Olivia & Simon

May 25

North Garden, Virginia

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From the Event Planner: “Olivia and Simon, both University of Virginia graduates wanted a wedding that was ‘very Charlottesville’ but also full of  tradition. Simon was born in Kenya and grew up in Botswana, Africa and Olivia is from Ridgefield, Conneticut. So how much fun would it be to incorporate African customs into their ceremony and reception? We loved the singing by Simon’s family members during the wedding ceremony. Their singing was not only beautiful, but brought a sense of happiness and excitement to everyone in their presence. The blanket ceremony was also one of our very favorite moments – laying down blankets as the bride and groom recessed not letting their feet touch the ground.” – Amore Events by Cody

WeddingWire teamed up with Mix 107.3 to give one lucky couple from the DC area a dream wedding BUT they only had one week to plan! We are thrilled to congratulate Stacy and John, the winning couple in our My Wedding in a Week contest, who got married last week! Take a look at the gorgeous newlyweds:

Reception & Catering provided by The George Washington Wyndham Grand Hotel • Photography provided by Arts Group Photography • Decor provided by Chrysis Entertainment • Ceremony & Reception Music provided by Chrysis Entertainment • Wedding Planning provided by Why Knot Event Planning • Photobooth provided by Shutterbooth Maryland • Wedding Cake provided by Cakes by Happy Eatery • Bridal Gown provided by Couture Miss Bridal • Wedding Rings provided by A Wedding Ring Experience • Flowers provided by Shelley’s Floral Enterprise • Officiant provided by Say I Do Your Way • Flower Preservation provided by All Seasons Floral Preservation • Dance Instruction provided by The Wedding Dance Specialists • Wedding Romance Package provided by Slumber Parties By Heather • Hair & Makeup provided by Michael Helene Salon • Health/Wellness provided by BeePollenDiet.com

We peruse through dozens of real weddings every day (we know, poor us), and sometimes we see a wedding detail so brilliant we just have to share it with you. This is one of these ideas.

We are all in favor of couples mixing up the genders in the wedding party – Best Women, Bridesmaids, Man of Honor, we’ve seen it all, and think it’s more important to honor those you care about that stick with traditional single-sex bridesmaids and groomsmen. So we were so psyched to see Lauren and Tom’s Alexandria, Virginia wedding – which featured a mostly female groom’s side – Tom’s sister, two female friends, and one male friend. And we just adored the “groomsladies’” ensembles – gray dresses from David’s Bridal accessorized with sashes fashioned from the Macy’s ties Tom and his groomsman wore.

Photos by Vita Images

Says Lauren: “One of my favorite things about Tom is how well he understands women.  He grew up with an older sister, his mother, and his grandmother all in the same house, so that’s where he gets it from. And when he chose his wedding party, he knew pretty quickly that he wanted some special ladies on his side of the aisle. Since it was a garden wedding, he knew he didn’t want a tux and so the fabulous grey J. Crew suit took shape early. That meant Paul would be in a grey suit as well, and the groomsladies in grey dresses. But Tom was confident that the groomsladies shouldn’t look like bridesmaids; that’s one reason why they didn’t carry bouquets. He came up with the tie idea as a way for them to look “Groom side, strong side,” as they kept saying, but still feminine.  The tie around the waist worked really well.“

Are you having mixed-gender wedding parties? If so, how are you differentiating their ensembles? Let us know in the comments!

Karli & Alan

September 15

Keswick, Virginia

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Q & A with the Bride:

What was the one thing about your venue that made you know it was the one?

Alan and I really love the beautiful landscapes around Charlottesville, and we really wanted to showcase that for all of our out-of-town friends and family. When we pulled into Castle Hill Cider for the first time, we were in love. The beautiful rolling hills, the open fields, the fresh air – we knew that we could not have a single flower or decoration and it would still be beautiful!

Which three details from your wedding were your favorites?

1. The first would have to be the cookie table; my dad’s family has a tradition (as do many other families from the Pittsburgh area) of serving homemade cookies instead of wedding cake. My sister and my wedding planner, Beverly, coordinated and decorated the table. There were thousands of cookies! I think there were maybe 10 left at the end of the night.

2. The jars of homemade jams and jellies my mom made for guest favors. At the last minute we decided we could kill two birds with one stone by using them for escort cards as well. 

3. The whiskey bar. Alan and his friends consider themselves amateur whiskey connoisseurs, so the whiskey bar was Alan’s pride and joy – he picked out a selection of types and styles, and everyone loved trying all the different options.

Give us the one moment in your wedding day you can’t stop thinking about.

For our father-daughter dance, my Dad surprised me by singing “My Girl” with the band. It was such a sweet, once-in-a-lifetime moment and I was overjoyed. I don’t think there was a single dry eye!

Heather & Bruce

June 15

Virginia Beach, Virginia

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What was the one thing about your venue that made you know it was the one?

The panoramic view of Virginia Beach is beautiful and there isn’t a better place to see the sunset.

Which three details from your wedding were your favorites?

The flowers, the cake, and my bridesmaids’ earrings

Give us the one moment in your wedding day you can’t stop thinking about.

It all seems like a blur to me. I do remember when Trevor, Bruce’s son who’s five, interrupted the wedding ceremony before I said my vows and told me “Heather, don’t be shy” it was so cute and unexpected, it made me laugh.