Julia Smith and Carl Fox found each other on Match.com. Early in their courtship, doctors diagnosed Carl with myelodysplastic syndrome, a deadly blood cancer. Carl and Julia created Save the Fox, a nonprofit to raise awareness of the disease, and after a long wait he received a bone marrow transplant at UNC Medical Center in 2015.
During a trip to visit Julia’s family in Arkansas in 2016, Carl bought a ring and carried it around for months, waiting for the perfect moment. After getting her father’s blessing, Carl took Julia to Glasshalfull where they had their first date. When the tables were too close together to get down on one knee, Carl proposed the next evening during the Democratic National Convention speeches, something Julia says was “perfect!”
They were married on May 5, 2017 at the Church of the Holy Family with Julia’s father walking her down the aisle. Her daughter, Susan Smith, was her maid of honor and Antoine Puech was Carl’s best man. Julia also included her late mother in the ceremony – the sleeve of her mother’s 1954 wedding dress was used to wrap her bouquet.
Memories of Julia’s mother were present at the reception at The Barn at Fearrington, too. The pair would brunch together at Fearrington Village where her mother would always buy a grapevine ball with lights from Dovecote Style. For the occasion, the barn was transformed into a night garden with white lights, greenery and hydrangea and the band Liquid Pleasure kept everyone dancing. It was truly a day of celebrating family, friends, life and love.
Photography by Krystal Kast
