Rebecca, owner of an online boutique, and Mike, a medical sales specialist, met the new-fashioned way: online. In their 40s and having never married before, the pair say, it was truly a fairytale “so worth the wait.” Two weeks after they pair got engaged, Mike was diagnosed with a very aggressive cancer, which, their photographer says, led the pair through a lot of soul-searching and support for one another. And eight months later, they said, “I do.” On November 9, 2019, they tied the knot in front of 100 people at the Airlie in Warrenton, Virginia. See the details of their wedding, inspired a collection of Blue Willow china, below.
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The Inspiration
The wedding theme was “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” in which, the couple says, they wanted the day to be “free of glitz… and to feel like it could have been a secret wedding centuries ago.” The color palette include French blue, periwinkle, cinnamon, ivory, and gold. The couple wanted the day to be “experiential,” so they burned “Makassar Ebony and Peach” scented candles by Voluspa during the ceremony and placed fragrant fresh rosemary at each place setting, served farm-to-table cocktails and food, and hand-picked each song “so that the evening felt elegant and sexy.”
“It was important to us to treat our loved ones to a beautiful experience that delighted their souls!” they say.
The Ceremony
For the ceremony, the couple opted for several personal touches and traditions, including an Irish Handfast—a nod to their Irish heritages–in which the officiant wrapped their hands in fabric from the wedding dresses of Rebecca, her mother, and Mike’s mother.
Flowers, which the couple says were one of the most important components for them, were more muted, with installations that felt organic in the ceremony garden, and then featured in a more vibrant version of the same palette at the reception, to complement the plates.
Favorite Details
The favorite detail for the bride were the Blue Willow plates used for dining at the reception that Rebecca and her mother, along with other loved ones, had collected over the years, and that ultimately inspired the invitation suite, florals, cakes, bridesmaids gowns, lighting, and more. As for the groom’s favorite detail, it was his wedding band, a family heirloom, handed down from Mike’s great uncle who married his bride exactly 100 years ago. “Mike had it engraved with the word that reminds him of me,” Rebecca says, “‘Lovely.’”
The Details
Photographer: Feather & Fawn Photography | Venue & Caterer: Airlie | Event Planning & Design: Sirpilla Soirees | Florist: Springvale Floral | Invitations: Paper & Honey | Cake: Cakes by Marium | Hairstylist: Alya Salon & Spa | Makeup Artist: Amie Decker Beauty | Bride’s Attire: Ines Di Santo from Mark Ingram Atelier | Groom’s Attire: The Black Tux | Bridesmaids’ Attire: Amsale | Groomsmen’s Attire: The Black Tux | Music: Atoka Strings (ceremony); Remixologists (reception)
Amy leads Washingtonian Weddings and writes Style Setters for Washingtonian. Prior to joining Washingtonian in March 2016, she was the editor of Capitol File magazine in DC and before that, editor of What’s Up? Weddings in Annapolis.
