Lia & Matt’s Southern Summer Wedding

With Labor Day weekend now officially over, there’s perhaps no better way to bid summer farewell than by reflecting back upon how this year’s season first began. While for you that might have meant taking an inaugural trip to the beach or firing up the grill, for me, the early days of June brought the opportunity to coordinate a unique Southern summer wedding for my former classmate Lia and her fiance Matt.

Even though it was a cold day in January when I first met up with her, Lia’s clear vision for an intimate vineyard celebration – complete with a cocktail-style reception and plenty of creative touches honoring the couple's mutual love of books, wine and the rolling Virginia countryside – immediately intrigued me and made it seem as if summer was already just around the corner.

Here, I hope you’ll enjoy a selection of photos from Lia and Matt’s wedding day as shot by the talented Helen and Heather of Honey Hill Photography, who captured everything from the adorable bird-themed cake topper to the innovative wine-cork guestbook and outdoor picnic games. 

Lia, carrying a basket filled with baby's breath and a beloved book, made her way down the aisle to "Storybook Love" from The Princess Bride while close to 80 relatives and friends looked on. Keeping things simple and laid-back, both Lia and her bridesmaids went barefoot throughout the day. 

Post-ceremony, the couple and wedding party posed for photos all around the grounds of Paradise Springs Winery, including alongside an historic cabin where Lia and her bridesmaids had spent time getting ready earlier in the day. Meanwhile, guests enjoyed taking part in either a group wine-tasting or improvisational comedy show.  

During the reception, guests were free to mingle inside a rustic red barn, where a wine-cork guestbook and basket of homemade cookie favors welcomed them, or outdoors on the lawn, where picnic tables offered everything from books and magazines to playing cards, cootie catchers and Connect Four games. The couple's first dance to "Come Rain or Come Shine" by Don Henley was the perfect way to kick things off. 

Showcasing a vine-themed design and handmade "love bird" topper, Lia and Matt's cake was a huge hit. A delicious array of food and drinks featuring buffalo chicken dip, pulled pork sliders, lemonade and sweet tea was also displayed nearby, while various other tasty bites were hand-passed throughout the afternoon.

Congratulations, Lia and Matt, and thank you for letting me be a part of your day! May you make many more wonderful summer memories together.

Venue:

Paradise Springs Winery in Clifton, Virginia  

Catering: 

Janelle Bowles 

Officiant: 

Dave Johnson 

Photography: 

Honey Hill Photography

Musicians: 

Carol Gaylor & Bruce Katsu

Bakery: 

Wanda's Cakes

Coordination: 

Heather & Stephen Walrath

Recipe Recap: Classic Strawberry Shortcake

Along with fun-filled vacations, late evening walks at sunset and lazy days lounging with a good book in hand, summertime for me means feasting upon the many delicious light foods the season is known for, from salads to grilled vegetables to fresh-fruit desserts.

One such dessert, which my ever-talented husband treated me to a couple weeks ago, is Williams-Sonoma’s classic strawberry shortcake, complete with homemade whipped cream and flaky biscuit-like bread.

It was the first time I’d ever had this particular version of strawberry shortcake before, but now that I’ve tried it, it’s quickly topped my list of summertime favorites. Check out the recipe on the Williams-Sonoma website, and give it a try for the perfect end-of-summer treat!

What's your favorite summertime dessert? 

Shiny New Set of Wheels

After Stephen and I got back from Hawaii, it was time to put our next big summer plan into action – buying a new car! While we initially weren’t sure we wanted to spend the money right now, especially since we are hoping to buy a home within the next several years, Stephen’s sister was selling her 2011 Honda CR-V before moving away from DC, and the opportunity was just too good to pass up.

So far, we’ve had the car for about a month and love everything about it, including the following.

• I've always wanted an SUV, and this one has good safety ratings and just 20,000 miles on it. It should also be a good family car in the future once we have kids.
• It's much roomier and newer than our Jetta, which is still running great after 10 years, but obviously won’t last forever.
• We now have two cars, giving us more flexibility to get around town, especially if we ever move to an area without good public transportation.
• It has a built-in GPS system, which was a must for me in any new car, along with a backup camera, Bluetooth syncing for my phone and possibly even a couple other cool features I still need to learn how to use.

All in all, we couldn't be happier with our decision and hope this car will serve us well for years to come! 

Hawaii Vacation Recap: Big Island

After our amazing first week on Oahu, Stephen and I next took a short hop over to the Big Island, where we celebrated his sister's wedding and enjoyed another couple days at the beautiful Mauna Lani Bay Hotel & Bungalows on the Kohala Coast. We then also headed down to Kona and explored Hilo on the wet side of the island. Hey, when you're traveling all the way out to Hawaii from the East Coast, you might as well make the most of it, right?

The view from our room, which we got at a great rate thanks to the block discount for the wedding. What an all-around incredible resort! 

Pre-ceremony photos with the couple and my fellow bridesmaids.

Posing with Stephen for a quick picture before the start of the wedding. 

Heading down the aisle.

My gorgeous bouquet, perfectly designed to symbolize a Hawaiian sunset.

The bride and groom sharing their first dance in the moonlight. 

A sea turtle resting peacefully on a black sand beach. We also saw several others up close while swimming in the bay at the resort.

 Coffee roasting demonstration at the Mountain Thunder Coffee Plantation. I don't typically drink coffee, but the blends we sampled there were delicious! 

During our daytrip to Hilo, we got a great glimpse of the cruise ship we sailed on for our honeymoon three years ago. 

The Pana'ewa Rainforest Zoo & Gardens in Hilo is home to white Bengal tiger Namaste', along with many beautiful peacocks that enjoy roaming freely. 

Rainbow Falls in Hilo, one of our final stops before flying home.

A cool and colorful statue at the airport in Hilo. Have you figured out yet that I'm a huge lover of sea turtles? 

 All in all, it was a truly fabulous trip, and I can't wait to go back again for the next one! 

All Women Stalk Roundup: August 9, 2013

After taking a brief break during my trip to Hawaii, I'm back to blogging regularly over at All Women Stalk. As always, please feel free to stop by and check out my latest batch of posts.

Image Source: All Women Stalk

INSPIRATION

7 Beautiful and Inspiring Quotes to Help You Overcome Disappointment

TRAVEL

7 Exciting Things to Do On Oahu That You'll Never Forget

7 Luxurious Hawaiian Resorts That Are Well Worth the Splurge

PARENTING

10 Adorable Newborn Photo Ideas for Your Little Precious One

WEDDING

7 Lovely Wedding Headpiece Ideas to Make You a Beautiful Bride

7 Fun Ways to Work Out With Your Fiance

11 Creative Wedding Ring Photo Ideas That You'll Cherish Forever

7 Wedding Weekend Events That Will Make the Fun Last

9 Creative Wedding Ring Designs That Will Make You Gasp

9 Beautiful Wedding Gown Sash Ideas