Mary Layton Moffitt and Thomas Bullock’s alma mater has been the heartbeat of their lives
Mary Layton Moffitt & Thomas Bullock
April 12, 2025 • Caledonia Golf & Fish Club
Wake Forest University sits as the centerpiece of Thomas and Mary Layton’s relationship that was years in the making. And it all started with their parents, who are all alumni of the school, with moms as sorority sisters and dads as friends playing golf after graduating and cheering on the Deacons at football games.
“We grew up at Wake Forest tailgates, Member Guest Golf Tournaments, and playing ‘Duck, Duck, Goose’ at family cookouts,” says Mary Layton. “We spent years without seeing each other in our teen years before reconnecting at Wake Forest and beginning our true love story.”
Thomas and Mary Layton’s reconnect happened in college, when they dated for about three years, followed by a brief hiatus post-college, followed by a relationship “relaunch” while living in Charlotte in spring 2022, followed by Thomas’ proposal in the fall of 2023.
“We had spent time on the Wake Forest campus earlier that day to reminisce on memorable times for the early days of our relationship,” says Mary Layton. “Thomas proposed outside of Forsyth Country Club in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and then we celebrated at dinner before continuing the festivities later that evening with extended family.”
The happy couple said “I do” on April 12, 2025, at Caledonia Golf & Fish Club in Pawleys Island.
Our vision for the wedding day was to create something elegant, timeless, and full of southern charm,” says Mary Layton. “We were able to design a celebration that highlighted the natural beauty of our venue at Caledonia, while also feeling uniquely ours. Every choice we made was intentional to create a memorable experience for the two of us and our guests, including the floral design, venue layout, and menu options.”
Mary Layton walked down the aisle to her groom in a Suzanne Neville Rossini gown featuring a strapless corseted bodice that flowed into a beautiful A-line skirt with an elegant split. Her veil was embroidered with floral details to pay homage to the surrounding trees and gardens on the property.
Bridesmaids wore whisper blue Jenny Yoo dresses in embroidered tulle floral and luxe satin designs. Groomsmen were dressed in black tie with custom needlepoint cufflinks that reflected the university each groomsmen attended.
More meaningful touches for the Bullocks’ special day included an illustration of their dog, Goose, on the cocktail napkins, a surprise visit from their college mascot, and Thomas’ “Duck, Duck, Goose” socks as a nod to the game we played when they first met as children. Bride and groom also personally curated their own specialty drinks: the Old Gold and Black in tribute to their alma mater, the Grey Goose as a reference to their cherished childhood game, and the Queen City Spritz alluding to their home city in Charlotte, North Carolina.
“Each drink symbolized a period of time where we’ve gotten to know each other – childhood, college undergrad, and adulthood,” says Mary Layton. “And overall, seeing every detail come together so seamlessly was truly magical to make our dream day a reality.”
The reception also featured an impressive food menu, including mini crab cake popper, mini boom boom shrimp tacos, mini chicken and waffles, and gouda mac and cheese bite hors d’oeuvres. For dinner, a berry salad, beef tenderloin, shrimp and grits, blackened mahi mahi, and scallops were served, followed a late-night snack of cheeseburger sliders and curly fries.
Today, the newlyweds live in Charlotte, where Mary Layton works as a technical project manager and Thomas as a private equity investment professional.
