Lesley Wharton and Patrick Kirby | May 6, 2016
Getting married is (and should be) an emotional experience. “You’re just normal people living normal lives, and then all of a sudden you find yourselves in the middle of one of life’s biggest milestones,” Lesley says. “I started crying and hyperventilating and generally going to pieces out of happiness.” Her response was due in no small part to seeing everything come together—from designing invitations, RSVP cards, save-the-dates, programs and welcome-bag inserts to staining and painting wooden signage; from hand-lettering the envelopes, seating and table cards and collecting vintage stamps for the envelopes to buying lanterns, hurricane vases, candles, cake pedestals, wedding arbor and frames.
Says Lesley, “It’s easy to get lost in the details of planning—The flowers! The cake! The dress!—but reading our promises to each other, surrounded by friends and family, reminded us that our love and the life we have together is at the center of it all.”
King Family had everything the couple wanted: an amazing view, a gorgeous interior space for the reception, a rain plan (“which we definitely used,” Lesley says) and a really flexible approach to couples making the space their own. “And, also, killer wine.” Photo: Michael & Carina Photography
Photo: Michael & Carina Photography
Photo: Michael & Carina Photography
Photo: Michael & Carina Photography
Photo: Michael & Carina Photography
Photo: Michael & Carina Photography
Lesley and Pat chose to serve their dinner, from Charlottesville restaurant The Local, buffet-style, for a more casual feel. “People could go back and load up on mac ’n’ cheese to their heart’s desire,” says Lesley. Leftover dessert (cakes and pies from Cakes by Rachel) were given out at the end of the wedding as favors for guests. Photo: Michael & Carina Photography
Photo: Michael & Carina Photography
Photo: Michael & Carina Photography
Talk about beginner’s luck: The couple’s first date—to a Tex-Mex restaurant in Washington, D.C., in 2011—was the first online date Lesley had ever had. Photo: Michael & Carina Photography
THE DETAILS Day-of coordinator: Cate Liverman Ceremony and reception venue: King Family Vineyards Officiant: Friend Catering: The Local Flowers: Petal Flower Co. (Lynchburg) Cake: Cakes by Rachel Music: Bachelor Boys Band Dress: Claire Pettibone Shoes: Badgley Mischka Rings: Ascot Diamonds Bridesmaids’ dresses: BHLDN Hair and makeup: Moxie Hair & Body Lounge Videographer: Kelsey & Nate
