To say I’ve fallen head over heels with this turn of the century inspired soiree from Dominique Attaway Photography is perhaps the understatement of the century. I’m completely smitten with the traditional details, especially as they are set against a vintage charm inspired by the old train station it was held in. Luckily, just when I was begging for more, Hart to Hart Media swooped in with a highlight film to propel it all to the next level.
Oh, Hart to Hart Media, you’ve done it again.
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From the beautiful bride… Chris and I met in 2007 while working as park rangers at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park. We were friends first, and that friendship eventually blossomed into a strong relationship. Four year later, he proposed in the park at sunset at the confluence of the Shenandoah and Potomac Rivers.
Our love of history brought us together, and we wanted to highlight that shared interest in our wedding. We searched for venues in a 2-hour radius of my parents DC-area home and quickly fell in love with Main Street Station in Richmond, Virginia. The restored train station epitomized the turn-of-the-century architecture and history that we enjoy. Soon after, we chose the beautiful St. Johns Church for our ceremony site. The church is known for its role in the American Revolution, specifically where Patrick Henry delivered his famous Give me Liberty or Give me Death speech.
During our 18 month engagement, we made several trips to Richmond to plan our wedding. It’s a beautiful city filled old homes, wrought-iron fences, and remnants of industry are all around. We wanted our wedding to feel like a celebration from the early 1900s, rather than a train-themed party so we tried to choose decor that fit with the historic locations. We incorporated soft colors, china place settings, and vintage fonts on our invitations. Vintage postcards were featured throughout the wedding, including our save-the-dates, escort cards, table numbers, and even the ring bearer pillows. Additionally, we hired a historic open-air trolley to transport our guests around for the day. The electric trolley first began in Richmond in 1888, so it was another way to incorporate some of the city’s historic charm.
The morning of our wedding was a bit untraditional because the groom ran a 10k race! The Ukrops Monument Avenue race was booked earlier than usual this year, landing on our wedding day, and we decided to go with it. I loved the idea of running the race together as a metaphor for the vows we were going to make later that day. Due to an injury sustained during training, I ended up cheering Chris on from the sidelines. With 40,000 participants, the excitement and energy was incredible. We did not do a first look but still got to share this moment together before getting ready.
After the unique start to the day, we kept the ceremony very traditional. Keeping true to the rhyme, my something new was my beautiful Vera Wang ballgown, borrowed and old was the pin attached to my bouquet that was carved by my grandmother and blue was the monogram inside my dress. My bouquet was hand-tied and loosely mounded with a mixture of ivory and soft peach garden roses, peonies, lisianthus, tulips, and pieris. When the organ started to play, my dad walked me down the aisle to Chris. We recited the traditional vows from the Book of Common Prayer and 70 of our closest friends and family members vowed to support us. Surprisingly, I didnt shed a single tear- I was in a happy daze and marrying my best friend felt like the most natural thing in the world.
In between the ceremony and reception, we chose to walk around Church Hill for private
photographs. Even with the photographer and videographer there, it felt like it was just us. That time is my favorite memory of the entire day. After the photos, we arrived at Main Street on the trolley and entered to our first dance, “I Dont Want to Set the World on Fire” by the Ink Spots. We served a family-style dinner before inviting everyone onto the dance floor. At one point, a conga line formed and people from different parts of our lives were dancing hand-in-hand around the room. We were surrounded by so much love! Our wedding was exactly what we imagined and the perfect way to start our own history together.
Photography: Dominique Attaway Photography | Cinematography: Hart to Heart Media | Floral Design: Flower girls | Wedding Gown: Vera Wang | Wedding Cake: A Cake to Remember | Invitations: DIY | Ceremony Venue: St. Johns Church | Reception Venue: Main Street Station | Brides Shoes: Jimmy Choo | Catering: White House Catering | Hair and Makeup: Lara Bridger and Tracy Gilland of Richmond Hair and Makeup | Calligraphy: TucciCursive | DJ: Joe Bowman of Dynamite DJs | Ties: The Tie Bar | Grooms Suit: Z by Zegna | Groomsmens Suits: Jos. A. Bank | Transportation: Winn Transportation | Bride's Hotel: Linden Row Inn | Brides Belt: Oscar De La Renta | Ceremony Veil: Vera Wang | Day-of Coordination: RSVP Consultants | Envelopes and paper: Envelopes.com | Groom's Hotel: Tudor Arms Hotel | Invitation Printing: CatPrint | Mothers and Maid of Honor Attire: Nordstrom | Rentals: Festive Fare | Rubber Stamps: RubberStamps.net