Every wedding vendor team is created a little differently. In this series we explore how and why each couple selected the right wedding vendor team for their wedding day.
When Sofia’s engagement ring was ready earlier than anticipated, Connor couldn’t wait to propose. He told Sofia to pack for a spontaneous trip to Savannah, hired a local photographer who they “stumbled upon” in Forsyth Park and started taking photos of them in front of the fountain—which is when Sofia started putting two and two together. When Connor got down on one knee, she didn’t say “yes” right away—she said “thank you.” Which Connor thought was the sweetest response.
The morning after their engagement, Sofia went to the hotel lobby for coffee and made the first move in planning their fairytale wedding—emailing the venue she already had in mind to see about their availability.
Sofia had a few ideas about the wedding before the proposal, and one of them was that it would be at Pippin Hill Farm & Vineyards in Virginia, where Connor’s family calls home. Though the couple lives in Florida (where Sofia grew up), she never saw herself as a beachy, tropical bride. But she did see the wedding being outside. They secured the August 2021 wedding date they wanted, and things started to fall into place.
“Getting to show Sofia’s family around my home state was such a fun experience. It was the perfect way to join our families together, and downtown Charlottesville was a fun spot for our guests to explore over the weekend.” —Connor, groom
“When we were visiting venues, I remember standing in the exact spot where Connor and I would later get married. It took my breath away. At that point, my mentality became, ‘If all we have is this venue and each other, it will be the perfect wedding.’ And it was, but with so much icing on the cake.” —Sofia, bride
The next move was finding someone to plan and design the big day. Even though Sofia had an idea for how the wedding would look and feel, she needed someone to make it all happen. Enter Amore Events Co., who took Sofia’s vision for a ‘cottagecore’ style wedding (where she could be barefoot and surrounded by moss), and melded it seamlessly with the natural landscape and offerings of Pippin Hill.
“It is important to us to select a vendor team that is unique to our couples. Of course, we love to work with creatives that are close to us and whose work we absolutely love, but curating a team that best represents our couple comes from due diligence. We carefully look at style, personality, and overall demeanor to pair our couples with a team that truly understands the overall vision. Not only from the beauty of the event but most importantly how the guests are experiencing the evening.” —Bri Sumey, planner/designer
“We wanted to focus on how the day felt for us and our guests. Throughout the planning process, Sofia and I kept looking for ways to personalize the day. Together we came up with prompts for our guest book so our friends and family could share their thoughts and memories with us. We celebrated a birthday and a family friend's anniversary while cutting our cake. Sofia even took her shoes off at the top of the aisle in order to be as present as possible during the ceremony. In addition to aesthetics, we wanted our wedding to have a warm and welcoming feel.” —Connor, groom
Sofia had done some preliminary research when it came to the next two decisions—their photographer and florist—and once discussions were underway with the planning and design team, personalized suggestions for both vendors were made.
First up was the wedding photographer: Ironically, Shannon Moffit of Shannon Moffit Photography and Sofia grew up near each other in Florida, which was something they instantly bonded over.
“I photograph a few weddings at Pippin Hill every year and my favorite part about working there is the mountain view! Pippin Hill has one of the best displays of the Virginia seasons and boasts one of the widest views of the Blue Ridge Mountains––it is a photographer's dream that never gets old. In the summer, the view is full of lush green trees and golden light, which you see in Sofia and Connor's photos. They were very clear about natural photos, so I kept background colors neutral and poses candid. I was excited that they wanted photos in the wildflower garden out back. Sofia was ready to throw off her shoes and walk down the overgrown path. It was magical!” —Shannon Moffit, photographer
And knowing floral design was going to be a big part of the celebration, Mallory Joyce Design was proposed. Once Sofia saw her portfolio, she knew Mallory could create exactly what she and Connor were after.
“As soon as I saw Mallory Joyce's work, I knew she would create exactly what we were looking for. Between the wild mushrooms, preserved butterflies, and my bouquet of cosmos, our vision came to life.” —Sofia, bride
“Sofia wanted something very unique but also something she could look back on and have a genuine connection to. The floral design totally evolved. Between us coming up with wild ideas and Mallory hyper-focused on the ‘live’ elements, we were able to create such a bespoke design that absolutely was a reflection of Sofia and her spirit.” —Kara Stutzman, planner/designer
The next big element to sort out was the wedding cake. Since the bride has formal training in all things pastry, choosing the right cake bakery was more than a formality. Maliha Creations understood the importance of the cake as well as what Sofia imagined for it.
“I went to culinary school with a focus in baking and pastry, so I've made a few modern wedding cakes during my time as a baker. It was very important to me to have a cake that was both delicious and skillfully made without the use of fondant. Old-school piped wedding cakes check off both boxes for me. The retro look of our cake felt very familiar, like something you'd see in our grandparents' wedding photos. It added an element of timelessness that I adore.” —Sofia, bride
Preferring a DJ over a band so that their favorite songs could be played in their original form, the couple tackled music next. DJ Tobler provided the ceremony soundtrack, which included lesser-known songs, like “Gabriel’s Oboe” by Ennio Morricone, Yo-Yo Ma, and Roma Sifonietta for the bridal processional. He also spun throughout the reception, with the newlyweds dancing to Doris Troy’s “Just One Look” in the grass right as the sun set.
While Sofia opted to do her own makeup so that she felt like herself in the most authentic way possible, Avenue 42 styled her hair as well as provided hair and makeup services for the bridal party.
Blue Ridge Event Production lit the indoor reception space used for dinner and dancing the night away.
Sofia and Connor weren’t certain they wanted to hire a videographer at first. But after their planning team explained some of the benefits, they were eager to move find the right match. Amore Events Co. proposed Iron & Ivy Films to meet the couple’s desire for a film with a feminine touch, and ability to capture the whimsy of the celebration.
While the menu took shape with the venue’s in-house catering team, the tabletop pieces were selected for a dinner that was not only delicious, but enjoyed in the most beautiful and curated manner. Wooden chargers were chosen from Emerson James to celebrate the cottagecore aspect of the day. Velvet napkins in fern green and simple white dinner plates from MS Events provided an assortment of textures and tones on the tables. Overall, it was light and contemporary with a focus on the floral centerpieces.
Stationery was also important to the bride, who had a clear vision for how the tone of the wedding should be set. Sugared Fig Paperie was enlisted to create the invitation suite. The design elevated the theme in a whimsical and romantic way, with handmade paper, gold foil accents, and an envelope liner that hinted at the stunning scenery to come.
For the day-of paper goods, Shine Wedding Invitations stepped in, creating simple and elegant tented escort cards that were part of one of several focal points of the reception: the seating display. A table was lined entirely in moss with live mushrooms, fresh herbs, and preserved butterflies nestled between a variety of wood and silver trays with guests’ assignments arranged for viewing.
