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 […]
If you’ve just gotten engaged, no doubt you’re both excited and daunted by the task of planning your wedding. We say, “Relax!” If it’s not in the budget to hire a full-service wedding planner, use this helpful timeline to cross some early tasks off your list (and wait a few months to start stressing about […]
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. […]
The summer issue of C-VILLE Weddings is on stands now. Here’s what you’ll find inside: Five ideas we love. What’s trending in cakes. A local org to babysit during your wedding. Tips for buying the groom’s ring. Why rain on your big day isn’t necessarily a dealbreaker. What married couples still use from the registry, […]
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 […]
Narrowing down the look and feel of any occasion is a test—especially a wedding day!—and Claire and Will had as difficult a time as any. They ran through different theme options: Where The Wild Things Are? Boutique hotel? One that combined the beautiful with the beastly? “There were times, especially early on, where our ideas […]
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, right? Take your cues from these brides on everything from transportation to wedding day décor. For your bouquet (above) Your wedding day might feel a little stressful, but this bride had a little trick to ease her way down the aisle: She included calming herbs like mint and […]
It’s 45 minutes before the wedding ceremony. Your perfect up-do is up. Your airbrushed makeup is cover-model worthy. Your mother helps you slip into your custom-designed wedding gown, carefully laces it up and is tying the final bow when you hear it—the sound of priceless organza tearing. Your wedding dress just ripped from the waist […]
It’s easy to go crazy with the scanner when you’re high on your engagement and planning a life together: That’s the throw pillow you’ll rest your head on while you watch movies together; that’s the wine cooler where you’ll store bottles for romantic nights in; that’s the toilet brush holder that’ll…hold the toilet brush. But, […]
Brangelina, Bennifer, Kimye. Celebrity gossip magazines were making Instagram-appropriate hashtags before hashtags were even a thing. Now it’s one of the most fun ways to inject personality into your big day (and wrangle your guests’ photos while you’re at it!). Here are a few we like from the last year. #illbeback (the future Mrs.’ last […]
Like most spring brides, Lindsey Kirchoff spent the week before her June 21 wedding habitually checking the weather, fearing the worst: rain. She had a backup plan (they’d just move the guests to the barn instead), but was insistent that the ceremony be at Mount Ida’s gazebo overlooking the water. When the wedding day arrived […]
Not sure how to diplomatically ask that your guests’ children be excluded from your wedding? Hey, we don’t judge, but it might be easier just to hire a sitter. A new service is making that easy. Founded by child care professional Lisa Skillman in December 2014, Local Nanny Network guarantees your guests can enjoy the […]
Ooohs and aaahs are normal for women’s wedding ring sets, but the same attention isn’t given to men’s wedding bands. In the spirit of gender equality, we spoke with Rob Matthews, store manager of Fink’s Jewelers, about the top five things men should know before buying their bling of wedded bliss. 1. Mix and match. […]
Only one thing stands between you and a perfect wedding day: your shoes. And we’re not talking comfort—we’re talking style! Think Louboutin. Think sparkle. Think like these brides, who had the good sense to put a little spring in their steps.
Candice Cloos said she met Patrick Haney the old-fashioned way: “in a dive bar.” Truth be told, she was trying to disentangle herself from a conversation with another man, when she noticed Patrick and shouted, “There you are!” “Without missing a beat, he played along that we knew each other, and we spent the next […]
Although they didn’t know it at the time, Katie Castillo and William Deibler spent their high school years in houses just a few miles away from each other. But it wasn’t until Katie had graduated from the University of Virginia and moved back home that mutual friends introduced her to William. A few months into […]
When they thought about how they wanted to get married, Heather Welch and Greg Arbogast knew one thing: Their wedding should feel like a weekend retreat. The couple sought a “location where our friends and family could enjoy exclusive use of the property and unwind for the weekend, sort of like a mini vacation,” Heather […]
Ask Rachel Stinson about the early days of her courtship with Nathan Vrooman, and she says, “We were covered in sticky grape juice for the first three months of our relationship.” Not surprising, considering the pair had moved to Charlottesville to help their parents start vineyards and wineries (her: Stinson, him: Ankida Ridge), and met […]