Our Team

Melissa & Christian

co-founders

A different kind of modern love story

“There is a saying in Tibetan, 'Tragedy should be utilized as a source of strength.' No matter what sort of difficulties, how painful an experience is, if we lose our hope, that's our real disaster.” ― Dalai Lama XIV

It’s one of life’s funny little tricks that heartbreak is part of the human experience. One we are forced to accept. But another funny little truth is that... If we never felt heartbreak, we’d never fully know joy. If we didn’t go through the bad, the good wouldn’t feel as good. If we never experienced losing someone, we’d never realize how utterly magical it is to find someone.

And that’s why we keep doing this whole “being a human” thing, even through the loss. Because hope keeps us going. 

And this is a truth no one holds truer than Melissa and Christian.

The two met in their 40s, each with beloved children from previous marriages. Two people who hadn’t been single since the 1990s found themselves ‘on the market’ again in an age of selfies, Snapchat, and swiping left or right. 

The first love of Melissa’s life, and father of her daughter, was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma at 38 and passed away at the too-soon-age of 45. 

And, just shy of 40, Christian found himself on the other side of a divorce he hadn’t wanted.

Look at either of these two stories out of context: Misfortune. Disaster. Heartbreak.

But context cannot be ignored. Because these two heartbroken humans held onto hope and found each other. Two people who never knew if they could fall head over heels again fell hard and fast, and they fell together. 

The icing on top? Their kids loved each other, too. 

They started a new, ‘blended’ as they call it, family, and were inspired to jump into a new adventure together.

Melissa is a former gym owner and serial entrepreneur. Christian is an entrepreneur himself and dabbled in beer, wine, and cider-making over the years. 

After a visit to a North Carolina winery, they realized two things:

1. North Carolina wine is amazing.

2. There’s a huge opportunity to expand upon the NC winery experience

The idea for Serre was born, and quickly became much more than an idea: A wedding venue and tasting room in Mount Airy, NC. A place created out of love. Out of a new beginning. A place to celebrate life.

Melissa and Christian’s favorite part? This is a family endeavor. The kids are along for every step of the journey and are learning firsthand how businesses are started.  

(And yes, Serre is kid-friendly.)

This ‘blended’ family knows how blessed they are to have found one another. They don’t let a day go by without celebrating life, and they’d love to celebrate with you at Serre.