Have you visited The Market at Grelen? It’s the most interesting, new wedding and event venue we’ve seen in the area recently. The expansive property has such a variety of locations and decor options that no two Grelen weddings will be alike. There are two major additions to the property this year.

Spotswood Lodge

Grelen couples have the option of renting Spotswood Lodge, an eight-bedroom property with a main house and a cottage that can comfortably sleep up to 20 people. How fun would it be to have your bridal party or close friends and family all together for the night before the wedding? Or, how great would it be to have out-of-town family housed close to your venue so they don’t have to worry about navigating an unfamiliar area to get to the wedding? We have a feeling Spotswood is going to be wildly popular with Grelen couples and anyone getting married in Orange.

The Orchard Overlook Tent

One of the most striking things about Grelen is the amazing view that guests have from the different locations on the property. What better way to let guests enjoy the views than using a clear tent! The Market at Grelen installed a 4500 square foot tent for all of their couples to use. They also created a beautiful, stone patio on the tent pad. The patio extends beyond the tent to allow for cocktail hour or dancing under the stars.

Spotswood Lodge images by Jenn Finazzio Photography.

Orchard Overlook images by Corrine Kensington Photography.

Just a few minutes away from Charlottesville is an incredible estate built in the early 1900s by a wealthy Richmond resident named James H. Dooley as a summer retreat. Known as Swannanoa Palace, the Dooley family only lived in it for a few years. Today, Swannanoa is open to the public for a few days each month. Chrystal Reyns‘s luck bride Krissy was able to schedule her bridal portrait session on the property. We had a hard time narrowing the images down for this one with all the amazing rooms and locations at the palace.

If you’re interested in visiting the Swannanoa Palace, scroll the bottom to see the rest of the 2015 Open House dates.

Swannanoa Palace 2015 Open House Dates
June 6, 7, 27, and 28
July 4, 5, 18, and 19
August 8, 9, 22, and 23
September 5, 6, 19, 20, 26, and 27
October 3, 4, 10, 11, 17, 18, 24, and 25
November 7 and 8

Is there anything more covetable in photography than that magic “golden hour”? You know, when the sun is on the verge of setting and everything is hued with an ethereal light that makes objects in front of a camera lens otherworldly… there might not be anything more beautiful than a portrait session during the Golden Hour! But while this engagement shoot by Limefish Studio perfectly captures that magical light, the real romance comes from this sweet couple and the incredible setting of Boar’s Head Inn. Take one part light, two parts love, and a Charlottesville setting, and you have perfection!

Ashley & Nick met online in 2012 and went on a 3 hour date that set the tone for the rest of their relationship. According to the couple, “They were inseparable until Ashley’s deployment in December, and she says,

I could not have asked for a more supportive and loving partner through the 5 months I was gone. I knew after making it through that, there was no chance I was ever letting Nick go!” During a July vacation together, Nick put his proposal plans into action.

He arranged for her to have a pedicure and massage during the day (so sweet!), and then had a surprise dinner planned. Actually, he’d rented out the Rear Range Lighthouse in downtown Newburyport, MA for their private candlelit dinner! Later, from the top of the lighthouse, they enjoyed the sunset before Nick dropped to his knee and asked Ashley to be his wife! She admits, “in true girl style, became hysterical and said yes between sobs.”

Thanks Limefish Studio for sharing this session with us!

I love it when a Charlottesville wedding embraces our beautiful location and shows off what is so special about our area. Ashley and Will’s wedding does just that. Their had a laid-back vow renewal at Montfair Resort the day after their intimate, Catholic ceremony is so full of charm that you’ll find yourself wishing you were part of the fun.

We got the full story from Priscilla Thomas Photography:

Every week Ashley and Will go hiking; so, having their wedding at Montfair Resort, in the midst of nature with trails, a lake, and the Blue Ridge Mountains, made perfect sense. The couple first met at University of Virginia’s inaugural Entrepreneurship Cup 2009 in the finals. However, it wasn’t until a few months later when they ran into each other again at an Entrepreneurship Society dinner that a romantic spark was kindled. Ashley’s now infamous yell across the room, “Hey, weren’t you the guy who presented something on ketchup?” somehow encouraged Will to connect with her via email a couple of days later. Will is a self-described southern, libertarian, Catholic scientist who enjoys being outdoors when not running his medical device start-up or being a research professor. Ashley shares Will’s love for the outdoors, which pairs well with her travel-enthusiast nature. When she’s not working her day job in marketing, she is focused on her side bakery business that specializes in fudge.

For their late summer wedding, they chose a color palette mixed with warm earthy tones and bright accents. A motif of banner flags was used on the program and pie toppers. Floral design included Juliet roses, craspedia, and coral & maroon dahlias. Other sweet touches included the buttons on Ashley’s gown, which belonged to her grandmother. After an outdoor ceremony overlooking the mountains, guests celebrated with the couple just steps away from Montfair’s lake.

Photographer:  Priscilla Thomas Photography//Caterer: Anderson’s Carriage House Catering//Event Planner: Angela’s Elegant Events//Floral Designer: Blue Heron Farm//Hair Stylist: Bristles Hair Design and Day Spa//Dress Store: Church Street Bridal//Reception Venue: Montfair Resort Farm//Alterations: The Gilded Thimble

The most exciting thing about the Charlottesville wedding scene isn’t the plethora of gorgeous venues or the Blue Ridge Mountain backdrop or the creativity of the area’s event professionals– it’s the personalities of the brides and grooms who choose to get hitched in this beautiful town! Every wedding we see is completely unique because it’s a special celebration of two individuals who pour their love into a day– no two are ever alike!

Allison & Brad chose to tie the knot at Pippin Hill and transformed the venue into their own paradise. We love the sweet florals by Blue Ridge Floral Design, the paper suite by Rock Paper Scissors, the ceremony led by Claire of Sacred Ground Ceremonies, and, of course, the photography by Aaron Watson!

Vendors:
Wedding Photographer: Aaron Watson Photography
Wedding Venue: Pippin Hill Farm
Officiant: Sacred Ground Ceremonies
Florist: Blue Ridge Floral Design
Band: Jangling Reinharts
Caterer: Pippin Hill Farm
Wedding Cake: Pearl’s Bake Shoppe
Hair/Makeup Artist: Moxie
Invitations: Rock Paper Scissors
Bridal Gown: Jingles
Bridesmaid Dresses: Jingles
Groomswear: Vera Wang
Photobooth: Photobooth Charlottesville
Videographer: WhiteFlair Productions
Ceremony/Reception Music: Vernon Fischer
Lighting/Sound: The AV Company

Every now and then, a wedding has so many pretty portraits and charming details that we have a hard time picking just a few images to share on the blog. Allison and Beattie’s wedding at Keswick Vineyards. William Walker Photography shared so many beautiful photos that we had to make this feature just a little longer than the ones we usually post.

Keep an eye out for the mother of the bride’s reaction to the first dance. It’s one of our favorite images from this one!

Photographer: William Walker Photography // Dress Store: Caryn’s // Floral Designer: Blue Ridge Florist // Hair Stylist: Bristles // DJ: Class Productions // Caterer: Harvest Moon Catering // Reception Venue: Keswick Vineyards LLC // Lighting: MS Events // Officiant: Sacred Ground Ceremonies

With so many couples meeting in college, it’s no surprise that brides and grooms often want to reference their alma maters on their wedding days. Whether you’re a Wahoo, Hokie, Duke, or Ram, you can pay tribute to your college in a variety of creative ways. Other options at UVa include the many gardens along the Lawn, the Colonnade Club, and the Alumni Association’s Alumni Hall.

Image by Robert Radifera Photography

1. The Campus (or Grounds) Wedding

The ultimate way to make your alma mater a major part of your day is to have your ceremony, reception, or portraits on the college campus. Our own UVa Chapel is so popular that couples have to put their names into the UVa Chapel reservation system a full year in advance of their weddings to secure their date.

Image by William Walker Photography

2. Collegiate Sweets

Showing off your college through a spectacular grooms cake or beautifully decorated cookies is extremely popular these days. Anita Gupta of Maliha Creations created these incredible Rotunda and Scott Stadium groom’s cakes:

Image by Patricia Lyons

And Kelly Trout of One Creative Cookie has baked so many incredible cookies that reference colleges.

3. The Surprise Guest

If you want to really see your guests surprised, have their beloved mascot, marching band, or a capella group show up at your reception. We’ve seen impromptu renditions of the school fight song break out at wedding receptions when guests realized the mascot had arrived. It’s a truly unexpected moment that will be remembered long after the bouquet has been tossed!

Image by Sarah Goodwin Photography

One of the most incredible things about the Charlottesville wedding scene is the love, passion, and generosity of its vendors. Every professional in the wedding world loves giving back– and it’s the most evident in the annual Charlottesville Wedding Gift! One local couple wins the wedding of their dreams, planned, styled, and executed by a group of AMAZING local creatives. This year’s wedding was held at Early Mountain Vineyards for Ande & Jeff… their story included bringing together two families and falling in love against the odds!

For now, a little Instagram sneak peek of the loveliness created by the CWG team… more to come!

Ande & Jeff’s invitation suite was designed by the talented ladies of Rock Paper Scissors— the theme was carried into their day-of papers as well!

Early Mountain Vineyards was the venue for the March 14, 2015 wedding. A team of incredible local vendors teamed up to transform the space into the day of Ande & Jeff’s dreams!

Cheers! The champagne came from Early Mountain Vineyards while Pallet & Pen created the handmade flowers and tags.

Floral designers Tourterelle Floral and Southern Blooms teamed up to create the floral pieces for the day– we love these simple, but lush box centerpieces!

Festive Fare provided the tabletop details, while Pallet & Pen created paper flower details.

The full vendor list:
Early Mountain Vineyards
Harvest Moon Catering
Just a Little Ditty
Southern Blooms
Tourterelle Floral Design
Albemarle Limousine
Dominique Attaway Photography
Rachel May Photography
Jack Looney Photography
Lynne Brubaker Photography
Cakes by Rachel
Ian’s Creations
Sacred Ground Ceremonies / Claire Goodman
Stonegate Event Rentals
Rock Paper Scissors
Blue Ridge A/V and Lighting
Swell Booth
Jeanne Cusick
DJ Derek Tobler
Awakening Balance
Festive Fare
Pallet & Pen
Local Nanny Network

Yes, we’re already a month into spring– but we’re starting to see a flurry of real weddings at all our favorite venues here in Charlottesville, so we thought it was the perfect time to celebrate the season! Springtime weddings conjure up images of green gardens, soft blooms, and PINK… if you’re newly engaged and planning your own spring soiree, consider this the start to your secret Pinterest board.

What says spring to you? When we think of spring, we think about…

Beautiful bouquets in all shades of pink! Photo by Jen Fariello

Whimsical and pretty invitation suites– complete with bunnies! Photo via Easton Events

Fresh flower backdrops! Bonus points if they’re lusciously green. Photo by Jen Fariello at Fat Cat Farm

Pink blooms, tulle dresses, and bridal portraits in the garden at Keswick Hall. Photo by Jen Fariello

Tablescapes inspired by fresh fruit and French linen. Photo by Adam Barnes, florals by Southern Blooms

Spring tastes like the combination of lavender and champagne— yum! Photo by Jen Fariello

Peonies and lacy plates on a soft linen. Photo via Easton Events

Elopements among the blooms. Photo by Jen Fariello, bouquet by Southern Blooms

Mismatched china in the shades of spring– pink and green! Photo via Amore Events by Cody

Magnificent dresses and gorgeous green vines. Swoon! Photo by Jen Fariello

When a photographer is as enthusiastic as Kelli Brewer was when she submitted this engagement session with us, we knew we had to publish it.

I often tell couples to bring along any props or special items that they may want to shoot with, but I never imagined those props would be a FIRETRUCK and a huge tractor. Did I mention I got to ride in the Firetruck? Because I did, and it was AWESOME. It was great to get to know Crystal and John, their story, see where they come from and get even more excited about their wedding day. Sure, it was a bit of a drive but once you check out the backdrops for our session, you’d have done it in a heartbeat too!

Between the firetruck, the gorgeous farm shots with a quintessential red barn, and two adorable dogs, we’re in love with this one. Scroll down and enjoy!