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