Another Wedding Wednesday is upon us, SMPers - and you know what that means. Bundles upon bundles of drop-dead gorgeous inspiration is coming your way - all thanks to seven seriously stunning weddings and one gallery after another filled to the brim with pretty. Excited? Yep.. we agree.
Up first in our gorgeous parade is a sweet, sweet Virginia soiree from the ever-fabulous Sarah Der Photography. And when I say "sweet," I mean a plethora of heartwarming moments, gorgeous bridesmaid frocks from Ann Taylor and one of the cutest duos you will ever have the privilege to virtually meet. (Seriously.) And that breathtaking Castle Hill Cider backdrop and gorgeous minty hues? Lovely. See so much more right here.
Virginia Wedding at Castle Hill Cider from Sarah Der Photography
Ready for even more pretty? Check out this uber-sweet film from Cana Collective, aka all kinds of wonderful. Enjoy!
From the Bride... I wanted to allow the location to dictate the planning and details of the day, so I began my planning by choosing a venue. Josh and I were blessed to find a gorgeous venue in Keswick, Virginia, where we could be married outside and have a reception in a large, white barn. The venue, Castle Hill Cider, was a blank slate, and I loved it! In addition to the venue's natural beauty, I was inspired by my family life and my hometown in Mississippi. As a southerner, I knew I wanted all my favorite southern dishes, as well as southern wedding traditions (like a proxy bride and a groom's cake). With family life as my other inspiration, I decided to have an intimate "family reunion" feel by having a seated dinner. In addition, similar to any "family reunion," I chose to have a mix of high and low items. For example, flowers were placed in ball jars and snuff bottles, but desserts were on crystal cake plates. Overall, the wedding had a very southern, casual and elegant feel. I really think that by focusing on the small details and not being afraid to mix the old and new helped create a beautiful and joyous occasion!
I wrapped my bouquet in a handkerchief from one great-grandmother and secured that handkerchief using a brooch from another great-grandmother. One of my favorite memories of the day was the homily our minister gave during the ceremony. His sermon was a beautiful reminder that the most important name we will ever have is the name that God calls us — beloved children of God.
Before you start "officially planning," sit down with your fiancé and write out separate "top 10" lists. Your "top 10" should rank wedding details (cake, location, music, photography, etc.) in order of importance. After writing your separate lists, compare with your fiancé and then write one master list of priorities. Although this writing exercise might sound silly, it was a HUGE help for my husband and I when we were planning our wedding. We knew that we would need to budget more money for the top few items on our list, and that maybe we could DIY or cut corners on the items at the bottom of our list. It also allowed us to decide who was in charge of what detail. For example, my husband had written "music" as No. 2 on his personal list, which meant he would be in charge of booking a band and DJ for our wedding. Also, my husband and I agreed that if it was No. 7 or below we would give the task over to a family member or friend, which gave us more time to focus on our top priorities.
Wedding Photography: Sarah Der Photography / Wedding Venue: Castle Hill Cider in Keswick, Virginia / Event Planning: Julianne Guiliano of Soiree / Floral Design: Ingrid DeRoo + Ann Douglas Enghauser / Wedding Cinematography: Nathan Clendenin of Cana Collective / Wedding Cake: Sweet Fix / Wedding Invitations: Ann Elize Waller (The Maid of Honor) / Wedding Dress: Paloma Blanca / Hair: Look Boutique Salon / Bridesmaids' Dresses: Ann Taylor
I wrapped my bouquet in a handkerchief from one great-grandmother and secured that handkerchief using a brooch from another great-grandmother. One of my favorite memories of the day was the homily our minister gave during the ceremony. His sermon was a beautiful reminder that the most important name we will ever have is the name that God calls us — beloved children of God.
Before you start "officially planning," sit down with your fiancé and write out separate "top 10" lists. Your "top 10" should rank wedding details (cake, location, music, photography, etc.) in order of importance. After writing your separate lists, compare with your fiancé and then write one master list of priorities. Although this writing exercise might sound silly, it was a HUGE help for my husband and I when we were planning our wedding. We knew that we would need to budget more money for the top few items on our list, and that maybe we could DIY or cut corners on the items at the bottom of our list. It also allowed us to decide who was in charge of what detail. For example, my husband had written "music" as No. 2 on his personal list, which meant he would be in charge of booking a band and DJ for our wedding. Also, my husband and I agreed that if it was No. 7 or below we would give the task over to a family member or friend, which gave us more time to focus on our top priorities.
Wedding Photography: Sarah Der Photography / Wedding Venue: Castle Hill Cider in Keswick, Virginia / Event Planning: Julianne Guiliano of Soiree / Floral Design: Ingrid DeRoo + Ann Douglas Enghauser / Wedding Cinematography: Nathan Clendenin of Cana Collective / Wedding Cake: Sweet Fix / Wedding Invitations: Ann Elize Waller (The Maid of Honor) / Wedding Dress: Paloma Blanca / Hair: Look Boutique Salon / Bridesmaids' Dresses: Ann Taylor