A few months ago I mentioned on instagram that Pippin Hill in Charlottesville was my favorite wedding venue in the world. That’s a big deal. Because I see a whoooole lot of wedding venues around here. But, when it comes to Pippin Hill, there is no comparison. Knowing the owner, Lynn Easton, also means that I understand the care and thoughtfulness that went into to the planning, designing and maintaining of such a spectacular property. A property that can easily carry a design as beautiful as this one – planned by Events with Panache with florals by Mallory Joyce and photographed by Ashley Relvas – and elevate it to a place where wedding dreams are made.
From the Mother of the Bride…Kathryn and Robert knew exactly what they wanted on their wedding day and no detail was overlooked in planning this ethereal event. The couple’s love of nature led to the selection of Pippin Hill Farm & Vineyards in Charlottesville, Virginia as the wedding venue. Pippin Hill has been recognized as one of the world’s most beautiful outdoor venues, and the couple knew they had found the site for their wedding the moment they arrived to preview the location. After thoughtful consideration, the couple decided to wed in late October 2017 to capture the glorious colors of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Kathryn always new she wanted two dresses on her wedding day. With this in mind, she set out to find a dress unique enough to match the splendor of the venue. Being a true southern girl, and after trying on countless dresses, Kathryn followed her heart and selected an amethyst dress by Hayley Paige — yes, amethyst! Kathryn wanted something classic with a unique twist for the ceremony gown, and she found exactly that in the “Hayley” gown. The delicate long sleeves, beaded bodice and color variations in the tulle were nothing short of magical and that is exactly what this bride wanted on her special day.
The groom was more than happy to play whatever role his bride-to-be wanted and little did he know he had just become the paper suite designer (no pressure!). Rob worked for months with Sarah Gluchacki, owner of The Windmill Paper Boutique in Boca Raton, Florida, to create invitations that not only reflected the couple’s unique vision for their wedding day but also something that gave a bit of a glimpse as to what was in store for the guests. The letterpress invitations were beautifully encased in ivory pocketfolds with a custom bellyband and envelopes adorned with gold calligraphy. The final touch for these one of a kind invitations was a wax seal bearing the couple’s initials.
Special gifts were also shared in advance of the wedding. Robert is an avid watch collector and Kathryn selected a timepiece for his wedding gift that was something truly special. She gave her husband-to-be a Cartier watch with the sentimental longitude and latitude of Florida State University engraved on the back. The place where the couple first met and their love story began. Robert gave his bride beautiful diamond earrings to wear on their wedding day along with a “Return to Tiffany” beaded bracelet that she never takes off.
Kathryn worked with her floral designer, Mallory Joyce, to create an ethereal vision for the ceremony and reception. Mallory’s unique floral designs, coupled with the gold tabletop accents including quartz table numbers by HelloPosh of Tustin, California, created a romantic ambiance for the entire celebration.
The cocktail hour and reception were magnificent. The couple chose to serve Moscow Mules in copper mugs as their signature cocktail.
The band, Six Stylez, was even better than imagined. The guests had an amazing evening and are still talking about it! The guests were surprised at the end of the evening when Carpe Donut began serving hot apple cider donuts prepared on site, along with demitasse cups of Cioccolata Calda. The evening concluded with a sparkler send off that was captured perfectly, like every other photo, by Ashley Relvas.
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Photography: Ashley Relvas Photography | Cinematography: Shaking Hands Productions | Event Planning: Events with Panach | Floral Design: Mallory Joyce | Wedding Dress: Hayley Paige | Cake: Paradox Pastry | Shoes: Manolo Blahnik | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Jenny Yoo | Hair & Makeup: Kate Noda | Hair & Makeup: Anna Breeding | Band: The Free with Sam Hill Entertainment | Wedding Venue: Pippin Hill Farm | AV and Lighting: Blue Ridge AV & Lighting | Donut Truck: Carpe Donut | Invitation Suite: The Windmill Paper Boutique | Rentals: MS Events | Rentals: Stonegate Event Rentals | Table Numbers: Hello Posh