Lauren and Spencer's Wedding Day

Lauren & Spencer’s wedding day was finally here!  On Saturday, September 23, 2017, family and friends celebrated their joyous occasion in style!  Guests were transported from local hotels to Keswick Vineyards by large motor coaches.  Guests made their way along a brick walk way lined with hydrangeas, through a wood pergola to the protégé to sign the guest book.  For the guest book guests would leave a thumb print on a canvas and then sign it.  This canvas will be framed and hung in the home of the couple as a constant reminder of their wedding day.

Lauren & Spencer chose what we call our “fall” location for their vineyard ceremony.  This location has no bad view to it!  Depending on the angle you choose, you can look at the estate, the fountain, the vineyard or the mountains.  It has such a panoramic view that just stuns all that see it.

After the vineyard ceremony guests enjoyed some appetizers and drinks while the wedding party and couple spent some time getting photos taken.  I love the soft pink colors that the bridesmaids wore.  One of my favorite photos was one I snapped of the couple back by the pool.  The reflection the lighting was providing was just perfect!

After a delicious dinner guests made their way just outside the wedding reception Sperry tent to enjoy a bourbon and cigar bar.  To make that area even nicer the couple had bistro lights strung to cast an ambient glow overhead.  Back under the tent guests danced the night away under the 30 Asian lanterns hung throughout the tent.

Again, special thanks to our superb vendors that worked so hard that evening:  Event Planner-Keswick Vineyards, Caterer-Harvest Moon, Photographer-Corey Hammons of Altamiria Film Company, Florist-Hedge Fine Blooms, Lighting-Skyline Tent Company, Officiant-Kirk Nave, Desserts-Favorite Cakes, DJ-Andy Wilfong, Transportation-Ambassador Limousine, Hair & Make-up-Anna Breeding.

Sep 23, 2017 at 7:31 AM Permalink

Time To 'Fall' in Love

What better way to celebrate the first day of fall then to have an all outdoor wedding in Virginia and that’s what Melissa & Andrew did on Friday, September 22, 2017 at Keswick Vineyards.  The floral colors they chose were just perfect for such a day with white, yellow and orange hues adorning the bouquets and floral decorations.  What made these floral arrangements extra special was that they did them themselves!  Yes, take another look at my photos.  Can you believe they ordered these flowers from Costco and then made everything themselves?  Take a look at their escort cards.  They also made them!  I just love the little stickers that were placed on each name card.

Guest had a wonderful time at this wedding.  Immediately at cocktail hour they feasted on sour dough pretzels with cheese sauce and some brie wrapped  in phyllo dough along with some other cheeses and fruits prepared by Bavarian Chef.  As guests enjoyed some food and wine they could also play some yard games; corn hole of course.

Dinner was served buffet style with so many choices.  Speaking of choices, what about those cupcakes?  They were displayed on a wood tower that was a piece of artwork.  Pictures really don’t capture was a magnificent piece of wood this tower was made from and boy was it heavy!  To work off some of those calories guests danced the night away under the direction of DJ Fit.

Special thanks to the following vendors:  Logan Powell as their wedding planner, Officiant Dave Norris, Catering by Bavarian Chef, Desserts by Sweethaus and Chandler’s Bakery, DJ Nathan Fit (DJ Fit), Photographer Ashley Eiban and Transportation by UTS.

Sep 22, 2017 at 10:29 AM Permalink

Nothing Like Talented Friends

The love between Cinthya and Brandon was solidified with their wedding at Keswick Vineyards on Sunday, September 17, 2017.  The blessings these two had to make their wedding day just perfect was over whelming.

First, Mother Nature.  Once again, she provided the most perfect weather with a slight breeze and just enough cloud coverage to make their photographer ecstatic!  With no harsh sun to have to worry about, taking photos anywhere was possible.

Secondly, their family & friends.  Cinthya and Brandon’s wedding cake was made by her girlfriend.  She did such a beautiful job decorating it and by the way guests ate it up, I would say it tasted just as good as it looked!  Their sister-in-law did an AMAZING job with their flowers.  The bouquets were so beautiful and I loved how she decorated the aisle and our wood pergola with tulle and flowers.  Cinthya also had her friends Colleen and Zoila do hair and make-up and one more friend provided all the linens.  I just loved the dark purple linen she used on her cake table.  All guests were lead in hymn during the ceremony yet by another girlfriend that had an amazing voice!  And it doesn’t get much better then to have your Pastor deliver such a personal touch to the ceremony.

And finally, the vendors.  Cinthya and Brandon had an amazing team of vendors that worked seamlessly throughout the entire day/night to make this day a dream come true for them.  I really liked how she had the linens on her hi-top cocktail tables tied.  Special thanks to:  Keswick Vineyards as their Day of Coordinator, Blue Ridge Catering, DJ Derek Tobler, Ward Photography, Videographer Franco, Barnswallow Blooms, Pastor Eric Saunders and rentals by MS Events.

Sep 17, 2017 at 7:22 AM Permalink

#TakingDebaugh

Congratulations to Gina & Douglas who were married at Keswick Vineyards on Saturday, September 16, 2017. Once again, Mother Nature provided us with a gorgeous day laying the perfect backdrop for this Virginia vineyard wedding.

This couple went all out on making sure their guests would be in awe throughout the entire wedding.  To start off they had champagne at their pre-ceremony refreshment stand while a quartet played in the background.  Guests enjoyed that time to mingle amongst one another while enjoying the breathtaking mountain and vineyard views Keswick Vineyards has to offer.  As guests found their seat they noticed that Gina & Douglas had hired a live painter to create a canvas oil painting of their ceremony.  Gina was then escorted down the aisle by her Mother and Father.  

After the ceremony guests went to cocktail hour where they immediately saw the hard work Gina’s father had done by creating these large ivory boards that had table assignments displayed on them.  He made two of them so they framed the entrance to the reception tent.  Once again, Gina had an eye for detail and hung garland and drapery at the main entrance of the sailcloth Sperry tent just to set the stage for the rest of the evening.  She also had jazz guitarist Peter Richardson to entertain guests during cocktail hour.

Once under the tent guests couldn’t help but notice the large greenery chandelier hanging over the dance floor with little bulb lights hanging down from it.  It was definitely the focal point while everyone enjoyed the delicious plated dinner prepared by Harvest Moon.  Afterwards there was cake and dancing until it was finally time to send the couple off with a sparkler departure.

Special thanks to the following vendors for making Gina & Douglas’s dream wedding come true:  Wedding Planner, Brousseau Events; Caterer, Harvest Moon; Cake by Sweethaus; DJ Max Powers; Perfect Harmony Quartet; Jazz Guitarists Peter Richardson; Videographer, B. Sandridge Wedding Films; Hair by Elle Style Studio; Make-up by Nicole Laughlin; Florist, The Proper Petal; Lighting by Skyline Tent Company, Officiant, Reverend Dr. Ronald A. Rinn; Photographer, Corrine Kensington; Transportation, Blue Ridge Tours & Central Virginia Wine Tours and Rentals by MS Events, Classic Party Rentals, Sweetwater Cuisine & The AV Company.

Sep 16, 2017 at 6:26 AM Permalink

Hey Mon, Shannon & Jason are married!

Congratulations to Shannon and Jason who were married at the beautiful Keswick Vineyards located just outside Charlottesville on Saturday, September 9th.  With the couple living in New York, planning from a distance was something they had to do.  Shannon was very fortunate that her parents lived locally and spent a lot of time helping to ensure that their daughter had her dream wedding.

As Shannon was about to leave her bridal suite to head to the ceremony location I saw her father waiting in the man’s cave.  I asked if he had seen his daughter yet?  He replied, “no”.  Well, I knew this was one of those moments that we just had to take a time out and make it happened.  I quickly got Shannon situated so when her father opened the door to see her, he simply couldn’t believe his eyes.  His reaction was priceless and I only wished I could have snapped a picture of his reaction.  It’s those moments that make doing weddings so special.  You can see by my photos just how beautiful Shannon was in her dress.  Her bouquet was definitely my favorite feature of this wedding.  It was the perfect compliment to her dress.

Shannon’s Mom is Jamaican so it was important to incorporate some of her heritage into the wedding day and what better way to do that then with rum.  Family members made Jamaican Black Cake cupcakes and a Rum Cake besides the couple having a traditional wedding cake.  Hey Mon, it was delicious!

Guests danced the night away under Asian lanterns hung over the dance floor.  And what better way to end the night then with a sparkler departure to their get away car.

Thanks to the following vendors for their exceptional service:  Event Planner, Keswick Vineyards; Caterer, Harvest Moon; Cakes by Rachel, DJ John Garland, Photographer, Robert Radifera; Florist, Secret Gardens; Officiant, Rabbi Annie Bornstein; Musician, Eve Watters; Hair & Make-up, Charlottesville Makeup Artist; Transportation, A Goff Limo and Lighting by Skyline Tent Company.

Sep 9, 2017 at 6:34 AM Permalink

Laughter Is The Secret to Life

Sarah and Michael’s long awaited Virginia wedding took place at Keswick Vineyards on Friday, September 8th in front our iconic fountain.  Sarah, Michael and their friends definitely have that type of relationship where they like to rib one another so I knew this wedding could have some surprises in hand.  Well, I was right!  

At the conclusion of the ceremony a small stool was hidden in the bushes.  Just as their Pastor said they could kiss, Michael’s Best Man interrupted that moment and placed that stool down so Michael would be taller for their first kiss.  As you can see, the entire wedding party got a good laugh out of that one.

This ribbing humor continued into their wedding reception with their first dance.  The groomsmen had dared our couple that if they danced to this certain song (I won’t mention it but lets just say it isn’t one you would normally hear at a wedding let alone for a first dance), they would give them $300.00.  Well, they did and they are now $300.00 richer!

So, when it came time for cake cutting I definitely knew some cake smashing was going to happen and it did.  Thankfully, these two have that special humor type of relationship that adds that extra spark for this marriage to last forever.

As you can see by the photos, the men really enjoyed the cigars that the couple had for their guests to enjoy.  Topping off the evening with a delicious buffet dinner and desserts made by a family member.  Oh, did I mention my favorite part of this wedding????  Pockets!  The brides dress had pockets!  Gotta love that.

Special thanks to the following vendors:  Event Planner, Keswick Vineyards; Pastor Mike Gianopulos; Caterer, Harvest Moon; Desserts made by family member, DJ Derek Tobler, Photographer Stephanie Fox, Hair & Make-up by Event Hair by Lauren, Bride did the flowers and decorations, Furniture Rentals by Paisley & Jade and Albemarle Limousine for their get away car.

Sep 8, 2017 at 8:27 AM Permalink

Shut Up and Dance with Me!

On Sunday, September 3, 2017 Amanda & Bryan FINALLY made it official and were married at Keswick Vineyards on a beautiful, late summer afternoon.  This wedding was extra special for Keswick Vineyards for Amanda was the dance teacher for their youngest daughter.  With Amanda being a dancer herself, we knew we would be in for treat later that evening.  But, to our surprise, our treat came with their first dance.  

Amanda & Bryan started with the usual slow song for their first dance when all of a sudden,  the music changed and they were off to a perfectly choreographed dance (geeze, I wonder who could of done that??????)  We knew Amanda was a great dancer but who knew Bryan was?  He was up there definitely holding his own with Amanda.  Just shows you how great of a teacher she is.  The crowd were all on their feet witnessing this very special, memorable moment.  I’m just upset that I didn’t have my camera with me at that time☹

Two things that I just LOVED from this wedding besides the couple.  First, they placed outdoor bistro lights near the gazebo.  This provided a perfectly lit area for the evening for guests to enjoy cocktails and cigars.  In this location, everyone would walk past it versus putting it in our usual East lawn cocktail hour location.

The second thing I loved was the late night snack of  ice cream sandwiches provided by Wonderment Bakery.   Guest had a choice of 3 different types.  I, of course, had to sample one since this was a new vendor.  DELICIOUS!!!  The different flavors of ice cream were in between 2 homemade chocolate chip cookies that were so good!  Would definitely recommend this for those hot, summer weddings.

Thanks to the following vendors for making Amanda and Bryan’s long awaited wedding worth it:  Keswick Vineyards as Event Planner, Catering by Southern Inn, Desserts provided by Sweethaus and Wonderment Bakery, DJ TD Layman of Sound Enforcement, Officiant Mike Taylor, Videographer Ian’s Creations, Hair & Make-up by Charlottesville Make-up Artistry, Flowers by Harmony Harvest Farm, Photo Booth of Charlottesville, Easy Rider Bus Company for transportation and Skyline Tent Company for the additional bistro lighting.

Sep 3, 2017 at 6:27 AM Permalink

In Perfect Harmony

Melanie & Nick’s wedding at Keswick Vineyards on Saturday, September 2, was such an elegant event.  It started with a quartet playing music as guests arrived.  With Melanie being a professional opera singer, she had one of her opera friends sing during their ceremony.  What a treat that was for everyone in attendance.  It is amazing the power an opera singer has with their voice.  So, not only were guess captivated by the acoustics of all this music, but the classic beauty of a wedding party all dressed in black and white with the lushness of a green vineyard put everyone into sensory overload.

After the ceremony guess enjoyed cocktails under the Sperry tent.  Once again, sensory overload by drinking Keswick Vineyards award winning wines and the delicious appetizers prepared by Roadside Chive Catering.  Could the night get any better????  Of course, it was just getting started!

With a Greek heritage you knew we would be having some traditional Greek dancing which all guests enjoyed.  DJ TD Layman continued to please the crowd by doing the “shoe” game.  What is the “shoe” game you ask?  Well, the couple is seated on the dance floor with their backs to each other.  TD has them hold their shoe and a shoe of their spouse and they hold up the shoe of the person they think answers the question being asked.  Such questions may be, “who said I love you first?” or “who has the craziest family?” etc.  As you can see by the photo, guests just loved it!

And finally, the night ended with a delicious cake and a sparkler departure to send these two love birds off on their honeymoon.  

Special thanks to the following vendors:  Event Planner Keswick Vineyards, Caterer Roadside Chive, DJ TD Layman of Sound Enforcement, Photographer Sarah Goodwin, Florist Foxtail Cottage, Officiant Claire Frances, Transportation by Easy Rider, Quartet Plum Blossom, Nanny Service by Nanny Network and Skyline Tent Company for additional bistro lighting under the tent.

Sep 2, 2017 at 11:24 AM Permalink

Vicki and Josh say "I Do!

Congratulations to Vicki & Josh who were married at Keswick Vineyards on Saturday, August 26th.  What a beautiful day Mother Nature provided them with plenty of sunshine with just the right mixture of a breeze.  With that breeze, Vicki’s light chiffon fabric dress had an air about it as she made her way to the alter.  At the back of the aisle this couple chose to have 2 wine barrels with flower wreaths and a lantern in the middle to spruce up their ceremony site in front of the vineyard.

After the ceremony guests enjoyed cocktail hour on the East Lawn at Edgewood Estate while sampling a variety of cheeses and meats prepared by Roadside Chive.  Once guests made their way under the Sperry Tent they not only enjoyed a delicious dinner but enjoyed taking silly photos in the photo booth.  Photo booths are a great way to get photos of all your guests.  Photo Booth of Charlottesville keeps a copy of each photo taken and creates a memory book to be given to the couple at the end of the night.  What a great keepsake that almost doubles as a guest book.

I must say that for this wedding that the favorite thing for guests had to be the 3 different types of cake.  The one that was flavored like Tiramisu went the quickest.  I think everyone had been eyeing that one all night long and were not disappointed.

Special thanks to the following vendors:  Keswick Vineyards as Event Planner, Roadside Chive as Caterer, Cakes by Rachel, DJ Greg Tutwiler of National DJ Connection, Musician Mike D’Antoni, Photo Booth of Charlottesville, Officiant Dave Norris, Flowers done by Lacy’s Florist, Rentals provided by MS Events, Hair & Make-up by The Spot Beauty Shop and Albemarle Limousine for transportation.

Aug 26, 2017 at 11:18 AM Permalink

It's all in the Little Details

Bethann & Graham were not going to chance any bad weather on their wedding day.  They did the old Southern tradition of burying a bottle of bourbon, upside down, exactly a month before their wedding day and it worked!  On Saturday, August 19th, the weather was just perfect for an all outdoor ceremony/wedding at Keswick Vineyards located just outside Charlottesville, VA.

Bethann LOVES flowers and you could definitely tell that when you saw her florals.  Hanging over their head table was a ladder that was just covered with greenery and flowers.  What a statement it made for their reception.  She was so excited when she saw her bouquet.  It’s so nice to witness the reaction when a bride sees her bouquet for the first time; priceless!

I know flowers were most important to Bethann but my favorite feature from her wedding was the sign they had made that was displayed at the cocktail bar describing their signature drinks.  Sometimes it’s those little details that can make all the difference.

The other detail that I loved was the party favors for guest to take.  They had a bucket full of iced, shortbread cookies in a variety of designs like a wine bottle, the State of Virginia, saying thank you.  Again, those little details stand out.

And finally, the food!  C&O prepared food that was nothing less than delicious!  Food was served in a buffet line but to add just a little detail to that, they had a server dishing out portions to the guests as they made their way through the buffet line.  Another nice little touch.

Keswick Vineyards is always thankful for the perfection our vendors give our couples.  Thank you to:  Event Planning by Keswick Vineyards, C&O Catering, Cakes by Rachel, Dennis Payne of Playback DJ, Encore String Quartet, Rachel May Photography, Southern Blooms Florals, Reverend Claire Frances, Hair & Make-up by Avenue 42, Rentals by MS Events, Lighting by Skyline Tent Company and transportation provided by Easy Rider Bus Company and Albemarle Limousine.

Aug 19, 2017 at 7:29 AM Permalink