Patrick McGettigan was living and working at a boarding school in upstate New York, and Elliott Glass was living in the city, when they were first introduced by a mutual friend. A year later, after clocking in many hours on the train traveling back and forth to see each other, the couple decided to move in together. They settled into an Upper East Side apartment along with Patrick’s beloved pup Crockett. When Elliott decided to attend business school at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business the couple was excited for the move. They spent the next couple months checking things off their New York City bucket list. The last thing Patrick wanted to do was ask Elliott to marry him.
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While soaking up their final moments in New York, Patrick and Elliott headed to Central Park for a picnic. After lunch the couple looped around the Ramble a couple times until Patrick found the spot he had been looking for—an intimate canopy hidden behind an outcrop of rock and overlooking a beautiful lake. Patrick asked Elliott to make him the happiest man in the world by becoming his husband. They exchanged rose gold engagement bands and enjoyed their last night together in the city, and their first night as fiancés. 
In the midst of the big move the two started attending St. Paul’s Memorial Church in Charlottesville on the recommendation of a friend. To their surprise, the Parish announced that the new rector at St. Paul’s would be the same priest from their former Church in New York City. They instantly knew it was a sign: they asked the priest to officiate, booked the church, and began planning.
From the beginning, the couple knew that they wanted their wedding to be a celebration of the love they have for each other and the love they have for their family and friends. The special day would be a testament to the many blessings of support they have received throughout their lives. 
It was the couple’s highest hopes that those most important to them were incorporated in the event. Both Patrick and Elliott have younger sisters that they asked to be their respective “best men.” Their bridal party was made up of sixteen close family and friends decked out in black dresses and tuxes. 
A longtime Virginia tradition, calls for the wedding couple to bury a bottle of bourbon with the nose facing down one month prior to the wedding for good weather on the day of the event. It worked. The Grace Estate Winery views were picture-perfect. The vineyard landscape and the clear blues skies set the scene for the couple’s polished reception. 
This modern take on the classic Virginia wedding included a Quaker Marriage Certificate and a 40+ foot magnolia garland that ran down the center feasting table. Every little detail from the evening was tasteful and deliberate, even the wedding cake knife and server were borrowed from Patrick’s grandparents’ wedding.
The Details:
Photographer: Ryan and Rach Photography | Venue: Grace Estate Winery | Event Coordinator: C&O | Florist: Bloom Charlottesville | Invitations: Minted | Caterers: C&O | Cake: Sweethaus Bakery | Hair Dresser: Face Value Salon | Patrick’s Attire: The Black Tux | Elliott’s Attire: Generation Tux | Music/Entertainment: Bachelor Boys Band | Transportation: Easy Riders Bus Company
Natalie is an Editorial Fellow at Washingtonian Weddings. She is a senior Media Studies student at The Catholic University of America in DC.
