There are often weddings that appear in our inbox that just seem too perfect to be true. Too beautiful. Too romantic. Too magical. But when we find out that they are indeed as true as can be – they are the type of weddings we jump out of our seats for. This morning we get to see just such a wedding unfold through the devastatingly gorgeous images snapped up by Sue Kessler of Christian Oth Studio. Apparently when you mix a nearly perfect wedding with a talent like Sue, you get a feature where each and every image is frame-worthy, and you can see them all right here.
From the Bride… Julian and I met in March 2010, and after a whirlwind year together, he proposed at the Australian restaurant we met at in New York, The Kingswood, in April 2011. We were a bit all over the place on where to get married. We did an “engagement-moon” in Anguilla and considered a beach wedding. Julian is from Australia, so we thought about a destination wedding there. I am from southern West Virginia and grew up loving the Greenbrier. We both loved the idea of getting married in my home state and having a traditional but fun destination wedding, so we decided the Greenbrier was a perfect fit for us. It is located in a little country town, but when you drive up, you see this gorgeous, stately resort in the middle of the mountains. I kept the ornate quality of the resort in mind with everything we did.
My mother and I put our heart and soul into the welcome bags. She especially wanted to make sure our guests knew how honored we were to have them there. We wanted them to reflect both my Southern upbringing and the fact that Julian is Australian. My good friend Aimee Rudic helped me design the boxes containing several elements: Sweet (cake pops), Southern (homemade corn muffins and jam), Salty (pretzels and snacks), and Sinful (American and Australian chocolates). We gave each guest a bottle of Australian wine from our friend’s vineyard, coupled with water bottles reminding guests to hydrate and an emergency kit filled with essentials.
Throughout the weekend, our guests went white water rafting, golfing, attended the falconry academy, enjoyed the infinity pool in the mountains, rode horses, visited the famous now-declassified bunker — the options were nearly endless with something for everyone. Friday afternoon, my mother hosted a fabulous southern bridesmaids’ luncheon — black and white table striped linens with turquoise napkins, pink peonies, the Greenbrier’s famous chicken salad and peach soup. The men had a groom’s golf outing and lunch at the Greenbrier’s Sporting Club. Friday evening, we had a welcome dinner for all of our guests on the beautiful Old White Golf Course at the Howard’s Creek Lodge. It was a mix of the South and a little bit of Australia. We served a buffet of Southern comfort foods like pulled pork, fried green tomatoes, and cast iron fried chicken. It was a fun and relaxing start to the weekend.
On Saturday, we had a traditional Southern celebration.The first time I saw Julian was a moment I will never forget — he looked so handsome in his tux! I carried white peonies, and attached to my bouquet were my something old and blue — vintage cameos that belonged to both of my grandmothers. We did one of our portraits in the historic Victorian Writing Room. We held the ceremony on the resort’s Presidential Lawn. My father gave me away, and my uncle married us. We wanted to make the day fun for everyone, so we served champagne and lemonade pre-ceremony and kept the celebration going with a cocktail hour on the Spring Room terrace with a jazz band, followed by the formal reception in the ballroom. It was a dance party from start to finish, complete with a Michael Jackson moves contest between one of our guests and the lead singer of the band. Chicken biscuits were served at the end of the night. Recently, the Greenbrier added a casino to the resort — very 007. Our guests ended their night (and every night!) having a ball there. It was a perfect weekend.
Wedding Photography: Sue Kessler of Christian Oth Studio / Wedding Venue: The Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia / Wedding Planning: Carrie Sartor of Lyndsey Hamilton Events / Floral Design: Gillespie’s at The Greenbrier / Wedding Invitations, Save the Dates, Welcome Note, Menus, Escort Cards + Programs: Ceci New York / Friday Calligraphy: The Left Handed Calligrapher / Wedding Calligraphy: Mary Anne Wolfe / Band: The A-town A-list / Welcome Bag Stickers: Aimee Barber Rudic / Welcome Bag Wine: Dog Ridge THE PUP / Welcome Bag Emergency Kit: Etsy / Vintage Silver Platters: Belonged to the Bride’s Grandmother / Australian Pillows: Etsy / Wedding Dress: Oscar de la Renta via Bergdorf Goodman / Bride’s Earrings: Kwiat / Bride’s Shoes: Manolo Blahnik / Bride’s Welcome Party Dress: Philosophy di Alberta Ferretti / Bridesmaids Earrings: Vintage circa 1920, Custom-Sourced by Madame Mathilde / Groom’s Attire: Custom by Lord Willy’s / Groom’s Shoes: Prada / Groom’s Cufflinks: Tiffany & Co. / Groomsmen’s Shoes: R.M. Williams / Wedding Rings: Kwiat
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