Virginia Wedding Ideas and Inspiration

A Peachy Pink Swedish-American Disco in Coastal Virginia

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From the beginning, the couple knew they wanted a white-to-beige base color palette bursting with touches of pink, peach, and orange. Virignia Beach-based florist The Wandering Petal was the main vendor assigned to really nail the color pops along with the bridal attendants’ mix of gowns.

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Mix together the band ABBA, an early summer garden, an Aperol Spritz, and a black tie dress code. What do you get? This wedding. Disco balls, colorful blooms, and a party atmosphere took front stage for this country club fête. The Sweden-based couple wanted to transform the groom’s hometown of Virginia Beach into a European-focused party town; we think we accomplished that with vim to spare.

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[field title=”Wedding Gown”]A clean, a-line, square neck gown is an easy way to infuse modern tradition with classic silouhettes. It complimented the more wild, colorful nature of the bouquet as well as stood out among the array of patterned and textured bridesmaid dresses.[/field]
[field title=”Bridesmaid Dresses”]Matching bridesmaid dresses are a thing of the past; today’s bridesmaids are given instructions to select their own gowns given a set of parameters. This wedding was no different with gowns ranging from solid hot pinks to patterned tiered yellows. It all ended up being a great match to the floral recipes as well as an excellent pairing aside the men’s classic tuxedos.[/field]
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One Swedish tradition that the couple wanted to bring to the United States was the longer, multi-course dinners that happen on wedding evenings. For this particular wedding, we worked with Princess Anne Country Club to create a stunning three course meal comprised of a crab Napoleon stack, filet mignon with pasta primavera, and passed cake slices with coffee. Between courses, guests were served wine and treated to different speeches and activities from the Swedish hosts, known as toastmasters.

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For this wedding, we attempted and succeeded in doing something Princess Anne Country Club hadn’t seen previously: a tented wedding. All newlyweds-to-be elect to hold their reception in the club’s ballroom. However, we raised the bar and figured out how to hold their wedding in a tent on the grounds a couple of blocks from the Atlantic Ocean. With rentals from Curated Events, Astro Entertainment, Stage Right Lighting, and BBJ La Tavola, we executed their initial vision with precision from the tent entrance draping to the haning disco balls to the linen selection. The florals played the largest role in bringing color to complete our clear top tent goals.

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The wedding cake from Custom Cake Shoppe was a classic three-tier with a gluten free version off to the side. Blooms were added to accentuate the cake, and the cake slices were passed to each guest during the final course of the evening’s dinner.

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[field title=”Readings, Ceremony Music, Reception Songs”]

One highlight of the evening was the couple’s first dance following the final course of dinner and parent dances. In coordination with Amber Justine Events and the couple’s DJ, DJ Cuban of Zandi Entertainment, the groom surprised all guests by serenading the bride with the first verse of Frankie Valli’s “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You”. They switched to dancing with guests literally standing in their seats and cheerings. From there, all the guests joined the dance floor for the end of the song, kicking off the rest of the epic evening.

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[field title=”Special Detail #1″]One new-to-us element of the wedding was the introduction of Swedish toastmasters, which are pre-determined guests that act as hosts for the evening. The verdict? We loved it. The toastmasters took over all announcements from cocktail hour to the end of dinner service. From welcoming guests to explaining Swedish traditions to humorous little quips between courses (including a Michael Jackson dance-off session in a silver jumpsuit), they were the life of the party.[/field]
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Disco balls took the literal center stage during this wedding. Guests entering the tent from cocktail hour were greeted with three escort mirror “walls” designed by creative The Native Lion. On the mirrors were suctioned mini disco balls and escort cards for guest to take and keep. Inside the clear top tent, we focused attention on the hanging elements such as rustic chandeliers and a cluster of greenery with disco balls over the dance floor. ABBA vibes were the goal, and the disco balls helped us to achieve it.

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This five-hour wedding included copious dancing via Zandi Entertainment after dinner service was complete. European disco was the vibe, which meant maximizing party time and going until midnight with transportation to an after party to follow in the wee hours. And a party it was – light up viking helmets to honor the bride’s ancestry, silver kitten ears thrown into the crowd, a mix of Swedish and American favorites, and lighting effects to rival the best clubs in Europe. It was a party to end all parties!

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BBJ La Tavola

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Amber Justine Events

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Virginia Floral Garden Wedding In Fun And Festive Sorbet Tones

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The colors were yellow, peach, tangerine, creams, and dusty blue.

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From the bride… Our style is fairly traditional, elegant, refined but also fun, and colorful. We were inspired by the beautiful property and scenery of Clifton Inn and aimed to amplify the “garden feel” with our florals. I would describe our wedding as garden chic – elegant, timeless, overflowing with florals, and very welcoming. We added bistro lighting and crystal chandeliers to the tent for a touch of elegance and to compliment our crystal tablescape design. Our top priority for our wedding day was creating an environment for our guests to have fun and celebrate with us. While planning our wedding weekend, we kept our guests top of mind, as we wanted our guests’ experience to be unforgettable too. We wanted to set the tone for the remainder of the event at cocktail hour. Between our fun design elements of having our custom crest blown up on our cocktail hour bar, lounge seating, and having live jazz music, we were hoping our guests would let loose and start having fun before the kick-off of our reception.

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Connor and I met through mutual friends at the University of South Carolina in 2015. While our paths had crossed many times during our years in undergrad, it wasn’t until our senior year that we finally connected. After a year of long-distance directly following our graduation, we both made the move to Washington D.C. to be closer together and continue our professional careers. In October 2020, Connor planned a trip to Charlottesville, Virginia for us to visit some friends and enjoy the wineries. Connor proposed while at King Family Vineyard with the Blue Ridge mountains peeking through the clouds behind us, which was equally surprising & romantic. After getting engaged in Charlottesville, we knew we wanted our wedding there. The same night we got engaged, Connor and I googled “wedding venues in Charlottesville” and immediately fell in love with Clifton Inn. The beautiful grounds and views of the Blue Ridge mountains were a perfect backdrop for our ceremony. We loved that we were able to have our immediate family and closest friends stay on the property for the duration of our wedding weekend. With many of our friends and family residing in different states, it was so special to have everyone together in one place and truly made the weekend feel like it was more than just one day and a mini-vacation for all of us.

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While dress shopping, I was very torn between getting a fitted or an A-Line dress. I really loved both styles but was having a hard time finding a dress that really felt like “me”. Once I put this dress on, I knew it was the one! I had never seen a wedding dress like this before with the fitted silhouette but also having an overlay that made the dress more A-Line (best of both worlds for me)! I loved the delicate chiffon lace and the cap sleeves. The dress was romantic, matched our garden party aesthetic, and was unique with the almond undertones and the long train overlay skirt.

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The bridesmaids wore soft, French blue Jenny Yoo chiffon dresses from Bella Bridesmaids. The styles were mismatched within the same blue shade, creating a beautiful and romantic mix and setting the backdrop for fun sorbet tones of the florals.

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Connor and the groomsmen wore classic black tuxedos, which were a sharp and perfect contrast to the French blue bridesmaid dresses and the punchy sorbet palette carried by the florals.

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We selected our catering menu based on what we could source locally and fresh to the season. We served a selection of meats and cheeses and passed hors d’oeuvres during cocktail hour (Ratatouille Crostini, Maryland Crabcakes, Country Ham and Pimiento Cheese Biscuits, Duck Confit Spring Rolls, Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus). For our plated dinner, we had a spring salad complete with goat cheese, fresh fruit, and candied pecans. Our main courses were Roasted Chicken Breast, Braised Short Ribs, and a Spiced Lentil Cake. Our specialty cocktail was a Clifton classic cocktail – The 1799. This was made from cucumber vodka, elderflower liquor, pineapple, and lime, and it was a perfectly refreshing and summery drink!

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Our ceremony florals were the first impression of our wedding day, so we really wanted to wow our guests with our floral-lined aisle and floral arch. Our florist, Mallory Joyce, TRULY encapsulated our vision of a garden party with her playful arrangements and gorgeous flower pairings. We chose bright yellows, peach, tangerine, creams, and pinks for our florals to compliment the blue linens and bridesmaid dresses. We love color and wanted to take risks with colors that aren’t typically seen paired together for a wedding to be a bit unique but still classic.

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Our cake was a Lemon Chiffon Cake filled with Triple Cream and Raspberry Curd, iced with Chambord Buttercream, and decorated with buttercream flowers that complimented our color palette. We also had a coffee bar and Mini Fruit Tart & Mini Tarte Tatins to keep us dancing into the evening!

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One of our favorite memories from our wedding weekend is our first look and exchanging of our private vows. We wanted to have a private moment amid a busy day to center ourselves and to be with each other prior to our guests’ arrival. We chose to exchange private vows during our first look so we could soak in what we were promising to each other and not be overwhelmed by emotion during our ceremony. To us, the first look allowed us to get jitters out of the way early on and truly spend our wedding day together rather than apart for most of the day.

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We chose to incorporate unique touches that would be fun for guests to enjoy, like having a trumpet player lead the way from cocktail hour to the reception and having a live painter to watch throughout the evening. We were excited to surprise our friends and family with a live painter. Wed On Canvas captured our wedding ceremony beautifully, which provided our guests entertainment throughout the evening and provided Connor and I a beautiful piece of art to hang in our home.

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We worked with The Welcoming District to design a crest that is reflective of our wedding day and personalities. We had our dog, Piper, included as well as florals that matched our floral design and colors. We used our crest for fun details like our cocktail hour bar, garden flag, matchboxes, and welcome bags. Our welcome bags included some of our favorite things, like local Virginia peanuts, custom sugar cookies, and white wine with details of the weekend events.

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[field title=”Special Detail #3″]From the bride: Connor and I took dance lessons for the month leading up to our wedding so we could feel a bit more comfortable for our first dance, even though we did forget some of the choreography! My dad also joined in the lessons for our father/daughter dance, which was a really entertaining experience for all of us.[/field]
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Bridesmaid

Jenny Yoo

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Fall Wedding Inspiration at Virginia House

You won’t believe your eyes when you see this Virginia wedding that looks like it was shot at an English manor. Janna Brown Design Co made the most beautiful of visions a reality and filled the day with flowers in rich autumnal tones. Every dreamy detail is elegantly captured in imagery by Jacqueline Aleace Photography, you’ll love every picture inside the full gallery.

From Jacqueline Aleace Photography… What started off as a dreary, drizzly day quickly cleared into beautiful blue skies for this shoot at the Virginia House. The result is simply spectacular.

It’s hard to believe you’re in Richmond, Virginia, and not in the Cotswolds when you have this beautiful English Manor as the backdrop for this elegant wedding inspiration.

Janna Brown Design Co’s lush bridal bouquet complimented the detailing on both of the bride’s Ines Di Santo gowns- while the rich warm tones of the roses played off the bride’s hair and the rich colors of the fall season.

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BBJ La Tavola

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A Timeless Virginia Wedding Celebrating Bold Autumn Colors

Celebrate the beauty of the autumn season with this simply inspired Virginia wedding. The celebration was artfully planned by White Birch Events, who thoughtfully crafted every dreamy detail of the day. The blooms designed by Mallory Joyce exquisitely tell the story of true love, with free-flowing arrangements in the festive tones of fall. Romantic and timeless imagery by Katie Trauffer Photography is a sight to behold, enjoy it all inside the full gallery.

From Katie Trauffer Photography… Classic details give a modern twist with a bold autumn-inspired reception design. On an idyllic Fall day at the historic Clifton Inn in Charlottesville, VA, timeless romance and bold seasonal color came together in an abundance of Autumn beauty. Thoughtfully planned by White Birch Events, this day was brought to life with florals by Mallory Joyce who expertly weaved together a locally sourced palette of impactful Autumnal colors. Katie Trauffer Photography thoughtfully captured every sublime detail in a full gallery alive with the colors of Fall! Florist Mallory Joyce says “Celia loved classic, white flowers but she also was drawn to the bright and varied tones of early autumn. We decided to marry the two visions by keeping her ceremony and personal flowers all neutral tones and then pumping up the color for the reception.”

For their invitation suite, the couple chose to incorporate a stunning custom portrait of their venue by artist Line In the Sam. They worked with local stationer Carly Reed Designs to choose a neutral color palette with an earthy green envelope. Choosing their venue was a natural fit, it was the first venue they toured and the couple explains that with “the historical significance of The Clifton and after we tried the food, it was a no-brainer. We booked their next available date.”

For the bride, colorful flowers have always been a way to spread joy thanks to her father who is “famous for his dahlia gardens.” She explains “Instead of bringing a bottle of wine to a dinner party, my dad will bring a huge, beautiful bouquet of fresh-picked dahlias from his garden – in his signature vase – a recycled tennis ball can. The flowers are always vibrant colors, a mix of dahlias and any other local blooms or greenery he has at the time.”

Embracing this joyful inspiration, florist Mallory Joyce created a statement reception palette by using “a lot of local flowers including dahlias, cosmos, and celosia in pinky-peach hues and ground(ing) the punchy colors with touches of honey-toned roses to keep the palette autumnal.”

The bride’s Jane Hill dress paired a classic sleek silhouette with romantic and distinctly bridal detailing. The bride explains “It was a silhouette and neckline that I find myself wearing in everyday life – but the bridal details really elevated a silhouette and neckline I love. For me, the pearl buttons were the deciding factor.”

Photographer Katie Trauffer Photography embraced the Autumnal inspiration, capturing enduring, romantic portraits with an eye for the turn of the season. From streaming golden light through trees at the peek of their Fall transition to the leaf-blanketed secret garden courtyard, she used the emergence of Autumn to craft portraits that would embrace and honor the vibrancy of the couple’s color palette while feeling authentic to their love and eternally stylish.

“Newlywed portraits are always one of my favorite parts of a wedding day as I have the opportunity to translate my couple’s love and vision for their day into heirlooms they will hold onto decades after the last champagne is poured. Especially here, I wanted their portraits to retain the timeless yet colorful inspiration for their event. Beyond portraits, though, I cherish capturing those little moments in between- the way the bride smiled at her new husband during toasts over a table laden with bountiful blooms, the way the groom kissed her hand as they walked with their wedding party to line up for the ceremony- those are some of my favorite images in a gallery that is truly overflowing with favorites!”

Planner White Birch Events seamlessly organized an event that was flawlessly executed and immensely personal. From the couple’s gift table, complete with their prized tennis trophy as a cardholder, to the bathroom champagne bar- a highlight for the couple who loved how it “made the bathroom a fun place to gather and hang out (at) before heading back to the dance floor”- Cinda ensured every detail was beautifully honored and that the entire event had ample time for each carefully chosen vendor to craft their best work. A highlight of the night was the couple’s choreographed first dance “Derek and I spent months (half seriously) practicing the Dirty Dancing lift. After a disastrous and hilarious practice routine fall, we settled for a death drop instead” for a moment that had the entire tent cheering. At the end of the night, “After the guests were led out in a second line to “When the Saints Go Marching In”, Derek and I stayed behind for a private dance to “Lover” by Taylor Swift.” The bride says “whenever I hear this song, I think of Derek and after our wedding, it brings even more special memories of our Last Dance.”

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Katie Trauffer Photography

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A Nantucket Inspired Summer Wedding Packed with Charm

Ready for an instant dose of New England summer? Today’s nantucket-inspired wedding is giving us all the warmth we’re craving on this chilly December day. Sarah Kazemburg Events + Styling brought the couple’s grandmillenial meets garden party vision to life, while Floral & Bloom Designs brought the colorful aesthetic to new heights with the addition of coral charm peonies, butterfly ranunculus, delphinium and more! See all the charm at the full gallery captured beautifully by Sarah Shank Photography!

From Sarah Kazemburg Events + Styling…While Lauren and Jimmy’s wedding took place in Virginia near both of their hometowns, they envisioned it being a colorful, grandmillenial summer garden party inspired by their favorite vacation spot/happy place in Edgartown, Martha’s Vineyard where they were engaged in 2020 after five years of dating. They fell in love with the historic Woodlawn & Pope-Leighey House’s lush open garden lawn for ceremony, romantic fountain for cocktail hour and tented reception space for an al fresco celebration.

Invitations by Emily Baird Design set the initial scene, featuring a colorful, grandmillenial inspired monogram, a custom floral and lobster pattern and a die-cut lobster card insert to nod to the Nantucket staple. An all-calligraphy, letterpressed invitation card kept the suite balanced and clean paired with more colorful inserts to felt curated but not too “matchy”.

As they arrived for the wedding weekend, guests received mini welcome totes filled with treats to enjoy over the weekend including Cape Cod chips and mini lobster gummies. Lauren gifted each of her bridesmaid a handkerchief, each with a unique floral embroidery pattern that she collected over the course of wedding planning.

Sumptuous, colorful flowers were a big priority to Lauren and included all of her favorite summertime blooms – coral charm peonies, butterfly ranunculus, delphinium and more. Lush floral gardens in pink and white lined the ceremony aisle where Lauren and Jimmy exchanged vows under a large Oak tree. Their sweet golden retriever Edgar was included the processional right before Lauren walked down the aisle with her dad.

During cocktail hour, guests were greeted with refreshing Orange Crushes and Aperol Spritz’s and grazed over a coastal harvest raw bar set in a boat. One of Lauren’s favorite moments was when her dad, a professional fiddler, joined their string quartet to perform a few songs during cocktail hour.

The custom lobster pattern and monogram from their invitation suite was brought into the bar design to bring the look full circle. Their seating chart featured lobster-cut die cards calligraphed with guests names to lead them to their tables, with a punny headline “You’re My Greatest Catch” set on a striped backdrop wall.

A kings table set in the center of the reception tent created a wow factor for the space, set with a blue and white striped linen and colorful florals running down the length. Place settings featured wicker base plates and floral patterned china to complete the look.

Their buttercream wedding cake featured textured stripes and the monogram motif, set on a mini market cart decked out with the aisle florals repurposed from the ceremony.

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BBJ La Tavola

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Sarah Shank Photography

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This Adorable Brunch Reception Will Have You Reconsidering Your Entire Wedding Theme

Here at SMP, we’d be lying if we said we didn’t have a soft spot in our hearts for brunch weddings 🥰 Espresso sans the martini, a relaxed and intimate atmosphere, sun-soaked ceremonies… it’s all just too sweet. Plus, an addition of the most beautiful floral bridesmaid dresses ever is the cherry on top! The soon-to-be Mom and Dad exchanged “I do’s” under a blooming arbor by Helen Olivia Flowers and celebrated with their loved ones under a tented reception, all planned by Pamela Barefoot Events. See all the sweetness at the full gallery from Astrid Photography!

From the couple… We (Emma & Tom) went to high school together and met during my sophomore year. We were both at school early for varsity preseason athletics. We maintained friends throughout the years in high school and after. It wasn’t until the beginning of Covid that we were both back in Alexandria and that is when our love blossomed into something neither of us had planned!

Our overall design theme was a brunch time garden wedding. We chose an outdoor venue with lots of flowers and a water view! Rather than a huge wedding, we opted for a more intimate gathering with our extended families and closest friends. Since Emma was pregnant, we chose to have a coffee bar open for the day with a variety of flavored syrups available. It was something delicious and unique that everyone enjoyed! We also served a peach mocktail named Lola, in honor of our daughter on the way!

My favorite parts of the day were the beautiful weather and how beautiful my wife looked. When I saw her being walked down the aisle with her father I had the absolute certainty I was the luckiest man in the world. That was the best feeling of my life.

We were able to relax and enjoy the day, which is what we both wanted overall. With Natalie’s assistance throughout the entire process we both felt so comfortable and didn’t have to worry!

From the planner… Emma and Tom both have family roots in Alexandria, Virginia. They attended the same high school together, however, it was not until the pandemic of 2020 that they reconnected and their love blossomed!

When I first spoke with Emma and Tom they were both very much in sync – their love was so palpable and truly inspiring! They wanted to do something in their hometown of Alexandria. Charming, intimate, outdoors, and brunch were a few words they used to describe the vision for their day. George Washington’s historic River Farm/Horticultural Society was the perfect venue for their garden brunch wedding.

The bride’s romantic eyelet lace dress and exciting pregnancy were two fun factors that guided the design and planning process. Leaning into River Farm’s landscape, Emma and Tom envisioned a clean yet whimsical vibe. White blooms, loads of greenery, and farm tables paired with chic upholstered chairs were a must! Organic white florals and colorful floral paper products paired beautifully under their gorgeously white-draped tent amidst the garden and scenic river views.

The couple had an epic brunch wedding and dessert table. As a fun twist, they named their specialty peach mocktail “Lola” in honor of their daughter on the way. And with the Groom’s love for coffee, they incorporated a coffee/espresso bar with a variety of fun flavored offerings.

We were able to find table runners that perfectly complemented the bride’s gorgeous dress. We paired this beautiful delicate floral china with these rattan chargers that were just the right amount of chic yet had a relaxed vibe with evergreen and sage paper, creating this beautiful earthy tablescape.

Emma and Tom’s garden wedding was full of charm and loads of love! All the guests were so happy and relaxed. It was the beautiful intimate celebration which they had both envisioned!

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BBJ La Tavola

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A Floral Designer’s Artful Summer Wedding Teeming With Personal Touches

When the floral gene runs deep in your family (we’re talking dating back to the 1800’s deep), creating your dream floral design at your future wedding is part of your DNA. Summer blues, bright citrus hues and earthy mustards served as the perfect color palette for today’s cheerful yet artfully curated Virgina wedding – designed entirely by the bride herself, Avery of ASH TO OAK FLORISTRY. From the intimate church ceremony to the tented reception, see all the pretty captured by Kim Branagan at the full gallery!

Robert & Avery’s wedding start to finish was filled with intentional detail. Avery (bride) comes from a lineage of floral designers dating back to 1884 when her family first opened up a flower shop. Now, as a floral designer herself, you can imagine the floral focus of her wedding. The couple focused on Summer blues, citrus oranges, and earthy mustards and mauves to accomplish a cheerful yet artful wedding experience.

The invites included stamps curated by the couple to reflect their home states, current state, and their professions. (NC, SC, DC Engineering and Floral design). Robert engineered Avery’s engagement ring with a team of designer’s to make sure it reflected their love of tradition and beauty.

The ceremony aesthetic was framed by the couples love of their local church. The church is adorned with a modern twist to historic European architecture. Avery wore her aunt’s veil that was 51 years old. Her aunt’s church exit with petals in 1971 inspired her to recreate this same exit for their wedding as it is also a common appearance English Church weddings.

Groom’s attire was a nod to his southern roots and continuation of summer blues tones. The attire could be dressed up for the formal ceremony and then fit the atmosphere of a garden tent reception. Avery really wanted to work with texture and pattern for bridesmaids dresses and assure they could be used again. The immediate family coordinated outfits and the MOB custom designed her dress to pair well with the other bridesmaids.

Garden tent reception with a sailcloth tent and farm tables each designed uniquely. Avery wanted to give different dimension to the tent by using 3 different floral designs among the tables. Her floral team custom made the ceramic trough vessels to accomplish her vision. The goal was to have a tent brimming with flowers as this was some of her guests first time at a wedding she designed.

Avery was set on incorporating texture to the sailcloth. She handmade the fabric chandelier to add a bit of playfulness to the reception and bamboo lanterns as a nod to her southern roots.

The reception goal was an elevated garden oasis with casual and comfortable elements (watermelon, tacos, cookie table, popsicles).

The dance party was filled with fun bedazzled bride hat, Clemson tiger tails, a popsicle butler, and glow wands.

Bursting With Blooms Bridgerton Inspired Pippin Hill Wedding

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!”

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BBJ La Tavola

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Pink Poppies In Honor of the Bride’s Grandfather Inspired This Couple’s Virginia Estate Wedding

Pops of pink are as meaningful as they are pretty at this Virginia Estate wedding. Our bride lovingly called her late grandfather “Poppi”, so naturally poppies in artful arrangements by Olivera Floral Design were the perfect flower to fill this special day with. Jamie Lynn Signature Weddings designed and planned the affair complete with an ombre champagne wall to welcome guests. Each photo by Madeline Trent is more enchanting than the last, see them all inside the full gallery.

From Madeline Trent… The whimsy and colorful shades of poppies laid the foundation for this vibrant pink-hued wedding in Virginia horse country. Emily and Christian met on Emily’s very first day of work after her college graduation. Fast forward over four years to a riverside engagement and Emily and Christian were married in front of 180 guests in a lush pink garden soirée nestled in the rural countryside of Virginia. Shades of pink and coral, inspired by the bride’s sentimental love of poppies, could be found incorporated throughout the wedding day from the bridesmaids’ dresses to the flower arrangements, linens and paper goods. The couple chose Dover Hall Estate, an English Tudor estate with rolling hills and stone terraces in Manakin-Sabot, Virginia, as their venue. Dover Hall Estate sits in close proximity to where Emily and Christian both grew up. Upon their first visit to the property, the couple was immediately attracted to the estate’s luxurious grounds and interior spaces. As self-proclaimed “foodies,” Christian and Emily also loved that Dover Hall Estate provides its own cuisine and bar, and is well known for its culinary experience. Turning onto the long estate driveway, visitors are greeted by sprawling vines of the estate’s Seven Lady Vineyards, which supplies a portion of the estate’s wine selection. Both project managers by nature and profession, Emily and Christian appreciate a close attention to details and logistics, and knew they wanted to hire an experienced planner to assist them with their wedding. When the couple first started planning with luxury event design firm, Jamie Lynn Signature Weddings, their main request was to create an atmosphere of fun and comfort for their guests. “Choose your own adventure” became the mantra for the event design concept. The idea was to encourage guests to meander through the old-world inspired venue, while always being within earshot of the live band and never too far from the wedding festivities. Emily also requested colorful shades of pink and orange, grazing stations and soft seating for a relaxed guest experience, and very specifically: poppies in honor of her late grandfather, “Poppi.”

The inspiration for the wedding quickly developed around the poppy’s whimsical nature and vibrant colors – a variety of pink hues, coral, and orange. Unfortunately, as luck would have it, poppies went out of season the week before the wedding and were mostly unattainable, giving florist Olivera Floral Design the challenge to bring this vision to life in a newly-imagined way within the same color palette. The bouquets were each constructed entirely of blooms. Emily had no fear of color on her wedding day, and envisioned floral designs that were different than the greenery-heavy arrangements that are popular right now. Her bouquet incorporated locally grown California poppies, foxglove, snapdragons, dahlias, and scabiosa, as well as coral charm peonies, garden roses, butterfly ranunculus and sweet peas. Poppies were also a main feature of the couple’s stationery, designed by North Carolina company, Ivy and Linen Design. The custom save the dates featured light pink cotton paper with a letterpress poppy design and fonts in a deeper shade of rose. The wedding invitations incorporated letterpress printing and a pink rose oil painting envelope liner as a nod to the fresh-picked garden vibe of the event. The invitation suites were sealed with a custom burgundy monogram wax seal with the initials of Emily and Christian’s first names. Emily’s bridesmaids wore matching floor-length ‘Raya’ dresses by Jenny Yoo in the wild rose shade. She gifted her girls Flora Nikrooz silk pajamas from Saks Fifth Avenue and earrings from Olive + Piper to wear on the wedding day. The girls carried small hand-tied bouquets featuring the same variety of blooms as Emily’s bouquet. Christian and Emily’s French bulldog, Milo, made an appearance in a pink bow tie prior to the ceremony for his photo op with the couple. Milo’s sweet portrait also took center stage on the cocktail napkins and drink koozies at the bars. An ombre champagne display with custom neon sign welcomed guests as they arrived for the 6 o’clock ceremony. The acrylic shelves were stocked with sparkling libations consisting of the estate’s own champagne, rosé, and mimosas mixed with grapefruit or orange juice. The ceremony was held in the estate’s Two-Tiered Garden. A lush installation of whimsical, asymmetrical floral pillars and ground meadow arrangements set the backdrop for the ‘I dos.’ Campanula, statice, cherry blossoms, and a variety of locally-foraged greens accompanied the blooms used in the bouquets to create the ceremony installation focal point. Emily found her lace, off-the-shoulder wedding gown at Washington DC boutique, Ava Laurenne. She wore her cousin’s cathedral-length veil as her “something borrowed” piece. Bella Belle ‘Bridget’ tulle heels and earrings by Lindsay Marie Design completed Emily’s wedding day look. Christian’s father had the honor of officiating the wedding ceremony, offering advice and reflection on the couple’s relationship from a personal perspective. Ceremony musician duo, Perfect Harmony Strings, played “Here Comes the Sun” by the Beatles as Emily and Christian took their walk down the aisle as a married couple. Transfusions, the couple’s signature drink, were offered to guests during cocktail hour on the Bluestone Terrace. The vodka-infused concoctions were served with custom acrylic drink stirrers with the monogram used in the invitation suites.

The terrace featured overhead bistro lighting and comfortable seating options with furniture rentals from Paisley and Jade. Sam Hill Entertainment band, The Dickens Band, kept the party going all evening. Emily and Christian opted for an informal-style dinner consisting of chef-attended grazing stations available throughout the night instead of a seated dinner, giving them more time to party with their guests on the dance floor. Guests dined on the estate’s popular shrimp and grits, truffle mac and cheese, beef tenderloin and fresh-roasted local vegetables. The outdoor gardens were brought inside the ballroom with greenery-adorned bistro lighting strung overhead. The intent of the design was to make the multi-story space feel more intimate and inviting for this relaxed reception. Highboy tables with barstools were intermingled with a few large round tables dressed in BBJ La Tavola ‘Charles Pink’ linens and compote floral centerpieces. Thanks to ideal weather, the floor-to-ceiling ballroom doors were left open to connect the outdoor terrace to the ballroom, providing easy flow between the spaces. Guests on the terrace could experience the sights and sounds of the band even from outside. The tall 4-tiered buttercream cake was created by Richmond-based bakery, Sweet Fix RVA. The off-white tiers were iced in a textured application with the appearance of handmade paper using pressed flowers. A combination of hand-sculpted gumpaste flowers and live flowers were applied to add the finishing touch of pink, and of course, the poppies. The cake sat atop a patterned linen in front of the grand sandstone fireplace, originating from Scotland, and surrounded by a meadow of flowers repurposed from the ceremony. Emily and Christian danced the night away with their guests before they ended the evening enjoying Taco Bell hard and soft tacos with their guests before their sparkler sendoff and honeymoon at The Greenbrier.

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Bridesmaid

Jenny Yoo

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BBJ La Tavola

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Madeline Trent

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Whimsical Romance At This Mountain Vineyard Wedding At Pippin Hill Farm

This mountain vineyard wedding at Pippin Hill Farm is sure to melt your heart. Our brides both embraced their own unique style in their wedding fashion but the feeling of love and joy captured in the photos by Kylie Martin Photography was all-encompassing. Donovan-Groves Events planned the day in calming shades of green, white, and blue, and the floral design by Nature Composed was equal parts whimsical and romantic. You’ll love every magical moment inside the full gallery.

From Kylie Martin Photography… Reilly and Lauren were joined by their closest loved ones at their mountain vineyard wedding in Charlottesville, Virginia. Reilly recently shared where her inspiration came from and what experience she and Lauren were hoping to create for their guests on their special day.

“We wanted it to be a classic elegance that still felt warm and inviting for our loved ones. We kept the wedding at about 105 people which really helped with the intimacy of the event, and we truly felt surrounded by loved ones – rather than a crowd of people. This also allowed us to include little details for our guests, like toiletry items in the bathroom with monogrammed hand towels, our custom matchbooks and welcome boxes, and the custom linen napkins on the head table. We also wanted to make sure our sweet ragdoll cat Penelope was incorporated – as we featured her on all the table cards and my specialty cocktail was named after her “the Pink Penelope”. The live music was another element that I found particularly important and felt like it pulled the night together with a bow – this ranged from our harpist during the ceremony Eve Watters to the Trademark Band that kept the party going all night.” Lauren added that she wanted a nod to late 16th/18th century English style with the wax seals, harpist and the Shakespearean Sonnet because of her love for the romanticism of British literature.”

“For our looks, Lauren went for a clean, sophisticated, elegant look which was mirrored in her sleek bun, tighter bouquet and classic dress. She also wore her mother’s necklace and gold bangle, as well as incorporating her mother’s favorite flowers into her bouquet – alstroemeria. My look – I went for something more romantic and whimsical, which was reflected in my lace Monique Lhuillier dress and the looser, larger bouquet. My shoes were my “something blue” and I wore my mother’s pearl earrings that were actually a gift from my father on their wedding day. My own wedding gift from Lauren was her mother’s wedding ring redesigned, which I wore that day, and again the sapphires in the beautiful custom ring were a nod to our overall blue and white theme. I also REALLY wanted a veil – it’s what made the whole thing feel bridal to me. And then swapped out the veil for a fun flower headband for the reception.”

Reilly and Lauren chose to exchange personalized vows during their first look, Lauren stated “I wanted to have a special moment with just us two, because we anticipated a day full of love from everyone else (which is great) but at the end of the day, it was OUR day and I wanted to be sure we had that special moment together! I am so glad we went that route because it was something I’ll never forget.”

When asked what moment from the day left an impression, Lauren shared “My highlight is probably when Reilly and I snuck away from everyone later in the night and just had a moment alone on the veranda looking into the mountains while everyone was partying.” Reilly shared her favorite memory of “running through the vineyard together for our couples photos – it’s always been a dream to run through a vineyard in my gown with my wife by my side. So that was so dreamy. And then I also loved dancing with Lauren in front of everyone at the end of the night to “King of my Heart” by Taylor Swift because Lauren is truly the Queen of my heart, and we were able to just be our hammy selves in front of everyone.”

A Modern Summer Wedding Complete With an Eclectic, Vibrant Palette!

Who says contemporary weddings are strictly black and white? Today’s Virginia nuptials coupled a vibrant, bold palette with modern style and design – it’s safe to say the result speaks for itself! Lane Stewart Events curated every last detail to perfection, enlisting Olivera Floral Design to make a vibrant statement with blooms. Don’t walk, run to the full gallery to see all the pretty – taken by Allison Dash Photography!

From Allison Dash Photography…Alex and Max envisioned having an urban wedding in the heart of downtown Richmond, where they are both from. With the ceremony and reception held at separate locations, Alex and Max wanted to play into the vibe of each venue for their details. They started with their custom invitations designed by Alex’s best friend and MOH, Cate with Cate By Design. The invitations set the tone for their modern, eclectic summer wedding for their guests. When styling these pieces, photographer Allison Dash (the groom’s sister!), incorporated a key from the reception venue that members receive to access the house as well as a fan that guests were able to use during the ceremony to keep cool.

The ceremony was held at the historic Virginia House, which gave the perfect whimsical garden feel for their intimate ceremony. Without taking away from the beauty of the architecture and gardens at Virginia House, the asymmetrical florals designed by Olivera Floral Design added the perfect pop of color to their ceremony. The vibrant touches of color, with lots of pinks, oranges and warm citrus tones and greenery popped against their more classic black and white ensembles.

Common House No. 2 set the tone for guests for a modern, yet eclectic reception. Guests were able to feel relaxed and embrace the true meaning of a social club while mingling with a station style dinner. Here they were surrounded by varying styles of centerpiece compotes, bud vases, and candle votives to bring texture and dimension to the long farmhouse style tables. They featured signature ‘His and Her’ cocktails, with a Whiskey Sour for Max and a Cape Cod for Alex, which is a personal touch as they live in New England! The Cape Cod was also the most vibrant and beautiful shade of fuchsia, matching the florals by Olivera.

The photo booth backdrop provided by Paisley & Jade with dripping orchids from Olivera provided guests an interactive experience that still reflected the overall vision for the day.

No wedding is complete without a specialty send off and we knew there was no better way to send this couple off than with a rose petal exit!

From the bride… Traditional aspects like the stone architecture and lush greenery at Virginia House, mixed with modern elements like a social club reception and poolside portraits offered different yet complementary layers to our wedding. They provided us the perfect balance of a whimsical, modern, and eclectic feel on our special day. With our July date, we wanted to play into the vibrant color palette of summer throughout our invitation suite and florals. We exchanged traditional vows during our ceremony, but shared personal vows privately in the garden during our first look. It was so special to add a private, personal touch to our day.”

“Max and I have actually known each other since pre-school! We started dating in college and for three and a half years, we dated long-distance. Max worked and lived in Atlanta and then Connecticut, while I completed grad school and began teaching in the Richmond area. These years were filled with hours in a car, on planes, and on trains, each goodbye getting harder than before. Almost a year after he moved to Connecticut for his dream job at ESPN, we got engaged on Labor Day 2020 and it was the most special day! My school year had just begun, so we wouldn’t get married until I had completed the school year in Virginia and could then move to Connecticut. Since I have summers off, we knew a summer wedding would be perfect for us! We envisioned a summer soiree for all of our guests to enjoy and have the best night celebrating with us. After years of many miles apart, we were so excited to become husband and wife and celebrate the official end of long distance! We recessed from the ceremony to one of our favorite songs, “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” by The Beach Boys“, where the lyrics are the perfect nod to no more long distance while also fitting the summer vibe!”

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Allison Dash Photography

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Sophisticated Vineyard Wedding in Virginia’s Wine Country

Elegant yet masculine design, rolling hills of Virginia’s wine country, locally sourced favorites, and enough love to last a lifetime – today’s Early Mountain Vineyards wedding designed by Miranda Bricker is everything we could ask for and more. Katie Ranger Design Studio created organic arrangements to compliment the already stunning setting, while Natalie Jayne Photography was behind the lens capturing every last detail. Make sure you don’t miss out on the full gallery of inspiration!

From Miranda Bricker… Steven & Brandon fell in love among the bucolic, rolling hills of Virginia’s wine country, so it was a no brainer for the California residents to choose the viticulture of central Virginia to host their nuptials. With guests traveling from all over the country to enjoy the everlasting charm of the Monticello Wine Trail, Early Mountain Vineyards became the perfect location for their early Summer celebration.

With every detail intentionally planned and each vendor thoughtfully selected, this soirée became the ultimate reflection of Steven & Brandon’s long-lasting relationship – solidified by their love of each other, their love of Virginia, and their love of fabulous wine.

The couple hosted an intimate gathering with 60 of their closest loved ones gathering from near and far. Guests arrived at an outdoor ceremony surrounded by idyllic views of the vines and agrarian scenery. Complementary organic greenery arrangements by Katie Ranger Design Studio allowed the couple to be forefront of the occasion, and the ceremony was officiated by a family friend with ties to both grooms.

Their elegant yet masculine aesthetic provided an anchor throughout every piece of the event. Designed by dear friend of the couple Miranda Bricker, the organic and celebratory environment was palpable around every corner. From the neutral al-fresco cocktail hour, to the clean tabletop design inviting guests to the reception, to the timeless champagne tower, the wedding was wrought with the simplest of loving touches.

The couple sourced local favorites – like Virginia Diner Peanuts and C-Ville Candy Company treats – to create custom gift boxes to welcome each guest to their reception. They even made sure to include confetti nonpareils in celebration of their wedding occurring during Pride month!

Brandon is a self-acclaimed foodie (not to mention a fabulous cook!), so the culinary experience was number one on their list of must-haves. Early Mountain’s cuisine did not disappoint, as Executive Chef Tim Moore hails from Michelin-star rated The Inn at Little Washington. When paired with a variety of Early Mountain’s award-winning and estate grown wine, the comprehensive meal will stand the test of time in the memory of their attendees.

Expertly captured by the easy-going Natalie Jayne Photography, Steven & Brandon’s overwhelming love shines through every image. Cheers to the happy couple!

A Beautiful Homage To The Bride’s Parents Leads To An Unexpected Sign

They say rain is good luck on your wedding day and for this couple, it certainly is the case! After losing both her parents, it was especially important to our bride to honor them at such a momentous event. As the rabbi officiating their ceremony began talking about Allie’s parents, rain started to fall from the sky making our bride feel as if her parents were truly watching over her on her wedding day. Donovan-Groves Events planned the heartfelt day, and Blue Ridge Floral filled it with beautiful blooms. You’ll love every image elegantly captured by Mina Von Feilitzsch Photography, see every sweet moment inside the full gallery.

From the bride… Beyond the typical challenges of being a COVID wedding (we were originally going to wed on Nov 1, 2020), I knew our wedding would be extra special. Unfortunately, I lost my father at the age of 18 and then lost my mother 6 years later, in 2017. I was an only child and extremely close with both of them. It was extremely important to me to commemorate them on my big day. There are so many ways people have commemorated loved ones no longer living and there is no one way that is meaningful to everyone.

After a lot of hard thinking, I came up with a few ways. I included two empty chairs in the front row of the ceremony – one with my mother’s scarf and one with my father-in-law’s jacket, with my favorite picture of my father and me in the pocket. I found it most appropriate to walk down the aisle alone – there wasn’t a dry eye in the crowd. I also chose to walk down to “Somewhere over the Rainbow,” a nod to my parents and grandmother. When I reached the middle of the aisle, my husband Lee came to meet me and we walked the rest of the way together – symbolic of our future together. When I reached my parents’ seats, a piece of my bouquet was made to break away and I placed a piece of it on my mother’s seat. The radar was watched closely and showed no sign of rain. Just as I started walking down the aisle, however, a rain cloud approached.

Every single person in attendance will confirm that just as our rabbi started talking about my parents, the clouds separated and the rain fell down. All of our vendors and guests told us they have never seen anything like it and how supernatural and surreal it was to experience. We did a quick change of plans and re-situated the ceremony under the winery’s covered patio. After the ceremony, the quick rain shower left us the most beautiful rainbow and sunset for incredible cocktail hour photos. Aside from being an incredibly planned party by our wedding planner, Adam of Donovan-Groves Events, at an INCREDIBLE venue (Jennifer Aniston married Justin Theroux there!), the miracle that happened during our ceremony was once-in-a-lifetime and a story that deserves to be shared!

This Boho-Accented Wedding Weekend Was a Marriage of Love, Heritage, and a Springtime Palette!

A celebration of love and heritage, Patina & Sean’s wedding weekend at The Ivy Rose Barn is one you’re going to remember! Nicole Colwell Design & Co. beautifully designed a traditional Indian ceremony followed by a brunch, along with a Christian ceremony and cocktail hour featuring muted neutrals, bohemian-chic accents, and personalized touches! We’re gushing over the ratan accents and avant-garde floral arrangements by Wild Fleurette! Get lost in all the delightful details at the full gallery, photographed by Nicole Colwell!

From Nicole Colwell Photography… Patina & Sean’s wedding weekend was one for the books. Patina knew The Ivy Rose Barn was the perfect location for her and Sean’s dream wedding even before it was built. Patina & Sean joked often about how their families were nervous with choosing a location before it had walls but Patina had the perfect vision which resulted in one of the most beautiful weddings we were able to help design & plan.

Patina & Sean had three events in one wedding weekend. The couple chose the Greenhouse for their Indian Ceremony that was followed with a brunch. Patina was very clear that she did not want the typical red & gold look that you see in a traditional Indian ceremony. Instead she chose the beautiful palette of blush and sage green which was stunning. The couple, family & friends returned that evening for their Rehearsal Dinner inside the Greenhouse. We kept the Indian ceremony color palette and elements for the table designs. A picnic style head table for the bridal party which included a mix of boho and traditional elements adorned with beautiful florals by Wild Fleurette was the most dreamy setting.

The next day the couple had their Christian Ceremony at the barn. The couple chose to say their vows with the Blue Ridge Mountains as their setting. Cocktail hour was located in front of the barn and the guests dined inside the barn.

Boho florals, a soft neutral palette and we can’t forget out the honey favors directly from Ivy Rose Farms. This wedding weekend is filled with jaw dropping details that you will love.

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BBJ La Tavola

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Majestic Mountaintop Wedding Overflowing With Style In Virginia

This majestic mountaintop wedding is overflowing with style. From the scenic ceremony designed to look like an outdoor church to signature drinks topped with custom cookies cut out in the shape of the couple’s dog, every creative detail was carefully curated by Just A Little Ditty. Southern Blooms filled the day with lush summer florals in bright and happy hues, and Jen Fariello Photography captured all the love of the day perfectlyin her elegant imagery. Visit the full gallery for a closer look at all the lovely.

From Jen Fariello Photography… Shannon and Jono met around St. Patrick’s Day in 2017 and quickly realized they led basically parallel lives, both floating through the same towns, schools, and social scenes but just missing each other. When they finally connected though, the rest was history. Taking inspiration from their Irish heritage and Shannon’s killer personal style, they collaborated as a team with Marilyn Speight of Just A Little Ditty, Sherry Spencer of Southern Blooms by Pat’s Floral Designs, Danielle Redmond of Occasions Caterers, and Jen Fariello Photography to bring their whimsical yet elevated garden party dreams to life. Originally, the ceremony was planned for a historic church with the reception to follow at a luxury resort in Charlottesville, but we were forced to pivot nine months prior to the wedding due to covid and renovation-related setbacks. Plan B, however, turned out to be even better than anyone dreamed!

A private mountaintop setting provided the perfect celebration scene. Accommodations and auxiliary events, like the rehearsal dinner, a pool party, and the farewell brunch were held at a nearby luxury inn, The Clifton. Guests were also treated to a modern welcome party at The Quirk hotel in downtown Charlottesville. When it came to the wedding itself, guests experienced a progressive event, starting with the outdoor ceremony on the mountaintop, cocktails at the historical home on the property, dinner in a sailcloth tent overlooking all of Central Virginia, and dancing in another sailcloth tent designed as a lounge meets ballroom space. In an attempt to recreate a church vibe, Shannon, Marilyn and Sherry designed a custom cross arbor which the team at Southern Blooms by Pat’s Floral Designs executed magnificently. White Glove Rentals provided gorgeous white garden chairs which featured an arc detail reminiscent of the church’s windows, accented by a meadow aisle of lush summer florals. Julie and the team at The Stylish Bride helped Shannon with all of her various wedding looks which featured custom dresses by Oscar de la Renta, Mark Ingram Collection, and a wedding gown Monique Lhuillier. They also worked with the wedding party to coordinate a mix of ready-to-wear styles in various floral patterns and shades of blue.

Occasions Caterers helped to create many custom touches that reflected Shannon and Jono’s personal style – like signature cocktails inspired by the couple’s Hawaiian honeymoon, a tableside ordering experience for guests that gave a restaurant feel, dishes using ingredients sourced and inspired by the setting, and late-night treats of espresso martinis (the couple’s favorite drink) with cookies perched on the side of the glasses shaped like their dog TJ, cheesy bread from the couple’s UVA college days and Detroit-style pizza as a nod to their new home base. Dinner featured classical string music by Melodious Strings, who covered everything from Beethoven to Bruno Mars. Tables were set in three distinct yet coordinated looks that provided many opportunities for the eye to dance around the layers of texture, color, and light. The crown jewel of the dinner tent was a stunning five-tier wedding cake by Anita Gupta of Maliha Creations. Smooth, white fondant icing provided the perfect canvas for sugar flowers, leaves, and clovers all echoing the blooms featured in the couple’s day. Emily Baird Design designed all stationery elements which included custom hand calligraphed clover escort cards, bar inserts, paper cones in various prints pulled from the invitation suite, and ceremony booklets with custom wax seals. The couple’s wedding monogram, designed by Emily as well, was also featured on the dance floor. Simply Irresistible kept guests dancing all night long and the evening ended with a visit to a special stargazing area where the couple took advantage of the elevation to treat their friends and family to a one-of-a-kind viewing experience.

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This Intimate Private Estate Wedding Proves There’s No Place Like Home

This backyard Virginia wedding is one for the books! With the help of Cheers Darling Events, Camille and Dwight turned their home into the wedding venue of their dreams. The neutral color palette played perfectly with the green of their garden and the pop of blue for their poolside reception! Floral & Bloom Designs created organic, free-flowing arrangements for the perfect touch of relaxed elegance. The intimate celebration was perfectly captured in the imagery by Kim Branagan, proving that there really is no place like home. See the full day unfold in the full gallery.

From Kim Branagan… Camille and Dwight were married on Saturday, September 18th at their home in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia. They were engaged early in 2021, knowing that they wanted to wed before the end of the year (they had been together for six years), and decided to welcome a small group of their family and friends to their new home would be the perfect way to celebrate. Camille and Dwight wanted the focus to be on their love, family, and sharing a good meal, with good drinks.

After exchanging vows, the couple mingled with their guests around the pool before inviting everyone to take a seat at one long table, set for 55 guests. The group enjoyed a long, al fresco meal under bistro lights – the meal was served family-style, with french-passed proteins, to encourage conversation throughout the meal. Guests enjoyed a multi-course meal from Heirloom Catering & Event Design – starting with individual mezze platters of dips, veggies & bread, followed by a grilled romaine salad, ribeye steak, sea bass, crispy asparagus, and roasted fingerling potatoes.

Following dinner, Camille’s stepfather serenaded the guests with a few songs on the saxophone while Camille and Dwight cut into their beautiful, three-tiered Buttercream Bake Shop wedding cake. Camille and Dwight kicked off the dancing with their first dance, with Dwight’s four daughters joining them on the dance floor to “Shake it Off” to get that party started. As guests enjoyed dancing, mini gelato cones and wedding cake were passed around the party.

Multicultural Farm Wedding With Spiced Up Tradition In Virginia

Ever feel like you can’t decide between a colorful and vibrant wedding or a chic and neutral one? Well, Hailey and Rishil got to have both! The couple had three events at the same venue, but each one felt unique and fresh. Jessica Ashley Events pulled the celebrations and blending of cultures together perfectly, from the fine-art-inspired American affair to the citrus-themed Indian reception. Floral design by Sarah Khan Event Styling brought the pair’s love story to life throughout the entirety of the festivities. You’ll love every special detail beautifully documented in the imagery by Michael And Carina Photography, visit the full gallery to get inspired.

From the bride, Hailey… Our wedding vision changed many times due to postponing from COVID. We had to pick a new wedding venue and photographer and took that as an opportunity to transition from a boho vibe to something more European and fine art inspired. Our new venue had a home that reminded me of something in the English countryside, so I wanted to lean on that for a timeless style that we’d look back on in 10 years and be happy with our choices! I had only been to one Indian wedding prior to planning my own, which was a fun opportunity to learn more about the culture and the traditions. Thankfully my mother-in-law is incredible and very modern and was up for doing things a little differently than what’s traditional. Given we had three events at the same venue, we wanted them to feel distinctly different through our choice of style and location. The Hawaiian-inspired rehearsal dinner was on the wisteria-draped patio and had tropical elements like Monstera fronds, plates made from palm trees, and everyone wore Hawaiian-themed outfits. My husband’s favorite part of his wardrobe is his extensive collection of Hawaiian shirts, so this was our way of incorporating that into our wedding weekend.

For the American wedding, we wanted to keep everything very classic and neutral to contrast with the Indian wedding. Florals were a combination of cream, mauve, and dusty blue-toned greenery, my bridesmaids wore champagne slip dresses, and Rishil wore a tan linen suit. We had the wedding at the top of the hill so we could use the silo up there for cocktail hour- the acoustics inside of it were amazing, and we did a champagne fountain in there right after the ceremony! We draped the stunning barn in ivory and the tables had woven rattan placemats and bud vases filled with the same florals as our bouquets. The ghost chairs added a modern look and broke up all of the wood in the barn. For the Indian wedding, our wedding planner, Jessica Ashley Events, suggested a citrus theme which was so fun to design! The florals were vibrant fuchsias, oranges, and yellows, a deviation from the typical red of an Indian wedding. We used the ghost chairs for the ceremony that looked stunning against the sunlit mountains, and the ceremony set up from the Maharaj was truly incredible. For the reception, the tables were lined with fresh-cut citrus and the barn was lit up with pinks and oranges. Rishil and I love making craft cocktails, so we decided to hand-make our drinks for both weddings and have them on tap in a vintage mobile bar! I love mezcal, so I made a passionfruit, mint, and mezcal cocktail with fresh flowers as a garnish. Rishil loves bourbon so he made a maple Old Fashioned named after our Goldendoodle puppy, Maple. For the Indian wedding, I crafted a mango gin and tonic and he mixed up a chai spiced simple syrup that went into a Moscow mule. Our guests raved about the cocktails, which made all of the muddling, steeping, and taste testing well worth it! We are also big espresso martini people, so our fantastic caterer Smokin Willy BBQ served the drink late night with an edible print of our puppy floating on top! Another labor of love was our escort display. My maid of honor and I DIYed it based on drawings from Jessica. The American wedding side was titled “Bon Appetit, Please Find Your Seat” and held recipe cards, our favors, with a treasured recipe from Rishil and me. His recipe was a watermelon cocktail and mine was a honeycrisp apple cake, and the cards were designed to match the liners from our invitation suite. The Indian wedding side of the massive board was titled “You’re My Main Squeeze” and held lemon and orange-shaped cards with guest’s table numbers on them.

During our American reception, we had Mehndi (henna) artists in the lower level of the bar so guests could take a break from dancing and get a design done. Everyone was so excited by this, and we were shocked by how many of the guys got a design done too! My parents own a classic and exotic car dealership, so we were lucky enough to be able to borrow a 1940 Ford Cabriolet to use during the wedding weekend. My Dad drove me up to the ceremony in it, he and my mom drove Rishil and me down to the reception in it, and guests got to use it for photos. For the Indian wedding, Rishil rode in it for his Baraat. We tried to incorporate a number of details into the Indian ceremony to make it special. Given it was August it was very hot out, so we served Mango and pistachio kulfi pops (a delicious Indian ice cream) as guests took their seats. As part of an Indian wedding ceremony is to take 7 steps together, each representing a part of an ideal marriage. With each step you have a couple you respect throw flowers on you to bless you, so we chose seven couples whose marriages we admire to partake in this sacred ritual. My favorite moment was the speeches. Our bridal party gave them at the rehearsal dinner, our MOH and best man gave them at the American wedding, and Rishil’s brother gave one at the Indian wedding. His was filled with some of the sweetest most authentic words we could ever ask for, and we’ll treasure that recording forever. We also loved doing the Hora dance at the beginning of the open dancing as it got the energy up and everyone on the dance floor! My favorite crafted detail was the Indian dance my bridesmaids and I performed during the Indian reception. None of us were professionals by any means, but we had the best time practicing together and it meant so much to me that they were willing and excited to do this together! My dress was a difficult decision for me and I’m thankful that my MOH and Mom were willing to go to at least 10 different boutiques to quell my fear of finding a better option (FOBO as my MOH fondly refers to it as)! After trying on dozens of gowns I found the fitted strapless style looked best on my body, and I wanted to stay away from anything with sparkle. I kept going back to this Pronovias with chantilly lace, a dramatic sheer train, and the perfect neckline. I felt like it fit the venue and my style perfectly! Our cake was a simple ivory-toned cake with fresh florals, and it truly was one of the best things I’ve ever tasted. We went with a chocolate cake and a salted-caramel buttercream; I can’t wait to eat it again on our anniversary! Our American wedding favors were the recipe cards and our Indian wedding ones were bags of our favorite Indian snacks (chevdo, chakri, etc.) for our guests to eat on the bus ride back to the hotel! If I had to offer one piece of advice to brides-to-be, it would be not to stress about making it perfect, instead, make it personal. The wedding will be incredible as long as it reflects the unique things about you and your partner. Also, hire an amazing planner, it’s worth every penny and will allow you to enjoy the event.

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You’ll Never Believe This Magnificent Italianate Palace is in the Rural Part of Virginia, Atop Mountains!

You won’t believe this Italian palazzi-inspired wedding took place in the Virginian mountains! Channeling luxurious intimacy and balancing timelessness with modernity, Fleur Avenue Events reimagined a traditional Italian wedding for this fashion-forward couple at the Swannanoa. Drama was infused into every grand detail — from the bride’s French lace cathedral veil and not one — but two — ornately-crafted gowns, to the venue’s lofty archways and artistically-styled florals. Nikki Santerre captured the ultra-chicness of the celebration with a fine-art style. Experience the splendor of this beautiful day at the full gallery!

From Nikki Santerre… Inspired by classic bridal look, epic architecture of Italian palazzi, and couture wardrobe, this editorial designed and planned by Fleur Avenue Events channeled the luxurious intimate celebration at former splendor and now decaying grandeur of Swannanoa Palace behind the modern interpretation of a traditional Italian wedding for a fashion-driven couple.

Featuring stylish ornate wedding gown, a show-stopping cathedral veil with French lace detail, lush and dramatic reception setup in between archways of the majestic Italianate summer villa, and vibrant fine art style of film photographer Nikki Santerre, modern wedding planning couples are invited to take inspiration from sumptuous iconic locations to create an elegant heirloom-driven day for their marriage celebration.

Classic Virginia Spring Wedding At The Clifton Inn

Wanting to mirror the aesthetic of a spring day, Shelby and Scott’s wedding was equal parts romantic and classic. Set in the Virginia countryside with lots of greenery, neutral blooms, and charming garden touches Sophie Felts Floral Design helped bring their wedding dreams to life. Shelby and Scott spent a great deal of time focusing on the details, and enlisted Social Graces Weddings to help them fill the day with intimate and thoughtful touches. From their custom monogram incorporated throughout various elements of the wedding, from the wax seal on the escort board to poolside pillows, to the inclusion of their newly adopted Shih Tzu, Gigi, every detail was thoughtfully curated. The love and happiness of the day shine in the artful imagery by Sidney Leigh Photography. You’ll find even more meaningful moments in the full gallery.

From Sidney Leigh Photography… Shelby and Scott met at work where Scott claimed, “love at first sight.” Although it took a little time and persistence before the two became official, they soon became inseparable. Scott proposed during dinner at The Inn at Little Washington on January 25th, 2020 a very special location to Shelby and her family as her grandparents used to frequent this remarkable place.

Charlottesville, Virginia was always a favorite destination for Shelby and Scott while living in the DC area. The rolling countryside, beautiful wineries, pristine golf courses, and charming downtown perfectly captured the vision for the wedding weekend festivities. The Clifton embodied all the characteristics that Shelby and Scott were looking for as a backdrop for their celebration. The history of the estate coupled with scenic mountain views and intimate accommodations for their immediate family and friends made their selection of the venue effortless.

The one facet of the wedding day that couldn’t be planned for was the weather, and although the rain started falling about 20 minutes before the outdoor ceremony started, both Shelby and Scott agreed that it was incredibly special to watch everyone come together to celebrate with them all the same. All in all, every inch of this Charlottesville wedding day was customized to perfectly fit Shelby and Scott as a couple, and even with the rain, it could not have been a more beautiful wedding day!

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A Kitchen Reno that Went From Drab to SERIOUSLY!?

This might be the single most “are you serious” transformation we have ever seen. While subtly changing up the footprint, moving around cabinets and the positioning of the island, saturating the room in head to toe white and gorgeous hardware, this kitchen had a full on swan song makeover. Designed by Anna Beth Eskridge of Making Room for Peace, we are SO here for all of the pretty. Head to the end to see the incredible before and afters! Photos by We are Luke & Ashley.

Talk about serendipity and you would have to talk about the Del Ray Project. The location, the social connections and overall design process. There was a seamless workflow that was an absolute pleasure to be apart of!

While this might sounds crazy, the saying is true…”inspiration is everywhere!” So no joke, one of the very first decisions that we made was that we HAD to have these Gabby Decor counter stools! From there, the look and feel of the new kitchen began to really take shape.

When it came to the styling of the Del Ray Project, we kept the accent pieces light in color but heavy in texture! With such a bright, white kitchen we didn’t want to bring anything jarring, as it would take away from the elegance of the space; so we used a lot of materials such as worn wood (i.e. vintage cutting boards), blown glass seltzer bottles, heirloom silver trays and European apothecary jars. We also brought in special pieces that belonged to the client like a gorgeous vintage rug!

Pro Tip: We love using heirloom pieces when styling our client’s homes. In the Del Ray Project we were able to incorporate our client’s Turkish rug and vintage salt and pepper shakers. These moments, these found objects, are what really make a space feel like “home.”

Since the space isn’t incredibly large, we thoughtfully chose each piece to have meaning and purpose. To elevate the bones and provide a useable moment of beauty, from the hardware we chose to the furniture and decor. This Gabby accent table was another splurge but one that was well worth-it! The beautiful flower-shaped rim adds a softness and feminine nod to the space.

Wanting to keep the design of the room fairly simple to bring a more open feeling to the space, we incorporated the existing love-seat while also bringing in matching floor lamps and woven accent tables. This set-up really helped to create a cozy space that still provided a large enough walk-way for kitchen traffic.

We have to give a special shout-out to Moore Construction Group, who designed the layout of this space. They did a fabulous job not only creating better flow but incorporating enough storage so that every nook and cranny could be put to use. You walk into this kitchen now and feel like you can breathe (and move!).

The accent pieces within the space are absolutely beautiful, and are ones that will age well over time. The Circa Lighting pendants tie in beautifully and emphasize our goal to allow this space to age gracefully, the textiles capitalize on forever fabrics, the decor is a balance of old and new and the simple, clean palette means that food, family and love can take center stage.

BEFORE / AFTER

Brace yourselves for the incredible, full bodied before and after.

Before, the kitchen was dark and crowded, to say the least. As with most older homes, space is at a premium so one of the things that we knew would have to go was the peninsula! Not only did it make the kitchen tight but it blocked any sort of flow. We opened up that side of the kitchen and instead, installed a sleek island for more counter space and seating.

While it is our desire to create beautiful spaces, it is our goal to create those beautiful spaces that will also be functional, that will bless our clients with a life more easily lived. It’s been music to our ears to hear from Andy and Babs on how much they’ve enjoyed using their kitchen. Due to Covid (and working from home), Babs often finds herself working at the island here.

Photography: We Are Luke & Ashley | Interior Design: Making Room for Peace

In the evenings, you can bet that Andy is at stove whipping up something magical. In the months to come, as more people are vaccinated and cases continue to go down, you can bet that there will be friends and family over, eating and laughing around the island!

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