Last spring we posted about Kelly & Jason’s wedding at Hollin Hall in Alexandria, VA.  I can’t believe I never shared their professional photographs, shot by Heather Z Photography!  Without further ado, here’s the day through Heather’s lens.

Here’s Hollin Hall, looking regal:

On the wedding day, it rained and poured all morning.  Kelly had wanted an outdoor ceremony in Hollin Hall’s beautiful boxwood garden but the forecast was looking grim.  We were watching the radar and trying to play weatherman, keeping hope out for what looked like could be a break in the clouds.  Meanwhile, there was nothing for Kelly to do but get ready:

Barbara at Growing Wild always makes the most stunning arrangements:

Kelly had the sweetest bridesmaids — don’t they look like fun friends?

I especially loved her light blue flats — perfect for their intimate, elegant, yet casual wedding:

The rain did indeed break just before the ceremony but the ground was too muddy to hold a ceremony in the spot we had wanted.  So – Kelly opted for Plan B and we moved the ceremony into the main house.  Here she is, getting ready to go down the steps and straight down the aisle:

I thought the indoor ceremony was just perfect.  We used pillar candles on the mantle and the altar floral arrangements on the floor.  Rev. Wesley Peyton performed a touching wedding ceremony like he always does:

And they’re married!  This is always my favorite moment at every wedding:

While their guests were enjoying cocktails, Kelly and Jason made use of some clear skies and headed into the garden for some portraits.  I’m so glad they were able to get some pictures outside:

Don’t these guys make a handsome pair?

Another cute detail — Jason’s white rananculus boutonniere:

Back inside, the cute escort cards are held up by wine bottle corks:

I love when couples display family photos to share with their guests — I think it helps the two joining families connect:

Outside, the rain was still drizzling but the dinner tent was nice and dry.  Check out these gorgeous tables:

We thought long and hard about the color of these chairs.  I think the natural wood color really makes the blue pop out, don’t you agree?

I couldn’t resist showing you their wedding cakes!  Heidelberg Pastry Shoppe is one of the couple’s favorite spots so it was only fitting to have cakes from there.  While Heidelberg does make some amazing traditional wedding cakes, Kelly & Jason wanted to share their favorite flavors with their guests.  This way, everyone got a flavor they loved!

Of course the cake aftermath isn’t pretty — but it sure is tasty!

Kelly & Jason — I know you guys have already passed your first anniversary so I hope you had a lovely first year of marriage!  I fondly remember your wedding day and hope you both are doing well.  Congratulations again!

Nearly three weeks ago, Kelly & Jason tied the knot!  Kelly booked Wish for our Partial Planning services so we spent a lot of time working on the wedding together over the past year.  It’s always so fun to see ideas turned into reality on the wedding day!

Hollin Hall was chosen for the wedding for a couple of reasons.  First, this place has character!  The house sits on the property of the Mt. Vernon Unitarian Church and has been well-maintained over the years.  It definitely has some historic charm.  Second, there are beautiful manicured boxwood gardens behind the church.  There’s one particular section of the gardens that’s perfect for outdoor wedding ceremonies and features a pretty white garden gate.  Third, it’s affordable!  The property can be rented for MUCH less than many of the other wedding venues in the area (Collingwood Library, River Farm, and Mt. Vernon’s restaurant).

Unfortunately we’ve had a rainy start to wedding season in DC.  The forecast has been “scattered thunderstorms” for about a month now.  Nearly every Saturday has included a passing storm and it’s been tricky for those weddings with outdoor ceremonies.  In Kelly & Jason’s case, the rain threw off a few things.  Luckily we were still able to use the tent for the reception but the ceremony had to be moved inside at the last minute.  The chairs, ribbons, and floral pieces were all set before the first few drops started falling.  Then the skies opened up and it poured.  Kelly was a little crushed when we made the decision but I thought it turned out beautifully anyway.  Rev. Wesley Peyton performed an intimate ceremony and there wasn’t a dry eye in the house.  Pillar candles on the mantle made the Fireplace Room at Hollin Hall glow.  It was so romantic:

Just after the ceremony, the weather broke and we were able to use the outdoor Wisteria Porch for cocktails.  Unfortunately I didn’t get a photo but you’d love this spot!  Behind the house there is a brick porch with an arbor completely covered in Wisteria vines.  Twinkling Christmas lights were woven in between the beams.  The flowers were blooming and fragrant….guests loved the spot and kept coming back there through the night.

Meanwhile, the reception tent is looking good on the front lawn of Hollin Hall.  The tent itself is from Rent-All Center in Alexandria.  The chairs came from our friends at Party Rental, Ltd.  Splendid Fare Catering did a wonderful job setting things up:

Our bride Kelly made these pretty table numbers out of unique greeting cards!  The back side of each made a fun conversation piece for the guests.  The beautiful floral centerpieces are from Barbara at Growing Wild Floral Co.:

I also liked these escort cards.  Kelly and Jason cut slits in a ton of wine corks for this unique display:

Guests enjoying their dinner under the tent:

This is an awful photograph but it shows a pretty detail.    We used pillar candles in the grass to line the walkway from the house to the tent:

Instead of a traditional tiered wedding cake, this couple wanted multiple flavors of cake from the Heidelberg Pastry Shoppe in Arlington.  I don’t remember all the flavors but they were DELICIOUS!  Kelly’s mom found all the cake stands (some vintage from their family) and the table looked beautiful.  You can also see the altar flowers being recycled next to the table (this is where the ceremony took place) and the bridesmaids bouquets decorating the spots in between the cakes.  Kelly’s bridal bouquet is in the center:

I’ll share professional photos from Heather Z Photography when I have them!  Working with Heather is always a pleasure and she has such an artistic eye.  Special kudos also goes to Matt Grason for his fabulous jazz ensemble.

Congratulations, Kelly & Jason!  I hope you guys were thrilled with every second of your wedding day.  I look forward to keeping up with you as you continue on life’s journey.