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