Katelyn & Michael's Outdoor Wedding Celebration at Keswick Vineyards

Katelyn & MichaelMay 29, 2015

Katelyn and Mike chose Keswick Vineyards as the backdrop to their gorgeous May wedding. As guests were arriving, the sky clouded over, threatening the plans for an outdoor ceremony. Though the flower girls enjoyed dancing in the rain with their umbrellas, a rainy ceremony wasn’t ideal for all of the guests and the wedding party.

Katelyn and Mike decided to wait out the rain, and without missing a beat, the Barb Wired team made plans to flip the schedule and do everything possible to give Katelyn the outdoor ceremony of her dreams. The guests moved under the tent and enjoyed cocktails while we waited for the rain to pass. Within an hour the sky cleared, and the Barb Wired and C&O staffs got to work drying the ceremony chairs and placing aisle markers so Katelyn and Mike could have their perfect ceremony on the lawn.

This unique timeline of events set the stage for a fun, social, and relaxed wedding celebration—perfect for this fun-loving couple! The guests were already getting to know each other as they moved from the tent to the ceremony site, and there were smiles on every face. The sky was a beautiful shade of blue and the sun shone down as Katelyn walked down the aisle escorted by her brother, Jesse.

Katelyn and Michael enjoyed their outdoor ceremony overlooking the vineyard and later joined their friends and family under the tent for dinner. After dinner, DJ Derek Tobler got the party started, and the guests danced the night away.

The guests were delighted with the delectable assortment of cupcakes by Pearl’s Bake Shoppe, and if that wasn’t enough to satisfy their sweet tooth, they were treated to Girl Scout Cookies at the end of the night. What a unique, sweet treat!

Katelyn and Mike enjoyed every minute of their reception and left with their guests to celebrate into the night. The weather turned out to be perfect, but even if it had stormed all night, nothing could have dampened the joy that these two and their families and friends felt. It was simply a perfect night!

Photos by Mike Topham Photography

Maureen & Geoff: a Cavalier Wedding at King Family Vineyards

Maureen & GeoffApril 18, 2009

At the beginning of the planning process, Geoff was opposed to hiring a wedding coordinator.  He told his then-fiancée that they had plenty of time to plan, they could do it themselves, and – since he was a guy, he admits – he had a list of excuses.

Geoff wrote me to share his feelings after the wedding, and to make sure that others didn’t waste a lot of time contemplating this decision.  Not only did they entrust me with their wedding planning and direction, we became the best of friends.  This would be a first, and probably the only time, that I have had a groom recess the aisle saying to me, “I love you Barb, I really do,” before he embraced his bride in the vestibule.

Maureen and Geoff were extremely decisive and organized from the beginning.  However, this was a destination wedding with few familiar contacts in the area.  There were many details to oversee, but they had chosen some of the best vendors around, and I could see it was going to come together beautifully.  The weather was picture perfect that day as we set the ceremony at the UVA Chapel.

From the gorgeous vistas of King Family Vineyards, to the impeccable tastes and service of 20 South Catering, and the floral design of Amy Webb, the guests were more than impressed with the reception settings.  What a treat when Cav Man arrived for a visit during cocktails!

Part of their themed wedding was the rivalry of their schools – Cavaliers and Buckeyes.

The night got even better as one of our favorite wedding bands The Dickens played all of the favorites and everyone was on the dance floor.  We sent the happy couple off with a “sparkling” tribute at the end of the evening.

There are many special couples in my life.  Maureen and Geoff stay in touch whenever they come to Charlottesville and look forward to moving here some day.  I look forward to that as well.  And Geoff said: “It’s hard for me to say what I value more, the incredible job Barb did from start to finish – ensuring a flawlessly executed wedding from the rehearsal and dinner through the big day – or the fact that we found someone so incredibly special who we knew from the outset truly cared about not just what we wanted, but about us as people.”

The three of us have continued to be in touch, through Facebook mostly, but also through Geoff’s part-time realty business. He has been helping my friend find property in Northern Virginia.  Geoff & Maureen are still the same wonderful beautiful couple they were on their wedding day, but with three gorgeous children to light up their life even more.

I love my couples! – Barb

Ashleigh and Phil's Craft Beer Themed Wedding

Ashleigh & PhilOctober 17, 2015

Ashleigh and Phil tied the knot at Rodes Farm in Nellysford, Virginia on a beautiful October day.  Prior to the ceremony, the ladies got ready together in the Manor House while the gentlemen visited together in the Guest House.  Ashleigh wore an elegant mermaid gown for the ceremony and a floral dress for the reception, while her bridesmaids wore dresses that they had picked out themselves in Ashleigh’s color scheme.  Judy Hayward of On Location Bridal did hair and make up for the ladies.

Featuring a craft beer theme, the couple served a variety of beers at their ceremony which guests enjoyed while Ashleigh and Phil shared personal vows and a Unity Beer ceremony.  They had an ordained friend perform the ceremony and one of Ashleigh’s bridesmaids did a reading.  Both of these personal touches made the ceremony very unique and moving.

Ashleigh and Phil created a celebratory and relaxed environment filled with humor, friendship, and heartfelt storytelling which carried throughout their special day.

The reception took place in a charming, rustic barn filled with strands of lights, craft beer inspired décor and elegant floral arrangements from Blue Ridge Floral.  After the opening toast by the bride’s father, Guests ordered dinner from two food trucks: South Fork and Blue Ridge Pizza and enjoyed warm donuts and fresh coffee from Carpe Donut. Being the coldest night of the season so far did not stop Ashleigh and Phil and their guests from tearing it up on the dance floor to the E3 Band right up until the reception ended.  The couple even moved a table to make a bigger dance floor as more and more guests joined in.

The newlyweds made a romantic exit from the reception through a line of sparklers and cheering loved ones.  As many of the guests stayed on site, the celebration carried on well into the night.

Vendors Venue - Rodes Farm Catering - Blue Ridge Pizza & South Fork Bartender - Blue Ridge Pizza Desserts - Carpe Donut & Favorite Cakes Photographer - Rick Martin Photography Wedding Planner - Barb Wired LLC Flowers and decor - Blue Ridge Floral DJ - Paul McDaniel, C-ville Ceremony Sound Band - E3 Band Officiant - Joshua Helton Printing - Whimsey Designs Event Rentals - MS Events Hair & Make up - Judy Hayward, On Location Bridal Lodging - Rodes Farm, Acorn Inn, Wintergreen, Holiday Inn Rain Plan - Virginia Tent Rental