This past Saturday I got to drive up to beautiful Barboursville Vineyards (in Orange County) for a lovely, small wedding. Jill and Bruno had a very sweet and personal ceremony in a long, narrow room overlooking acres and acres of vineyards with the Blue Ridge Mountains in the background. Barboursville Vineyards is one of those venues that offers a wonderful variety of options... they can accommodate a large crowd but also have perfect spots for the smallest of weddings. I'm not a big wine person myself but I've heard that theirs is the best! Also, their award-winning Palladio Restaurant, the 1804 Inn, and the ruins of Governor Barbour's mansion (designed by Thomas Jefferson) makes this particular Vineyard a place with something for everyone.

Speaking of wine... Bruno and Jill chose to include a Wine Ceremony as part of their wedding. This is a lovely ritual that involves the blending of wine from 2 carafes into a wine glass after which and the Bride & Groom share a bit together. The mixing of the wines (one white, one red) can symbolize the joining of their lives, it can also symbolize their promise to walk through life together, sharing both the bitter and sweet parts of the journey. A Wine Ceremony is a lovely addition to a wedding and is especially appropriate when the wedding is at a winery!