Oh, The Places We Will Go

As our season began to come to a close we were treated by Mother Nature with those beautifully iconic “fall” colors. The leaves changed a bit later this year and last but, nonetheless, were certainly well worth the wait! Meagan & Jason lucked out with these lovely leaves as they were married here on Saturday, October 29th.

Like the leaves and as is true with all good things, they are worth the wait. Meagan and Jason’s relationship has already endured over a decade of time together and they are bound to continue forth with many, many more! This couple loved traveling. We were able to see just how much their love for traveling extended when we saw how they incorporated it as a part of their wedding.

To show guests to their seats, they had a map of the world which highlighted all of the places they have been together. Little airplanes stamped the globe and helped put into perspective exactly how many areas they’ve conquered together (and also how many more they have left to go!) It was a fun and interactive way for guests to not only find their seats but also to get another little glimpse into the lives of Meagan and Jason.

The map may have helped guests find their seats, but they didn’t need any assistance with finding the dance floor after dinner! With the help of Derek Tobler, they kept the floor full and they partied well into the night.

So, what’s the next stop for our globe trotters? Well their honeymoon, of course. Safe travels and congratulations to Meagan and Jason!

Wedding planner, Two Byrds Events and Design. Catering, The Local. Photographer, Connection Photography. Rentals, MS Events. Hair & Makeup, The Spot Beauty Shop. Florist, Whimsical Floral. DJ, Derek Tobler. Musician, Mike D’Antoni. Dessert, Sweethaus. Transportation, A&A Limousine. Lighting, Skyline Tent Company. Officiant, Rev. Rick Hudock. 

Oct 29, 2016 at 1:19 AM Permalink

Happy-ly ever After

When Nathan and Callie came to visit Keswick Vineyards for the first time there was nothing but pure joy sweeping across their faces. They had big beaming smiles and hearts in their eyes all through their initial tour. It became apparent, very quickly, that they were walking the grounds of their dream wedding venue.

Callie and Nathan’s happiness was contagious. In fact, little did we know, the groom’s nickname was actually Happy! After finding that out it just all made sense and on Sunday, October 23rd Callie and Happy were married.

Their wedding gave off an upscale and elegant vibe all the while being relaxed and cozy. The bridesmaids dresses were in a beautiful rich shade of red which really popped with the greenery around the vineyard. When you go with the color red for a dress you’re making a statement. The girls did just that as they walked down the ceremony aisle. They were the perfect “opening act” for beautiful Callie as she made her debut down (what very well could have been) her red carpet! Happy’s face when she hit the top of the aisle was precious. It’s sure to be a moment the two of them will cherish for the rest of their lives.

After a sentimental and wonderful ceremony, guests headed to cocktail hour while the couple snuck away for photos. Surrounding our big oak tree were cozy pockets of lounge furniture for guests to enjoy as they sipped their wine and cocktails and grabbed bites to eat from Goodrich Gourmet. Having lounge furniture during cocktail hour and reception is a great way to create more comfortable chatting environments for guests. They feel as if they’re right at home and are really able to relax. Having incredible 360 views is just an added bonus! 

Mingling and chatting are naturally a part of every wedding. Families and friends come from all corners of the world in order to celebrate the love. It’s always great to reconnect with people in your lives…but talking can only get you so far. Eventually, you’re going to have to let loose and hit the dance floor! The “Love Train” is what brought this group together! They had a massive conga line going which was definitely one of the highlights of the evening!

To our forever smiling and full of life newlyweds, we wish you nothing but a very Happy-ly….ever after!

Wedding planner, Real Southern Accents. Caterer, Goodrich Gourmet Catering. Photography, Mike Topham Photography. Florist, Floral Images. DJ, Andy Wilfong. Desserts, Albemarle Baking Company. Hair & Makeup, Transformations Artistry. Lighting, Skyline Tent Company. Officiant, John Jacobs. Rentals, Real Southern Accents and Classic Party Rentals. 

Oct 23, 2016 at 6:58 PM Permalink

The Perfect Pick

'Tis the season for all things festively fall! Emily and Bryan were married on Saturday, October 22nd on a perfect fall day. Fall in Virginia is such a classically beautiful time of year. The air gets to be comfortably colder, the leaves begin to change colors, and weddings for us continue to be well underway!

Emily and Bryan were the perfect pick for one another. They’ve been together for over seven years and we loved celebrating their love and enjoyed how they highlighted fall in their décor. Pumpkins became a theme here, the perfect pick for their October wedding!

Welcoming guests as they arrived at Keswick Vineyards, the couple had hand-painted white pumpkins to dress up their guestbook and gift table. More were placed in other focal areas of their cocktail hour and reception as well so that guests could continue to relish in the great fall feelings. Mini pumpkins garnished the beautiful cheese display by Roadside Chive Catering and towards the end of the night guests picked up their spiced popcorn favors in the gazebo and were “thanked” via pumpkins!

Their 4:30 PM ceremony allowed for them plenty of time to enjoy a wonderful night full of dinner and dancing. This was a big dancing crowd. One of the first comments I remember this couple making is “we’re going to need a bigger dance floor”. So what did they do? Expanded it! The made our ample dance floor even bigger so that they all had plenty of room to shake their tail feathers. After dinner, the dance floor was full all night with the help of DJ Greg Tutwiler and guests worked up an appetite. Time for dessert.

Like every good wedding should, they wanted to make sure their guests had their choice of treats! Cupcakes and cookies surrounded their wedding cake and were beautifully displayed. They had cupcakes flavored in everything from apple pie to Reese’s. The options were endless! Guests hit the dessert bar and some even headed straight back to the dance floor….cupcakes in hand.

Congratulations to Emily and Bryan. We hope you all continue to enjoy the sweet life! 

Day of coordinator, Ashley Kovach. Caterer, Roadside Chive Catering. Rentals, Beggars Banquet Rentals & Real Southern Accents. Photography, Once Like a Spark. Videographer, Delta Studio Productions. Musician, Virginia Schweninger. DJ, Greg Tutwiler. Desserts, Passionflower Cakes. Florist, Petal Flower Company. Hair and Makeup, Three Bowls of Color. Officiant, JT. Lighting, Skyline Tent Company.

Oct 22, 2016 at 12:59 PM Permalink

It Was Right From the Start!

It all started with a great couple. The great couple had a keen eye for architect with the bride being an Interior Designer and were swept away with Keswick Vineyard’s impressively designed aesthetics. From there, they hired a great wedding planner and entrusted their faith in both their beloved venue and their seasoned wedding planner. With that combination, they were off to a great start!

Jennifer and Brian set their date for Friday, October 21st. They traveled all the way from Boston to celebrate with their friends and family and upon first setting foot on the grounds everyone mutually agreed that the trip was well worth it. As if the scenery wasn’t already enough, Jennifer and Brian decided to add to the naturally beautiful surroundings with their florals and décor.

Their ceremony chairs were dressed with glass jars filled with Dusty Miller and succulents, their cake was topped with pale pink roses, and clusters of lush greenery were suspended over the dance floor. It was all picture perfect!

During cocktail hour they had a special treat. UVA’s own Virginia Gentlemen (a well-known a cappella group) performed a series of songs for guests. Personally being an incredibly huge fan of all things musicals and a cappella this was an absolute joy to watch! It was apparent that the guests felt the same. They circled around them all while they were singing and were in awe of their voices and how unique it was to have them perform at the wedding.

Once the Virginia Gentlemen finished their last song it was time to head to reception. The layout of the tent was one thing we really enjoyed and hope to see more of. Traditionally, head tables are in the center of the room at the top of the dance floor. With the help of their wedding planner, Adam, Jennifer and Brian decided to mix things up a bit and add a new twist. The couple sat front and center at their own sweetheart table while the head table was seated at a long stretch of farm tables down the center of the tent. How clever! It was great to have them as more of a central focus without hiding the bride and groom in the mix.

A big congratulations to our newlyweds who are by now well off and enjoying their honeymoon!

Wedding planner, Donovan-Groves Events. Catering, Harvest Moon Catering. Photographer, Aaron Watson Photography. Rentals, MS Events. Florist, Southern Blooms. Hair & Makeup, Carolyn Thombs Makeup Artistry & Consulting. Desserts, Cakes by Rachel. Officiant, Claire Frances. DJ, JG Entertainment. Musicians, The Virginia Gentlemen. Transportation, Quicks and Camryn Limousine. Lighting, Skyline Tent Company.

Oct 21, 2016 at 10:50 AM Permalink

Roses are Red

It’s a well-known notion that most little girls grow up fantasizing about their wedding day. During the fantasizing there are several questions that run through their minds---what dress will I wear? What castle will I get married at? What prince charming will I marry?

Our bride, Andra, didn’t have any of those thoughts running through her head. She never was the type to day dream about her wedding day, but rather she spent her time riding horses on a farm. Though for as little day dreaming she did as a child she knew for certain one thing would 100% be a part of her wedding. Roses!

Red roses were her one non-negotiable when it came to Andra and Colt’s wedding on Sunday, October 16th. They wanted them everywhere. Throughout the planning process it became very apparent that having them at their ceremony was one of the single most important details of their wedding. The bride wanted a rose petal aisle…and boy did she get one!

They chose to get married underneath of Keswick Vineyard’s beautifully aged Oak tree. This ceremony location is perfect for intimate groups and brings a very garden like feel to any wedding. The setting of the tree was perfect for Andra and Colt and helped to beautifully showcase their rose petal aisle.

Along with horses, animals in general are a huge part of the couple’s life. They have a few horses and a lot of dogs (five to be specific). Originally, the plan was to have all five dogs walk down the aisle with each of her bridesmaids. After a little thought they decided that just one was enough, and Andra walked down the aisle with both her father and her boxer, Duke!

To capture these moments we had photographer Rob Garland on site. To set the tone of the night we had his brother, John Garland DJ’ing the party! We loved having the Garland brothers working together at Keswick Vineyards. It turns out the two have been family friends of Andra’s while growing up so it was only natural to have them be a part of her wedding day. It was made even more of a family affair by having the Garland’s parents also in attendance that day.

But what’s a party without great food? HotCakes outdid themselves with one of their signature fall treats. Their mini pumpkin muffin ham biscuits were a huge crowd pleaser during cocktail hour and made guests anxious and eager to hit the buffet line later. The night continued on and towards the end, seasonal pies were served with hot coffee and the newlyweds and their guests left happy and well fed!

Congratulations to Andra and Colt!

Day of coordinator, Keswick Vineyards. Photography, Rob Garland Photography. Catering & Desserts, HotCakes. Rentals, MS Events. DJ, John Garland. Hair & Makeup, Sona Med Spa. Florist, Foxtail Cottage Floral. Lighting, Skyline Tent Company. Officiant, Peter Silberblatt. 

Oct 16, 2016 at 11:32 AM Permalink

Nothing Like a Mother's Touch

On Saturday, October 15th Kenny and Molly were married! Much anticipation led up to their big day and the couple and their families both came from afar to share and celebrate with them. Many months of planning went into developing the perfect plan for Kenny and Molly’s big day. In the end, it was well worth it!

Molly’s mother did the heavy lifting of the planning. Her and her husband wanted to make sure that their daughter’s wedding not only went off without a hitch but also was one that she would be proud to remember fondly for the rest of her life. Of course, every wedding at Keswick Vineyards is remembered fondly, but Molly’s mother went above and beyond to add personal touches throughout the evening that were tailored specifically for the bride and groom.

Molly loved sunflowers. It was one of the very first things I learned about her when we first met. Naturally, sunflowers became a beautiful addition to her wedding florals and were also beautifully mixed in with other flowers in her bouquet. The bright yellow provided the perfect pop to her rich navy and sage color palate.

The navy and sage worked wonderfully together on their dining tables. Navy linens were the base for guest tables with navy lace slips over ivory napkins. (A beautiful touch). At each place setting guests had several items that all served a purpose throughout the evening. The first was their name cards, which were handmade wine cork name card holders which indicated what meal they chose for dinner service. The second was a scratch off ticket that put them in the pool for winning a prize to take home with them at the end of the night! What was that prize? Keswick Vineyard’s forever famous Viognier Reserve! The last of the items placed in front of each guest was a charity donation announcement which let them know that in lieu of favors a donation has been made in their honor.

Just like Molly’s parents, Kenny’s parents wanted to make sure that they had their hand in making their son’s wedding memorable as well! If there was anything you should know about this couple, it was that they loved pie. Pie became a big focal point for their wedding. They even replaced their wedding cake with a heart shaped wedding pie! They had their big cutting pie and miniatures for their guests to enjoy with mini Ben & Jerry’s ice creams. There was something for everyone! To attract guests towards this area (though the smell naturally did the trick) Kenny’s dad handmade a “PIE” marque sign. It was well crafted and perfect for their display!

I think it’s safe to say that they will forever very fondly remember their wedding day and all of its pie eating bliss!

Day of coordinator, Keswick Vineyards. Catering, C&O Catering. Photography, Ruby Sky Photography. Rentals, MS Events. Florist, The Faded Poppy. Desserts, Paradox Pastry and Ben & Jerry’s. Hair and Makeup, Charlottesville Makeup Artist. DJ, Dennis Payne. Musician, Terra Voce. Nanny, Local Nanny Network. Transportation, A Goff Limousine and Albemarle Limousine. Lighting, Skyline Tent Company. Officiant, Reverend Rick Hudock.

Oct 15, 2016 at 9:06 AM Permalink

Meet the McCarthys!

Over ten years ago, back in my hometown of Herndon, VA I met the bride. Her name is Tean. Tean was friends with my older sister and I was friends with her younger brother. We all went to high school together and have years worth of memories. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that a decade later we’d all reconnect at the beautiful Keswick Vineyards where I’d then be helping her plan her wedding to the love of her life, Kevin!

Kevin and Tean were married on Friday, October 14th. With our close ties to one another they, of course, hired us to be their day of coordinators! Just as all of our couples know, they knew that we’d take care of them and help make their wedding dreams a reality.

Tean and Kevin have been together for 8 incredible years. During those eight years they’ve had time to make memories and develop a deep and forever bond. As part of their marriage ceremony they wanted a way to symbolize just that, their deep and forever bond. They decided that the perfect way to do so would be to incorporate a wine box ceremony into their wedding day.

During wine box ceremonies, each couple is tasked with hand-writing a letter to one another.  After exchanging their vows to one another, the couples seal away their letters into a box that contains one bottle of wine. You are to open that bottle of wine on your 1st, 5th or 10th anniversary and enjoy the wine while reading those letters.  But, if before that, you hit a rough patch in your marriage, you are to open that box, have some wine and read those letters to remind each other why you fell in love with each other. Reading the words that were written for you by the love of your life on your wedding day will get you through that hump and bring you back to one of the happiest days of your life.

You’ll then remember what is the most important. Each other. You’ll forget the silly little argument you two had and remember the reason why you vowed “for better or for worse”.

Tean and Kevin, we are so fortunate to have been able to share that day with you both. Best of luck to you both, many happy years, and (hopefully) decades until you feel the urge to crack open that sealed box of wine!

Day of coordinator, Keswick Vineyards. Caterer, Harvest Moon Catering. Photography, Jessica Smith Photography. Officiant, Claire Goodman with Sacred Ground Ceremonies. DJ, Chris Rice with Music Makes You Happy Entertainment. Lighting, Skyline Tent Company. Hair & Makeup, Ashley & Leah. Florist, Hedge Fine Blooms. Desserts, Ashley Soloman.

All photos included in this blog were taken by the owner of Keswick Vineyards, Cindy Schornberg. To see the wedding photographer's photos click the button below.

Jessica Smith Photography Photos

Oct 14, 2016 at 12:00 AM Permalink

Hurricane Matthew

Anyone who turned on the news knew that Hurricane Matthew was approaching. For all of Charlottesville, wedding professionals were also playing storm watchers in anticipation of their weekend’s weddings. In preparation for our upcoming wedding on Saturday, October 8th, that is exactly what Keswick Vineyards was doing!

Despite the pending hurricane, you could not keep the smiles from Kari and Harrison's faces. This storm definitely did not damper their moods. They relished in the fact that they were finally getting married (after having booked with us over two years ago!) They had the right attitude and that is what's most important!

With the misty and unpredictable weather forecast, the couple decided to make the best of what they had to work with and divided the tent. In doing so, they created a warm and intimate environment on what could've been a very dreary day. Half of the tent was sectioned off for the ceremony. They were able to have full church style seating on one half of our Sperry tent with their guests facing towards the vineyard. How beautiful! The other half of the tent was designated for formal dinner seating. Dividing the tent in the way they did brought a cozy element to their wedding that I'm sure guests weren't expecting on such a temperamental weather weekend. Let's just say they proved them wrong! Their layout and perfectly fall decor definitely kept the chill away from the storm.

After the weather cleared, Kari and Harrison were able to go out into the vineyard and capture beautiful photos! Storms don't stay around long here with the mountain helping to break up those less than favorable weather patterns. With the weather cooperating so much, even one of our vineyard cats Indy decided to join the couple and their wedding party for some photo fun! The couple remembered one of our other vineyard cats, Scraps, from back when they first toured the property. Seeing Indy during their photos was a nice surprise to these cat lovers! They loved having both Indy and Scraps present on their wedding day.

The moral of the story is this...with the right attitude greatness is achieved! Congratulations again to Kari and Harrison!

Catering, Roadside Chive Catering. Photography, William Walker Photography. Videographer, Hoopla Media Studios. Rentals, MS Events. Florist, Whimsical Floral Design. Hair & Makeup, Avenue 42 Salon. DJ, Andy Wilfong. Desserts, Favorite Cakes. Lighting, Skyline Tent Company. Officiant, Robb Jacobson. Transportation, A Goff Limousine & Bus Company.

Oct 8, 2016 at 8:00 AM Permalink

Let's Get This Party Started!

This wedding weekend we started off with the marriage of Liz and Scott on Friday, October 7th.  Often times with our couples, Friday weddings can seem tough and not feasible with family and friends traveling from all corners of the world.   In retrospect, it can be quite the opposite!  One of the best part about getting married on a Friday is that you and your guests have the rest of the entire weekend to enjoy the surrounding beauty of Charlottesville.  There are so many iconic sights and scenes to explore that your guests will thank you for it in the end.

Liz and Scott’s Friday wedding at Keswick Vineyards brought along quite the crowd. They had an impressive guest count of 150, which shows that no matter what day of the week you land at a beautiful location the ones you love will attend!

As with all marriages, you can’t go on without a little support. For their ceremony the couple asked their guests to join them in a prayer circle. The prayer circle was asking their guests to pray together for the happiness and success of their marriage. It was the perfect way for them to soak in the reason why they were together that day and to have them enter married life with the strength and support of their loved ones backing them up.

After that…it was party time! During cocktail hour they had one of their friends sing and play guitar. We all really enjoyed the energy and life he brought to that hour! We can’t wait to have him come back to the vineyard again. He sent guests off to the reception with the ever-famous “Hey Jude” and then it was time to eat!

Once their bellies were full of good food and great wine, the party really started. Liz and Scott hit the dance floor with gigantic cut outs of their faces encouraging guests to follow them. They were a gift from the best man and everyone took turns using them as props on the dance floor. They were definitely a dancing crowd and the dance floor stayed full all night!

Some dessert and a sparkler send off later and that’s a wrap! Congratulations to you both! You hosted a great wedding worthy of remembering!

Day of Coordinator, Olivia Nguyen. Catering, Hanks Smokehouse. Photography, Christian Agha Photo. Florist, Amy Watson. Rentals, MS Events. Lighting, Skyline Tent Company. Hair & Makeup, First Look Artistry. Musician, Bennett Wales. DJ, Black Tie Entertainment. Transportation, City of Charlottesville and Camryn Limousine. Officiant, Sharon Erb.

Oct 7, 2016 at 8:02 AM Permalink

Hillary & Peter

"A parade without a march leader is a mob; an orchestra without a director is noise and a circus without a ring leader is random chaos!" These words came from one of the many amazing vendors who helped to make Peter and Hillary's wedding day one of the best we've had this season.  For this wedding, Meghan Streit  was all of the above. She was the leader, the director, and the ring leader who beautifully crafted and coordinated one heck of a shindig!

On Saturday, October 1st all of the hard work, planning, and coordination that took place for the past year for Hillary and Peter went live. All of details that had been schemed, hammered out, and conceptualized were brought to life and together they helped to make this day one of the absolute best days in Hillary and Peter's lives.

It's hard to even know where to begin when you have so many glorious and gorgeous details. For simplicity, I say we start from the beginning! Meghan and her team got to work early with help from The Catering Outfit and set up a brunch buffet for the girls in the bridal suite. The spread was complete with Keswick Vineyard's newest sparkling wine as the perfect pop to start them off and an arrangement of fresh juices, fruits, and cheeses to send these bridesmaids into hair and makeup bliss. The guys weren't forgotten either. Hillary wanted to make sure that her guy and his guys had the perfect day as well. She planned a beer tasting for them in our man’s cave, which included beer and snack pairings of some of Peter's favorite beers. The guys loved the surprise and relished in both the beer and the snacks!

After a relaxing morning and early afternoon of pre-wedding fun, the couple was ready for their ceremony. They incorporated a wine blending into their ceremony, which is always a vineyard wedding favorite. Hillary and Peter shared their “I do’s” and then sent their guests off to enjoy cocktails and appetizers around Keswick’s big oak tree. It was important to them that they kept their guests happy and entertained while they snuck off to take photos, so they made a little scavenger hunt out of their guest’s table assignments! Each guest had their own copper Moscow Mule mug (their signature cocktail) with their names tied in ribbon and suspended from the trees. In order to find out what table they were at for the reception they had to go on a hunt to find the mug with their name on it. Guests loved it!

As if the moments leading up to the reception weren’t enough, even more attention was put into the reception. Take a look for yourself! There was not a corner of the tent left untouched when it came to designing the most picture perfect reception for Hillary and Peter. Everything from the farm tables to the florals were nothing short of breathtaking. Focus on the florals. Take a look, and then look some more. Southern Blooms went wildly above expectations and arranged some of the most beautiful florals we have ever seen! One of the focal pieces for their floral design was suspended above the head table. An old wooden ladder was decorated and adorned with stunning rich fall florals and stretched almost the entire length of their head table. Personally, I had never seen anything quite like it before but I certainly hope this won’t be the last time something that majestic makes its way underneath of our Sperry tent!

With the energy and the ambiance just right, we were all well off to a great start! The night continued with dinner, dancing, and late night donuts. (You can’t go wrong with donuts!)

For us, this was an incredible wedding for many reasons. It was amazing to watch the transformation and progression throughout the day, but it was even more rewarding to see the reactions and the faces of pure joy and happiness from all guests and…..most of all…the couple!  

Congratulations to you both, Hillary and Peter. Marriage has started out for you nothing short of first class and we hope it continues that way for all of your years to come!

Wedding planner, Shindig Weddings & Events. Catering, The Catering Outfit. Photographer, Jen Fariello Photography. Rentals, Festive Fare. Florist, Southern Blooms. Hair & Makeup, Rouge 9 and Top Knot Studio. Desserts, Albemarle Baking Co. and Carpe Donut. DJ, John Garland. Musicians, Encore String Quartet. Transportation, Camryn Limousine and Albemarle Limousine. Stationary, Sue Corral Ink. Officiant, Phil Gates. Lighting, Skyline Tent Company.

Oct 1, 2016 at 6:45 AM Permalink