Norfolk Wedding from Isha Foss Events + Justin Hankins Photography

This lovely bride wanted to spend a day at City Hall with her husband to be, and as much as we LOVE simple, civil ceremonies like that, we are so glad she chose to have this gorgeous, intimate wedding instead. The couple worked with Isha Foss Events to design a perfectly romantic day that was so wonderfully captured by Justin Hankins Photography. Make sure to save some time this morning for the gallery to see just how beautiful this day really was!

Jordan and I met and dated our senior year of high school. We even went to prom together – me wearing a white dress and him wearing a tux. Little did we know how fitting that would be. We went to different colleges, sporadically checking in with one another. Then Jordan left for the Peace Corp and I for graduate school. Our emails became much less frequent until we lost touch completely. Fourteen years after we dated, I ran into one of Jordan’s friends at my nephew’s birthday party. He called Jordan. Jordan called me. And we were married a year and a half later. It took a while, but we eventually ended back where we started — and where we were meant to be all along.

We both love nature and being outdoors, so we knew the Hermitage was the perfect spot once we saw it. We also are both a bit shy, and having an outdoor wedding seemed cozy (Jordan’s favorite adjective) and much less intimidating to us both. Determining our wedding style was daunting. I have never been one to leaf through bridal magazines or daydream about my idyllic wedding. I looked around my house for inspiration and picked up my favorite item — an orange polka dot pillow from Hable Construction. I used the same fabric to make napkins for the wedding. I know it seems silly to design a wedding around a bunch of orange polka dots, but once that decision was made, everything else fell into place. My favorite flowers are ranunculus and dhalias. I love simple farmhouse/cottage style decor. Our wedding planner, Isha Foss, took the few ideas we gave her and created a day that felt magical.

We knew we wanted a small wedding, one where we could easily name everyone in attendance and say we were able to spend quality time with them at the wedding. We kept the guest list as close to fifty as possible. Jordan’s best friend from high school married us. It was so special because he knew us when we first fell in love as teenagers. He was able to bring an intimacy and humor to the ceremony that made it feel all the more special.

We walked down the aisle together holding hands. I know it’s not traditional, but it was my favorite part of the wedding. When we joined the reception, my stepdad surprised us with a blown up version of our prom picture from 1995 propped up on the dance floor. It was so unexpected and sweet…and yes, a little embarassing too.

For a girl who just wanted to go to the courthouse and call it a day, I can honestly say that our wedding was my happiest day yet!

Venue: Hermitage Foundation Museum / Photography: Justin Hankins Photography / Event Styling & Floral Design: Isha Foss Events / Wedding Coordination: Daylily Weddings / Catering: Chef By Design / Vintage Rentals: Isha Foss Events / All Other Rentals: Distinctive Event Rentals / DJ: Arch Entertainment / Beauty: Kristal Lane