I mentioned in my post earlier this evening that Pat and Sherry of Pat's Floral Designs provided the beautiful, seasonal flower arrangements and bouquets for Anna and Rich's wedding at the Boar's Head Inn this past weekend. Here are photos of two of their beautiful creations.

The wedding ceremony took place in front of the fireplace in the ballroom and, as you can see, Pat & Sherry beautifully decorated the mantle and created arrangements on pedestals on either side to add fall color to the ceremony. Their centerpieces were also vibrant and colorful and made the ballroom into a complete work of art!

If you are looking for someone to create spectacular and artistic floral elements for your wedding day give Pat and Sherry a call at 540-948-5611 or 888-634-9554.

The Boar's Head Inn is a beautiful 500+ acre resort complex in the rolling hills just west of Charlottesville. Owned by the University of Virginia Foundation, the Inn has a multitude of beautiful guest rooms, meeting and event facilities, a full service spa and health club plus a wonderful restaurant along with just about any additional amenity you can imagine.

In the last few years I've been fortunate to perform many weddings at this beautiful venue and have had the opportunity to get to know some of their wonderful staff. If you are seeking a wedding location where just about anything and everything is possible: from the simplest no-frills elopement to the largest and most complex wedding event you should seriously consider looking at this truly lovely place.

This past weekend I officiated at the ceremony for Anna & Rich... the couple pictured here. As you can see they chose beautiful fall colors with beautiful floral designs by Pat's Floral Designs. Rich and Anna chose to have a very simple ceremony with lots of their friends standing up with them (8 on each side). Their wedding took place in the Ballroom and was a lighthearted and very sweet event.

If you would like to visit the Boar's Head Inn give them a call at: 434-296-2181

For most weddings carbon dioxide emissions from guest travel produce the biggest environmental impact of all of the products and services you may use. TerraPass is a way to easily and affordably balance the environmental impact of your wedding... by buying a TerraPass you will balance the emissions you can't reduce.

Once you've calculated the emissions that your wedding will likely produce by completing a quick survey here, you can buy a TerraPass. The money you spend will be used to fund clean energy and efficiency projects such as wind farms. These projects result in verified reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. Using financial instruments such as carbon credits, your funds result in guaranteed reductions... read more about how this works on the TerraPass website.

When you've purchased your TerraPass you will receive a framed certificate that you can display at your wedding... informing your guests of how their travel has been carbon balanced by your thoughtful purchase.

If you're looking for a truly spectacular and classically Virginia mountain backdrop for your wedding Montfair Resort Farm has the view for you! This photo of the mountains and sky was the backdrop to Rachel and Carl's ceremony this past weekend... can you imagine anything more beautiful? It was funny to see all of their guests taking turns posing for photos of each other with this panoramic view behind them.

Montfair Farm is a rustic and environmentally-conscious alternative for your wedding venue. Located in the western part of Albemarle County... about 15 miles NW of Charlottesville... there is a rustic lodge with huge fireplace for cozy fall and winter events plus a deck overlooking a beautiful lake and cabins... all on this 129 acre property.

Rachel arrived for her wedding with her Dad in a horse drawn carriage and made a getaway in it after the ceremony with her groom, Carl. When I left to head out to another wedding the lodge was being beautifully decorated for dinner and there was a reggae band setting up on the deck... wish I could've stayed!

Montfair Resort Farm is a natural and comfortable location for your big day. Give them a call at: 434-823-5202

In the past couple of weeks I've had 2 beautiful weddings at the Clifton Inn. The Clifton Inn is a fantastic venue with the most wonderful people, beautiful environment and excellent service around... not to mention the incredible food! Most couples choose to have their ceremony on the croquet lawn just to the side of the Inn, right in front of the carriage house... the Inn also has a huge and beautiful deck which works well as a backup ceremony location, cocktail location and/or place for a band and dance floor.

The Clifton Inn is on a 1oo acre estate and has 18 uniquely beautiful rooms... lots of couples choose to have friends and family stay at the Inn with them which gives everyone lots of opportunity to spend time together, have wonderful meals and walk on the many surrounding trails. The Inn's close proximity to Charlottesville is another nice feature with lots of restaurants and fun things to do nearby.

This past weekend Elana and Andy chose to have their ceremony on the croquet lawn under a simple Jewish chuppah and at the end of the ceremony Andy broke a glass. The Inn set up their cocktail hour right out on the front lawn under the big trees which was a beautiful sight and their dinner and dancing took place inside and on the deck.

Give Melissa at the Clifton Inn a call and go out to see for yourself what a beautiful place it is! Phone: 434-971-1800

Derek Tobler is a great DJ... there is no doubt! I've done many weddings with Derek, including just this past Sunday at Veritas where I got to try out his brand new wireless lavalier microphone during the ceremony... it was great. Derek has been DJing for more than 10 years and it is obvious that he loves his work. He has great audio equipment, is dependable and just an all-round great person to work with! Derek helps his couples plan just the right music for their big day and set up a timeline for their event. He is professional and easy (and fun) to work with... what could be better? Music is the backdrop to your wedding day, so having someone who can help you create the experience of a lifetime is very important. Check out Derek's website and give him a call (434-296-6689) to see if he's available for your date!

The crown jewel of Central Virginia wineries (in my humble opinion) is Veritas Vineyard and Winery in Afton, VA (Nelson County)... about 15 miles West of Charlottesville. Veritas is a family business owned by Andrew and Patricia Hodson and is an absolutely incredible wedding venue. Not only is it spectacular and scenic from every angle, but the tasting room, decks and beautiful ballroom provide everything a couple could want in a location for their wedding.

This past Sunday evening I had the privilege of conducting the wedding ceremony for this beautiful couple, Christine and Dana, at Veritas. They had about 100 guests which is a relatively small crowd for this location but had a very elegant and and lovely event. The photo here of the ballroom with the radiant light coming through the windows will give you some idea of how beautiful it is ... but you really have to see it in person to get the full affect!

Veritas can also provide delicious dining menus for their guests with meals by their very own Chef Said Rhafiri. If you want the details on their wines go here , I'm not the best one to fill you in on those details so I suggest that you visit their site.

If you want to check out this beautiful place for your wedding give Christine Hurley, their Events Manager, a call: (540-456-8000 x107). She and her little pup, Zoe, will be happy to show you around and give you all the details on this beautiful location! Oh, and if a wedding isn't in your immediate future... just go up there for a few hours and enjoy the beauty (oh, and wine too, of course)!

First Colony Winery, owned by Randolph McElroy, is about 12 miles South of Charlottesville just off of Rt. 20, nestled in the hills of Central Virginia. It's a great location for a small to medium-sized wedding - which is just what Julia and Troy had this evening! Of the several possible wedding ceremony locations at First Colony they chose the slate & stone patio right off the tasting room. It provides a lovely woodsy backdrop with the vineyards themselves off to the South a bit. With the lack of rain we've been having here this year so far I've noticed that the vineyards are looking a bit haggard and not quite as lovely and lush as they often look at this time of the year.

Although I'm not a wine drinker myself, I've heard that First Colony's wines are very good and they certainly provide a simple and attractive location for a winery wedding with a rustic tasting room and large room upstairs for sit-down dinners.

You can contact Martha Soden, the Tasting Room Manager if you're interested in finding out more about First Colony. Call her at: 877-979-7105.

I knew when I started writing this blog last month that there were going to be obstacles in keeping it going ... but here's one obstacle I hadn't anticipated: it's my cat, Frank, who seems to like to get between me and my keyboard when I'm writing my blog posts or wedding ceremonies. Tossing him on the floor or asking pretty please don't seem to work... any ideas?

How Green Was My Wedding? from the New York Times Fashion & Style section on February 11, 2007 by Mireya Navarro.
A great article with lots of ideas for an eco-friendly event and many links to good green-wedding resources that you might like to consider in your wedding planning. Enjoy!

This past Saturday, September 15th, I did my first University of Virginia garden wedding of the year. Garden VIII is an incredible location for a ceremony. It does have a few logistical challenges for the processional but it's so lovely and cozy that the challenges are easily overcome! UVA has ten beautiful gardens, all behind Thomas Jefferson's unique serpentine walls and many of which make beautiful wedding venues.

Megan and Mark got married in front of about 125 of their friends and family. They chose a simple, no-frills (no ritual) ceremony that was full of warmth and love. After the ceremony the entire group followed the Bride and Groom to the steps of the Rotunda for a group photo. The Rotunda, designed by Charlottesville's own patron saint (only kidding), Thomas Jefferson, was the original library for the University but now houses historical exhibits and artifacts for the University.

If you are interested in looking into booking a UVA Garden, or other location, for your wedding call the reservations office in Newcomb Hall at: 434-924-3601.

Couples spend lots of money each year on favors to put on their reception dinner tables for their guests. Earlier this year I saw a wonderful green alternative to the typical wedding favors and I want to share it with you.

Matt & Marlita (Matt is in the military) chose to make a small donation on behalf of each of their guests towards a charity that is near and dear to them, one that clears minefields. So, at each place setting, instead of a favor that would probably find it's way into the landfill before long, there was the card you see here.

In case you can't read the card, it says: "Thank you for joining in celebration of our new life together. To show our appreciation, a small donation has been made in your honor to the Adopt-A-Minefield program. Together these small gifts will contribute to the clearing of a minefield and to making our planet a safer place to live."

Another great resource for finding wonderful charitable favors you can choose for your wedding is JustGive.org. What a great way to start your new life together!

Summer & Matt had a lovely, very small family-only wedding this evening at Keswick Hall. Their simple, heartfelt ceremony was held in a slight drizzle on the patio overlooking the golf course, just outside the rustic Garden Room. I've done several other ceremonies at Keswick Hall, but never one this small and intimate. As usual the folks at Keswick Hall did an expert job on every detail and the rainy day provided a soft, lush backdrop for the occasion.

I'd only just met Matt & Summer this past week when we met to discuss their upcoming wedding and they chose a very simple ceremony followed by dinner with their families. Summer didn't want to do the usual bride things like walking down the aisle and having a lot of the usual extras... just spending the evening with each other and their families was what they felt was important.

Keswick Hall, a large and elegant location just outside of Charlottesville in Albemarle County, isn't the place I'd usually think of for a tiny family-only affair, but from now on I will!

Hindu-Catholic Wedding
Last fall I had the opportunity to officiate at a truly incredible Interfaith wedding: the bride, Sabeena, from a Hindu family and the groom, Patrick, from a Catholic family. Just recently I discovered, that although this wedding was in DC their photographers, Anne and Bill Holland, had been "imported" from lil' ol' Charlottesville just as I had.

Sabeena and Patrick's wedding was one of the most colorful and pageant-filled I've had the honor to be a part of. The groom arrived on horseback to the banging of drums and shouts of celebration from the family. Their ceremony incorporated words and rituals from both the Hindu and Catholic traditions with explanations in between so everyone could keep up! On the Hindu side the bride and groom exchanged beautiful flower garlands and took 7 steps (saptapadi) around a homa (sacred fire) as they made their promises to one another. On the Christian side the couple performed a Unity Candle ceremony and everyone enjoyed a beautiful scriptural reading.

I would imagine that for a photographer this kind of wedding would present wonderful artistic opportunities and Bill and Anne Holland of Holland Photo Arts took full advantage of the day! Their pictures of Sabeena and Patrick's wedding are absolutely spectacular... I hope that you enjoy the 3 I am including in this post. If you are looking for an amazing photograpic duo for your wedding give them a call: 434-295-9681

Yesterday I was honored to officiate at a beautiful ceremony at Oak Ridge Estate in Arrington, VA. Oak Ridge is a huge, historic property in Nelson County, Virginia which is an easy drive on Rt. 29 immediately South of Charlottesville. Jessica and Rick chose to be married under a chuppah, or wedding canopy, that in the Jewish tradition, represents the promise of the home that the newly married couple will create together. It was a lovely evening with a loud chorus of late-summer cicadas in the background. I am always happy when summer weddings are held late in the day (theirs was at 7 PM) because everyone is so much more comfortable once the daytime heat has subsided and no one has to be out in the sweltering sun.

Of the many wonderful ceremony locations around the Oak Ridge property Rick and Jessica chose the Carriage House as their venue. As always, Rhonda Holland (from Oak Ridge), was on hand to handle every imaginable detail for the couple. Rhonda makes the execution of a large event look so effortless and easy and I know she certainly makes the logistics of my job as Minister so much less stressful!

If you're interested in Virginia history take a look at the extensive history of the Oak Ridge Estate on their website and if you are looking for a lovely, rural setting for your wedding check out this location.

The Green Guide
It's important for all of us to do what we can to live more lightly on our beautiful planet. Weddings are notorious for being high-impact affairs... using lots of energy and making a rather large "carbon footprint". There are lots of alternative choices to be made that will make your wedding an event planned with love for each other and for our planet. National Geographic's Green Guide has lots of wonderful tips, insights and links to great information on creating a more eco-friendly wedding. Enjoy their "Three R's of Wedded Bliss" article by Maureen Ryan and get started today planning a greener, more conscious wedding.

Coming up in a couple of weeks... next week I'll let you know the names of local Charlottesville vendors that will be participating...

The Greater Virginia Bridal Show
Sunday September 16, 2007
Ash-Lawn Highland, Charlottesville, Virginia.
2-5 P.M. admission is $7

Fashion show including Anna-Joy's, Celebrations Bridal, Freda, Pleiades Vintage and Custom Bridal, and S&K Men's Wear and the area's finest wedding professionals. Thousands of dollars in door prizes. Grand prize is a Honeymoon for two.

For more information email shows@vabridemagazine.com or call 804-822-1768

My second wedding of this holiday weekend was at a lovely place that I'd heard of but not had the opportunity to experience until today... the Inn at Old Virginia just outside of historic Staunton, about 40 miles West of Charlottesville in the Shenandoah Valley. With near perfect weather the ceremony was held 'round back of the Inn with a panoramic view of the Blue Ridge Mountains as the backdrop. Before the Ceremony began I had the opportunity to meet and spend a few minutes getting to know Becky Field, the Inn's manager and wedding contact who was, obviously, very good at her job... taking care of a dozen final details for the day's event while kindly welcoming me to the Inn and getting me a glass of water.

Danyiel and Chris are a lovely couple and their wedding was one in which the love between them was palpable and so sweet! They chose to include a Sand Ceremony ritual as part of their ceremony, symbolizing the entwining of their lives and their commitment to a shared future. With the slight breeze I was happy that they had chosen a Sand Ceremony as there were no candles to keep lit!

Congratulations Chris and Danyiel!

Just this morning I had the opportunity to perform a ceremony at a beautiful, small, family-only wedding right here in Charlottesville. I loved it! Small backyard weddings are among my favorites... the feeling is always intimate and usually somewhat informal which is nice. This couple, Kathleen & Bill, chose to have a spiritual ceremony that included a Hand Blessing ritual which is a very modified Handfasting from the Pagan tradition.

An important part of the ceremony was acknowledging each of their children from prior marriages and letting them know how important their love and support was to the couple. Bill's daughter read one of my very favorite readings... an excerpt from the Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams.

A backyard wedding gives you lots of opportunity to be creative, to welcome you loved ones to your own home and to just generally create an atmosphere of love and gratitude for your guests. I had the opportunity to meet everyone and even have short, personal conversations with each guest which, of course, I am not able to do at a bigger event. All in all if a couple is looking for a small, very personal and somewhat less formal wedding experience I think backyards (or front yards, or living rooms) are the way to go!

A Great Charlottesville Area Wedding Resource
If you are an internet person (like me) you have probably discovered dozens of websites that have links to vendors for all of the various products and services that you might need for your wedding planning… so finding resources is not necessarily the challenge, in fact you could easily be overloaded with information – but finding the ones that are most helpful and targeted to the Charlottesville area can be a challenge.

Cville Weddings is a wonderful site created by Jessica Clark. When Jessica was planning her own wedding in Charlottesville a couple of years ago she became frustrated trying to find the services she needed… this website is her brilliant response to that challenge… I know you’ll love it! Be sure to tell any vendors you know who are not listed on Jessica's site to sign up so that we can build an even stronger resource for future brides and grooms in the Charlottesville area!