Rehearsal Dinner

St. James the Greater

Ceremony

Old North State Club

Cocktail hour/Reception

Our Wedding

Domenic and Morgan first met in the beginning of 2021 in the height of COVID-19. They met through a mutual friend. Domenic reached out to Morgan asking if she would like to go out to dinner with him. Morgan said yes and about a week later when it was time for their date, Morgan started feeling sick. Come to find out she had COVID-19. Morgan was devastated that she was going to have to cancel their first date. Domenic understood but thought it was just an excuse to get out of the date, which he told Morgan about this later on in their relationship. Two weeks went by and they talked everyday over the phone until the quarantine was over, which was ten days at the time. They finally went on their first date to learn that they lived within ten minutes of each other. They also learned they both had family up north, they are both huge travel junkies, and had many things in common. There was an instant connection, and they both had a feeling this was going to be their last first date. Since then Morgan and Domenic have made many memories together and cannot wait to start this next chapter in their lives!

Our love story

Our Story

Photos

Cami Shue 

Brook Boyd

Lainey Gilmore

Katelyn Joubert 

Maggie Kluttz

Nicole Kutay

Catherine LeRay

Marc Dadio

Andrew Tan

Justin Laing 

Ayden Gifford 

Caleb Whisnant 

Vince TeMaat

Tripp Corey

Nico Santos 

Oliver Santos

Charlotte Hill 

Caroline Hill 

Davis LeRay

Wedding Party

Hotels and Accommodations 

As our ceremony and reception will be held at separate venues, there will be some travel required between locations. We kindly wish to note that accommodations in close proximity to the venues are limited. For your comfort and convenience, we encourage making arrangements well in advance and allowing adequate time for travel on the day of the celebration. Below there is a hotel option that is closest to the venue. Feel free to look into airbnb or Vrbo around Badin Lake. There are also hotels in Concord, NC however they are further from the reception space. We are deeply grateful for your understanding and presence as we share this special occasion together.

Holiday Inn Express &amp; Suites in Albemarle, North Carolina is located exactly 30 minutes from our reception venue and 30 minutes from Saint James where the ceremony will take place. This hotel includes complementary breakfast from 6:30am-9:30 am, and parking is included. There is a Walmart right across the street along with many fast food places to choose from. This is the closest hotel to the reception venue and the church (we apologize, we live in the country where everything is spread out). Please take the distance into consideration on the day of the wedding.To book a room call the hotel phone number and state the dates you are booking for ( Sep 25, 2026 - Sep 27, 2026) and give them our last names (Gifford and Dadio).If you would like to book for Saturday night only please take into consideration that check - in is at 3p.m. Our wedding ceremony starts at 3p.m. You will have time after the wedding ceremony to drop off your bags at the hotel prior to the reception, however you will not be able to drop off your bags at the hotel prior to the ceremony unless you book for Friday night as well.Any questions about travel please reach out to Morgan Gifford (the bride).

Holiday Inn Express & Suites Albemarle by IHG

This airport does offer car rentals

Charlotte Douglas International Airport

This airport does offer car rentalsThis airport is closer to both venues compared to Charlotte Douglas

Concord-Padgett Regional Airport

10 minutes away from the hotel in Albemarle, enjoy a nice hike or drive up the mountain to the lookout!

Morrow Mountain State Park

Southend Charlotte is about an hour from the hotel we listed above. However, if you want to experience Charlotte there are many options to choose from. A few of Domenic and I's favorite bars/brewery include Sycamore Brewery, Charlotte Beer Garden, and Vinyl.Restaurants include Barcelona Wine Bar, STIR, and Leroy Fox South End.

Charlotte Beer Garden 

Uwharrie Brewing

50 minutes away from hotel listed

Asheboro Zoo

Travel

Registry

Can I bring my children?We are so excited to celebrate our special day with all of our family and friends. All are warmly welcome to attend our church ceremony. Due to limited capacity at the reception venue, we kindly ask that only those specifically named on the invitation attend the reception. While we have included select children on invitations, we encourage you to use the evening as a special date night if possible! We can't wait to celebrate together!

Is the Venue indoors or outdoors?The ceremony will take place at St. James the Greater Roman Catholic Church and the reception will take place at The Old North State Club. The Ceremony will be indoors and the Reception will be outdoors under the covering on the terrace. Cocktail hour will be outdoors as weather permits. The reception venue is indoor and outdoor with covered and uncovered patios.

Is there parking provided ?Yes, both the ceremony and reception locations have large parking lots on the properties.

What is the dress code?This is a formal event, and we kindly ask our friends and family to dress accordingly. The dress code is formal or black-tie optional. For women, this may include midi or full-length dresses. For men, dress pants, jackets or suits are appropriate.

What color will the bridesmaids be wearing?The bridesmaids will be wearing a light champagne full length dress.

Will there be an open bar?Yes there will be an open bar throughout cocktail hour and the reception.

Can I bring a plus one?We kindly request that invitations be honored as addressed. Due to limited space, we are unable to accomodate additional guests. We are so grateful for your understanding and look forward to celebrating with you!

Will dinner be served?Yes, hors d'oeuvres will be served during cocktail hour and a buffet style dinner will be served around 6 PM. There will be two options for main course, salad, starches, vegetables, and dessert. Family with children attending the wedding will be contacted by the bride for kids meal orders.

What time should I arrive?Please arrive to St. James the Greater Catholic Church at 2:45 pm to find a parking spot and your seat. The ceremony will begin promptly at 3:00 pm. If you are unable to attend the church ceremony, please arrive at The Old North State Club facility at 4:45-5:00 pm for the cocktail hour. If you happen to get there slightly before that is okay, you can walk around the estate and grab a drink!

Will there be transportation provided?Kindly note that transportation to and from the venue will not be provided. Guests are encouraged to make their own travel arrangements. Also note that due to the location of the reception venue, lyft and Uber are not as reliable as in big cities like Charlotte.

Domenic & Morgan

Domenic & Morgan

D&M

Ceremony

Cocktail hour/Reception