Skip to content

Top Navigation

Martha Stewart Martha Stewart
  • FOOD
  • HOLIDAYS
  • ENTERTAINING
  • HOME
  • GARDENING
  • CLEANING & ORGANIZING
  • WEDDINGS
  • SHOP
  • DIY
  • BEAUTY & WELLNESS
  • LIFE
  • NEWS
  • MARTHA'S BLOG
  • About Us

Profile Menu

Martha's Blog
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletter
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Contact Us
  • Your Content
  • Logout

More

  • Enter to Win $10,000 to Makeover Your Home!
  • Martha's Blog
  • Weddings
Login
Pin FB

Explore Martha Stewart

Martha Stewart Martha Stewart
  • Explore

    Explore

    • Tips on Organizing Your Home

      Tips on Organizing Your Home

      From the kitchen and bathroom to the bedroom and laundry room, here are 40 ways to simplify, streamline, and banish clutter throughout the house. Read More
    • These Are the Paint Colors You'll See Everywhere in 2022

      These Are the Paint Colors You'll See Everywhere in 2022

      Upgrade your spaces with new—and old—classics. Read More
    • 39 Make-Ahead Holiday Dishes That Are Perfect for Festive Family Gatherings

      39 Make-Ahead Holiday Dishes That Are Perfect for Festive Family Gatherings

      These classic recipes will help you get a head start on the festivities. Read More
  • FOOD

    FOOD

    See All FOOD
    • Breakfast & Brunch Recipes
    • Lunch Recipes
    • Dinner Recipes
    • Appetizers & Snacks
    • Dessert Recipes
    • Drink Recipes
    • Salad Recipes
    • Side Dishes
    • Soup Recipes
    • Healthy Recipes
    • Quick & Easy Recipes
    • Vegetarian Recipes
    • Cooking How-Tos
    • Baking
    • Menu Planning
    • Food News & Trends
    • Wine
    • Mastering the Holiday Meal
    • What's for Dinner
    • All Recipes
  • HOLIDAYS

    HOLIDAYS

    See All HOLIDAYS
    All of Our Best Valentine's Day Crafts to Make from the Heart

    All of Our Best Valentine's Day Crafts to Make from the Heart

    Express your love with handmade Valentine's crafts like paper cards, gift ideas, and decorations.
    • Valentine's Day
    • St. Patricks Day
    • Passover
    • Easter
    • Mother's Day
    • Father's Day
    • Fourth of July
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
    • Hanukkah
    • Christmas
    • New Year's Eve
  • ENTERTAINING

    ENTERTAINING

    See All ENTERTAINING
    Will We Entertain Differently in 2022? These Are the New Trends Hostesses Should Bookmark

    Will We Entertain Differently in 2022? These Are the New Trends Hostesses Should Bookmark

    Secure your role as the host with the absolute most.
    • Seasonal Entertaining & Decorating
    • Baby Shower Ideas
    • Dinner Party Ideas
    • You're Invited
  • HOME

    HOME

    See All HOME
    How to Hang and Arrange Pictures

    How to Hang and Arrange Pictures

    Amp up your home décor with perfectly placed frames.
    • Home Design & Decor
    • Paint Colors & Palettes
    • DIY Home Projects
    • The Well-Kept Home
  • GARDENING

    GARDENING

    See All GARDENING
    Six Houseplant Mistakes to Avoid This Winter

    Six Houseplant Mistakes to Avoid This Winter

    Don't let your varieties fall victim to the perils of poor cold-weather maintenance.
    • Container Gardening
    • Flower Gardens
    • Houseplants
    • Landscaping
    • Vegetable Gardens
  • CLEANING & ORGANIZING

    CLEANING & ORGANIZING

    How to Deep Clean Your Oven with Baking Soda

    How to Deep Clean Your Oven with Baking Soda

    Our easy tips will make this cleaning task a lot less daunting.
    • Cleaning
    • Storage & Organization
    • Laundry & Linens
  • WEDDINGS

    WEDDINGS

    See All WEDDINGS
    Your Ultimate Wedding-Planning Timeline

    Your Ultimate Wedding-Planning Timeline

    Ready, set, go! Our no-nonsense guide will help you learn how to plan your wedding like a pro.
    • Real Weddings
    • Wedding Party
    • Wedding Planning & Advice
    • Wedding Ceremony & Reception
    • Wedding Jewelry
    • Dresses & Style
    • Wedding Beauty & Wellness
    • Wedding Registry
    • Wedding Showers & Parties
    • Love & Marriage
    • Wedding Travel
  • SHOP
  • DIY

    DIY

    See All DIY
    How to Knit: A Beginner's Step-by-Step Guide

    How to Knit: A Beginner's Step-by-Step Guide

    Learn how to knit your own mittens, hats, scarves, and more. We'll take you through the step-by-step instructions and teach you how to cast on, knit, purl, and cast off.
    • Dyeing
    • Holiday Crafts
    • Kids' Crafts
    • Knitting
    • Paper Crafts
    • Sewing
    • Rescue & Revamp
  • BEAUTY & WELLNESS

    BEAUTY & WELLNESS

    Your Complete Guide to Restoring Moisture Back Into Your Skin

    Your Complete Guide to Restoring Moisture Back Into Your Skin

    Take a multi-pronged approach if you're experiencing excess dryness.
    • Beauty
    • Health & Wellness
    • Live Well
  • LIFE

    LIFE

    See All LIFE
    • Family
    • Pets
    • Travel
    • Net Worth
  • NEWS
  • MARTHA'S BLOG
  • About Us

Profile Menu

Martha's Blog
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletter
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Contact Us
  • Your Content
  • Logout

More

  • Enter to Win $10,000 to Makeover Your Home!
  • Martha's Blog
  • Weddings
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. marthastewart.com
  2. Weddings
  3. Real Weddings
  4. Wedding Styles
  5. Seasonal Weddings
  6. Fall Weddings
  7. A Retro-Inspired Intimate Wedding in Virginia
Martha Stewart Weddings

A Retro-Inspired Intimate Wedding in Virginia

Each product we feature has been independently selected and reviewed by our editorial team. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission.
Skip gallery slides
Pin

1 of 13

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Casey and Louis

msw_rw_casey_louis_2009_263.jpg

Virginia natives Casey Brown and Louis Cartwright blended a nostalgic view of the 1940s and the bride's love of Japanese culture to create a perfectly intimate wedding. The Navy petty officer and crafter/designer wed on a cold November day in front of 65 of their closest friends and family members.

1 of 13

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 13

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

The Ceremony

msw_rw_casey_louis_2009_201.jpg

The couple originally toyed with the idea of a courthouse wedding in Florida, where Louis was stationed; they ended up returning to their roots in Virginia after finding a church tucked away in the countryside outside a small town in the northern region of the state.

2 of 13

3 of 13

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

The Portraits

msw_rw_casey_louis_2009_287.jpg

The couple's wedding photographer, Kate Headley, spotted an old house on the way to the church the morning of the wedding. Thinking the setting felt like something from an old photograph, the couple agreed to take their portraits there.

3 of 13

Advertisement

4 of 13

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

The Attire

msw_rw_casey_louis_2009_324.jpg

The old: Most of the bridal attire was vintage. Casey says her vintage evening dress's elegant lines and simple silhouette felt part Jackie Kennedy, part "My Fair Lady." She wore opera-length gloves that she's had since she was a teenager.

The new: Casey's handmade jewelry was created using faceted glass beads and some pearls. The necklace and earrings were fashioned with help from a book called "Bead Simple" by Susan Beal.

The borrowed: To keep warm in the cold temperature, Casey topped off her ensemble with a fur shrug on loan from the day's photographer (also a friend of the bride), Kate Headley.

The blue: Casey found a cheerful pair of vintage green and blue floral shoes. Plus, Louis wore his uniform, a.k.a. "Navy blues."

4 of 13

5 of 13

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Hair and Makeup

msw_rw_casey_louis_2009_268.jpg

With help from her friend (a Mary Kay consultant), Casey did her hair and makeup. The elegant and understated updo with the classic red lip and winged eyeliner added to her vintage aesthetic, which suited Louis just fine -- he thought she looked like a model.

5 of 13

6 of 13

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

The Bouquet

msw_rw_casey_louis_2009_004.jpg

Casey's mother handled all the floral elements. The bride and her mom brainstormed, then assembled the bouquets the morning of the wedding. Casey's bouquet of red carnations and roses fit perfectly into the palette of red and white.

6 of 13

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 13

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

The Favors

msw_rw_casey_louis_2009_007.jpg

Simple take-out containers were wrapped with Japanese "washi" paper from Paper-Source.com and secured using stickers designed by the bride that feature the Japanese kanji character for "love." The couple filled the boxes with candy and added a note thanking each guest for being a part of their day.

7 of 13

8 of 13

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

The Cake

msw_rw_casey_louis_2009_017.jpg

Designed by the bride and made by Lana of Lana's Sweets, the three-tiered cake was dotted in red icing and topped off with a cake topper that mimicked Alfred Eisenstaedt's famous photo of a sailor and a nurse embracing in Times Square on V-J Day. The topper was found on eBay and perfectly brought together the thematic elements of the wedding.

8 of 13

9 of 13

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

A Favorite Moment

msw_rw_casey_louis_2009_434.jpg

Both Casey and Louis fondly recall their cake cutting. The couple amused themselves and their guests by smearing cake on each other's faces.

9 of 13

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 13

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

The Decorations

msw_rw_casey_louis_2009_437.jpg

Inspired by strands of lights and lanterns at garden parties, Casey decorated the gymnasium of the church using paper lanterns and twinkle lights.

10 of 13

11 of 13

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

The Dancing

msw_rw_casey_louis_2009_523.jpg

To elaborate on the wedding's 1940s theme, the couple chose to play big-band music from that era during the reception. While most of the reception was spent visiting with friends and family, Casey and Louis managed to squeeze in a dance with each other and their parents.

11 of 13

12 of 13

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

The Guest Tree

msw_rw_casey_louis_2009_379.jpg

Instead of a traditional book, guests signed a guest "tree." Casey had read a lot about Japanese temples and the traditional practice of writing prayers on pieces of paper. Using that idea as inspiration, she asked her guests to write their well wishes on little pieces of paper and tie them to a branch.

12 of 13

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

13 of 13

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Sources

msw_rw_casey_louis_2009_263.jpg

Photographer: Kate Headley
Location: St. Peter's Episcopal Church
Stationer: Casey (the bride)
Jewelry: Casey (the bride)
Rings: Kay Jewelers
Bridesmaids' Dresses: Banana Republic
Cake: Lana's Sweets
Vintage Dress: Susy Moorstein of Susyqtiques

13 of 13

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

    Share the Gallery

    Pinterest Facebook
    `
    Martha Stewart Weddings
    View All
    • A Modern, Black-and-White-Themed Ranch Wedding in California's Wine Country
    • Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker Got Married Again—Here's a Recap of Their Italian Wedding Weekend
    • This Couple Traded Their Original Wedding Venue—Central Park's Boathouse—for the Bride's Childhood Home in Illinois
    • These Are 20 of the Best Bridal Shower Favors Under $10
    Trending Videos
    Advertisement
    Skip slide summaries

    Everything in This Slideshow

    Advertisement

    View All

    1 of 13 Casey and Louis
    2 of 13 The Ceremony
    3 of 13 The Portraits
    4 of 13 The Attire
    5 of 13 Hair and Makeup
    6 of 13 The Bouquet
    7 of 13 The Favors
    8 of 13 The Cake
    9 of 13 A Favorite Moment
    10 of 13 The Decorations
    11 of 13 The Dancing
    12 of 13 The Guest Tree
    13 of 13 Sources

    Share & More

    Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message
    Martha Stewart

    Learn More

    • Contact Us
    • Customer Service
    • Media Kit
    • Martha's Blog
    • Advertise
    • Content Licensing
    • FAQ
    • Corporate
    • International
    • Accolades this link opens in a new tab

    Connect

    Follow Us
    Subscribe to Our Newsletter
    Sign Up
    MeredithMartha Stewart is part of the Meredith Home Group. © Copyright 2022 Meredith Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
    © Copyright Martha Stewart. All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.marthastewart.com

    Sign in

    View image

    A Retro-Inspired Intimate Wedding in Virginia
    this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.