Do you want to see the party of a lifetime?!!! I’m not kidding when I ask that rhetorical question. I’ve seen and documented HUNDREDS of weddings… But this party was unique and one I’ll never forget! And what a great way to conclude the wedding season? Matt and Allie hosted family and friends from all over to celebrate their wedding at Stone Tower Winery. However, it was more of a big celebration because they got married last year! 🙂 They were supposed to have their wedding day last year, but the pandemic caused some complications, as you can imagine. So this was a VERY overdue celebration. After all, they had known each other since HIGH SCHOOL!
Speaking of the pandemic, we got together last year before their original wedding date to photograph their engagement portraits! I had the BEST time with them, and I knew that their wedding would exceed all expectations… and it did!!! We connected through a great family friend who was Allie’s Godmother! And thinking about it, I remember Dawn raving about her Goddaughter all of my life! And then to finally meet Allie in person, she was as sincere, smart, beautiful, and exactly how Dawn depicted! 🙂 Then seeing her and Matt together couldn’t be a more perfect pair! Together, they are darling and the perfect match!!! Just see for yourself!
Check out their beautiful day through my lens!!!
A RUSTIC RUSTY ORANGE + BLUE WEDDING AT STONE TOWER WINERY, VIRGINIA.
Prepping for the Ceremony.
I met up with Allie at the farmhouse on the Stone Tower Winery‘s property. Her family was there having a great time — It was evident the bond this family had between each other, which was special to document!! After all, Allie’s bridesmaids were all of her sisters — And all as sweet as Allie! Before she stepped into her dress, her sisters approached her with a beautiful bracelet. It represented their adoration for her on her special day. <3 On her right wrist, she wore a black bracelet that the girls wear. And now she had this special piece of jewelry to add!
Perry Warren finished Allie’s hair and makeup which meant it was time to get dressed! I love that she bought her dress from my favorite dress boutique, The Bridal Room! And to add a little personality, as well as her “something blue,” Allie wore comfortable blue heels! When she was ready for the big day, her father stepped in to see her and have a special moment. He was in absolute awe!! He also took the time to admire all of the special women in his life too. Of course, the girls teared up witnessing Allie as the bride. They couldn’t wait for the day to really kick off!!
Just down the road, Matt prepared for his debut too. Along with his groomsmen, his mom and dad were there to help him tidy up and get ready. He could hardly wait to see Allie, and there were some nerves along with that excitement! But before we knew it, it was time to head out to the ceremony!!!
The Ceremony.
This ceremony was very different from the traditional wedding. Since Allie and Matt had their formal wedding last year, they decided to make this day personal! They had Allie’s Godfather stand at the altar with them and say a “few” words about them and their relationship. He also welcomed each groomsman and bridesmaid to the microphone to say a few words of encouragement and scripture. They, of course, made sure to make it funny! But one moment that had us all laughing was when the best man, Zac, tried saying his piece of encouragement … And out of nowhere, a gaggle of geese came through overhead! We couldn’t hear a WORD because they were so loud! What were the chances of that happening during the ceremony? HA!
During their reinstated vows, they made them funny and sincere. But one comment made my Matt had Allie’s dad hysterically laughing! I knew there was something about this when Matt said that he would help with the dishes! Haha! It turned out that Matt lived with them for a while … So Allie’s dad probably knows more about Matt than he probably wants him to know! HAHA!
Just as the sun started to set, the ceremony came to the moment when Edwin pronounced Matt and Allie as husband and wife (for the second time)! 🙂 They walked down the aisle celebrating and then saw Murphy at the venue waiting for his time to shine!!! They yelled, “Murphyyyyyyyy!” Clearly, he’s a very loved pup, and I’m so glad he was able to make his appearance on their wedding day!!!
Their Best Friends.
Indeed, these are Matt and Allie’s best friends! Allie had all of her sisters there as her bridesmaids. Matt had his best friend from elementary school (?) as his best man and his younger sister as one of the groomsmen! This was a very special group to the bride and groom so we made sure to capture these celebrating moments with them! The girls wore rusty orange dresses that worked well with the start of the fall season – Unknowing that they were going to have a “fall” wedding, these dresses worked out perfectly as they were the same dresses from their original wedding day! 🙂 The men wore the classic blue suit and brought in the rust orange color with the tie! Allie also had a hint of peach and had her florist, Affordable Arrangements Weddings, create a bouquet with that in mind.
When we gathered after the ceremony, we worked quickly because of the sun setting. Despite the time, they all had fun while being efficient!! And that was the perfect start to kick off the party!!!
Mr. & Mrs.!!!
We had to work through this short amount of time before the sun was gone, but Matt and Allie made it fun and easy!!! Every wedding I photograph around Stone Tower Winery is different because their grounds are so expansive. Because they are so extensive, we had to be smart with our time. We concentrated our attention around the ceremony site because of the most variety (views, glowy light, and the vines)! It worked to our benefit because they received a variety of photos in a limited time span. Sweet Virginia from VP Consulting was there to help us give a little extra time to ensure they had a break before the party too, which was a blessing! Everything came together beautifully!!!
To make this time extra sweet, we had MURPHY there to snap a few photos! One photo, in particular, we wanted to recreate was one that we took from their engagement session. 🙂 So hilarious!!! And as you’ll see below, the same photo was featured on a cookie at each plate setting! Haha! But before you scroll down to see that, enjoy this beautiful glowy sunset light!!! Glad we caught this time just as the sun began to set!
The Details.
First of all, I love seeing that view photo of Stone Tower Winery (below)… It’s what I think about when I picture Virginia. Rolling hills, vineyards, water, trees, green grass. Beautiful, especially at sunset! While guests enjoyed the view during the cocktail hour, the inside was decorated and ready for the celebration! Each plate setting had a cookie favor with Murphy’s face on it (HAHA!), a glass of Stone Tower Winery‘s Rose (so good), and blue china. I’m a fan of the blue water glasses too. 🙂 The florals from Affordable Arrangements Weddings added color throughout the tables, and to ground the room, they used a long wooden table as the head table. Soon enough, this room was filled with family and friends!
The Reception.
And now for my favorite time of the day… Allie and Matt’s PARTY! Matt and Allie hired a very special band from Detroit, MI called, Your Generation. They hyped them up a LOT and warned me that they may be hyping them up a little too much, but they were SO excited to have them!!! And they were kidding!!!!
Before we jump into that segment of the evening … Matt and Allie finally joined their guests in the reception. After they were cheered into the room, they came together for a special dance and sat down for a delicious dinner provided by RSVP Catering. Allie’s dad got up to welcome family and friends and said a few words about Allie and Matt. A few of those words might have been about roasting Matt (LOL!), but you could tell how much he adored them together! He was thrilled to have him a part of their family! Allie then welcomed her father to the dance floor for a special dance… Little did he know that she would surprise him with a different song! It was a song from Remember the Titans, a favorite movie (and a good one too!)! After Matt and his mom enjoyed a special dance together too, it was PARTY TIME!
And Allie warned me during our final meeting together …
“Matt is a dancing machine at these big events!”
And I thought… Game on! 🙂
The evening started out dancing with family and friends dancing with each other. It was fun watching everyone interacting and having the BEST time! But then, the night took a turn… The colored lights were changing to the beat of the music, the band was flashing moves, and they were singing hits that had everyone singing at the top of their lungs!
The party turned into a concert!!!
Everyone was facing the stage dancing, singing, and having an unforgettable night! I was right along with them laughing, smiling, dancing, and singing with the crowd! It was a blast documenting these candids! When the party was in full swing, guests started to take off their ties and wear them on their heads. HAHA! It was so fun watching how it turned into a “thing.” By the end of the night, I think every guy had their tie on a head!
I really didn’t want this evening to end and hope to photograph another wedding with this SUPERRRRRR talented band!!! Seriously, they were by far the best band I had heard at a wedding! But to come from Detroit, MI, I’m sure it will be unlikely for that to happen anytime soon. 😉 I’m so glad this wedding concluded my season because it was truly a night I will never forget. <3 I’m so happy Allie and Matt had the wedding celebration of their dreams!! They deserved every bit of it!
Thank You!!
THANK YOU, Matt and Allie, from the bottom of my heart for having me document your Stone Tower Winery wedding celebration!!! My GOODNESS. I don’t have enough words of gratitude that share how I feel… Your wedding left me on cloud nine and I’m back on that cloud again after reliving your big day on the blog! 🙂 I hope to see you two again in the near future!!! CONGRATS!!! Love you both!
CONGRATULATIONS!!!
Thanks to the vendors who made this happen!!
Venue: Stone Tower Winery
Wedding Planner: VP Consulting
Hair: Perry Warren
Caterer: RSVP Catering
Florist: Affordable Arrangements Weddings
Baker: RSVP Catering
Band: Your Generation
Ceremony Music: Two Rivers Chamber Music
Stationery: Carlson Craft
Dress: The Bridal Room
Officiant: Edwin Schmidt (bride’s godfather)
Transportation: Point to Point Limousine
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