Virginia Bride features weddings weekly here on the blog. Being featured in the blog does not necessarily mean they are featured in the print magazine.
This week’s real Virginia weddings story takes us back to high school where Katherine and Steven first met.
“Steven and I went to the same high school and the same college, so we had known of each other for a while, but we never really talked to each other. I ended up leaving the college I was at and came back to Fredericksburg to go to the University of Mary Washington, which is the same school he went to (and had recently graduated from). We started texting through social media and found out we had a lot in common. Steven tried to set up times to hang out and it just never really worked, until one night my family was having some sort of party and I invited him over. And to my surprise, he came! I was thinking he wouldn’t want to come meet me for the first time and my whole family, but he did. After that night he planned our first date, and the rest was history.”
Katherine says that her first date with Steven “was my first ever date because I had never had a boyfriend before, and Steven made it so special. We went to an Italian restaurant in downtown Fredericksburg, then he took me to a farm by his house, and then we went out to a fishing dock. He brought a blanket and laid it out on the dock, and we talked for a long time, and then he asked me to be his girlfriend.”
The Scoop
Bride: Katherine, 23, Lab Analyst, Dahlgren VA
Groom: Steven, Deputy Sherriff, Stafford County Sherriff’s Office
Wedding date: 01/07/23
Number of guests: 150
“We didn’t really do anything too unique for our wedding because I wanted to keep it very classic. We did put out police-themed cookies for Steven because he is a deputy for Stafford County. I wanted to add a little surprise for him and his coworkers.”
“My dress was ivory-white and it was fitted and had a boat neck. My grandmother taped a coin in my shoe that had been taped into other family wedding shoes for multiple generations. The bridesmaids’ dresses were black and came from Azazi. I chose a black and white color palette, because I was going for a very classic, elegant theme.”
“The ceremony was held at St. Mary Catholic Church which is the church that my family has been going to for 23 years. So, it was very special to get married in the church I grew up in. I chose the Fredericksburg Country Club for the reception because it matched the elegant and classy theme perfectly, and it was very close to the church. As to décor, I wanted to keep my wedding timeless, so I went with a lot of classic and traditional looks and styles.”
Katherine leaves fellow brides with this thought: “I think everyone says this, but your wedding day really does go by so fast. I would say make sure you are taking in every moment and make sure you are enjoying those moments with your new spouse.”
Vendor List
- Venue: Fredericksburg Country Club
- Photographer: Katelyn Alexandria Photography
- Day of planner: Tracy Carr
- Officiant: Fr. Sean Koehr
- Gown: Ava Laurenne Bride
- Veil: Etsy
- Shoes: Uncertain
- Hair & Makeup: TDR Artistry
- Bridesmaids’ dresses: Azazi
- Invitations: Zazzle
- Flowers: Flowers by Val
- Catering: Fredericksburg Country Club
- Music: Eric Herod Entertainment
- Cake: Publix
- Transportation: Elsie Bellman Limo
