It’s no secret that we’re suckers for coral-hued anything. So, you can only imagine our glee when we laid our eyes on Kelly and Chris’ coral-extravegaanza-of-a-wedding from the crazy-talented team at Fête Weddings. The punchy florals by Southern Blooms and bold paper goods by Goodheart Design are definitely some of our faves and lucky for us, Jodi Miller Photography was on hand to capture these details and the rest of this gorgeous Virginia vineyard wedding.
What made the wedding special and unique?
I knew even before we were engaged that I wanted to get married in Virginia’s beautiful vineyards and Charlottesville is one place that has always been near and dear to our hearts. Chris’ whole family lives there, we have always been huge UVA fans and the scenery is absolutely breathtaking! Our venue couldn’t have been more perfect as it overlooked the Blue Ridge Mountains and the ballroom alone with its gorgeous white drapery and floor-to-ceiling windows made for an unforgettable evening. We had planned on having the ceremony outside and of course the weather had been gorgeous all day, but we knew a tropical storm was expected to hit us right around 6:00 P.M. when the wedding was to start. Unfortunately we had to make the call that afternoon to have everything inside so that the florist could set up for the ceremony, even though the weather was absolutely beautiful at the time. Luckily, we had amazingly talented people who were able to make the ballroom look incredibly stunning and it literally took my breath away when I walked out. We were still married overlooking the mountains and our guests still rave about how amazing our wedding was. The whole day couldn’t have been more perfect!
Tell us about the gown and where/how you found it!
I had originally envisioned a big ball gown with a sweetheart neckline as my dream wedding dress, but after visiting about 10 different dress boutiques and trying on countless dresses I was feeling pretty disappointed. I randomly came across the designer Augusta Jones at a trunk show and absolutely fell in love! The detail of the lace she used was just exquisite and so romantic, it wasn’t at all what I thought I’d like, but I knew I HAD to have one of her dresses. Well, when I went to try on a few, I was completely torn between two – I loved the top part of one dress that had this gorgeous neckline with lace falling across the shoulders, but was obsessed with the bottom of another dress. When I shared my dilemma with the stylist, she informed me that Augusta Jones loves doing custom orders, so they could combine both and give me my dream dress! I cried right there on the spot and knew I had found the “one!”
What were some touches added to make it personal?
We are both from the South so we knew that we wanted our wedding to have a great southern feel. We chose to have his and her signature cocktails which we aptly named “The Belle” and “The Beau”, all the guys (including our dads) wore pink bow ties, and we served delicious Virginia baked ham biscuits with apple glaze during our cocktail hour. These really made us feel at home! We also had a drink station set up for guests with sweet tea, lemonade, and water with fresh cucumber and mint, and our welcome bags included all local southern fare which our guests absolutely loved!
What was the most memorable part of the day?
Ever since I was a little girl, I have always envisioned a beautifully classic wedding ceremony that included Pachelbel’s “Canon in D,” especially since my dad and I used to watch Father of the Bride so much when I was little. The bridesmaids all walked down to an instrumental version of “A Thousand Years,” but when Pachelbel’s Canon started, it was the first time that day that I was instantly brought to tears. My dad and I waited a few seconds to walk so that I could take in that special moment and reflect on what was to come. It truly made our wedding complete and is something I’ll always remember!
Tell us how you met and became engaged?
Chris and I were introduced at a Rascal Flatts concert in 2010. We literally danced the night away and I was instantly smitten! Ironically, I found out that not only did we have many friends in common, but he had grown up in the same town as I did my entire life, and we were even born in the same hospital only 10 days apart! I knew we were meant to be from the beginning. Well Chris and I absolutely love Virginia wine country and knowing this he planned a special trip to Trump Winery on Thanksgiving weekend, which wasn’t out of the ordinary, since we go so often and he knew our family would all be in town. When we got there, we found a cozy little spot outside by a fire that sat us all, and Chris wanted to get a picture of us in front of the beautiful scenery. When we posed for the picture, which unbeknownst to me was actually a video, he got down on one knee in front of our friends and family and asked me to marry him! It was the perfect proposal and a moment I’ll never forget!
Wedding Planning & Event Design: Fête Weddings // Photography: Jodi Miller Photography // Flowers: Southern Blooms // Hair and Makeup: Avenue 42 Style Studio // Cake: Sweethaus // Linens: BBJ Linen // DJ: Roger Cruz of Astro Entertainment // Signage: The Paper Walrus // Invitation, Paper Goods and Calligraphy: Goodheart Design // Bride’s Gown: Augusta Jones // Bride’s Shoes and Jewelry: Kate Spade // Bridesmaid Dresses: Donna Morgan // Menswear: Jean Yves // Laser Cut Tags: Laura Hooper Calligrapher // Venue and Catering: Vertias Vineyard & Winery