Bursting With Blooms Bridgerton Inspired Pippin Hill Wedding

Melissa Hammam
September 12, 2022
Categories: Real Weddings, Romantic, Seasonal Wedding Trend, Spring, The Blog, Whimsical

The Duke and Dutchess themselves would delight at this Bridgerton-inspired Pippin Hill Farm wedding. Laurel Elise Events planned a day that brought the couple’s love story to life, and Cultivate Event Co filled it with floral installations as far as the eyes could see. You’ll fall in love with every second of the special day artfully captured by Rebecca Theresa Photography. See it all unfold inside the full gallery.

From Rebecca Theresa Photography… Janie and Zach’s Bridgerton-inspired destination wedding at Pippin Hill Farm was an epic celebration with over-the-top florals and panoramic views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Using the expertise of Laurel Elise Events, they chose a lavender, pink, green, and ivory design which was seen all throughout their day, from the incredible custom suite and crest by Emily Mayne Studio, to the stunning cake display by Cakes by Rachel. The pair and their family from Dallas hosted just under 150 guests for a complete wedding weekend in Charlottesville, complete with a welcome dinner and post-wedding brunch. The duo first met when Janie showed up late to a pre-orientation program prior to freshman year at Washington & Lee. Everyone else was there already, and she rolled in 10 minutes late smiling and apologizing. Zach was attracted to her immediately and the rest is history. They now have 2 dogs and a cat, all rescues, and we love working from home with them in our Dallas townhome. They had a memorable honeymoon in Paris to complete their fairytale wedding experience. From the bride: “Janie and Zach met at a small college in Virginia, where they fell in love with each other and the Blue Ridge Mountains too. Upon their graduation, they moved to Dallas together to start a new chapter. Two years and three rescue animals later, Zach designed a custom engagement ring with a local jeweler in anticipation of proposing during a family vacation to the beach. But as soon as he had it in his hands, he knew he couldn’t wait another day — he invited Janie to the rooftop deck of their newly purchased home and popped the question as the sun set behind the Dallas skyline. Janie and Zach knew they wanted to celebrate their wedding in front of a sweeping view of the mountains of Virginia.

The first and best decision they made in their wedding planning process was hiring their talented Charlottesville-based planner Elise from Laurel Elise Events. With her careful guidance, they signed with their venue Pippin Hill Farm sight-unseen due to the pandemic. When it came to planning the aesthetics of their wedding, the couple knew only one thing: they LOVED over-the-top florals and greenery! They had even cultivated their own vibrant garden on the same rooftop where Zach had proposed. As Janie was dress shopping, her father pulled a dress that felt “right” the moment she put it on. The sweetheart gown by Mira Zwillinger was covered in gorgeous hand-embroidered leaves that reminded her of Zach and his passion for gardening. It was love at first sight! The dress helped set an organic tone to their wedding theme. On the flight to meet Elise and see Pippin Hill Farm for the first time, Janie watched the first season of Bridgerton, which provided her with more fantastic inspiration. “Romantic, whimsical, overgrown, secret garden, and floral-forward” were all phrases the couple suggested to guide their planner’s creative vision. Per Janie’s request to steer clear of pink, but keep it springy, the team kept to a color scheme of dusty lavender and green. With Elise’s guiding help, the couple settled on vendors and the details of what each one would bring to the big day. At each turn in the creative process, Elise helped incorporate the romantic “secret garden” theme. Even the invitations were decked out in a custom flower print, which tied in the same variety of flowers that their florist Cultivate Event Co would incorporate on the wedding day. On the day-of, Janie wore a gold four-leafed clover tied with a blue ribbon around her ankle, a good-luck charm adorned by each bride in her family. The aisle was lined in organic, vertical arrangements that appeared to grow straight out of the ground. They swayed romantically as the crisp April air whipped through Pippin Hill Farm‘s Vineyard. The altar arrangement matched, and was kept low to preserve the beautiful view of the Blue Ridge Mountains. As the couple concluded their simple ceremony, Zach stopped halfway down the aisle to dip Janie for one more kiss. Not only was it fantastic material for the photographers and videographers — it was also exhilarating and fun!

As the couple rounded the corner back into Pippin Hill Farm, they were greeted with their first drink as husband and wife: a glass of champagne shared out of a sterling silver “Loving Cup.” The cup was engraved with their initials, which appeared beside those of other couples in Janie’s family who had shared their own first drinks from it. Meanwhile, their guests enjoyed signature cocktails named after the couples’ animals, who made special appearances in the form of watercolor portraits printed on the cocktail napkins. As Janie and Zach exited the cocktail hour on the veranda and entered the reception space, they were amazed by how Elise had transformed it. Smilax dripped from the chandeliers, across the ceilings, and down the walls. The cake was ringed with fresh florals as if it had sprung up from a garden. Above the head table hung an installment of greenery and purple flowers, reminiscent of the wisteria which adorned the Bridgerton home’s façade. The installment, illuminated from below by flickering candlelight, gave a magical and intimate feel to the head table. Beneath it, the couple enjoyed a fantastic toast by the father of the bride and a delicious dinner service as they were surrounded by their closest friends. Janie and Zach opened the dance floor with their first dance to John Denver’s “Annie’s Song,” which once again tied together the beauty of nature with their everlasting love for each other. After dancing the night away with DJ GBaby, the couple enjoyed one last private dance together. As they swayed together, they soaked in the amazing day one last time before heading out in a getaway car. While the whole wedding was a fantastic and magical experience, the couple agrees: “being married is the best part!”