Chloe Hodson AND Elliott Watkins November 1, 2015 It all started with the suit. Elliott had a traditional tweed three-piece made in England, where he’s from, and the wedding planning unfolded from there. “That kind of created a theme for us,” says Chloe. “We tried to incorporate elements of England, like a traditional English wedding […]
Maggie Gill and James Pacana March 12, 2016 It’s fitting that Maggie and James were married at a vineyard. The day the couple got engaged, they had been visiting one Loudoun County winery after another as, unbeknownst to Maggie, James’ surprise proposal was thwarted by a bachelorette party at each location. Once he was finally […]
Eileen Sagini and Jamil Jadallah | May 1, 2016 Eileen played hard to get for a little over a year before agreeing to go on a date with Jamil. They had a great time. “I wasn’t surprised,” she says, “because I liked him even when I was avoiding him.” The couple were together six-and-a-half years […]
Sara Snell and Francis Eden | June 4, 2016 With the threat of a storm encroaching on their big day, Sara and Frank decided that, even though they had wanted to wait until they met at the altar, a first look before the ceremony made sense in case it rained (“We wanted to have a […]
Your wedding day. The biggest (happiest, craziest, most expensive—insert your adjective here) day of your life. It’s you and your significant other, pledging to spend the rest of your lives together. But for many brides, it’s also become a goal to get their wedding featured in glossy bridal magazine, website or blog. Lynn Easton of […]
Your big day is notable for a few reasons—not the least of which is that it’s a great occasion to gather everyone you love in one room. But they’ll all need somewhere to stay at the end of the night. We talked to folks at Courtyard by Marriott, the Graduate Charlottesville and the Boar’s Head […]
Though DJ John Garland once had clients text him a picture of a wedding attendant from whom he shouldn’t take requests, coming up with a playlist is typically pretty stress-free. But that’s just one piece of the puzzle when it comes to hiring a DJ. Garland says, regardless of which DJ they’re interviewing, couples should […]
Almost as much as you cannot wait to be a brand-new Mrs., you are giddy at the thought of your best buds standing up with you, holding your flowers, handing you tissues and pretending not to notice you getting all blotchy with happy crying. But as you fall hard into the gently curated arms of […]
One thing we know to be true about wedding food: It’s an important part of a successful day. Harvest Moon Catering’s director of sales, Kelly Mahanes, agrees. “It’s the beginning of your story,” she says. A good caterer is there to guide you through the almost limitless options of cuisine and “bring people together around […]
Seven Oaks Farm in Albemarle County has quite the history. From its original owner, Reverend Samuel Black, the first Presbyterian minister in Albemarle County, to a more recent owner, Dave Matthews Band manager Coran Capshaw, the property has had its share of high-profile tenants. And visitors, too: from explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark to […]
Lisa Green and Amy-Sarah Marshall met four years ago, during the planning phase of Charlottesville’s first Cville Pride Festival, which Amy-Sarah founded. “I was a very happy single person, owned my own home and my dog and I had everything happily where I could find it,” says Lisa, a planning commissioner with the City of […]
When a fashion designer and an architect marry, it’s a safe bet the wedding will be high on style. Mollie and Evan’s big day was no exception. Mollie, who recently launched a fashion line called CROSBY by Mollie Burch, contributed mightily to each detail—from DIYing the save the dates to designing the one-of-a-kind bridesmaid dresses. […]
Laura Kupke and Alex Field hadn’t gotten too far into the wedding planning process before they heard about A Wedding Collective, a collaborative wedding giveaway from Katelyn James Photography and Lexington venue Big Spring Farm. They beat out nine other couples by calling on friends, family, local companies and organizations to gather up votes. “People […]
Fuchsia might be the bride’s favorite color, but even she knew that bright pink full-length bridesmaids’ gowns would be too much on her big day. The solution? Use the color as an accent. “I couldn’t think of a better color to pair up with the pink than black,” Alisha says, “keeping the wedding on the […]
Classic and elegant, with a celebratory spirit. That’s how the bride describes the direction in which she and her now-husband wanted to take their wedding. “There’s a quote I love,” says Jacqui. “‘Until further notice, celebrate everything!’ That really embodies how Aaron and I are. We love to celebrate the small, spontaneous joys the world […]
Here’s a trend we’re flipping for: hanging arrangements. Whether suspended above the altar, the sweetheart table or even a cocktail hour vignette, this new take on a floral display is fresh and inviting. Nature Composed’s Jenn Pineau agrees. “They create so much mood and atmosphere when well-executed,” she says. In a venue with high ceilings or […]
In some ways, finding the perfect dress is like finding the perfect partner: You have to try on a few before you get the right one. These five brides’ experiences were no different—it took a couple tries before landing on a winner. One even had her gown custom made. If only it were that simple! […]
As an intercultural couple, Lindsey Wilson and Anoop Shah wanted to incorporate elements of both Christian and Indian weddings, without having two separate ceremonies. Their solution? A traditional baraat—a groom’s procession to meet his bride—leading to the Christian wedding ceremony. You might have seen pictures of it on Facebook: Shah rode a white horse from […]
Clothing for your bridesmaids and groomsmen is no place to cut corners or scrimp on style. Here are six ways local couples got it right. For the bridesmaids Printed (above) When one bride expressed an interest in floral patterns, her matron of honor suggested a dress she’d already purchased as an option. “Once she showed me the […]
Hard to imagine that the movie O Brother, Where Art Thou? influences many weddings, but it’s possible, according to Peter LaBau. The banjo player for Charlottesville’s Bent Mountain Trio thinks maybe that flick had something to do with the rising popularity of bluegrass music. And that sound has also become a trend for local weddings. […]
If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then we’d like to flatter the heck out of these couples, whose special wedding-day touches provide bushels of inspiration this season. Living jewelry (above) After bookmarking a few photos online showcasing flower garlands on animals, bride Karen Ryder discovered that one of the garlands in the images […]
It all started with location. Kendall Priddy and Tito Smith-Harrison knew they wanted to host their spring wedding at her family’s farm, Brushy Hill, and, from there, the whole “farm chic” theme took shape. “We both wanted to be dressed up, but relaxed and comfortable at the same time,” Kendall says. “So all the decor […]
“We wanted our wedding to embody all that we love about Charlottesville and Virginia,” says Laura. To that end, they incorporated it wherever they could: bluegrass music from The Bellevue Rhythmaires, plenty of Southern staples on the menu and a classic Virginia country club backdrop (with its view of the Blue Ridge Mountains and Thomas […]