A Floral-Filled Wedding in the Virginia Countryside

Katie and Christian hired Terry Kaye Events to help them design and plan their wedding day. She said from the beginning they were an absolute dream to work with - easy going, excellent decision makers, and knew what they liked and did not like. When it came to designing their big day, their three "must-haves" included: excellent music, gorgeous florals from Holly Heider Chapple and a surprise raw bar from Katie's parents.

Katie and Christian first met in 2018 after being introduced by some mutual friends on an annual trip to Maine. They quickly hit it off and started dating shortly after. In 2021, they got engaged at home before Christian surprised Katie with an engagement party with all their loved ones who had flown in from all over the country. Although they were living in Boston at the time, they decided to have their wedding in Virginia where Katie grew up

Katie wore an a-line wedding dress by Justin Alexander. From the front, you could see a classic dress with a v-neck and thin straps. From the sides and the back, you could see a low cut lace detailing that came together with white buttons. There was a small train as well.

Katie's bridesmaids wore pale blue gowns which gave off an ocean hue - perfect for this beach loving family.

Aside from passed hors d'oeuvres at cocktail hour, Katie's parents surprised the couple with their very own raw bar which was displayed in a gorgeous cabana with sheer white panels, florals and greenery. Custom signage and a three tiered ice sculpture brought the design to the next level. Guests enjoyed signature cocktails - The Ned Divine and The Pennesseewasee - as they relaxed on natural wood lounges and custom icy-blue pillows.

Katie fell in love with a natural stemmed, cascading bouquet filled with quicksand roses, ohara roses and white miyuki. There was a small pop of blush in Katie's bouquet, but the bridesmaids' bouquets were kept all white against their aqua gowns. The colors were carried throughout their ceremony, cocktail hour and receptions. The ceremony took place on The Middleburg Barn's back patio with beautiful mountain views. Because of the intense heat in Virginia in late August, natural market style umbrellas were added to the design to protect guests from the sun. It also brought in another nod to the beach, which seemed very fitting. Holly Heider Chapple created a grand ceremony structure adorned with garden roses, snapdragons, larkspur, spray roses, white stock, limelight hydrangea, and a mix of greenery. It was stunning and truly offered the perfect backdrop for Katie and Christian's vows. The aisle was also lined with a growing garden installation so every single photo taken would have a pop of florals. Once the ceremony concluded, guests were directed to cocktail hour on the opposite side of the barn. Cocktail hour was pond side and Terry continued to pull in subtle illusions to the couple's love of the water and beach.  The Middleburg Barn's luxury barn is already beautiful with three Swarovski crystal chandeliers adoring the main space, but Katie and Christian's reception certainly brought the wow factor. The barn was adorned with white draping, greenery, and flowers from ceiling to the floor. Guests were seated at a mix of round and rectangular kings tables with their own unique design to keep the reception design visually interesting. The kings tables had shimmer linens, icy-blue napkins and a gorgeous gold leaf charger. A lush elevated floral bridge traveled the length of each table. The round tables had a leaf textured white linen and glass and gold chargers. A mix of lush tall floral arrangements in gold vases as well as smaller compote style centerpieces added variety to the reception space. The couple themselves sat at a sweetheart table under a canopy of cascading blooms. Their table had an ice blue linen to bring back in the small pop of aqua and tie the whole design together. Uplighting was added around the space to highlight the abundance of florals. Each and every turn provided guests with something new to see.

The couple selected a 4-tiered traditional white cake. The bottom layer had a floral design, which paired well with the striped layer above. The cake was adorned with cascading white and blush roses.

The couple danced the night away with music from a live band. The final surprise of the night was a live painter who incorporated aspects of each part of their wedding to capture their entire day in one painting.