We can’t help but absolutely adore this wedding. Everything about it. The sweet color palette of pinks and greens play up the gorgeous Virginia winery venue perfectly. The flower girls and ring bearer – are you kidding me? Too cute. And that gorgeous Marisa gown from Pure English Bridal. So soft, so romantic, so beautiful. Captured by the talented Echard Wheeler, this is definitely a classically stunning affair that I won’t be able to stop thinking about. Click here for even more!
John and I met in July and were engaged in July, so it made sense to plan the wedding for July of 2011. After looking at several potential venues we found the Williamsburg Winery. We knew right away it was the perfect place. It had that mixture of rustic charm and elegance we were looking for. John grew up in Williamsburg, Kentucky, and I was raised in Portsmouth, Virginia, so having our wedding in Williamsburg, Virginia, seemed like the perfect “marriage” of both of our families.
After selecting the venue we immediately met with a caterer, Laura Reeves from “The Catering Company”, and we knew right away that she understood our vision of a simple yet elegant summer feast. Next we met Echard Wheeler, our photographer. Immediately we sensed that his artistic vision and relaxed personality would capture our wedding memories in a beautiful way . Another important element to us was the flowers. Since the venue already has such rustic charm we knew we wanted soft, romantic flowers to complement it. Jennifer from “My Favorite Things” did a wonderful job of transforming the space and even managed to get peonies in July for my bouquet, which I was really hoping for.
My mom was right by my side throughout the planning process. We had a great time meeting with vendors and planning all the details that made the day so special. We took on a few DIY projects including the table numbers, cookie bar, escort cards and directional sign. My Dad built the sign that we then painted with some of the guests’ hometowns and the distance they had traveled to come celebrate with us.
Finding the perfect dress was easy. The beautiful Marisa gown was the first one that I tried on and I loved it. The lightweight silk organza was great in the July heat and I felt totally comfortable in it. Helping our guests with the heat were parasols and program fans, as well as bottled water during the ceremony.
The day ran very smoothly with the help of our mistress of ceremony, Caroline, and our DJ, Rodney Charles. They both worked hard to make sure that things were organized and happening as they should. Rodney got the crowd dancing as the night progressed and everyone seemed to really enjoy themselves on the dance floor.
There was no grand exit for John and I. We danced until the very end with all of our friends and family. It was a perfect way to end our special day and I feel blessed to have married such a wonderful man. As we walked next door to the hotel under a full moon we were excited to begin our lives together and very excited about our honeymoon to Italy.
Dress: Marisa from Pure English Bridal / Photographer: Echard Wheeler / Florist: My Favorite Things / Caterer: The Catering Company / DJ: DJ Rodney Charles / Venue: Williamsburg Winery / Cake: Shockley’s Sweet Shoppe / Carriage: Smithfield Horse and Carriage / Bridesmaid Dresses: J.Crew / Makeup: Kim Wadsworth / Hair: Cindy Scheper / Programs and Invitations: Paperwhyte