Hanging around
Pendant lights, baskets, and balloons—look up!
CAN'T-MISS PICKS
Your wedding go-tos, say our readers
Winter wonder
The coziest spots to say “I do.”
Hit the right note
A personalized racket makes a perfect gift.
WINTER 2025
The yes best
Real couples, real journeys, and the open road ahead
Love Deserves an Easy Landing
Your wedding should be unforgettable— for all the right reasons. Flying into Charlottesville Albemarle Airport (CHO) means your guests spend less time on the road and more time with you. Convenient, welcoming and just around the corner from Virginia’s most beautiful wedding venues, CHO is the easiest way to arrive.
Enjoy your beautiful day.
JEFFERSONTHEATER.COM
Historic
Beautifully restored, the historic Jefferson Theater is the perfect place to host your wedding celebration.
Located on the Downtown Mall, you and your guests will enjoy a friendly staff, two full bars, professional staging, technical support and an on-site event manager to make your wedding day stress-free and truly memorable.
We can host up to 200 seated guests for dinners and up to 500 guests for cocktail-style receptions. The Jefferson offers a variety of design options for your event including seating on the stage, use of both balconies and the grand lobby. CONTACT
Like what you see?
If you’re planning a wedding, you can’t do better than these folks, who took the photos you see in the pages of this issue.
Ashley Cox Photography ashleypcox.com
Audra Jones Photography audrajonesphotography.com
Carly Rose Photography carlyrosephotography.com
Holden Anderson Photography holdenandersonphotography.com
John Cain Photography johncainphotography.com
Kelly Hornberger kellyhornberger.com
Meredith Coe Photography meredithcoephotography.com
Nikki Santerre nikkisanterrephotography.com
Sarah Cramer Shields sarahcramershields.com
Sera Petras serapetras.com
c-ville.com/category/weddings
WEDDINGS, a supplement to C-VILLE Weekly, is distributed in Charlottesville, Albemarle County, and the Shenandoah Valley. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. WEDDINGS Editor Caite Hamilton. Contributors Carol Diggs, Laura Drummond, Shea Gibbs, and Rachael Kesler. Copy Editor Susan Sorensen. Art Director Max March. Graphic Designer Tracy Federico. Business Development Director Brian Hrozencik. Advertising Director Bianca Johnson. Account Executives Stephanie Vogtman-Say, Jacob Phillips. Production Coordinator Faith Gibson. Publisher Anna Harrison. Chief Financial Officer Debbie Miller. A/R Specialist Nanci Winter. Circulation Manager Billy Dempsey. ©2025 C-VILLE Weekly
Helping couples and families focus on their special moments
@jillmeriwetherphoto jillmeriwether.com
fun
LYN WALDROP
Wedding Planner
TIPS, TRENDS, AND BEAUCOUPS OF REAL-LIFE BIG-DAY INSPO
Keep looking up
The best wedding reception décor ideas go higher By Caite Hamilton
Your wedding day is full of details at eye level, but some of the most magical touches float above it all. From glowing lights to airy florals and whimsical balloons, overhead decor can transform a space, adding depth, movement, and unexpected moments that make guests stop and stare. Here are three examples we love.
LUSH ABOVE
The linen pendants from Paisley & Jade set the tone, but it’s the hanging baskets filled with moody florals by Mallory Joyce Design that really steal the show. Suspended above Paisley & Jade’s Hudson chairs at The Clifton, they create a lush, dramatic canopy that makes the tables feel instantly, er, elevated.
CLOUD NINE
Giant white balloons hover above a long lacedraped table, turning a simple all-white setup into a dreamy, unforgettable scene. The clean lines and airy florals create a sense of lightness and whimsy, making this reception feel both intimate and magical.
PENDANT PERFECT
Natural capiz shells catch the light in the most delightful way in these pendants from Blue Ridge Event Production, bouncing a soft glow over living room-style rentals from Something Vintage and vibrant florals by Maryland-based Sophie Felts. Classic chandelier vibes meet playful elegance, creating a scene guests won’t forget.
12 PASSENGER TRANSIT LIMOUSINE
The Transit Limousine has all the luxury you have come to expect from a standard limousine, but with enough room for everyone. This is the perfect vehicle to enjoy Charlottesville’s many wineries and breweries with friends and family.
47–55 PASSENGER MOTOR COACH
The Motor Coach is the largest vehicle type in our fleet. We have two sizes of Motor Coach, 47 Passenger and 55 Passenger, both of which are ideal for large groups. These vehicles enable you to transport a significant number of passengers at one time
25 PASSENGER MINI BUS
Our Mini Buses are great vehicles for medium sized groups. These 25 Passenger vehicles, with their large viewing windows and individual seating, are a great way to tour the local area or shuttle guests from one location to another.
Changing the game
Play Henry is making sports— and wedding gifts—stylish
By Caite Hamilton
When they first met, UVA grads Ellie Jamison and Grace Collins had plenty to bond over: They’d both played lacrosse in college, each of them missed the role competitive sports played in their lives, and they picked up pickleball to fill the void—oh, and they both had brothers named Henry. We’ll get back to the Henry thing later, but Jamison says that, as the women started playing more pickleball together, they noticed a gap in the paddle market.
“Most high-performance paddles felt overly masculine, while the more ‘aesthetic’ options were hyper-feminine and low quality,” Jamison says. “We were shocked that we couldn’t find gear that combined performance with our sense of style.”
In 2023, they partnered with a professional pickleball player to develop a prototype—a sleek, stylish paddle with practical features for serious players (carbon fiber faces, 16mm honeycomb cores, and elongated handles) in chic colors like Espresso brown (a bestseller and Collins’ go-to) and Butter yellow (Jamison’s pick). The first presale sold out.
The company, which the women named Play Henry after their brothers (“We like to joke that it’s a tribute to our very first ‘competitors,’” Jamison says.), launched a custom collaboration paddle with Free People Movement, the national retailer’s activewear arm, in the spring, and its padel racquet collection in July, specifically designed in weight and style for women—one of the only women-focused padel brands available.
But the women say custom orders are one of their specialties, and offer bespoke pickleball paddle sets for weddings, bridal parties, and special events.
Play Henry includes complimentary design work—from monogrammed paddles and custom colorways to palettematched packaging—and consultation for all orders with a minimum of 10 paddles.
“Our custom sets make unforgettable bridal party gifts, welcome bag surprises, or timeless keepsakes for the couple,” says Jamison.
In summer of 2025, Play Henry relocated its headquarters to New York City, where Jamison says there’s more opportunity for growth. But with such strong ties to Charlottesville (Jamison is a double Hoo, with degrees from the university’s Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy and Darden School of Business, and Collins graduated from Darden in 2024), Play Henry will always have a home in Virginia.
“We’re excited to come back for tournaments and continue supporting the amazing local partners who believed in us early on—special shout-out to C’ville Tennis Pro Shop, Boar’s Head Resort, and Quattro Tizi,” Jamison says. And what about the support of the Henrys? “They absolutely love it. They’re some of our most loyal customers (we’d be worried if they weren’t!).”
A hush over the crowd
Local silent disco brings the fun (quietly)
A lifelong dancer and music-lover, Krissy Muniz first discovered silent discos while regularly attending music festivals. “Even during the headlining performances, the silent disco was packed,” she says. In 2021, she invested in her own silent disco system, hoping to share her love of music and dance with Charlottesville. Good Times Only, a silent disco rental and event company, was born.
The company’s first gig was a Valentine’s Day bash for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Virginia, a party for 100 students and their parents, with “fun lighting, decorative balloons, and lots of dancing.”
But how does it work? Muniz says you plug and play—you only need the transmitters and a music source (a smartphone, tablet, laptop). Press play and your party can hear the music through their headphones. Just be sure to include “Don’t Stop Believin’.” While Muniz prefers electronic dance music like Purple Disco Machine remixes, the Journey hit always gets the crowd to the dance floor.—CH
Playing her heart out
Kelly Chambers finds— and brings—joy to special celebrations
By Carol Diggs
Kelly Chambers explains her calling simply: “I have a heart to play for people,” she says—and isn’t that the kind of person you would want making music at your wedding?
Weddings of course are the most special of special days, but Chambers also plays for graduations, parties, church services, and celebrations from birthdays to Father’s Day. A friend even asked her to play their wedding song to her spouse as a “Valentine-gram”—in the middle of his graduate school class.
Chambers’ repertoire covers a wide range, from traditional wedding music to classical pieces, contemporary love songs, and even some fiddle tunes. Her program for a wedding usually includes five songs (for example: the prelude; processionals for the mothers, bridesmaids, and bride; and the recessional), but she may also play for receptions before or after. Working with the couple, she will create a musical set especially for their celebration—ranging from Bach, Handel, or Vivaldi to church hymns, Beatles classics, or Taylor Swift. After all, she admits, “I grew up on oldies—I discovered classical music when I started playing in the [school] orchestra.”
Chambers is game to take on most songs that her clients request if the tune is meaningful to them. “I can usually find a violin version [of popular sings] online, but some songs just don’t sound right on solo violin.” But if it’s important to the couple, Chambers will make it work; she has even done a version of the theme from Jurassic Park.
Remarkably, Chambers has wanted to be a musician since she was 9 years old, when she was stunned hearing a dinner guest play the violin. “From that moment on, I was enamored,” she says. Chambers comes from a family of musicians. Her grandmother was a professional organist (“She’s in her 90s, and we still play duets sometimes.”), and her father plays the guitar, her mother the piano, and her cousin the violin. When the family gets together, they often play works specially written for them by her uncle, a composer.
Chambers played in school orchestras throughout her middle and high school years. She came to UVA for college, and after earning a master’s degree in education at the University of South Carolina, she came back to UVA to work in student engagement … until the pandemic.
“With COVID, our team all left,” Chambers says. “I had started playing for weddings, and I found that a piece of my soul lit up at playing for and being part of someone’s special day.” She made the transition to a freelance career as a musician for special events and as a music teacher. It’s less lucrative than a 9-to-5 job, she says, but the freedom and the comradery of the music community here in Charlottesville is a joy.
Chambers began working as a private violin teacher and then at The Front Porch, where she now also teaches ukulele. While this instrument may not rank as important in the musical repertoire as the violin or the cello (which Chambers also plays), “The Front Porch wanted to offer a ukulele class for
young kids, and it’s simple to play—all you really need is three chords.”
Teaching beginners of all ages is a special pleasure for Chambers “because I remember what it was like to learn—crying in my room, saying, ‘Mom, I’m so bad!’ I remember being in the fifth grade talent show, playing ‘My Heart Will Go On’ so badly ... but then by the next year, I was made first chair in the school orchestra.”
Another aspect of playing that is important for Chambers is the emotional and healing qualities of music. She’s interested in music therapy, and has played at church services, funerals, and nursing homes. “I’ve been playing the cello more—I’m not quite as good on that as the violin yet, but it has a more healing quality.”
No matter the event, Chambers strives to have her playing enhance the experience for the couple and the guests. “I’ve done very big vineyard weddings and very small and special events— they are all unique. And it’s a privilege that they would trust me with their ceremony.”
TRISTAN WILLIAMS
Forever deserves a worthy destination
At The Omni Homestead Resort & Spa, your special day deserves an extraordinary setting. With 12 distinct venues to choose from, say “I do” surrounded by timeless elegance and breathtaking scenery—because a once-in-a-lifetime moment deserves a truly unforgettable destination.
800-838-1766
Lumiere Collective
Every season is wedding season
Dreaming of a winter wedding? Plenty of options...
By Carol Diggs
While spring, summer, and fall are the most popular seasons for Charlottesville nuptials, winter weddings can be especially romantic. But scheduling your celebration for the time between Thanksgiving and Easter requires planning around several facts of life.
First and foremost is weather, and in central Virginia, that can be tricky. Any particular winter day can be clear blue sky, cloudy gray, raining,
snowing, sleeting—or all of these. This is a factor in location (not the best time to be wed on Old Rag, for instance); travel (if your guests are coming some distance, count on delays); transportation (rural back roads can be a challenge in bad weather, so perhaps all the wedding events should be at one venue or close together). And if one of the couple’s family is all coming from Florida, they may benefit from wardrobe advice. Another factor: It’s a wonderful idea to have your celebration geared to the late-year holi-
days, but make sure you have touched bases early on to accommodate the family plans of the bridal party and your guests.
On the bright side, Charlottesville has several outstanding winter wedding venues. Marilyn Speight of Just a Little Ditty describes the perfect candidate as offering “sweeping outdoor views with the creature comforts of climate control indoors.” An informal poll of Speight and other local wedding planners brought up a range of possibilities.
At King Family Vineyards, Hannah Dubit of Hannah Rose Event Design envisions “a great cozy ceremony in front of the fireplace—with cocktail hour indoors or outdoors and then flipped for the reception.” Sarah Fay Waller of Day by Fay also mentions the venue’s large stone fireplace and adds, “If you’re lucky enough to have snow on or around your wedding weekend, the view of the property with the horses, and the mountain covered in soft snow, is truly beautiful.”
Early Mountain Vineyards gets the thumbs up for its gorgeous setting and large and flexible indoor spaces. Dubit notes its event hall can accommodate the ceremony, then be re-set for the reception or dinner while guests gather for cocktails in the wood-vaulted tasting room. Waller says, “Lots of candlelight and the warmth of the dual fireplaces is so grand, and welcomed in the middle of the coldest season.”
Several planners cited Pippin Hill Farm & Vineyards. One advantage, according to Waller: “A ceremony can be held on the enclosed veranda, still giving it an al fresco feel while you’re kept warm and cozy.” Mary Andrews of Mary Elizabeth Events mentions both the enclosed veranda and the in-house catering that “offers seasonal menus that will be a perfect fit for your celebration.”
If you’re seeking vineyard alternatives, Keswick Hall has the added benefit of offering accommodations. Speight calls out Keswick’s “gorgeous interiors and ample rooms to handle all sorts of wedding-related functions—and with modern amenities like a heated pool and spa, you can enjoy the resort while preparing for (or recovering from) the celebration.”
Andrews mentions two in-town possibilities. The Bradbury, on the Downtown Mall, which “has abundant personality and works with all sorts of color palettes. With wide pillars throughout, cozy banquettes, a bank vault you and your guests can walk into, and a hidden mezzanine above, this venue is full of surprises.” And the event space at The Wool Factory (appropriate name for a winter celebration!), has large windows facing the Rivanna that provide lots of natural light, and outdoor spaces available—if the weather cooperates.
A match made in paper
Rock Paper Scissors’ new owner fits into Charlottesville’s wedding scene
By Carol Diggs
“I had come to Rock Paper Scissors many times—I always loved this shop, it was warm and welcoming, and it always had things I loved,” says Karen Ward. That was during the six years Ward worked in a stationery store in Alexandria. But as of January this year, she and her husband Jonathan are new Charlottesville residents and the excited owners of Rock Paper Scissors.
Since she was in the industry, Ward knew that the owners of Rock Paper Scissors were ready to sell after a successful 15-year run. “My husband heard me talking about it on a Zoom call,” Ward recalls, “and he has always wanted to live in a smaller mountain town.” The couple had visited Charlottesville often, and Ward loved the store. She was also looking for a new challenge, and their daughter lived in Richmond … so the decision was made.
Ward didn’t start off with big plans for change; she has spent her first season getting to know the store and its breadth of stock, its clientele, and the town. While Rock Paper Scissors does a thriving retail business, it also offers a full range of custom services—personal stationery and note cards, bridal and baby showers, anniversaries and birthdays (“We did cards for a birthday party for a woman turning 90,” Ward recalls. “If you get to that age, you should have a celebration!”).
A large part of the store’s custom work is for weddings: “The wedding industry is tremendous here,” Ward notes. “The spring was very busy, and October is likely to be on fire.”
Wedding clients’ requests run the gamut from “bare bones—’we just want these few pieces’—to ‘we want the wedding of a lifetime,’” says Ward. If a couple wants the complete custom package (save the date card, invitation with reply card, the agenda card with details, rehearsal dinner invitations), Ward advises them to be set with a vendor nine months to a year out. Then there’s the day of work, from welcome signs and table cards to food and drinks menus (“We’re doing a lot of watercolors and imagery [for these].”) to napkins, cups, even matches. And don’t forget the thank-you notecards for after the wedding …
“Every couple’s style is individual,” says Ward. “There are some who prefer going traditional, either as a personal preference or sometimes to
make the families happy. Other couples are going to have their own style for their own day.” From her experience, Ward cautions, “The more time in planning, the better, if you want something unusual.” And while often one half of the couple is happy to let the other half handle everything, she does see plenty of clients where both parties want to be part of the design decisions.
“One of the most interesting things with this job is watching the relationships,” Ward says. “The parents may be involved, especially if
they’re paying for the wedding. But many couples these days are older, are paying for the celebration themselves, and have definite ideas of what they want. It’s so variable—always interesting.”
The Wards have settled into their new life. Jonathan works mostly on the back end of the business, but helps in the shop on weekends (as does their daughter), and the couple just bought a house here. Ward herself is still all smiles with the excitement of her new venture: “I keep thinking, ‘Somebody pinch me—this is a dream.’”
TRISTAN WILLIAMS
Vow factor
Planning your big day? Voted on by our readers, these wedding pros know how to make your celebration unforgettable.
CAKES AND DESSERTS
Cake Bloom cakebloom.com
Runner-up: Cakes by Rachel mycakebyrachel.com
CATERER
Harvest Moon
Catering hmcatering.com
Runner-up: The Catering Outfit cateringoutfit.com
CEREMONY MUSICIAN
Kelly Chambers Violinist
kellychambersviolinist.com
Runner-up: The Bloom Trio thebloomtrio.com
EVENT RENTALS AND MANAGEMENT
MS Events mseventscville.com
Runner-up: Festive Rentals festiverentals.com
FLORIST
Hedge Fine Blooms
hedgefineblooms.com
Runner-up: Tourterelle Floral Design tourterellefloral.com
HAIR STYLIST
Posh Bride poshbrideva.com
Runner-up: La Vie En Rose lavieenrosecville.com
MAKEUP ARTIST
Posh Bride poshbrideva.com
Runner-up: Captivating Complexion captivatingcomplexion.com
PRE-WEDDING ACTIVITY
King Family Vineyards kingfamilyvineyards.com
Runner-up: Pippin Hill Farm & Vineyards pippinhillfarm.com
PROPOSAL
SPOT
Humpback Rock
Runner-up: King Family Vineyards kingfamilyvineyards.com
REHEARSAL DINNER VENUE
Keswick Hall keswick.com
Runner-up: The Wool Factory thewoolfactory.com
TRANSPORTATION
Albemarle Limousine albemarlelimousine.com
Runner-up: Ambassador Limousine ambassadorlimos.com
WEDDING MUSIC Big Ray and the Kool Kats bigrayandthekoolkats.com
Runner-up: DJ Double U @dj.double.u
WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER Meredith Coe Photography meredithcoephotography.com
Runner-up: Aaron Watson Photography aaronwatsonphoto.com
WEDDING PLANNER Mary Elizabeth Events maryelizabethevents.com
Runner-up: Little Acorn Events littleacornevents.com
WEDDING VENUE (LARGE)
King Family Vineyards kingfamilyvineyards.com
Runner-up: Pippin Hill Farm & Vineyards pippinhillfarm.com
WEDDING VENUE (SMALL)
Common House commonhouse.com/ charlottesville
Runner-up: Hardware Hills Vineyard hardwarehills.com
I do list
We've made it easy—check the boxes as you get closer to your big day
One year before
Work out your budget. Know your limit before considering much else.
Set a tentative date for your wedding.
Decide on your wedding style and formality. This may be determined, in part, by how many guests you want to invite, so think about the guest list now, too.
Settle on a ceremony location.
Put down a deposit for the reception location.
Begin the search for other wedding vendors (transportation, flowers, invitations, music, makeup artist), starting with photographers and videographers.
Once you’ve chosen your wedding photographer, schedule an engagement photo session.
Start shopping for wedding rings. Reserve your officiant.
If your reception venue doesn’t have a caterer, decide who’ll provide the food and book a tasting.
Choose a rehearsal dinner location.
Shop for a dress. It may seem too soon, but it can take several months for your dress to arrive, and it may require alterations.
After you’ve found the perfect gown, schedule fittings and a delivery date.
Choose your bridal party and invite them to be part of your special day.
Nine months before
Start finalizing the guest list and gathering addresses.
Register for gifts.
If there is a groom, decide to rent or purchase attire for him and the groomsmen.
Once that’s decided, place your order.
Finalize all the vendors and secure your wedding date by putting down deposits.
Select the bridesmaids’ gowns. These’ll take a few months to come in, too.
Send out save the dates.
Six months before
Prepare all maps and directions for the ceremony and reception.
Meet with your florist and choose arrangements for the ceremony and reception, as well as bouquets.
If your caterer doesn’t provide one, order your wedding cake.
Begin doing research for your marriage license.
If you're a first-timer, schedule a wax or laser hair removal consult.
Meet with both sets of parents to coordinate their day-of attire.
Reserve accommodations for out-of-town guests. (Consider doing this even earlier if you’re planning a wedding on busy in-town weekends like homecoming or during other local events that draw a crowd.)
Order invitations.
Start thinking about honeymoon destinations.
Four months before
Address and send out your invitations and announcements. Include information regarding the accommodations. (Also consider creating a website with all of the accommodation information. Guests might like to get a head start on making those arrangements and most hotels close your block four weeks out.)
Arrange for final dress fittings.
Purchase wedding guest book.
Order your wedding favors, bridal party gifts and other wedding accessories (Champagne glasses, ring bearer pillow, cake knife, etc.).
Three months before
Make an appointment with your stylist for wedding day hairstyles for the bride and bridal party, as well as appointments for manis, pedis, massages or other spa treatments. Schedule a trial with your hairstylist and makeup artist.
Start gathering your RSVPs.
Finalize the dates for your last-minute dress fittings.
Meet with all your wedding vendors to finalize any orders and reservations.
Purchase bridal party gifts and a gift for your fiancé.
Finalize the plans for your honeymoon. Update your passport and vaccinations, if necessary. Finalize ceremony.
One month before
Finalize the details of your rehearsal dinner. Go over song lists and requests with your band or DJ.
Draw up preliminary seating arrangements for the reception.
Have a trial session with your wedding-day hairstylist and makeup artist.
Start taking dance lessons for your first dance. Get your marriage license with your fiancé.
Three weeks before
Pick up wedding rings.
Confirm all arrival times with vendors.
Confirm hotel arrangements for out- oftown guests.
Have your final dress fitting.
Finalize the seating arrangement for the reception.
Attend your bachelor/ bachelorette party.
One week before
Give the caterer your final guest count. Have final fittings for your groom and groomsmen.
Give gifts to your wedding party, family and fiancé privately, or at the rehearsal dinner.
Make arrangements for your wedding gifts to be brought to your home.
Two days before
Get a mani/pedi.
Get a wax and a spray tan.
Confirm flight, hotel and packing arrangements for the honeymoon.
Make payment envelopes for each vendor and give them to your wedding day assistant along with your marriage license to take care of at the wedding.
Confirm arrangements for the getaway car.
One day before
Attend your rehearsal dinner.
Your wedding day
Get in a wedding day workout.
Get your hair and makeup done early Make sure you get plenty to eat, and drink a lot of water.
Have fun!
SARAH CRAMER SHIELDS
Lovestories
&Sean Facyson Ashley Fagundo
MAY 30, 2025, AT THE MARKET AT GRELEN PHOTOGRAPHER: AUDRA JONES PHOTOGRAPHY
THE FINE DETAILS
Event planner: Brooke Benson (Lemon Drop Events Co.) Officiant: Carlos Fagundo Catering: Groovin’ Gourmets Flowers: Cedar and Lime Co. Cake: Cake Bloom Mobile bar: The Sugar Cube Music: DJ G Baby (Level Up Entertainment) Bride’s attire: Studio I Do Bridals Groom’s attire: Andre Julius Groomsmen’s attire: ASOS Bridesmaids’ dresses: Birdy Grey Rings: Brilliant Earth Hair and makeup: Tai Strong (Captivating Complexion) Content creator: Styled Memories
DESIGN
Goldsmith Mia van Beek
Master Goldsmith Mia van Beek established Formia® Design Jewelry in 2004. A small, full service Jewelry studio in the heart of Charlottesville, VA. After 36 years of experience in her trade she specializes in custom design and redesign of fine jewelry.
“I like to think outside the box and also present a different side to wedding rings from what’s normally offered in generic jewelry stores. Each piece is personalized to fit wearer and the wallet.” says Mia.
Mia will personally consult you in the process of your jewelry creations. She makes this experience creative and fun while professionally guiding you with possibilities and ideas fitting you and your needs. Mia has full attention to details in her work in every stage of the process and most of all, satisfied customers, are her priority.
Goldsmith Mia van Beek
420 E. Main St. • 434-981-8389 • info@formiadesign.com
Custom Jewelry
& Zach Anderson Jackie Triggs
OCTOBER 26, 2024, AT BOXWOOD VILLA
PHOTOGRAPHER: NIKKI SANTERRE PHOTOGRAPHY
JACKIE & ZACH
Thibaut-Janisson was born from a long friendship that began in a Grand Cru village in the Champagne region of France and continues today in Blue Ridge Mountains of Charlottesville, Virginia.
Thibaut-Janisson Winery | Charlottesville, Virginia | (434) 996-3307 | claude@tjwinery.com
JACKIE & ZACH
THE FINE DETAILS
Event planner: Caitie Hanrahan
Welcome reception: Keswick Hall
Officiant: Groom’s dad Catering: The Catering Outfit Flowers: Wander + Whimsy Floral Cake: Sweet Fix Music: String Poets (ceremony), Mr. Potato
Head (reception) Bride’s attire: Anne
Barge Shoes: Sarah Flint Groom’s attire: Ted’s Clothiers Rings: Best Kept
Makeup: Beauty by Jacs Hair: Makeup by Ana B Video-grapher: Zela Films
&Hunter Hampton Tyler Wake
MAY 26, 2024, AT EARLY MOUNTAIN VINEYARDS
PHOTOGRAPHER: CARLY ROSE PHOTOGRAPHY
THE FINE DETAILS
Event planner: Nadia Anderson (Mary Elizabeth Events) Officiant: Joshua Boggs (a friend of Tyler’s)
Catering: Early Mountain Vineyards Flowers: Steelcut Flower Co. Cake: Cake Bloom Music: Rock-Da-House Entertainment Groom’s attire: Suitsupply Rings: Staghead Designs
Can we get married here?
Exploring some unusual wedding venues
By Carol Diggs
One of the beauties of wedding celebrations is that they can be a true expression of the two of you. And whether that expression is traditional or modern, formal or casual, large or micro, two hours or an entire weekend … well, it’s your wedding!
The Charlottesville area has a wealth of wonderful wedding spots, from restaurants and hotels to cideries and farm vineyards. But what if you’re seeking something a little more ... you?
Want a historic Virginia wedding? Getting married at Monticello is not an option, but you can have your celebration at the Monticello Foundation’s facility on nearby Montalto. You can also say “I do” on-site at James Monroe’s Highland, on the grounds or in its event facility. James Madison’s Montpelier has space that can be rented for rehearsal dinners, but you can’t have your wedding on-site.
Want to show your support for public lands? Shenandoah National Park is a popular
site, and both Skyland and Big Meadows Lodge can handle weddings and receptions, spring through November. You must apply to the park for a special use permit for outdoor events that are not held on Skyland or Big Meadows Lodge land areas, such as Old Rag or other overlook points. (As with almost every event, apply early.) There are many sites available for small weddings (25 people or fewer) along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Permits are required, and you can’t exclude the public, so hikers may join you. For larger weddings, Peaks of Otter Lodge is an option. State parks offer other spots for ceremonies, with one of the most picturesque below the 200-foot-high rock arch at Natural Bridge State Park.
Don’t want to worry about bad weather?
You can have your celebration underground at Luray Caverns, where options include an intimate ceremony for 12 guests (with an aisle of candles!) or a cathedral setting for up to 100 people complete with stalactites and stalagmites. Closer to home is Melrose Caverns
outside Harrisonburg, on a farm owned by the same family for 10 generations. The site includes a lovely bluestone cottage, and the caverns themselves are suitable for small to mid-size celebrations.
Want a Cavalier wedding? The chapel on UVA Grounds is a lovely, newly renovated setting— but it’s only available on Saturdays during the school year (February-April and August-November) and only in the morning if there’s a home football game. Reservations open up a year in advance, so again, apply early!
Want a lazy river wedding? The James River Batteau Company, which offers round-trip batteau trips out of Scottsville, is developing wedding and catered-event options for 2026. Each boat holds 12 people, so maybe your small event is two or three boats cruising along the river in partnership. This plan might be better suited for the rehearsal dinner, or a post-wedding event—but maybe your officiant is willing to come along, and you can say your vows to the sound of the James flowing along.
The possibilities are endless with an underground wedding, like this one at Shenandoah Caverns.
Suite beginnings
Once a boarding house with a colorful past, 200 South Street has been transformed into Charlottesville’s newest all-inclusive wedding rental. The property— comprising two historic houses—features 18 fully renovated rooms with en suite baths, a grand kitchen, a pool, multiple porches, and a dining room large enough to seat 40 comfortably. Couples can buy the entire property for a wedding weekend, hosting rehearsal dinners on-site and enjoying exclusive use of every space, from the outdoor fireplace terrace to the indoor gathering
areas, all designed by Black Penny Design’s Wynne Shafer in collaboration with the site’s owner, longtime local real estate firm Woodard Properties.
“Most people want to be downtown—for the nightlife, the shopping, the great coffee—and there’s hardly any property closer to the Downtown Mall that can offer that,” says property manager Travis Wilburn. “We saw the opportunity to best serve these wedding parties by giving them a property right here in Charlottesville at the center of it all.”—CH
