A little romance: How sweet this celebration is

Although they didn’t know it at the time, Katie Castillo and William Deibler spent their high school years in houses just a few miles away from each other. But it wasn’t until Katie had graduated from the University of Virginia and moved back home that mutual friends introduced her to William. A few months into their relationship, she took her then-boyfriend to Charlottesville, “so he could experience my favorite place.”

That place was where the couple decided to marry because they wanted “a romantic, laid-back—but still glamorous—celebration with good wine and delicious food,” Katie said. “We envisioned an outdoor spring wedding, and when we toured Keswick Vineyards, we knew we’d found our spot.”

A big, family-filled celebration with plenty of elegance was the order of the day, but Katie and Will also kept in mind that one of their favorite restaurants serves wings and cheese fries, “so we knew we wanted some comfort food incorporated into our menu,” she said. For the cocktail hour, Beggar’s Banquet prepared mini crab cakes, beef sliders, and grilled brie sandwiches. The pair have a sweet tooth, and “sharing our love of treats with our guests” was important, so they served a simple white cake trio, gold leaf painted macaroons, and Katie surprised William with a groom’s cake that was a replica of his Marine Corps uniform. There was also a popcorn bar, and later in the evening the Carpe Donut truck pulled up.

Five months before their wedding, William’s father passed away, but “knowing how excited he was for our big day kept us going,” said Katie, adding that they included several special touches to celebrate him, including a single white rose on his chair and a memory candle that burned throughout the ceremony and reception. In addition, Katie found William’s dad’s cufflinks and surprised her future husband with them during the pair’s first look, a time that allowed them to “share our emotions with each other before we shared them with the rest of our guests.”