Unexpected glamour is quickly becoming my new favorite design element. From a stunning glittering gown paired with a barn shindig to sequin chevron runners tucked inside a laid back beauty like this Charlottesville wedding. Designed by Amore Events By Cody along with too many pretty images to count by Laura Gordon Photography, this is a wedding that pairs glittering details with scrumptious donuts and we couldn’t love it more.
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From The Bride…Though we didn’t know it at the time, my husband and I spent our high school days living just two miles away from each other. After high school, William joined the Marine Corps and I went to college at the University of Virginia. I moved back to the area after graduating and it was that summer that we were introduced by two of our best friends. The sparks flew and we became inseparable. A few months into our relationship, we took a trip to Charlottesville so that William could experience my favorite place. He fell in love with all that Charlottesville has to offer, especially the delicious food!
A few years later, William proposed during a trip to New York City. As the planning began, we both had our hearts set on getting married in beautiful Charlottesville. We envisioned an outdoor spring wedding. When we toured Keswick Vineyards, we knew it was the one for us. From the panoramic views of the Blue Ridge Mountains to the classic sperry tent, we quickly fell in love. We imagined a romantic, laid back- but still glamorous, celebration with good wine and delicious food- plus some treats! Family is very important to us – I come from a big family that we are very close to and we wanted to celebrate that. Five months before our wedding, William’s father passed away. It was extremely hard for us and the last thing we wanted to do was think about planning a wedding without him there. We took a few months off from planning. Knowing how excited Will’s dad was for our big day kept us going and we planned several special touches to celebrate him on our wedding day. We placed a single white rose on his chair and had a memory candle that burned throughout the ceremony and reception. I also tracked down Will’s dad’s cufflinks and surprised Will with them during our first look.
After the wedding, William and I both agreed that our favorite moment of the day was our first look. It was an amazing and emotional moment that I will never forget. We knew we wanted to share that time together before the ceremony and take in what the day really meant. It was absolutely perfect. The first look allowed us to get the majority of our tears out and by the time the ceremony began, we were just giddy and excited about becoming husband and wife. Surrounded by our loved ones, we said “I do” under the vineyard’s large oak tree, which we adorned with a chandelier.
We chose sequin chevron runners for our reception and I was completely blown away by the florals that our planner, Cody, designed. With the help of my mom and two sisters, we took on several DIY projects. We created the seating chart out of an old frame that we spray painted gold and added chalkboard to. My sister’s boyfriend designed the menu cards, and my sisters and I hand embossed all 140 menu cards and the place cards for the head table. My dad welcomed everyone with a beautiful prayer and dinner was served family style. We really wanted to share our love of treats with our guests. We had a simple white cake trio, gold leaf painted macaroons, a popcorn bar, and Charlottesville’s Carpe Donut truck show up. I surprised William with a groom’s cake that replicated his Marine Corps uniform, which was made by my insanely talented friend. After plenty of dancing, we had a sparkler exit and rode the party bus back with all of our family and friends. It was truly the day of our dreams. We are so grateful for our amazing vendors, especially our photographer, Laura Gordon, and our planner, Cody Grannis. They were more than our vendors, they became great friends. My biggest advice to brides would be to do a first look with your groom. There is nothing in the world like sharing that moment together.
Photography: Laura Gordon Photography | Videography: MPA Weddings | Wedding Gown: Marisa Bridals | Cake: Sweethaus | Shoes: Jimmy Choo | Catering: Beggar's Banquet | Makeup: Charlottesville Makeup Artist | Hair: Top Knot Studio | Wedding Venue: Keswick Vineyards | Donut Truck: Carpe Donut | Event Planning, Styling & Florals: Amore Events by Cody | Gilded Mr. & Mrs. Signs: Laura Hooper Calligraphy | Linens: BBJ La Tavola