From the sparkly touches (hello Vera Wang ‘maids dresses and Louboutin‘s!) to the gorgeous setting to the quiet moments in between, this rustic chic affair had me at the first swoon-filled glance. Laura Gordon has captivated every ounce of my being with her beautiful imagery and thanks to the dream team of vendors, including Floral And Bloom, Events By Sofia and Paisley & Jade, the details are endlessly dreamy—take a peek for yourself!
From the beautiful Bride…While Carl and I consider ourselves city-dwellers, when we got engaged we both knew we wanted a wedding that was away from our busy DC city lives and in a beautiful setting that would be filled with details that best describe us: modern, classic, romantic and rustic. We were fortunate enough to find a venue and form a team of vendors that were able to deliver just that – and our day could not have been more perfect!
We chose a charming, equestrian farm venue in Virginia surrounded by horses and rolling hills. Blushes and gold blended into a beautiful color palette that gave off the romantic, modern and classic feel we were going for against a rustic backdrop .
Perhaps one of the most memorable parts of our wedding day was our outdoor ceremony . We rented an antique, white hutch from Paisley and Jade, which served as our alter against the lush, green backdrop of the farm. Our ceremony involved so many of our closest friends and family – one of my younger sisters sang a beautiful acapela solo, Carl’s Dad and brother walked him down the aisle, and my matron of honor designed and made our wedding fan programs. My Dad is an ordained minister, so we had him read bible passages in Spanish and give us his blessing alongside our officiant. It was so special to us both to have him up there with us. One of the most meaningful vendors to us was our live painter, whom we had as a way to commemorate Carl’s mother who is deceased and was an art teacher. It’s a painting we will forever cherish!
Through the process of planning, I was extremely indecisive because of the endless options that come with being a bride. So, I opted for a few choices instead of settling on just one. For example, I had two different style dresses for my bridesmaids because I just couldn’t decide on one that would suit all of their tastes. While Taylor and Hov made our beautiful wooden invitations, our day-of paper goods were designed and made by matron of honor (my older sister). I chose a floral design for the ceremony, while going with a more equestrian design for our menu cards and they both turned out perfectly. I loved that our paper goods didn’t all match, it provided a fun surprise for each little event in the day.
Fluffy Thoughts bakery created the most delicious and beautiful cake of 3 different flavors, again, because I couldn’t decide on just one of their delicious flavor options. Rachel, of Floral and Bloom, was the most patient soul with my indecisive bride brain . She worked with us to create beautiful arrangements that fulfilled both of our desires for small blush-family florals and taller, rustic babies breath bombs to play off the 65 foot ceiling in the barn. Lastly, I had two different dresses instead of just one. For most of the day, I chose to wear a classic lace, open-back Katie May gown which I then had further customized with satin buttons and crinoline from Green & Blue Studio in DC. At the end of the reception and for our sparkler exit, I changed into a short and feminine Sherri Hill dress that allowed me to dance the last few songs more comfortably. Choosing multiple options was one of the best things we could have done. We went with what we loved even if it meant things weren’t overly matchy-matchy.
Other details from our wedding day included DIY projects we tackled throughout the months and even days leading up to our wedding – we scoured thrift shops for picture frames, vases, ornate mirrors and candle holders and spray painted them gold to match our color palette. We visited local wine shops to collect wooden wine boxes and sanded and stained a dozen of them which were then uses to line our ceremony alter and decor throughout the barn. We distressed a dresser we found for free and used it for our water station. We spray painted toy horses gold, and Julie from Sandpiper and Co., provided beautiful calligraphy place cards for each guest. With the help of one of our neighbors, we sanded and painted large standing wooden letters spelling LOVE, which served as a fun photo opportunity for us and our guests.
At the end of the night, Carl surprised me with a gelato stand. This meant so much to me, as we often do date nights and “dessert before dinner” with gelato since our early days of dating. Pitango gelato was the perfect treat to top off the night before our sparkler exit.
We were so blessed to have the amazing support of our families and friends, and the creative direction of Laura Gordon and her amazing photography talents. We were so amazed by the group vendors who worked as a team to make our dream wedding a reality. Because of their collaboration and seamless execution, we will never forget the best day of our lives!
Photography: Laura Gordon Photography | Videography: SGD Editing | Event Planning: Events By Sofia | Floral Design: Floral & Bloom Designs | Wedding Dress: Katie May | Cake: Fluffy Thoughts Bakery | Invitations: Taylor And Hov | Shoes: Louboutin | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Vera Wang | Bridesmaids' Dresses: White House Black Market | Catering: Spilled Milk Catering | Makeup And Hair: Shaune Hayes | Calligraphy: Sandpiper And Co. | Groom's Attire: Geoffrey Lewis | Groomsmen's Attire: Calvin Klein | Wedding Venue: Riverside On The Potomac | Gelato Stand: Pitango Gelato | Rentals: Paisley & Jade