This Lauren Niles wedding is the perfect fusion of classic elegance and modern romance. Stripes and bow ties married to sequins and one seriously twirl-able dress, just for starters. And the day wouldn’t have been complete without the addition of luxurious white florals crafted by Hedge Fine Blooms. Get ready to pick your jaw up off the floor—this gallery from L. Hewitt Photography is incredible.
From Lauren Niles Events…When Monika, Baltimore blogstress of Champagne Picnic, contacted me to help her plan a destination wedding, I knew it was going to be a positively lovely, incredibly fashionable and downright fun weekend affair. I was beyond thrilled to get started!
Monika wanted to design a wedding that was classically romantic with nods to European style, but with an underlying sense of fun and whimsy. To do this, we played with bold stripes, a combination of lush and natural textures and, of course, a dash of sequins. Set against the stunning views of Trump Winery, guests lounged on linen furniture and sipped on his and hers cocktails: an Old Fashioned & a Champagne Picnic. Dinner and dancing followed, as guests enjoyed an environment of organically styled florals, a dance floor surrounded by soft drapery, a super fun, sequin adorned champagne bar and a band that had them dancing until last call. After dinner, the cocktail lounge area was transformed into a warm escape with evening winery views, a fire pit and pillows for getting cozy.
A few of our favorite details were the custom skirt we had designed for Monika from Garnish, the custom monogram by Just Ink on Paper, the adorable signage designed by the lovely sister of the bride and MOH, custom striped bowties for the incredible wait staff, the little gold footed pups that held beautifully calligraphed table numbers and the breathtaking images of the Bride & Groom at the Trump Winery Chapel by the talented Leah Hewitt.
From the beautiful Bride…Mike and I got married in Charlottesville, Virginia this past September. We met in Baltimore, but I grew up in NJ and he grew up in Florida. We are all over the map already, so when choosing a wedding destination, we didn’t have a specific place in mind. Charlottesville is beautiful, filled with dozens of wineries, history, and a charming downtown area. We discovered Trump Winery and knew it was the place we had to celebrate our wedding day. We initially wanted to have both ceremony and reception at the winery, but chose a Catholic ceremony at the University of Virginia Chapel.
I found my dress at an awesome boutique just outside of Baltimore called Garnish Boutique. We did the back and forth from one boutique to another, trying on different styles and silhouettes but I came back to Garnish, knowing I wanted to buy my dress from the lovely shop owner there, Mia. I thought I was going back in to buy one dress with a big, layered tulle skirt with horse hair trim, but there was a Theia Couture trunk show going on that weekend and we thought it would be fun to try on a few of them.
The Theia dress was a long, form fitting gown covered in crystals, embellishments, and delicate beading from top to bottom. The part that made it mine? The detachable skirt that came along with it. It was so unique and different that I knew I had to have it. The skirt was initially much more delicate and sheer but I still wanted that princessey look I was originally searching for. I had a tailor custom design the skirt into my perfect layered, billowy, tulle dream of a skirt, and my wedding dress was complete. It was the best!
I had 10 bridesmaids. I know, that is crazy, but that’s how it had to be. Mike had 9 groomsmen, so it ended up working perfectly that we had a large, fun, beautiful bridal party. I decided I didn’t want the girls in matching dresses and that they would choose their own in the neutral color scheme of golds, tans, blushes, and light greys. It ended up working perfectly and I was so happy the girls could choose their own dress for their body type, budget, and look they wanted. We got ready in matching floral rompers adorned with pom poms – they were super cute and comfy and were a bit different (and more affordable) than buying all of the girls matching robes. We had an awesome morning getting ready together, drinking mimosas and listening to music, and getting all dolled up for the day.
Both bridal parties, both sets of parents, and other friends and family members got ready at Meriweather Springs Vineyard, an estate in Charlottesville on a winery that my family stayed in during the week of the wedding. The bridesmaids and moms got ready upstairs in a large gathering room that was flooded with natural light and a beautiful backdrop of the vineyard. The groomsmen got prepped for the day downstairs, in the barrel room, equipped with a bar and ample space for them to lounge around and spend time together. I wanted to surprise Mike with a gift, even though we had said “no gifts” on the wedding day, I just had to. I always knew that I would get him a Rolex watch to surprise him with on our wedding day when he had told me a story about how his Grandfather had given him his Rolex which he had unfortunately lost and always regretted it. So, I figured it all out with the help of a friend and while he was getting ready, the Rolex was delivered to him for him to open and wear on our wedding day.
The cocktail bar had linen benches, a wooden bar, black and white striped throw pillows, trays with gold frames, candles, and matchbooks with our initials in Mr. and Mrs. glasses adorned the cocktail hour, which took place on the terrace of Trump Winery. The view was breathtaking and overlooked the entire winery, complete with lush landscape, rolling hills, lakes (that had actual swans in them!), and a colorful sunset that could have been a painting. The guests enjoyed specialty champagne and old fashioned cocktails around tables with blush silk shantung linens.
AH, the reception! My planner, Lauren, made sure that it was a huge surprise and wouldn’t let me take a peek in the days of set up prior to our wedding. I was blown away at the reveal- the lighting, the mass amounts of candlelight, the incredible drape treatment around the dance floor, the beautiful flowers by Hedge, the champagne bar with the bowl of cascading blooms I knew I had to have from the beginning- it was all more than I could have imagined. We danced all night and had the best time with all of our closest friends and family.
Photography: L Hewitt Photography | Event Planner: Lauren Niles Events | Floral Design: Hedge Fine Blooms | Wedding Gown: Garnish Boutique | Invitations: Just Ink On Paper | Ceremony Venue: UVA Chapel | Reception Venue: Trump Winery | Bridesmaids: Rent The Runway | Catering: Harvest Moon Catering | Band: The Adrian Duke Project | Estate: Meriwether Springs Vineyard | Hair/Makeup: A More Beautiful You | Lighting & Draping: Blue Ridge AV & Lighting | Lounge Furniture: MS Events | Specialty Rentals: Stonegate Event Rentals | Wedding Gown Designer: Theia
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