The groom is Dutch, the bride is American. How to bridge the gap? Says Jenna, “We decided to honor William’s Dutch heritage with our color palette and styling.”
Shades of orange and Delft blue (a color often seen in traditional Dutch pottery) show up everywhere—from the vintage blue and white plates and Dutch vases, to pops of color in the flowers and the groom’s bow tie.
“We displayed his family crest on an American bourbon barrel head which matches his family ring that he wore during the ceremony,” says Jenna. But the most fun nod to William’s Dutch heritage were the bicycles at the ceremony entrance—they doubled as the couple’s getaway vehicles!
Photo: Jen Fariello
Natural beauty
“Southern Blooms executed everything I dreamed of—overflowing arrangements of greenery with pops of orange,” says Jenna.
Photo: Jen FarielloPhoto: Jen Fariello
Family band
Jenna says the highlight of the evening was when William and his friends took the stage. “They’re all great musicians and I soon got pulled up for our own rendition of ‘Twist and Shout.’”
Photo: Jen FarielloPhoto: Jen FarielloPhoto: Jen Fariello
Can I get your autograph?
To tie in the groom’s love of guitars, the couple swapped out a traditional guestbook in favor of…an actual guitar. The signed axe now hangs on the wall in their home.
Photo: Jen FarielloPhoto: Jen FarielloPhoto: Jen Fariello
Site specific
Pippin Hill makes the decisions easy, says the bride. Menu-wise, they embraced summer with a burrata and tomato salad, followed by beef tenderloin and Maine lobster tail. And the setting only added to the romance: “We immediately knew it was ‘the place,’ with its lush green vineyards, hydrangea entrance, wildflowers, and the beautiful backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains.”
Photo: Jen FarielloPhoto: Jen Fariello
Feel the burn
Jenna and William met on the Tinder dating app while living in Houston, Texas. “This brought a lot of laughter during my sister’s maid-of-honor speech, when she surprised us with a Tinder cut-out frame that eventually made it to the dance floor,” Jenna says.
THE DETAILS
Event planner: Donovan-Groves Events Officiant: R. Charles Grant Catering: Pippin Hill Farm & Vineyards Flowers: Southern Blooms Cake: Favorite Cakes Music: Plum Blossom Quartet (ceremony/cocktail), The New Royals (reception) Bride’s attire: Lela Rose Shoes: Badgley Mischka Groom’s attire: DC Custom Clothiers Groomsmen’s attire: Men’s Warehouse Bridesmaids’ dresses: Nouvelle Amsale Rings: David Gardner’s Hair and makeup: Avenue 42 Videographer: Shaking Hands Productions Stationary: The Preppy Pink Pony Calligraphy: Sarah Bohl Designs
Bailey and Dave met while playing tennis, so it felt natural to utilize elements from the game in their big day.
“Angelica [Laws] came up with an alternative idea for a guest book inspired by the Paris lock bridge,” says Bailey. “We had guests write us [messages] and lock [them] on antique tennis racquets that we plan to hang up in our house.”
The couple’s selfie station incorporated racquets into the backdrop, and the props included visors, sweatbands, aviator sunglasses, and a John McEnroe wig.
But Bailey wouldn’t say tennis was the wedding’s theme. “We went with pinks and lots of greenery,” she says. “We wanted it to be light and springy”—perfect for hitting the court (or the aisle).
Photo: Bethany SnyderPhoto: Bethany Snyder
Photo: Bethany Snyder
No peeking—anyone!
Bailey says the couple’s favorite moment was the first look, in The Clifton’s “secret garden.” “I walked up to Dave, who had his back to me, and as I got closer I could see that our dog, Myles, was sitting next to Dave and had his back to me, too,” she says.
Photo: Bethany SnyderPhoto: Bethany Snyder
Wedding party
Holding a wedding at The Clifton meant that the couple’s guests could stay close throughout the weekend and maximize the time they had together. “Weddings can go by so quickly!” Bailey says.
Photo: Bethany Snyder
Show off
Dinner highlighted the best elements of a Virginia spring: an arugula and pear salad to start, then a choice of roasted chicken or beef short rib with grits.
THE DETAILS
Event planner: Angelica Laws of Angelica & Co. Weddings Officiant: Jon Sarosiek Catering: The Clifton Flowers: Tourterelle Floral Design Desserts: Paradox Pastry Music: Justin Goodman Bride’s attire: Sealed With A Kiss Rings: Aidah Jewelry (Virginia Beach) Hair and makeup: Top Knot Studio (hair) and Rouge 9 (makeup)
Full force: Over three days, the original Star Wars trilogy—A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi—can be seen in its wide-screen glory. George Lucas launched a cultural phenomenon through the journeys of Luke Skywalker, from peasant to rebel leader; Princess Leia, from princess to revolutionary; and Han Solo, from outlaw to hero. Though hardcore fans may quibble with the changes Lucas made to the original theatrical versions, the experience of seeing these classic films in the theater is still a treat.
Friday, August 23 through Sunday, August 25. $8-10 (an all-day ticket is available for Sunday), times vary. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. 979-1333.
John Clark says he had a beer dumped on his head over the weekend.
staff photo
John Clark is a regular on the Downtown Mall, sitting in a beach chair with a tube-feeding machine. He has stomach cancer and says he hates to ask for money, but needs help paying for the medical supplies he needs as a result of having to get all of his nutrition through a tube. Clark’s condition worsened over the weekend, he says, when a guy in a green shirt dumped a beer on his head Saturday.
That would be Kyle Alexander Luptak, who was charged with misdemeanor assault and was still on the Downtown Mall Monday in Clark’s usual spot across from Splendora and C-Ville Weekly’s office.
“It was a stupid decision,” he says. Luptak says he woke up and Clark had insulted his friend, so he responded with the beer dumping.
Clark denies any name calling, and says he isn’t going to be intimidated by Luptak and his friends, as he sat about 30 feet away.
Maryland native Luptak is in town with several travelers and says he’s headed to a music festival. He had a court appearance this morning and is scheduled to be back before a judge September 23.
“If you write anything about this,” he says, “please say I feel bad, I feel stupid for it.”
Kyle Luptak in the green t-shirt says the beer dumping was not a good decision. staff photo
Leaving aside the snipers on the roof of the historical society, the second anniversary of August 11 and 12 saw, as promised, a much lighter police presence than last year. And in the absence of checkpoints and bag searches, there was room for community events focused not just on reflecting and remembering, but on using the anniversary as a catalyst for change.
On Thursday night, more than a hundred people turned out to share a meal at the Community Table and talk about our local schools. On Friday, a similar number took part in a Confederate monuments tour (led by Jefferson School director Andrea Douglas and UVA professor Jalane Schmidt) that gave the full context of when and why those statues were put up, and what “work” they do in our public spaces. There was dance on the Mall and trombones in the park, a candlelight vigil on Sunday and a moving, interfaith service at First Baptist, the oldest black church in Charlottesville,
on Monday.
The events “[gave] folks a way to increase their awareness about all of the things that Charlottesville’s about,” says Charlene Green, who helped organize the Unity Days programming. “We’re more than what happened in August.”
There was also more than one memorial going on this week. Friends and fans have been mourning the loss of indie rock musician and poet David Berman, a UVA alum who died suddenly on August 7. And this weekend, Nelson County commemorates the 50th anniversary of Hurricane Camille, when a massive rainstorm killed 124 people overnight. It’s the kind of thing that’s hard for anyone to comprehend, let alone recover from, but community, perhaps, can help.
As First Baptist deacon Don Gathers noted at the packed August 12 service, “This is the type of gathering, this is the type of spirit, that will pull us through.”
Portland, Oregon, artist Thea Gahr’s Risograph print is part of “Wellspring: A Portfolio of Prints Celebrating Water,” on display at The Gallery at Studio IX through September 1. Image courtesy artist
A little boy stares into a river while ghostly shadows move through the current. The long, lithe bodies could be lost souls or river spirits, past lives or unspoken dreams, but whatever life force they represent, they’re rushing onward away from the boy—and away from you, the passive observer. The headline reads, “What we do to water, we do to ourselves.”
The image is one of 13 Risograph prints that comprise “Wellspring: A Portfolio of Prints Celebrating Water,” at The Gallery at Studio IX. Created by artists from the Justseeds Artists’ Cooperative and curated by Sarah Lawson, the show features work that asks viewers to do more than sit idly by. Rather, it asks us to reflect on our own relationships to water, consider the critical role it plays in our lives, and hold the baton of preservation, prevention, or management in a rapidly changing world.
“For me, engaging with others’ art is a way to grapple with issues that are sometimes too complex to try to address head-on,” Lawson says in an email interview with C-VILLE. That same spirit moves Justseeds, the collective of 29 artists across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, who work together to produce collective portfolios and other creative responses to contemporary struggles for justice, from environmental and racial equity to migrant issues and the prison-industrial complex.
Molly Fair
“For this exhibit specifically, I hope that people find the art interesting to look at and engaging to think about, but that it’s also a chance to get your feet wet and hopefully become motivated to take some sort of environmental action,” Lawson says. Though she recommends simple shifts like reducing water waste through more efficient appliances, donating to non-profits, or calling representatives about water-related issues like pipelines, the exhibit itself stops short of prescriptions.
According to the artists’ statement for Wellspring, “These graphic tools are for you, as a human that recognizes that you need clean water to continue to be. The messages can be used for uniting, inspiring, warning, inciting, animating, empowering, invigorating.” Rather than focus on specific struggles over water—such as contamination in Flint, droughts in California, or the Pacific Garbage Patch, among other issues mentioned in the statement—each print leaves room for personal interpretation.
The final exhibition offers a broad swath of creative concepts to generate viewer inquiry and impact. In response to the water theme, each artist created a unique visual they rendered via Risograph, a printing process akin to automated screen printing. By pressing single shades of vibrant ink onto paper, then layering new colors and images on top, the artists developed multi-dimensional work with a vintage feel.
Each piece takes a different approach to the topic of water. In one, two frigate birds swan dive alongside a polar bear poised atop a towering iceberg; the root of the ice feeds choppy blue waves through which jellyfish glide. In another, neon pink and blue raindrops scatter across the word “commonwealth,” simultaneously conjuring visions of Virginia and the universal wealth water provides.
Roger Peet
Calls for change range from literal, like Colin Mathes’ doodles and handwritten list of improvised water filters; to pointed, like Erik Ruin’s whale emerging from a whirlpool of trash; to abstract, like Josh MacPhee’s graphic blue-and-green grid embedded with the words “aqua para todos!” In the gallery itself, art pieces are punctuated by quotes from scientific and political commentaries on the contemporary state of water in our world.
Regardless of the clarity or obfuscation of storytelling, the overall message of the exhibit is clear: There are as many ways of approaching and working with contemporary water issues as there are voices communicating what’s possible.
Lawson says this diverse artistic conversation seeks to soothe viewers and would-be activists rather than overwhelm them. Given the scope of issues like climate change and global water pollution, “it can be really difficult to focus on [these problems] in any meaningful or sustained way without feeling like we’re doomed,” she says. “This exhibit attempts to create small moments of engagement with the issues, through each interaction with one of the prints, in order to foster awareness and concern but in a way that doesn’t make change seem impossible.”
In this way, an exhibition like “Wellspring” can become “a useful buoy in a sea of bad news,” as the artists say in their statement. Like the little boy watching spirits of past and future flow beneath the surface, we have the chance to reflect on what is, in order to change what could be.
“Wellspring: A Portfolio of Prints Celebrating Water” is on view at The Gallery at Studio IX through September 1.
J.M. Stock’s ham biscuits are served seven days a week until noon—or when they sell out. The Happy Cook has an excellent selection of classic picnic baskets. In addition to picnicking, Beaver Creek Lake is a good place for kayaking, canoeing, and fishing.
Photos: Tom McGovern, Morgan Sayler, Jack Looney
Take advantage of the last few days of summer and take your meal outside! We put together an arrangement of local goodies to stock your basket, plus some favorite spots to spread a blanket and while away the afternoon.
Bread ends with house dressing from Take It Away
Tucked into the Corner’s Elliewood Avenue, Take It Away is best-known for its sandwiches. But the shop also sells (equally delicious) bread ends, a byproduct of sandwich-making. “I’ve had many returning UVA alums tell me they got them through college,” says owner Tom Bowe.
Tasting notes: Sold by the bag, bread ends are best paired with a container of Take It Away’s special house dressing—a secret sauce that may include mayo, mustard, Worcestershire, garlic, sugar, and pepper.
Caromont Farm artisanal goat cheese
The fresh chevre made from Caromont Farm goat’s milk was the first cheese produced on the Esmont farm back in 2007, and it’s a bestseller to this day. Mild, soft, and smoothly textured, it’s available online and around town at locations including Feast!, the Charlottesville City Market, and the Nelson Farmers Market, in Nellysford.
Tasting notes: Delicious enough to eat unaccompanied from the tip of your finger. But if you’re looking for a pairing, try the chevre with a fresh white wine— a Jefferson Vineyards viognier, perhaps— a salad with grapefruit and arugula, or use it as a spread for a gingersnap cookie. This cheese knows no bounds.
Green Goddess dressing and dip from Feast!
This magical condiment gets its creaminess from a combination of mayonnaise and Greek yogurt, plus a little zip from rice wine vinegar, but the basil and parsley are the stars of the show.
Tasting notes: Addictive and versatile, this concoction goes well with tortilla chips or crudité. It could also be used as a sandwich spread, or dressing for a chilled pasta salad. Or you just might find yourself eating it by the spoonful.
Ham biscuits from J.M. Stock Provisions
Run, don’t walk, to J.M. Stock, where ham biscuits are served seven days until noon or when they sell out, whichever comes first.
Tasting notes: Dressed with honey and hot sauce, the biscuits certainly have a kick, but the combination of smoke, sweet, salt, and spice is just right. “They’re freaking delicious—they hit all the flavor profiles you want,” manager Ben Moore-Coll says. “They go great with a cider like the Potter’s Craft Farmhouse Dry.” One is a snack, two make a meal. Just don’t forget napkins.
JAM According to Daniel
Local jam maker Daniel Perry adds one pound of fresh local fruit to every jar of jam he makes. It’s available at a number of area retailers including Albemarle Baking Company and Charlottesville City Market, where Perry samples about a dozen different varieties every Saturday.
Tasting notes: The bestselling jam can change from month to month along with the seasons, but the strawberry rhubarb is a year-round favorite. “It’s great with a slice of baguette and a soft spreadable cheese,” Perry says. If you’re torn between a long loaf from ABC or MarieBette, you can sidestep the issue and just use good ol’ water crackers.
The lazy person’s picnic
Short on time? Don’t fret. In addition to Take It Away, a mean sandwich can be found at Greenwood Gourmet Grocery, Ivy Provisions, Keevil & Keevil, and Bellair Market. Or try Tilman’s on the Downtown Mall, which offers a picnic menu featuring cheese, charcuterie, dips, and spreads.—Meg Irvin
No basket? No problem.
Sure, you could use that beat-up old grocery bag to haul your stuff, but to really picnic in style, go for a classic basket. Stop by the The Happy Cook, in Barracks Road Shopping Center, where there’s a great selection.
Where to lay your blanket
Beaver Creek Lake: This gem out towards Crozet is a great place to boat, kayak or canoe. There are several picnic tables available for lunch on the water.
Greenleaf Park: A great option for families, Greenleaf Park offers a picnic area, a spray ground, and a half-basketball court.
The Lawn: Summer is a wonderful time to enjoy a more serene experience on Grounds at UVA. If you’re lucky, you might even find a spot in one of the pavilion gardens.
Jefferson, Pollack, and King Family vineyards are three of a number of vineyards that allow guests to bring their own food. At any of these spots, there are striking views and—of course—plenty of wine to go with your sun-drenched snacking.
City Council refused a request for $35,000 to bring Washington, D.C., rapper Wale to Charlottesville to perform during Unity Days. Photo: Australian Press Agency via Zuma Wire
By Seth Green
On August 5, I went to my first City Council meeting.
I was one of the few people left in the room when local activist Tanesha Hudson made her request for additional funding to bring the artist Wale, a well-known D.C. rapper, to perform in Tonsler Park as part of Unity Days. Councilor Wes Bellamy made a motion to support the request with money from the city’s Equity Fund, but the other councilors declined to support it.
Like others, I was dismayed to see that meeting end with some city councilors being called “best friends of Hitler” or whatever it was. I do not know the name of the woman who was speaking, but to my mind that comment was way out of line.
However…The sentiment and concern that she was expressing was real and, in my judgment, completely warranted. This obviously touches on a much larger issue.
I’m a 35-year-old white man who is a data scientist and software developer by trade. I grew up in western Albemarle County, went to UVA, and have lived within the city limits ever since graduating in 2006. By all accounts, this city has been pretty damn good to me.
Charlottesville is overflowing with culture and entertainment for me. It is overflowing with entertainment for my young children and for my aging parents as well. I invite anyone to take a look at the C-VILLE Weekly events page and do a rough tally in your head as to how many of the events are designed to draw the attention of, and cater to the preferences of, me and my family. Then consider how many of them are targeted to Ms. Hudson and her family and her neighbors and her friends.
To take one small example, I have been enjoying Fridays After Five literally since it began in 1988. It is an event designed for me and my family. We can discuss all the ways and reasons that it is designed for me and not Ms. Hudson, but I prefer empirical evidence. Just go to Fridays After Five and look who is drawn to that event each week. Those are the people it’s designed for. The film festival, the photography festival, the Tom Tom festival–literally all of our city’s flagship public events fit this exact same profile.
As another point of contrast, though, there are literally dozens of bars and music venues around this city, I am not aware of a single “black” bar currently in operation. By that, I mean a bar or music venue that is designed to attract primarily black Charlottesvillians as patrons. Certainly, if there are any that are designed for this purpose, I am not aware of any that are succeeding. The reasons for this are many, and they are not easy to solve with the push of a button. But a good first step would be for the city to help bring some legitimate professional entertainment aimed at Charlottesville’s black community. It is a step that seems very easy to take. But it is a step that I have not yet seen taken in my 35 years in this city.
I heard councilors’ many objections to Ms. Hudson’s proposal, and they were not unfounded. However, they felt to me (and obviously to her) to be in bad faith. What I mean is that they seemed to be coming from a place of “I’m not voting for this and I’m going to think of justifications for not voting for it.” Or, at the very least, “I’m not into this idea, and you’re going to have to seriously convince me if you want me to even consider it.”
The budget for the event, and precise amount for the artist’s fee, was obviously a concern of Councilor Mike Signer’s. But getting a quote for booking a nationally touring artist is far from an insurmountable obstacle. Likewise, Councilor Kathy Galvin’s point that $35,000 exceeded the $25,000 that council could procedurally allocate in this circumstance felt insincere. If she had championed funding $25,000 toward the event, conditional on Ms. Hudson raising the other $10,000 elsewhere, I would wager the evening would have ended very differently. And furthermore, Galvin’s point about the city never paying a “for-profit entertainer” to perform felt to be in extremely bad faith to me. Any nationally known speaker or performer is “for profit,” and cities like Charlottesville subsidize bringing them to town for free festivals all the time.
While I found some of Ms. Hudson’s and her supporters’ wording a bit regrettable, it’s really none of my business how they choose to express themselves; and I am 100 percent on board with their message. What City Council demonstrated in the handling of this issue was the exact thing she called them out for: a devotion to the kind of disingenuous racial and cultural double-talk that we need to move beyond if we would like this city to be known for anything more than just happy-faced hypocrisy.
Seth Green is a data scientist and former bassist for local band Sons of Bill. This piece is adapted from his open letter to City Council.
Updated 8/14 to reflect that the point about the city never paying for a ‘for-profit entertainer’ was originally made by Galvin, not Signer.
One of the first details to work out as you begin planning your wedding is, of course, the flowers. You’ll need arrangements for the altar, for the aisle, for your wedding party, for the tables, for the cake… The list goes on and on.
But savvy couples know there’s more than one way to sneak beautiful blooms into your big day—from the dress to the dinner menu.
“[We] use edible flowers to enhance both the look and taste of our dishes,” says The Catering Outfit’s Walter Slawski. Photo: Cramer Photo
Butter, sugar, flower
Flowers have been part of cooking since the beginning of time—bitter herbs feature in the Bible, while people in the Middle East have been using rose and orange blossoms to enhance libations and cuisine for centuries. In our area, plenty of caterers incorporate the local flora into dishes for your big day for both visuals and flavor.
Says chef Walter Slawski, “The Catering Outfit uses edible flowers, blossoms, shoots, and microgreens to enhance both the look and taste of our dishes.”
As an example, a recent dish of seared chili-crusted Ahi tuna tostada with avocado salad and mango featured cucumber blossom, “for a crisp, bright green punch against the richness of the Ahi and avocado.”
Slawski says different edible flowers add different flavors. Chive blossoms, with their oniony bite, harmonize with an heirloom tomato and burrata caprese with smoked salt and white balsamic reduction. Marigold flowers’ hint of saffron work perfectly sprinkled on mixed mushroom risotto with grana padana and truffle butter.
And, he says, he uses one edible flower for its peppery flavor—and its sentimental significance.
“Nasturtiums,” Slawski says. “My grandmother grew these in her garden and they were the first edible flower I encountered. I was captivated by the way water forms little silver pearls on their leaves.”
Photo: Sera Petras
GARDEN PARTY
Pro tip:Choose a venue with a lot of natural beauty, and you won’t have to worry so much about adding extras. Enter The Market at Grelen. You’ll get full use of the Somerset property, including a reception tent, hill overlook, greenhouse, back garden, stone patio, and outdoor walkways (a popular portrait spot). Each setting is filled to the brim with greenery, potted plants, and hanging arrangements, making your big day feel just that much more magical.
Photo: Shannon Moffit
Petal prices
In our area, a bridal bouquet can run anywhere from $100-350, which gives you a good jumping-off point for budgeting the rest
of your arrangements. Here are a few tips to keep costs down.
Stay in season. “People ask for peonies in fall and winter, and they can be as much as $200 for 10 stems,” says Hedge Fine Blooms’ Karen Walker. Some popular flowers that are accessible all year? Roses, hydrangeas, ranunculus, and lisianthus.
Do double-duty. Instead of paying for bouquets and table arrangements, toss the bridesmaids’ bouquets into vases at the reception tables. Two blooms, one stone, so to speak.
Ask your florist. Don’t be afraid to admit you’re budget-conscious. Your florist will be able to make suggestions based on your needs. If you want a greenery table garland, for instance, your florist might clue you in to a less-expensive option: Instead of constructing a garland ahead of time, the florist lays greenery on the table the day-of. “This can save you $200 a table,” Walker says.
Oh, and!
Here’s a thought, too: Fiori Floral Studio offers a DIY wholesale package: All buckets come prepped and hydrated, ready for the couple (and friends and family) to put the arrangements together. Bonus: Each package includes a hand-tied bridal bouquet.
Roses are a great, always available choice, if you’re keeping an eye on price-per-stem.
Melissa Ogden wed Baris Yildirim at Spotswood Lodge on May 11, 2019. Photo: Hunter & Sarah Photography
The perfect dress
Unlike many brides, Melissa Ogden wasn’t looking forward to dress shopping after she got engaged. She and her future husband, Baris Yildirim, weren’t planning a church wedding, and, in general, traditional weddings include a lot of anti-feminist rituals that made her uncomfortable. Plus, bucking trends runs in her family: “My mom got married in a blue dress,” Ogden says. “They eloped to St. Thomas!”
But when her college friends came to town insisting on “a big day of mimosas and trying on princess gowns,” she went along for the ride.
“I just went into the process with an open mind hoping to find a dress that fit my personality and the nontraditional wedding we had planned,” Ogden says. “I tried on a ton of Cinderella gowns and mermaid lace dresses and everything in between.”
Ultimately, she found her floral Paula Varsalona dress at Sealed With A Kiss on the Downtown Mall. So many brides had tried it on before her, but asked if they could order it in plain white or ivory. Because of that, the sample sat on the shelf for a few years. For Ogden, it was already perfect. In fact, the only alteration she made was removing the train, which SWAK used a swatch from to create a pocket square for Yildirim.
Speaking of which, did her husband-to-be still like the dress, even though it wasn’t traditionally “bridal”?
“When I asked him on our wedding day, after he saw it,” Ogden says, “he said it still looked like a white dress to him!”
On trend
Flower-covered arbors are getting a lot of play in the pages right now, but we asked a few local florists to tell us what’s popping up in our area. These are their picks for blossoming trends.
Photo: Ashley Cox
Natural beauty
We’re not saying flower crowns are out (blasphemy!), but a few blooms in an updo can be a nice touch. “We always love doing hair flowers,” say Hedge Fine Blooms’ Karen Walker.
Photo: Lauren Fair Photography
Keep looking up
Hanging structures—think grids, ladders, and wreaths—that can be hung over head tables or dance floors, says Southern Blooms’ Sherry Spencer, are gaining popularity. They’re a great way to bring the outdoors in, and add an unexpected detail.
Photo: Jenn Finazzo
Take it to go
Jenn Finazzo of Fiori Floral Studio recommends giving away potted plants and herbs as wedding favors. “They’re great way to decorate out of the box,” she says.
As you’ve no doubt figured out by now, there are heaps of choices when it comes to planning a wedding (including a rehearsal dinner!), but choosing a venue is the most important one. It can dictate so many other things.
If you have your sights set on a Virginia winery, be aware that most require you to purchase their wine for serving. Cideries are a bit more flexible, as in the case of Castle Hill, which requires couples to buy three cases of cider for an event, but allows outsider wine and beer.
Choose a restaurant and you may be required to work with its limited wine list or, in some cases, order something from its wholesalers. Non-winery venues like Old Metropolitan Hall, Alumni Hall, The Space Downtown, Darden, and James Monroe’s Highland are the most flexible, allowing you to bring in your own wine and beer. Local independent wineshops will likely deliver to your venue and, bonus, are the best source of value for your budget. Here are our area picks—wherever you end up—for the best sips at your rehearsal dinner or on your special day.
Thibaut-Janisson Blanc de Blancs Brut NV
Claude Thibaut and Manuel Janisson bring to this sparkling wine generations of tradition from the Champagne region of France. They have captured the flavors and essence of the Virginia terroir. The Cuvée, made of 100 percent Chardonnay from the Monticello appellation, has vibrant aromas of pear and ripe apples; the taste is perfectly balanced, crisp, and refreshing.
Pair with: crudites, appetizers, or save it for the toasts.
Early Mountain Vineyards Rosé 2018
(Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Petit Verdot)
Pale in color, this fresh, appealing rosé attracts with aromas of strawberries enlivened with notes of peach and white flowers. Offer it as an aperitif or serve it with almost any dish.
Pair with: anything spicy (like mini taco hors d’oeuvres).
King Family Vineyards Crosé NV
Done in the traditional Provençal style but with a darker color, this is a 100 percent varietal Merlot dry rosé. The nose opens with red and white cherry. The mouth is dry, fresh, and round with a cranberry finish. It’s great as an aperitif, but rich enough for a main course.
Pair with: Mediterranean food or the cheese course. It’s also nice with salmon.
Jump Mountain Winery Grüner Veltliner 2017
Husband and wife team David Vermillion and Mary Hughes produce only some 500 cases a year in their humble Shenandoah Valley winery, but those wines are of a high quality. Their Grüner Veltliner is a perfect summer aperitif. Think Sauvignon Blanc from another dimension: vibrant and citrusy with a bit of green herbs and a hint of white pepper on the finish.
Early Mountain Vineyards Five Forks White Blend 2018
The Five Forks white is a delightful blend of a richly fruited grape, Petit Manseng, and a crisp and vibrant grape, Sauvignon Blanc. The result is a pleasing marriage of a soft, juicy palate and a lively acidity. Every sip desires another.
Pair with: roast chicken, fish dishes, sausage.
Stinson Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc 2017
Stinson has two way-cool concrete egg fermenters in which the Sauvignon Blanc is made. The eggs provide for a fast fermentation with very little reduction (sulfur) and also gives the finished wine minerality, complexity, body, and texture. This texture, showing itself as a creaminess on the palate, adds to the pleasure this wine affords. Notes of yellow citrus, green herbs, and a soft acidity nicely round out the package.
Pair with: salmon with any kind of citrus or herb preparation.
Early Mountain Vineyards Foothills Red Blend 2017
(Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, and others)
Made in the classic Merlot-based Bordeaux-style, this synergistic combination of Merlot and Cabernet Franc creates an interplay of ripe black fruits with the complex herbal notes of the Cab Franc. A lingering finish shows a soft murmur of black olive from the Syrah.
Pair with: any red meat or even barbecue.
Ox-Eye Vineyards Cabernet Franc 2016
Grown on the western slopes of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Ox-Eye’s Cab Franc is a consistent performer. It has a lightness of being combined with a soft finish. Spicy red and black fruit aromas are leavened with intriguing green bell pepper notes.
Pair with: salmon, chicken, mini sliders.
Jump Mountain Winery Cabernet Sauvignon 2015
The glorious vintage of 2015 produced this elegant red Bordeaux-style wine. Aromas of cassis combine with a mineral note and a robust body to make a well-rounded wine that lingers on the palate. Pour us another.
Pair with: steak.
Photo: Morgan Salyer
Cocktail party
If you’re backed into a corner, wine-wise, at your venue, try adding a little extra Virginia flare with Flying Fox Vermouth. Produced in four seasonal batches each year, the summer vermouth shows peach, nectarine, and grapefruit notes, spiced with wild heather and elderflower. Pass this recipe on to your bartender for your signature cocktail—it’s a favorite on the vineyard’s list of go-to “foxtails.”
Summer Fox
Combine:
2 oz. Summer Vermouth
1 oz. Virginia Distillery Whisky
a dash of peach bitters
