Jake & Delana

Jake and Delana eloped at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina on the 16th of May of 2022. It was a beautiful day filled with so much happiness and joy that we could just burst!

The day began with everyone having breakfast on their own. From what felt like the crack of dawn, Delana and her mom were busy getting ready. Jake and Joseph had a much more relaxed morning — in typical guy fashion!

The ceremony began at 2 o’clock in the afternoon. Delana wore a silk dress, a rhinestone veil, and matching rhinestone shoes. On her bouquet of all-white roses, she carried photos of her Nana and PopPop (Joanna and Delane Wilkinson) and her Granny and Papa (Ruth and Leroy Thrower). Jake wore a tuxedo with custom cuff-links (a gift from his mother-in-law), custom “Sole Mate” socks (an inside joke between him and Delana from high school; they used to wear “Soulmate” shirts to Disney – but they walked in the wrong order, so it always read “Mate Soul”), and a simple white boutonniere.

The ceremony took place at the Inn at the Bilmore Estate at the top of a hill overlooking the Blue Ridge Mountains. Escorted by her father, David Wilkinson, Delana walked down the aisle to an arrangement of “To A Wild Rose” by Edward MacDowell and “La Vie En Rose” by Edith Piaf, played live by a harpist. Joseph Nguyen, Jake’s best friend (who also was there for their engagement), officiated the wedding and married the couple underneath a rose, hydrangea, and baby’s breath arch, accompanied by a white flower carpet.

The ceremony was filled with lots of tears, laughs, heartfelt vows, a love lock unity ceremony as an homage to the lock that Delana placed for her and Jake on a bridge in Paris (June 2015), and an exchange of rings.

After the two were wed, the group had a champagne toast to celebrate, where Delana’s father gave the sweetest speech imaginable. There wasn’t a dry eye on the hill. Then, under their arch, Jake and Delana had their first dance to the studio recording of “Can’t Help Falling In Love” by Elvis Presley.

They then had a two-hour photoshoot all over the gorgeous Biltmore property, covered in beautiful spring blooms!

To finish off the night, a dinner at The Biltmore’s Dining Room was held and was accompanied by their wedding cake – a white cake with fresh strawberry filling, topped with Italian buttercream icing. Dinner was filled with tons of laughs and Jake and Delana got to feed each other their cake while enjoying the same champagne that they had after their ceremony.

Jake and Delana’s official wedding video and photography are to come. Thank you for checking out our wedding website to celebrate our special day with us!