When Nikki and Jeff were planning their big day, they decided to hold their October wedding in the outskirts of the DMV area. They chose Charlottesville because they didn’t want their wedding to feel like “another night out on the town.” With that in mind, they worked with their planner to view a variety of different venues, noting that they maybe were a little too picky, but knew that wherever they were going to exchange vows, the setting had to feel just right. “Our venue was key because we knew we had family traveling from all over the US and we needed it to be somewhat easy for family to get to, in addition to the fact that we wanted it to feel special,” says the couple. So, they held their wedding at Keswick Vineyards where they had a light and airy outdoor ceremony followed by a tented sit-down reception that was dressed up with twinkling bistro lights. Check out their fall vineyard wedding for all kinds of inspiration.
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How They Met
Nikki and Jeff attended the same high school but ran in different friend groups. They finally ended up meeting after graduating from college at a mutual friend’s Christmas Party. However, the couple says it’s an ongoing debate on who struck up the first conversation. “Depending on who you ask,” they say, “Nikki bumped into Jeff (or Jeff bumped into Nikki). In either case, the two of us ended up chatting through the entire evening,” they explain.
The Couple’s First Impression of Each Other
Nikki: Jeff was funny and bold. “We had the same humor,” says Nikki, adding that “he was quite confident in himself, and it was just easy for [me] to be [myself] around him.”
Jeff: Nikki was “a special and unique person” that he knew he had to see again. Nikki also enjoyed the same sense of humor and “it made for an instant connection.”
The Couple’s Favorite Wedding Details
Nikki and Jeff knew they wanted to incorporate fun details throughout their big day. One example: They both love donuts, so they decided to surprise guests with a donut truck at the end of the night. Since it was an October wedding, it ended up being a little chilly. “It was great to end the night with warm cider and sugar donuts. Definitely a treat,” Nikki says.
Jeff insisted on a cigar bar in the gazebo, which Nikki says was a major hit! Along with their surprise donut truck and cigar bar, they also worked with their planner to display a fun and quirky sign at their cocktail bar. The sign read ‘Pour Decisions Made Here” and was perfect for photo ops throughout the night.
The Details:
Photographer: Finn Lively Photography | Venue: Keswick Vineyards | Planning & Design: Simply Breathe Events | Florist: Hedge Fine Blooms | Invitations: Minted | Catering: The Catering Outfit | Hair and Makeup Stylist: Charlottesville Makeup Artist LLC | Groom and Groomsmen Attire: The Black Tux | Bridesmaids’ Attire: Brideside | Music/Entertainment: DJ For All Occasions | Transportation: Camryn Executive Transportation and Limousine | Donut Truck: Carpe Donut Truck | Signage: A Tribe Called KUT | Rentals: Emerson James Rentals & MS Events Charlottesville
Jacqueline comes to Washingtonian with close to five years of digital content experience and SEO best practices. She previously was a senior editorial associate at WeddingWire, specializing in wedding fashion, and before that, an assistant at Vow Bride. Originally from Norfolk, Virginia, she now lives in Columbia Heights.
