credits
Venue: West Manor
Caterer: West Manor
DJ: Barry Tosh
Florist: Max and Dexter

How did you meet?
We met on Skype because we were in a conference call of Star Wars Galaxies players.  Since we played the same game and shared an interest in Star Wars and writing, we hit it off quickly.  Unfortunately we actually met toward the end of Star Wars Galaxies online life, and we had not played together as much as we wished we did, but after meeting one another we realized we had run into each other in game plenty of times. 

How did you choose your venue?
Since I am from Texas and Mike is from New Jersey, we knew that if we had a home based wedding on either end, it would be hard for certain members of our family to make it.  We already knew we would have a small wedding, so we compromised to have the wedding in a state we thought was beautiful but also served as a mid-point location.  Since his parents live in Virginia, we had a base of operations to work with!  We went with West Manor simply because the grounds were the most beautiful.

Tell us about your dress, shoes and other accessories!
I felt like the dress I chose best represented my style with its neo-vintage and dramatic look about it.  I did not spend long looking for it because I knew I would be too indecisive.  The shoes I wore were a pair of white lace booties that made me tall enough to actually fit the height of the dress… even after several re-sizings!  My forehead tiara was chosen because of how unique it was in comparison to what most bridal shops offer for headpieces, and because it would not interfere with wearing my hair down.  It reminded me of a beautiful wedding on Naboo, or maybe even a medieval Lord of the Rings style ceremony!

What detail did you like best about your wedding day?
I actually really loved that it was a small wedding and so the whole setup tended to the number perfectly.  It felt spacious in the ballroom, yet filled with an aura of happiness.  Since it was not a wedding where a bunch of people we hardly liked were obligatory guests, we trusted everyone there and it felt very intimate.

Describe your decor and how you chose it!
One of the West Manor staff members remarked on how simple we were when we delivered the rest of the decor for the tables.  When it comes to the decor we chose for our wedding, we aimed for a simple elegance; calalilly flowers swirled about their vases, a few more lillies and feathers inhabiting mason jars, and a light art deco theme in general brought us that.  Our wedding cake toppers were a pair of Star Wars action figures, the bride being a twi’lek dancer from Jabba’s Palace and the groom being the bounty hunter Jango Fett.  We chose them because they looked the most like our in game characters from the game we met on.

What was your favorite moment during your wedding day?
Dancing with each other the first time was a very special moment for both of us.  Mike had not seen me until the ceremony and was visibly jolted when I approached him from the aisle.  We both could not wait to be in each others arms.  I am not a very romantic person, and yet during our dance I felt as if I had been gifted with a fairytale love.  I was proud to be married to the man I love.

Other than that, my dad walking me down the aisle reminded me of how fortunate I am to be his daughter.

Also, I saw a bunny in the horse fields and that was pretty exciting.

Tell us about your food and cake!
The cake was by the wonderfully gifted La Bella Torte.  It was as tasty as it looked.  In fact, as I write this I am fighting my cat for another forkful of the triple chocolate piece of cake we took home with us. The food was classic and simple.

Why did you choose Allegra’s Studio for your photography?
 Allegra’s work really popped out to me when I was browsing her site.  I had already looked at several other photographers, and while some of them seemed talented as well, it was Allegra’s keen eye for moment capturing and the beauty within each otherwise fleeting second of a wedding that hooked me.  The fact that she manages to take high fashion, couture style shots helped seal the deal.  Aside from her incredible photography, Allegra is very personable and comfortable to be around.  She makes you laugh, shares fun conversation, and she totally understood the Star Wars / sci fi obsession.  As an added benefit to having Allegra capture our wedding, she was very good about treating our guests with kindness and working with/around their own photo snapping.  Even before our guests had seen any of the results of her work, they were impressed with her!

What’s next on your calendar as a couple?
Las Vegas for a fun honeymoon!  Soon after I am starting school to become a veterinary technician, then pursuing an ultimate goal of being a veterinarian.  Mike will be finishing graduate school.  In the meantime, we will enjoy our games, our collaborative writing, fandoms, and most of all, our lives together!

view more on the slideshow below and see their entire wedding gallery here (password required)