What a special day to share with you all on the blog! I photographed Jarrid and Jen’s engagement session for what seemed like a real-life J. Crew photo shoot ad back in October on a sailboat (I think J. Crew needs to talk to them about modeling!!). It seemed like the months flew by since that day and now I’m blogging their wedding day at King Family Vineyards!! Many of my couples appreciate the atmosphere the venue has to offer, one of them being the incredible backyard views of the mountains and vines!!

On their wedding day, they wanted to make sure that their families were involved in every important part. Jen’s brother has been best friends with Jarrid since middle school. Yet it took Jen and Jarrid some time to realize that they were meant to be after many casual hang-outs. When fate set in, everything made sense! The fact that Jen’s brother approved his best friend to marry his sister is a huge honor. But I’m sure he’s also the happiest knowing that Jarrid will forever be in his life. 😉 Let’s call that a true bromance come true! HA!

Their best day ever!

After I photographed Jarrid and Jen’s King Family Vineyards wedding, I was so excited about these photos that I took my day off to edit them just for this blog feature!! 🙂 Their day flew by faster than I could grasp. However, as I look through these photographs below, I feel like time stood still long enough to capture the natural beauty and raw emotions of the day. And when I say “raw emotions,” I’m not just talking about the heartfelt, tear-jerking moments… But I want also to include the FUN and EXCITED emotions we all enjoyed from start to finish!

After learning that they hired the very talented, Affirmative Groove, I knew Jarrid, Jen, and their family/friends were in for a TREAT since I had recently worked with them. They hired a fabulous vendor team, which made the day a BREEZE! Their wedding planner, Adam from Donovan Groves Events, was so personal and fun to be around that I just want to pocket him to every wedding/session for his hilarious commentary. 😉 You can see everyone’s effort of love and attention to detail to this sweet, deserving couple below!

JARRID & JEN’S WEDDING DAY

Prepping for Forever.

Their day started in Crozet, Virginia, just down the road from the heart of Charlottesville. Being that it was August, we were prepared for the hottest day of the year. Fortunately for Jarrid and Jen, it ended up being a cooler, sunny day! PRAISE! 🙂 While Jarrid was with his guys relaxing and casually getting ready for the day, Jen and the girls were at the cutest Airbnb just around the corner from King Family Vineyards! The girls were having the best time popping bottles of champagne, helping Jen any way they could, and jamming out the classics as well as rap music! Haha!

While I was photographing Jen’s details, I admired all of the details. The girls wore long, flowy pink gowns that worked so well with the blue hues from the mountains we later photographed! And speaking of dresses — Jen’s Pronovias wedding dress was a real STUNNER.

Their Letter Exchange

Jarrid could not wait to see his bride walk down the aisle!!! But before it was time to head to the ceremony, they met behind a door and joined hands. It was a special time that felt so intimate, even with family standing around listening to their love letters. They exchanged one last, “I love you!” before departing to the ceremony to finally become husband and wife!

The Ceremony.

After five long years (long only because they have known each other basically since they were kids!), it was time to commit to forever. Everyone gathered in a quaint church in the heart of Charlottesville. I remember Jen saying that they were on the hunt to find the ideal church, and I was happy to see they chose this one since it had plenty of natural light! 🙂 Jarrid and Jen’s mothers walked up to the unity candle and lit their candles. I know they were excited to officially unite the two families. 🙂

Jarrid stood calmly at the altar (but I’m sure his heart was racing a million miles per hour!) waiting for his bride to reveal herself. The doors opened and she walked out arm in arm with her dad, the first man she ever loved. A moment every girl and father dreams about. But from the looks of it, there wasn’t ever fear in Jen’s father because Jarrid had always been a part of the family.

This day sealed the deal!

Jarrid and Jen exchanged vows and rings, and just before the ceremony concluded, they took each other hands to the altar table to unite the lit candles their moms lit — two families became one. <3 After a few hugs, they were officially pronounced as HUSBAND and WIFE!!! <3 The church filled with cheers and claps as they walked away from the altar to start the celebration!

Their Best Friends.

Jarrid, Jen, and their wedding parties gathered in the “backyard” of the venue to photograph some pretty and fun group portraits! The girls looked like they were ready to be featured in a magazine with their beautiful, flowy gowns, Kendra Scott earrings, lush bouquets with silk ribbon, and a classic low-bun hairdo.

The men wore blue suits that can easily be worn again to another event. Those are my favorite type of suits!! Hidden underneath the suit were fun patriotic socks they sported with pride! 🙂 And as usual, the girls were great listeners while the men … Well, they just loved to have fun! Haha! So any spooning photos you might see below were not necessarily my direction. They just enjoyed their bestie time. 😉 HA!

Jarrid & Jen’s Cherishable Moments.

I feel like I don’t need to say much for this section because these two made this part of the day SO much fun and effortless!!! They had fun with it and really took advantage of the intimate time before the party began. 🙂 Plus, King Family Vineyards doesn’t have a bad angle when it’s a wedding day!

Just like I saw during their engagement session, their exchange of smiles and laughs made it so obvious how much these two adore each other. <3 I love couples who fiercely love each other — And these two definitely do!!!

Digging up the Bourbon

We quickly ran outside with a shovel to dig up the bourbon that was buried a month before bringing them ideal weather conditions (prayers answered!). We excitingly walked across the yard to the site where it was buried and after minutes of trying to find it, we had to leave the site defeated because it wasn’t found. Despite walking away bourbon-less, the bourbon did the job and brought us a beautiful day! 🙂 Haha! Jarrid and Jen went back to KFV the following day to enjoy some polo action, so I hope they found the bottle then!

The Details.

We all know the day isn’t just about the details, but goodness … I think they made this day too pretty not to rave and show off how gorgeous it was!! 🙂 Everything was so romantic, classy, and elegant! Sprinkles of pinks, golds, whites, and greenery decorated the room. The sliding barn doors led guests into party space where the centerpiece of the room was not just the fireplace, but also the cake in the middle of the dance floor. Each plate setting had menu cards with personalized names on them, letting each family/friend member know where they were sitting. A little piece of greenery sat on each plate tying in with the wedding monogram.

*It’s all about the little touches*

They kept it simple with the glassware which worked well with their acrylic signage. The farmhouse table for the wedding party was a beautiful and rustic feature that worked well in the venue space. Some of the round tables had beautiful gold lanterns while others had a combination of different gold vases. I am a fan of mixed table variations!!! Jarrid and Jen were particularly excited for the customized koozies, their signature drinks, and the traditional cookie table!! Family and friends put in their efforts to bake 900-cookies for this event, making it a real treat (literally). 🙂

The Party.

Before the family and friends were allowed into the room, Jarrid and Jen walked to the middle of the dance floor in an empty room to practice their first dance. 🙂 Yet again, another intimate moment worth cherishing! They rushed out for the doors to slide open, and before we knew it, the room was crowded with guests on their feet applauding/cheering when they heard “MR. + MRS.!!!” Jen and Jarrid ran back into the room to share their beautifully choreographed first dance together. Although, I was hesitant to say, “choreographed” because they looked like NATURALS out there!

After Jarrid dipped his wife down for a kiss, Jen grabbed her father’s hand for a special dance, followed by Jarrid and his mom. A lot of hugs, kisses, and laughs were shared between the four of them, which then led into the yummiest dinner by C&O Restaurant! Although, I don’t think Jarrid and Jen got to eat very much of the delicious food because they were pulled in all different directions and the fast-forward button was on high speed all night long!

The Party

Before the dancing really kicked into full swing, they got to hear some heartfelt speeches from some of their favorite people! 🙂 Stories went back as far back as their childhood years to even the college stories, but what was even sweeter was hearing the love their family and friends share for this darling couple. <3 Everyone brought their glasses together for a big “CHEERS!” and then Jarrid and Jen met back in the middle of the dance floor to cut the cake and start the PARTY! And the party didn’t stop… Even after the last song, family and friends yelled, “Encore! Encore!” The dance floor was crowded all night long and everyone had the time of their lives. 🙂 But the night quickly came to an end and family/friends grabbed a sparkler to send the bride and groom off on their married way. <3

THANK YOU, Jarrid and Jen, for having me by your side at your King Family Vineyards wedding. It was an incredible honor to have been there to help celebrate the day and experience the joy, love, and happiness you all felt every minute. I love reliving your wedding while looking through these photographs and I am excited to share these with you today! CONGRATS!!! XOXO!!! Have the BEST time in Greece!!!!

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Thanks to the vendors who made this happen!!!

Wedding Venue: King Family Vineyards

Church: Westminster Presbyterian Church

Wedding Planner: Donovan Groves Events

Hair: Studio 321

Makeup: Makeup by Shirin

Caterer: C&O Restaurant 

Florist: Southern Blooms

Baker: Cakes by Rachel

Band: Affirmative Groove

Videographer: Ian’s Creations

Stationery: Paper Daisies

Dress Designer: Pronovias

Rentals: MS Events

Transportation: A&A Limousine