1920s Virginia Wedding

The bride from today’s wedding shot by Joyeuse Photography describes her wedding day as “stepping into a daytime party from The Great Gatsby.” Yep, we were sold right then and there! We guarantee you’re going to love their “table number” idea! Each table was assigned a particular figure from the 1920s and decorated in tribute to that individual — think Coco Chanel, Al Capone, Josephine Baker, and Babe Ruth, just to name a few. Oh, and you just might notice the most incredible vintage getaway car we’ve ever seen!

From the bride, Alicia: I have always been fascinated by the 1920s and the exuberant pop culture that went with that era. I can remember my great grandmother telling me a story about how she and her friends would “rouge” their knees before going out. I loved this story and how it was an act of defying the traditional standards of society at the time. I wanted to somehow capture that spirit and glamor of the epoch through our wedding. I viewed our wedding as a blank canvas where we could re-create and experience anything we wanted. What could be better than the Roaring 20s!

I think our wedding can be described as “Gatsbyesque”, if that’s a word! As we got deeper into the planning, I wanted the wedding to have the feel of a picnic on a summer day in the 20s. As if you were stepping straight into a daytime party from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel “The Great Gatsby.” And, I think we succeeded!

Our color scheme was peach and cream with some black and gold thrown into the mix. We thought nothing would say 1920s class more than having us both dressed in cream period attire and a matching automobile to complete the look!

We did all of the table flower arrangements ourselves (or at least a family friend did them). Several of our other DIY projects were the door with the guest seating, all of the signage including the serving platters that we turned into chalkboard signs and the family “photo” tree.

See Also

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Any advice for brides planning their weddings now? I cannot say enough great things about our wedding planner. My advice for brides to be is to invest in a planner, if not for the entire event then at least for the Day Of. Our case was a bit unique in the fact that we had to plan the entire wedding from abroad. Our planner helped us to not only manage our other vendors & make timely decisions but she was also able to keep the thread of my vision. Whenever I felt overwhelmed or that I was not able to communicate my ideas correctly to the people involved helping us State side, she was always there for support and to remind me and others of how to move forward. As for the day of, she and her team were brilliant. My family and I did not have to worry about a thing. She kept us right on schedule and we were able to focus on our guests and celebrating our happy day!

Wedding Music:
Processional: “Hoppipolla,” Sigur Ros
Song Before the Prayer: “Grow Old With Me,” The Postal Service
Recessional: “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” The Beatles
First Dance: “La Vie en Rose,” Louis Armstrong
Father/Daughter Dance: “The Way You Look Tonight,” Frank Sinatra

Wedding Location: Hartfield, VA / Wedding Photographer: Joyeuse Photography / Wedding Location: Bride’s Grandmother’s Home / Wedding Planner: Malissa Murphy of CMT Event Planning / Bouquets and Boutonnieres: Smith Florist (Gloucester, VA) / Succulents: Succulents Galore / Wedding Dress: Novia D’Art “Fantasia” / Bridal Cap and Veil: Twigs and Honey, style 109 / Wedding Shoes: BHLDN / Bride’s Earrings: Luxedeluxe / Reception Dress: Blue Velvet Vintage / Bride’s Hair: Janet of Razzle Dazzle (Yorktown, VA) / Bride’s Makeup: Susie of Best Face Forward / Groom’s Suit: Vecona Vintage / Wedding Music: Glen Boswick and the Sound of Swing Orchestra / Wedding Caterer: Williamsburg Catering Company / Wedding Cake: Creations from the Heart / Wedding Invitations: Two For Joy Paper / Wedding Program: I Heart Paper and Thread / Menu: He Saw Sparks