It’s been a year and Amy and Bo recently received their final wedding album.  (Our turn around is typically 8-12 weeks once we have final design sign off)

I asked them each to let me know which was their favorite photo.

It’s so hard to believe it has been a year already! How can I ever pick just ONE favorite? Can I say my entire wedding album that tells the whole story??!! I think my very favorite of Bo and I is the one where he is dipping me and we are about to kiss. You can see so many of the details…the flowers I was carrying, the flowers in my hair, some of the details of my gown, how beautiful and green the grounds at Clifton were that day, but even more, you can see just how happy (and finally relaxed) we both were!

Bo’s favorite photo is the group shot we took in front of Clifton that we put in our album because our closest friends and family are all together celebrating with us 🙂

and enjoy seeing the design for their classically inspired yet contemporary matted wedding album!

I can’t believe it’s been a year!  Happy Anniversary you two!  And congratulations on your upcoming arrival!

My favorite image is the one you used on the website announcement card. Where Mark and I are singing at the Piano and I have my bouquet in my right hand. There is the silhouette of the bass player on the curtain behind us.

Why is that my fav?

Mark was my accordion teacher and we spent many hours behind his piano . He played the keys and I had my squeeze box. He is a professional musician ( in this image he is sitting in with the band to play  ” How sweet it is”  a song he chose for us. ) He is a true showman with a great sense of humor  , and you can see it here. This image was the moment in the night that felt the most magical and comfortable for the both of us. He was such a good sport to wear that ivory jacket and vest during the ceremony, that dress was my big splurge. I am also dwarfed by his physical size and you can see it here. ( I’m a shrimp!) We have always been on equal ground regardless  the difference in our age or size.  I am lucky to have him and vise versa. We both know it.

credits
venue & catering: Jefferson Hotel Trish Brinkley rocks!
florist: Flowers Make Scents
lighting designer: Magic Special Events
ceremony music: Ben Misterka Trio
band: 2nd Soul
dress: Oleg Cassini

That back in 2003 when I photographed this family, (apologies for the small film scan)

that I would be photographing the older daughter’s wedding this past Saturday?  Congratulations to Lauren and Alexis! (click images to view larger)

You may remember when I did a Fireside Review of Historic Riverview?  They held their official grand opening the other afternoon and the rain was kind enough to stop and the sun was nice enough to break through!  Good thing since I only brought my i phone with me!  Enjoy these little snapshots that hopefully help show what a gorgeous location this is!

Owned and operated by the Proctor family

credits
Venue: Historic Riverview
Delicious Catering: Charley’s

I think I’ll let the wonderful folks from West Manor tell you about their special place – then I’ll share some photos from the grand reopening!

Tell us about the history of West Manor

West Manor was built in 1823 by architect Thomas Poindexter, who also built the original St. Stephen’s church on Perrowville Road.  Thomas lived at what was actually called “Waverly” with his wife and 3 daughters Sallie, Margaret, and Virginia.  Upon Thomas’ death Mrs. Poindexter married Rev. Robert Thomson, who used some of his wife’s funds to start the first Lynchburg College in Lynchburg.  Margaret was married at Waverly and built a house on the property, and Sallie married Capt. Thomas West, a Confederate veteran, at Waverly as well on May 21, 1868.  They later moved into the main house that we currently refer to as “West Manor.”  Virginia, the only Poindexter daughter not to marry, is honored with a statue on our front lawn.  As guests approach she is there to greet them and look over our weddings. 

The marriage of Sallie to Thomas West produced 10 children, and all but one, Eliza Burton West, who died at 9 months, were married on the farm.  The home was passed down from generation to generation until 1976 when Jack Lester purchased the farm with his son Greg.  West Manor was a working dairy farm from 1823 until 1994 when the dairy was sold.  It was at this time West Manor Bed & Breakfast was established.  We began hosting weddings for the public in 1999, built our formal ballroom in 2000, followed by our gazebo and formal garden ceremony site in 2001 and conservatory in 2004.  In 2011 John and Jill Fees purchased the property, renaming it West Manor Estate, and renovated the grounds and interior, adding a completely glass enclosed Atrium for indoor ceremonies or cocktail hour.  Weddings run deep on our history and it is our goal for each family who experiences an event with us to leave feeling a part of some thing special.

How many guests can West Manor accommodate for a wedding?

 We can accommodate up to 225 for a seated dinner, 250-275 for a cocktail style reception. 

 What makes West Manor special/different compared to other place?

 There are so many reason why I love West Manor, but far from that there are just so many great logistical reasons to host your event out here.  The first is that it is quintessentially Virginian.  With it’s red brick exterior, rolling hills, and mountain views, there is no place like it, and with such quick and easy city access, it’s not inconvenient to your guests.  Because it is a home, guests feel comfortable and relaxed in our environment.  I always say it is like having a wedding at home, that you don’t have to cook and clean for!  And of course the space!!  From the gardens to the conservatory, the ballroom, atrium, and house, there are so many places to set up and places for your guests to go, explore, and enjoy.  Instead of being in one room all night, guests are free to have cake and coffee in our comfortable living rooms, situated right off the ballroom so they aren’t missing a thing, or wander the lantern light gardens at sunset.  Best of perhaps is that brides don’t have to worry if they wake up and it’s raining on their wedding day, they know a. West Manor is taking care of everything, and b. we’ve got this amazing glass room for her to move in to that is separate from her reception space, but still allows her to feel outside, minus the wet rainy mess.  Winter brides who still appreciate the scenery and views can have that outdoor feeling ceremony, but with warm guests.  As well as the beauty in the setting we also focus heavily on the quality of the food we produce here at West Manor.  With the new ownership came a new approach to the food that we serve our clients and their guests.  We have partnered with chef Michelle Hamrick from Gerald’s restaurant, and she will be executing the culinary side of our events.

 Is there anything else about West Manor that you would like to share?

I guess if there was anything else I would want people to know is that on top of getting a beautiful venue and great food, you’re going to get great service.  Each wedding is just as important as the one before and the one after.  I get one shot to get this day right and that thought is never far from my mind.  I also know that there are a lot of fabulous venues in our area and I am lucky when a bride books with us.  Picking your venue, especially when we provide the food, can be an overwhelming decision and one that should not be taken lightly.  Just like picking your wedding dress, your site should reflect your style and feel.  But when you do decide to have your wedding with us, you should know that we will take care of every worry, every detail, everything with the same detail and care you would if you had the time.  Weddings have been in the West Manor family for almost 190 years and it is our goal to treat you and your guests as our own family.

Allegra back again! Wow as you can see there is a lot of history in this place! I can tell you from my complete tour before the grand opening that West Manor has been transformed! The home features elegant antiques and now has a much more sophisticated flair. The new Atrium proved itself as the day opened up cloudy and rainy – you’ll see from the pictures how much gorgeous light floods the space even on a grey day!  They have some very limited availability for this year and certainly if your wedding is next year, you’ll want to hop on it!  Give them a buzz at info@westmanorevents.com to learn more!

credits

ceremony: UVA Chapel
venue: Boar’s Head Inn
florist: University Florists
ceremony music: Madison Trio
reception band: DJ Dennis Payne
dress: Allure Bridal, Signature Lace Collection from Celebration Bridal

How did you meet?

Jonathan: Carolyn and I met in the workplace. I got a new job at an engineering company in Lynchburg, VA in 2009 and I met this really cute editor shortly after I started working there. She was in charge of correcting the reports I wrote, but despite that we hit it off and ended up married three years later.

Carolyn: I noticed the new guy at work right away, and started taking every available chance to go chat him up. He didn’t seem to mind!

Tell us about your dress, shoes and other accessories!

Carolyn: My dress was definitely “the one.” I found it on my first shopping trip, and loved everything about it. It fit like a glove straight off the rack!  The shoes were chosen purely for comfort and the height of the heel; wearing them, I didn’t need to have the dress hemmed!

My “something borrowed” was a necklace, which belonged to my great-grandmother. It’s a gold lavalier-style pendant, with a small pearl drop at the bottom. It’s been passed down from mother to daughter since then, and my Mom wore it in her wedding. That necklace is really something special, in addition to borrowed!

How did you choose your venue?

Jonathan: Carolyn and I both wanted a ceremony that would be memorable and part of that was finding a location that matched our sense of classic style. Since we wanted to have the wedding in Charlottesville, and I am a UVA alum, the UVA chapel came to mind as a good place to consider. Once we stepped inside we knew that we had found the right location!

What was your favorite moment during your wedding day?

Jonathan: My favorite moment was seeing Carolyn walk through the door at the back of the Chapel in her dress for the first time. I had a huge grin on my face the whole time she was walking down the aisle, and as soon as I saw her all the nervousness I felt before began to ease. She was and still is the most beautiful woman in the world at that moment.

What detail did you like best about your wedding day?

Jonathan: One of the best things about our wedding day was that we had a warm, sunny day in early March! We got extremely lucky when it came to weather that weekend and it really made the whole experience that much better.

and I’m just going to have to post the Ralph Lauren wedding “models” again!

Describe your decor and how you chose it!

Jonathan: We both prefer a classical style which is why we chose the UVA Chapel for the ceremony and the Original Ballroom at the Boar’s Head Inn for the reception. Both locations require very little decoration because of the inherent character of the spaces.

Carolyn: Since we both like a clean, simple look, we ended up with primarily black and ivory touches. It’s dramatic, and easy to match colors!

What was your favorite moment during your wedding day?

Carolyn: My favorite part of the evening was our first dance—it was really our first “moment” as a married couple. Jonathan is such a good dancer, and the music and atmosphere were perfect; it was one of those moments when everything comes together beautifully.

Tell us about your food and cake!

Jonathan: The Boar’s Head provided us with a wonderful menu starting with a creamy potato and leek soup, salad and finally a crimini mushroom and boursin stuffed chicken breast with orzo pasta and vegetable ratatouille. After dinner we cut the beautiful cake which was also provided by the Boar’s Head. The thick layer of amazing French butter cream icing on the outside concealed a delicious red velvet cake layered with cream cheese. I can confidently say that this is the best cake that either of us had ever had!

Carolyn: The groom’s cake was baked by Jonathan’s longtime neighbor and fifth-grade teacher, who did all of his birthday cakes when he was small. Jonathan’s family had her make the cake especially for him, and then transported it from Tennessee!

What detail did you like best about your wedding day?

Carolyn: I loved that we got a preview of the pictures right away! I wasn’t expecting that, and it was such a wonderful surprise. Everyone was grouped around admiring the first pictures to come out—gorgeous!

How did you choose your venue?

Carolyn: When it came to the reception, we waded through a lot of venues—too big, too small, too corporate—to find just the right fit. We wanted something understated and elegant, and The Boar’s Head Inn checked all the boxes.

What’s next on your calender as a couple?

Jonathan & Carolyn: Once we get settled in together and integrate two households worth of belongings into one house, we plan to start saving up for the future and someday visit England again and see the park where we got engaged now that we are married.

I’m sure friends and family want to see more so here’s a slideshow with lots more images

and click here to view the complete gallery (contact bride or groom for password)

It’s been just a little over a year and Brianne and J have had many changes in their lives including a new home, new jobs, and most recently, a new pup!  I asked her to take just a few moments with J and let me know which was their favorite photo!

My favorite picture is #6445 where we are walking in to the reception. You can truly see just how happy we are to be married and starting our life together. Even though the room was filled with family and friends, I don’t remember seeing anyone but my new husband before we had our first dance!

J’s favorite picture was also #6445 (chosen separately, I swear!) because we were being introduced as husband and wife. He says, “I looked at my wife and was glad to have found my soulmate.”

Thank you again for all of our wonderful pictures. We plan on celebrating every anniversary by sitting down and looking at each picture and remembering all of the special memories from that day.

Destination events.  sigh.  so beautiful.  Quick iphone snapshot – all I can post. 🙂

I was honored to be the exclusive photographer for Central VA Bridal Guide’s Bride of the Year Luncheon!  Hosted by the wonderful folks at Tresca on 8th, the Luncheon offered a variety of bridal vendors for brides to review while they enjoyed lunch from several caterers.  Stay tuned for a full list of participants and for now, enjoy some highlights below (I tried to get a picture of the vendor name BEFORE each shot so if you want to know whodunnit, just look at the picture before)  Click on the thumbnail to view full size.

Beautiful March Day and beautiful couple!  (click on each image to view larger!)

Ralph Lauren called – they want their models back. 🙂