Bluemont Vineyard Wedding

I can’t think of a better way to start this Wednesday than with the always gorgeous photos by Ash Imagery. Gloria and Ryan are the epitome of effortless chic. Proof of the fact that their wedding day was entirely handmade, and yes, that includes their luscious floral arrangements. Many more images to gush over right here.

From Gloria, the bride: We knew from the start that we wanted to have the wedding in a Virginia vineyard, since we have close ties to the state and love the relaxed environment of a vineyard. Bluemont was the perfect setting! After experiencing the amazing view there we just set out to create a wedding that would complement the natural beauty of the location. We wanted simple, homemade, and relaxed style.

For inspiration, I looked for colors that would naturally occur in early Virginia autumn. Since we also wanted that relaxed feel, we didn’t restrict the theme or color scheme too much. In the end, we used a color palette of burgundy, rose, peach, and champagne as a reference point.

Many of the flowers came from local farms and were seasonal – dahlias, zinnias, and amaranthus, for example. All of the flower displays were made through community effort in my mom’s kitchen, and the bouquets were hand-tied. My wedding cake was baked, assembled, and decorated by my bridesmaids. We did our music mix ourselves (with the help of one of our groomsmen) and played it on a laptop hooked up to speakers. We also made our invitations and place cards, which doubled as favors, by hand. Overall, everything was a group effort, which we really loved because it shows how much we rely on our friends and family every day!

We took a tour of Virginia vineyards, knowing that we would love an outdoor ceremony with a reception space nearby. Bluemont Vineyard in Bluemont, VA was the one we settled on – their view from the ceremony location was unparalleled, and it didn’t hurt that their wines were delicious as well. The Stable, the reception was held in, is a converted horse stable with beautiful wooden walls and a rustic feel.

Any advice for brides planning their weddings now? Don’t be afraid to ask for help! I wouldn’t have been able to do so many DIY things with the wedding while still staying sane without an incredible amount of help from friends and family. Ryan and I also lifted equal loads throughout the planning process – although I had a ton of ideas about what we could do, he was a great sounding board for them and helped do a lot of legwork to make it all happen.

In the end, we had a lot of fun with everyone involved in making all of the little details; the journey was just as rewarding as the actual day of the wedding.

Wedding Songs:

Processional: Your Song, by Elton John
Recessional: You’re My Best Friend, by Queen
First Dance: I Do, by Colbie Caillat

Wedding Vendors (Bluemont, Virginia + Philadelphia, PA):

Ceremony and reception locations: Bluemont Vineyard / Flowers: Whole Foods in Fair Lakes, VA / Photographer: Michael Smith from Ash Imagery / Wedding Dress: Allure Couture, style C161 / Shoes: Isola, Dolce pumps / Jewelry: earrings borrowed from a friend, hair clip purchased from Etsy seller silverpencils / Makeup: MAC stylist in Fair Oaks Mall / Bridesmaid Dresses: Each bridesmaid picked out a chiffon, knee length dress from the color palette – Jim Hjelm, Venus Bridal, and Donna Morgan / Bridesmaid necklaces: Etsy seller David Verbena / Groom’s suit: Gino Valentino suit from Amazon.com / Caterer: Celebrations Catering / Cake topper: Etsy seller Beck Kazana / Wedding invitations: handmade