More and more, couples are viewing their wedding not only as an opportunity to declare their love for one another in front of everyone who feels important to them, but also—let’s face it—as an opportunity for the best party they’ll ever throw. To that end, here are three local vendors who can add that extra something to make your big day truly stand out.
Picture this
Photo booths are fine for some, but Parlor the Studio can do you one better. The creative duo of photographer Anna Kariel and stylist/retailer/designer Annie Drury work with clients to create a bespoke photo “set” curated and fabricated to the style and ethos of the event. Think paper moon in a Prohibition-era speakeasy, or a sailboat braving dramatic seas. “During the ideation phase of the design process, clients are invited to present ideas and provide feedback,” says Kariel. “We gush over a fun theme, and we are equally excited to pitch our own ideas when requested.”
Just your type
You may have spotted Charlottesville Poem Store’s Laura Frantz parking her tent (and her vintage typewriter) at the Farmers Market at Ix, The Doyle Hotel (total Algonquin Round Table vibes), and special events around town like the Crozet Arts & Crafts Festival and Common House’s Writers’ Happy Hour. But she’s also for hire. Have her set up at your wedding and craft an on-the-spot poem for each of your guests based on a set of agreed-upon prompts. Now that’s poetry in motion.
Beautiful discovery
On such a perfect day, it’s easy to see that your future looks bright. But your guests may want a peek at what’s to come for them, too. Enter tarot. “A different language that speaks through images,” as Sealed in the Stars’ Jess Bronson writes on her website, tarot is a tool for self-discovery. Let Bronson lay all her cards (she carries multiple decks and matches them to each recipient’s vibe) on the table.
