Virginia Weddings

I’m of the mindset that summer should be 365 days a year, but unfortunately Mother Nature and I aren’t on the same page. Which is why whenever I need a boost of sunshine I turn to Vicki Grafton and her captures from the season. A spontaneous swim paired with sun-kissed scenery, it’s a sweet e-sesh that has me believing in an everlasting sunny season – see it all in The Vault!

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From the beautiful Bride… Isaac and I met at an old bar in Old Town, Fort Collins, CO. I was attending school at Colorado State University and he was playing professional hockey with the Colorado Eagles. We were both at the bar to see a comedy show, and he approached me to talk and asked me out on a date. The rest was history!

Isaac proposed on Christmas Eve 2013. I thought we both decided to go to our separate homes for the holiday, mine in Leesburg, Virginia and his in Saskatchewan, Canada, but I had no idea he had planned otherwise. On Christmas Eve he flew out and surprised me at the airport. That evening we went out to an intimate dinner and afterwards we took a walk to look at the decorations and lights at the Old Historical Leesburg Courthouse and that’s where he got down on one knee, in front of the big Christmas Tree and proposed.

From Vicki Grafton Photography… For their engagement session Melissa and Isaac flew back to Melissa’s home town of Leesburg Virginia and I was excited to meander around Oatlands Historic Gardens with them. Built two centuries ago in the style of Tidewater Virginia and the owners English ancestry, Oatlands garden terraces are carved directly into the hillside creating sweeping views of the surrounding Virginia hills and woods. During the session, we took time to explore the charm of the property which included cooling off in the reflecting pool, strolling down the multiple boxwood lined paths and just relaxing on some hidden garden benches​.

Melissa and Isaac said their vows in Melissa’s home town of Leesburg VA on May 2, 2015. The white lace dress is from Melissa’s mother’s vintage collection.

Photography: Vicki Grafton Photography | Dress: Alice And Olivia | Makeup: Jan Scott | Hair: Elegant Hair by Giselle | Venue: Oatlands Plantation

From the sparkly touches (hello Vera Wang ‘maids dresses and Louboutin‘s!) to the gorgeous setting to the quiet moments in between, this rustic chic affair had me at the first swoon-filled glance. Laura Gordon has captivated every ounce of my being with her beautiful imagery and thanks to the dream team of vendors, including Floral And Bloom, Events By Sofia and Paisley & Jade, the details are endlessly dreamy—take a peek for yourself!

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From the beautiful Bride…While Carl and I consider ourselves city-dwellers, when we got engaged we both knew we wanted a wedding that was away from our busy DC city lives and in a beautiful setting that would be filled with details that best describe us: modern, classic, romantic and rustic. We were fortunate enough to find a venue and form a team of vendors that were able to deliver just that – and our day could not have been more perfect!

We chose a charming, equestrian farm venue in Virginia surrounded by horses and rolling hills. Blushes and gold blended into a beautiful color palette that gave off the romantic, modern and classic feel we were going for against a rustic backdrop .

Perhaps one of the most memorable parts of our wedding day was our outdoor ceremony . We rented an antique, white hutch from Paisley and Jade, which served as our alter against the lush, green backdrop of the farm. Our ceremony involved so many of our closest friends and family – one of my younger sisters sang a beautiful acapela solo, Carl’s Dad and brother walked him down the aisle, and my matron of honor designed and made our wedding fan programs. My Dad is an ordained minister, so we had him read bible passages in Spanish and give us his blessing alongside our officiant. It was so special to us both to have him up there with us. One of the most meaningful vendors to us was our live painter, whom we had as a way to commemorate Carl’s mother who is deceased and was an art teacher. It’s a painting we will forever cherish!

Through the process of planning, I was extremely indecisive because of the endless options that come with being a bride. So, I opted for a few choices instead of settling on just one. For example, I had two different style dresses for my bridesmaids because I just couldn’t decide on one that would suit all of their tastes. While Taylor and Hov made our beautiful wooden invitations, our day-of paper goods were designed and made by matron of honor (my older sister). I chose a floral design for the ceremony, while going with a more equestrian design for our menu cards and they both turned out perfectly. I loved that our paper goods didn’t all match, it provided a fun surprise for each little event in the day.

Fluffy Thoughts bakery created the most delicious and beautiful cake of 3 different flavors, again, because I couldn’t decide on just one of their delicious flavor options. Rachel, of Floral and Bloom, was the most patient soul with my indecisive bride brain . She worked with us to create beautiful arrangements that fulfilled both of our desires for small blush-family florals and taller, rustic babies breath bombs to play off the 65 foot ceiling in the barn. Lastly, I had two different dresses instead of just one. For most of the day, I chose to wear a classic lace, open-back Katie May gown which I then had further customized with satin buttons and crinoline from Green & Blue Studio in DC. At the end of the reception and for our sparkler exit, I changed into a short and feminine Sherri Hill dress that allowed me to dance the last few songs more comfortably. Choosing multiple options was one of the best things we could have done. We went with what we loved even if it meant things weren’t overly matchy-matchy.

Other details from our wedding day included DIY projects we tackled throughout the months and even days leading up to our wedding – we scoured thrift shops for picture frames, vases, ornate mirrors and candle holders and spray painted them gold to match our color palette. We visited local wine shops to collect wooden wine boxes and sanded and stained a dozen of them which were then uses to line our ceremony alter and decor throughout the barn. We distressed a dresser we found for free and used it for our water station. We spray painted toy horses gold, and Julie from Sandpiper and Co., provided beautiful calligraphy place cards for each guest. With the help of one of our neighbors, we sanded and painted large standing wooden letters spelling LOVE, which served as a fun photo opportunity for us and our guests.

At the end of the night, Carl surprised me with a gelato stand. This meant so much to me, as we often do date nights and “dessert before dinner” with gelato since our early days of dating. Pitango gelato was the perfect treat to top off the night before our sparkler exit.

We were so blessed to have the amazing support of our families and friends, and the creative direction of Laura Gordon and her amazing photography talents. We were so amazed by the group vendors who worked as a team to make our dream wedding a reality. Because of their collaboration and seamless execution, we will never forget the best day of our lives!

Photography: Laura Gordon Photography | Videography: SGD Editing | Event Planning: Events By Sofia | Floral Design: Floral & Bloom Designs | Wedding Dress: Katie May | Cake: Fluffy Thoughts Bakery | Invitations: Taylor And Hov | Shoes: Louboutin | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Vera Wang | Bridesmaids' Dresses: White House Black Market | Catering: Spilled Milk Catering | Makeup And Hair: Shaune Hayes | Calligraphy: Sandpiper And Co. | Groom's Attire: Geoffrey Lewis | Groomsmen's Attire: Calvin Klein | Wedding Venue: Riverside On The Potomac | Gelato Stand: Pitango Gelato | Rentals: Paisley & Jade

My cure for a rainy, autumn day like today? Loads of luscious blooms from Holly Heider Chapple Flowers and a happy pink and green combo that’ll leave you aching for a warm summer day. It comes in the form of these cheerful captures from Abby Jiu Photography, and beyond the lovely, is a sweet layer of tradition folded in—including the delicately beautiful lace veil worn by the Bride’s great-great-grandmother. See it all here.

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From Holly Heider Chapple Flowers…A lovely, sentimental summer event, Sally Roberts and Andrew Boardman’s nuptials were held in picturesque Leesburg, Virginia. Beautifully realized in pale pinks and soft yellows, the affair was gorgeously styled and heartwarmingly personal. All of the bridesmaids and groomsmen were sisters and brothers of the bride and groom and the flower girls were a delightful little train of nieces. Additionally, Sally’s exquisite veil was a family heirloom. First worn by Sally’s great-great-grandmother in 1804, the veil has been passed down through generations, worn by over 17 brides- and counting!

From The Bride & Groom…We met at love at first sight, of course! Andrew and Sally met on the first day of class during their freshman year of college. Andrew arrived to class five minutes late, and after scanning the 300-person lecture hall, he noticed a beautiful girl at the front of the classroom. Completely mesmerized and determined to meet her, Andrew walked all the way down the aisle to the front of the classroom, sat next to her, and introduced himself – this was the very first time Andrew and Sally met. It turns out that eight years later, it would be her walking down an aisle past hundreds of people to stand next to him at the wedding altar!

Our favorite part of the day was ringing the church bell immediately after the wedding ceremony. It was a very special moment for us not only because it was the first thing we did together as a married couple, but it was also symbolic of us proclaiming our lifelong love and marriage to the world – via wedding bells!

After the engagement, we conducted exhaustive research on where and when to have our wedding – from warm weather beach destinations to a winter wedding at a lodge in the mountains. But what we quickly realized is, the most important aspect of our wedding planning didn’t revolve around the glitz and glamour, but rather ensuring that as many of our guests could be able to attend as possible. Since the majority of our families live in Northern Virginia, we decided to have the wedding in Sally’s hometown of Leesburg, VA, allowing all 250 of our family members and closest friends to attend. What made this extra special is that the ceremony was held in the church where Sally was baptized, and the reception was held at Sally’s parents’ house, where she was raised. The wedding was nothing short of spectacular. Planning all the minute details of a home wedding took an enormous amount of time and attention, but the experience mimicked one of the Roberts family’s favorite movies, Father of the Bride.

Photography: Abby Jiu Photography | Floral Design: Holly Heider Chapple Flowers LTD | Stationery: The Dandelion Patch | Ceremony Venue: St James Church Of Leesburg | Reception Venue: Private Residence | Bridesmaids' Dresses: J.Crew | Caterer: Paula Kiley | Makeup Artist: Jan Scott | Groomsmen's Attire: Brooks Brothers | Bridal Boutique: Hannelore's Of Olde Town | Bridal Gown: Rivini | Bridal Shoes: Kate Spade

If I had to describe my perfect wedding vision, it would be simple, elegant details surrounded by a whole lotta love. This Bride, accomplished that and so much more—and I admire her for it. She genuinely enjoyed her planning process, because she started with the mindset that her perfect wedding was more about a feeling, an emotion, than any pretty detail. And that right there my dears, is the most beautiful thing of all. See every moment of love in the gallery from Katie DeLorme.

From the beautiful Bride… Many women have already dreamed and planned, and even pinterested (a new adverb?!) every detail of their perfect wedding by the time they are engaged. However, I was not one of those women. I had no idea what I wanted. As I began to seriously consider what my perfect wedding would be, I realized that the ‘perfect wedding’ was not so much about the venue or flowers or even a dress, though those details definitely helped, but was more about a feeling, an emotion. My perfect wedding vision was about capturing a moment of pure glee and revelry. I surrounded my day with details that embodied enchantment and merriment.

I hand painted and lettered each of our twenty table numbers to match the invitations and menus. I also ensured that the flowers, including tea roses, peonies, hydrangeas, and dahlias were in soft hues of pinks, giving a cozy romantic feel to the reception space in conjunction with the up-lighting and dark wood details of the dining area and foyer cocktail space. Additionally, framed messages adorned the bar area, informing guests that we highly encouraged their full enjoyment of libations and would be thoroughly photographing each moment for future entertainment.

My most memorable moment happened when my new husband surprised his mother during their first dance. He had pre-arranged with the DJ to have their song interrupted by Congo music. He proceeded to pull guests out of their seats and have them join the line. Within just a few minutes, practically the entire room was participating!!! I will never forget look of bemusement turned delight on my mother-in-laws face when Andrew surprised her.

Our first dance was to John Legend’s All of Me featuring violinist Lindsey Stirling. We had spent a lot of time researching first dance music. After many discussions we could not reach a consensus while in the car shortly after, this song came on the radio. We both silently listened. Once it was over, we made simultaneous eye contact and knew that this was the song for us. The addition of Lindsey Stirling makes the music particularly beautiful. Friends and relatives who know us well commented on how we could not have found a more appropriate song!

Our menu featured the most delicious salad of organic greens, dried summer fruit, and candied pecans with a goat cheese crouton and champagne and tarragon vinaigrette. The entree options were marinated and grilled NY strip steak with green peppercorn and brandy jus or chicken wellington, pan seared chicken breast, wilted spinach, and roasted mushrooms wrapped in a flaky puff pastry. Both were served with yukon mashed potatoes and summer squash, zucchini, and carrots.

Our wedding cake was made by a local baker our family has been using for years. It included a raspberry filling layered between layers of chocolate cake iced with white chocolate butter cream. It was the same cake from my bridal shower!

At the end of the night, we surprised our guests with a local food truck specializing in pizza. Everyone was shocked and loved the pizza which also came with Gatorade! It was a perfect way to end the evening of high energy dancing.

I handmade all my save-the-dates and invitations. I stamped, embossed, and assembled them. I also did all of the calligraphy on both the inner and outer envelopes. Hand making them was a great experience and allowed me to create the invitation of my dreams with luxurious papers at a price I could afford. I also made all of the wedding favors. I infused regular sugar with hundreds of whole vanilla beans that I split and scrapped. The sugar turned out to be both beautiful and delicious, I use it in my coffee every morning now! I filled clear glass corked bottles and tagged them with each guest’s name as well as a personalized embossed label. They acted as place cards as well. The table numbers were hand painted and lettered as well and the bar signs were also DIY. In the restrooms I made guest baskets including a range of items from glow sticks to toiletries, they were a huge hit! I also made our hand lettered seating chart which was displayed during cocktail hour.

My advice would be to stay organized. Especially if you are in school and working full time. I was only able to keep my sanity due to exceptional organizational skills, I kept a designated planner/date book. Additionally, utilize those dedicated friends!! If they are offering, then take them up on it. Trust me, you can not do it all alone. Finally, ask those same friends about recommended vendors, I believe word of mouth from a trusted friend over any online review. I found my amazing photographer and florist through the endorsements of friends.

While my wedding day had many amazing elements, I am still hands down absolutely smitten in LOVE with my dress. I never wanted a ball gown, I wanted a mermaid. I know it sounds ridiculous, but something about that huge ball gown made me feel like the most special, powerful woman in the world that day. I felt extraordinary. Everything about it from the day it picked me out, with my mother and mother-in-law, to the day after the wedding when I boxed it up and shipped it off for preservation was amazing. At the risk of sounding cliche, I hope my future daughter will one day walk down the aisle in the same dress.

I loved all the DIY aspects of planning. Sitting around the dining room table with my girlfriends at all hours of the day and night are memories I will not soon forget. They were my rock. Choosing the DIY option allowed us to expand our guest list and throw an amazing celebration. Plus, who doesn’t love having wedding crafts take over their home?! There were definitely some hiccups along the way, but planning was truly a breeze.

Photography: Katie DeLorme Photography | Floral Design: J. Morris Flowers | Wedding Gown: Kleinfeld Bridal | Cake: Victoria's Cakery | Church: Our Lady Of Hope; Potomac Falls, Va | Shoes: Badgley Mischka | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Bill Levkoff | Caterer: Lansdowne Resort | DJ: MyDeejay | Tuxedos: Men's Wearhouse | Transportation: Dulles Limosines | Bridesmaid Gifts: Silk And More | Flower Girl Dresses: Olivia Kate Couture | Golf Resort: Lansdowne Resort | Guest Book: EDanae | Late Night Snack: Dc Slices Food Truck | Mother Of The Bride Dress: Alfred Angelo

You know what I love? Couples who aren’t afraid to infuse a little dose of whimsy – alongside elegant tradition – into their big day. And even better when Roberts & Co. Events are orchestrating all the pretty effortlessly behind-the-scenes. Audra Wrisley captured every moment of this beautifully bespoke day, and the film from Shaking Hands? Let’s just say it’s an absolute must.

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From Tabitha, from Roberts & Co… Samantha and Steve wanted to infuse their light hearted personality to create a wedding with a fun atmosphere plus the formality they thought such a momentous occasion deserved. They chose Merriweather Manor for their reception site because of the open air floor plan and the beautiful views of Loudon County and the natural fall foliage. The couple had hoped that Steve’s family, arriving from Ireland, would be able to experience the beauty that the area had to offer.

Even though it had been a drizzly and rainy morning, Samantha was all smiles throughout the entire day, and kept up her excitement as time creeped closer to the ceremony. In a few moments where the rains paused, the couple was married on the terrace surrounded by their closest friends and family, with their dog Reese escorting the groom out to the alter. The Bride wore a custom gown that featured antique lace and details throughout the neckline and scalloped hemline.

We wanted to create a lush and clean design palate using navy, evergreen, and cream with mixtures of more natural colors such as tan and grey to keep it feelings clean and crisp. The beautiful florals from Shelly at B. Florals were all textured, romantic, and lush in shades of creams and greens throughout. The bride carried a bouquet of garden roses, lisianthus, seeded eucalyptus, and freesia. Upon entering the ceremony, guests were greeted with toss bags of roses petals and a large hand designed program to showcase the bridal party all stars, and a special memorial for Steve’s mother who recently had passed away.

The couple really wanted guests to feel at home and also in the spirit of the big day, so specialty fall cocktails were created along with warm passed appetizers on trays that matched the overall decor of the wedding. Each seat was marked for guests with a fun popper that contained bubbles, a personalized note from the bride and groom, fun accessories, and had the guests names in calligraphy on the front. A mixture of tall and low centerpieces were scattered on the long family style tables that were covered in a textured tan linen from DC Rentals. Food was very important to the couple, so they had a plated dinner for guests and had a plethora of yummy desserts from the caterer as well as the local favorite- Georgetown Cupcakes. The couple lit memory lanterns for their missing loved ones, and made sure to include an Irish favorite for the grooms family, a bar cart filled with Whiskey and Cigars. They partied late into the night with a sendoff of warm passed pretzels and to go treats.

Photography: Audra Wrisley Photography | Videography: Shaking Hands Productions | Floral Design: B Floral Design | Cake: Simply Desserts | Cupcakes: Georgetown Cupcakes | Bridesmaids Dresses: Blush Bridal & Special Occasions | Catering: Spilled Milk Catering | DJ: Mixing Maryland | Officiant: Amber King, A King's Celebration | Venue: Merriweather Manor | Bridal Gown: I Do I Do Wedding Gowns | Event Coordinator/Designer: Roberts & Co | Photo Booth: Silly Shotz | Poppers, Menu, Escort Sign: Roberts & Co | Pretzels: The Pretzel Bakery | Rentals: DC Rental

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Audra Wrisley Photography

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You know what I love most about this engagement session? It’s like going for a walk with two of the cutest lovebirds around. I feel like a sweet peppy song should be playing as I look through each of Vicki Grafton Photography’s images. Definitely the recipe to a happy, happy morning!

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From the photographer… Maggie and Brad’s engagement session took place in the cute historic downtown of Leesburg, Virginia. The place they call home and where Brad works as a chiropractor at his families practice. They strolled around town admiring the old houses and stopping at familiar spots along the way and we ended their fall shoot at a nearby Morven Park where their family frequently visits with their dogs.

Photography: Vicki Grafton Photography | Dress: Anthropologie

This, my friends, is one crazy romantic wedding.  A sort of Father of the Bride meets all kinds of awesome affair that is literally bursting with beautiful details styled by Events In The City and florals from Sweet Root Village that are the epitome of pretty.  In other words?  It’s a non-stop day of lovely, and you can see every drop-dead gorgeous moment captured by Elisa Bricker right here in the full gallery.

From Elisa Bricker… The bride is an interior design student, and the groom is Director of Major Gifts for a classical liberal arts college in Northern Virginia. They met for the first time in Washington, DC through mutual friends. They were engaged on Valentine’s Day at the Jefferson Memorial at midnight and engaged just five months.

From Events In The City… A wedding that would be filled with romance, commitment, and interest. Joanna wanted to create an environment that melded multiple textures, colors, and, of course, her beloved family and friends. We partnered muted colors and romantic florals with contemporary patterns, fringe, and melodies.

The wedding took place on July 20th at the tranquil historic Rust Manor House in Leesburg, Virginia. Almost each and every vendor selected had long-lasting relationships with the bride and groom which created a relaxed and natural evening, just as each bride hopes for. All of the custom fan like programs, escort cards, and perfectly tailored menu cards were created by Deleted Spaces Creative. Sweet Root Village designed loose organic and perfectly pigmented florals that appeared to be straight out of a romance novel.

We chose to create an up-beat and interactive cocktail hour full of yard games, quiet nooks to catch up with long distance friends, and home made touches such as chalkboard signs to direct their guests to the next fun-filled activity. As the music filled the air guests were welcomed into an enchanting tent where they would enjoy creative and tasty culinary treats by Chef Kevin’s Catering. The music stayed lively all night and it was not un-common to see guests rubbing their aching dancing feet. When a break was needed from the dance floor a line at the photo booth provided by Elisa Bricker was unwavering.

As the evening came to a close a farewell for our bride and groom was expected. Rather then parading through an on set of sparklers, our groom Jonathan Carden gallantly scooped his lovely new bride up in his arms and carried her to their get away vehicle. It was the perfect close to an un-questionably perfect evening!

Photography: Elisa Bricker | Event Design: Grit & Grace Inc | Floral Design: Sweet Root Village | Cake: The Cake Boutique | Reception Venue: Rust Manor | Shoes: Badgley Mischka | Paper Suite: Deleted Space Creative | Rentals: DC Rental | Robes: Plum Pretty Sugar

It’s no secret that we love wine. It’s the perfect compliment to any meal, the perfect relaxer at the end of the day, and apparently, the perfect inspiration for a wedding. This Virginia couple worked hand in hand with My Simple Details to design their special day around something they both love – wine. The result was captured by Tara Welch Photography & Vicki Grafton Photography and is just as good as it sounds. So raise your glass to this lovely couple in the full image gallery!

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From My Simple Details … With the Mary Katherine and Mike’s love for wine, the groom’s background near the Finger Lakes and the bride’s Maryland and Northern Virginia background, we planned a wine tasting/show-off between Northern Virginia wines and Finger Lake wines with a sommelier during cocktail hour. With the bride’s love for Maryland crab cakes we also planned for a crab cake station for dinner and for the groom, a special Primanti Bros. station.

The unique alter area was made from antique wood wine holders, lots of blue wine bottles and Holly’s florals. Since both the couples initials are MK, the MK2 theme was present thoughout the event with wood carved and letter elements. Other unique details included the wood slice wine tags with hand calligraphy for guest favors that we hung on twine during cocktail hour. Cheese and chocolate food paring for the wine tasting during cocktail hour, a wine barrel lid lasy susan that was imprinted with their last name and the date and used as the guest book with permanent paint pens. Some of the centerpieces also included wine crates with the lids slid partially open to elevate blue candles in glass mason jars on the lids. Invitations were fabric with sunflower design and natural brown paper envelopes.

Venue: Murray Hill / Event Planning & Design: My Simple Details / Floral Design: Holly Heider Chapple Flowers / Catering: RSVP Catering / Photography: Tara Welch Photography / Photography, Second Shooter: Vicki Grafton Photography / Transportation: Reston Limo / Musician: Chris Dunn, Classical Guitar Ceremonies / DJ: DJ Pgee / Sommelier: Lucinda Smith

Not only is this next bride omg gorgeous, but her wedding is styled is the most perfectly and beautiful T you ever did see. From the long farm style tables adorned with the cutest display of daisies, lavender, and hydrangeas, (oh and those adorable fabric covered letters) to the DIY programs turned fans with popsicle sticks and lavender satin ribbons, to the adorable aisle attendants, this wedding is all about the sweet details. Ethan Yang Photography seriously outdid himself to the point that we have a hard core crush on this wedding and it’s not ending anytime soon. Lucky for us there’s so much more in the gallery!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride…The vision I had for this July garden wedding was something summery, vintage, organic, rustic and romantic. I have several tremendously talented friends, one of them being Maya Lee. She set a romantic, vintage tone for the wedding with lavender letterpressed invites using cream colored heavy card stock finished with rounded corners. She hand-drew 25 different bicycles for the perfect one to be used on the invites. Maya also had our programs made into paddle fans made with large popsicle sticks, tied with cream and lavender satin ribbons, This was a fantastic idea considering how our wedding was held on the hottest day of the year (heat index of 110)!

My amazing make-up artist followed us everywhere, making sure that my bridal party and I remained freshly powdered and matte for our photographer. I tried to incorporate lots of cream, peach and lavender colors for our mid-summer theme. Long wooden farm tables were used for the tent reception, as well as bare-bulbs and sheer cream drapes lining the tent for a summery feel. The florist covered the tables with a mix of aster daisies, African roses, hydrangeas all in mason jars surrounded by numerous tea candles. Our wonderful caterers provided us with a scrumptious menu filled with your favorite southern comfort foods. It boasted of: fried chicken, shrimp ‘n grits, mac’n’cheese, honey biscuits, strawberry lemonade, the whole nine yards! We finished the night off dancing under the stars and a bright, full moon.

Wedding Photography: Ethan Yang Photography / Wedding Videography: Fred Lee / DJ: DJ Chizzau / Floral Design: Distinctive Floral Designs / Caterer: Ridgewells / Wedding Cake: Cakes by JB / Invitations + Programs: Maya Lee / Wedding Dress: Nicole Miller / Hair: Jessica Smith / Make-up: Susan Lim

We have two pretty, pretty, pretty weddings from Romance of Flowers for you today! First up was at the AVAM (American Visionary Art Museum) in Baltimore. Perfect study in contrasts between modern/chic, elemental design and traditional romance! When Victoria said that the venue really got their design juices flowing, she wasn’t kidding! Here’s a link to the post and the whole gallery of images.

And now, we have Moira & Stinson’s wedding at Oatlands Plantation. You are simply not going to believe the floral designs of this event! {entire photo gallery here}

From Victoria at Romance of Flowers … We always love it when we have a bride and groom who are willing to let us cut loose and press the creative. This wedding is full of unique details that speak to the personalities of the bridal couple.

The amazing gardens of the historic Oatlands Plantation in Leesburg, Virginia was the site for the wedding and reception of these high school sweethearts. They chose this location because it represented so much of who they are. The bride, an equestrian, was just finishing her degree as a large animal veterinarian. The sweeping views of the Virginia hunt country provided a perfect backdrop. The formal, terraced gardens, boxwood allee, fountains, statuary (including a modest young man draped in a toga), architectural details and a grand stucco mansion offered romance and elegance.

A bit of whimsy greeted the guests as they approached the tent for the reception. Guarding the entrance were floral replicas of their two dogs, a Jack Russell Terrier and a brindle Boxer. The surprise continued inside the tent. The escort table with place cards was draped with a moss and flower covered tablecloth. Standing on the table in a field of grass surrounded by hydrangeas was the form of a horse with an amaranthus mane and tail.

The greens and blues of the sky and grass were chosen as the colors for the wedding.

Green orchid strings were suspended in clusters from the ceiling with strings of lights and smilax. Blue lights washed the ceiling of the tent.

The photographer, Gary Landsman and Renee Ziegler of David|Michele did an outstanding job of capturing the mood of this event and Elizabeth Bailey, the wedding planner did an amazing job pulling it all together. We always love it when we work on weddings together!

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LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the colors and the incredibly clever designs! Our congratulations to Moira & Stinson!

And a HUGE thanks to the photographers at David|Michele for capturing the day so beautifully. Note: A few images were contributed by Kakki ~ one of the fantastic designers at Romance of Flowers.

The rest of the wedding professionals helping Moira & Stinson create the best day of their lives!

Floral designer: Romance of Flowers
Photographer: David|Michele Photography
Wedding Planner: Elizabeth Bailey Weddings
Program: The Pleasure of Your Company
Table numbers: Romance of Flowers
Caterer: Savoir Fare
Wedding Cake: Carolyn Taylor
Hair and Makeup: Gregory Dean
Site: Oatlands Plantation, Leesburg, VA
All rentals (linens, chairs, glassware, flatware, tables, chairs and china): Party Rental
Reception Music: Evan Reitmeyer from Mydeejay
Video: Black Tie Video
Tent: Select Event
Lighting: Perkins Productions
Photo Booth: Poshbooth
Ceremony music: Crystal String