• Real Weddings

Our next couple, John and McKenna wanted their wedding to have an organic dinner party feel with great food and music to dance to all night long. They chose Tredegar Iron Works in Virginia because it was everything they wanted without feeling too stuffy or formal.

Their large wedding felt more like an intimate and stylish dinner party with a total relaxed vibe, and that’s what makes it so great! That, and the bride’s gorgeous Rime Arodaky gown (swoon!) Catch all the highlights below + in the full gallery from Samantha McFarlen.

from the bride

John and I wanted our wedding to feel like an organic dinner party; one where strangers become fast friends with great food, too much wine, and incredible music. We selected our historic Virginia venue, Tredegar Iron Works, for that exact reason. There was nothing stuffy or formal about it. The details were chosen to make our 165 guests feel at home but also to make them look twice at something different.

Moody but classic

Our aesthetic was moody but classic. My gown is by Rime Arodaky, a Parisian designer known for her handmade French and Italian lace dresses, and the Dress Theory, the Seattle salon where I found my dream dress, created a custom veil to accompany it. We chose delicate seasonal florals and foraged greenery for our flowers and accented the design with rose, marble, gold, and pops of velvet. We created a lounge area, complete with a working record player, to encourage conversation, but the nine-piece band kept the dance floor filled the entire night.

when two families become one

But, a wedding is about so much more than pretty details. It’s about two joining of two families, with the creation of a new family – the two of us – at its center. We hope that each guest at our wedding felt the deep love, respect of tradition, and excitement for change and adventure to come that we cherish so much. The team of vendors we brought together over 17 months – a process which, by all accounts, was incredibly stress-free – all honored the why of our wedding with flawless execution. It is a day we’ll never forget.

• Cakes & Catering: Mosaic Catering + Events
• Cakes & Catering: Sweet Fix Bakery
• Event Planning & Design: For Love of Love
• Flowers: Photosynthesis Floral Design
• Groom & His Men: Read Wall
• Hair, Makeup & Beauty: Elle Style Studio
• Lighting, Entertainment & Photo Booth: Jump Street by East Coast Entertainment
• Paper Goods & Calligraphy: Indigo Blue Design Co.
• Photographers: Samantha McFarlen
• Prop/furniture rentals: Paisley & Jade
• Rentals: Classic Party Rentals
• Table Chair Rentals: Rent-e-Quip
• Venues: Tredegar Iron Works
• Wedding Dresses: The Dress Theory (Seattle)
• Wedding Dresses: Rime Arodaky
• Wedding Films: White Flair Productions