The Garrabrant Wedding

Our Wedding

An Episcopalian and a Presbyterian Walk Into An Ice Cream Shop If you ask how the couple how they met, you’ll probably get two different answers. Houston will blurt out, “We met at an ice cream shop!” while Raiford, the realist of the two, will gently correct with, “It was a dating app.” At any rate, they're both right. Their first date was on a warm September day in 2021 at a Ben &amp; Jerry’s in Greensboro, North Carolina. What was meant to be a quick scoop turned into a four-hour conversation. During said conversation, Raiford casually dropped he went to an Episcopal high school. Houston responded with, "Oh! My dad's family is Episcopalian. Is that similar?" Much to both Raiford and Grandma Tess's delight, Houston now not only knows that Episcopalians are, in fact, a part of the Episcopal church, she identifies as one herself (see: ceremony location). Early on, Houston and Raiford bonded over having unique family names. They also shared a love of buttered noodles and were Young Life leaders in college. On one of their first dates, Raiford invited Houston over to make their beloved buttered noodles — only to realize, mid-cooking, that he forgot the butter. They had olive oil noodles instead. If you were to poll Houston’s friends, they would tell you they knew it was serious when she called them to ask what a first down was. She may, or may not have, exaggerated her love for ACC football to impress Raiford, ever the NC State fan. In August of 2023, they began a long-distance chapter between North Carolina and Connecticut, as Raiford began pursuing his MBA at Yale. It was a season of Facetime calls and scrambling to book budget flights, but also casino nights, excellent pizza, and only one near death experience on the aforementioned budget flight. At some point into their long distance foray, Raiford Jr. called his dad, Raiford Sr. He was seeking advice on how to ask for Houston's hand in marriage. Raiford Sr. responded "to think about how Houston makes him feel and the words will come." When Raiford came home for Christmas in 2024, he decided it was time. He asked Houston’s dad, Mark, to grab lunch at Cabo Fish Taco — a Hokie mainstay — and asked for his blessing. As Raiford poured his heart out, the table next to them started crying, moved by Raiford describing how Houston made him feel. Raiford then visited Houston’s mom, Courtenay, who had been praying for Raiford since she first found out Houston was a little girl. Courtenay was over the moon to hear of Raiford's plan. Finally, he called Houston’s sister, Emily, to share the news. Emily was quick to say that she couldn’t imagine a better best friend for Houston to replace her. Flashforward to Spring 2025, Raiford's mother, Trish, took a trip to New Haven to visit Raiford. While enjoying New Haven's famous pizza, Trish and Raiford began picking out the perfect ring. (Spoiler: They got it right.) On June 21, 2025 — the longest day of the year, and the 55th anniversary of Houston’s grandparents, Judy and Lee — Raiford proposed at Dorothea Dix Park. He was so nervous that he opened the ring box upside down. Houston said yes, even before he turned it right side up.As if that wasn’t enough, Raiford had one more surprise: a party waiting afterward with all their closest family and friends ready to celebrate their engagement. At the party, Raiford’s brother, Pete, brought out a bottle of Pappy Van Winkle 15yr. Houston’s one and only glass of bourbon, to this day, was that Pappy. Now, they live together in Raleigh, North Carolina. They are the proud parents of Houston’s childhood cat, Twinkie Toes, who has graciously agreed to share her home and attention. During their engagement season, they also added Pappy and Poppy, two striped kittens, into the mix. Five years ago, almost to the day, an Episcopalian and a Presbyterian walked into an ice cream shop, chatting. They walked out of that ice cream shop and haven't stopped since.

The Couple

Itinerary

Bride's younger sister. May be the younger of the two, but where Houston gets 99% of her personality from.

Emily Dixon

Groom's younger brother. The most talkative Garrabrant (until Houston changes her name). 

Pete Garrabrant

Bride's childhood best friend. Will karaoke with you, whether you like it or not. 

Grace Dickerson

Met freshman year of high school. Taught Raiford how to drive a manual car. 

James Nye

Met at a Bible study while at Virginia Tech. Arguably Houston's better half. 

Hannah Davis

Groom's childhood best friend. Best backyard quarterback inside the Beltline. 

Will Conger

Met as roommates their sophomore year of college. Will be leading any and all line dances, where ever she goes, including this wedding.

Elese Curry

Met while at NC State. Fellow bourbon enthusiast. 

Jason Hohe

Freshman year roommate at Virginia Tech. Connoisseur of the finer things in life (Dolly Parton and Diet Coke).

Maddy Greenman

Met as roommates at Yale. The real Boston Rob. 

Robert Powell

Met at a Bible study while at Virginia Tech. Has been to Japan multiple times and will tell you about it. 

Emily Bell

Met junior year of high school. Professional consultant or gamer... we don't know and neither does he. 

Brian Xu

Houston's first friend at Virginia Tech. Going to have an outfit for every occasion. 

Grace Hedge

Met on a golf course at Yale. Still not sure he went there. 

Michael Heiner

Wedding Party

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Dress Code

Q + A

For guests flying in, we recommend Raleigh–Durham International Airport (RDU). It offers non-stop flights from many major cities and is conveniently located close to our wedding venues and hotel, making travel in and out of Raleigh easy and stress-free.

Raleigh-Durham International Airport

We’ve reserved a block of rooms for guests at the Renaissance Raleigh North Hills Hotel, a stylish and comfortable hotel located in the heart of Raleigh’s North Hills district. This is where the couple will be staying. It’s a wonderful home base for the weekend, with easy access to shops, restaurants, and entertainment. The hotel is approximately a 15-minute drive from Christ Church on Capital Square and a 5-minute drive from Carolina Country Club, making it convenient for all of our wedding weekend events. Please be sure to book your room by September 10 to secure the group rate and availability. Reservations can be made using the website linked below. Self-parking is complimentary, and valet parking is available for $30 per day.

Renaissance Raleigh North Hills Hotel

We’ve reserved a block of rooms for guests at&nbsp;the AC Hotel Raleigh North Hills, a stylish and comfortable hotel in the North Hills district of Raleigh. This is a great home base for your stay with easy access to shops, restaurants, and entertainment.&nbsp; The hotel is about a 15-minute drive from Christ Church on Capital Square and a 5-minute drive from Carolina Country Club, making it convenient for all of our wedding weekend events. Please be sure to book by September 10 to secure your rate and room. You can reserve your stay through the link below using our block:

AC Hotel Raleigh North Hills

We’ve reserved a block of rooms for guests at&nbsp;Raleigh Marriott Crabtree Valley, close to Crabtree mall. This is a great home base for your stay with easy access to shops, restaurants, and entertainment within walking distance. The hotel is about a 15-minute drive from Christ Church and a 5-minute drive from Carolina Country Club, making it convenient for all of our wedding weekend events. Please be sure to book by September 10 to secure your rate and room. You can reserve your stay through the link below using our block:

Courtyard by Marriott Raleigh Crabtree Valley

Accommodations 

A special place in our story - this is where Raiford proposed with the now infamous ring box upside down. Dix Park is perfect for a morning walk or evening stroll! We highly recommend catching the view from Flowers Field.

Dix Park

Raiford's favorite Tex-Mex spot and a go-to for a laid-back meal. Order the chicken soft tacos and a classic marg - his standing recommendation. A lively and easy option for lunch or dinner.

Chuy's

One of our long-time favorites and a place we've enjoyed across North Carolina - from Raleigh to Winston Salem and Greensboro. You can't go wrong with the French Onion soup, house-made chips (extra ranch), or the Butter Cake for dessert.

Village Tavern

A Raleigh institution and a favorite for a classic Southern breakfast. The "Big Ed" pancakes are famously the size of your face, so come hungry.

Big Ed's City Market Restaurant

Home of Houston's all-time favorite breakfast pastry - the Creamed Spinach croissant. The perfect stop for a cup of coffee.

Paul and Jack

Marbles Kids Museum

Wild Turkey Lounge...

Lonnie Poole Golf Course

Things to Do

Registry

Photos

Registery

The greatest blessing is celebrating our marriage surrounded by the people we love most. For those who have inquired, we are registered at the retailers below. We have selected pieces that we hope to use and cherish for many years to come. <a href="https://www.williams-sonoma.com/registry/wz7sjbqtbg/registry-list.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">William Sonoma</a> for kitchen and home goods.<a href="https://www.myregistry.com/wedding-registry/houston-dixon-and-raiford-garrabrant-raleigh-nc/4938750" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Quintessentials</a> for china and tableware.<a href="https://weezietowels.com/apps/giftregistry/registry/432532" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Weezie</a> for bath linens; registered under "Houston Dixon" Thank you for your kindness and generosity as we begin our life together. Houston &amp; Raiford

Houston & Raiford

Houston & Raiford

H&R