Charlottesville Wedding Ideas and Inspiration - Style Me Pretty

Neutral and Classic Virginia Wedding at the Clifton Inn

For our timeless-neutral-loving couples, we’ve got just the wedding for you. Our hearts are melting with this super sweet outdoor summer wedding in Virginia with the prettiest photos by Elisa Bricker Photography! Bride Allie wore a stunning Rime Arodaky gown and we can’t contain our love for the greenery adorned classic reception design by Mallory Joyce. Allie details her entire day below!

From Elisa Bricker Photography… Allie and Matt’s wedding took place in the middle of the summer in central Virginia. They chose The Clifton Inn for its at-home feel and wanted their guests to be welcome into a comfortable space that made them feel at ease. Their reception space was one of my favorites of the year! Their family and friends danced the night away nestled in between the trees while the candles twinkled on the tables.

From Allie, the bride: When planning our wedding, we had a few major priorities that drove our decision making. First-off, choosing our venue. We knew we wanted something in Charlottesville, where we both went to college and started dating ten years ago. The Clifton was a perfect venue to have an outdoor ceremony with views of the Blue Ridge Mountains and a gorgeous sperry tent for the reception. As The Clifton is also a boutique hotel, we were able to rent out the rooms for the weekend, and have our families and wedding party stay at the venue, which was a wonderful way to extend the wedding into a full weekend of events. They also have a fabulous restaurant that could do the catering and bartending for us.”

We also knew we wanted an awesome band that would keep all of our guests out on the dance floor – when we first heard The Adrian Duke Project, we knew they were perfect! Their set list of classic songs included a lot of jazz and soul, like Eta James, James Taylor, Ray LaMontagne, Elton John, etc that all of our guests could enjoy! After booking the venue, the first thing we did was hire a wedding planner. Since I am a student in medical school, I knew it would be hard for me to coordinate a lot of the wedding planning logistics without some help. When I talked to Mallory Joyce on the phone, I knew she was a perfect fit. I had seen some of her work before, and loved her design style, and when I heard she was also a florist, we were in! She really carried us all through the wedding planning process and kept everything in order on the wedding weekend – we couldn’t have done it without her!

With Mallory’s help, we were able to hone in on our design vision and find many of the other vendors we needed, including the beautiful stationary work done by Paula Lee Calligraphy, and many of the unique rentals that fit our vision. Mallory helped us to have a cohesive style with many natural tones, textures, and an overall organic feel that was elegant but relaxed at the same time. This perfectly fit in with our vision of a happy, outdoor, garden party wedding celebration.

When our wedding weekend finally arrived, there was a chance of thunderstorms in the forecast, which meant we would need to decide whether to move our ceremony to a covered patio. We decided to wait it out, and thankfully the rain never came and we were able to keep the ceremony on The Clifton’s front lawn as planned! Our close friend’s mother was our officiant, who kept our ceremony personal and lighthearted. Everything else went as planned, from the cocktail hour in the croquet lawn to the reception with dinner and dancing in the sperry tent. Everything went without a hitch, and we truly enjoyed every minute of the evening! One of our favorite moments was a tip from a guest, who told us to take 5 minutes to ourselves during the reception to be alone together and savor the moment. We’re so thankful we took his advice and had a moment to slow down amidst the celebration.

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Rime Arodaky

The Runways 2018

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Pippin Hill Wedding in Stunning Charlottesville

Pippin Hill has forever been my number one most favorite wedding venue here in the US. Probably in the world. It’s organically stunning and because of it’s innate beauty set against the Charlottesville backdrop and it’s incredible bones, Pippin Hill tends to attract vendors, brides and grooms who share the classic and yet quietly joyful aesthetic. And if you knew the amazing owner, Lynn Easton, you’d agree that Pippin Hill was built and bred to be just that. A place where laughter and family reign queen and the beauty takes a backstage to the pure happiness behind each and every wedding. So when my sweet friend, photographer Jen Fariello, sent over this amazing wedding at Pippin Hill – with florals by Southern Blooms and planning by Donovan Groves Events…I couldn’t wait to share it with you.

From the Bride… I always wanted an outdoor wedding with natural colors and greenery. When we first visited Pippin Hill after getting engaged last July, we immediately knew it was “the place” with it’s lush green vineyards, hydrangea entrance, wild flowers, and the beautiful backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains. We were lucky to have a sunny summer day and also have the hydrangeas in bloom for our wedding!

As we did not do a first look, our favorite part of the day was the short time after the ceremony when we were lead to the hydrangea area. We had a few moments alone to soak it all in!

William is French/Dutch and me, American. Since we were having an American wedding, we decided to honor his Dutch heritage with our color palette and styling. We chose shades of orange and Delft blue to start. Everything else soon fell into place with vintage blue and white plates, Dutch vases, and pops of orange in our florals and William’s bow tie.

We also displayed his family crest on an American bourbon barrel head which matches his family ring that he wore for the ceremony. The most fun nod to Willam’s Dutch heritage was the bicycles we used for our getaway! They also added a lovely decor touch to the ceremony entrance.

The definite highlight of the evening was when William took the stage with his friends for a short performance. I soon got pulled up for our own rendition of Twist and Shout! To tie in William’s evening guitar performance, we swapped out a guestbook for a guitar signing.

And now… please enjoy this quick look back at Jenna and William’s positively beautiful day in a short film from Shaking Hands Productions!
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Bridesmaid Dresses

Lela Rose

2014 Bridesmaid

Fall 2014

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Playful Blue Ridge Mountains Engagement Shoot

I mean, come on. Just look at this pup! Have you ever seen anything so cute!? I think not, but coming in as a close second are these two cuties. Kylie Noelle captured them in their element (and with their fur baby) for their adorable e-shoot and we’re crushing hard. From smiles to stunning views, this shoot has it all – see more here!

From Kylie Noelle… Shot in the Virginia Blue Ridge Mountains and at James Monroe’s Highland and UVA in Charlottesville, this Pennsylvania couple wanted to travel down to Charlottesville for their session because they’ll call the city home after they tie the knot next May. Both of them love that the area is rich in colonial America history, so in addition to a sunrise shoot along the Blue Ridge Parkway, they wanted to include some of that feel into the second half of their session. They brought their ADORABLE pup along as well, proving that the only thing that makes a sweet engagement shoot better is a sweet engagement shoot with an appearance by a fur babe!

From the Bride-to-be… Kylie contacted me last minute and asked if Drew and I wanted to do our engagement session in the Blue Ridge Mountains. I couldn’t resist. Drew recently moved to Charlottesville for law school and we have both since fallen in love with the surrounding mountains and historic downtown. I have always dreamt of an engagement session in the mountains and I couldn’t be more grateful for Kylie’s willingness to travel to UVA’s main grounds for a few shots with our furry little friend, Teddy. We picked Teddy up just two days before pictures – what he lacked in cooperation, he made up for in cuteness! A huge thank you to Kylie and her husband Ben for making us feel extremely comfortable and natural. We had so much fun and we were so glad to be able to take our engagement pictures in the place where we’ll begin our journey of marriage together!

Photography: Kylie Bricker Photography

Gray Is the New Black

What began as a friendship at work gradually grew into a beautiful love, and this couple’s Virginia wedding is as classic as their story. The Bride looked stunning in her perfectly fitted Blue by Enzoani gown and her royal-worthy diamond and sapphire engagement ring, accompanied by her pretty Bridesmaids wearing shades of gray. Meredith Sledge Photography captured the beautiful day, and it’s all waiting for you in the Vault.

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Summer Weddings

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Farm

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Classic Weddings

From Meredith Sledge Photography… Sarah and Jon met at work in September of 2011. Sarah remembers the first time she saw Jon at an event services meeting. Jon was presenting a financial forecast, and Sarah thought to herself, “That guy is so cute! But what is up with his 1950s hair style and blue suede space shoes?” Jon remembers when Sarah first started and thought to himself, “Man, Anna’s sister is cute.” (Sarah’s sister worked with Jon at the time.) Over the next year, they would get to know each other as friends through happy hours and work functions.

In October 2012, Jon was preparing for Halloween and shaved his head to get into character as Walter White from Breaking Bad. Sarah wasn’t at work on Halloween but ran into Jon later that week. She saw his completely bald head and thought he may be sick and became very upset. Thankfully Sarah learned it was just a costume. As Jon’s hair grew back, and he decided to keep it short, Sarah took notice and developed a bit of a crush. Over the next few months, she planned happy hours to get to know him better. Jon, a connoisseur of happy hours, was always in attendance and thought Sarah was a lot of fun to be around. In January of 2013 at one particularly festive happy hour, they fell into conversation for hours and realized they were the only two left at the bar. They continued the evening bar hopping through DC, and a week later Jon called to ask Sarah out for their first official date. In June 2015, Sarah moved into Jon’s house, and as a welcome present, he gave her his blue suede space shoes to be cut up and thrown out.

From the Groom… I had intended to propose at sunset on a boat ride while we were at Sarah’s family cottage in Thousand Islands, but she kept going to bed at 8:30, so I realized I’d have to find another time. I wanted it to be a private moment for just the two of us, because I know how much she hates big scenes. On Saturday, July 2, we were going to run some errands for her dad and then take the boat out for a spin through the islands; I thought this would be the perfect time to propose. I stealthily grabbed the tripod and hid the ring in a sweater as the box was too big for my pocket. Sarah always gets cold so I knew she wouldn’t suspect a thing if I brought a sweater for her just in case. Once we were out on the water, I suggested we take a picture with some of the islands in the background. I set up the tripod, and as we posed for the first picture, I got down on one knee and asked her to marry me. I blacked out and don’t remember if she said yes, but she is wearing the ring and we planned a wedding, so I assume she did. Best part – she didn’t suspect a thing!

From the Bride… We had talked a lot about the timing of when we would get engaged. We both wanted to get married in 2017, and I told him for that to happen, he needs to propose by July 1, 2016, because we’d want to get married in the late spring/summer and avoid our busy work season. What can I say? I’m a planner. As July approached, we were getting ready to go to Thousand Islands. We were packing the car, and Jon must have asked me a hundred times to make sure the tripod was in the car, and he wouldn’t let me carry his back pack. I thought to myself, “I wonder if the ring is in the back pack, and he is going to somehow incorporate the tripod into the proposal.” On July 2 (a day past the deadline!), we were getting ready to run errands, and Jon made a big deal about bringing the tripod and said “I’m gonna grab a sweater in case you get cold.” Had he not carried the sweater to the boat as though it had a time bomb inside of it and place it gently inside a cooler, I probably wouldn’t have thought twice about it, but instead I wondered if the sweater had something hidden inside. Later as we were out on the water about to take some pictures, I learned my suspicions were correct. Regardless of how much intuition I may have had, nothing can prepare you for the moment it actually happens. When Jon got down on one knee, it still took my breath away. I’m pretty sure I said yes, although neither of us quite remember. Luckily Jon captured it all on camera!

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This Is How You Mix Colors + Patterns

This is how you mix colors and patterns! Bright colored floral arrangements, juicy popsicles, a pinstripe table runner, watercolor stationery, a vibrant signature drink, and floral patterned napkins come together for this rehearsal dinner, and the cheerful result epitomizes summer. Amy Nicole Photography captured this fresh and fun fête – get more inspiration for pairing colors and patterns in the Vault!

From Amy Nicole Photography… Floral patterns have become a trend that is incorporated into more and more elements of weddings and wedding related events. With a bright, fun color palette, we knew that florals would be a main focus for this rehearsal dinner inspiration, but we wanted to incorporate them in a way that we haven’t seen before without being overly feminine. That’s when the floral napkins from Fine Pressed Linens became a must-use for this shoot. Mixing florals with other patterns provides such a unique design element to events, and with pinstripes coming back, we knew having a pinstripe runner would provide a subtle texture and mixture to the design. Bloom Charlottesville incorporated all the colors in the palette through the mixture of florals paired with simple white vases. The glassware and china from Festive Fare provided a modern touch to the tablescape with the classic calligraphy on the name cards from Bluestocking Calligraphy. We wanted to provide a relaxing atmosphere for the rehearsal dinner by using the bamboo chairs paired with family style seating at a farm table.

Located on the downtown mall, Old Metropolitan Hall was the perfect venue to show guests a peak into life in Charlottesville, VA. The tone of the weekend was set with the adorable welcome bags from The Detail Darling filled with local goodies and necessities. With the signature drink from Brasserie Salon, guests were reminded of the bright, colorful palette throughout the evening. Along with the signature drink, the bright colored popsicles from King of Pops were the perfect way to incorporate the summer theme to the rehearsal dinner. The classic gold and rose gold accessories from Kendra Scott paired perfectly with the off the shoulder, lace detailed “Oliver Dress” from Camilyn Beth. The suit jacket from Beecroft and Bull (a Virginia retailer) blended with the warm tones of the Bride’s accessories.

This Pippin Hill Farm Wedding Knows the Way to Guests’ Hearts…Donuts!

In keeping with the gorgeous rustic backdrop of Pippin Hill Farm, this pink hued wedding crafted by Amore Events by Cody pulled out all the stops for a cozy celebration. From a gorgeous barn gussied up with classic blooms and candlelight to a a donut truck to finish off the evening in the sweetest of ways, have a look through photographs by Katie Stoops of a perfect Fall celebration, Virginia style.

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Rustic

From the Bride… One of my favorite moments of the night were when my parents gave their speeches. Their marriage is something I’ve always looked up to so it was fun and heartfelt to see them do their speech together, make jokes, all the while giving my husband and I great advice. It will be a moment I will never forget. My other favorite moment was when my parents surprised my husband and I with a bagpiper that performed the Skye Boat Song. They know how much we love everything that has to do with Scotland.. I also may be slightly obsessed with the show “Outlander” on Starz. Another moment I’ll always remember is when I was about to walk down the aisle with my father and I remembered that someone had told me to take a second to take it all in, the sight of my husband smiling at me at the end of the aisle, the scenery, the family and friends who traveled near and far to be a part of our special day, everything. It was one of the happiest moments in my life.

A Winter Wedding in the Blue Ridge Mountains

Take all the elegance of a winter wedding and pair that with mountainside scenery and you’ll have the essence of this day captured by Adam Barnes Photography. All white florals and greenery accents dressed up the indoor setting, and we kindly invite you to see every moment for yourself.

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From the Bride… When we began to plan our wedding day, we knew we wanted to honor our families’ American and Korean traditions, highlight our Ohio and Virginia roots, and keep the day intimate with our families and closest friends. Through all of the planning, it was important to us to focus on the real reason for the day: our love and lifetime commitment to one another.

We chose Charlotteville, Virginia because we spent many weekends meeting there during our two-and-a-half-year long-distance relationship. As our wedding weekend was a “destination” for 100% of our guests, we knew we wanted our guests to experience the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains. King Family Vineyards, our favorite winery in the area with its spectacular views, was the perfect location. We had visited many times during our long-distance relationship and knew that it was beautiful in all seasons, including winter. We also knew that it would be a place that we could revisit for years to come. Every year on our anniversary, we plan to open a bottle of King Family’s Meritage wine that we served at our wedding.

Above all, we wanted to remember our wedding day as classic, timeless, and “us.” We first had a traditional Christian ceremony in the carriage house. We held firm in our decision to not do a first look before the ceremony, opting instead to follow tradition and wait until I walked down the aisle. We will never regret that decision. Seeing each other for the first time when those doors opened is something that we will both remember forever. A longer cocktail hour in the carriage house gallery accommodated wedding party photos and allowed our guests to experience sunset in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Before sitting for dinner, we had a second ceremony: a traditional Korean paebaek (bowing) ceremony to honor our families. My amazing mother ensured that every Korean custom was authentic, down to the silk tablecloths and wooden ducks that were brought over from South Korea, the Korean wine that we served our elders, and personally preparing the nine different snacks and Korean jujubes (dates) on the table. The traditional screen that served as the backdrop for the ceremony was hand-painted by my talented grandmother, a Korean folk artist, and shipped over from South Korea.

We approached the planning process as an introduction to marriage – a true partnership. We worked together to design and create the day-of paper goods, including the ceremony programs, menus, and cork place cards. All of the signs were designed and calligraphed by me, and ultimately inspired me to start my own lettering business on the side, The Write Decision, fully encouraged by Michael. We were also incredibly fortunate to work with the best team of vendors. The talented Alyssa Kristin (along with Lesley Bartosek at B.Loved Bridal Boutique) custom-designed my wedding dress, turning my hope for a timelessly elegant dress with sleeves into reality. Amy and her team at Blue Ridge Floral Design perfectly captured our vision of simple, beautiful greenery. And, of course, Adam Donovan-Groves of Donovan-Groves Events, as well as The Local catering led by Helen Osinga, brought our day to life and ensured that the day went seamlessly. Every moment was wonderfully captured by Adam Barnes Photography and eMotion Pictures Wedding Films. It was such a happy day – not counting every day thereafter.

This Wedding will Surely Get You in the Mood for All Things Spring

I don’t know what it is but the second the calendar tells me Spring is officially sprung, I’m all (and I mean all) about the florals. The same goes for weddings too. This Charlottesville beauty falls right into that “Three Cheers for Spring” category. With ribbons and classic details crafted by Donovan-Groves Events, those blooms I can’t stop blabbing about by Whimsical Floral Design, this is just the celebration to get you in the mood. Pore through the prettiest of images by Josh & Serena with even more here.

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Summer Weddings

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Estate Weddings

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From the Photographer…Rachel and Marc’s ceremony and reception both took place at Keswick Hall under the impeccable direction of their planner, Adam of Donovan-Groves Events. It was an honor to document the love between these two and to capture the love felt for them by their family and friends!

The Ultimate Elegant Backyard Wedding Inspiration

My dearest wedding planning pretties, if you’ve ever considered an at-home affair, please, please let this inspiration shoot from Luxe and Luna Couture Events be your guide. It’s all the convincing I need that a backyard wedding can be SO next level. Don’t you agree? This little setup makes me all sorts of happy. Thanks to Shannon Moffit, you can pin your heart out in The Vault.

From Shannon Moffit Photography… Our team of vendors met on the outskirts of Charlottesville for an editorial inspired by the romantic elegance of a private cottage. Our model wears a delicate beaded gown by Carol Hannah, antique Trumpet and Horn rings, and an Old World inspired crown by Anna Marguerite. She carries an organic bouquet, filled with a medley of hues ranging from yellow to pink to dark plum. A cool breeze rustled through the trees as we wandered the quiet woods around the property. A table was set besides the cottage, covered with loose floral arrangements, antique candles, and light snacks.

From Luxe and Luna… We started by designing around Porter & Ives’ private cottage in rural Virginia. We brought in rich colors and regal details, compliments of Carol Hannah’s beautifully beaded Iolite gown and Anna Marguerite’s Edwardian inspired headpiece. I wanted this editorial to feel like a countryside retreat, so it was only fitting to draw from nature when designing the tablescape. Organic flower arrangements and natural linen draped over the table.

Intimate Fall Wedding in a Gorgeous Garden Setting

This celebration is the epitome of dreamy garden wedding with the prettiest color scheme to boot. It evokes all the beauty of Fall with lush, layered blooms by Amanda Burnette, garland infused everything, cozy, family-style tablescapes and loads of gorgeous imagery by Ashley Cox Photography. See why Fall weddings are some of our absolute favorites with even more in the vault.

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Fall Weddings

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From the Bride… Ross and I met at a mutual friend’s going away party here in DC, in early August 2014. He had sauntered over to our group to chat with our friend about her upcoming trip to Zimbabwe and pretty soon it was just the two of us talking and flirting for the rest of the evening. Right away I was charmed by his wit, intelligence, and adorable accent (he’s South African). Not much has changed! A year and a half later, as 2015 started to come to a close, we began talking more earnestly about what kind of wedding we’d like and both felt that an intimate garden wedding seemed to fit our style best – someplace home-like, where guests could stay the night and chat into the wee hours of the morning. We wanted it to feel like a retreat, with some fun activities planned (hello wine tour!) as well as free time to relax. When we visited The Clifton Inn, outside of Charlottesville, we knew it was the perfect fit for us – an easy distance from DC, nestled in the Shenandoah Valley, with an understated elegance and romantic charm. We wanted everything to feel natural but not overdone, and kept that theme in mind when deciding on the other details – from our simple and classic wedding attire, the lush and loose floral design, and a family-style meal served on long king tables. Like any modern bride, I definitely referenced Pinterest for ideas, but once the overall look was established, left many of the details in the capable hands of our amazing vendors. Early on I knew that I wanted to teach myself calligraphy and create all of the wedding paper products, from envelope addressing to the seating chart. The invitation design was a family affair – Ross and I collaborated on the invitation design and his talented mother created the custom watercolor for us, which we used throughout the wedding. However, what I didn’t expect in learning calligraphy was a love for the craft that has grown and developed into a new business for us! One of the more special and bittersweet moments of the day was walking down the aisle with my mom. My father passed away when I was in college, and having my mom next to me was both a moment that reflected our strong relationship, as well as kept him in my thoughts as I went to marry the love of my life. We honored my father in the ceremony by talking about his kind spirit and love of horticulture, which seemed duly appropriate as we said our ‘I do’s’ in the garden. The result was an unforgettable day that perfectly reflected us and our loving community of friends and family.

An Intimate Chapel Ceremony To Remind Us Why We Love Weddings

This feature was a bit of a struggle. Plain and simple, there were too many beautiful photos to include in one post – so more than ever, I encourage you to head to our Vault gallery and see every single stunning snap by Michael and Carina – you will not be disappointed. From the quiet insides of this classic chapel to the blush and burgundy bouquets (thanks to Hedge Fine Blooms), it’s a classic, romantic wedding that I’m loving more and more with every minute. Join me in this beautiful bliss right this way!

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Fall Weddings

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Classic Weddings Romantic

From the Bride… After long conversations during chilly walks around DC, homemade gnocchi, and more hearty laughs than I’d had in years, I knew Steve was the thoughtful, smart and witty man I’d one day call my husband. As it turned out, he’d made up his mind on day one. The evening we met, he told friends, “See that girl in the silver dress? I’m going to marry her.” Three years later I wore that same dress to our rehearsal dinner at The Brookville, in Charlottesville, VA.

Our hope for our wedding was the relaxed elegance and easy joy of a close-knit dinner party. We decided on a few key factors: a single venue for the whole day, wine, and a small list of family and friends-who-are-family.We fell head over heels with Charlottesville, VA – the leisurely pace, peaceful Blue Ridge Mountains, and the fact it was driving distance for my family in Kentucky and Ohio, Steve’s New England family, and all our friends from Washington, DC. When we stepped into the quaint, 50-year-old historic chapel at Trump Winery, my heart skipped a beat, and Steve squeezed my hand. It was a moment you can’t manufacture: sunbeams filtered through the windows and lit up the pastel colors on the ceiling’s painted mural. The classic red brick exterior and white steeple reminded Steve of growing up in Massachusetts. It was perfect for our ceremony, and because the chapel only seated 75 (our exact number of guests), we knew it would feel beautifully full. We were so struck by its charm we commissioned an artist friend, Nikki Smetters, to make a watercolor insert for our invitations and programs.

We chose a timeless, neutral palette with just a touch of Old World charm. We drew inspiration from Italy (Steve’s family heritage, and our honeymoon destination), antique books that we collected throughout our engagement (with our favorite author’s names as table numbers), and a special detail from my mother’s family’s Youngstown, Ohio roots: the cookie table, a labor of love with humble origins in which women (and men!) bake up a storm for weeks before the wedding. It was amazing, and people loved making up gift bags of cookies as favors.

I will remember the whole achingly beautiful day forever: watching my best friends lovingly do each other’s makeup, my grandmother peeking in the dressing area door, ready to be “one of the girls”, and of course, our first look. I saw Steve standing in the vineyard, and my heart had never felt so full. It definitely didn’t hurt he looked so handsome! Soft bouquets by Hedge Fine Blooms in blush, red wine, ivory, gold, and sage also had me swooning, I felt like I was holding an Italian meadow in my hands.

Our guests were greeted on the chapel patio with cold local cider and upbeat music like “Goin to the Chapel” and “L-O-V-E” by Nat King Cole. We purposefully kept the chapel doors closed so our guests could chat with each other and linger, looking out over the grapevines and rolling hills. I remember laughing out loud, while peeking through the window of the car with my bridesmaids, as people danced to the music when the chapel doors opened. My sister walked my mom down the aisle, my father wrapped Steve in a hug, and then I married the best man I’ve ever known.

It took a village: from the al fresco cocktail hour to the family-style dinner, Cristelle and her C&O Catering team made feeding decadent, delicious food to 75 people look effortless, and everyone was so friendly our guests raved about the people almost as much as the incredible food! C&O truly captured a little essence of each of our elements in our menu: from butternut-squash ravioli with Italian sage, to Southern ham on Virginia cheddar scones… let’s just say I was not a bride who forgot to eat! Our wonderful DJ’s, Chris and Rialand with Younique Moments, surprised us by serenading everyone with “Be Our Guest” as dinner was brought to the tables. Our dear friends, Michael and MaryAlice Viljoen, did AV and day-of coordination, and were a force to be reckoned with. Patrick, the coordinator at Trump Winery, was one of the most gracious people we met throughout the planning process, and Michael and Carina, our photographers, practically became family in their quiet, intentional ways… Carina even bustled my gown when no one else could! When we think of it all now we think of joy on joy on joy, and I know we always will.

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David Tutera

Fall 2017

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A Glam Styled Engagement Session

Michael and Carina Photography have a way with the camera that leaves us totally speechless and wanting more. Perfect example? This golden era engagement session that’s sure to inspire a bit of wanderlust. Complete with sweet kisses and one crazy chic couple, we’ve got it all waiting in The Vault!

From Michael and Carina Photography…This couple left me speechless. They have been best friends for years, have a baby boy together and the chemistry between them is unreal. Floriza wore two stunning dresses and Jerome wore a classic black suit. The light and the location of their session made for a beautiful atmosphere; this is definitely one of our favorite engagement sessions of the year!

A Greenery Filled Wedding in Wine Country

There are weddings, and then there are wine country weddings. The latter? Totally and undeniably perfect. With East West filming the fabulousness and Luna de Mare Photography behind the lens snapping the beauty, we’ve got this gorgeous greenery filled celebration waiting for you to witness in The Vault!

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Summer Weddings

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Hotels + Resorts Weddings Weddings in Historical Venues

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Al Fresco

From Luna de Mare Photography…The quintessential Virginian wedding of Lia and Thomas was the epitome of elegance and grace. Located in Wine Country, the Historical Keswick Hall is nestled amongst rolling hills and vineyards, with a grand view of the Blue Ridge mountains, boasting the sprawling landscape of a pristine golf course on the property.

Designed and produced by Amore Events, the palette was kept clean and understated, with lush green garlands lining the chairs of the ceremony site, and beautiful White florals interspersed throughout the design. Paired with cut crystal and soft candlelight glowing with an air of intimacy and classic elegance, guests enjoyed aperitifs and cocktails, along with cuisine served in the dining area indoors.

Under the Moon and Stars, this classically beautiful wedding continued for outdoor twilight dancing and merriment, complete with a grand sparkler exit for the sweetest bride and groom, who gracefully kept smiles on their faces even when faced with a bit of rain.

Truly a wedding filled with honest love, friends and family and even their little pooch who couldn’t resist a little FaceTime with the cutest floral garland, this was the stuff of dreams, and I was honored to capture it all alongside an amazing team.

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Written Word Calligraphy

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Bridesmaid Dresses

Amsale

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Alvina Valenta

Fall 2015

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BHLDN

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Savor Fall with This Apple Orchard Engagement

Christine + Matt are here to remind us why fall is the FUN season. For starters, they planned their engagement session in an orchard (!!) and if that doesn’t make you want to throw on a cable knit sweater to set out the door to do the same then maybe this gallery captured by Sawyer Baird will do the trick. See it all in The Vault!

From Sawyer Baird…As fall approaches and we are gearing up for fall engagement season…What better way to kick off engagement inspiration than with a cozy apple orchard engagement session in the mountains of VA. Right outside of Charlottesville VA is the prettiest apple orchard upon a hill. With the perfect views and the perfect settings. This simple and yet tasteful engagement session proves location is key for a perfect engagement session. Personally I love creating an activity or doing something the couple would naturally do together. We figured grabbing some cider and enjoying our time along with creating a fun session would be the perfect engagement session. With that, it was!

Photography: Sawyer Baird | Location: Carter Mountain Orchard

The Only East Coast Vineyard Wedding You Need to See

There’s no denying that Ashley and Chad planned one picture perfect party. Because if there’s one thing we know, it’s a pretty wedding and this stunning affair has got just that written all over it. A semi-formal vineyard affair complete with elegant details and romance, Allison Kuhn Photography has captured it all to share and you can witness the wonder in The Vault!

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From Allison Kuhn Photography … Ashley and Chad were married July 23, 2016 in the beautiful Pippin Hill Farm and Vineyard. Their incredible floral design by Petals and Twigs incorporated lush greens and whites. The overall feel of their day was romantic vineyard wedding and it was a semi-formal wedding that included blush, gold and grey colors to compliment the soft and gorgeous venue. Chad was coaching Ashley’s younger brother’s baseball team. When Ashley came home from college, she went to the team’s end-of-the-year party. Chad knew Ashley’s family for years prior to the two of them meeting. Chad proposed on and eight day trip to San Francisco and Napa Valley, so a vineyard wedding only seemed fit. They have dog named Pickles and they are a fun couple! Chad is incredibly positive, funny and always finds the silver lining in any situation. Chad is from Upstate New York and Ashley is from Minnesota, but they reside in Richmond, VA.

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Bridesmaid

Jenny Yoo

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Lavender Fields Have Never Looked This Good

Everything captured by Michael and Carina already has a glow about it but when they set up shop in the lavender fields of Charlottesville, Virginia, well, we’re talking a whole other stunning story now. They snapped these two lovebirds as they strolled and snuggled among the lavender and the images in our Vault as as alluring as what we imagine the scent during this shoot must have been. See it all here!

From the Bride-to-be… Kenny and I fell in love during our senior year at Clemson University. We felt at ease around each other immediately, and suddenly our everyday tasks such as homework and grocery shopping felt special and exciting because we were together. We’ve been together for two and a half years, and our favorite way to spend time together now is exploring new cities and eating delicious food!

This engagement shoot felt like an ethereal fantasy; from the luscious scent of lavender to frolicking in the fields hand in hand with my Groom-to-be, every moment was dreamy and romantic. My favorite images from this collection are the ones that encapsulate the way Kenny and I look at each other; there is so much love between us, and I feel incredibly grateful that these photographs capture our love and admiration for each other.

Michael and Carina were incredible to work with. They put us at ease immediately, and we knew we could trust their artistic vision every step of the way. We are so excited to have them shoot our wedding next September!

Photography: Michael And Carina Photography | Dress: Asos | Earrings: Francesca's | Pants: J.Crew | Shirt: Banana Republic

A Rustic Celebration That Offers a New Take on Neutrals

Lara and Pat’s wedding is more than just a myriad of pretty pastels, for once you dig a little deeper in The Vault you’ll start to see one reoccurring theme. That being? A muted palette offset with major elegance a la Mallory Joyce. Sounds pretty darn dreamy, right? Captured by the incredibly talented Sally Pinera, it’s a celebration that proves love is in the details and we’ve got it all waiting for you below!

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From Sally Pinera…This beautiful wedding was designed by Mallory Joyce. Set against rolling hills of Charlottesville, Lara and Pat got married at the Castalia Farm private estate with their festive wedding party. Rustic charm paired with the beautiful views of Charlottesville mountains is always a winning duo. Easy and simple design and a muted palette surrounded this wedding as this couple danced and loved the night away.

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Elegant and Ethereal Bridal Session

I’m kind of at a loss for words that will do this bridal session justice. I’m pretty sure it’s because every little detail in this simple, yet elegant shoot is could truly stand on their own. The gown from Gossamer is just breathtaking. The antique ring from Trumpet & Horn? Absolutely perfect. And the lovely hair pieces from Liv Hart are truly works of art. With Laura Gordon Photography behind the lens, we end up with a gallery of images almost too good to be true.

From Liv Hart…I love collaborating with such creative and talented people that also love creating memorable and enchanting moments. This season we created an enchanting shoot with such an amazing group of artists on an beautiful rainy day at Albemarle Estate in Charlottesville, VA. There is something so poetic and beautiful about a rainy day.

This season I was also very inspired by my own upcoming wedding next June. I feel so excited about creating the accessories I will wear for my wedding and am loving designing while I am a bride myself!

My hope for every collection is to design accessories that are artfully handcrafted, enchanting, and memorable for our brides.

I am a designer, dreamer, stylist, and fashion lover. I love accessories that define a moment. I love creativity, quality in details, and a uniqueness that keeps you looking at each design for a while. There is nothing better, to me, than getting lost for a moment in a beautiful expression of art. I hope that each of my designs provides this moment.

Traditional-Meets-Rustic Verulam Farm Wedding

A traditional and rustic wedding may seem like an oxymoron, but this gorgeous Virginia couple pulled it off in the most beautiful day imaginable. From the slate blue Amsale bridesmaids’ dresses that inspired the color palette to the bluegrass band at the ceremony and cocktail hour to the Bride’s gorgeous crochet-lace from Monique Lhuillier, this day is a Southern wedding dream. See all the beauty from Rachel May Photography and Ians Creations in THE VAULT!

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From The Bride…I was born in Charlottesville, Virginia, and that is where Billy and I met, at UVA, so how could we not choose Charlottesville as our setting?! :) But my definition and memories of Charlottesville were different from most, as I was raised near Monticello looking out on the Blue Ridge Mountains, before Charlottesville was the bustling town and destination it is today, so I always envisioned my wedding away from the University and Downtown Mall, out in the mountains on a beautiful farm or estate. I definitely wanted an outdoor setting, and I was drawn to barns as these reminded me of the beautiful farm homes in and around Charlottesville. Billy and I fell in love with Verulam right away–between the magnificent mountain views, the barn that felt so unique and unlike any other reception venue we have ever seen, and finally for the clean slate aspect of the venue as a whole. I felt like we could really make the day and every moment and detail that came with it truly encapsulate our vision coming to life. Verulam was like a blank slate with so many incredible options for how the day could unfold.

I wanted the colors to blend in with the setting, which was largely outdoors in nature, and to be honest it was really anchored around Amsale’s slate blue bridesmaid dresses. The color was perfection against the estate, outdoors and barn, and given how much it popped against the backgrounds I wanted everything else to match it and really blend in with it. We decided early against black tie given the venue, so we chose navy suits and ties, and then everything else was a shade of white, ivory, grey and light blue. The color palette was simple yet elegant, and subtle yet memorable. I just love looking at the colors in the pictures, I feel like they were meant for that venue. I also liked the rustic nature of the venue but did not want the wedding to feel too casual, so envisioned elegant accents that would make the wedding feel formal yet unique.

We had some really fun additions that I have never seen at a wedding before, that were really must-haves in the end for me and Billy. The bluegrass band playing both ceremony and cocktail music was such a nice touch for the outdoor setting. The drone was Billy’s idea and actually worked out to be such an awesome addition, because the guests loved our use of new technology and the video footage that the drone caught was great. Finally, as soon as we saw Verulam I envisioned a lot of walking for our guests, but instead of it being a burden I wanted everyone to enjoy it and participate, so we led the guests to the barn with the sunset in the backdrop (also offered flip flops for the walk!) and I think everyone thought this was such a cool and different way to move from cocktails to the reception. Oh, and late night we offered homemade donuts from Carpe Donut’s donut tent, which were a huge hit!

My favorite moment was when Billy and I snuck off during during for sunset shots. We hopped the fence and went off with our photographer and videographer to capture the moment. It was 10 minutes of just us, enjoying the setting, sunset and time together, right before the reception kicked off. That moment was absolutely perfect.

Amy Webb from Blue Ridge Floral really ran with my vision of simple whites, garland on the table, and lots of mercury glass and candles. She incorporated greys and blues into the bouquets as well, which looked perfect with the dresses.

My gown was a labor of love…it is a beautiful crochet lace from Monique Lhuillier that was altered and hemmed perfectly to fit me that day. Brenda Hill is the master seamstress that pulled that off, because that dress has no boning, just a simple slip so it fits right to the body, and it was ABSOLUTELY perfect.

Our favors were donuts from Carpe Donut, in favor boxes provided by Carpe with stickers I made from Etsy to match our colors.

Our cake was Albemarle Baking Company, almond cake with vanilla icing. I envisioned simple with elegant flowers, which Amy provided for the bakery. Also Billy’s sister, Elisabeth, is a master carver and hand carved our cake stand. It was one of the best surprises I could have imagined for that day!!

Bridesmaid dresses were Amsale, suits were OWNONLY (custom suits), ties were Ferragamo (groomsmen gifts), earrings were Kate Spade (bridesmaid gifts).

Hair was Elle Style Studio, and they included my grandma’s pearls as a hairpiece, that was my something borrowed :)

My piece of advice was be have a vision in mind and plan, plan, plan but in the end, just go with it, and take in every moment and appreciate the whole day for what it is, because it will truly be the best day of your life!!

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Monique Lhuillier

Monique Lhuillier Bridal Fall 2015

Monique Lhuillier Bridesmaids Fall 2015

Spring 2016

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Amsale

Amsale Bridesmaids Fall 2014

Amsale Bridesmaids Spring 2014

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Amsale Bridal Fall 2014

Amsale Bridal Spring 2015

Amsale Bridesmaids Fall 2015

Amsale Bridal Blue Label

Amsale Bridal Spring 2016

Amsale Bridal Fall 2016

Amsale Bridal Spring 2018

Amsale Bridal Fall 2018

Amsale Bridesmaids

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Elegant Southern Wedding Inspiration

This elegant inspo from Abby Capalbo is speaking directly to our wedding loving hearts. Because when one of our very own steps out from behind the computer screen and onto the wedding scene, well we kinda lose our minds (in the best way possible). Joined with Jacin Fitzgerald Events and the lens of Elisa Bricker this powerhouse pretty is not to be missed. See it all in THE VAULT!

From Abby Capalbo… Perfect parts southern charm and southern elegance, we loved dreaming up this inspiration shoot at the lovely Clifton Inn in Charlottesville, Virginia for the Elisa Bricker Workshops. We started with a classic and sophisticated boudoir session in a stunning private estate (thanks to Stay Charlottesville), and then moved over to the Inn just in time for the light to work its magic. With a Carol Hannah gown that couldn’t be more stunning and a dapper Groom dressed head to toe in The Black Tux, the couple was just about as gorgeous as they come. Sprinkle in Jacin Fitzgerald’s ridiculously good florals and breathtaking design and Elisa Bricker amazing eye behind the lens, and the images turned out more beautiful than we could have ever imagined.

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