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2016 was the year we fell head over heels in love with The Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia. We photographed an editorial for V9 there, had the best time staying on the property for the shoot, and were then touched (but not at all surprised) to learn that they graciously opened their doors to over 700 people when tragic flooding affected the area. It’s a magical place, no doubt, and it made a gorgeous and meaningful destination for Georgia and Charlie’s wedding! The colors and style of the resort are unmatched, so for this sweet pair who drew inspiration “from how we like our lives as a couple: playful, classic, and happy,” it was a perfect fit. Their wedding was chock-full of unique, custom details that paid tribute to their story, their personalities, and even their home. Get ready to be inspired in a big way!

We’re honored that the incredibly talented Eric Kelley and Easton Events shared this day with us for V9!

Right after we got engaged, we realized that The Greenbrier in West Virginia was the natural choice. Both of us grew up going there with our families, and it seemed to be the perfect fit. I have always had preppy, colorful taste, and having the wedding at a resort designed by one of my favorite designers, Dorothy Draper, was beyond ideal.

Tell us about finding your wedding dress. What was your favorite thing about it? Finding my dress was such a fun bridal experience. I was flying to NYC to attend my MOH’s dress fitting (I was also her MOH!), and she surprised me by setting up different appointments for me to look for my dress while there. My best friend from high school lives in NYC, so she got to be there as well!

What was Southern about your wedding? Being from Ohio, not many people know of or have house parties. I went to SMU, so this is something I loved and it was a great way to incorporate all of my close friends.

Our wedding flowers were our absolute favorite! Our heraldry designed for the wedding pictured watercolor blues and greens with accents of lemons and pink peonies. Beehive Events totally understood our wedding aesthetic and blew us away during the mock-up. We loved the way they were natural with greenery, yet tailored, to still allow for a refined preppy vibe. My bouquet was all whites, creams, and subtle greens. It consisted of garden roses, peonies, white veronica, tuberose, and hydrangea with accented apple mint.

How did you prepare for marriage while planning your wedding? We had such a fun time wedding planning and really used it as an excuse to spend more time together! We traveled to Manhattan for our wedding trousseau and wedding day attire, and made our visits to the Greenbrier mini vacations, which made the wedding experience that much more festive.

The Chapel was so special and we loved the brightness it exudes. Since we love greenery, Beehive built a beautiful arch that was so full–it created what felt like a capsule around us during the ceremony, which made the entire experience very memorable. Two of the members of my house party were readers and read Song of Solomon 2:10-13; 8:6-7 and 1 Corinthians 12:31-13.

Were there any family traditions you included in the ceremony? My bouquet was wrapped with my mother and grandmother’s pearls. My grandmother has passed away, so this made my bridal bouquet so special.
Did you try anything new or nontraditional? We chose Bob Marley as our recessional music. We also had a gospel choir outside the chapel to lead guests from the chapel to the cocktail hour while singing “Love On Top” by Beyoncé.

Did you have a cocktail hour? If so, what was it like? Our cocktail hour was on a patio overlooking our tent down below. The cocktail hour featured our signature drinks, jalapeno margaritas and Old Fashioneds. An elaborate French/Italian cheese display served as both an appetizer and a major design element. Other passed appetizers included candied bacon, Jamaican jerk tarts, truffle meatballs, and lobster rolls.

Lemons and ginger jars were heavily used, inspired by some of our favorite decor elements at home. Silk ribbons were incorporated into all of our paper products, which tied everything from the programs to pashminas together.

What was the design inspiration for your wedding? Why was this design special to you as a couple? Watercolor blues were always something we knew we wanted to incorporate. We are a big blue and white couple, so mixing that with luxe, lush greenery was a priority. Our design inspiration came from how we like our lives as a couple: playful, classic, and happy.

What kind of food did you serve at your reception? We had a seated dinner with custom menus that served as place cards for guests, made by Happy Menocal. We had a roasted beet goat cheese ice amuse bouche, avocado crab and shrimp citrus salad, and a duo of surf and turf with filet and lobster tail.

Our cake had a classic feel with greenery, but was displayed on a whimsical swing. We had two flavors: confetti milk cake with streusel crumbles and a chocolate sponge cake with Chambord jam and Guanaja crunch. Part of our late-night food was a build-your-own-s’mores bar to highlight one of our favorite desserts.

Caleb sent along an Instagram video as well as the highlights film.

How did the two of you meet? Tell us your story. We knew each other in high school. I went to the private girls’ school in Bexley and he went to the public high school. We never dated until after college when we both moved back to Columbus, Ohio and reconnected through mutual friends.
Describe the proposal: From Charlie: I told Georgia that we would be going on a trip the day before we left. I told her to pack and that we would be leaving the next morning. It wasn’t until we were at the airport that I told her where we were going: Napa, California. We landed in San Francisco and toured around a little before driving to our hotel. We checked in and then went to a winery, where I had a photographer waiting who captured the entire proposal on camera.
How many guests attended your wedding? 200
Bride’s favorite detail of the wedding: Lemon trees that held the calligraphed escort cards on silk ribbon for the guests to cut off!
Groom’s favorite detail of the wedding: I think the custom Stubbs and Wooten shoes that I wore were a great addition. I was skeptical before I got them, but I think it was a unique detail.
What was the design inspiration for your reception? Southern Weddings Magazine provided such good inspiration throughout the wedding planning process! I also looked to Architecture Digest and interior design to source colors and images for inspiration. Ralph Lauren had such great inspirational images when it came to our white and blue look.
Tell us a bit about your first dance. We chose “Unforgettable” by Nat King Cole. Both of us remember our parents listening to this song when we were growing up.
Did you try anything new or nontraditional? Wanting to focus on the celebration of the reception and to keep the party going, we omitted speeches on the actual day and focused on them the night before at the rehearsal dinner. This way, it really was party time after the ceremony!
Tell us about your grand exit. Freshly shaved dried coconut was wrapped beautifully in tied paper cones for people to toss. We exited the tent and headed straight to the casino for the after-party! The exit was one of our favorite memories.
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you looking forward to in the future? We are looking forward to settling into our new lives together in Columbus. We have great friends and family and are excited to start a family.
What advice would you give to someone currently planning his or her wedding? Wedding planning can be such a great adventure. The wedding is only one day, so we loved treating the whole planning process as events leading up to the big day. Whether it is picking your bridal stationery or going to register, make sure to enjoy it–it doesn’t hurt to wear white every time!

Photographer: Eric Kelley | Videographer: East West Productions | Planner and Designer: Taz Greer of Easton Events | Venue, Catering, and Desserts: The Greenbrier | Florals and Rentals: Beehive Events | Bride’s Gown and Veil: Monique Lhuillier | Bride’s Shoes: Aquazzura | Bride’s Bracelet: Cartier Love Bracelet | Bride’s Earrings: Paloma Picasso by Tiffany and Co. | Bridesmaid Dresses: LR227 in Carolina Blue by Lela Rose | Hair Stylist: Damon Givens | Makeup Artist: Seda Leth | Groom’s Jacket: Ralph Lauren Purple Label | Groom’s Shoes: Stubbs and Wooten | Groomsmen Tuxedos: The Black Tux | Paper Goods: Happy Menocal and Rock Paper Scissors | Linens: La Tavola Linen | Favors: A Signature Welcome | Tenting and Lighting: Skyline Tent Company

lisa Written with love by Lisa
2 Comments
  1. avatar Emma reply

    Those paper goods are speaking to my soul =D Also, I love the idea of shaved coconut! Biodegradable, confetti-like, and fragrant to boot! What a creative concept.

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We often talk about the mission of Southern Weddings, and how we want to inspire couples to celebrate their families, the culture of the South, and what matters most to them. Y’all, nothing makes us happier than when we see couples do just that! Jen and Schuyler’s wedding had us seriously swooning when we featured it in V7. By incorporating Jen’s heritage into artwork in front of their escort table, and celebrating their big day in Virginia wine country–a place Jen and Schuyler both love–their wedding is such a lovely example of how details can be as meaningful as they are beautiful.

Thanks to Abby Jiu for sharing this sweet day with us!

I wanted the bridesmaid gifts to be really special, so I put together a bag of personalized gifts, such as monogrammed compacts with the quote “The best mirror is an old friend” engraved on the back, and ring holders with each lady’s name and an imprint of a gray dress imprinted on them. For our welcome bags, we had Antiquaria (the same company that did our invitations and day-of stationery) create a custom stamp for us, which we used to stamp the gift bags with our personal touch. We included snacks and a Virginia wine map. My favorite snack was chocolates from Cocoa Vienna, which are the best chocolates we have ever had. Some of the flavors included red velvet cake truffles and pumpkin truffles.

Tell us about finding your wedding dress. I have always known that I wanted some element of color for my wedding dress, but I was never sure what that element of color would be. I was being terribly picky and running out of time. Finally, at the last minute on a Friday, I scheduled an appointment at Hitched Salon in Georgetown for the next day. That weekend, Austin Scarlett was bringing in his creations straight off the runway for a trunk show. After trying on a few dresses in the store, the Camellia gown by Austin caught my eye and I asked my consultant if I could try it on. Once I put it on, it was so amazing. It was elegant and classic and so incredibly light, it was like walking on a cloud. Austin Scarlett was there with his business partner, Allison, and they were just the sweetest (it was really neat to have the designer there and to be able to talk with him and ask him questions about the dress!). On a whim, I asked Austin if it would be possible to recreate the dress in blush, and he said of course! When I finally got my dress, the blush tulle was just so stunning and subtle. The dress was really perfect, because it was exactly what I wanted and I was truly able to make the dress my own–no one else has a dress exactly like it!

When we were choosing a place to get married, the obvious choice was Charlottesville. It is a special place to both of us and has the most stunning views and scenery. We love great wine, and Veritas had some of our favorites from the region. They did an amazing job on the day of our wedding, and we couldn’t have been happier with our choice.

Describe your bridesmaids’ dresses. I wanted to give the bridesmaids a chance to show their own styles, and I didn’t want a “matchy-matchy” wedding party, so I gave the bridesmaids guidelines on the dress (gray and long, a pattern would be okay), and sent them some examples. Some of the ladies rented their dresses from Rent the Runway and some bought their dresses, and in the end, everyone looked amazing. I loved seeing the spectrum of unique gray dresses and how cohesive everything looked together.

We know that the bridal party typically stands with the bride and groom during the wedding ceremony. Although we thought that was great (it is so comforting to have your best friends and family standing with you), we also wanted the ceremony to be very intimate between us, with no distractions. Therefore, we decided to have our wedding party sit during the ceremony so that it would just be the two of us standing.

What was the design inspiration for your wedding? Why was this design special to you as a couple? Early in the planning process, we were drawn to subtle, beautiful colors, like blush, whites, and greens. We loved the French toile print we chose for our cocktail tables, and that quickly became an inspiration for our black tie vineyard wedding. We were drawn to the natural and timeless look of the toile, and loved how the European formality of the print elevated our more casual venue. Throughout the planning process, the subtle, soft blush color of my dress also remained a constant source of inspiration, which led to a feminine color palette accented with gold for the evening. Being inspired by the French toile print naturally led the design to subtle Parisian accents, like bistro lights, gauzy organza runners, filigree votives, and romantic floral décor.

What kind of food did you serve? Our menu included butternut squash soup with apple chutney, roasted sirloin steak with horseradish mashed potato, citrus shrimp, seared red snapper with roasted eggplant, cabbage ragout with sun-dried tomato vinaigrette, and truffle risotto with ratatouille and red wine reduction with fried leeks.

One of the most unique parts of our wedding was the painter who painted our wedding, Dan Nelson. As our wedding gift, Schuyler’s aunt brought him in to paint our ceremony. He not only painted the scene of our ceremony, but he also stayed throughout the entire reception to finish the painting as part of the evening’s entertainment. All our guests loved it and couldn’t stop talking about it after the wedding–he was so fun to watch! The final oil painting turned out so beautifully and is now hanging in our home. It is such a perfect reminder of our wedding day, and we love seeing it every day.

What was the funniest moment? I fell off the chair during the Hora!

How did the two of you meet? Tell us your story. We first met when we were 15 years old at a summer camp. We knew each other, but were not really friends, and did not keep in touch after the summer ended. By chance, we both ended up going to UVA for college, and ran into each other during my fourth year (his third year) at the gym. We recognized each other and chatted for a bit. We did not start dating, however, until a few years later, after we had both graduated. Even after that, we were long distance for awhile (due to grad schools, jobs, etc.), but were finally able to settle down in the same city.
Tell us all the basics of your wedding! We chose a date in late fall (October 26, 2013) because we knew the changing colors of the leaves would make for beautiful photos. We love Virginia wine country and wanted to invite our guests to a venue that was fun and special for us.
Three adjectives that describe the day are: Refined, personal, and classic
How many guests attended your wedding? 131
What did the groom and groomsmen wear? Schuyler wore a custom English-tailored tuxedo with his grandfather’s gold cuff links. The groomsmen wore tuxedos of their own choosing, paired with gifts from the groom: mix-and-match gray silk pocket squares and cuff links.
What was your favorite detail from your wedding? I wanted to incorporate something from my heritage, but I wasn’t sure how to go about doing it. I proposed the traditional paper cut-out double-happiness characters to Kate (our planner), and wanted to know if there was an elegant way to incorporate it somewhere. Kate suggested that we create artwork for in front of the escort card table. I thought it was a wonderful plan, so we had Nikki, our calligrapher (an amazing artist) design the paper cut-out of the Chinese characters, as well as the other elements of the display. We framed them in mirrored frames, and our florist and decor vendor, Beehive Events, provided the draping to hang the artwork on. It was a great personal touch, and now we get to hang the artwork in our home!

Photographer: Abby Jiu / Videographer: Underground Short Films / Planning and Design: Kate Harlan of Simply Chic Events / Venue and Catering: Veritas Winery and Vineyard / Florist: Beehive Events / Cake Baker: Anita Gupta of Maliha Creations / Bride’s Gown: “Camellia” by Austin Scarlett / Bridal Salon: Hitched / Bride’s Shoes: Lola Cruz / Bridesmaid Dresses: Robert Rodriguez, BCBG MAXAZRIA, Liz Fields, and David’s Bridal / Hair and Makeup: Joy Pfister of Faces by Joy / Paper Goods: Antiquaria / Rentals: Beehive Events and Festive Fare / Transportation: Ambassador Limo / Live Painting Artist: Daniel Nelson

marissa Written with love by Marissa
4 Comments
  1. avatar Occasions In Print reply

    Wow! So pretty! I just love the bridesmaid dresses!

  2. avatar Kelly reply

    This is where I’m having my wedding in just 4 months!! Looks absolutely beautiful!!

  3. avatar Caitlin reply

    I adore the ring holders that the bride customized for her maids. Any idea on where they are from?

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If there’s one thing I’ve learned while choosing details for my own wedding, it’s that when in doubt, I should stick to the classics. There’s a reason things like lace wedding gowns, white tiered cakes, and “Just Married” getaway car signs never go out of style–they have already stood the test of time. I would’t be surprised if Shannon and Andrew heeded this advice as they planned their Maryland wedding, with the help of our Blue Ribbon Vendor, A. Dominick Events, and as a result, I imagine they’ll still love everything about their special day when they’re showing these pictures to their future grandchildren!

Thank you so much to Jodi Miller (another beloved BRV!) for sharing Shannon and Andrew’s wedding with us!

I was supposed to meet Andrew in San Francisco for Valentine’s Day weekend, but was snowed in and all the flights were canceled. My mom and I decided last minute to look at some wedding dresses instead. There was a Romona Keveza trunk show going on at the Nordstrom Bridal Boutique in Tyson’s Corner. My mom begged me to “humor her” and try on a dress which seemed too old fashioned for my taste on the hanger. However, when I tried it on, I immediately fell in love. I went back three times that weekend to try the dress on again. It was such a silver lining to the canceled California trip!

Describe your wedding flowers. I carried a beautiful, naturally shaped bouquet that was slightly untamed. It included café au lait dahlias, David Austin garden roses, Queen Anne’s lace, fresh herbs, and white passion flower vine. The slightly wilder bouquet complemented my very traditional wedding dress. Shawn and her team at Beehive Events hit it out of the park!

Did you decide to do a first look? Why or why not? No, we wanted to keep it traditional. The groom seeing his bride for the first time walking down the aisle is always one of my favorite moments of a wedding.
What made you choose your ceremony and reception venues? Did they have any special significance to you? We were married at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, a church that has special significance to both of our families. Andrew’s mother’s family and my father’s family both attended the church growing up.

After the priest announced us as husband and wife, we stood on the altar facing the crowd for a few moments before we processed out of the church. We just took it all in–the incredible commitment of marriage we had just made, and the outpour of applause and cheers from family and friends. There was so much love and joy in that church, and I will never forget that moment.

What is the one detail or vendor that you were so happy to have as a part of your wedding? A. Dominick and her team went above and beyond to execute our vision. They were organized, thorough, experienced, and so much fun to work with. They were great advisors, never making decisions for us, but rather, helping us to make the decisions. They kept us on schedule throughout the planning process and left no stone unturned. On the day of the wedding, I was so relaxed. Aimee and her team made our wedding more special than I could have ever imagined.

Kendall’s Cakes created a beautiful “cake bar” for us with an assortment of small white cakes, half filled with white chocolate raspberry cake, the other half with key lime cake. Each one was decorated simply with white frosting. One was designed to look like the buttons and bow on the back of my wedding dress. They stood on vintage crystal cake stands I had borrowed from family members. It was a stunning (and delicious) display!

Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. Our first dance was to Ray LaMontagne’s “You Are the Best Thing.” It has a good pace (not too slow, not too fast), was soulful, and the lyrics really spoke to our relationship. The dancing at our wedding was so much fun that my dad (who is otherwise very frugal) paid the band to keep playing!

Our favorite detail of the wedding was: Pleasant Pops, one of our favorite local food trucks, brought a push cart outside the dance floor. We had four different flavors of popsicles, including Andrew’s favorite, New Orleans Iced Coffee. It was a great way to cool down after all that dancing!

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. We met through mutual friends at a bar the night before Thanksgiving in 2010. Although we had grown up in the same area and had known of each other, we had never officially met. There was an immediate connection. That first night, we talked for hours about everything from education to family. We saw each other one more time that weekend and exchanged phone numbers, but did not know when we would see each other again, since I was living in New York City at the time. Shortly thereafter, Andrew called me to tell me he was going to be visiting a friend in NYC and asked me to dinner. We went on our first dinner date at a little italian restaurant in Nolita. We had such a great time, we met for brunch the next day and had dinner that night as well. We joke that we had our first, second, and third dates all within 24 hours! For the next few months, we kept Amtrak in business traveling between NYC and DC to see one another.
Tell us all about the proposal! Andrew planned a dinner date under the guise of celebrating “the beginning of the school year.” I had just spent the week setting up my classroom, attending teacher development, and finalizing my first week of school plans. I was exhausted, but thrilled to have an easy, early dinner with Andrew to look forward to. We went to one of my favorite restaurants in D.C., The Blue Duck Tavern. For reasons unclear to me at the time, he had made the reservation at 5 p.m., so I was sure to give him a hard time about such an early dinner. After the meal, we took a sunset walk by the Potomac River and ended up at the Kennedy Center. We walked to the terrace, which has a gorgeous view of the monuments. Somehow, we were the only people there, which is a rarity in Washington. That is when he proposed. It was an incredible moment! He was so nervous that he put the ring on the wrong hand, which was a great moment of levity. Then, we went to his cousin’s restaurant, Beuchert’s Saloon, where all of our family had been waiting. It was such a wonderful night!
When did y’all get married? July 19, 2014
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 250
What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? We had dinner stations instead of a sit-down meal, and one of the stations was called “Southern Comfort.” It included mini pulled pork sandwiches, macaroni and cheese, shrimp and grits, fried green tomatoes, and watermelon salad.
How did you plan for your marriage while planning your wedding? We went to a series of marriage preparation classes through our church with a few other engaged couples. We talked about everything from finances to family. It was incredibly helpful.
What was one way you saved money or cut costs at your wedding? My aunt made bouquets of baby’s breath for the flower girls. We had lots of little girls in the wedding, and knew spending money on fancy bouquets for them would not be worth it. My sister-in-law also made the ribbon wands that were used for our send-off as we exited the church.
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you most looking forward to about married life? Andrew was offered a job in San Francisco, so we are looking forward to starting an adventure together on the West Coast. While we are sad to leave our family and friends in D.C., it will be a great opportunity for us to explore another part of the country and grow even stronger as a couple.

Photographer: Jodi Miller / Videographer: Blue Sky Films / Planner: Aimee Dominick / Ceremony Venue: Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church / Reception Venue and Caterer: Columbia Country Club / Florist: Beehive Events / Cake Baker: Kendall’s Cakes / Lighting: John Farr Lighting / Band: The Source / Popsicles: Pleasant Pops / Bride’s Gown: Romona Keveza / Bride’s Veil: Nina / Bride’s Earrings: Nadri / Bride’s Vintage Brooch: Glynn Goldsborough Antiques / Hair Stylist: Bridal Hair by Remona / Makeup Artist: Lori Nansi of Le Mariee Makeup / Bride’s Shoes: Manolo Blahnik / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Monique Lhuillier / Groom’s Attire: Hugo Boss

Jodi Miller and A. Dominick Events are delightful members of our Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory!

lisa Written with love by Lisa
2 Comments
  1. avatar Robyn Van Dyke reply

    I’m in LOVE with the bride’s dress! And Jodi Miller’s work is stunning as always. :)

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