Southern Weddings

I get a wee bit excited whenever we feature a Virginia wedding, and for good reason!  Erin + Jeff’s wedding at the Grace Episcopal Church in our dear Commonwealth is an effortless throwback to classic Southern elegance.  (Not that I’m biased or anything, but the happy couple may or may not have met at the College of William in Mary in Williamsburg, my beloved hometown for those of you who somehow have missed my obsession with Virginia.)  The bride’s twelve attendants donned elegant champagne-colored gowns from the Jenny Yoo collection.   Easton Events planned the Southern soiree, and Shawn Cossette at Beehive Events brought the bride’s vision of bouquets bursting with local Virginia blooms to life.  Emily’s going to cut me off in short order, so I’ll save some of my other musings for the reception.  Special thanks to VA photographer Patricia Lyons for sharing this perfect June wedding!

How did the two of you meet?  Tell us your story.  Jeff and I met as undergrads at the College of William & Mary.   We took a modern European history class together, and were paired up by the professor for a presentation. The rest is history.
Describe the proposal. Jeff proposed a few days before Christmas in Washington, DC at the National Tree. He pulled me to the middle of the National Mall by the tree and got down on one knee. He surprised me with a beautiful cushion cut diamond he had designed himself. I was so surprised I started crying and people around us started clapped when Jeff and I hugged. A limo then picked us up with champagne, and took us on a tour of DC to see the holiday lights while we called family and friends. We ended the night at a candlelight dinner at Kincaid’s restaurant in the city.
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: One of our favorites was our signature drink during the cocktail reception. We served Lemoncello martinis. Not only were they delicious and yellow (one of our wedding colors), they were a nod to my Italian heritage.
Tell us about finding your wedding dress: My sister was married two years before me, and she insisted I, too, would be a “Vera bride.” I didn’t think she was right, but after a few excursions in Richmond, D.C., and New York, I found my dream dress at the Vera Wang Madison Avenue boutique. My mom and sister were with me, and when I came out of the dressing room all three of us knew it was the one. The two sales clerks started clapping and opened champagne to toast.