Southern Weddings

Today really is a happy Monday!   As a Virginia girl myself, I was beyond ecstatic when our Art Director, Emily, first showed me Sarah + Duncan’s sweetly Southern and perfectly Virginia wedding from Brian Tropiano.  The dramatic arch of birch and maple trees shading the bride and groom as they exchanged their vows at the historic Tuckahoe Plantation made me miss the sprawling estates, wide lawns and friendly drawls of my home state.  Even if you’ve never had the chance to visit our dear Commonwealth, it’s hard not to love how Sarah expertly incorporated the natural beauty of her surroundings in everything from the quilt-covered bales of hay to the wildflower-inspired centerpieces from Rivah Flowers.  Naturally, Sarah was the epitome of Virginia elegance in her classic v-neck Lela Rose gown.  (How sweet is the delicate lace detailing on the bride’s dress?)  Eager to see more of this wedding (and of beautiful Virginia)?  Check out the rest of the pictures here!

How did the two of you meet? Tell us your story. A mutual friend introduced us while we were living in Jackson, Wyoming. Duncan came to a party we were hosting, where I teased him for leaving early in the evening. He walked away thinking I was snide; I thought he was boring. Things changed the next time we hung out and got out on the dance floor together. We quickly realized the other was much more than a typical ski bum!

Describe the proposal: We had been away from each other for six weeks the summer after our first year of grad school. Duncan flew into Virginia (where my parents live) from Costa Rica, and I could just tell something had changed in him. A week later he flew up to visit his parents in New Hampshire and returned to Virginia with his great great Aunt Clara’s ring. After conspiring with my parents, Duncan took me to my favorite lunch spot just down the road from the Tuckahoe Plantation where I grew up riding horses. When we finished lunch, he suggested driving up to Tuckahoe to look around. I thought it seemed weird because it was steaming hot and all I wanted to do was go back to my parents’ house for a dip in the pool. Fortunately, I agreed and Duncan proposed to me in a gorgeous hay field next to the cedar-lined lane at the place that had meant so much to me as a child and where we got married ten months later.
What was the design inspiration for your wedding? What I really wanted was for our design to play second fiddle to the breathtaking natural beauty of the ceremony and reception site, Tuckahoe Plantation. Everything I chose was meant to showcase the gardens, trees and architecture of the site. I also wanted our guests to feel totally relaxed and really be able to feel our unique sense of humor.

Favorite design element of your big day: My favorite element was the clothesline we set up in the garden with pictures of our family and friends from weddings they had been in or attended. It was really fun for people to mosey through the garden looking for people they knew in the pictures while sipping a cold beer between the ceremony and reception.

Tell us about finding your wedding dress: We live in Boulder, Colorado, which is eight and a half hours away from my closest bridesmaid. I was worried I would have to go wedding dress shopping all alone. Thankfully, my mother flew in to save the day. We found my dress at the third boutique we visited, Anna Bé in Denver. I tried on a lot of dresses, but hadn’t found a definite. As I was about to walk out the door, my mom spotted this incredibly unique but classic Lela Rose dress on a mannequin. When I tried it on, I knew it was my dress, but I made myself sleep on it before calling to order it the next day.

Describe your wedding flowers: I wanted all our bouquets to be perfectly springtime and to feel very “loose.” He used blue and purple lisianthus, peach roses and cream tulips for the bridesmaid bouquets. My bouquet was mostly gardenias and amazing variegated greenery that came from Tuckahoe’s gardens. All the bouquets smelled divine!

Describe your wedding cake: We wanted traditional pound cake, chocolate pound cake, carrot cake and red velvet cake, so we served all three!

Were there any special family traditions you included in the wedding? We didn’t include any family traditions, but my brother, who was my attendant of honor (or “man maid,” as he preferred to be called), and Duncan’s sister, who was in Duncan’s wedding party, each read a poem that had been read at both our parents’ weddings. It was so touching.
Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase/verse/line? The vows were so special for us. Not only did we write our own vows, but Duncan’s father, a judge, officiated our ceremony. I loved every single thing Duncan said in his vows. My favorite line of his vows really spoke to how important my family and friends are to me: “I will make

 your family and my family, your friends and my friends, our family and our friends.”

What are you looking forward to in the future? After our wedding, we had to hurry back to Colorado for my summer school. Next summer we’re taking a one-year anniversary/honeymoon trip to the coasts of Turkey and Croatia. I can’t wait!

Congratulations, Sarah + Duncan!  Enjoy your fabulous honeymoon!