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The Love of Sunflowers | Jessica & Jessie
Well, when I saw the décor that Jessica and Jesse were using for their wedding at Keswick Vineyards on Friday, June 15th, I couldn’t have been any happier since there were sunflowers just about everywhere you turned. There is no flower that can lift someone’s spirit quite like a sunflower. They are bright and cheery, and as warm and inviting as the sweet summer sun which Mother Nature provided plenty of for this lucky couple.
There were a few things that I just loved about this wedding. First, I just loved the bridesmaid’s bouquets. I have never seen, in my 8 years of doing weddings at Keswick Vineyards, a bouquet that has succulents in them. The density of the green succulents with the yellow from the sunflowers were just spectacular. Secondly, the arch used for their ceremony adorned with more flowers. Very simple yet made a bold statement. Thirdly, using an old window pane to display table assignments for their guests. Fourth, just loved how they made the head table so different from the other reception tables by renting farm tables and having a variety of different chairs. They also hung some drapery just behind the couple’s chairs again, making them stand out a little more from anyone else. Fifth, having a photobooth for guests to take funny and memorable photos to last a life time and finally, stringing bistro lighting outside of the tent to create an outdoor space for guests to hang out at. As you can see by my photos, it was a very popular spot throughout the entire evening!
As I look back at this wedding I can’t think of a better accent for them to of used then the sunflower. The sunflower symbolizes adoration, loyalty and longevity. What more could a couple want in their marriage? As the couple danced the night away on the dance floor, hanging above them was an interwoven “chandelier” structure that was made having sunflowers hanging down from it as if it was watching over the couple as they danced. Perhaps it was wishing them good luck and everlasting happiness.
As always, we thank all of our vendors for making weddings at Keswick Vineyards so special:
Ceremony Coordinator: Keswick Vineyards, Caterer: AKCatering, Officiant: Dave Norris, Desserts: Passionflower Cakes, DJ: Derek Tobler, Photographer: Jacqueline Waters Photography, Photobooth: Photobooth of Charlottesville, Makeup: Allison Barlow, Hair: Lauren Perkins, Florist: Lacy’s Florist and Gift Shop, Transportation: Easy Riders Bus Company, Lighting: Skyline Tent Company, Rentals: Paisley and Jade.
Personal Touches | Sara & Hank
On June 9th, 2018, Sara and Hank got married at the beautiful Keswick Vineyards, located right outside of Charlottesville, Virginia. The day couldn’t have gone any more perfectly than it did! Sara and Hank added so many little, personal touches, which we thought made the wedding even more special than it already was. Typically, after the ceremony, the caterer brings out cocktails and appetizers for the wedding party. Sara and Hank’s signature drinks were mixed cocktails, using mixers from a company that Hank’s groomsman owns. How neat is that?
The way that the couple decorated everything was spectacular! In the gazebo, Sara and Hank used Hank’s grandmother’s elegant furniture as a seating area for guests to relax. As we mentioned, we love “personal touches,” and when family and friends are involved, it makes for a sentimental night.
For the seating charts, Sara and Hank used two white shutters to display everyone’s seating arrangements. On the tables were metallic-painted wine bottles with sprigs of baby’s breath in them. We thought that the entirety of the wedding had a very rustic feel, where Sara and Hank did a great job of ensuring this by “DIY-ing” a large part of their wedding. This experience really shows that you don’t need to spend a great deal of money to have the wedding of your dreams!
Along with everyone dancing and sipping on Keswick Vineyards’ award-winning wine, guests were able to enjoy a large array of cupcakes, provided by Sweethaus. We loved every moment of the night and could not imagine a better way for Sara and Hank to start off their lives together. Congratulations, you two!
Thank you to the following vendors for all of their hard work:
Event Planner: Morgan McSwan, Officiant: Whitney Kerby, Photographer: Bethany Snyder, Caterer: Goodrich Gourmet, Pastry Chef: Sweethaus, DJ: Andy Wilfong with Party Masters, Hair & Makeup Artist: Elle Style Studios, Florist: Vogue Flowers, Transportation: James Limousine, Lighting: Skyline Tent Company.
Plan B | Veronica & Ben
Whenever a wedding couple chooses to have an outdoor wedding they should always have a “Plan B” ready to go in case Mother Nature doesn’t cooperate. Thankfully, Veronica & Ben chose Keswick Vineyards to host their wedding at on Saturday, June 2nd, and still got to have their dream wedding despite the rain.
Keswick Vineyards prides itself with having a flawless rain plan for our couples. Being that we already have a tent onsite for the reception, we just move everything under the tent to stay dry. Having an astro-turf flooring still gives the couple an “outdoor” look and feel to their ceremony and having no walls allows the outdoors to still be seen. As you can see by these photos, Veronica and Ben still had a beautiful, outdoor wedding. I just love the special look Veronica gave to her father just as she was married. All throughout this wedding you could see the special bond these two share.
With a break in the rain, Veronica and Ben were able to take a variety of pictures outside including one in front of the fountain which was their original ceremony location. The positive to having a wedding on a cloudy, overcast day is the lighting for your photos. Ask any photographer out there, and they will tell you they would take a cloudy, overcast day over a bright, sunny day any time. This allows the photographer to take pictures at any location in any direction and not have to worry about shadows at all. I can’t wait to see their professional photos!
The remainder of the night was spent with laughter, sipping on our award-winning wines, and dancing. In case anyone wanted to “kick off their heels,” the couple provided flip flops to relieve their feet from the amount of dancing that occurred. As you can tell, even when you have to use your Plan B, it can still provide you with your dream wedding and be an extremely fun-filled day, where no one leaves disappointed. Congratulations to Veronica and Ben!
Thank you to the following vendors for all of their hard work and flexibility:
Event Planner: Keswick Vineyards, Catering: Harvest Moon, Hair & Makeup: Anna Breeding, Photographer: Bethany Snyder, Florist: Hedge Fine Blooms, Pastry Chef: Chandler’s Bakery, Musician: Plum Blossom String Quartet, DJ: Greg Tutwiler of National DJ Connection, Officiant: Claire Frances, Transportation: A Goff Limousine, Lighting: Skyline Tent Company.
Oh, Happy Day! | Zhanna & AJ
If Zhanna and AJ’s ceremony at Keswick Vineyards on June 1st didn’t set the mood for the remainder of their wedding day, I don’t know what could have! They decided to get married in our popular vineyard location but added a beautiful arbor that was adorned in greenery and roses. With the vineyard in full bloom in the background, along with the beautifully decorated arbor, we really felt the abundance of Mother Nature surrounding us.
We love all of the various symbolic customs that couples enact to commence their lives together. Zhanna and AJ decided to do the “blending of the sand,” for their ceremony, where the sand that is being blended together is representative of their lives now together in union. At the end of the ceremony, AJ went in for the kiss and the bridal party popped silver streamers! It was an exciting moment, where all of the guests cheered and clapped in exhilaration.
As guests left the joyous ceremony, feeling high on life, they migrated to our three-hundred-year-old oak tree, where they were greeted with drinks and a delicious array of appetizers provided by Dinner at Home. Guests were also able to use the polaroid cameras that Zhanna and AJ provided, to take pictures of each other, place it in the couple’s guest book, and write a sweet note for the couple to remember their wedding by.
The excitement didn’t end at cocktail hour, though! Carpe Donuts, one of our local food trucks that provides amazing donuts and other items, arrived so that guests could snack on some sweet treats. Zhanna and AJ decided to use Carpe Donuts in lieu of a cake, which the guests absolutely enjoyed with how great of an array of donuts there was!
We were so happy that guests came from both near and far (as far as Ukraine, we might add), to enjoy the festive celebration of Zhanna and AJ. Congratulations to the happy couple!
Thank you to the following vendors for all of their hard work:
Event Planner: Alana Futcher with Chancey Charm, Officiant: Bobby McGovern, Caterer: Dinner at Home, Desserts: Carpe Donut, DJ: Seth Kravitz with Rhythm of Love Weddings, Photographers: Finn Lively & Corrine McCaffrey, Videographer: Gardenia Weddings, Florist: Lauren Emerson, Transportation: Albemarle Limousine, Lighting: Skyline Tent Company.
