[section title=”The Planning”]
[field title=”Wedding Colors”]
When choosing the wedding colors, I decided to use the backdrop of the Chesapeake as my inspiration. The blue of the river and the lush green grass created the best color palette. In general, blues and whites were what we kept with.
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[field title=”Design / Vibe / Vision”]
The design for the wedding had been in my mind for close to a year before the engagement. The overall vibe was the best cocktail party you’ve ever hosted at your home. I knew that making people feel like they were in our home meant bringing in furniture and decor that felt true to us. I have been a collector of antiques for years and wanted those pieces to be on display. The gorgeous Ormolu pieces gifted from my mother were on the large bar, and the lounges were adorned with brass, books, and lamps from our home. March loves to collect driftwood from Virginia, so we added those pieces to the cocktail tables. Everything had a pla,ce and no details were spared. Other small details that I loved were the outfits the servers wore. They each wore custom aprons with our couple’s monogram on the front and a navy blue bow tie. The tray they carried had other Chinoiserie prints, and the cocktails had stir sticks with Huckleberry wearing a bowtie. The original design of the tent started with a 40′ bar that stretched down the back of the tent, allowing the guests a place to sit and enjoy the view. We did custom woodworking on the end caps and used a beautiful Chinoiserie paper to, once again, bring in a favorite design of mine. I then decided that we needed two round bars on either end of the tent. At no point did I want a guest to be waiting on a drink or not have a place to sit. With the cocktail party in mind, lounges were placed by the water and on either side of the dance floor with rugs under each to make gathering space within the tent. All bars had to have seating. The bars had nut trays and small lamps to create an intimate setting. The drink menus were created using a cane backing to add texture and visual interest to the space. For the dance floor, I continued with the blue but decided on a pattern to draw your eye to the center of the tent. Because I kept the color palette limited, I really wanted to use lighting to set the tone. I decided to hang pendant lights over the length of the back bar and light each lounge and circle bar withpinpointt lighting, allowing them to glow in the evening. As the sun went down, we had lighting wash the tent that changed with the music throughout the evening. It kept the energy up and set the tone for each stage. I wanted it to truly feel like you were in our home and you were the most special guest, because you were. From the first time I went to March’s childhood home, I was in love. Virginia, and especially Kilmarnock, was a very special place for him and has become one of my favorite places. Its a place you instantly feel at home. The home is picturesque, and the water is inviting and calming. Choosing this special place was the easiest part of the design process. My goal when designing the wedding was to make the guests feel what we feel when we visit Virginia. There was this cute little venue in the nearby town, called Camp, that we loved to visit to have a bottle of wine and sit by the fire pits. We knew this would make the best spot for a relaxed welcome party. We had a wood-fired pizza truck brought in from Richmond and a bluegrass band to join. It was lighthearted and set the tone for a comfortable and love-filled weekend. When it came to the wedding itself, I wanted every hour orchestrated, and not to make the evening stiff, but to make it feel effortless. When arriving at a wedding, I always noticed that everyone wants to meet and greet with friends and family they haven’t seen in a while. With this in mind, I thought, let’s do a cocktail hour with a full bar and oysters, Olde Salts, of course, our favorite. The most amazing electric violinists, Tiffany Shanta, who I might add plays with Michael Buble. She entertained the guests with current and old songs. The guests were then brought to their seats, and we did sing-along to “Little Help From My Friends,” by Joe Cocker, as March and our sweet dog, Huckleberry, made their way to the front. This was a song that was a favorite of my mother’s and March’s. With Tiffany playing alongside, the wedding party walked down to “Bittersweet Symphony,” by David Garrett, my all-time favorite version. After we said “I do,” it was time to party! Servers immediately served guests Champagne from my mother’s antique silver trays as they made their way to the tent.
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[field title=”Proposal Story”]
With the passing of March’s mother in 2021, he wanted a way to incorporate her into the proposal. He decided that Mother’s Day weekend would be the perfect time. Karen was in bed, awaiting her morning coffee, watching cat videos, when March brought her her coffee. She was too busy laughing watch the video where the guy accidentally pushed the cat filter on his Zoom call, and he’s trying to tell the judge he isn’t a cat, to even notice he was on one knee! When she did, she said, “wait why are you on one knee?!?” She knew why. And with a simple asking of her hand, they were engaged.
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[board_carousel title=”Getting Ready”]
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[board_carousel title=”Bridal Portraits”]
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[board_carousel title=”Flat Lays”]
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[section title=”The Fashion”]
[field title=”Wedding Gown”]Wedding Dress: Elizabeth Cole Bridal
Reception dress: Retrofete Olivia Sequin Gown[/field]
[field title=”Bridesmaid Dresses”]
Stepdaughters’ dress: Zach
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[field title=”Groomsman Attire”]
Custom suit from Grainger Owings. He decided to go traditional with a white coat but went with a linen that matched the bride’s dress. He paired it with velvet loafers and a Brackish bowtie. I also gifted him a locket with a picture of his mother in it to go inside his tuxedo jacket.
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[board_carousel title=”Wedding Party”]
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[board_carousel title=”Ceremony”]
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[board_carousel title=”Cocktail Hour”]
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[section title=”The Details”]
[field title=”Food & Drink”]
Happy Hour: Oyster Cocktail Hour: Beef Wellington, marinated crab claws, oysters, caprese skewers, stuffed mushrooms Dinner: Shrimp and grits, beef tenderloin, and crab cakes
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[field title=”Florals & Decor”]
I wanted the florals to be impactful but not overwhelming. I decided to do larger arrangements on the 40′ bar and large center arrangements in the middle of the two circle bars. Over the dance floor, we went with a large circle arrangement above the dance floor. Smaller arrangements were placed throughout the lounges and dinner tables. We kept with blues and whites and kept the blooms light and airy. The arch for the ceremony was used later as the entrance for the tent.
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[field title=”Wedding Cake”]
I found a local cake baker in a nearby town. I wanted a cake that was in the theme of Wedgewood. Just another way to bring in the antique elements to the wedding.
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[field title=”Readings, Ceremony Music, Reception Songs”][/field]
[field title=”Special Detail #1″][/field]
[field title=”Special Detail #2″][/field]
[field title=”Special Detail #3″][/field]
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[board_carousel title=”Couple Portraits”]
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[board_carousel title=”Reception”]
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[board_carousel title=”Wedding Weekend Events”]
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Photography: Rachel Red Photography | Event Design: Meer Mirror Design | Event Planning: Alexandra Madison Weddings | Floral Design: Fleuressence Floral Design | Cake: Tracey Rhodes | Catering: Groovin' Gourmets | DJ: Rhythm of Love | Beauty: Nicole DIRuzza | Beauty: Marley Stokes | Ceremony Strings: Tiffany Shanta | Rentals: Rent-E-Quip | Rentals: Emerson James Rental | Rentals: Paisley & Jade | Rentals: BBJ La Tavola | Rentals: The Lighting & Sound Company | Valet: East Coast Valet Company
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