Making connections

With a wedding industry like Charlottesville’s (read: booming), it seemed smart and even necessary to officiant Claire Frances to create a network of professionals. In 2010, she launched the Community of Charlottesville Wedding and Event Professionals.  “Over the years, CCWEP has played an integral role in bringing a community of small business owners together who […]

Cover me in sunshine

The homeowner of this Afton house envisioned an intimate and “materially rich” spot to rinse off after a day of working on the nearby farm. Mike Krop of Blu Haven Architecture took the idea and ran with it, creating an outdoor shower reminiscent of a garden arbor.  From the timber home’s primary suite, a wood […]

Your Charlottesville summer bucket list

Spoiler alert: Summer’s almost halfway over. But there’s so much more fun to be had! We’ve compiled 24 must-dos for your summer bucket list. Check them off as you go, and use hashtag #cvillesummerbucketlist to share what you’re up to. Pop by the City Market. If you don’t visit the City Market at least one […]

These longstanding businesses are area standard-bearers

In a city like Charlottes­ville, where Thomas Jefferson sneezed his creativity and innovation into practically every brick paver, it’s easy forentrepreneurs to feel buoyed enough to follow a dream. It makes for an ever-changing skyline, with new businesses springing up like wildflowers.  But amid that same skyline there exists a group of businesses that have […]

Je t’aime

Abby Conley & Kalan Patel October 6, 2023, at Keswick Vineyards Photography by Meredith Coe Photography Abby’s passion for interior design gave her an advantage when it came time for her and her then-fiancé to plan their Keswick Vineyards wedding: She simply drew on her own aesthetic.  “I aimed for an elegant, timeless wedding with organic textures […]

Sunny days ahead

Mackenzie Blair FitzGerald & Colin Jones June 24, 2023, at Boar’s Head Inn Photography by Jen Fariello With a “summer celebration” theme in mind, colorful flowers were the key, says Blair. Washington, D.C.-based floral company Darling & Daughters took on the task, arranging bountiful bouquets that mixed flowers of yellow, pink, purple, and blue. Not to mention […]

Let’s do brunch

Patricia Dunbar & Isi Azeke July 30, 2023, at The Bradbury Photography by Carrie Coleman Photography With an elegant backdrop like The Bradbury, Patricia didn’t feel the need to include too many embellishments in her and Isi’s summer wedding. She left the flowers up to Tourterelle, only giving a direction for neutral colors; the bridesmaids wore pale […]

A beautiful beginning

Kelly Moses & Emily Lentz June 17, 2023, at The Clifton Photography by Nicole Clarey Photography Once Kelly and Emily fell in love with The Clifton for their early summer wedding, it felt like a no-brainer to make it black tie. “Black tie attire just says ‘wedding’ to us,” Emily says. “And what other time are […]

Just say ‘yes’

Ashton Mann &  Jack Neary August 5, 2023, at Veritas Vineyards Photography by Danielle J. Norton Photography Inspired by their vineyard venue, Ashton and Jack decided to create a colorful garden party-themed wedding—with an abundance of florals. “We wanted to incorporate color and florals wherever we could to create a welcoming and fun environment. We had […]

Good eats

We already know that when it comes to attire, décor, and florals, personalization is the name if you want to make your big day your own. But your dinner menu and dessert offer myriad opportunities to customize, too, says two local vendors. Below, The Catering Outfit’s Courtney Hildebrand and Commonwealth Cake Company’s Tiffany Rosales share […]