I must say I fell in love with Alexandria. The old town is absolutely charming and the food was spectacular. In that regard I have to give a special shout out to Virtue Feed & Grain, the site of the rehearsal dinner. They were spot on with the food and service for the rehearsal and definitely became a favorite of mine in Alexandria. I will say that they will be my first dinner stop when I am back in the area.
The wedding itself was set at the Lorien Hotel and Spa, a beautiful hotel with a variety of settings that proved to be perfect for this wedding.
We were fortunate to have a beautiful day for this outdoor wedding on the rooftop terrace of the Lorien. Since the Bride and Groom were engaged in Tuscany, they wanted to used this setting as the theme for their wedding. True to the Tuscan theme of the wedding the Bride carried a bouquet of roses, scabiosa, lavender and rosemary.
Given that we were on the rooftop, guests were provided with simple paper parasols to help shield them from the sun. I must also say that if you are looking for photos, the hotel and the area offer countless charming locations as you can see from the photos I am sharing here.
Following a simple, touching ceremony guests were escorted to the other side of the rooftop for a cocktail reception. I used roses, lavender, rosemary and olive branches in cut glass containers to create cocktail arrangements continuing the theme. As you will see in later photos, I used linens that matched the invitations, menus and escort cards. The design is the Schylar pattern from my stationery collection.
The views over old town Alexandria were stunning. It was perfect for this reception.
Following cocktails guests were welcomed to the lower level ballroom which continued the elegant Tuscan theme. As guests arrived to the ballroom they first saw the escort card table. As you can see, the escort cards themselves had the same pattern as the cocktail linens so as to carry the look through the entire wedding.
As the centerpiece for the table I created a beautiful arrangement using the same combination of roses, scabiosa, rosemary and lavender but added hydrangea to create a lush centerpiece and accented it with lemons keeping with the theme. I then added silver mercury glass pillar candle holders and votives to add a romantic glow.
Once guests entered the room I continued the look using the same flower combinations on the dinner tables. Each in a rustic stone urn, and accented by a table number that again utilized the design from all of the collateral materials, I created a truly romantic look in the room.
And I love it when everything coordinates as you can see with the menus that again, carry through the theme.
Once dinner was complete it was time to move on to the next room for dancing and dessert.
The dance floor was perfectly located next to a wonderful terrace so guests could have a blast dancing to DJ Ben and then relax in the courtyard where I added a variety of lanterns and candles to give a romantic glow. It was a perfect end to a wonderful evening.
I would like to give a special shout out to East Coast Entertainment and DJ Ben Felton for providing great music and dancing, Somerset cakes for a beautiful cake and sweet treats, and Stevie T Photography for all of the great images I have shared here on the blog.
Finally, a special congratulations to a wonderful couple, Susan and Jack. Here's to a lifetime of happiness!
Cheers!
