This Virginia wedding from photographer Adam Barnes is full of timeless beauty, with a classic color palette and charming details…
Don’t you love the simple elegance of this invitation suite? Kraft paper, white calligraphy, and a sweet bow.
Says Ashley, “We wanted a private, yet unique location that had lots of charm.” The couple found exactly that in Warner Hall, just a few hours from their home in Washington D.C.
Says the bride, “I think we both agree that the first look was the most special part of the day.”
The bride carried a bouquet of gardenia, white roses, and baby’s breath.
A wood sign (decorated with a baby’s breath garland) encouraged guests to “pick a seat not a side” for the ceremony.
In a nod to the groom’s Scottish roots, a bagpiper played at both the beginning and end of the ceremony.
Baby’s breath continued as an accent in the centerpieces, escort card display, and dessert table (where the couple served a variety of pies in lieu of the traditional wedding cake).
Why did you choose this location for your wedding? Peter’s family has strong ties to the Williamsburg, Virginia area and I couldn’t help but fall in love with the Southern feel of Warner Hall as I’m originally from North Carolina. An added bonus is that Peter and I were able to stay at Warner Hall all weekend with our bridal party (closest friends and family) as it’s a functioning Inn. Most historic homes barely allow you to touch anything. Theresa and Troy Stavens allow guests to use their beautiful, historic home as a weekend retreat!
What inspired you when you were planning your wedding? The venue inspired me most! Warner Hall is so beautiful and it sits on such a spectacular piece of land with the tall oak trees and river in the distance. The simplicity of a big white house is also so refreshing and welcoming. We didn’t want to distract from the natural beauty of the venue so we kept our details pretty simple by using lots of white, cream, gold, and the green in the flowers. We also used pieces that had depth (yet still neutral) such as burlap, gold mercury, and moss.
What was your favorite moment or part of the day? We loved the reception and watching our friends and family have such a great time (our band was amazing) – all our hard work paid off!
Did you include any traditions in your wedding? Peter’s family has Scottish ties so we incorporated a bagpiper to the beginning and ending of the wedding ceremony.
What was the best advice you received as a bride? A few good friends told us three very important things: 1) Try to stick by each other all night so you share the experience together. 2) Dance as much as you can with your friends and family rather than spending all your time greeting everyone at the reception tables – that could take hours! 3) No matter what happens, at the end of the day you will be married to the person you love, and that’s all that matters! No one will notice if the flowers are wrong or if the green in the linens don’t match the green in the flowers!
What advice do you have for other brides? Wedding planning can be stressful. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. I hosted parties at my house where I would invite a few girlfriends over to help me work on DIY projects such as painting my table numbers and creating my place card settings. If you provide some fun music and buy some wine, cheese, and chocolate, your friends will be more than willing to help you plan a wedding.
Do you have any budget tips for other brides? If you live in a big (and expensive) city like we do, consider driving an hour or two away for the wedding. The cost difference will be worth it. Our wedding would have cost double the amount had we planned everything in Washington, DC. Hotel rates for the guests would have also been higher. Instead of paying $300 a night for a hotel in D.C., guests paid only $100 in the Williamsburg area.
See more from Ashley and Peter’s traditional Virginia wedding in the gallery.
