Virginia Weddings

Despite a storm knocking out water and electricity the night before the wedding and a last minute change of venue thanks to a hero wedding planner, Claire Ward of Simply Chic Events , this wedding looks as if it went off without a hitch. And what’s so incredibly beautiful is that all of that storm fall out really drove home the idea that a wedding day is about the love; simple as that. Take a look at the full gallery of images captured by Eli Turner Studios for even more Alexandria festivities. It’s a beauty both inside and out.

From the Bride… After eight wonderful years of dating and ten months of wedding planning, we woke up on the morning of our wedding more than excited to walk down the aisle and say “I do!”  Unfortunately, the night before our wedding, a derecho (a straight-line wind storm) hit the DC metro area, causing significant destruction. Millions of residents lost power.  We woke up on the morning of June 30th, 2012 to learn that our wedding venue had lost water and power and we would not be able to hold our wedding there. We were devastated that we might have to cancel the wedding, but our AMAZING wedding planner, Claire Ward, took control of the situation and made sure that despite the loss of power and lack of cell phone service, we would have a wonderful, memorable and beautiful wedding. Claire tracked down a working phone and called around to venues in the area. We were beyond lucky that she found the Lorien Hotel and Spa, a Kimpton Hotel in Old Town Alexandria, that could accommodate us and our 130 guests. In five hours, Claire, the caterers at Main Event, the florists at Petal’s Edge, the wonderful staff at the Lorien and my dad created our special day in an entirely new venue. When I walked down the aisle, it was the first time I had seen the ceremony space!

Our guests were so wonderful and flexible, and everyone laughed, danced and had a great time. Our friend Amanda’s train from New York was delayed for four hours in Philly, and after it was cancelled, she took a cab to the airport, rented a car and drove to Virginia for the wedding. It was truly an act of love! The ceremony and reception felt even more intimate and familial because of what we had all been through together. Our parents, groomsmen and bridesmaids supported us throughout the day and made sure we remembered what was really important — we were getting married!

We truly were blessed to have Claire and our other wonderful vendors, including our DJ Rusty, who brought the house down on the dance floor! We were so excited that almost all of our original decorations made it from our original venue to the Lorien. They even welcomed our puppy, Barton, who was our handsome ring bearer. However, after months of fixating on details, we realized that all that really mattered was marrying the love of your life while your closest friends and family witness and celebrate with you! After being showered with lavender during our send-off, we ran to the car to find Claire driving — our limo couldn’t make it because of the storm. But it was still the perfect ending to a perfect night that started under less than perfect circumstances!

Wedding Photography: Eli Turner Studios / Wedding Venue: Lorien Hotel & Spa in Alexandria, Virginia / Event Planning: Claire Ward of Simply Chic Events / Floral Design: Petal’s Edge Floral Design / Officiant: Bill Cochran / Catering: Main Event Caterers / Wedding Invitations + Wedding Day Paper Goods: NMICreations / DJ: Rusty of DJ D-Mac & Associates / Texas Mr and Mrs. Signs: WoodenCreationsbyTJ / Longhorn Cake Toppers: The Pink Koala / Table Numbers: Sweettomyheart / Window Pane Menus: Dara Lipton (A Bridesmaid) / Balsa Bouquets, Hair Pins + Boutonnieres: ReflectGlamour / Favors: The Bride & Groom / Wedding Dress: Pronovias / Bride’s Shoes: Kate Spade

I’m a cold weather girl at heart, so when a gorgeous winter wedding crosses my screen, it’s always a bit of a frenzy over here. Eyes darting from image to pretty image, devouring every single detail from Cherry Blossom Events. The way Abby Jiu Photography captured this soiree is breathtaking – the lighting, the emotion, the colors, it’s all beyond magical. So go on, get your gallery on, and let your eyes take in all the lovely!

Click here to see the whole sweet soiree in the gallery!

Hunter and I met when we first moved to Washington DC around 1998. Although, we are both from the “deep” South and attended the rivalry schools of Ole Miss and Mississippi State, we had never met before. Hunter likes to mention that he attempted to ask me out a few years before we began dating and I said no. This could be true… Nevertheless, we saw each other in a Congressional building hallway (where we both worked at the time) in January 2002 and he asked me to a hockey game. It was one of those busy days on Capitol Hill and I almost did not make the game. Luckily I got out of work and headed to the Verizon center and the rest is history.

As things got more serious, I knew the time would come for the proposal. Hunter and I had taken a trip to Gettysburg to visit the battlefields and fell in love with a small Inn called the Atrium Inn. It’s just right outside Gettysburg. I love everything old and historic so this was a perfect place to stay. Hunter took me back to that very Inn for a beautiful snowy late fall proposal. He proposed on the balcony of our suite. Afterwards we had an intimate dinner at the Inn’s restaurant and a cozy late nightcap by the wood burning fireplace.

It took us a while to finally plan the wedding but once we set the date, it was off to the races. Hunter and I knew we wanted a convenient place that had some spunk to it. After reviewing multiple options with Alex, our wonderful wedding planner, we settled on Hotel Monaco in Old Town Alexandria, VA. This hotel had everything I was looking for – a venue big enough for a rocking band, lots of room to eat and drink, and guests could take advantage of everything Old Town had to offer.

My wedding style was very much my style. Lots of whites, greens, and deep browns with creamy undertones. It gave a warm and inviting feeling to the setting. I told Alex there were three things that were important to me at the hotel: 1. Great food and drink selection 2. Beautiful flowers 3. A band that can play everything. We achieved all of that and more! As for the church ceremony, my thought had always been that the church should speak for itself. With that in mind, simple boxwood wreaths on the doors and two simple arrangements inside the church. Begging for some tradition, I wanted to wear my veil over the face stating a fresh beginning once it was removed. I also carried Hunter’s great great grandmothers’ handmade lace handkerchief with his great grandmother’s pin attached to my bouquet.

My jewelry selection was anything but the usual. Hunter and I picked out my engagement ring together at Chas Schwartz and Sons. It’s a beautiful little shop in the Willard Hotel in Washington DC. My engagement ring is a vintage 1930’s Tiffany original ring that still has the initials and date of the previous ring owners wedding date. I love that so much. We have been buying our jewelry there ever since. When I went by to tell Mark Martin, the store director, of the wedding date he said you must wear vintage jewelry from here! Of course I replied, yes you are right. Mark and I settled on a pair of art deco 1950s diamond drop earrings and a diamond and sapphire bracelet that Mark said just happens to tell time. It really worked out great because normally brides have no idea what time it is, but I did! The bracelet is actually watch but you would never know it by all of the edged jewels surrounding it. It was a pleasure to wear these pieces.

All in all, I could not have done this wedding without the help of Alex Strawn at Cherry Blossom weddings. To have someone see your vision and make it come alive, is priceless. I must also thank my wonderful photographer Abby Jiu for capturing a lifetime of memories. And last, to my husband, who made it all happen in the first place.

Photography: Abby Jiu Photography / Flowers: Greenworks, DC / Event Planning + Design: Alexandra Strawn, Cherry Blossom Events / Ceremony Location: Trinity United Methodist Church / Reception Location: Hotel Monaco / Invitations: Dandelion Patch, Bella Figura / Shoes: Something Blue, from Shoe Hive / Dress Designer: Rosa Clara / Bridesmaid Dress Designer: J.Crew / Men’s Fashion: Monsieur’s Clothing Store in Greenville, MS / Art Deco Diamonds & Sapphires: Chas Schwartz & Sons / Blue Rhinestone pin: Vintage

This Bride is so animated and adorable, the second you lay eyes on her you’ll want to be her best friend. Plus she’s rocking a blush colored Vera gown, so you just know she’s all kinds of awesome and toting images by Fresh In Love Photography to prove it. With loads of DIY charm and personality coming out the wazoo, I dare you to look through the full gallery of this Alexandria wedding without brandishing a big, huge smile. It’s contagious, I’m telling you.

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the Bride… Vihn and I have very different personalities. I love vintage and soft flowers, while he prefers a modern, ultra-clean look. So combining the two looks took some planning, but in the end it all seemed to come together and work well. We did seating placements by writing on old window panes (vintage) but then put chevron on the tables and made the seating names in a modern font. I really wanted a soft simple wedding look on the day, so I chose the most beautiful dusty pink Vera Wang dress that looked beautiful and not too wedding-y. I did my hair and makeup myself, and even my flowers! I’m so glad I did because I felt like myself on the wedding day, just a more beautiful version of me! 

We are both chill people, so even though we knew there would be some procedure involved in a traditional church wedding  we wanted to make sure the reception was all about having a big party with our friends and family. We did do a cake cutting but didn’t make a big deal out of it and let people keep dancing while we did it so that the evening continued to flow perfectly. The best memory is the photos we took with our bridal party right after the ceremony. It was just us and a few super-close friends walking around in the sunshine celebrating the first hour of our new lives together. It was magical.

Wedding Photography: Melissa O’Connell of Fresh In Love Photography / Wedding Venue: The George Washington Masonic Memorial in Alexandria, Virginia / Floral Design: DIY by the Bride and Her Friends Julia Bresnak-Arata-Siebenaler + Albert Siebenaler / Wedding Invitations: DIY by the Bride / Catering: R&R Catering / Lighting: Brian King of Superlative Events / Wedding Dress: White by Vera Wang / Dress Alterations: Carol of Novella Bridal / Bride’s Shoes: Betsey Johnson / Hair: Frizzles Salon & Spa / Makeup: DIY by the Bride / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Charlotte Russe, Urban Outfitters, Free People, Anthropologie, Forever 21 + H&M / Men’s Suits: Banana Republic

Take an affair that matches the gorgeous, vintage vibe of The Carlyle Club. Then add in a Bride that rocks that gorgeous, vintage style like nobody’s business and Anne Robert who captures that gorgeous, vintage vibe with every single image and you know what you get? A really fun gallery to peruse. See it all here!

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the Bride… I know it sounds silly, but our wedding day was one of the best days of my life! From waking up and getting ready in the hotel suite with my bridesmaids to seeing my groom for the first time of the day to sharing our special moments with 90 of our most beloved friends and family, the day could not have been better! My family was expecting me to be the biggest bridezilla, but the truth is that I was walking on cloud nine from the moment I woke up until the moment I went to bed that night. For this, I have to thank the wonderful man I married and my talented wedding vendors! From my wedding planner to my photographer, everyone played their part and made the day a breeze. In saying that, my favorite part of the day was the ceremony, hands down! Exchanging our heartfelt words to one another and sharing those special moments with our loved ones was a feeling that is indescribable.

We wanted our wedding to make a statement, and our main goal was to share our vows over candlelight and throw an amazing party for our loved ones to help us celebrate our nuptials. For us, the most challenging part of the planning process was finding the venue that would allow for this to happen! After numerous site visits, I came across an art deco music/dinner theater in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia, and knew we had to check it out. Once we stepped in the venue with our planner, we knew it was the perfect place for us to host our wedding and reception. Because it was an Art Deco style venue, we decided to play off the decor and go with an “Old Hollywood Glam” theme! Once we had the venue and the theme nailed down, the rest of the planning process fell into place. I work for a wedding technology company called WeddingWire so I see a lot of amazing weddings and work with a ton of talented wedding vendors. I love everything and anything weddings so it wasn’t hard for me to find inspiration. The hard part was finding inspiration that I could actually use and that would be the perfect fit for us. For ideas and inspiration, I turned to wedding and photography blogs. To stay organized, I added my favorite 10-12 wedding blogs in my Google Reader and kept all of my ideas in one place (pre-Pinterest days) by creating a personal Tumbler blog called “The Wired Bride.” My blog allowed me to put my thoughts on paper, eliminate carrying the “binder of ideas,” and get feedback and opinions from family, friends and the occasional stranger. Let me also say that Etsy was a dangerous place for me. I  spent 3-4 days a week sifting through their marketplace and purchasing a lot of the little details from there, including the bridesmaids’ customized dress hangers, my groom’s cufflinks, my bridal bouquet, the invitations, our ketubah and the boutonnieres.

I learned very quickly that I would not be a DIY bride. I loved the idea of it, but putting those ideas into action was a disaster. I attempted a few projects like making paper flowers out of coffee filters from instructions that I found on WeddingBee, but it turned out to be a total waste of time and energy because I am a perfectionist and nothing ever turned out the way I envisioned. In the end, I felt it was easier to call in the professionals and leave the work up to them. In addition, family was a big help and a huge source of support! My dear twin sister is very crafty so she put her creativity into designing and creating our wedding programs and menu cards, which was so special to us. Looking back, our wedding day would not have been the same without our closest family and friends. The day was a perfect start to the next chapter of our lives, and we are so grateful for everyone who shared in our special day.

Wedding Photography: Anne Robert Photography / Wedding Venue: The Carlyle Club in Alexandria, Virginia / Wedding Planning: Kelley Cannon of Kelley Cannon Events / Floral Design: Shelly Bagdasian of B Floral & Event Design / Officiant: Rabbi Reeve Brenner / Wedding Invitations: B. Designs / Ceremony Musicians: Dromentation / Band: Snackbar Jones via Sam Hill Entertainment / Wedding Dress: Alfred Angelo / Bride’s Shoes: Vivienne Westwood / Hair: Julie Jackson of Hair by Jewels / Makeup: Kim Reyes / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Priscilla of Boston (Now Closed) / Men’s Suits: Macy’s

Who would have thought an actual bit of a dried up bee hive would make for fabulous wedding decor? I shouldn’t have been surprised when I heard Beehive Events was behind that fantastic detail. And because they teamed up with Bash to perfect this modern piece of wedded perfection, I definitely should have been expecting a phenomenal soiree. And I was. But after seeing Ethan Yang Photography‘s images from the day, I am floored. Speechless. In a total wedded perfection induced coma. Seriously, there are no words for this beyond phenom soiree.

Click here to see the entire wedding in the gallery!

The inspiration for our wedding was difficult for us to conceptualize at first.  I never daydreamed about my perfect wedding day, so initially, everything I found on weddings seemed so fresh and exciting.  After a while of looking through blogs and magazines for inspiration, I got overloaded with the details and lost focus.  We started from the beginning and agreed that for this most intimate occasion, our priority was to create an atmosphere of warmth for our family and friends.

Through my dress, I found a sense of direction.  We worked with Terri (our planner) and Shawn (our florist) to build a wedding full of textures, warmth, and juxtaposition.  Some of my favorite details include the candle wall used during the ceremony and “found objects” (a collection of bark, bones, beehives, etc.) that were scattered alongside our amazing centerpieces.  Our wedding turned out to be a great balance of modern and approachable.  I loved that we were able to include unique details without taking away from the real reason we were all there.

The Torpedo Factory Art Center served as the perfect blank canvas.  During the day, the building is vibrant, buzzing with activity, but far from intimate.  We were seriously concerned with how it would turn out and went back and forth between several venues for this reason.  But we underestimated its versatility.  We trusted our amazing vendors, and on our wedding night, the building took on an entirely different ambiance than what we had anticipated.  Once all the lighting and décor was in place, it turned into this romantic and intimate space, which felt so special against the concrete flooring and hanging art installations.

I took heed of past brides’ advice and truly stopped to savor the day.  But even as I try to look back and compare details of our wedding, nothing is as vivid as the moments leading up to the ceremony.  We had already shot our “first look” photos and spent hours together for additional shots before walking down the aisle.  But nothing hits you harder than when you realize it’s finally going to happen.  It was overwhelming, the surge of emotions in the air.  I feared that by the time I reached Dave at the end of the aisle, I would faint.  I thought to myself, “Get your act together.  Don’t lock your knees.  Breathe.  Grab Dave’s hand as soon as we go into prayer.”  And once I grabbed his hands, I regained my composure and became steady.  Some of my favorite photos are during the minutes before and during the ceremony when everything around us disappeared.  Those were the most honest moments of the day.  Even the shots of our parents and friends watching us as we exchanged our vows are incredibly touching.

Photography: Ethan Yang Photography / Wedding Planning: Bash / Floral + Decor: Beehive Events / Caterer: Design Cuisine / DJ: DJ D-Mac & Associates, Dj Rusty B / Lighting: John Farr Lighting / Photobooth: Poshbooth / Venue: Torpedo Factory Arts Center / Hair: Andre Chreky / Makeup: Susan Lim / Bride’s Gown: Vera Wang

We are going to delve into the land of dreamy for a bit as seen through the lens of Amelia Johnson Photography. And this wedding is fast approaching the top of my favorites list. The prettiest shades of blue, the french countryside-esque details, the ruffle cake crafted by Windows Catering – it’s just so stunning and all while maintaining a casual albeit insanely elegant air. Plus the bridesmaid dresses are pretty much the coolest wedding ware ever. Cozy on up to the gallery for the full wedding and a whole lot of gorgeous!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride…Our vision was a kind of French country/ Marie Antoinette- era wedding.  It went more in the direction of French country than Marie Antoinette, so the china plates on the tables and the macarons for the guest favors were kind of the only Marie Antoinette element that we ended up with.  The wedding was just close family and friends, and it felt very intimate (even thought there were 150 people there) to me and like a bigger family get together almost.

My flowers were all done by my mom, grandma, sisters, and aunts.  My mom used to be a florist and did flowers for lots of weddings, and she’s so talented.  Whenever she had a wedding coming up, our whole house turned into a flower shop and our kitchen would just be bursting with buckets of flowers and my grandma and aunts would come over and help until late at night. And that’s how it was for my wedding!  I wanted the centerpieces to have lots of greenery in them and look garden-like, not too structured.  My favorite flower is hydrangeas, so I wanted lots of those.  I even thought I wanted my bridal bouquet to be hydrangeas, but then I saw the beautiful peonies and asked my mom to make it just with those.  I was obsessed with my bouquet, I thought it was so beautiful.

Ted and I are high school sweethearts. We started dating our junior year of high school, and then our senior year we won the senior superlative for “Cutest Couple,” and it was announced at prom.  I was kind of caught off guard at the announcement and when I got up to go onto the stage to get my sash I didn’t see the stairs anywhere, so Ted lifted me up onto the stage in front of everyone at prom. When Bligh and Erica gave their speech, they told this story and said that him lifting me up onto the stage was like out of a movie and so cute. Then Bligh and Erica brought out our sashes and made us wear them during the reception. We had both kept our sashes all of these years (we dated on and off since high school- sometimes a year would go by when we wouldn’t be dating, but we both kept those sashes for some reason).  In the weeks leading up to the wedding, my aunt Sierra kept trying to convince me that I should wear the sash during the wedding reception but I kept telling her no way.  She had Bligh and Erica bring them out during their speech so we wouldn’t have a choice.  In the end, I thought it was really cute and it just made me remember high school and how Ted and I started out our relationship.

Wedding Photography: Amelia Johnson Photography / Catering + Wedding Cake: Windows Catering / Flowers: Bride’s Mother, Grandma, Sisters, and Aunts / Event Design + Planning + Invitations: Sister of the Bride, Kirby / Ceremony + Reception Location: River Farm / Bride’s Shoes: Ivanka Trump / Wedding Dress: Priscilla of Boston / Groom’s Suit: Hugo Boss / Bridesmaid Dresses:  J.Crew / Bridesmaid Shoes: Bakers

When I first started checking out this Virginia wedding, there was something so romantic that I loved so much about it. I just couldn’t put my finger on it. Yes, I loved the cake, the bridesmaids bouquets, the centerpieces, the veil… but there was something more in the images from Love Life Images that I just couldn’t place. And then I read the brides description of the day. And it hit me. This whole entire affair, planned by the couple and the pro’s over at A. Dominick Events, was a family affair. Every single detail was carefully chosen by the bride and groom to represent a special part of their family. Family members took part of the ceremony, planning, prep, and reception. No wonder it seemed so special! Definitely click here for the whole wedding in the gallery.

I think in many ways, the driving force for our wedding was family and friends.  We wanted our wedding to be a celebration not only of our life together but of all the people who have shaped our lives and our relationship.  We tried to weave family elements into the details of our wedding whenever we could.  Matt’s uncle presided over our ceremony, his aunt sang Bach’s Ave Marie for our mothers and grandparents as they came down the aisle, and his father selected the exsultate jubilate for our recessional.

I chose my long veil to be reminiscent of the handmade lace one my grandmother wore in her wedding in the 1930’s, but the one I wore had alonson lace to reflect my mother’s wedding gown.  My bouquet held two peonies from my great grandmother’s peony bush and was wrapped in a lace handkerchief from my father’s mother.  The peonies, which were much of the inspiration behind our wedding decor, came from a peony bush that had been transported from my great grandmother’s garden, to my grandmother’s garden, to my mother’s garden.

Family elements continued at the reception, where we used clothes pins to string up old family photos.  Our cake-topper was my great -great aunt’s from her flapper wedding in the 1920s and we cut the cake with the cake cutter my parent’s used at their wedding. What has been particularly special is seeing some of our wedding traditions now continue with our family and friends.  My sister wore my stephinotis hair pins in her wedding this past November, and my friend Andrea wore them in her wedding this spring.

We tried to capture a casually elegant feel throughout the wedding, and wanted a relaxed garden party reception, where everyone could kick back and relax and just have a grand time.  All of our flowers were relaxed and natural – I wanted flowers that really looked like flowers – loose and luscious and joyous. The grounds were so beautiful, and we wanted people to wander and explore all that the gardens had to offer – so a big bucket of flip flops was a must.We set up lawn games like croquet and bacchi ball and horse shoes around the grounds so that people had fun things to do. Others took advantage of the old fashioned rocking chairs to sit on the porch and enjoy the views of the Potomac.

The meal was meant to reflect east coast summer time cooking at it’s best – garden tomato and goat cheese salad, simple roasted summer vegetables, and a heavenly seafood pot pie.  Big pitchers of lemonade and iced teas were particular hits since it end up being a hot day.  For a surprise, we served cookies with mini school-days style milk cartons along with wedding cake for dessert.

In terms of decor, details were important to me.  I wanted to have a lot of unexpected details, but to have them blend easily into our wedding.  I felt like it wasn’t about the details, but that they could really enhanced our guest’s experience.  Our welcome bags were filled with treats from my native Maryland – Utz chips, Rhebs candies, and Bergers cookies, and lists with our favorite things to do in DC, so our out of town family and friends could enjoy our favorite parts of the city.  Our programs were all hand made, as was our guest book at the reception. I also hand made the table markers.  To reflect the garden theme, we selected flower names which we printed, posted, and “planted” in moss covered planters to look like garden markers. We had cocktail napkins with our joint monogram – CMB, and drink sticks stamped with peonies. To reflect the causally elegant garden feel, we went with rough burlap table cloths covered in a crisp white linen topper with eclectic antique china and old fashioned wine and champagne glasses. Our favors were absurdly delicious shortbread cookies that I’m proud to say Matt made from scratch – all 400 or so of them!

In terms of my favorite memories from the day, I’d have to say having a relaxed morning with mom, sister, and the rest of my bridesmaids, including my friend who flew back from Afghanistan to be there, seeing Matt when the doors opened at Holy Trinity – it was every bit as heart stopping as everyone says it will be, taking pictures at the Monuments, particularly on the back of the Lincoln Memorial where we got engaged, playing croquet barefoot with my bridesmaids, and sitting out in the garden watching the fire flies as dusk fell over the Potomac at the end of the night.

Event Planner: A. Dominick Events / Florist: Sidra Forman / Ceremony Venue: Holy Trinity Catholic Church / Reception Venue:  George Washington River Farm / Catering: Design Cuisine / Photography: Love Life Images / Videography: Blue Sky Films

A HUGE thank you to Love Life Images for sending us today’s gorgeous affair. The photographs speak to the beauty of the wedding and are leaving us all so inspired. And to the bride and groom…thank you so much for letting us share in your lovely, lovely day.

From the gorgeous bride…

We took what we loved and tried to incorporate it into our menu. We served chocolate mousse cake, raw oysters and cheese plates.  George Washington opened a whiskey distillery after he retired from public office, so of course we had to have a bourbon bar.  The kids table really came together at the last minute and my little cousins had a great time running around the lawn and blowing bubbles.  Most importantly Matt and I wanted all of our family and friends to have an amazing, care free day, enjoying the food, the gardens and the dancing!

More to come!

So the best part about this wedding…well, actually the second best part next to the bride’s amazing shoes…are the perfect placesettings. The vintage china paired with the super lush florals is right out of a fairytale. Add to that the little pink favor boxes and you have TOTAL perfection.

It’s just all about the pretty! Love Life Images shot this incredible affair and it’s making me a really happy blogger!

When push comes to shove, I am all girl. I love super feminine gowns, pretty pink flowers and fabulous shoes. I love details that are all about the charm, men in tuxes and perfect kisses. And this wedding, by Love Life Images, well…it completely makes me happy.

From the bride…

My Mom and my sister helped with the styling of every aspect of wedding, especially with the attire, table settings and the flowers.  We had the most fun pulling together the bridesmaids dresses.  I wanted to find a unique dress for each of my girls that channeled the Grecian vibe of my wedding dress.  The navy and silver color palette just came together organically.

Today’s wedding, shot by the always brilliant Love Life Images,  is a little bit of shabby chic, a lot of pure gorgeousness. And it all starts with these Ridiculously. Beautiful. Louboutins.

From the bride…

Matt and I live in New York City, but we are both from Virginia and we wanted to go home to get married.  George Washington’s River Farm lies on the Potomac River outside of Old Town Alexandria and just down the road from Mount Vernon.  We chose River Farm because of its history, romantic river setting and charming gardens.  The Farm really inspired the vision for our wedding: ‘Founding Fathers meets Woodland Nymphs.’   We tried to incorporate George Washington, Grecian nymphs and nature into every part of the wedding, from the invitations to my shoes!

That fabulous dress is Vera Wang and the shoes Christian Louboutin. The planning and coordination was done by Carol Marino. Oh And the mix and match bridesmaids dresses? They are flawless.

More to come!