Only for you: A global pandemic leads to an extra special pivot

Paige Sanford  &  Cole Columbus September 26, 2020, at the bride’s parents’ home Pre-pandemic, Paige and Cole had planned a fancy, 250-person black-tie wedding, with tuxedos, floor-length gowns, a large band from Atlanta, and food stations (“so people could eat but also keep partying!” Paige says). But, after mailing their save the dates in March […]

You and I: At Waterperry, an intimate elopement unfolds

Emily Zhang & Qiang Zhong August 8, 2020, at Waterperry Farm Talk about last-minute decisions: With only a week to go before their planned ceremony, Emily and Qiang still didn’t have a venue. Enter Waterperry Farm, the romantic Free Union gardens and the only spot with the couple’s chosen date still available. “It was so gorgeous and […]

An idea we love: The downsized dance floor

After getting engaged in July, Eliza Strickland and Allen Peacock knew right away they were ready to get married—and they didn’t want to postpone plans due to COVID restrictions. So Strickland asked a close friend, Sally Branch, to help her create an intimate wedding.  “We knew we wanted to keep all the traditional elements of […]

You art what you eat

We’re pretty sweet on this piece by local artist Evan Mooney—and not just because it looks like candy buttons. The UVA grad says her “Hard Candy” series celebrates her steel magnolias. “They might be vibrant, polished and law abiding, but there is so much more to them,” Mooney says. “They are tough as nails, resilient, […]

Good bars: Empowering women through chocolate

Carly Romeo had always been really into chocolate, but it wasn’t until a visit to a chocolate shop with a friend that she realized her interest had grown beyond that of a casual hobbyist.  “I started telling her things about chocolate origins and darkness percentages,” Romeo says, “and she called me a total nerd.” After […]

Fashion statements: What can clothing teach us about how to be an ally? A lot.

There’s a direct connection to be made between the work of Playground of Empathy and its founders’ Instagram account, @cvillefashion. The organization works to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion through its interactive Walk in My Shoes experience (during which you enter a literal shoe and explore the personal belongings of someone who differs from you—in […]