Category: Magazines

While not everyone wants to get hitched in an octagonal barn built in 1908, plenty of couples are choosing the rustic American Frontier Culture Museum for their big day. According to Cookie Toms, the Staunton location has grown in popularity over the past few years—in part, because outdoor venues are so in.

“We’ve had the very casual and the very fancy,” said Toms, the site’s communications officer. “We have people who put out a tablecloth and a centerpiece, but we’ve also had people who decorate for days!”

The site is ideal for anything from a small wedding to an event with 400 seated guests. Potential ceremony sites include a pavilion with breathtaking views, the octagonal barn, an onsite stone amphitheatre and a converted dairy barn that’s fully climate controlled. The rental fees of $725-1,700 include four hours for the event (although couples can set up earlier at no charge during business hours), and use of tables and chairs. Ample free parking is available.

Meg and Taylor Phillips chose the museum for their June wedding. The Alexandria couple got married in the amphitheater and held their reception in the two-story octagonal barn. Meg said she appreciated the reasonable prices and the location’s flexibility.

“The whole atmosphere was authentic, and it really lends itself to making it into whatever you want it to be,” she said. The bride even wore her favorite cowboy boots with her traditional white gown. And when rain threatened their outdoor event, the staff put up tents at the last minute to preserve the couples’ plans. People would be hard-pressed to find a more laid-back, accommodating venue, she said.

There are no food or alcohol restrictions, and the site offers warming kitchens, plenty of counter space, and ice machines. While the museum’s off the beaten path, Toms says couples “have total freedom to do whatever they want,” as long as they leave the setting as they found it. But they’ll have to do the work themselves—the venue doesn’t offer an event coordinator or wedding planner.

Visit frontiermuseum.org for more info.—Lynn Thorne

Take a cue from these brides to inject even more personality into your big day.

Ring passing ceremony: One couple passed their rings around to each guest and asked for a blessing. What a lovely sentiment.

Personalized present: One bride had custom handkerchiefs made for her parents.

Sheet music flowers: We love that they’ll last forever.

Gold accents: Such a glamorous addition to the dinner table.

A flip-flop alternative: This bride bought slippers in bulk to soothe aching dancing feet.

Pickle favors: Sweet or sour, this personalized gift was a hit.

Sweet, unexpected shoes: Instead of bright sparklers, this bride chose a demure pair of Oxfords for her special day.

Custom postcards: In lieu of a guest book, this couple had custom postcards ready for each guest to fill out. When the wedding was over, they were mailed to the newlyweds.

Oyster bar: What a treat for guests.

The easiest way to set the tone on your big day? Flowers can take your décor from shabby to chic quicker than you can say, “I do!” Here are three bouquets we’re currently crushing on. We’d tell you which we like best, but it’s a toss-up. (See what we did there?)

White’s in

This monochromatic arrangement from Lacy’s Florist in Orange combines lisianthus, ranunculus, spray roses, gerber daisies, and limonium in the wild-but-elegant way the bride requested. The look, while cost-effective, elevated a casual Barboursville wedding.
(540) 672-4311
lacysflorists.com

 

Fall fantastic

Rich purples and maroons play off the season of this autumn wedding, incorporating Carmel Antik garden roses, Pee Gee hydrangea, burgundy dahlias, dusty miller, echinacea, Pieris japonica foliage, and white hydrangea in the bride’s textural, unexpected bouquet from Pat’s Floral Designs.
(540) 948-5611
patsfloraldesigns.com

 

When in romance…

This bride was looking for a bright, lush bouquet that looked like it was fresh from the garden. Tourterelle used blush pink dahlias, Lydia spray roses, cream O’Hara garden roses, green dyanthus, freesia, English lavender, tangerine ranunculus, light pink astilbe, hypericum berries, purple heather, purple ageratum, scented Geranium, and green jade trachilium. A few stems of seeded eucalyptus, bupleuram and unopened blossoms of ranunculus draped delicately from the bride’s handheld.
973-1211
tourterellefloral.com

A rehearsal dinner at The Local and a Bodo’s brunch on The Lawn bookended Courtney and Shaun’s Charlottesville-centric nuptials. And the rest? Well that was focused locally, too.

“We wanted the wedding to highlight everything we love about Charlottesville, and that guided nearly every decision we made,” Courtney said. “It made it really easy to plan the wedding, because we knew all of our favorite things and just had to figure out how to work them in!”

The couple held their wedding and reception at The Jefferson Theater, where they had many of their early dates. They served beer from Starr Hill, and had worked with the bartenders at Blue Light Grill to come up with a signature cocktail based on their favorite drink, an old-fashioned.

Before the ceremony, Courtney and Shaun had their first look at the C&O’s downstairs bar, another of their favorite places, and then walked along the Downtown Mall, stopping to take photos at a few other spots like the Free Speech Wall and the C-VILLE Weekly office.

Back at the Jefferson, General Manager and Director of Special Events Collean Laney had filled each of the venue’s poster cases with old posters from concerts Courtney and Shaun had been to together—some even with autographs!

Said Courtney, “It was amazing, not only to realize that we had seen more shows than there was space for posters, but also to look back at concerts that happened three years before.”

The details

Courtney Marello and Shaun Bockert
August 4, 2012

Photographer: Joyeuse Photography
Ceremony and reception venue: The Jefferson Theater
Officiant: Josh Wheeler
Catering: The C&O
Flowers: Blue Ridge Floral Designs
Cake: Albemarle Baking Company
Music: Jason Reynolds (DJ)
Dress: J.Crew
Shoes: Nine West
Bridesmaids’ dresses: J. Crew
Hair and makeup: Moxie
Photo booth: Boardwalk Photo Booth Company

Love and learn

Courtney and Shaun met within the first few days of orientation at UVA’s School of Law. They had most of their classes together, and Shaun started organizing group outings to local concerts. Said Courtney, “And I took the bait.”

Some of the greatest love stories take place on the stage. Or, like with Edward Warwick and Gary White, just beside it. The couple met at the first read-through for The Drowsy Chaperone, a musical at Live Arts in which they’d both been cast.

“There was an open seat next to Gary,” Edward said. “I think there may have even been a heavenly light shining on it, like in the movies.”

That was back in 2010, and since then it’s been three years of what sounds like nonstop fun, all culminating (up to this point, at least) in a complimentary wedding provided by A Charlottesville Wedding Gift, the big-day giveaway spearheaded by local photographer Jack Looney.

The first same-sex recipients of the prize, Edward and Gary are planning to get legally married in Washington, D.C., but wanted their Charlottesville ceremony to be the first place their guests saw them as a married couple.

“While gay marriage isn’t recognized in the Commonwealth,” Edward said, “it meant so much to us to have the chance to show our love and lifelong commitment to each other in front of our family and friends, in the place where we live and love.”

But what about the big day? Edward describes the theme as “Southern, sophisticated, and a little bit snarky.” Take, for instance, the clean, masculine invitation, which included a punchy saying to clue guests in on attire: “You could show up wearing a black tie, but you’d be way overdressed.” Or the ceremony seating signage: “No bride, no side.”

It was important to the couple to keep a sense of humor about the day, because they spend most of their time together laughing.

“A couple weeks before the announcement, a few of the judges and vendors asked to meet us in person,” Edward said. “When we got there, they said, ‘We just wanted to see if it was actually possible for two people to have that much fun together!’”

The fun continued throughout their big day, as Edward and Gary (with the help of planners Dickie Morris and Maureen McKenna) incorporated their love of theater into every detail: marquee letters, a custom show poster, theater tickets for escort cards, playbills for programs, and a bourbon cocktail called “The Drowsy Chaperone.”

The day wasn’t without its surprises, albeit good ones, like Anita Gupta secretly asking each of the grooms about a special cake for the other, and Tavia Brown privately requesting phrases from each groom to inscribe in the rings.

They ended up choosing the same phrase, “‘vwhile you can,” which is heard in one of the musical’s final scenes. Because someone on stage drops a cane just as the chaperone is about to answer whether the couple should get married, it’s hard to know if she says “live while you can,” “leave while you can,” or “love while you can.” Said Edward, “We always said she was saying ‘love while you can,’ so that’s what we both picked for each other.”

Edward Warwick and Gary White
November 10, 2013

Photography: Jack Looney, Jen Fariello, Sarah Cramer Shields, Andrea Hubbell
Event planner: Dickie Morris and Maureen McKenna of Just a Little Ditty
Ceremony and reception venue: The Carriage Museum at Trump Winery
Officiant: Claire Goodman
Catering: Harvest Moon Catering
Flowers: Southern Blooms by Pat’s Floral and Sugar Magnolias
Cakes: Anita Gupta of Maliha Creations
Desserts: Paradox Pastry, Cakes by Rachel, Favorite Cakes, Eye Candy, Carpe Donut
Music: Peter Richardson (ceremony guitarist); DJ Derek Tobler (reception)
Suits: Custom suits from Rooklin’s (Edward’s family’s men’s shop)
Custom ties: Me & Matilda
Shoes: Cole Hahn (Edward); Aston Grey (Gary)
Invitations: Rock Paper Scissors
Calligraphy: If So Inklined.
Hair and makeup: Jeanne Cusick and Daphne Latham
Furniture/rentals: Stonegate Event Rentals
Linens: Festive Fare
Favors: byCary and Gearharts Fine Chocolates
Transportation: Albemarle Limousine
Accommodations: Stay Charlottesville at The Old Metropolitan Hall
Rings: taviametal
Additional vendors: Hot Pots by J.W. Townsend Landscapes (all of the potted trees/indoor landscaping), Blue Ridge AV & Lighting

I met my husband in New York City one Saturday afternoon in 1986. I was working, as I did every Friday and Saturday (Monday through Thursday I studied English at Hunter College), in a very small, very expensive men’s shop on Sixth Avenue called FrankStella. Arthur, an historian from the Midwest who had moved to New York City to become a stockbroker, saw me through the shop window. His decision to come into the store that afternoon to discover “who belonged to that face” changed both our lives.

“I’d like to buy this tie but it has a snag in it,” he said.

A year and a half after he uttered those words, we were married. Ask Arthur and he will tell you that he pursued me, but the truth is, I melted inside the moment he opened his mouth. Was it love at first sight? Absolutely.

I had not intended to get married; it wasn’t part of my plan. Not that I had anything against marriage. It was the concept of family I took issue with. My upbringing was emotionally harsh and unhappy, and I knew that traditional marriage and family were not for me. I was going to live my life alone in New York City, filling it with satisfying work (though what that was I hadn’t yet decided).

All that changed that Saturday afternoon in 1986. Arthur left the store with two very expensive ties and shirts, and my phone number. Frank’s wife Stella, an older sister to me, overheard the entire conversation. “That’s the one you are going to marry,” she said.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” I snapped. “You know I am not getting married.” She was right, of course. And to remind me, she and Frank went table to table at our Greenwich Village wedding reception, saying in their best Beth imitation, “I’m never getting married.”

Fast forward 26 years: Frank and Stella split up, the store was sold, but Arthur and I are still happily married.

What’s our secret? Here’s what’s worked for us:

First, we decided not to have children. That’s enabled us to do things like move a lot without worrying about what the schools are like, change our plans an hour before we leave the house, and keep our attention and affection focused on each another. It’s not for everybody, but it’s worked for us, which is the lesson in the story. It’s your marriage, not your parents’ or your best friend’s. So work to shape it in a way that suits you and your spouse.

Second, be true to yourself; marry someone who gets you. I’m quirky and creative, definitely nontraditional. Arthur is an intellectual with a Ph.D. who has published seven books, but he’s still happy to talk at length about my insanely curly hair, or spend an afternoon shopping for vintage salon chairs for my art studio.

Third, communicate! Keep talking and listening. It sounds like a cliché, but it works. Talk to your spouse about your needs, your wants, what’s making you happy, and what’s pissing you off. Then encourage them to do the same.

Fourth, do something together just the two of you, regularly. The magazines call it “date night,” but for us, it happens in the morning. Arthur and I run together for a couple of hours every other morning and we talk—about our goals, challenges in our work, or marketing ideas for his latest book. Some of our most creative and successful projects have crystalized during these morning runs.

Finally, try not to get upset about the small things. If your spouse is incapable of closing a drawer or turning off a light, let it go. Find time to laugh instead, especially at yourselves. Like we do when we remember that independent 23-year-old girl who swore she would never get married, and how she found her husband—or how he found her, depending who you ask—through a shop window on Sixth Avenue and 54th Street.

Beth Herman, an artist, essayist, and former fashion journalist, is based in Charlottesville.

Shortly after Tracey Love and Bridge Cox met almost five years ago, Tracey was offered a harvest internship at Brooks Winery in Oregon. Bridge took a chance and moved there with her. Then, when it came time to make their next move, the couple settled on Charlottesville. They bought an old farm house in Greenwood three years ago and got engaged in November of 2012.

They were married Sunday, October 13 at a casual outdoor standing ceremony at Blenheim Vineyards. Shortly after, they traveled to Palermo, Italy, and from there visited Trapani, Modica, Ortigia, Siracusa, Ragusa, Randazzo, and Taormina.

Tracey: Driving in Italy is both life-changing and life-threatening. We rented a car and I drove while Bridge navigated. I’ve never witnessed such fearlessness as passing cars sped into oncoming high speed traffic, even on curvy mountainous roads. Driving a manual car is helpful, as stopping abruptly and being aggressive behind the wheel is their style.

Bridge: Witnessing Tracey’s true Italian heritage evince itself was like watching a fish getting put back in its fishbowl.

Tracey Love and Bridge Cox
Married October 13, 2013