Lindsay Schimpf & Kristin Beers
May 12, 2018, at Lydia Mountain Lodge | Photography by Amanda Maglione
Unexpected inspo
When Lindsay Schimpf and Kristin Beers started dating, gay marriage wasn’t legal in many states, including Virginia. So neither bride had a vision for their dream wedding. Turns out, they got the perfect day anyway. “We had some freedom to make our wedding day our own, without being burdened by traditions,” says Lindsay. “It was our big day and we celebrated the way we wanted to, and it was perfect.”
Fun stuff
If they had a theme, the couple says it would be a subtle nod to Jurassic Park. They walked down the aisle to The Piano Guys’ tongue-in-cheek version of the movie’s theme; they used dinosaurs in lieu of table numbers; they named one of the signature cocktails “Hold Onto Your Butts,” drawing on a famous line from the movie. “Very fancy stuff,” says Kristin. “One of the things I love most about Lindsay is that she doesn’t take anything too seriously. It was nice that we could have a sense of humor about what is ultimately one of the most important days of our lives.”
Precious moments
Kristin cites her nephew appearing in a narwhal onesie as one of her favorite memories from the day. “Belting out Meatloaf a little further into the night was pretty memorable, too,” Lindsay says.
For the kids
To ensure that parents could relax over a cocktail during the wedding, Lindsay and Kristin brought in a bounce house for the kids. Bonus: “It resulted in some phenomenal and unique photos,” says Lindsay.
Location, location
Knowing they wanted a weekend-long event, the couple chose Lydia Mountain Lodge. “A collection of cabins in the woods offered all that, and it felt almost like we were taking all of our closest friends and family to summer camp,” says Kristin.
Food finder
Because the couple lives in San Diego, they sent in a local friend for tastings. With his blessing, they chose Ace Biscuit & BBQ for the rehearsal dinner and Harvest Moon for the reception (“My aunt is still trying to re-create the salmon cakes we had,” Lindsay says).
Meet cute
Says Lindsay, “I was at a gay bar in San Diego and recognized Kristin as someone that I had matched with on an online dating site. I had been working up the courage to message this person who was a 97 percent match, and happened to run into her before I had the chance. I’m just glad she wasn’t creeped out by the awkward pickup line of, ‘Hey, I recognize you from the internet.’”
The details
Event planner: Emerald Events by Nilsa Officiant: Ashton Ivey (friend) Catering: Ace Biscuit & Barbecue (rehearsal dinner), Harvest Moon Catering (reception), Butler’s Unique Catering (brunch) Flowers: Tristan Barnum Brown (friend) Cake: Incredible Edibles Bakery Music: Rhythm of Love Brides’ attire: Bindle & Keep Shoes: Allen Edmonds (Lindsay), Red Wing, Hazel (Kristin) Rings: Tiffany & Co.
