A Formal Yellow-and-Gray Rustic Wedding in Virginia

Kate and Jeremy

The first time Kate laid eyes on Jeremy he was actually looking for another woman -- her sister. But it's not as scandalous as it sounds. As friends of Kate's siblings, Jeremy visited the family's beach house one summer, and guess who happened to greet him at the front steps? Their friendship turned into a three-year romance and came full circle when Jeremy brought Kate back to those same stairs in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, to propose.

Next came planning the wedding, in which they brought both their backgrounds together into one celebration: Kate's love for rustic details that she'd grown up with in the South, and Jeremy's beloved Japanese culture.

01 of 32

The Location

Castle Hill Cider in Keswick, Virginia, (located outside of Charlottesville) was a destination with perks for all the couple's wedding guests. Washington-locals, like the bride and groom, got to escape the city for the weekend and enjoy a beautiful ride through the countryside. As for out-of-town guests, like the groom's family from Maine, they got the opportunity to experience a part of Virginia close to the bride's heart: "My mother;s family is originally from the area and I grew up visiting the house and farm she lived in as a girl," said Kate.

02 of 32

The Invitations

Kate's sister, a graphic designer, created the graphics used in the save the dates printed by a friend's company, Im-press-ive Letterpress. The invitations by Just Paper & Tea were calligraphied by Arney Walker and letterpressed along with the same custom graphics.

03 of 32

Welcome Gifts

When guests checked into their hotels, they were greeted with gift boxes filled with Hubs Virginia Peanuts, sweet treats, a note from Jeremy and Kate, and a custom map of Charlottesville. Empress Stationery provided the graphics for the labels, map, and itinerary.

04 of 32

Homemade Sweets

Also tucked in each guests' welcome box were two homemade oatmeal sandwich cookies filled with cinnamon cream.

05 of 32

The Fashions

"Of course, I wanted to look the best I could," Kate said. "But I also wanted to be comfortable and look like myself. We tried to keep the overall fashions of the wedding simple, but unique."

The groom wore pieces from Ikkon and Brooks Brothers, while the bride chose a Anna Maier Ulla-Maija gown.

06 of 32

The Bride's Look

Kate's dress featuring white lace over cream silk made a statement with an open back. She accessorized her wedding-day look in a way that was uniquely her: "I wore jewelry that belonged to women on both sides of my family -- earrings and ring from a great aunt of my father's, and a diamond watch that belonged my maternal grandmother," she said.

07 of 32

The Rings

Both Kate's engagement ring and the couple's wedding bands were by Nellie Boone of Boone & Sons Jewelers in Chevy Chase, Maryland.

08 of 32

The Bouquet

The bride carried a mix of David Austin garden roses, china berry, fresh herbs, and honeysuckle.

09 of 32

Family Portraits

Kate's mother Elizabeth and her stepfather Ritchie posed for portraits with the happy couple.

10 of 32

The Bridesmaids

Bridesmaids wore gray organza Lela Rose dresses and carried bouquets of yellow English garden roses, Annabelle hydrangea, fresh herbs, and honeysuckle.

11 of 32

A Well-Dressed Guest

Jeremy's nephew Nicholas was one of the many important wedding guests.

12 of 32

Proud Parents

Jeremy's father Tim and his mother Miyoko (who handcrafted much of the cocktail hour decor) stole a moment for a photo with their son around ceremony time.

13 of 32

Ceremony Programs

The simple ceremony programs incorporated the colors used throughout the wedding.

14 of 32

Vintage Transportation

Kate and her father arrived to the ceremony in style in her dad's 1928 Model A Ford. "He drove it down to Charlottesville from Delaware the weekend before the wedding on a trailer!" Kate said.

15 of 32

Here Comes the Bride

Kate walked down the aisle as Israel Kamakawiwo'ole's version of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" played.

16 of 32

The Vows

As a ceremony backdrop, Beehive Events suspended glass vases filled with roses, dahlias, hydrangea, and draping green amaranthus from tree limbs. "We wanted something romantic yet natural looking that blended in with the surrounding Linden trees," said Kate.

17 of 32

The Kiss

The service concluded with a memorable kiss.

18 of 32

Husband and Wife

Kate and Jeremy walked up the aisle to "Slip Away" by Clarence Carter.

19 of 32

Portraits

Photographer Lynne Brubaker took portraits of the bride and groom around the Castle Hill grounds in all the significant spots -- in the upstairs room of the barn where Kate got ready, and also in the Linden Groove where the ceremony and cocktail hour took place. But it was actually Jeremy's idea to head up to the second floor of the barn for some extra special shots. "The first time we visited Castle Hill as a potential venue he noted that this would be a great place for pictures," Kate said. "We were in such a hurry to get to our reception that we almost didn't take these pictures, but I'm so glad we did!"

20 of 32

More Photo Fun

Another fan of the antique automobile was Kate's godson, Declan, who hopped in to practice his future driving skills.

21 of 32

Cocktail Hour Fare

Tables were set up for cocktails on the lawn outside the barn after the ceremony. Guests munched on a variety of foods that represented both Southern and New England Cuisine. A Pimento Catering served up Virginia ham biscuits and mini lobster rolls.

22 of 32

Cocktail Hour Decor

Numerous origami paper cranes, handmade by Jeremy's mother, were the focal point of the cocktail hour. "In Japanese tradition, the cranes represent prosperity and good luck, although there has to be at least 1,001 -- no less!" Kate said. The cranes were strung into garlands and hung from a centuries old linden tree.

23 of 32

Soft Lighting

Japanese lanterns on bamboo rods created the perfect glow outside of the front entrance of the barn, and also the ideal setting for Kate and Jeremy's departure.

24 of 32

Escort Card Table

Calligraphed escort cards were placed on a square table and secured with twine. An urn filled with hickory limbs adorned with ribbon sat nearby.

25 of 32

The Reception

Guests found their seats at farm tables set with stone gray linen runners and topped with colorful patterned china, etched glassware, and hundreds of votives.

26 of 32

The Centerpieces

Pale yellow dinner-plate dahlias, Annabelle hydrangea, garden roses, white radishes, fresh herbs, bittersweet, china berry, and honeysuckle vine were placed in an array of mercury glass, ceramic, and etched glass containers.

27 of 32

Rustic Candleabras

Above the dinner tables, iron candlelabras holding hundreds of candles were suspended for a magical effect. Edison bulbs were also hung throughout the barn.

28 of 32

Table Numbers

Kate and Jeremy love dogs, so instead of numbering tables at the reception, they named each table after one of the many dogs they had growing up, including their current dog, Trudy. Framed pictures of each pup were labeled with calligraphed names.

29 of 32

The Menu

Printed menus outlined the meal ahead: green gazpacho, fennel-garlic-chili porchetta, pan-fried trout, savory-sweet tart of chard, and roasted root vegetables. Everything was served family-style with rustic bread and flavored butter.

And to drink? As a co-owner of Town Hall and Sixth Engine, two local DC restaurants, Jeremy made the refreshments and fare his priority. He personally created the recipe for their signature cocktail – an East Side Fizz, which was a muddled cucumber-mint vodka concoction.

30 of 32

The First Dance

Kate and Jeremy took their first spin as Mr. and Mrs. to "Here, There and Everywhere" by The Beatles as family and friends waited to join them on the dance floor.

31 of 32

Guest Book

Prior to the big day, Kate's mom found a beautiful book of photographs taken throughout the surrounding Charlottesville area, Albemarle County. Kate and Jeremy used it as a guest book, with family and friends jotting notes in the margins of the pages.

32 of 32