Serene romance: An easy, breezy summer wedding
Michelle Cheng & Yang Zeng | August 10, 2018, at The Market at Grelen Photography by Jen Fariello The happiest days comprise many little moments—some unexpected details and some planned. For Michelle Cheng, one of the best moments of her wedding day was an ATV ride with her photographer, planner, and new husband, to the top of a […]
A wild, magic mood: An at-home wedding and a forest full of love
Delilah Ohrstrom & Alexander Harris | August 25, 2018, at home Photography by Ashley Cox While Delilah Ohrstrom and Alex Harris met in the fifth grade, they didn’t start dating until they were 19. But growing up in the same town meant that their families were already well-acquainted, so a wedding at Delilah’s parents’ Virginia home made sense, […]
Natural and cheerful: Claudia and Jim at Sweet Greens Farm
Claudia Seixas & Jim Marzluff October 7, 2018, at Sweet Greens Farm | Photography by Amy Jackson Smith Perfect moments Among the couple’s favorite moments from the day? Planting a magnolia tree—to symbolize their growing love—during the ceremony (“We’ll always be able to remember that moment as we take care of our tree,” Claudia says) […]
Classic romance in Lexington: Kayla & Quinn at House Mountain Inn
Kayla Foust & Quinn Matthew September 22, 2018, at House Mountain Inn in Lexington | Photography by Ashley Cox Get on the floor Having taken a few ballroom lessons prior to the wedding, the couple’s first dance—a waltz to The Piano Guys’ version of “A Thousand Years”—was no problem. And, it inspired others to hit the […]
Keeping it classic: Virginia takes center stage at a Pippin Hill fête
Kate Robinson & Dante Schiavo | August 11, 2018 at Pippin Hill Farm & Vineyards Photography by Shannon Moffit “Looking out at everyone from the altar, walking through the crowd during our introduction into the reception hall, being cheered on by everyone during our sparkler farewell,” says Kate Robinson of her wedding day, “the whole night was filled […]
Classic, romantic, fun: At James Monroe’s Highland, elegant meets down to earth
Isabelle Marshall & Andrew Giordano | September 15, 2018, at James Monroe’s Highland Photography by Beth Seliga Not wanting to look back in a few years and cringe at the trendy choices she made, bride Isabelle Marshall worked hard to choose details and décor that wouldn’t go out of style. And, she says, she wanted a mix […]
Love finds a way: Lindsay and Kristin at Lydia Mountain Lodge
Lindsay Schimpf & Kristin Beers May 12, 2018, at Lydia Mountain Lodge | Photography by Amanda Maglione Unexpected inspo When Lindsay Schimpf and Kristin Beers started dating, gay marriage wasn’t legal in many states, including Virginia. So neither bride had a vision for their dream wedding. Turns out, they got the perfect day anyway. “We had […]
Easygoing elegance: Erin and Dominic at Gaie Lea
Erin Mahoney & Dominic Desmond August 25, 2018, at Gaie Lea in Staunton | Photography by Christy McKee Perfect pick With the help of Erin’s sisters and friends, the couple filled five five-gallon buckets with wildflowers from Pebble Hall Wildflowers in Weyers Cave. “Some more friends helped arrange them in Mason jars on the morning […]
Finishing touch: A personalized topper takes the cake
You’ve chosen the escort card display and the fold of your napkins. But what about the cake topper? If So INKlined’s Jen Maton has that covered. After nearly two decades as a professional calligrapher, she started thinking about creating her own product line. “The light bulb went off and I realized that cake toppers would […]
Yaaaasssss, dessert: Go ahead, give in to your sweet tooth
There’s only one right way to eat dessert: at every meal. Start with breakfast—a sticky, gooey donut (okay, fine, you can put bacon on it)—then a sip of a sugary shake, and later, a pillowy pile of tiramisu and a mug of cocoa before bed. In this issue, we’ll show you how to appease your […]
Honest goodness: A new Lovingston shop offers up high-quality wares
Restoration has always been important to the Ramsey family: There’s Luke, whose company Ramsey Restoration focuses on the construction and preservation of historical property, and who learned how to build log cabins from his father. And there’s Adrienne, who formerly served as a spokesperson for the Food Routes Network (the same folks who developed the […]
A taste of luck: Three ways to start the new year
New Year’s is more of a drinking-and-kissing holiday than one meant for feasting. But don’t let a good start-of-the-year meal go overlooked, especially if you might leave some luck on the table. We asked some local food folks to cook us up New Year’s Day nosh that was traditional (to capitalize on all that good […]
Material possessions: Instant heirlooms from three local leathercrafters
There’s just something about leather: It’s at once rugged and polished. And always cool. Plus, it’s a material that’s easy to source in our area, thanks to local saddle shops and nearby tanneries. Here are three hand-crafters making your next favorite accessory. Stamp of approval Siberia native Daniel Foytik became fascinated with leather as a […]
Heart in hand: Handmade accessories lend a personal touch
What’s not to love about a handmade piece of jewelry? Here are five local gems worth wearing. Direct from nature As a kid, Rebecca Perea-Kane would play with Fimo clay, sculpting tiny animals with her sister (“we must have made hundreds of them,” she says). No surprise, then, that her line of delicate jewelry celebrates […]
Tastes just like homemade (because it is): From sauces to sweet snacks, Charlottesville makers get cookin’
Maybe our eyes are bigger than our stomachs, but these five cooks, bakers, and concocters make an extra helping hard to resist. It’s all gravy No one knows the phrase “food is an international language” more than Yvonne Cunningham. The sauce-maker developed the recipe for her “Italian gravy” (so-called because it’s so thick) while living in […]
Food stars—they’re just like us!
Around here, the folks cooking your favorite foods are as close to celebrities as some of us get (unless you’re lucky enough to corner Dave Matthews on the mall). So, for this year’s annual Food & Drink Issue, we decided to take a look behind the scenes—beyond your pork belly tacos and pain de campagne—at […]
Native flavors: Priya Mahadevan brings a taste of South India to Charlottesville
Birthdays are always special, but growing up in Priya Mahadevan’s family of nine, birthdays came with an extra privilege: choosing the day’s menu. “We always asked for this lentil and vegetable stew called sambar, with roasted potatoes and masala vadais, which are a fried lentil snack,” Mahadevan says. “Payasam (also called kheer) was the dessert […]
Brined, braised, and beautiful: Tuck into the Clifton’s pork belly
Matthew Bousquet hasn’t been in Charlottesville for very long—the Michelin-starred chef from San Francisco was hired to head up the kitchen at the newly reimagined Clifton hotel this summer—but he’s already discovered the city’s secret sauce: our abundance of fresh, local ingredients. This fall, Bousquet is particularly glad to use Autumn Olive Farms’ pork in […]
All in: A community of love buoys a big day
Patrick McGettigan & Elliott Glass September 23, 2017, at Grace Estate Winery Photographs by Ryan & Rach Photography Throughout the night, Patrick and Elliott kept hearing from guests that the love and positivity in the tent was palpable. That was all the affirmation they needed. “From the very beginning,” Patrick says, “our focus had been on […]
Natural beauty: A verdant backdrop enhances two Hoos’ special day
Sarah Peck & Jonathan Elsasser June 3, 2017, at Panorama Farms Photographs by The Mallorys When planning a wedding, some people start with a beautiful linen, or a particular prop. For Sarah and Jonathan, the setting was the jumping-off point. “We knew we wanted to showcase the beauty of Charlottesville’s outdoors,” Sarah says, “and have a […]
Red-letter day: A bold hue brightens a memorable spring soirée
Jane Hawkins & Mike Webb April 21, 2018, at Grace Estate Winery Photographs by Jen Fariello Jane and Mike knew they wanted their wedding to showcase two main components. First and foremost, the beauty of Charlottesville, which they accomplished with the venue. “The view at Grace Estate was spectacular, and we liked the fact that it […]
Simply elegant: At Keswick, natural beauty takes center stage
Huong Doan & Eddie Sniezek July 1, 2017, at Keswick Vineyards Photography by Sarah Goodwin Less is more, and in the case of Huong and Eddie’s wedding, they knew that adding too much to their beautiful venue might detract from its impact. “We wanted to keep it elegant and simple,” Huong says. That meant a muted […]
Cozy cool: Details fall into place at an intimate celebration
Caitlyn Stego & John Anderson February 18, 2018, at Kardinal Hall Photographs by Amy Jackson The plan was, there was no plan. A stylist by trade, Caitlyn didn’t want to overcomplicate the planning process by matching patterns and colors. “I find it more inspiring to let the pieces that you find write the style of what […]
Timeless love: Classic details let love shine
Floriza Hernandez & Jerome White September 9, 2017, at Trump Winery Photography by Michael & Carina Men in classic black-and-white tuxes, ladies in champagne. Gilded details, from the invitations to the cake topper. A reception area with high ceilings and extravagant chandeliers. Floriza and Jerome decided early on that they wanted their wedding to be elegant […]
Mr. Good Bar: Local bartender recommends a summery signature drink
Buy a few extra bottles of bourbon when you snag the one you’ll bury* before your big day. This summertime cocktail from The Imbible author and Alley Light bar manager Micah LeMon practically sings “Virginia wedding” from the first sip, making it an ideal signature cocktail for your reception. Says LeMon, “If you’re having a […]
Pure love: A morning yoga session takes the edge off
It goes without saying that planning a wedding is stressful. And, on the day of the big day, the nerves are at an all-time high. Enter Liz Reynolds, who in 2014 started offering a yoga service to keep the jitters at a minimum. Reynolds had recently moved to town and, as a former professional dancer […]
Best tressed: Local hairstylist’s boutique fills a void
Having been in the bridal industry for half a decade as a hairstylist, Brianna Adams was used to getting asked the same questions: “Where can I find pretty hair accessories?” or “Which piece will look best with my hair?” In other words, it was an easy transition from styling to retail, when she launched Mood […]