Alyssa + Chris’s love of Loudoun County, Virginia, made for the perfect setting for their fall-farm wedding. I love how down to earth this couple is – not only did the bride and groom go dress shopping together for Alyssa’s gown, at their ceremony this lovely pair walked each other down the aisle too. So good. Don’t miss Alyssa’s gorgeous Romona Keveza gown, Legends…the re-embroidered Alencon lace, cap sleeves and bronze satin sash are such great details for a rustic and romantic day in the country. Enjoy!
Alyssa + Chris | October 5, 2013 | Purcellville, Virginia | Dress Listing: Romona Keveza, Legends
The Ceremony
Chris and I love living in Loudoun County, known for its pastoral beauty and farm-to-table philosophy. So we knew that we wanted to get married on a nearby farm and feature our favorite local food, wines, and brews. We actually had drinks and hors d’oeuvres before the ceremony to give our guests time to navigate the country roads and feel comfortable and welcome. Silverbrook Farm’s fabulous owner, Dot, officiated our ceremony and did a lovely job. Our friends did readings: the beautiful and traditional Prayer of St. Francis and the humorous and definitely non-traditional The Day the Saucers Came by Neil Gaiman! The string quartet also reflected our eclectic style and at our request, played selections such as Sheep May Safely Graze by Bach, Edelweiss for my sister and maid of honor who loves The Sound of Music, and the theme from Game of Thrones for our processional. We walked down the aisle together, and wrote our ceremony, including our vows, since we wanted it to reflect who we are as a couple.
The Reception
Following the ceremony, we had croquet, ladderball, oversized chess, and cornhole on the lawn. We also had a photo wall made by my father-in-law, which was a big hit and lots of fun! We made the short walk to the barn for the reception, where guests dined on local favorites like fried green tomatoes and Oktoberfest sausage from our farmer’s market butcher, Lothar. Our chocolate bourbon cake was delicious–so many of our guests told us that it was the best they had ever eaten. We explained in the program that our wolves cake topper playfully reflected my childhood fear of wolves, which I obviously since overcame as we’ve been on several dates to local concert venue Wolf Trap! Instead of a band or DJ, we had board games in the hay loft and dueling pianos. The pianists were so much fun–they took requests from our guests and got everyone out of their chairs. Our friends had a blast and were willing volunteers whenever the pianists called for audience participation! We had a wonderful time being surrounded by our closest friend and family members and felt extremely blessed.
Alyssa’s Dress Search
I knew from the beginning that I wanted a lace dress with sleeves and a short train for the farm, and that’s exactly what I bought. I only tried on four gowns, and it took less than an hour. The person I took with me to pick out my gown was my future husband–his was the only opinion that mattered to me!
How Alyssa Felt in Her Wedding Dress
Graceful, Timeless, Happy
Why Alyssa Decided to Sell Her Wedding Dress
I bought my dress knowing that I would sell it, for two reasons: first, it was out of my price range, but I was in love with it! Second, because of our philosophy on sustainability, I didn’t want it to hang in a closet–I wanted it to be passed on again and again. I wish I would have known about Pre Owned Wedding Dresses before I bought it from a salon!
