Real Wedding Wednesday: Annaleigh & Trevor

October 21, 2020 1339 views

Annaleigh and Trevor have that beautiful storybook romance we all secretly wish for. They met in first grade at Bristow Run Elementary School. Eventually, they lost touch but then regained a connection years later. And now, we’re celebrating their stunning Virginia wedding a little under a month ago!

“It was [in elemtary] that our friendship and “romance” began. He would gift me Valentine’s carnations and I would sneak a peck on his cheek at the fifth-grade dance before life had us part ways. We occasionally saw each other throughout high school and college but the timing was never just right for us to seriously date. Not until I reached out to him after college in 2016 to dinner and what would be the start of our forever.”

“Trevor proposed December of 2018 at our first apartment together. It was quiet and intimate. Just the two of us and our dog, Jack. We decided to open presents early before spending Christmas with my family in New Jersey. I had my back turned to him and asked him to pick a present to open first. Still not turning around and not getting a response, I asked again. This time, still not getting the words I was looking for I turned around to find him on one knee saying “I pick you, will you marry me?” Shocked and overwhelmed with excitement I couldn’t find the words fast enough and just kissed him repeatedly while finally answering “YES” a million times. It was, to this day, one of my fondest memories because it is what I had dreamed of happening since I was a 7-year-old girl.”

Their picturesque wedding was inspired by the beauty and allure of romance. Their friendship and bond of 20 years resulted in the desire to create the perfect, soft, romantic, rustic-chic day to demonstrate their love and personalities.

“We choose a Vineyard to reflect the beauty of where we live in Virginia and the date of September 26th because it is the month we first met all those years ago in our first-grade class. The colors we choose were meant to complement the stunning Blue Ridge Mountain vista and on-set of the fall season.”

They went with ivory, champagne, emerald green, burgundy, and gold. “Each color popped in its own way and set the romantic tone for the day!”

The pair had planned to marry in a catholic church, but due to the pandemic, they opted for the safer option of an outdoor ceremony on the grounds of the reception venue. “We worked with a close family friend to officiate our wedding and incorporate religious aspects into our very personalized ceremony sermon. We felt strongly about writing our own vows and using more traditional ones that we would have gone through in a Catholic ceremony. We created a new tradition we hope our friends and family will use in the future by doing a wine blending unity ceremony instead of the more traditional candle lighting unity ceremony. It all went so perfectly in about 30 minutes time and was by far one of the most beautiful parts of the day.”

The Scoop

Bride: Annaleigh

Groom: Trevor

Wedding date: September 26, 2020

Number of Guests: 88

They chose soft, enchanting, delicate florals to complement the color scheme of the natural backdrop for their ceremony. “We incorporated different types of roses, eucalyptus variations, small budded burgundy flowers, and hydrangeas into the bouquets and larger centerpieces. The ceremony had two large arrangements on barrels leading to the aisle. We did an ivory and burgundy rose petal lined aisle that ended just before the custom-made arbor in the center that our brother-in-law handcrafted for us.

“On that, we placed a few bunches of colorful florals and an ivory drape. My bouquet played a significant role in the day because it was designed and created by my husband’s grandmother per her request. It was both sentimental and beautiful. She even placed a double-sided mini-photo frame of my dog, Jack, and my parent’s wedding photos to carry around close to my heart all day.”

Annaleigh and Trevor further personalized their day by contracting well-known DJ and MC, Gabriel McGann, to liven up the reception and help people have as much fun as possible. “He was one of the most exciting parts of our reception night and was loved by all.”

Special moments throughout the day included the first look between the bride and father-of-the-bride. “It was a surprise first look that had all of us in tears, including our vendors. It was a moment I will cherish forever being his first daughter and child to get married. We also opted out of a couple first look and saved that moment for the aisle. The look on my husband’s face will be forever ingrained in my mind as being one of the most sentimental and emotional moments of my life.”

The ceremony, speeches, and special dances were all moving, special moments of the day that none of them will forget.

“Getting to see the family and friends who have supported us from day one, through wedding planning in a pandemic, and getting married in a pandemic – we truly could not have a better group of guests to call ours. It was great to see everyone letting loose (safely), having fun, and celebrating our love. That was the exact reason we decided to plan a wedding and we can successfully say it met our expectations and then some!”

Annaleigh and Trevor chose a traditional but modern take for their wedding style. “We kept the look very traditional with an ivory Elodie mikado fabric-fit and flare gown for me with a sweetheart illusion plunging neckline. Illusion cap-sleeves, silk buttons from top to bottom in the back, and a beaded Swarovski crystal and ivory over pewter accent bodice. Accompanied by a cathedral length veil with lace appliques at the train.

“My husband went with a classic black suit, black vest, narrow black tie, and white button-up shirt. Details included black shiny dress shoes, silver cufflinks, and an ivory rose boutonnière with the same custom mini-photo frame containing our dog Jack, and a wedding photo of his parents.”

Annaleigh offers loads of advice for brides-to-be planning their wedding during COVID-19.

Always read the fine print on every vendor contract you sign but also take a step further to red-line clauses that may seem off or that you need clarification on. Of course, this might seem self-explanatory but you never know when a global pandemic or unexpected event can happen and change everything.
Choose your vendors wisely, interview them heavily, and do not rush into that decision. While so many vendors are reputable and trustworthy, it is important that you take your time when deciding who will execute on your special day. (And, as an aside – hire an event or day-of coordinator if you have the means to! They will ensure you are worried about nothing but getting married and having fun on your day!)
On the same note as #1… get wedding insurance! Protect yourselves, your day, and your wallets by feeling secure especially when it comes to the things you do not have control over.
Remember that it is IMPOSSIBLE to please everyone. You may hurt some feelings by instating your beliefs, traditions, or rules around your day. You may get some push back on your vision or guest list. In the end, stay true to yourselves while still trying to compromise and keep the peace. A wedding is not a time for families to be at odds with each other. It is a time to come together because of YOU and your love. Never lose sight of that fact.
Lastly, and most importantly, have FUN and let it go. Stress is inevitable while planning a wedding, but it is so important to mitigating that stress and not focus too heavily on the little details. At the end of the day it truly is about marrying your best friend, the rest will all fall into place!