outdoor performances, and the nation’s largest museum park—164 acres of trails and parkland containing major works of art.

North Carolina Museum of Art

Raleigh has a wonderful network of public trails and open spaces perfect for walking or biking!

Greenway Trail Head

The Contemporary Art Museum of Raleigh is a multimedia contemporary art gallery in the Warehouse District. CAM Raleigh has no permanent collection but offers exhibitions of works by artists with regional, national, and international recognition.

CAM Raleigh

Town park with a centerpiece night-lit fountain, landscaped gardens, benches &amp; community games. Events happening daily!

Downtown Cary Park

Recreation area with 5.4 miles of trails around a lake, plus boat rentals, picnic areas &amp; fishing.

Lake Johnson Park

Mulino Italian Kitchen & Bar

A truly spectacular dinner experience of Laotian food, another epic date spot of ours. Make a reservation well ahead of time!

Bida Manda

Where Julia and Matt had their first date!

Neuse River Brewing & Brasserie

Underground speakeasy with live music and great drinks!

Watts & Ward

Cocktail and dessert bar in downtown Raleigh -- one of Julia's favorite date locations!

Julia & Matt

Julia & Matt

J&M

Ceremony

Reception