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From Laurie Bailey Photography…Krissy and Chris live in the glamorous world of Hollywood, California. Chris, a top agent at William Morris/Endeavor, represents some of the best-known directors in the world – artists including Martin Scorcese, Milos Forman, Michael Winterbottom and Barry Sonnenfeld. Krissy works for the Noreen Fraser Foundation, a non-profit focusing on women’s cancers – a cause close to her heart as she, herself is a cancer survivor who underwent chemotherapy as she planned this unsurpassable wedding. To all, this day was a profound and special celebration on many levels.

While their everyday lives are all about the glitz and glamour of Hollywood, Krissy grew up in the lovely Southern town of Charlottesvile, Virginia and wanted her nuptials to embody the tradition and classic Southern charm epitomized by the spectacular Keswick Hall. But they also wanted to add touches of understated, classic Hollywood glamour to pay homage to those who paved the way for their successes.

The muted colors for the reception were chosen with that in mind: creams and browns with a touch of a pale green – organic, traditional, clean, crisp. Barbara Shiflett, the event designer, brought in a spectacular, clear tent for the reception and used oversized green drum shades for the lighting…. keeping with organic hues and hinting of the 1940′s, which is a period for which Chris has a fondness and which pulled in that old Hollywood feel. A jazz trio played during dinner, adding to the atmosphere.

The wedding day began in true Southern style as Chris and his groomsmen took a walk at dawn through the Virginia countryside with 50 bloodhounds, courtesy of the Keswick Hunt Club! Truly a sight to behold.

In lieu of a guest book, Krissy and Chris used an old, vintage typewriter… both a nod to Chris’ work with Hollywood writers and directors as well as to the 40′s. During cocktail hour, waiters tray passed mouth-wateringly innovative Southern fare such as Shrimp and Grits, served in tiny skillets.

On the tables with the florals were placed tiny bird’ s nests, a delicate detail and symbol of new beginnings – embodying the move beyond Krissy’s past health challenges and toward a beautiful new life together.

But one of the most spectacular moments of the day took place when all the guests adjourned to the outdoor terrace after dinner to release Chinese wish-lanterns into the October night sky…with each guest given a single lantern to release. The sight of one hundred and thirty two lanterns slowly drifting up over the back of Keswick Hall into darkness was something that they guests will not soon forget.

The celebration continued into the wee hours at Fossetts, the restaurant at Keswick Hall, where a checkerboard dance floor gracefully transformed the room into an old Hollywood nightclub. After dancing the night away, the couple rode off into the moonlight in a horse and buggy. A truly spectacular wedding!

Venue: Keswick Hall / Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier / Bride’s Shoes: Manolo Blahnik / Ties: Brooks Brothers / Wedding Bands: Tiffany & Co. / Event Stylist: Barbara Shifflett / Wedding Photography: Laurie Bailey Photography / Horse Drawn Carriage: Hundley Carriage / Floral Design: Floral Images / Transportation: B2B Transportation / Reception Tent: Skyline Tent Company / Vintage Car: Albemarle Vintage Limousines / Rentals: Festive Fare Rentals / Rehearsal Dinner Catering: Harvest Moon / Bluegrass Band: Andy Thacker / Jazz Trio: John Dearth / Ceremony Music (strings): Jennifer Myer / DJ: Patrick Critzer / Make-up: Daphne Latham / Hair: Tobey Tyler + Charles Fernyough

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Post tags: Albemarle Vintage Limousines, Andy Thacker, B2B Transportation, Barbara Shifflett, Brooks Brothers, Charles Fernyough, Charlottesville, Daphane Latham, Festive Fare Rentals, Floral Images, Harvest Moon, Hundley Carriage, Jennifer Myer, John Dearth, Keswick Hall, Laurie Bailey Photography, Manolo Blahnik, Monique Lhuillier, Patrick Critzer, Skyline Tent Company, Tiffany & Co., Tobey Tyler, Virginia Wedding
Post categories: The Blog, Traditional Elegance

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From the Bride…We chose Charlottesville, VA as our wedding destination since we both graduated from UVA.  We found DelFosse Vineyards in Faber, VA (about 30 mins away), nestled in the rolling green hills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and immediately knew it would be the perfect backdrop for a casual yet elegant celebration.  We didn’t opt for the overly themed vineyard wedding (i.e. no bottle corks, wine bottles, or grapes)…but instead kept the decor rustic and a little whimsical.  While it rained on our wedding day, everything went off without a hitch since we had already planned on using a tent for the reception, and had the beautiful tasting room with floor to ceiling windows as our ceremony back up.  One of my wonderful bridesmaids also surprised our wedding party with super cute plaid rain boots and clear umbrellas (from Target) which made for some GREAT photo pops before the ceremony, and also served as comfy footwear during the reception.

The overall color scheme was fuchsia/magenta (the bright purply magenta, not too pink – try describing this “color” for a year!), silver, and white. The J.Crew Arabelle dresses in Spiced Wine captured this color perfectly.  Bridesmaids chose their own pewter/darker silver shoes.  We also found a great-fitting Tommy Hilfiger suit in Shark Skin gray which went great with the more casual and elegant feel of the wedding.  We shopped around online for a cross hatched magenta tie for the groomsmen, which went great with the J.Crew dresses. I really couldn’t believe how well everything matched. Wedding colors were carried throughout the flowers (white peonies and tulips, lavender sweet peas and fuchsia dendrobium orchids), favor boxes and matchbooks.

Decor and centerpieces were kept simple.  We had a large white tent, perimeter lighting, white lanterns in varying sizes, and hanging votive candle holders.  The florist’s husband handmade the wooden boxes containing the flower arrangements on half of the tables, or the floating candles and fuchsia orchids on the other half.  Guests found their seats at the river rock place card table.  I hand wrote each guest’s name on one side, and their table name on the other.  Table names were “One of our favorite places”, displayed by hand made name cards on a small tree trunk base.  Not just vacation destinations, but our favorite fast food joint (In ‘N Out), Tim’s Lazy Boy, Tree Hill (our favorite fictional destination – from the show One Tree Hill), etc.  When guests were seated, they found their hand made favor boxes containing 2 Ghirardelli chocolates, and 1 of 2 magnets (so couples wouldn’t get 2 of the same thing! We alternated magnets in every other box, which we could tell by the color of the ribbon).  One final cute touch was the Manzanita Wishing Tree that we used instead of a Guest Book.  Guests signed cards that said “Warm Wishes” (made by PaperPixie on Etsy), and hung them on the tree…we now have all of the tags with our guest’s messages to keep in a book. I also need to give a nod to Elizabeth Haslup for our invitations – they are her original art.  I worked with her to create a custom invitation showcasing our venue and us as a couple.  We got so much positive feedback, and it really set the tone of the celebration we wanted to have.

I truly loved our wedding day because everyone had so much FUN, including myself…and that was what we set out to do, to throw a great party in a beautiful setting.  I’d encourage brides to read about some of the standard wedding inputs, but to not shy away from personalizing certain things.  Above all be FLEXIBLE, and don’t take yourself or the wedding too seriously.  Do some DIY’s but don’t go completely overboard.  Don’t be afraid to shop around and buy that dream dress second hand.  Don’t freak out when it rains on your wedding day (but definitely have a back-up plan…thanks, mom!)….nobody knows the difference in what you planned to what happened instead, and they’re all following your lead in the mood of the day.

Wedding Dress: Priscilla of Boston / Bridesmaid Dresses: J.Crew / Groom + Groomsmen Attire: Tommy Hilfiger / Floral Design: Blue Ridge Floral / Wedding Photography: Eric Kelley Photography / Wedding Party/Reveal Pictures Location:  The Rotunda + The Lawn at the University of Virginia / Log Cabin, Ceremony + Reception Venue: DelFosse Vineyards / Catering: Beggar’s Banquet / Wedding Cake: Maliha Creations / Wedding Coordinator: Jen Hamlin at Events with Panache / Band: 10 Spot / Rain Boots + Umbrellas: Target / Jewelry: Adriana Orsini / Warm Wishes Tree Tags: PaperPixie / Vintage Hair Clip: BridalWear / Tim + Jamie Luminaries: PaperAcorn / Bride’s Shoes: Pelle Moda / Purse: La Regale / Invitations: Art by Elizabeth Haslup at Kokomo Jane Art / Thank You Favor Boxes, River Rock Name Cards, Table Cards + Wedding Programs (using Elizabeth’s invitation art): DIY

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Post tags: 10 Spot, Adriana Orsini, Beggar's Banquet, Blue Ridge Floral, BridalWear, Charlottesville, DelFosse Vineyards, Eric Kelley Photography, Events with Panache, J. Crew, Kokomo Jane Art, La Regale, Maliha Creations, PaperAcorn, PaperPixie, Pelle Moda, Priscilla of Boston, Target, The Rotunda, Tommy Hilfiger, University of Virginia, Virginia
Post categories: The Blog

Ryan and I met on a blind date our first year at the University of Virginia, but we didn’t start dating right then. Instead we became good friends over the next couple of years, and started dating the summer before our fourth year! Six years later, Ryan made a surprise trip to Philadelphia where I was working in buying for Anthropologie (he was a consultant in DC, and we had been long distance for over three years). He arrived in the morning, and literally proposed on my front stoop. He whisked me around Philadelphia to celebrate by hitting up some of our old favorite restaurants and places culminating with a extravagant dinner at Fountain. It was such a fun and exciting weekend, only to be surpassed by our actual wedding weekend which was ten months later.

For our wedding, we immediately knew that we had to go back to where it all began: Charlottesville. The good news was, my mom actually grew up outside of Charlottesville, so we also knew that we wanted to have the reception on the farm where she grew up. This is the place where we spent every Christmas and made countless other visits, and always reminds me of my mom’s mom with whom I was very close. We picked a beautiful church on the downtown mall, Christ Episcopal, for the ceremony and were so blessed to be married by an amazing priest there, Dave Johnson.

We had two main goals of our wedding: to make it fun for our guests, and to make it personal. For the fun factor we focused on special touches such as a fabulous band, busing guests to/from our reception, and passed hors d’oeuvres and champagne for all upon entering cocktail hour, to name a few. Regarding personal touches, we spent a lot of time picking details for our ceremony, Ryan’s sister hand drew our sixteen page wedding booklet, our table names were places at UVA, and our beer and wine was from local companies. We poured countless hours in to these to these details and many more, which I think make a wedding really feel special.

Ryan was very involved in the planning process, but my mom and I were the team that executed all of the special details. We were very lucky to be in the same city during the time leading up to the wedding, so we worked on everything together loving every minute. One of my favorite memories, is that my mom and I worked with a wedding gown designer in Richmond, VA to transform a Monique Lhuillier wedding gown in to exactly what I had always dreamed about. My mom even handmade the gorgeous flower on my hip. It was a lot of work but we loved the time together and the finished product.

Regarding color inspiration, I knew I wanted to incorporate yellow in some way… my nursery was yellow and I have loved the color since childhood. I decided, however, not to have eight beautiful but all very different bridesmaids wear yellow. So I thought of navy. It’s a classic color, and it felt a little softer than black for a wedding at the end of May with an outdoor reception. I found some fantastic yellow beaded necklaces at Anthropologie, which I thought would do just the trick to make the look a little more fun than traditional. My mom and I wrapped the necklaces and sent them to each of my bridesmaids with a note that they could choose any short navy dress they wanted to go with the necklace. My little sis and maid of honor chose a long dress, which I loved because it helped her stand out. I was thrilled with that decision because everyone picked a dress in their price range in which they were comfortable, and we were all photographed together the look was stunning!

Ryan and I have so many vivid and beautiful memories from our wedding day (expertly captured by Jen Fariello) but I will speak to just a couple. We have both discussed this ad nauseum, and we both agree that our absolute favorite memory was between the cocktail hour and reception. Our coordinator moved our guests to the tent, holding back my mom, dad, Ryan and me. There was a path between the porch where we held cocktail hour and the tent for dinner and dancing. She send my parents down the path and a couple of minutes later me and Ryan. When we got to the tent everyone was clapping and cheering, and our band immediately started playing our first dance song and we whirled on to the dance. It was an unexpected memory as we hadn’t planned to make that entrance, which made it all the better.

Another amazing memory was our exit. Everyone was lined up and the path was lit by sparklers all the way from the tent to our getaway convertible. Our band was playing one of our favorite songs in the background and everyone was clapping and yelling excitedly! When we got to the car, my sweet mom was standing right there. I was so happy that I got to give her a big hug and tell her how perfect the entire day was since we had planned the entire event ourselves. The car was already packed with champagne and a picnic basket, and Ryan and I were in amazement looking back on the crowd, tent, and beauty.

Photographer: Jen Fariello / Floral Designer: Pat’s Floral Design / Invitations: Reaves Engraving / Cupcakes: The Mixing Bowl / Wedding Gown Designer: Pleiades Bridal / Bride’s Dress Flower: Bride’s Mom / Venue: Private Residence / Day of Coordination: Beverly Wakefield / Ceremony Location: Christ Episcopal Church

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Post tags: bouquet, Charlottesville, Christ Episcopal Church, Color Palette Yellow Navy, Cupcakes, Do-It-Yourself Inspired, Jen Fariello, Monique Lhuillier, Pat's Floral Design, Pleiades Bridal, Reaves Engraving, Summer Weddings, The Mixing Bowl, Wedding Flowers, Wedding Photography
Post categories: Casual Elegance, Little Black Book Blog

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From the Bride… The design inspiration for our wedding was my engagement ring and dress, both from the 1920s, and the historic Southern setting of James Monroe’s home at Ash Lawn-Highland. We wanted to extend the old world feel to our wedding invitations so we decided to work with a letterpress design studio in Brooklyn. By combining Art Deco typefaces with 18th century silhouettes, we were able to set the tone for our wedding day.

Our bouquets and table arrangements featured flowers that were popular in the 1920s – calla lilies, orchids, and dahlias. My dress was marine blue and we used that color for many elements in the wedding including the invitations, table settings, place cards, and hospitality booklets. For the food, we chose local southern fare — wild trout, red velvet cupcakes, and mint juleps in a proper cup.

Wedding Photography: Jen Fariello Photography / Wedding Invitations: Swayspace Letterpress Printing / Wedding Dress: NY Vintage / Florist: Pat’s Floral Designs / Catering: C&O Catering / Cupcakes: Favorite Cakes / Music: The Virginia Ramblers / Wedding Venue: Ash Lawn-Highland / Lighting: Skyline Lighting

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Post tags: 1920's, Ash Lawn-Highland, Blue, C&O Catering, Charlottesville, Favorite Cakes, Jen Fariello Photography, NY Vintage, Outdoor Wedding, Pat's Floral Design, Roaring 20's, Skyline Lighting, Swayspace Letterpress Printing, Tented Reception, The Virginia Ramblers, Vintage Chic, Virginia, Yellow
Post categories: Vintage Chic

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From the Bride… Both of my husband’s parents are from India, and my parents are from England and Wales, so our hope when planning our August wedding was to blend our two backgrounds into a very personal celebration.  We wanted to create an intimate, traditional wedding feel but also to bring in as many Indian elements as possible.  My parent’s home in Charlottesville, Virginia, with views of the Blue Ridge mountains, provided the perfect location for our outdoor wedding.

The night before the ceremony, guests were treated to an Indian pre-wedding celebration called a Sangeet, where I wore a beautiful red lengha choli given to me by my mother-in-law.  Guests danced to Bhangra music played by an Indian DJ, and were able to have henna decoration drawn on their hands and arms.

The next day, everyone enjoyed wine tasting or other Charlottesville attractions before buses brought them to our home for the wedding.  We had a simple traditional Christian ceremony performed by the groom’s childhood priest, and guests tossed flower petals as we walked back down the aisle together. My bridesmaids wore deep pink J-Crew dresses in the style of their choice, and the groomsmen’s boutonnieres were all slightly different.

After cocktails in the backyard, our reception was held under a marquee tent decorated with huge lanterns hung from the ceiling. We danced first to a personal favorite, and then broke into a Bollywood-style dance we choreographed together.  Our band, The Dickens, was absolutely fabulous, keeping everyone on the dance floor all night and letting Praveen perform a song dedicated to me.  The henna-patterned cake done by Maliha Creations was gorgeous, and we left the tent under a line of sparklers – a perfect end to a perfect night.

Wedding Photography: Jen Fariello Photography / Wedding Coordination: Barb Wired, LLC / Catering: Harvest Moon Catering / Tent Rental: Skyline Tent Company / Wedding Cake: Maliha Creations / Floral Design: Pat’s Floral Designs / Rentals: Festive Fare Rentals / Wedding Dress: Essence of Australia via Bel Fiore Bridal / Bride’s Shoes: Badgley Mischka / Bridesmaid Dresses: J.Crew / Hair & Makeup: Bristles / Wedding Reception Band: The Dickens via Sam Hill Entertainment / Ceremony & Cocktail Hour Musicians: Terra Voce

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Post tags: Badgley Mischka, Barb Wired LLC, Bel Fiore Bridal, Bird Cages, Bristles, Charlottesville, Essence of Australia, Festive Fare Rentals, Harvest Moon Catering, J. Crew, Jen Fariello Photography, Maliha Creations, Multi-Cultural Wedding, Outdoor Wedding, Pat's Floral Designs, Pink, Purple, Sam Hill Entertainment, Skyline Tent Company, Tented Reception, Terra Voce, The Dickens, VA, Virginia
Post categories: Traditional Elegance

This, however, would cause the ceremony to begin much later than the planned 6pm. Starting without those guests was not an option. Chloe had her staff fire up some appetizers for the guests who were already there and we began cocktail hour prior to the ceremony.

In the meantime, how was the bride doing?

While I could tell that Katie wasn’t thrilled that everything was running late, she was happy to hear that the guests who had arrived were very well taken care of and quite happy! She was calmed by the fact that the other bus had picked up the guests and were on their way. She and Lee had a “first look” session and many of the photos were done in some extraordinary light!  Again, I believe that everything happens for a reason.

Next – the ceremony lighting. We were in the mountains, and it was October, so the sun was setting and was going to be all the way down by the time the ceremony started… luckily for us, the photographers we were working with – Sam & Mel Worthington, a husband & wife team from Worthington Photography from Richmond, VA, had shot a candlelit ceremony for one of my clients in the fall of 2009 and it was amazing. So I knew what they would be fine with minimal light. Chloe and her staff at Veritas collected as many candles that had been left over the years and we began creating the most amazing lighting for a ceremony that one could ask for!

6:45 arrived and so did the bus. We ushered the guests to the ceremony site and the ceremony began promptly at 7:00 and it… was…. gorgeous!. The glow of the candles coupled with the glow of the bride was breathtaking.

After the ceremony, as the wedding party gathered on the deck, Mel came up to the couple and said, “I know that wasn’t the ideal situation for you guys, but that was completely the ceremony you were supposed to have.” Katie & Lee totally agreed, especially after seeing the beautiful shots! We escorted the guests right into the ballroom for dinner after the ceremony and the rest of the evening, thankfully, went off without a single issue. Dinner was delicious, the room looked lovely, the band rocked the night away, and most importantly the 2nd bus was fixed and at Veritas by 11:00 for the departure of all the guests. Whew! I realize how lucky I was to have a great couple & families to work with given the situation – everyone was very understanding and thrilled with the end result. I completely feel that this was meant to be! They got the best of both worlds, the earlier light with their planned “1st sighting” of each other prior to the ceremony and then the dramatic look of a candlelight ceremony. Mel was right – it truly was the ceremony they were supposed to have!

See the whole gallery here!

Photography: Worthington Photography (more photos on their blog ~ here) / Flowers: Flowers by Natalie – Charlottesville, VA / Event Planning & Design: Weddings by Windy - Richmond, VA / Reception & Ceremony Location: Veritas Vineyards – Afton, VA / Invitations: By Invitation Only – Richmond, VA / Wedding Dress: Priscilla of Boston

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Post tags: Afton, Charlottesville, Flowers by Natalie, Priscilla of Boston, Richmond, Veritas Vineyards, Virginia, Weddings by Windy, Worthington Photography
Post categories: Casual Elegance, Little Black Book Blog, Wedding Planners & Designers

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From the Bride…Jase and I met in graduate school at the University of Southern California in the fall of 2004 and still live in Los Angeles. I grew up in SoCal, one of the three girls; he grew up in western New York, one of three boys. Though we are opposite in many ways with regards to personality and interests, we’re both old souls nearly identical in our goals, values and feelings about what’s most important in life. After our engagement in September of 2009, we quickly decided that our wedding would occur on October 23, 2010 – six years to the day from our first date.

Having lived in nearly a dozen cities across the U.S. between the two of us, we had friends and family all over the country and decided that a destination wedding would be the perfect opportunity for our guests to get away and get to know each other. I went to college in Charlottesville, Virginia, and it remains one of my favorite places. The late October date would give our West Coast guests a chance to experience a true autumn, with all its brilliant foliage. Charlottesville is also one of those rare places that successfully blends a deep-rooted sense of tradition and history with a modern spirit of progressiveness and creativity–exactly the values we wanted in our marriage.

Since the church and reception venue were both historic properties with architecture and interiors to match, we decided to infuse the traditional feel of the reception space with a bit of a modern touch. I’m not much of a color person and didn’t want to compete with the vibrant colors of the fall foliage, so we chose a palette of warm metallics and kept the flowers all white, creating interest with texture and sparkle by using shimmery and sequined linens, mercury glass, mirrored surfaces and lots and lots of candles. A mix of long rectangular tables and square tables helped give a traditional ballroom a more modern vibe. The groom, groomsmen and our four ring bearers swapped for bow ties for neckties with their traditional black tuxes, and the bridesmaids each wore different cocktail dresses in varying shades of gold/champagne. Many of the little details were particularly special to us, even if no one noticed them: my late grandmother’s bee pin on my bouquet; Batman cufflinks for the groom, groomsmen and ring bearers; a favorite Rilke quote letterpressed on the front of the program.

With the help of our amazing vendors and planner, everything came together wonderfully, though ultimately our design and details simply served as beautiful backdrop for an amazing day and night in which our family and friends ate, drank and danced the night away in what was definitely the party of our lives.

We loved Paul’s work immediately upon seeing his website and blog but knew for sure he was the photographer for us when we met him in person. He captured the feeling and story of the day through amazing candid shots that are truly magazine-worthy, AND got gorgeous portraits, AND was a joy to work with throughout the entire process. Every time we go through our photos, we not only get to look back at our wedding day, but also live it again in a totally different way. We discover something new every time we look at the photos – they are not just the story of our wedding in images, they are all of the stories of our wedding in images, which is such a blessing given that a bride and groom simply can’t be there for every important moment in the whirlwind of emotion and fun that is a wedding.

The day would not have been possible without the expertise of our fabulous planners at Easton Events. The amazing Floral Images developed and executed our vision beyond our wildest dreams. DJ Ray Jarrell of Ray Jarrell Entertainment kept the dance floor full the entire night – literally, only four people left the wedding early! Copper Willow Paper Studio did a beautiful job with our invitation suite, day-of printed materials and calligraphy (I still pull out our invites just to admire them). We felt so lucky to work with such great vendors across the board – wonderful people who did a wonderful job.

Ceremony venue: Grace Church / Reception venue: Farmington Country Club / Planning: Easton Events / Floral: Floral Images / Rentals: Festive Fare / Lighting: Blue Ridge Light Forms / Cake: Maliha Creations / DJ: Jarrell Entertainment / Hair: Moxie Hair and Body Lounge / Printed Materials: Copper Willow Paper Studio / Photography: Paul Morse Photographs / Invitations: Copper Willow Paper Studio

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Post tags: Blue Ridge Lighting Forms, Charlottesville, Copper Willow Paper Studio, Easton Events, Farmington Country Club, Festive Fare, Floral Images, Grace Church, Jarrell Entertainment, Maliha Creations, Moxie Hair Lounge, Paul Morse Photographs, Virginia
Post categories: The Blog, Traditional Elegance

see more of this fabulous Virginia wedding here!

From Katie Carrier Events…

Becca and Ben are the sweetest, funniest and most gorgeous couple, and working with them to plan their Charlottesville, Virginia wedding was an absolute blast. They were married on July 23, 2010 at Farmington Country Club, a beautiful and historic club with grand architectural details set on lush, scenic property. Photographer Eric Kelley did an amazing job of documenting the day! Becca and her mother Dottie are known for their love of the color red, so it was a given that it had to be incorporated into the wedding. Becca chose a darling palette of raspberry red with coral, pink and pool blue accents, and let her bridesmaids choose their favorite style of dress by Swoon in raspberry red. The groomsmen wore great Vineyard Vines ties in shades of pink with their light gray suits, and the two ring bearers (possibly the cutest little boys you’ve ever seen!) wore matching Vineyard Vines bow ties with their tiny seersucker suits, and each carried a Paloma’s Nest Ring Bearer Bowl.

Becca wore a gorgeous lace and dupioni silk dress by Martina Liana (with pockets!), and her mother made her veil using lace from Becca’s grandmother’s wedding dress. It was such a sweet and meaningful touch. Tara Bliven of Ephemera Press designed a gorgeous letterpress invitation suite with a custom calligraphy font that incorporated a double “B” monogram inside of a bracket shape. We then carried the monogram and bracket shape throughout the entire wedding, making hand-embossed tags that we put on almost everything, like the napkins, favor boxes and parasols. Even the fan-shaped programs for the outdoor ceremony were cut out in the bracket shape.

The first thing Becca and Ben told me when we started planning was how important it was to them that their wedding was casual and comfortable, and that their 200+ guests have a ton of fun, with great music and great food. Becca and Ben chose an amazing band called Big Ray and the Kool Kats, and they kept the dance floor packed the entire night! Surprise musical performances by family and friends also made the evening so personal and unique. After an amazing dinner and delicious cake and desserts, the couple treated their guests to a late night snack of sliders and mini cones of French fries. One of my favorite moments of the evening was when Becca’s bridesmaids helped her pull off a surprise mid-reception in the middle of the dance floor: the ballgown skirt of Becca’s dress came off to reveal a darling lace minidress and red shoes underneath! Everyone, including the groom, was completely surprised! After a sparkler exit, Becca and Ben drove off in an awesome ‘57 Chevy – red, of course!

Photography: Eric Kelley Photography / Flowers: Flower Designs by Jacquelyn / Event Planning & Design: Katy Carrier Events / Ceremony & Reception Location: Farmington Country Club, Charlottesville, VA / Officiant: Reverend Doctor Joseph Ryan (no website) / Ceremony Musicians: The Linden Trio / Band: Big Ray and the Kool Kats / Cake: Cakes Unlimited / Invitations & Calligraphy: Ephemera Press / Lighting: MS Events / Dress: Martina Liana / Shoes: Pour La Victoire / Bridesmaids: Swoon from Bella Bridesmaid / Groom & Groomsmen’s Attire: Jos. A. Bank suits & Vineyard Vines ties / Ring Bearer Bowls: Paloma’s Nest / Rentals: Festive Fare / Wine Barrels: Prince Michel Vineyard & Winery / Additional Photos by Shannon Lee

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Post tags: Bella Bridesmaid, Big Ray and the Kool Kats, Cakes Unlimited, Charlottesville, Ephemera Press, Eric Kelley Photography, Farmington Country Club, Festive Fare, Flower Designs by Jacquelyn, Jos A Bank, Katy Carrier Events, Martina Liana, MS Events, Paloma's Nest, Pour La Victoire, Prince Michael Vineyard and Winery, Shannon Lee, Swoon, The Linden Trio, Vineyard Vines, Virginia
Post categories: All Real Weddings, Real Weddings, The Blog, Traditional Elegance, Whimsical