Happy New Year everyone!  I hope you had a wonderful and relaxing holiday!  We’re ready to get back to business with a gorgeous wedding from Sam Hurd Photography to help kick off the new year.  We haven’t had much snow yet this winter, but today’s wedding proves that you can’t always trust Mother Nature to follow her own traditions.  Kate and Greg were married in late October, just when a surprise snowstorm decided to drop by the DC area!  Kate and Greg had already planned a lovely wedding with natural and rustic details at Bluemont Vineyard and while the snow might have been unexpected, it only made the day even more beautiful and special.

From Kate: When we set out to plan the wedding, we knew we wanted people to walk away saying, “That was so Greg and Kate.”  We integrated all of the things we loved into our special day: nature, antiques, things that were hand made, and simplicity.  We did not want to take away from the meaning of that day, so we kept the color palette neutral and natural and instead focused on the colors we expected to arise from a fall wedding at a vineyard.  Little did we know, mother nature had the most beautiful white snow in store for us.

Our favorite memory is seeing one another for the first time on the day of the wedding.  It had been a stressful day up until that point.  Plans were changing and people were scrambling around.  While the snow was beautiful, it caused chaos up until the final moments.  When we saw eachother for the first time that day, it all disappeared.  We remembered why we were there and if only 5 people showed up, the day was going to have the same results.  It was a great moment to share with one another minutes before the ceremony began.

We aren’t religious, but we wanted our ceremony to be different another moment where people walked away and thought, “Wow. That was so Greg and Kate.”  We chose a handfasting ceremony, which is a ceremony in which the hands are literally bound together.  That’s where the term “tying the knot” comes from.

While many of our guests may not consider it a “detail,” the snow was our most favorite aspect of the entire day.  While the pictures most definitely speak for themselves, we felt warm and excited at the idea of snow in October.  And we were getting married.  Between the nerves and excitement, it certainly didn’t feel as cold as it looks.  We were so fortunate that everyone was able to make it safely in the unexpected weather, but we were told often that it was the most beautiful wedding anyone had ever seen.  While we’d like to take the credit for most of that, we know that the snow had a lot to do with it.

We also incorporated a lot of meaningful decor into our reception.  Our centerpieces and “guest log” were cut from trees at my grandmother’s house in upstate New York.  Although we didn’t have a cake, we had my grandmother and grandfather’s cake topper from their wedding displayed at our pie table.

We put a lot of trust into many aspects of our wedding day.  The bridesmaids were allowed to pick whatever dresses they wanted.  We found two of the vendors were from craigslist and never met with them prior to the wedding.  The florist was told to put out whatever flowers she thought were pretty.  While many of the details mattered to us, we instilled a lot of trust in the people around us.  Had we not allowed ourselves to trust vendors new to the business, or our friends to be fashion forward, the day wouldn’t have been the same.  The trust that we have in one another spilled over onto the trust we had that others would support our love with their talents and judgement.

Kate’s advice for other DC-area couples:

Upon our engagement, we received the advice that every couple receives: “Ask for help;” “Do not try to do it all on your own;” “Enjoy the engagement, it’s such a fun time.”  We didn’t listen, and we now wish we had.  Most of our wedding was DIY.  We spent months on end digging through thrift stores for milk glass vases, or knick knacks for the gift table.  We often denied time with our friends and instead were glued to the glue gun for weekends at a time.  Our advice is to ask for help, and to know it’s okay to not take on everything yourself.  Cherish your newlywed moments, they really are as important as everyone says they are.

As a special treat, we have the wedding video from Villatoro Productions so now you can see more of their snowy day! Enjoy!

The following Washington, DC area wedding professionals contributed to Kate and Greg’s wedding:

Venue: Bluemont Vineyard
Photography: Sam Hurd Photography
Floral Design & Day-of Coordination: Kelley Truxel with Event Studio
DJ: DJ Esso
Pies: Hill High Country Store, 540-338-7173
Officiant: Brenda Berry, Sacred Celebrations
Videography: Villatoro Productions
Bridal Attire: Rosalin’s Bridal
Hair & Makeup: Christine Kelley

Don’t forget to visit our vendor guide for more fabulous Washington, DC area wedding professionals or our real wedding gallery for more beautiful Washington, DC area weddings!

Photo Credits: Sam Hurd Photography

Submitted via Two Bright Lights