Good Monday morning! Stephanie and Christopher are an incredibly sweet (and gorgeous!) couple who planned an intimate rustic Virginia wedding. The Winery at Bull Run was the perfect fit for the pair, who wanted a venue that combined their passions for history and Virginia country. They were inspired to translate their relationship story into their wedding day details. From the bride’s ruby red slippers as she walked down the aisle to Somewhere Over the Rainbow to the unique way they included guests into their wedding ceremony, I’d say they did a fabulous job of making their celebration as personal as can be! We hope you love their gorgeous images from Nancy Anderson Cordell Photography, along with Stephanie’s recollection of the day! Come back later this morning to see their reception too!

From Stephanie: We envisioned our wedding to be a truly intimate and personal experience for our guests in which every detail represented us and told a story. From the classic car rentals to the ruby slippers I wore while walking down the aisle to “Somewhere Over the Rainbow, every detail was carefully thought out so that our guests would leave the wedding knowing us better as a couple and as individuals…and feeling more connected. This vision was the driving force behind every decision. The venue itself was a combination of two passions”Civil War history and Virginia wine.

I found a wonderful vendor on Etsy who made custom wine boxes. I had her carve our names and wedding date into the lid of a beautiful, wooden wine box that was set on the altar at the beginning of the ceremony. Chris and I wrote love letters to one another the night before the wedding, and during the ceremony, put them in the wine box along with a bottle of wine from the first winery we visited. The Officiant narrated this to the guests, and informed them that on our first anniversary, we would read the love letters and drink the wine…and then fill the box with more love letters and another bottle of wine to be enjoyed on our second anniversary. We would repeat this year after year, creating a “story” of our marriage to be cherished forever. 

The last personal touch to the ceremony was a modified Scottish Oathing Stone Ceremony. Instead of a stone, each guest was given a cork as they entered the ceremony area. Towards the end of the ceremony, the Officiant asked the guests to take a quiet moment to channel their love and wishes for us into the corks. After the ceremony concluded, the guests placed their corks into a beautiful vase that we have on display in our house, constantly reminded of our loved ones’ well wishes for our marriage.

Thank you so much Stephanie and Christopher for sharing your wedding ceremony with us! Don’t forget to come back later this morning to see their reception. The following Washington DC area wedding professionals contributed to their wedding:

Venue: The Winery at Bull Run
Officiant: Wedding Ceremonies by Jeff
Floral Design: Twinbrook Floral Design
Photography: Nancy Anderson Cordell Photography
Catering: Amphora Catering
Bridal Attire, Jewelry + Veil: Jeanette’s Bride ‘N Boutique
Shoes: Funtasma Costume Shoes
Bridesmaids Attire: J.Crew
Groom + Groomsmen Attire: Men’s Wearhouse
Hair: Red Door Spa
Music: MyDeejay
Transportation: Camelot Classic Cars
Rentals: Vintage Affairs
Sign: TrueConnection
Chalkboard + Frames: Morgan Hill Designs
Mini Chalkboards: JB Junket Market
Custom Guest Mad Libs: Cami’s Paperie
Seating Sign: My Repurposed Life
Wine Box: ArrowSarah

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Photo Credits: Nancy Anderson Cordell Photography