Truly Timeless
The love stories of three Richmond couples
By Laura Anders Lee
Gabriela & David
MARCH 23, 2025
Photos by CHELSEA SCHMIDT PHOTOGRAPHY
Gabriela De Jesus and David Moutous knew they were destined to be together after weathering many challenges on the way to the altar. Shortly after they started dating in 2020, the world shut down. “We had less than a month to have a normal dating life before COVID,” Gabriela recalls. But the pandemic only pushed them closer together. “We were both off work and got to hang out a lot one-on-one,” David adds.
A few years later, David proposed to Gabriela during a trip with her family to the island of Santorini in Greece. “It was very magical,” Gabriela says. The couple decided on a long engagement to save for a summer 2026 wedding. However, when both of their mothers were diagnosed with cancer in the same week, they decided to live in the moment and go for it.
Gabriela found her dream dress, but it was way over their budget, and the custom order wouldn’t arrive in time. “Then one night, in the middle of the night, I looked on [online marketplace] Poshmark and found it — I couldn’t believe it,” she says.
“Gabby really killed it; she planned everything in three months,” David says. Their ceremony and reception were held at Common House Richmond, where they embraced a classic and timeless aesthetic. “Since we were crunched for time, it was easiest to keep things as simple as possible and not get too trendy,” Gabriela says.
Both moms worked closely with the couple throughout the planning process. To honor David’s family heritage, his mother helped incorporate traditional Cambodian elements into the celebration. At the reception, the couple changed into Cambodian wedding attire to greet their guests at each table.
David and Gabriela cherished spending time with their loved ones. “I’m so glad our moms got to be part of everything,” David says. “With our mothers’ health, we don’t know what the outcome will be.” But their special day is a moment the newly joined families will treasure.
GAL PALS:
Prior to the big day, Gabriela hosted a bridesmaid proposal, gifting her bridal party lip gloss, personalized jewelry boxes, earrings and matching pajamas. The group donned their special items while getting ready for the ceremony.
PEARL JAM: Gabriela incorporated classic pearls and feminine bows into her wedding decor and accessories.
(Opposite Page) PUPPY LOVE: David and Gabriela posed as husband and wife with their dog Duke, a Chiweenie (Chihuahuadachshund mix).
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ALL IN WHITE: The bride wore an Anne Barge Newport silk trumpet gown that she purchased at a discount on the online marketplace Poshmark. Her flowers were by Sage House.
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MAKE IT RAIN: Instead of a traditional first dance, Gabriela delighted her guests by dancing with her father and her stepfather to Lil Wayne’s “Stuntin’ Like My Daddy.”
THREADS OF MEANING:
To honor David’s family heritage, the bride and groom changed into traditional Cambodian silk wedding garments with detailed gold embroidery and handed out candy to their guests.
FULL HOUSE: Junior members of the wedding party included Gabriela’s niece and David’s cousin, niece and goddaughter. The couple chose a black-and-white theme for a classic and timeless look.
BRO TIME: The groomsmen took a break at Common House Richmond in their classic suits from R.S. Milan located in Regency mall.
JJulia & Ryan
SEPT. 13, 2025
Photos by SERA PETRAS PHOTOGRAPHY
ulia Blend and Ryan Rich met at Virginia Commonwealth University, where they both studied graphic design. Friends at first, they became particularly close while sheltering in place during the height of COVID-19. When they got married in September 2025 at The John Marshall Ballrooms, the duo let their creativity shine.
“We’re artists, most of our friends are artists, and we come from families of artists,” Julia says. “We were going for something really unique and artistic that was also playful and fun.” The couple created their own engagement party invitations and incorporated a painting made by a friend into the design of their wedding stationery. The colors they chose for the big day consisted of deep purples and greens to set the tone for a moody, romantic vibe.
For a striking, dramatic look, Warm Flowers created ikebana flower arrangements, a Japanese floral art technique focusing on minimalism and asymmetry. “I’m obsessed with flowers,” Julia says. “I really love all the interesting shapes and colors.”
All the bridesmaids held slightly different bouquets of calla lilies with long tendrils of amaranthus that resembled designs from the 2024 film “Wicked.” Julia asked her bridal party to wear either black or black with a floral pattern. “I just really loved the way their colors popped and drew in the eye,” she says.
The groom embraced the theme with a blue velvet smoking jacket that perfectly complemented the bride’s heirloom wedding gown. Julia’s late grandmother and namesake first wore the dress in the 1950s, and her mother wore it for her wedding in the 1990s. Inspired by her family matriarchs’ photos in the ensemble, Julia re-created some of the same poses. “It was really special to wear a dress that was worn by all of us,” she says. (Ryan Rich is an art director with Richmond magazine.)
PERSONALIZED PAPER:
Both graphic designers, Julia and Ryan created their own invitations with help from friends who are also artists. Their florist, Warm Flowers, provided loose blooms of the same florals incorporated into the bride’s bouquet to capture striking closeups in the couple’s photography.
OUT OF THE DARK:
The bridal party wore a mix of allblack ensembles and black dresses with a floral pattern so the flowers they held and wore would create a dramatic pop of color.
(Opposite page) FOR THE MANTEL: Photographer Sera Petras captured this timeless photograph of the couple sitting in a shaft of afternoon light as it streamed through a window at The John Marshall Ballrooms.
LET’S GO, REDBIRDS: Ryan’s relatives from St. Louis o cially welcomed Julia to the family with a St. Louis Cardinals sleeveless jersey.
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ALL CLASS:
Photographer Sera Petras utilized light and shadow to capture the mood and vintage aesthetic of the day.
LOVEBIRDS: The pair of ducks perched atop the wedding cake surrounded by bright flowers were a nod to the couple’s frequent strolls around Byrd Park.
SMOOTH AS VELVET: Ryan chose a blue velvet smoking jacket to complement Julia’s circa 1951 heirloom wedding gown. His boutonniere featured a green orchid with purple accents.
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FLORAL ART: Sare Harvell, owner of Warm Flowers, created ikebana arrangements, a Japanese floral art technique focusing on minimalism and asymmetry.
Ashley & Alex
SEPT. 13, 2025
Photos by KIMIE JAMES PHOTOGRAPHY
Ashley Jefferson and Alex Taylor met on a blind date at Richmond’s Lillie Pearl restaurant. They were set up by a mutual acquaintance, Brian Robertson, who did marketing for both Ashley’s fashion company and Alex’s law firm. “I thought it was a business lunch, but once we got there, Brian left and it was just the two of us,” Alex recalls. “I wasn’t expecting to meet the love of my life.”
Almost exactly two years from that propitious meeting, the couple wed at Keswick Hall near Charlottesville. “I was a first-time, 40-year-old bride,” Ashley says. “I hadn’t planned for any of it. Life was just life-ing, and I fell in love.”
For the big day, they chose the theme “Brunch Under the Stars,” hosting an elegant outdoor wedding and serving brunch (Ashley’s favorite meal) for dinner. To represent the night sky, they asked the men attending to wear black, and to symbolize a springtime brunch, they asked the women to wear pink and blue.
The day started off without a hitch until there was a sudden health scare. While buttoning Ashley’s wedding gown, her aunt collapsed. A prompt 911 call saved her life. “We immediately went into prayer mode and thought about canceling,” Ashley says. “Two of my bridesmaids left with her, but the consensus from the family was that she’d want us to go on with the ceremony. Our vows were even more emotional, and there was just so much love all around.”
With promising updates from Ashley’s cousins at the hospital, the newlyweds celebrated with friends and family at the reception. They changed into their party clothes and danced under the stars.
“Thankfully, with my aunt being OK, it ended up being the best day of my life,” Ashley says. “The whole day is a reminder that you literally never know what will happen.”
ALL SMILES:
The bridesmaids wore powder blue gowns by Samantha Smith of Abydis Clothing. Their bouquets by The Flower Guy Bron included Ashley’s favorite blooms, roses and peonies.
TOWER OF LOVE: The five-tier wedding cake by Keswick Hall’s catering team featured edible foil and blue and white flowers.
(Opposite page) HAND IN HAND: The new Mr. and Mrs. Taylor walked down the aisle to the cheers of friends and family. Their ceremony was held outdoors at Keswick Hall near Charlottesville.
Sweet Sentiments
A VINTAGE-INSPIRED CAKE IS AN HOMAGE TO BELOVED ANCESTORS
By JOYELLE RONAN
EVEN THOUGH REILLY GEMMELL AND COLEMAN APPLEGATE attended the same high school, they didn’t start dating until they both moved back to Richmond in 2017 after graduating from college. The couple got engaged in November 2023 at Edinburgh Castle during a trip to Scotland, and they tied the knot on May 17, 2025, at The Pro-Cathedral of St. Peter in Richmond’s Capitol District.
Many of the details of Reilly and Coleman’s wedding honored their loved ones, including their floral three-tiered cake from Cameo Cakery & Cafe. “I really drew inspiration for [the cake] from my mom, who passed away,” Reilly says. “She loved beautiful, colorful flowers. She worked at a flower shop for many years.”
During their reception at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, the couple cut the cake with a knife from Coleman’s great-grandparents’ silver collection. They chose two flavors of cake — Reilly wanted an almond-raspberry flavor with white buttercream, while Coleman decided on a yellow cake with chocolate buttercream as the filling. “Not only did it look beautiful, but it really tasted great, too,” Reilly says.
The cake topper was a gift from Coleman’s grandparents, who had used it for their own wedding in 1960 at The Tuckahoe Woman’s Club. “We were really honored to be able to carry that on as a tradition,” Reilly says.
The vintage theme was also at play in Reilly and Coleman’s photos.
Chelsea Diane Photography used a mix of digital and 35mm film. “We did some engagement photos with them as well, and they took some film [photos] for those,” Reilly says. “We just loved their style.”
