Who says contemporary weddings are strictly black and white? Today’s Virginia nuptials coupled a vibrant, bold palette with modern style and design – it’s safe to say the result speaks for itself! Lane Stewart Events curated every last detail to perfection, enlisting Olivera Floral Design to make a vibrant statement with blooms. Don’t walk, run to the full gallery to see all the pretty – taken by Allison Dash Photography!
From Allison Dash Photography…Alex and Max envisioned having an urban wedding in the heart of downtown Richmond, where they are both from. With the ceremony and reception held at separate locations, Alex and Max wanted to play into the vibe of each venue for their details. They started with their custom invitations designed by Alex’s best friend and MOH, Cate with Cate By Design. The invitations set the tone for their modern, eclectic summer wedding for their guests. When styling these pieces, photographer Allison Dash (the groom’s sister!), incorporated a key from the reception venue that members receive to access the house as well as a fan that guests were able to use during the ceremony to keep cool.
The ceremony was held at the historic Virginia House, which gave the perfect whimsical garden feel for their intimate ceremony. Without taking away from the beauty of the architecture and gardens at Virginia House, the asymmetrical florals designed by Olivera Floral Design added the perfect pop of color to their ceremony. The vibrant touches of color, with lots of pinks, oranges and warm citrus tones and greenery popped against their more classic black and white ensembles.
Common House No. 2 set the tone for guests for a modern, yet eclectic reception. Guests were able to feel relaxed and embrace the true meaning of a social club while mingling with a station style dinner. Here they were surrounded by varying styles of centerpiece compotes, bud vases, and candle votives to bring texture and dimension to the long farmhouse style tables. They featured signature ‘His and Her’ cocktails, with a Whiskey Sour for Max and a Cape Cod for Alex, which is a personal touch as they live in New England! The Cape Cod was also the most vibrant and beautiful shade of fuchsia, matching the florals by Olivera.
The photo booth backdrop provided by Paisley & Jade with dripping orchids from Olivera provided guests an interactive experience that still reflected the overall vision for the day.
No wedding is complete without a specialty send off and we knew there was no better way to send this couple off than with a rose petal exit!
From the bride… Traditional aspects like the stone architecture and lush greenery at Virginia House, mixed with modern elements like a social club reception and poolside portraits offered different yet complementary layers to our wedding. They provided us the perfect balance of a whimsical, modern, and eclectic feel on our special day. With our July date, we wanted to play into the vibrant color palette of summer throughout our invitation suite and florals. We exchanged traditional vows during our ceremony, but shared personal vows privately in the garden during our first look. It was so special to add a private, personal touch to our day.”
“Max and I have actually known each other since pre-school! We started dating in college and for three and a half years, we dated long-distance. Max worked and lived in Atlanta and then Connecticut, while I completed grad school and began teaching in the Richmond area. These years were filled with hours in a car, on planes, and on trains, each goodbye getting harder than before. Almost a year after he moved to Connecticut for his dream job at ESPN, we got engaged on Labor Day 2020 and it was the most special day! My school year had just begun, so we wouldn’t get married until I had completed the school year in Virginia and could then move to Connecticut. Since I have summers off, we knew a summer wedding would be perfect for us! We envisioned a summer soiree for all of our guests to enjoy and have the best night celebrating with us. After years of many miles apart, we were so excited to become husband and wife and celebrate the official end of long distance! We recessed from the ceremony to one of our favorite songs, “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” by The Beach Boys“, where the lyrics are the perfect nod to no more long distance while also fitting the summer vibe!”
Photography: Allison Dash Photography | Event Planning: Alana Futcher | Floral Design: Olivera Floral Design | Wedding Dress: Urban Set Bride | Cake: Frostings Bake Shop | Invitations: Cate by Design | Ceremony Venue: Virginia House | Reception Venue: Common House | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Birdy Grey | Catering: Common House | DJ: KJ Julian | Groom's Attire: The Black Tux | Groomsmen's Attire: The Black Tux | Beauty: Lou Stevens Glam Squad | Photography - Assistance: Ica Images | Rentals: Paisley & Jade | Rentals: Classic Party Rentals Of Virginia | Weddings Rings: Diamonds Direct