from Meghan …

Paul and Teresa met while she was at a University Northern Ireland, from which Paul hails. The couple wanted to make sure the wedding incorporated each of their cultures (with him from Ireland and Teresa with her Bolivian and American roots). They used the Irish “claddagh” throughout the reception (cocktail napkins, cake topper and thank you cards) as it’s a symbol for love, friendship and loyalty.

They had salsa dancing during the rehearsal dinner and reception for Teresa’s Bolivian side. For Southern flair, the couple hosted their wedding at Tuckahoe Plantation, which is the boyhood home of Thomas Jefferson. Their invitations incorporated dogwood (Virginia state flower) and their guests enjoyed Virginia peanuts in their welcome bags.

We asked Teresa her most memorable part of her wedding day and she said, “Our favorite part of the wedding day was when we were finally able to cut loose during the reception. With my husband being called Paul McCartney, one of the things we bonded over when we first started going out was a shared love of The Beatles. So our last dance of the night to “I’ve Just Seen a Face” was definitely a highlight and the perfect ending to the whole day.”

I also asked her to share any advice for future brides, now that she’s walked down the aisle herself and she said, “If you have your heart set on an outdoor wedding like I did, be ready for extreme weather (in my case it was the intense heat) and for bugs. I’ve never been a big fan of fondant but at the last minute we decided to add it to the cake just in case of flies and to guard the cake against melting in the heat. So when we were invaded by ants that climbed all over the cake, the caterers were able to just peel away that top layer when it came time to serve it!

Photographer: Meghan McSweeney Photography
Minister: Dean Pittman, Greenwood United Methodist Church
Event Planner: Courtney Spencer, Merriment Events
Tent Rental: Skyline Tent Company
Cake: Sweetest Thing Bakery
Flowers: Flower Girls
Ceremony/Reception: Tuckahoe Plantation
Catering: White House Catering
DJ: Cam DiNunzio
Ceremony Musicians: Classical Encounter
Hair: Salon 23
Makeup: Stephanie Parker
Transportation: TNT Limousine
Party Rentals: Party Perfect

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2010. | Permalink | 10 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Flower Girls Inc, Meghan McSweeney, Merriment Events, Party Perfect, Richmond, Skyline Tent Company, Sweetest Thing Bakery, Tuckahoe Plantation, Virginia, White House Catering
Post categories: Little Black Book Blog, Traditional Elegance, Wedding Photography

From Anne and Bill Holland of Holland Photo Arts…

Marcie & Garrett, who enjoyed a gorgeous outdoor ceremony with close family and friends out at Tuckahoe Plantation, just west of Richmond. They had chosen this spot, in a rustic garden just east of the mansion and at the end of a long dirt road for its authenticity and beauty, and Mother Nature made sure they and their guests were able to take full advantage of it. After seeing each other privately for the first time that day in the grove adjacent to the garden, and after portraits with them and their families, everyone sat and relaxed for a short bit until the ceremony got started. Their guests were kept amused prior to the ceremony with programs describing how they knew members of the wedding party and various humorous characteristics of each, including a funny story of how they themselves met. They then said their vows under a massive old oak, the oldest tree in Virginia.

Garrett’s grandfather stood to recite a reading and by the end he and most of the guests were so emotional tears were coming down their faces. Moments like that are so meaningful to us because they illustrate the familial bonds our clients have and just how tightly knit their families are. It’s truly wonderful to witness. Marcie’s godfather, a pastor himself, also offered a final prayer for the couple just before their kiss and recessional back toward the mansion, followed very shortly thereafter by a group photo of the new husband and wife with all their guests.

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2008. | Permalink | 8 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Holland Photo Arts, Lillywillow Paper & Press, Richmond, Tuckahoe Plantation
Post categories: Real Weddings, Wedding Photography