Andrea + Guelord

An Elegant Charlotte Wedding Story

Elegant “I Do’s” at Tryon Park

Andrea and Guelord both grew up in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Andrea in the capital, Kinshasa, and Guelord in Lubumbashi, and it was a little bit of home that brought the couple together in Charlotte. “We attended the same church but never talked. One day, Guelord reached out to me on Facebook to ask me if I could teach him Swahili. We agreed to meet on June 30th 2015 for our first lesson and we have been inseparable since that day.”

When it came time to start the wedding planning process, it was Kimpton Tryon Park Hotel’s beautiful Rhapsody Ballroom that first captured the couple’s attention and worked well with the elegant theme they had in mind. Andrea and Guelord made excellent use of Kimpton Tryon Park Hotel’s collection of event spaces, allowing them to host every part of their special day at the hotel. From a rehearsal dinner at Angeline’s restaurant to the ceremony in the Medley Ballroom, the cocktail hour in the Ithaca Room and the reception in the Rhapsody Ballroom, the hotel was the perfect place to start their happily ever after.

Couple dancing at reception in front of sparklers

Photographer: Cynthia Ndelo Photography

Memorable Details

One of the hotel’s One Bedroom King Suites was transformed into a bridal suite and get-ready space Andrea and her “I Do Crew” of bridesmaids. They all enjoyed breakfast and lunch, as well as a bit of Champagne, while they primped and prepped for the big day. Guelord and his groomsmen also took advantage of the morning and afternoon to prep themselves and have a bit of fun.

"Overall, the experience was excellent. I love the professionalism and hospitality of the team. The food tasting was exceptional, and our last walk-through meeting with the team was phenomenal."

Trina, Hector, the Chef, and everyone else at Tryon Park treated us with kindness and made us feel welcomed. We highly recommend.

The ceremony was held in the Medley Ballroom, where light pours in through floor-to-ceiling windows. The nuptials were set against a gorgeous floral arch from the couple’s florist at CLUX Florals with additional tall florals framing the aisle. ‘Our family and friend were cheerful and happy and celebrated “the African way.” Our ceremony was filled with such emotions and we could not stop shedding tears of joy!’

When the couple first laid eyes on the Rhapsody Ballroom decked out for their reception, they were stunned. “Everything was elegant and beautiful, just like we envisioned,” they said. Beyond the gorgeous décor of the room, the vibes were immaculate. Guests loved the delicious food and drinks from the culinary team at Angeline’s and the DJ kept the couple on the dance floor all night long until they retired to their suite to spend their first night as newlyweds.