Brittany and Mark’s wedding at Keswick Vineyards

Brittany and Mark’s wedding day at Keswick Vineyards is lovely, easygoing and romantic, which is exactly what the couple wanted. “If we were to plan our perfect date, we’d go to a local vineyard, enjoy a bottle of wine, and sample as much food as we could from whichever food truck was parked out at the vineyard that day — so that’s exactly what we arranged for our wedding,” says bride Brittany. We’re especially loving the  the bride’s dreamy Leanne Marshall gown which she customized with a local seamstress—GORG. The day was accented with lavender-hues bridal party and lovely florals by The Proper Petal. Aster and Olive Photography worked their magic behind the lens to capture a day filled with sunshine and big, beautiful smiles. Enjoy!

What made the wedding special and unique?

Our wedding day was romantic and easygoing. We were given a budget from our parents and it was entirely up to us to manage it wisely. We planned and designed every detail ourselves, with our priority always being to make sure our wedding day was an authentic reflection of us. If we were to plan our perfect date, we’d go to a local vineyard, enjoy a bottle of wine, and sample as much food as we could from whichever food truck was parked out at the vineyard that day — so that’s exactly what we arranged for our wedding. The result was truly a representation of the beauty and blissful simplicity of Virginia, as well as the romantic and fun loving nature of our relationship.

Tell us about the gown and where/how you found it!

After trying on what seemed like hundreds of dresses, I fell in love with this dreamy Leanne Marshall gown. I made it my own by requesting to purchase it without the straps and worked with a local seamstress to add the slit and belt. My look was finished with an airy cathedral veil that my grandmother made.

What were some touches added to make the wedding personal?

It was a day full of unique details including the special roles we gave our family members (our sisters were our “flower girls”), the heirlooms sprinkled throughout the day (our cake knife was used to cut both my parents’ and grandparents’ wedding cakes), the equestrian touches (Mark is an avid equestrian so I wanted to give him something on our wedding day that tied into this passion — I found antique horse cuff links from the 1920’s that he loved!), and the sweetheart mirror (the calligraphy on the mirror matches the engraving inside Mark’s wedding band, “All the world to me” — a phrase in our first dance song, “Sugar Tree” by Simplified).

What was the most memorable part of the day?

Without a doubt the first look. I was surprised by how emotional it was and from that moment I had what felt like first date butterflies all over again and the biggest smile on my face. Another one of our most cherished memories was when my grandfather stood up at the beginning of the ceremony to lead us in prayer. Since I was a little girl, he has begun every family gathering with a blessing, so it meant the world to me to have him begin our wedding day the same way.

Tell us how you met and became engaged.

Mark and I met in Los Angeles when a mutual friend, Greg introduced us. Greg and I went to high school together in Virginia and he and Mark attended Georgia Tech and also studied abroad together in France. As fate would have it, we all ended up on the West Coast and when I invited Greg to my birthday party one year, he asked if he could bring along a college buddy. The spark was instant between Mark and me and that night we made a marriage pact — a promise we’d get married if we were both still single at 30. We were engaged two years later and Greg was the best man in our wedding.

Photographer: Aster and Olive Photography // Event Planning: The Bride // Day-Of Coordination: Kaitlyn Hoy of KEH Design, Anna Troutman // Flowers: The Proper Petal // Invitations and Programs: The Bride // Calligraphy: A Fabulous Fete // Venue: Keswick Vineyards // Bridal Suite and First Look Venue: Keswick Hall // Hair and Makeup: Avenue 42 // Dress: Leanne Marshall via Lovely Bride DC // Rentals: Paisley & Jade // Linens: A Festive Fare // Catering: Blue Ridge Pizza Co., Spiked, Carpe Donut // Cake: Sweethaus // Cake Toppers: Goose Grease // Groom and Groomsmen Attire: Men’s Warehouse // Bridesmaids and Flower Girls Dresses: Jenny Yoo, Joanna August, J. Crew, Siri, Keepsake the Label, Rent the Runway // Officiant: Melody Porter // DJ: Greg Tutwiler // Tent and Tent Lighting: Skyline Rentals // Tree Lighting: The AV Company // Bridal Shoes: Schutz via Anthropologie // Bridal Earrings: Stella and Dot via Styled by Charlotte // Bridal Party Rompers: Daughters of Simone, Piyama