A rich, vibrant palette spells one thing to guests: fun. We’re not talking every color in the crayon box, but why choose just two or three colors, especially if you love them all? Instead, put Roy G. Biv (that acronym for the sequence of hues in the rainbow) on the guest list for your big day. He brings the party.
A RIOT OF COLOR
Hilty Hazzard and Jeff St. Denis
June 25, 2011
Ceremony and reception venue: Ash Lawn-Highland
Catering: Michael Wood of Have Food Will Travel
Flowers: Amy Webb of Blue Ridge Floral Design
Cake: Riki Tanabe of Albemarle Baking Company
Music: Madison Trio and DJ Derek Tobler
Dress: Carol Hannah Whitfield bought at Lovely Bride
Shoes: Nine West
Hair: Leslie Lowry of Hazel Beauty Bar
Makeup: Jeanne Cusik
Calligrapher: Bonnie Jean Eastep
Day-of Coordinator: Iris Luck of Barb Wired
Officiant: Eva Marie Ireland
Lighting: MSEvents
Tents: FDS Tents
Rentals: Festive Fare
“Have as much fun as possible.” That’s what Hilty said she and Jeff were going for when coming up with a concept for their wedding. “If we had to make a decision, we always went with whatever would make the party more fun,” she said. A graphic designer, Hilty is color-obsessed. After three months of trying to narrow it down to two or three, she realized she couldn’t settle. “I decided to just go for all of them!” She and Jeff mixed peacock blue dresses; hot pink, peach, and blue flowers; bright green chair cushions; blue water glasses; and multicolored lanterns. Still, her favorite detail wasn’t really a detail at all: “A lot of the people who were there, Jeff and I don’t get to see but every couple of years,” she said. “It was really wonderful to be surrounded by so much love and friendship.”
House call
Hilty and Jeff met one morning after he uwittingly spent the night on her couch. He’d been locked out of the place he was staying and only knew one other person in Charlottesville—Hilty’s roommate!
FOR SENTIMENTAL REASONS
Lauren Hill and Jonathan Dowler
September 10, 2011
Ceremony and reception venue: Ingleside
Catering: Beggars Banquet
Flowers: Sugar Magnolias
Cake: Gluten-free cupcakes from Jules Shepard and groom’s cake by Scotty Koneski
Music: Bob Thames (ceremony), Tara Mills (reception)
Dress: My mom’s dress, redesigned by Posh
Shoes: My mom’s cowboy boots
Hair: Sarah Smith
Landscaping/ gardens: Jennie Hill Robinson
After six years together, Jonathan and Lauren didn’t want to get fussy about the details of their wedding. “We wanted it to be about the family we were starting and the history that had led us to this new beginning,” she said. So, they quickly checked off the dress (her mother’s), the setting (her grandmother’s farm in Somerset), and a few other big-day elements (contributed by family). Then, just as Lauren was getting hung up on a color scheme, a trusted friend convinced her to go for it and embrace all the colors she loves. “It was a balancing act for sure, but in the end, I got a rainbow.”
Table for two
The bride and groom met while working in a restaurant in their college town, Greenville, North Carolina.
INSPIRED DESIGN
Tori Lawson and Nick Gregorios
June 25, 2011
Event planner: Lynn Easton of Easton Events
Ceremony and reception venue: Keswick Hall
Catering: Keswick Hall
Flowers: Pat’s Floral Designs
Cake: Keswick Hall
Music: Big Ray and the Kool Kats
Dress: BHLDN
Shoes: BHLDN
Hair and makeup: Moxie Hair & Body Lounge
An long-time admirer of all things Anthropologie, Tori wanted her and Nick’s wedding to feel like one of the retailer’s beautiful stores. “I wanted to create a mood that was elegant, but still relaxed,” she said. “I wanted the guests to feel as if they were eating in a garden.” Not only did she get her own wedding-day garb from BHLDN, Anthro’s bridal offshoot, but a lot of the décor came from the store as well, from the plates and bowls they filled with peaches, to the knobs the couple used as place card holders. Her favorite detail? The pergola that was built around the head table, which had chandeliers hanging from it. Oh, the romance!
Classroom crush
Tori and Nick met in an economics class in college.
