Virginia Weddings

Love stories get me every time. That is probably obvious – I mean, I do spend every waking hour gushing over the weddings love stories enviably produce, but yet it’s the stories behind the soirees that stop me in my tracks. They make me hold me breath for a minute, and even with the most detailed of details – it’s the love between the Mr. & Mrs. that makes me swoon the hardest. Well, Jen Fariello Photography brought to life, through her gorgeous images, one of those love stories that with the help of Easton Events produced a detailed filled fête this lovely morning…and for that I’ll be forever grateful. See it all here!

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From the Bride… We truly believe in serendipity. We met at Colorado College, where we dated our senior year and the following year, working and leading canoeing/hiking trips in Vermont. We took some years apart, as trying to coordinate a life together at that time was difficult. I moved out west to start grad school, while he spent time working and traveling in Central America. We ended up crossing paths again in Oregon, where I began my first rotation for grad school — he had JUST moved there. It was then that he told me that I was “the only girl” for him. Following rotation, I took a train from Seattle to Portland to visit for the day and wanted to stay longer. This time around was for real — round two was it! Perfect timing to fall in love and move to a new place together, and Charlottesville it was!

We knew we wanted an outdoor wedding with mountain views, and initially thought about out west, but we kept coming back to Virginia and the Blue Ridge Mountains. We spent some time searching for our perfect venue spot and were about to look outside Virginia until we, serendipitously, found out about what was then the new and upcoming Pippin Hill Farm and Vineyard in Bundoran Farm, a 2,300-acre preservation area overlooking the Blue Ridge Mountains. We immediately contacted their team, and within the same day, we were sold! We had to envision the space through colorful sketches and drawings of the barn-inspired structure and visits to the site, which was just a platform at the time. But the breathtaking panoramic views and the owner’s talent and scrupulous attention to details made for a worry-free, easy decision. We had so much fun following the progress of the building through the different seasons as it took its shape.

My inspiration was to create a sense of place and capture the fall season, while keeping within the natural style and feel of Pippin Hill — a neutral, subtle palette with soft pops of color. I did not have one color theme and tried to avoid being too coordinated by having different bridesmaid and flower girl dress styles and boutonnieres. One thing we wanted to make sure to include was a late night snack, despite having the most amazing fall inspired dinner of fava bean ravioli, autumn lettuce salad with blonde beets and lavender-glazed rack of lamb with celery root puree and acorn squash. Guests got to enjoy grab-n-go croque monsieurs as people exited. Music was also a central focus of the day, and we had a lot of it, ranging from a beautiful Andre Segovia song played by Matt’s brother during the procession, a bluegrass violin-guitar duo during the rest of the ceremony, and a lively band for the reception that kept everyone on the dance floor. Our photographer, Jen Fariello, did such an amazing job capturing all the details and emotions during the wedding. A big thanks to Easton Events and all of our vendors for making our visions come to fruition and to our family and friends for all the love and support!

Wedding Photography: Jen Fariello Photography / Wedding Venue + Catering: Pippin Hill Farm & Vineyards in Charlottesville, Virginia / Event Design + Planning: Lynn Easton Andrews of Easton Events / Floral Design: Pat’s Floral Designs / Wedding Cake: Anita Gupta of Maliha Creations / Chalkboards: Stonegate Event Rentals / Wedding Invitations: Dani Antol of Rock Paper Scissors / Calligraphy: Bryn Chernoff of Paperfinger / Ceremony Music: Morwenna and Jay / Processional: Danny Lee (Brother of the Groom) / Band: Marquise / Ceremony Chairs: Festive Fare / Wedding Gown: Anna Maier Ulla-Maija / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Amsale / Bridesmaids’ Gifts: Ditty Bags

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So often in my line of work, I am swept away by sweetness. A touching love story, a heart-warming proposal, a beyond meaningful detail – those moments absolutely never, EVER get old to me. So when I came across this emotion-filled beauty captured by Jodi Miller Photography, I didn’t have a chance. It has all the moments that tug at my sappy heart strings – a father giving his little girl away to the man of her dreams, two families joining together and one gorgeous soiree crafted with so much love to celebrate it all. It’s perfectly joyful, and full of all the reasons why the sweetness gets me every time. Click here for more!

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From the bride… Brad and I knew almost immediately that we wanted to get married in Charlottesville, Virginia, in the heart of the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. We are both graduates of the University of Virginia (but didn’t know each other until after school!), and it’s also where Brad took me the weekend we got engaged. Not only does it hold a special place in both our hearts, but we also thought that it would be great place for our family and friends to spend a fun Fall weekend. The weather forecast that week called for 0% chain of rain — zero! — on our wedding day. But nevertheless, the clouds rolled in dark and heavy about an hour before our outdoor ceremony. It actually started to rain as my Dad walked me up the aisle, but luckily it was just a drizzle and we didn’t have to run for cover before saying our vows. There was something about the moody weather that actually made the ceremony seem even more special and romantic: the enormous rolling clouds, the wind whipping my veil around, the slight chill that had everyone hugging together. I was laughing about the rain, which is probably the only thing that helped me keep from losing it during the vows. It was an incredibly emotional moment.

Brad and I wanted our wedding to be elegant, cozy, and joyful. Without really any sort of theme or color scheme in mind, we just aimed for a mix of handmade items, vintage finds, natural fabrics like linen and burlap and locally-grown flowers. And candlelight, lots of candlelight! We had a lot of fun putting together all the many personal touches for our wedding. We made all of the paper goods at the reception, from the menus, programs and signs to the hand-stamped petal bags and the “merci” favor tags. My mom is great at sewing and made the linen table runners and also my veil. For a year, we collected vintage Virginia postcards for our guest book and skeleton keys for our escort cards. We also used lots of blue mason jars, vintage crates, and beautiful silver and mercury glass vessels. We wanted to make sure everyone ate well that weekend, so we served up lots of homey, fall-themed comfort food. Guests were greeted at the hotels with gift bags full of cookies that my sister and I made that week, apples from a local vineyard, and spiced apple cider. All of the wine we served was made right there at the vineyard, and the beer was from the local Blue Mountain Brewery. Dinner included shrimp & grits, bourbon-pecan steak, and an heirloom tomato salad. All of this yumminess was topped off with some absolutely to-die-for carrot cake!

Even though we had a great band that evening, we wanted to have some other fun things for people to do if they didn’t feel like hitting the dance floor. We had a trio of lawn games set up: croquet, bocce, and cornhole. Our friends actually made a set of cornhole boards for us as a wedding gift! There was a fire pit at our venue, which we took advantage of by offering cigars and building a s’mores bar full of all the fixin’s. Our wedding day truly felt like a dream. It was so fun to see all of our planning come to fruition, but even better than that was getting married to my best friend! One of the best parts of the day was taking a minute to look around the room and seeing that every single person in the world that we loved was right there celebrating with us. Indescribable.

Wedding Photography: Jodi + Kurt of Jodi Miller Photography / Wedding Venue: King Family Vineyards in Charlottesville, Virginia / Wedding Coordination: Events with Panache / Flowers: Sugar Magnolias / Catering: 20 South / Wedding Cake: The Baker’s Palette / Band: Six Stylez / Wedding Dress: Romona Keveza via Hannalore’s / Hair: Moxie Hair Lounge / Makeup: Oasis Day Spa & Body Shop / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Priscilla of Boston / Groom’s Attire: Alton Lane / Calligraphy + Map: Calligraphy by Michele / Wedding Paper Goods, Apple Butter Favors, Matchbooks, S’mores Skewer Flags: DIY by the Bride + Groom / Table Runners + Veil: DIY by the Bride’s Mother / Cookie Gift Bags: DIY by the Bride + Her Sister

I usually don’t like to compare, but this Virginia wedding, as seen by Holland Photo Arts, has more elegance than all the dance chapters of any Jane Austen novel ever (and that’s a whole lot). The soiree, designed by Easton Events, is perfect for this beautiful couple – filled with amazing flowers from Pat’s Floral Design, perfectly classic details, and all set in a ridiculously gorgeous summer setting. When you’re ready, grab a glass of your bubbliest and meet me in the full gallery!

From Easton Events … Sara and Matt were married on June 18th 2011. Their wedding was the first Easton Event at Pippin Hill, our new vineyard in Charlottesville, Virginia.

The couple share a passion for the outdoors so we worked to bring the outdoors in. The floral details emphasized slabs of cut wood, moss, lanterns, seasonal flowers, and butter yellow, hydrangea blue, and sage green. 20 foot trees twinkling with little lanterns providing a canopy over dinner and dancing.

The themes of the stations were very personalized, especially the bacon station, which hinted towards the grooms favorite food. Bacon lollipops and bacon cupcakes were a huge hit!

The beautiful thing about this June evening was that guests were able to spend time both indoors and outdoors. With the hanging lanterns, s’more pit, and a Charlottesville favorite: The Carpe Donut Cart, guests had a good reason to head outside!

As an alternative to the guest book, We created four different post cards, reflecting four key places in the couples life that were pre-addressed to the couple. Guests filled out the postcards and dropped them into the wishing well. The bride’s sister is to mail these to the couple allowing them to receive well wishes throughout their first year of marriage.

Photography: Holland Photo Arts / Cinematography: Exist N Motion Films / Flowers: Pat’s Floral Design / Event Planning & Design: Easton Events / Ceremony & Reception Location: Pippin Hill Farm / Invitations: Rock, Paper, Scissors / Dessert: Carpe Donut / Rentals: Festive Fare / Lighting & AV: Blue Ridge Light Forms / Hair & Makeup: Moxie Salon

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Rise and shine lovelies, because we here at SMP headquarters cannot wait to get this Monday morning started. Why might you you ask? Well, we have been sitting on this wedding by Laurie Bailey Photography where southern charm meets Hollywood glamour all weekend, and we can’t keep it from you any longer! It’s all just so perfect I could kiss it. From the bride’s stunning Monique Lhuillier gown to the black tie glamour to the hunt club venue – it’s completely divine, and you can see even more in the full gallery!

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From Laurie Bailey Photography…Krissy and Chris live in the glamorous world of Hollywood, California. Chris, a top agent at William Morris/Endeavor, represents some of the best-known directors in the world – artists including Martin Scorcese, Milos Forman, Michael Winterbottom and Barry Sonnenfeld. Krissy works for the Noreen Fraser Foundation, a non-profit focusing on women’s cancers – a cause close to her heart as she, herself is a cancer survivor who underwent chemotherapy as she planned this unsurpassable wedding. To all, this day was a profound and special celebration on many levels.

While their everyday lives are all about the glitz and glamour of Hollywood, Krissy grew up in the lovely Southern town of Charlottesvile, Virginia and wanted her nuptials to embody the tradition and classic Southern charm epitomized by the spectacular Keswick Hall. But they also wanted to add touches of understated, classic Hollywood glamour to pay homage to those who paved the way for their successes.

The muted colors for the reception were chosen with that in mind: creams and browns with a touch of a pale green – organic, traditional, clean, crisp. Barbara Shiflett, the event designer, brought in a spectacular, clear tent for the reception and used oversized green drum shades for the lighting…. keeping with organic hues and hinting of the 1940’s, which is a period for which Chris has a fondness and which pulled in that old Hollywood feel. A jazz trio played during dinner, adding to the atmosphere.

The wedding day began in true Southern style as Chris and his groomsmen took a walk at dawn through the Virginia countryside with 50 bloodhounds, courtesy of the Keswick Hunt Club! Truly a sight to behold.

In lieu of a guest book, Krissy and Chris used an old, vintage typewriter… both a nod to Chris’ work with Hollywood writers and directors as well as to the 40’s. During cocktail hour, waiters tray passed mouth-wateringly innovative Southern fare such as Shrimp and Grits, served in tiny skillets.

On the tables with the florals were placed tiny bird’ s nests, a delicate detail and symbol of new beginnings – embodying the move beyond Krissy’s past health challenges and toward a beautiful new life together.

But one of the most spectacular moments of the day took place when all the guests adjourned to the outdoor terrace after dinner to release Chinese wish-lanterns into the October night sky…with each guest given a single lantern to release. The sight of one hundred and thirty two lanterns slowly drifting up over the back of Keswick Hall into darkness was something that they guests will not soon forget.

The celebration continued into the wee hours at Fossetts, the restaurant at Keswick Hall, where a checkerboard dance floor gracefully transformed the room into an old Hollywood nightclub. After dancing the night away, the couple rode off into the moonlight in a horse and buggy. A truly spectacular wedding!

Venue: Keswick Hall / Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier / Bride’s Shoes: Manolo Blahnik / Ties: Brooks Brothers / Wedding Bands: Tiffany & Co. / Event Stylist: Barbara Shifflett / Wedding Photography: Laurie Bailey Photography / Horse Drawn Carriage: Hundley Carriage / Floral Design: Floral Images / Transportation: B2B Transportation / Reception Tent: Skyline Tent Company / Vintage Car: Albemarle Vintage Limousines / Rentals: Festive Fare Rentals / Rehearsal Dinner Catering: Harvest Moon / Bluegrass Band: Andy Thacker / Jazz Trio: John Dearth / Ceremony Music (strings): Jennifer Myer / DJ: Patrick Critzer / Make-up: Daphne Latham / Hair: Tobey Tyler + Charles Fernyough

Is anyone else having a hard time believing we’re more than half way through July already? Wedding season just seems to fly right by us, every single year. You blink and it’s gone. And I’m sure it’s because of quintessential summer weddings like this Charlottesville affair. Weddings like this, featuring fabulous florals from Pat’s Floral Design, bright sunshine, and an adorable bride and groom go hand in hand with summer like peanut butter goes with jelly. Jen Fariello captured the whole midsummer dream to perfection. And guess what? There’s more in the gallery!

Ryan and I met on a blind date our first year at the University of Virginia, but we didn’t start dating right then. Instead we became good friends over the next couple of years, and started dating the summer before our fourth year! Six years later, Ryan made a surprise trip to Philadelphia where I was working in buying for Anthropologie (he was a consultant in DC, and we had been long distance for over three years). He arrived in the morning, and literally proposed on my front stoop. He whisked me around Philadelphia to celebrate by hitting up some of our old favorite restaurants and places culminating with a extravagant dinner at Fountain. It was such a fun and exciting weekend, only to be surpassed by our actual wedding weekend which was ten months later.

For our wedding, we immediately knew that we had to go back to where it all began: Charlottesville. The good news was, my mom actually grew up outside of Charlottesville, so we also knew that we wanted to have the reception on the farm where she grew up. This is the place where we spent every Christmas and made countless other visits, and always reminds me of my mom’s mom with whom I was very close. We picked a beautiful church on the downtown mall, Christ Episcopal, for the ceremony and were so blessed to be married by an amazing priest there, Dave Johnson.

We had two main goals of our wedding: to make it fun for our guests, and to make it personal. For the fun factor we focused on special touches such as a fabulous band, busing guests to/from our reception, and passed hors d’oeuvres and champagne for all upon entering cocktail hour, to name a few. Regarding personal touches, we spent a lot of time picking details for our ceremony, Ryan’s sister hand drew our sixteen page wedding booklet, our table names were places at UVA, and our beer and wine was from local companies. We poured countless hours in to these to these details and many more, which I think make a wedding really feel special.

Ryan was very involved in the planning process, but my mom and I were the team that executed all of the special details. We were very lucky to be in the same city during the time leading up to the wedding, so we worked on everything together loving every minute. One of my favorite memories, is that my mom and I worked with a wedding gown designer in Richmond, VA to transform a Monique Lhuillier wedding gown in to exactly what I had always dreamed about. My mom even handmade the gorgeous flower on my hip. It was a lot of work but we loved the time together and the finished product.

Regarding color inspiration, I knew I wanted to incorporate yellow in some way… my nursery was yellow and I have loved the color since childhood. I decided, however, not to have eight beautiful but all very different bridesmaids wear yellow. So I thought of navy. It’s a classic color, and it felt a little softer than black for a wedding at the end of May with an outdoor reception. I found some fantastic yellow beaded necklaces at Anthropologie, which I thought would do just the trick to make the look a little more fun than traditional. My mom and I wrapped the necklaces and sent them to each of my bridesmaids with a note that they could choose any short navy dress they wanted to go with the necklace. My little sis and maid of honor chose a long dress, which I loved because it helped her stand out. I was thrilled with that decision because everyone picked a dress in their price range in which they were comfortable, and we were all photographed together the look was stunning!

Ryan and I have so many vivid and beautiful memories from our wedding day (expertly captured by Jen Fariello) but I will speak to just a couple. We have both discussed this ad nauseum, and we both agree that our absolute favorite memory was between the cocktail hour and reception. Our coordinator moved our guests to the tent, holding back my mom, dad, Ryan and me. There was a path between the porch where we held cocktail hour and the tent for dinner and dancing. She send my parents down the path and a couple of minutes later me and Ryan. When we got to the tent everyone was clapping and cheering, and our band immediately started playing our first dance song and we whirled on to the dance. It was an unexpected memory as we hadn’t planned to make that entrance, which made it all the better.

Another amazing memory was our exit. Everyone was lined up and the path was lit by sparklers all the way from the tent to our getaway convertible. Our band was playing one of our favorite songs in the background and everyone was clapping and yelling excitedly! When we got to the car, my sweet mom was standing right there. I was so happy that I got to give her a big hug and tell her how perfect the entire day was since we had planned the entire event ourselves. The car was already packed with champagne and a picnic basket, and Ryan and I were in amazement looking back on the crowd, tent, and beauty.

Photographer: Jen Fariello / Floral Designer: Pat’s Floral Design / Invitations: Reaves Engraving / Cupcakes: The Mixing Bowl / Wedding Gown Designer: Pleiades Bridal / Bride’s Dress Flower: Bride’s Mom / Venue: Private Residence / Day of Coordination: Beverly Wakefield / Ceremony Location: Christ Episcopal Church

Where, oh where, to begin?  Not only did this next bride rock a fabulous vintage blue dress on the big day (Yes, blue!), she glammed it up at a Roaring Twenties style soiree that would make the Great Gatsby himself jealous.  All captured magnificently through the lens of Jen Fariello Photography, this wedding is, to borrow a phrase from the 1920’s, the bee’s knees.  And, lucky for us, there’s even more Art Deco gorgeousness to be found in the gallery!

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From the Bride… The design inspiration for our wedding was my engagement ring and dress, both from the 1920s, and the historic Southern setting of James Monroe’s home at Ash Lawn-Highland. We wanted to extend the old world feel to our wedding invitations so we decided to work with a letterpress design studio in Brooklyn. By combining Art Deco typefaces with 18th century silhouettes, we were able to set the tone for our wedding day.

Our bouquets and table arrangements featured flowers that were popular in the 1920s – calla lilies, orchids, and dahlias. My dress was marine blue and we used that color for many elements in the wedding including the invitations, table settings, place cards, and hospitality booklets. For the food, we chose local southern fare — wild trout, red velvet cupcakes, and mint juleps in a proper cup.

Wedding Photography: Jen Fariello Photography / Wedding Invitations: Swayspace Letterpress Printing / Wedding Dress: NY Vintage / Florist: Pat’s Floral Designs / Catering: C&O Catering / Cupcakes: Favorite Cakes / Music: The Virginia Ramblers / Wedding Venue: Ash Lawn-Highland / Lighting: Skyline Lighting

Often times a wedding involves the blending of two different families, backgrounds, cultures, etc and this can be a very daunting task. This Charlottesville Wedding gets it though. The Bride and Groom have married all the gorgeous details of a traditional Indian wedding with a lovely backyard affair in Virginia. The result is simply stunning, as if henna + Blueridge Mountain views were a born pair.  Jen Fariello Photography captured every last dazzling detail right down to the Bollywood inspired first dance. See it all here.

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From the Bride… Both of my husband’s parents are from India, and my parents are from England and Wales, so our hope when planning our August wedding was to blend our two backgrounds into a very personal celebration.  We wanted to create an intimate, traditional wedding feel but also to bring in as many Indian elements as possible.  My parent’s home in Charlottesville, Virginia, with views of the Blue Ridge mountains, provided the perfect location for our outdoor wedding.

The night before the ceremony, guests were treated to an Indian pre-wedding celebration called a Sangeet, where I wore a beautiful red lengha choli given to me by my mother-in-law.  Guests danced to Bhangra music played by an Indian DJ, and were able to have henna decoration drawn on their hands and arms.

The next day, everyone enjoyed wine tasting or other Charlottesville attractions before buses brought them to our home for the wedding.  We had a simple traditional Christian ceremony performed by the groom’s childhood priest, and guests tossed flower petals as we walked back down the aisle together. My bridesmaids wore deep pink J-Crew dresses in the style of their choice, and the groomsmen’s boutonnieres were all slightly different.

After cocktails in the backyard, our reception was held under a marquee tent decorated with huge lanterns hung from the ceiling. We danced first to a personal favorite, and then broke into a Bollywood-style dance we choreographed together.  Our band, The Dickens, was absolutely fabulous, keeping everyone on the dance floor all night and letting Praveen perform a song dedicated to me.  The henna-patterned cake done by Maliha Creations was gorgeous, and we left the tent under a line of sparklers – a perfect end to a perfect night.

Wedding Photography: Jen Fariello Photography / Wedding Coordination: Barb Wired, LLC / Catering: Harvest Moon Catering / Tent Rental: Skyline Tent Company / Wedding Cake: Maliha Creations / Floral Design: Pat’s Floral Designs / Rentals: Festive Fare Rentals / Wedding Dress: Essence of Australia via Bel Fiore Bridal / Bride’s Shoes: Badgley Mischka / Bridesmaid Dresses: J.Crew / Hair & Makeup: Bristles / Wedding Reception Band: The Dickens via Sam Hill Entertainment / Ceremony & Cocktail Hour Musicians: Terra Voce

Crisis mode. When the bus with more than half your guests breaks down an hour before the ceremony, you’d better thank your lucky stars you have an expert wedding planner on your side! From Windy at Weddings by Windy … While the bride, groom & the wedding party were enjoying wine & appetizers in the bridal suite, Veritas’ event manager, Chloe Frey & I were completely re-arranging the evening’s order of events to accommodate a very late bus of 60 or so people …

This, however, would cause the ceremony to begin much later than the planned 6pm. Starting without those guests was not an option. Chloe had her staff fire up some appetizers for the guests who were already there and we began cocktail hour prior to the ceremony.

In the meantime, how was the bride doing?

While I could tell that Katie wasn’t thrilled that everything was running late, she was happy to hear that the guests who had arrived were very well taken care of and quite happy! She was calmed by the fact that the other bus had picked up the guests and were on their way. She and Lee had a “first look” session and many of the photos were done in some extraordinary light!  Again, I believe that everything happens for a reason.

Next – the ceremony lighting. We were in the mountains, and it was October, so the sun was setting and was going to be all the way down by the time the ceremony started… luckily for us, the photographers we were working with – Sam & Mel Worthington, a husband & wife team from Worthington Photography from Richmond, VA, had shot a candlelit ceremony for one of my clients in the fall of 2009 and it was amazing. So I knew what they would be fine with minimal light. Chloe and her staff at Veritas collected as many candles that had been left over the years and we began creating the most amazing lighting for a ceremony that one could ask for!

6:45 arrived and so did the bus. We ushered the guests to the ceremony site and the ceremony began promptly at 7:00 and it… was…. gorgeous!. The glow of the candles coupled with the glow of the bride was breathtaking.

After the ceremony, as the wedding party gathered on the deck, Mel came up to the couple and said, “I know that wasn’t the ideal situation for you guys, but that was completely the ceremony you were supposed to have.” Katie & Lee totally agreed, especially after seeing the beautiful shots! We escorted the guests right into the ballroom for dinner after the ceremony and the rest of the evening, thankfully, went off without a single issue. Dinner was delicious, the room looked lovely, the band rocked the night away, and most importantly the 2nd bus was fixed and at Veritas by 11:00 for the departure of all the guests. Whew! I realize how lucky I was to have a great couple & families to work with given the situation – everyone was very understanding and thrilled with the end result. I completely feel that this was meant to be! They got the best of both worlds, the earlier light with their planned “1st sighting” of each other prior to the ceremony and then the dramatic look of a candlelight ceremony. Mel was right – it truly was the ceremony they were supposed to have!

See the whole gallery here!

Photography: Worthington Photography (more photos on their blog ~ here) / Flowers: Flowers by Natalie – Charlottesville, VA / Event Planning & Design: Weddings by Windy – Richmond, VA / Reception & Ceremony Location: Veritas Vineyards – Afton, VA / Invitations: By Invitation Only – Richmond, VA / Wedding Dress: Priscilla of Boston

Time to rise and shine SMP’ers and gear up for a lovely week of inspiration!  Of course we have just the thing to help the cause – this Charelottesville celebration full of traditional elegance by Paul Morse Photographs is just the pretty you need to put some pep in your step this Monday morning. I am loving the shimmer of the warm metallics in the linens and invitations by copper willow paper studio (and the bride’s amazing necklace!) mixed with the crisp white flowers – it’s a little bit traditional, a little bit modern and a whole lot of fabulous. For even more fabulous, be sure to check out the full gallery.

click here for the full wedding gallery!

From the Bride…Jase and I met in graduate school at the University of Southern California in the fall of 2004 and still live in Los Angeles. I grew up in SoCal, one of the three girls; he grew up in western New York, one of three boys. Though we are opposite in many ways with regards to personality and interests, we’re both old souls nearly identical in our goals, values and feelings about what’s most important in life. After our engagement in September of 2009, we quickly decided that our wedding would occur on October 23, 2010 – six years to the day from our first date.

Having lived in nearly a dozen cities across the U.S. between the two of us, we had friends and family all over the country and decided that a destination wedding would be the perfect opportunity for our guests to get away and get to know each other. I went to college in Charlottesville, Virginia, and it remains one of my favorite places. The late October date would give our West Coast guests a chance to experience a true autumn, with all its brilliant foliage. Charlottesville is also one of those rare places that successfully blends a deep-rooted sense of tradition and history with a modern spirit of progressiveness and creativity–exactly the values we wanted in our marriage.

Since the church and reception venue were both historic properties with architecture and interiors to match, we decided to infuse the traditional feel of the reception space with a bit of a modern touch. I’m not much of a color person and didn’t want to compete with the vibrant colors of the fall foliage, so we chose a palette of warm metallics and kept the flowers all white, creating interest with texture and sparkle by using shimmery and sequined linens, mercury glass, mirrored surfaces and lots and lots of candles. A mix of long rectangular tables and square tables helped give a traditional ballroom a more modern vibe. The groom, groomsmen and our four ring bearers swapped for bow ties for neckties with their traditional black tuxes, and the bridesmaids each wore different cocktail dresses in varying shades of gold/champagne. Many of the little details were particularly special to us, even if no one noticed them: my late grandmother’s bee pin on my bouquet; Batman cufflinks for the groom, groomsmen and ring bearers; a favorite Rilke quote letterpressed on the front of the program.

With the help of our amazing vendors and planner, everything came together wonderfully, though ultimately our design and details simply served as beautiful backdrop for an amazing day and night in which our family and friends ate, drank and danced the night away in what was definitely the party of our lives.

We loved Paul’s work immediately upon seeing his website and blog but knew for sure he was the photographer for us when we met him in person. He captured the feeling and story of the day through amazing candid shots that are truly magazine-worthy, AND got gorgeous portraits, AND was a joy to work with throughout the entire process. Every time we go through our photos, we not only get to look back at our wedding day, but also live it again in a totally different way. We discover something new every time we look at the photos – they are not just the story of our wedding in images, they are all of the stories of our wedding in images, which is such a blessing given that a bride and groom simply can’t be there for every important moment in the whirlwind of emotion and fun that is a wedding.

The day would not have been possible without the expertise of our fabulous planners at Easton Events. The amazing Floral Images developed and executed our vision beyond our wildest dreams. DJ Ray Jarrell of Ray Jarrell Entertainment kept the dance floor full the entire night – literally, only four people left the wedding early! Copper Willow Paper Studio did a beautiful job with our invitation suite, day-of printed materials and calligraphy (I still pull out our invites just to admire them). We felt so lucky to work with such great vendors across the board – wonderful people who did a wonderful job.

Ceremony venue: Grace Church / Reception venue: Farmington Country Club / Planning: Easton Events / Floral: Floral Images / Rentals: Festive Fare / Lighting: Blue Ridge Light Forms / Cake: Maliha Creations / DJ: Jarrell Entertainment / Hair: Moxie Hair and Body Lounge / Printed Materials: Copper Willow Paper Studio / Photography: Paul Morse Photographs / Invitations: Copper Willow Paper Studio

I am a girl who LOVES color and though I can appreciate a pale palette, it is the lovely vibrant combinations that really do it for me. Well Katy Carrier Events seems to know the way to my heart because they have left no stone unturned when weaving together this fabulous display of color. Captured by Eric Kelley Photography, this Charlottesville, Virginia wedding is sure to perk up your spirits. And if that doesn’t work then the too cute for words ring bearer should do the trick. I seriously can’t get enough. See more of this bright, happy day in the gallery.

see more of this fabulous Virginia wedding here!

From Katie Carrier Events…

Becca and Ben are the sweetest, funniest and most gorgeous couple, and working with them to plan their Charlottesville, Virginia wedding was an absolute blast. They were married on July 23, 2010 at Farmington Country Club, a beautiful and historic club with grand architectural details set on lush, scenic property. Photographer Eric Kelley did an amazing job of documenting the day! Becca and her mother Dottie are known for their love of the color red, so it was a given that it had to be incorporated into the wedding. Becca chose a darling palette of raspberry red with coral, pink and pool blue accents, and let her bridesmaids choose their favorite style of dress by Swoon in raspberry red. The groomsmen wore great Vineyard Vines ties in shades of pink with their light gray suits, and the two ring bearers (possibly the cutest little boys you’ve ever seen!) wore matching Vineyard Vines bow ties with their tiny seersucker suits, and each carried a Paloma’s Nest Ring Bearer Bowl.

Becca wore a gorgeous lace and dupioni silk dress by Martina Liana (with pockets!), and her mother made her veil using lace from Becca’s grandmother’s wedding dress. It was such a sweet and meaningful touch. Tara Bliven of Ephemera Press designed a gorgeous letterpress invitation suite with a custom calligraphy font that incorporated a double “B” monogram inside of a bracket shape. We then carried the monogram and bracket shape throughout the entire wedding, making hand-embossed tags that we put on almost everything, like the napkins, favor boxes and parasols. Even the fan-shaped programs for the outdoor ceremony were cut out in the bracket shape.

The first thing Becca and Ben told me when we started planning was how important it was to them that their wedding was casual and comfortable, and that their 200+ guests have a ton of fun, with great music and great food. Becca and Ben chose an amazing band called Big Ray and the Kool Kats, and they kept the dance floor packed the entire night! Surprise musical performances by family and friends also made the evening so personal and unique. After an amazing dinner and delicious cake and desserts, the couple treated their guests to a late night snack of sliders and mini cones of French fries. One of my favorite moments of the evening was when Becca’s bridesmaids helped her pull off a surprise mid-reception in the middle of the dance floor: the ballgown skirt of Becca’s dress came off to reveal a darling lace minidress and red shoes underneath! Everyone, including the groom, was completely surprised! After a sparkler exit, Becca and Ben drove off in an awesome ‘57 Chevy – red, of course!

Photography: Eric Kelley Photography / Flowers: Flower Designs by Jacquelyn / Event Planning & Design: Katy Carrier Events / Ceremony & Reception Location: Farmington Country Club, Charlottesville, VA / Officiant: Reverend Doctor Joseph Ryan (no website) / Ceremony Musicians: The Linden Trio / Band: Big Ray and the Kool Kats / Cake: Cakes Unlimited / Invitations & Calligraphy: Ephemera Press / Lighting: MS Events / Dress: Martina Liana / Shoes: Pour La Victoire / Bridesmaids: Swoon from Bella Bridesmaid / Groom & Groomsmen’s Attire: Jos. A. Bank suits & Vineyard Vines ties / Ring Bearer Bowls: Paloma’s Nest / Rentals: Festive Fare / Wine Barrels: Prince Michel Vineyard & Winery / Additional Photos by Shannon Lee

Welcome back SMP-ers! I’m hoping that today’s first picture perfect wedding will lift your Monday blues and get you excited about all of the wedding goodness up for grabs this week. We’re kicking things off with a wedding that managed to find the perfect balance between total elegance and total fun. And it all came down to the adorable personalities of the bride and groom. Photographed by the husband and wife duo at Jason Keefer Photography in Charlottesville, this wedding will make you smile from ear to ear. Click here to see even more pictures!

lots more not featured details right here!

Keri and John met while playing on the same flag football team that a mutual friend had organized.  After three months of Keri waiting for John to ask her out, he finally did after a Saturday night Halloween party.  That Monday morning, Keri walked into the start of a new school term where she would be a teaching assistant, and wouldn’t you know, John was sitting in her class as a new student!!

They both live and work in Baltimore, MD, John a nephrologist and Keri an epidemiologist.  They are both extremely intelligent and have a huge affinity for knowledge, particularly history,  so having their destination wedding at James Monroe’s Ash Lawn-Highland was a perfect fit!  Keri has been a bridesmaid 8 times, so she had a pretty clear vision of what her day would entail.  She adapted several ideas and styles and mixed them into a flavor of her own… a little bit of classic southern elegance and charm, a little whimsy, DIY and splashes of color. Keri’s clean and simple bouquet of white roses and white calla lilies were a perfect example of southern elegance and grace.  The colorful lanterns hanging in the reception area were hung up by John and Keri and their families on the morning of the rehearsal (check out the gallery to see the space).  The stationery and place cards were from Paper Source, but Keri added her own DIY touch by adding little jewels by the guest’s names!  Keri and John utilized several of James Monroe’s lush and beautiful tucked away gardens for their first look, ceremony and lawn games.  They wanted their guests (who have traveled far and wide from places like Maryland, Florida and Iowa) to be able to relax and have fun before and after the ceremony, so lawn games such as bocce ball and horse shoes were provided along with our photobooth and poloroids!

Photography: Jason Keefer Photography / Hair & Makeup: Virginia Glenn of Reflections Salon / Gown & Shoes: Adele Wechsler and Nina heels purchased at Hitched Bridal Salon, Washington DC / Bridesmaids dresses: J Crew Bridal / Suit: West Main Bridal / Hotel: Omni Hotel / Event Coordinator: Liz Wiener (friend) / Music: DJ Ran Henry and Charlottesville String Quartet / Catering: 20 South / Floral creations: Amy Webb of Blue Ridge Floral Design / Cake: Kathy Watkins of Favorite Cakes / Officiant: Dr. Graham Redgrave (friend) / Stationery: Paper Source (and many DIY aspects!) / Ideas + Design: Kerry Amato, Unexpected Delights

We get a ton of real weddings submissions each week. And really, only a tiny percentage of them find a home on the pages of Style Me Pretty. Yet every day, as we are going thru these lovely submissions, we find ourselves getting bummed that we don’t share more of them with you! So I thought that today, we could have a full day of sneak peeks. Little snippets of the pretty weddings that come our way, with a link over to the galleries where you’ll find the rest of the images. That way, you can kind of pick and choose which weddings to fall in love with.

First up, the sweetest wedding ever photographed by Meghan McSweeney…

To see the entire wedding gallery, click right here!

From Meghan…This was by far, one of the most touching weddings I had in 2009. Marissa and Kurt were such a lovely couple. Sadly, the bride Marissa lost her father only weeks before the wedding. In his honor, the couple laid his hat and a single rose on the seat where he would have sat. It was a very sentimental day for all as you can imagine.

Photography: Meghan McSweeney Photography/ Flowers: Floral Images / Ceremony + Reception Location: The Clifton Inn Charlottesville / Event Coordination by The Event Co. / Caterer and Cake: The Clifton Inn Charlottesville / Dress: West Main Bridal / Music: Linden Trio and then iPod

On any given day, you can find me sitting on my couch dreaming up crazy and over-the-top descriptions about the weddings that we feature. The “oh-so-charmings” and “forever gorgeousness-es” just pop into my head as the only proper way to introduce a wedding and tell you just how much I love it. Well, today’s wedding needs nothing more than a simple, little word. Beautiful. Sent over to us by Jen Curtis, it’s the bride and groom and their incredible sense of style that makes this wedding completely swoon worthy and rather than go on and on with hyperbole after hyperbole, I’ll just let the photos speak for themselves…

An avid fashion enthusiast, it was important to Jenn that the wedding attire reflect her personal style aesthetic: a blend of vintage and high design. Her custom gown was created by friend and Project Runway winner Christian Siriano, her “something blue” Christian Louboutin sandals were purchased in the Louboutin boutique in New York City before an early gown fitting. The maids’ attire was rearranged last minute after her early vision of magenta custom silk dupioni pencil skirts paired with cashmere sweaters unraveled at the hands of a less than qualified Etsy artisan. The bridesmaids ended up wearing several different dresses they chose in the same shade of fuchsia. The dark magenta sweaters were an even more last minute decision after the weather forecast took a turn for the frigid. While Jenn would loved to have taken credit for the groomsmen’s vests, that idea was all Matt. He held tight to his vision of argyle sweater vests even though Jenn was concerned they would clash. Matt was intended to wear his Hugo Boss suit and Brioni tie without a sweater vest, but he threw on an extra last minute because of the cold. According to the bride, the results were nothing less than editorial.

The wedding ceremony featured poetry and bible verse read by friends and family: October by Robert Frost, Ecclesiastes 3, A Time for Everything and Sonnet 17 by Pablo Neruda. The couple kissed and descended back down the aisle to The Black Eye Peas “Gotta Feeling.” During reception the couple was toasted by their lively friends and family. Jenn and Matt’s first dance was to Frank Sinatra’s “Fly Me to the Moon.” Afterwards the wedding band “The Dickens” stole the show. To this day Jenn says guests can’t stop raving about how the band was the best they’d ever heard. She and Matt had a feeling it was going to be a good night.

Vendors: Event Coordination by Jessica Sheffield for The Event Company / Wedding Gown by Christian V. Siriano / Birdcage Veil by Tia Mazza for Saks Fifth Avenue / Rhinestone Brooch by Grandmother of the Groom / Grooms’ Suit by Hugo Boss / Groomsmen’s Vests by Bass / Venue, Ashlawn Highland / Photography by Jen Curtis / Officiant, Kevin Hamilton / Catering by Hot Cakes / Flowers by Pat’s Floral Design / Music by Linda Hurwitz and The Dickens / Bride’s Hair by Sharon So for Cibu International and Bubbles Hair Salons / Tent, Stage & Dance Floor by Skyline Tent Company / Lighting by The AV Company / Rentals by Festive Fare Rentals / Calligraphy by Heather Belle Calligraphy / Paper Goods by My Ugly Kitty

A quick note…We feature a lot of Jen Curtis’s East Coast wedding. Like this perfect affair which took place in Vermont and today’s ridiculously lovely wedding in Charlottesville. Well, little do a lot people know…Jen actually shoots on BOTH coasts now. She’s made her new home in the San Francisco area so all of you Cali brides out there, you’re photography must-have list just got a little longer.

I promised the world’s cutest, sweetest wedding…and I’m here to deliver. Sent to us by Jen Curtis, this wedding gives me butterflies with a bride that is ALL chic and a groom that could possibly be the most adorable groom on the face of the planet. I always get a little giddy when Jen sends us one of her latest and greatest because I just know that she will have taken the time to ensure that every image can stand alone and tell its own story. That each and every detail will be lovingly photographed and that we’ll really feel like we were right there with the couple. Plus, she always seems to score the most awesome weddings which you KNOW makes me really happy.

Jennifer Mapp, brand manager for haircare line Cibu International wed Matthew Bressan, owner of Fresh Lunch Catering on October 17, 2009 at Ash Lawn-Highland in Charlottesville, Virginia. Charlottesville is the home of the University of Virginia and both the city and the University played a special role in the couple’s lives; Matt grew up in Charlottesville and is an alumni of UVa. Jenn’s parents Sylvia and Rick are also UVa graduates. Jenn spent her early childhood years living on UVa campus while her father attended UVa Law. The couple had their first kiss on the Lawn in front of the Rotunda and ended up getting in engaged in the same spot on campus three years later. The venue itself was originally a working plantation. Sheep, cattle and peacocks still roam the grounds.

For wedding decor Jenn went with a floral palette of fuchsia, magenta and rose with pops of marigold. Her floral vision was voluptuous and feminine. To ground the girliness of the flowers and echo the season, table and ceremony decor included pumpkins and gourds. Throughout wedding planning Jenn scoured local Goodwill stores collecting vintage cobalt glass vessels for table decor and blue willow and flow blue dessert plates to use to serve wedding cake. Both the cobalt and the dessert plates were packaged and given to guests as favors. Another wedding theme was love birds, which were found on the invitation suite, place cards and as the cake toppers, in the form of a pair of vintage porcelain ducks found in an antique store.

We are kicking off the week with the prettiest, sweetest, most adorable little wedding you’ve ever seen. Really, it’s that great. Jen Curtis, who always sends us the most incredible affairs, was the photographer behind the today’s first featured wedding so you just know that I am being completely sincere when I tell you that I love this wedding. Big time. And usually, I pour all of my gushing into the bride, the details, the flowers. But today…I thought we could gush a little bit about the groom.

I have the entire wedding coming up in just a few minutes, but while you wait can we all take a moment to adore this ridiculously cute groom?

It’s the fourth day of SMP’s tribute to the cinematographers in our Little Black Book who work tirelessly to give us all just a brief glimpse back in time to that day … that one really special day … that is YOUR new beginning. And it seems only fitting to bring you this highlight film from United Wedding Productions of Lisa and Yen’s 2009 wedding.  Scott has VERY cleverly begun the film … rewinding the day! Setting it to the Black-Eyed Peas song, “I Gotta Feeling (that tonight’s gonna be a good night…)” couldn’t have been any more apropos!

from Scott … Lisa and Yen made a last minute decision to have a fine art wedding film produced of their destination wedding at the picturesque Veritas Vineyards just outside of Charlottesville, Virginia. Lisa told us that she and her maid of honor accidentally discovered Veritas on a wine tasting tour. Her maid of honor looked at Lisa and said “You’re getting married here!”

Crank up the volume and enjoy! [just a quick reminder ~ press play, then pause and let the film load in the background for just a bit for a much smoother playback]

Both Lisa, a lawyer and Yen, a doctor prepared for their most magical of days at the famous Boar’s Head Inn in Charlottesville. After a brief imaging session and a “first look” moment, they made their way up the mountain to the vineyard with their wedding party. Lisa’s father escorted her down the steps of the vineyard deck onto a very picturesque lawn surrounded by grapevines and the Blue Ridge mountain range. The couple was joined in matrimony by the Rev. Claire Goodman during an awesome setting sun. Under the lights of sparklers, Lisa and Yen departed in a white Rolls Royce limousine.

Lisa told us “I wanted an artistic portrayal of our wedding done by individuals who can recognize and capture the little moments and put them into an emotional video. I made the decision to have a fine art wedding film without Yen. I talked with other brides who regretted not having a video of their big day. I viewed your work on your website, and fell in love with it. I think you have the talent and insight and passion to create a perfect wedding film for our big day and I am so excited!”

We do believe ~ she got what she was looking for!  Thanks for sharing, Scott!

Today’s featured wedding was sent to us by Liz Powers at Skyline Tent Company and should fulfill any girl’s dream of a tented wedding celebration! This amazing real wedding was held at The Clifton Inn in Charlottesville and comes with a very special real story!

From the beautiful bride, Leah ~

Seth and I met our first day of college and though we were not engaged until almost ten years later, we always knew we would be married at Clifton. My parents have owned the Relais & Chateaux property most of my life and the special significance and memories it holds for us both made it the obvious choice. We knew we wanted our wedding to be elegant, but at the same time an amazing party for all. We love to entertain and wanted our wedding to be an extension of this as well as an opportunity for all our guests to have the Clifton experience.

When we thought about what made Clifton such a magical place for us we agreed that it was its simplistic elegance, attention to detail, and intimate atmosphere that it creates which ultimately allows everyone to have the time of their life. This served as the inspiration for what we wanted to create for our wedding weekend. Our bridal party and immediate family took over the property starting Thursday evening and a variety of events including a games day and carnival chic luncheon (complete with moon bounce!) led up to the big event on Saturday evening.

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One of the really terrific things about Leah and Seth’s wedding is that their guest were able to enjoy the stunning beauty of Clifton by having each event of the night in different spots on the property. The ceremony was in the sunken garden, cocktails by the infinity edged pool, and a wedding pavilion was set up in a clearing overlooking the lake! The guests were led to the reception location and when they arrived, they had the impact of seeing this amazing and incredible tented reception venue …

… a la Skyline Tent Company!

from Leah …

When the guests arrived, the band was in full swing and,  as we had hoped, everyone hit the dance floor immediately! We knew we wanted people to be dancing all night so we also had the band playing between meal courses …

The gorgeous florals were done by Helen Olivia and all of these stunning photos are from Allegra’s Studio. Lighting was provided by the AV company.

A little bit more from Leah …

In regards to the details, we were inspired from some of our favorite aspects of other weddings we had attended. These included providing flip flops for the dancing portion of the evening, as well as a mashed potato bar at the cocktail hour. We also wanted to make sure people enjoyed the incredible food that Clifton’s chef Dean Maupin created.

Following the exquisite dinner and dancing our guests were then able to enjoy the inn itself as the dining room was turned into a late night party with a DJ that took the guests partying till 4 in the morning, energized by treats such as truffle popcorn , rice krispie treats and gourmet sliders!

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This is truly one of those weddings I wish I had been invited to!! Thank you so much to ~ Leah & Seth and Liz at Skyline Tent Company for sharing!

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We’ve loaded lots of images from Skyline Tent Company into our SMP photo galleries tagged “tents” … for all you ladies who are dreaming of a fabulous tented wedding celebration!

Question 5: I am getting married May 1, 2010 in Charlottesville, Virginia.  I am a woman who has been dreaming about her wedding her entire life.  Now that the time has come for me to plan I have begun to feel very overwhelmed.  Specifically, I am having a hard time editing myself.  I see all of these ideas and details that I like and I am not quite sure how to incorporate these ideas into my special day.  The weddings that stand out to me (and I think most others) is the ones that work in small, unexpected details.  The details are what I am getting lost in.  So, I come to you for help. 

I know that I my wedding colors are going to be a bright pink (more raspberry) and white. I will be married in a vineyard and the ceremony will be outside.   I am a girl who is attracted to shabby chic styles. I see myself using more vintage chic/rustic type of details and designs.  My friends and family would describe me as very preppy and not as trendy as other 25 year olds.  While I am not desperate for penny pinching ideas, I also do not have an extravagant budget to work with. Can you help me figure out where to begin?

I think that finding a starting off point is the biggest challenge when coming up with your wedding style? Do you guys have any tips for this reader that might inspire her decor?

More from Holland Photo Arts of Angela and Webster’s dazzling wedding …

This color palette is so clean and crisp with just the perfect blend of whimsical, elegant color. Not to mention, the backdrop of this beautiful vineyard just adds to the overall charm. More lovely images to come.

I am totally and completely in love with today’s real wedding. I was actually going to do a completely different feature for today, but when I saw these images, I jumped ship to share it with you!

Jen Fariello, the incredible photographer behind these insanely gorgeous images, sent me this wedding that took place at the Veritas Winery just outside of Charlottesville. I have to say, it’s one of the prettiest I’ve seen in a long time. I think that what I really love about the affair, is the couple. They seem madly in love. So of course, the entire affair seems that much more romantic, that much more beautiful.

I have so many more pictures coming from Jen Fariello, as well as details from the event planner who designed this wedding, Jennifer Carroll!