June 10, 2023: Amanda & James

On June 10, 2023, Amanda and James got married in Lexington, Virginia at The Seclusion. It was a sunny and floral-filled day in the mountains, surrounded by friends and family. They have been together for over 8 years and initially met in college when they lived down the hall from each other freshman year. 

Listening to Amanda describe her proposal helped us get to know her and her now husband so well. She said, “He timed it perfectly to be his over a girls weekend (a couple of my college girl friends were visiting us in Morehead). Because they were in town, I had a whole itinerary planned, including a sunset cruise on James’s family’s boat. Since the boat ride had been my idea, I wasn’t at all suspicious until we were heading back to the dock and James, who was driving, asked our other friend to take over for a second. At that moment I was 90% sure it was about to happen but I was trying to act cool in case it didn’t. One of our friend's sons, who was just about to turn one, was holding himself up on the cooler, learning to stand. James said “Hey Charlie, can you grab the champagne out of the cooler? But we can only open it if she says yes…” Well… She said “YES!” so they popped the champagne and the planning began. From the beginning, Amanda told us she wanted a rusty romantic style wedding. 

When we asked Amanda what the most important part of the planning process was, she said “Hiring vendors who I could trust and who knew the venue well was key to being stress free on the wedding day. I also just wanted the overall event to be a big party - we had a live band (so so glad I went with Julie’s rec for the silver bullets), light up tambourines, and the groom’s sister had bought me these fun floral sunglasses the day before from Pumpkin Seeds in Lexington and I never took them off the entire party portion of the night.” We truly wanted their day to represent them well and I think we were able to make that happen!

When we asked Amanda why they chose The Seclusion as their venue, she said, “Since we met each other and so many of our friends in college at W&L, we really wanted to do it in Lexington, Va. We decided to rehearse on campus but wanted a bit more of a scenic option for the actual wedding. I stumbled upon the Seclusion from researching venues around Lexington online (this was in 2019, years before we got engaged haha) and fell in love with it. Once we got engaged, I looked at a couple of other venues in the area but liked how so many things were included with the package (tables, chairs, flatware, etc), how beautiful it is inside, and the views are hard to beat!!”

And the best part of their day? “I really enjoyed eating dinner with James at the sweetheart table. It was the first time that day we got to relax together and talk. I was indifferent before the wedding on sweetheart vs head and glad we went with sweetheart!! Also, the dancing portion of the night- again, Silver Bullets were amazing.” We always loved it when the couple decided to do a sweetheart table with just them two. Getting to watch everyone dance, sing, and celebrate love was so much fun!

Amanda and James chose the partial planning package. When asked what tip they would give other couples, she said, “As I said above, hire vendors you can trust. And to the extent possible, vendors that have worked with your other vendors and at your venue. That helped ease my anxiety because I trusted people would pretty much know what motions to go through etc.” They did select amazing vendors that made their day run smoothly! We loved getting to know Amanda and James and working with them was truly such a blessing!

Bride’s dress: Little White Dress

Bride’s dress designer: Savin London

Groom & Groomsmen Attire: Assortment (any tux with bow tie and cummerbund)

Bridesmaid dresses: BHLDN

Invitations: Minted

Favors: Grady cups and koozies from Sip Sip Hooray

Caterer: Lexington Catering Company

Cake: The Baking Mariner

Music: Silver Bullets

Florist: Florals by Kimberly

Makeup: Transformations Artistry

Photographer:  Luke & Ashley Photography

Videographer: Iron and Ivy Films

Ceremony music: Strings Poet

Dog Handler: Brandi

November 2, 2023 Amanda and Stephen

On November 2, 2023, Amanda and Stephen got married in Lexington, Virginia at The Seclusion. It was a crisp and beautiful fall day full of fresh blooms created by Amanda herself. It was in the mountains surrounded by friends and family. They have been together for over 3 years and their love first sparked in the DMs through mutual friends. Their first date was super fancy and a year later on their first-anniversary date he popped the question with a “Will you Marry Me?” cake! She of course said yes, and so the wedding planning began.

When we asked Amanda what the most important part to them was in the planning process. She said “Flowers and having a fun time with everyone.” We loved this answer, and we were so excited to see the florals Amanda would create for her big day, and trust us they did not disappoint! 

When we asked Amanda why she chose The Seclusion as their venue, she said, “As a wedding vendor myself, I've been to many venues throughout Virginia, Maryland, and DC and loved the views, 'secluded’/getaway feel of the venue, the groom suite (which many venues don't even have), the decor of the spaces, and especially the venue owners themselves are so kind!”

And the best part of their day??

“Celebrating our marriage with our children, closest family and friends!”

Amanda and Stephen chose the month of the wedding package. Amanda said, “I had all my vendors chosen and I work in the wedding industry, so it wasn't a stretch for me to do additional planning by myself as it's part of my daily work anyways. However I recommend a full service planner to ease the stress of all the details that are involved!” When asked what the biggest tip for another couple planning their wedding would be, she said, Hire vendors you love and trust, first and foremost and you won’t have anything to worry about on the wedding day but enjoying it!

Bride’s dress: Kleinfield, Pina Tornai

Groom & Groomsmen attire: The Black Tux

Bridesmaid dresses: Assorted places, I let the girls pick a style and color within a palette that suited them best.

Invitations: Minted

Caterer: Chefs Catering

Cake: Blush Baking CO

Music: String Trip & Trumpet

Florist: A Morgan Event Floral

Hair Stylist: Glam By Jeet

Photographer: E Losinio Photography

Erica & David June 3, 2023

On June 3, 2023, Erica and David got married in Lexington, Virginia at The Seclusion. It was a warm and beautiful day full of fresh blooms in the mountains surrounded by friends and family. They have been together for over 3 years and initially met in the courtroom. It was Erica’s first day at work as a Commonwealth Attorney. She said “I turned around to the row of defense attorneys and a cute blonde guy caught my eye. We had several cases against each other before he finally asked me out.” She actually turned down the first time… but eventually, she said yes and their love story began.

He proposed at Washington & Lee’s campus during the most beautiful sunset walk. 

When we asked Erica what the most important part to them was in the planning process. She said “Plenty of delicious food and drink, and everyone enjoying themselves and feeling welcome.” We loved this answer, their heart was to create an enjoyable, memorable, and joyful experience for not just them, but everyone!

When we asked Erica & David why they chose The Seclusion as their venue, she said, “The drive up to the Seclusion, even in the winter, took our breath away.  Once we got out of the car to tour, we knew that the Seclusion was the place we wanted to get married. We couldn't believe how beautiful everything was.  The venue's beauty, amenities, well thought areas, and the personal touches of the owners made it a no brainer.  My dad jokes that our wedding had 4 parts - ceremony and cocktail hour enjoying the views, beautiful dinner, back outside to enjoy the sunset views and firepits, and then dancing.  We are so lucky to have gotten married at a place that offered all of these things.”

And the best part of their day??

“Being surrounded by my family and friends - having them all in one spot, genuinely enjoying each other's company was so incredibly special.”

Erica and David chose the partial wedding package. When asked what the biggest tip for another couple planning their wedding would be, she said, “Hire the wedding planner! You don't know what you don't know, and having an objective person to talk to about vendor decisions, when to book, what is a crisis, and weekend schedule flow is invaluable to your mental health. Having someone with connections in the area is also clutch, especially for "out of town" brides.  Also, wedding planning is more stressful than I anticipated - so be prepared and try to be present and enjoy being engaged!” 

Bride’s dress: Urban Set Bride

Bride’s dress designer: Justin Alexander

Groom & Groomsmen attire: Leviner Wood

Bridesmaid dresses: Jenny Yoo

Invitations: The Merrymaker

Caterer: Purple Door Catering

Cake: Blush Baking Co

Music: Silver Bullets & Classic Strings Duo

Florist: Petal and Pup

Makeup: Transformations Artistry

Photographer: Ray Photography

Bartenders: The Coordinated Event

Details and invitations from MerryMaker

Petal & Pup florals with Seclusion dinnerware

Sweetheart table with Petal l and Pup Floral backdrop

Blush Baking Co cake and desserts

Signature drinks named off their Pups

Petal and Pup florals deserved a moment

The back of her dress left us speechless

Beautiful bride

Men’s attire from Leviner Wood

The party of her dreams

Sparkler exit finale

Blaire + Jeremy | Trump Winery | Charlottesville, VA

Photos by Ray Photography Co

Blaire and Jeremy got married on December 10th, 2022 at the Trump Winery in Charlottesville, VA. They had an elegant winter wedding, surrounded by their friends, family, and some of Jeremy’s colleagues from the Air Force!

They have been together for three years, and they met online! Jeremy popped the question at Blaire’s favorite hotel in San Antonio, Hotel Emma. He totally surprised her, and then they celebrated that night with some of their closest friends. 

We asked Blaire what the most important thing was when she was planning her wedding and she said, “Incorporating pine into every element and making sure the small, personal touches were well-executed”. The personal touches in any wedding are sometimes the hardest part to incorporate. Each table was named after a place Blaire and Jeremy had lived, and each one had a few photos of their time there together. It was the perfect way to showcase their time together traveling through Jeremy’s work. It added the perfect amount of personal touch. 

And the best part of their day? 

“When Jeremy opened the bottle of scotch whisky that he had been saving for 11 years to open on his wedding day. Very sweet moment we were able to share with our guests.”

Blaire and Jeremy had a custom package for 3 months out from their wedding. Blaire said, “I chose this because I already had all of my vendors secured but needed help with bringing everything together.” We are always happy to work with our couples and create a custom package so that they can get what they need! 

When we asked Blaire what tip they would give to another couple planning their wedding, she said, “Hire Julie and don’t look back!!” You flatter us, Blaire! We love you guys!

Blaire’s Dress: Allure, at a dress shop in New Braunfels, Texas

Jeremy’s Suit: Vera Wang, Men’s Warehouse

Bridesmaid’s Dresses: Azazie.com

Groomsmen’s Attire: Their Air Force uniforms or Vera Wang from Men’s Warehouse

Favors: Music boxes for the guests from Kikkerland, Filipino candies in honor of Jeremy’s Filipino heritage, and “Remove Before Flight” keychains with their names and wedding date on them were custom created

Invitations: Minted

We absolutely loved Blaire and Jeremy’s wedding! Their group was so full of life and had so much love for each other. We wish them safe travels and a beautiful future together! 

Need help planning your wedding? Click here to chat with us!

Vendors:

Venue: Trump Winery in Charlottesville, VA

Planner: Julie Rupert Events

Photographer: Ray Photography Co

Videographer: Candeo Films

Catering: Harvest Moon Catering

DJ: Level Up Entertainment

Hair/Makeup: Locks and Lashes VA

Florals: Bonnie Morris and Kyran Belfield Morris

Erica and David | The Seclusion | Romantic Summer Wedding in Lexington, VA

Photos by Ray Photography

Erica and David got married on June 3rd, 2023 at The Seclusion in Lexington, VA. Their wedding was full of flowers, fun, and romance. They didn’t let the rain get in the way of having their dream wedding. 

Erica and David have been together for over three years. They actually met in court! She was the prosecutor and he was the defense attorney. They caught each other’s eye the first day in court. Omg…

David popped the question while they were walking around Washington and Lee’s campus during their yearly trip to Lexington in January. During the sunset, David pulled her into one of the campus canopies and asked Erica if she wanted to get married. Both of their parents got to celebrate with them after. 

When we asked Erica what was most important to her when planning her wedding, she said,

I wanted everyone to have a great time and feel our love - great food, drinks, music and views ended up being the perfect equation.

And the best part of her day? 

Being surrounded by all of our favorite family and friends. There is also something very special when the wedding party comes together after pictures before the ceremony, all tucked away, enjoying a cheers!

Erica and David chose our partial planning package.

I chose the "partial" planning package because I genuinely enjoyed wedding planning, but needed the guidance. Also, I knew that Julie had great connections in Lexington and endless insight on the whole process.

If you could provide a tip to another couple planning their wedding, what would it be?

Stop looking at other options once you decide on a vendor for anything. Also, enjoy the planning process, and don't let the wedding planning stress get in the way of enjoying your engagement. Trust the process - your guests do not care about small details, they care they were invited to a beautiful celebration of your love.

I got my dress at Urban Set Bride in Richmond, Virginia. The designer was Justin Alexander.

The Groom, Best Man (and Father of the Groom) and Father of the Bride got custom suits from Leviner Wood in Richmond, Virginia.

Bella Bridesmaids in Richmond, VA - designer was Jenny Yoo

The rest of the groomsmen rented their suits from the Black Tux.

I chose The Seclusion because the views were unmatched and the thoughtful spaces were just incredible. It was the only venue I ended up looking at because I knew it would be unmatched.

The Merrymaker in Richmond, Virginia.

We wish Erica and David all the best and we thoroughly enjoyed getting to help them create their dream wedding. Congratulations to them!

Vendors:

Planners: Julie Rupert Events

Photography: Ray Photography

Florals: Petal and Pail

Reception Band: Silver Bullets

Ceremony Music: Classic Strings Duo

Catering: Purple Door Catering

Bar Service: The Coordinated Event

Cake: Blush Baking Co.

Hair and Makeup: Transformations Artistry

Lauren + Josh | The Seclusion | Timeless Summer Wedding

Lauren and Josh got married on June 9th, 2023 at The Seclusion in Lexington, VA. They had a beautiful summer wedding with simple, classic florals and decor. They were the cutest!

Lauren and Josh met four years ago online. Josh popped the question at the Roanoke Star on New Year's Eve right at midnight on the first of the year! 

Lauren would describe her wedding as “romantic, timeless, and elegant”, and we completely agree! Their wedding had tons of candles and bud vases, and everything was light and summery. This look truly is timeless. 

The most important things to Lauren when planning her wedding were the photographer and the venue. We think she really nailed this one by choosing Raegan Buckley Photo and The Seclusion!

We asked Lauren what her favorite part of the day was, and she said, “The whole day was so amazing and went really smooth, and having our friends and family witness our wedding day was so special”. 

They chose the Wedding Day Management package and she said, “it helped our day run so smoothly, and having extra help on the day of was so helpful”. We are so glad we could ensure your day was smooth and stress-free! Her advice to anyone planning their wedding is, “Don’t let the little details overwhelm you and try to be present and in the moment”. We couldn’t agree more. 

Her dress: Lovely Bride, Made With Love

His suit: Men’s Warehouse

Bridesmaids’ dresses: Birdy Grey

Groomsmen’s tuxes: Men’s Warehouse

Photographer: Raegan Buckley Photo

Videographer: Brie Film and Photo

Venue: The Seclusion 

Florist: Petal and Pail

Planning: Julie Rupert Events

Makeup: Captivating Complexion

Hair: Hair by Kasey Renee

DJ: Dj Bobby Hash

We absolutely loved Lauren and Josh’s wedding and we wish them all the best!

Real Weddings: Amanda and James

Amanda and James got married on June 10th, 2023 at The Seclusion in Lexington, VA! They have been together for 8 years and met in college at Washington and Lee University, also in Lexington. They even lived down the hall from each other there!

When I asked Amanda how he popped the question, she said, 

“He timed it perfectly to be his over a girl's weekend (a couple of my college girlfriends were visiting us in Morehead). Because they were in town, I had a whole itinerary planned, including a sunset cruise on James’s family’s boat. Since the boat ride had been my idea, I wasn’t at all suspicious until we were heading back to the dock and James, who was driving, asked our other friend to take over for a sec. At that moment I was 90% sure it was about to happen but I was trying to act cool in case it didn’t. One of our friend's sons, who was just about to turn one, was holding himself up on the cooler, learning to stand. James said ‘Hey Charlie, can you grab the champagne out of the cooler? But we can only open it if she says yes’!

Amanda would describe her wedding as rustic and romantic. Their two-year-old black lab, Grady, was involved in the wedding too – he was on their napkins and a bunch of their props for the reception! 

They had the Silver Bullets as their entertainment for the night, and as always, they absolutely killed it! Another fun detail they had were some tambourines and fun light-up sunglasses from Pumpkin Seeds in Lexington. Amanda never took them off!

They had the partial planning package from us, so we worked with them for a while on their big day. When we asked Amanda what was most important to them when planning their wedding, she said,

“Hiring vendors who I could totally trust and who knew the venue well was key to being stress-free on the wedding day!”

Amanda’s advice for couples planning their wedding would be,

“Hire vendors you can trust. And to the extent possible, vendors that have worked with your other vendors and at your venue. That really helped ease my anxiety because I trusted people would pretty much know what motions to go through, etc”. 

She says the best part of their wedding day was, “eating dinner with James at the sweetheart table. It was the first time that day we got to totally relax together and talk. I was indifferent before the wedding on sweetheart vs large head table, and I’m glad we went with sweetheart!! Also, the dancing portion of the night- again, silver bullets were amazing!”

Venue: The Seclusion

“Since we met each other and so many of our friends in college at W&L, we really wanted to do it in Lexington, Va. We decided to do a rehearsal on campus but wanted a bit more of a scenic option for the actual wedding. I stumbled upon the Seclusion from researching venues around Lexington online (this was in 2019, years before we got engaged haha) and fell in love with it. Once we got engaged, I looked at a couple of other venues in the area but liked how so many things were included with the package (tables, chairs, flatware, etc), how beautiful it is inside, and the views are hard to beat!”

Amanda dress:

“Little White Dress in Denver Colorado (where my mom and sister live). We went just to look over Thanksgiving because my sister was about five months pregnant and wasn’t going to be able to travel to the east coast later that spring to look. I ended up falling in love with the second dress I tried on which I was lucky that they just happened to have on loan. The designer is Savin London (possibly rebranded to House of Savin now).”

James’ tux: local place in Morehead

Bridesmaids dresses: Anthropologies BHLDN 

Merch: Grady cups (their dog) and coozies were from “Sip Sip Hooray”! 

Invitations: Minted

Amanda and James were such a wonderful couple and had an awesome group! We wish them a long and happy marriage and we were so glad we got to help them make their dream a reality!

Christine + Justin | The Seclusion | Lexington, VA

Photos by Kyla Jeanette Photography

Christine and Justin got married on May 14th, 2022 at The Seclusion in Lexington, VA. They had a beautiful spring day for their wedding, despite the clouds and a little hit of storminess, surrounded by their friends and family. They have been together for over five years, and actually met when Justin was Christine’s car salesman back in 2016!

Justin proposed on his 30th birthday at home with Christine and their pups. 

They had a beautiful romantic wedding in the mountains of Lexington. 

When we asked Christine what was most important to them in the planning process, she said “Picking quality vendors. Vendors can make or break your wedding experience, so picking vendors that were responsive and reliable were most important to us”. We think this is so true! Having quality vendors means you can sit back and relax and not have to worry about anything that could go wrong. 

And the best part of their day?

 “Marrying each other surrounded by our family and friends!”

They chose the partial planning package, and when asked what their biggest tip to a couple planning their wedding would be, she said “The best money you will ever spend during your wedding is hiring a wedding coordinator/planner”. You are awesome Christine!

Attire

Bride’s dress: Francesca’s Bridal - Galia Lahav

Groom’s tux: Jos. A Bank

Bridesmaids’ dresses: Show Me Your Mumu

Groomsmen’ tuxes: Jos. A Bank

Venue: The Seclusion

Invitations: Long Time Design

Vendor list: 

Photographer: Kyla Jeannete Photography 

Videographer: Golden Hour Visuals

Venue: The Seclusion

Planner: Julie Rupert Events

Florist: Gregory Britt Design

Caterer: Purple Door

Entertainment: Bela Sono

Hair & Makeup: Allie Laree Beauty

What a beautiful couple! Cheers, Christine and Justin!

Erica + Shane | The Seclusion | Lexington, VA

Photos by Urban Bay Photography

Erica and Shane got married on October 22nd, 2022 at The Seclusion in Lexington, VA! They have been together for 9 years and met in college. They were both in greek life at West Virginia University (in Julie and Erica’s opinion, the best university there is) and their love blossomed from there. You can read their full love story here!

Shane proposed at the Moshulu, a beautiful boat in Philidelphia in 2020. Their proposal story is too beautiful to try and shorten, so click here to read the full story! Tears! I love it.

They had an elegant, bohemian wedding on a beautiful October day. They had a large wedding party, which can sometimes be stressful, but this group was great! 

When it came to wedding planning for Erica and Shane, Erica said the most important thing was, “To be surrounded by our friends and family while everyone had a great time. We had a very big wedding party (21 people) and knew that we wanted the entire weekend to be filled with love, laughter, and fun!”

The best part of their day? “Believe it or not, our ceremony! Both Shane and I agreed that of all the amazing moments on our wedding day, the ceremony truly took the cake. I had a running joke with Shane that I was SO nervous that he wanted to write his own vows, and in turn, I would write mine. We also joke about how I really hoped I'd at least get a single tear out of him when I walked down the aisle! However, when I started to walk down the aisle with my mom and witnessed all of our friends and family there to celebrate us on what was truly the most GORGEOUS October day, I was greeted by a pretty teary-eyed Shane. First Win! And after we finished the ceremony, one of the most incredible feelings was having our guests come up to us and not only commend the vows we wrote, but also commented that they had never been to a wedding where "every single guest was crying". It made Shane and I feel loved and heard, and in turn, made me so happy and proud Shane pushed us to write our own vows.” 

We love hearing our couples share their own vows with their partner and their guests!

They chose the day-of-coordination package. Erica said, “When I first began planning, I honestly was hesitant to even have a day of coordinator. As a super type-A gal, who LOVES to plan, I genuinely thought I had it covered! HOWEVER, now knowing what I know - even the most type A bride needs someone to lean on on their wedding day (YES, and you can quote me on that!, lol!), and honestly in hindsight, I would have hired the JRE for more assistance leading up to the big day!” 

I laughed when I read this because it is so true! We hear this a lot. Everyone needs someone to lean on for their big day, and we’re there for you!

We asked them what advice they would give to other couples planning their big day. She said “Get a wedding planner/coordinator. However to lean on that, communicate EVERYTHING to your vendors. If you want something to happen, put someone in charge of it, and that person cannot be you/your groom. For example, Shane and I agreed that we wanted to sneak away at some point during the wedding just to see everything set up. We didn't tell anyone and before you knew it, the night was over! I wish I had asked one of the wedding party/Julie/my mom/someone to make that happen because as the bride and groom, you are constantly being pulled from one fun thing to another.” 

Your wedding day can go by so fast so make sure you soak it all up!

Dress: Olia Zavozina

Groom’s Tux: Jos. A Banks

Bridesmaids Dresses: “My girls were free to pick their own dresses. We had a mix of BHLDN, Birdie Grey, Lulus, Azazie, Reverly, and even Amazon!

Groomsmen Attire: Jos. A Banks 

“Which I highly recommend for big wedding parties! All of the groomsmen were from different states and were all going to be traveling to VA for the wedding. So, to avoid any of the guys forgetting something at home, they all got fitted in their home cities, but my husband picked up all of the tuxes at the closest Jos A banks to The Seclusion in Roanoke VA.”

Venue: The Seclusion

“I feel the Seclusion is just a jaw-dropper. When Shane and I toured the Seclusion with our families, there wasn't a dry eye in the bunch and a single doubt that it was our dream space to be married. We knew we wanted a space that spoke for itself, and the Seclusion screamed that it was the place for us.”

Favors, party gifts, etc: The majority of the items came from Etsy shops, Amazon, and Shein (Bridesmaid Boxes, Personalized Bracelets, Robes, Earrings), and some of the items I made myself (personalized champaign flutes)

Invitations: Minted

Congratulations Erica and Shane! What a beautiful wedding and an even more beautiful couple.

Erica’s Instagram: @simplyellstyle

Vendors:

Planner: @julierupertevents

Photography: @urbanbay

Videography: @valcinemaweddings

Venue: @theseclusion

Catering: Mountain Mama Catering

DJ: @level.up.ent

Florals: @brins_posy

Hair: @kelseybaranek

Makeup: @alissajoymakeup

Rings: @brilliantearth & @bluenilediamond

Dress: @ozbridal_tn

Sam + Tim | The Seclusion | Lexington, VA

Photos by Courtney Timms Photography

Sam and Tim got married on October 2nd, 2022 at The Seclusion in Lexington, VA and they have been together for just over four years now!

They got engaged at sunset at Ko Olina Beach in Hawaii! (Such a beautiful setting)

They had a boho-style wedding with a few modern touches. 

When it came to wedding planning for Sam and Tim, “We wanted our medium/big wedding to feel small and intimate. We didn't want our guests to have to worry about anything (where to stay, how to get around, what to do, etc.). We wanted everything to run seamlessly on the day of (and as Hurricane Ian approached, we wanted to make sure that the fun of the day felt just as wonderful as it would have if it was a sunny fall day).”

“We wanted to make sure that we had time together without having to worry about other people and we wanted to make sure our photos and videos felt authentic and genuine.”

Additionally, Sam said, “As a detail-oriented person, I was definitely concerned about all of the teeny tiny details, but as we got closer I realized that I had picked excellent vendors who would make the ideas in my head come to life and that it was not helpful to worry about all the small things that guests probably wouldn't notice as much as Tim or I would.”

“I also wanted to create lots of moments for Tim and I that would make him cry (in a good way). He feels emotions so strongly, so I wanted to make sure I created special moments for him throughout the day where he could let his emotions out and not have to worry about putting on a show for all of our guests. On the other hand, I wanted our guests to not cry at all. I wanted them to be having so much fun enjoying themselves that all they could do was laugh and smile and dance.”

We loved the mix of emotions and fun that Sam wanted at their wedding. Your wedding is such a big day in your life, so you want to be feeling all the emotions, but it's also such an exciting time that deserves a celebration!

When we asked them their favorite part of their wedding day, she said, “The moments Tim and I got to actually spend time together. We rode the bus up to the venue together with our wedding party. Even though we were getting ready separately he took the time to grill me up a plate of food when the caterers were running a little bit behind. Doing our private vows and first look by ourselves with just our photographer and videographer was perfect for the two of us and I loved his reaction to seeing how long the train of my dress was and having to figure out what a bustle was. We got to spend some time upstairs while guests got seated for dinner and did a private last dance with the band at the end of the night. All the small moments by ourselves really made the day feel special and like it was about the two of us and not just the fun of a great party.”

Sam and Tim used the Partial Planning Package with a little bit of added customization. “My family is very used to planning and hosting events, so we mostly wanted some assistance with getting together a good list of vendors and helping the actual wedding weekend run smoothly. We also wanted someone who was local to the area since Tim was deployed and I was planning half of the wedding while I was in Hawaii.” 

We asked Sam what tip she would give another couple planning their wedding and she said, “Start planning early so that you have time to be not stressed as the wedding approaches.” We love that advice, Sam! It can be stressful planning a wedding, and so starting early helps eliminate stress closer to your wedding day when all you want to do is relax.

Her dress: “The designer I used was Wona. They helped me merge two dresses into one (Romance and Macklein). The other top two designers I really loved were Galia Lahav and Berta. It was so difficult to choose. I never thought I'd be the girl struggling to decide which fancy dress to wear.”

Groom’s tux: Stitch and Tie 

Venue: The Seclusion

“We wanted to be surrounded by fall and a venue that wouldn't be "open to the public" on our wedding day. It was really important to us that there were only people that we knew and loved at our wedding.”

Bridesmaids dresses: Revelry

Groomsmen’s tuxes: Stitch and Tie

Invitations: Paperlust

Thanks for reading! We absolutely loved their wedding and we wish Sam and Tim a long and happy marriage!

Vendors:

Photography: @courtneytimmsphotography

Videography: @kirstenbeatleyfilms

Venue: @theseclusion

Planner: @julierupertevents

Florist: Urban Flora VA

Hair/Makeup: @locksandlashesva

Caterer: @thecateringoutfit

Cake: @katies_sweettreats_lyh

Band: @young_hearts_music

Lauren + Wes | The Seclusion | Lexington, VA

Meet Lauren and Wes!

Lauren and Wes got married on June 17th, 2022 at The Seclusion in Lexington, VA, and have been together for five and a half years. They were a blast to work with and had the most beautiful day. After graduating from college, Lauren met Wes through Wes’s cousin who she had become friends with and Wes happened to live across the street from her. He actually helped her move in and kept trying to get a look at his cousin’s “cute new roommate”! They eventually met at a family gathering, and finally started dating a year later! 

Wes proposed the weekend before Christmas in Ocean City, Maryland. Lauren says, “I had always wanted to do a bonfire on the beach at Assateague Island and it was an unseasonably warm December day, so we decided to go! The weather was beautiful and there was a gorgeous sunset, so I asked my dad to snap a few photos of us. Wes then got down on one knee during one of the photos and luckily my dad kept snapping away. I was totally shocked and completely surprised! Little did I know that Wes, the guy who hates taking photos, was trying to find the right moment to ask to take a photo without sounding suspicious. I totally teed it up for him without realizing it.” 

Lauren and Wes had a beautifully romantic and whimsical style wedding. Due to some crazy rain on their wedding day, their ceremony had to be moved inside but everything turned out beautifully. We were able to switch out the head table for their ceremony flowers and cross and bring in some couches for family to sit in two rows in the front. They were able to get married inside, in front of the fireplace. Their guests sat at their dinner seats and the aisle went right through the middle of the tables.

For Lauren and Wes, “We were really focused on the guest experience. Every person at our wedding played such a huge role in our lives that we wanted to make sure everyone had a great time! Food and music were our top priorities and both of those vendors really delivered.” Their band was the Bachelor Boys Band and their catering was done by Purple Door Gourmet Kitchen.

And what was the best part of your wedding day? 

“Having all of our most cherished friends and family in one place. When will that ever happen again?!” We love that!

Lauren and Wes chose the wedding day management package. They had a short, six-month engagement, so they started working with us two months out from their big day! Lauren was no beginner in the field of event planning so we were able to collaborate with her to fill in any gaps she needed help with! “However, looking back, we both say we wish we had done either the Partial or Full Planning package because there really is so much that goes into your big day that we hadn't realized”, Lauren said. 

When asked if there were any tips they have for other couples, Lauren said, “Don't skimp on a planner in your budget! We loved that we had check-ins with Julie and she kept us on track with our to-do list. She truly took the stress out of planning and we knew we were in great hands. Julie was absolutely invaluable day-of when we had to quickly switch gears for an indoor ceremony. The engagement season and your wedding day are such special moments and you don't want to look back and only remember being stressed!” Thanks, Lauren!

Lauren’s dress: “I said yes to the dress at Betsy Robinson's Bridal Boutique and chose a Watters wedding dress! It was unlike anything I had ever seen and is so special to me.”

Wes’s tux: Men’s Warehouse

Their venue: “We had known well before getting engaged that we wanted to get married at The Seclusion. We fell in love with it after seeing photos online and reached out the day after getting engaged to schedule a tour! We loved that they included so many beautiful rentals (cross-back chairs, farm tables, chargers, flatware, etc.) in the venue fee, had spacious get-ready locations on site and had the most spectacular view. We also wanted a venue where we loved the inside just as much as the outside in case we needed to move the ceremony inside because of rain. Little did we know that we would actually have to use our backup plan.”

Bridesmaid dresses: Birdy Grey

Groomsmen: Men’s Warehouse

Thanks for reading! We loved Lauren and Wes’s wedding and we wish them a long and happy marriage!

Vendor Credits:

Photography: @jamie.vinson

Planning: @julierupertevents

Venue: @theseclusion

Videography: @aerialillustrations 

Florist: @floralsbykimberly

Hair: @megan.lorson

Makeup: @artistrybylexihiggs

Band: @bachelorboysband

Calligraphy: @leahletters_

Caterer: @purpledoorgourmetkitchen

Desserts: @solociachef21

Invitations: @paradiseinvitations