Ali & Tyler Shearer’s Wedding

March 18, 2012—It was a cloudy Sunday morning but that did not keep the smiles off of the wedding party’s faces as they arrived at the Lodge. Ali and her bridesmaids got ready in the bridal suite as Tyler and his groomsmen waited patiently at the Riddick house. The ceremony at the Lodge was decorated with lots of green, pink and white flowers. The first few aisles had little piles of flower petals.

Once everyone took their seat; the bridal party got ready to walk down the aisle. While Ali waited for her turn, she and her father shared a very beautiful moment together. Ali’s dress embodied her theme--old-fashion and classic. It was covered in lace with small embellishments throughout the dress.

The ceremony began and there was not a dry eye in sight. They shared some laughs as the Officiant shared stories of love and God. After exchanging vows, Ali and Tyler took their first communion together.  Then they were pronounced husband and wife; everyone could see the excitement in both Ali’s and Tyler’s faces.

The reception was decorated with more earthy green, pink and white flowers. The tables had small mason jars with votive candles to complement the intimate and warm feeling of the wedding. The cocktail hour was simple but sweet as they served beverages and peanut brittle.  After announcing the bridal party, it was time to eat. Keeping it simple but delicious, the menu consisted of tea sandwiches, veggie rolls, pasta salad, crudités and fruit spread.

After eating, the newlywed couple shared their first dance as well as dances with their parents. Afterwards, Ali and Tyler cut their strawberry shortcake cake. Single girls gathered as Ali threw her bouquet. Then Tyler had fun with a non-traditional alternative to the garter toss, where the single men popped balloons to find the one with the handkerchief.

Once the festivities were done, it was time to send Ali and Tyler off to their new life as a married couple. As favors, the couple gave guests Ranunculus Tecelote bulbs and baby Virginia Pine cones. The couple stayed at the Riddick House for a mini honeymoon before heading out for a three month hiatus in the mountains of California. Congrats Ali & Tyler!

Written by: Elizabeth Timms

Assistant Events Coordinator

Photos for this blog were taken by Stevenson Ridge

Caterer: Caroline Street Catering I Florist: Petals & Stems I Photographer: Beth Harris Photography I Videographer: C Young Works I Coordinator: Amanda Fogelman I Music: Zach and Beth Farrow (instruments) and David Hislop (sound) I Cake: Edna Guajardo I Officiant: Elbert Paul

Creating the right mood at your Wedding Reception

Picking the right DJ can be hard as each individual Master of Ceremonies is unique and different in their own way. It is important to have their personality match yours and the overall wedding! Don’t rush this process and choose who you believe would make your wedding magical.

DJ Brad Trigger has some key advice when looking for the perfect DJ.

1. Look for the experience. An experienced DJ has lived through various scenarios and is prepared for the unexpected.

2. DO NOT be afraid to ask for and check references. A good DJ will have several available and would be happy to share them.

3. Does the DJ LOVE weddings and take personally, the quality of service they provide? A good DJ wants to please the customer and does everything within their power to ensure the bride’s and groom’s event is the best it can be.

4. Has the DJ played at the venue before? Ask those at the venue if they know the DJ you’re thinking about hiring.

5. Shy away from ego maniacs. There are some DJs who let their ego drive their actions, without any consideration for their clients.

6. A good-experience and professional DJ will meet with the bride and groom beforehand, to get to know them and take notes about their vision of the perfect reception. The DJ should listen, take notes and help form an itinerary.

Along with finding the perfect DJ, it is also important when choosing the first dance. DJ Eric Herod believes when choosing the first dance, it should either be in line with your story or be a song that evokes memories. Every song you chose for this important event within the reception must have emotion and connection involved.

According to DJ Eric Herod here are the top songs he plays at weddings.

Most requested dance song: Black Eyed Peas "I Gotta Feeling"

First Dance Song: Brad Paisley "Then"

Father/Daughter Dance: Heartland "I Loved Her First"

Mother/Son Dance: Rascal Flatts "My Wish"

Bouquet Toss: Beyonce "Single Ladies"

Garter Toss: Queen "Another One Bites the Dust"

Cake Cutting: Archies "Sugar, Sugar"

Introductions: Black Eyed Peas "I Gotta Feeling"

So grab your iPod, Google, or YouTube to help you find songs that will create the perfect atmosphere during your wedding. Use the advice of venues and other references for hiring the right DJ. And remember, this is your special day so make sure your DJ has your best interests in mind and knows how to party!

Written by: Elizabeth Timms

Assistant Events Coordinator

Gigi & Will Hill’s Wedding

February 25, 2012—It was a beautiful day as the rain from the previous night had vanished. The sun beamed down on Stevenson Ridge as Gigi and Will prepared for their wedding day. Gigi and Will had their First Look before the ceremony and took many gorgeous photographs around the property.

Later as time drew closer to the start of the wedding ceremony guest started to arrive. Instead of a traditional guestbook, Gigi and Will had a wishing tree where guests could write their wishes for the newlyweds and place it on the branches. Not far from the wishing tree were framed letters from President Obama and former President Bush wishing them both a happy life.

This wedding was very family oriented. The couple made sure to incorporate past generations wedding photos and charms on Gigi’s bouquet of family members who have passed. The ceremony was very touching as they continued to incorporate their family members as they exchanged personal vows to Will’s daughter.

The color scheme for Gigi’s wedding were sangria, watermelon and teal to give the vibe of elegant but fun. The centerpieces for this wedding were simple but perfect as they added tulips, dendrobium orchids and callas in a square vase with some river rocks and water. Each table was named after a tree thus giving each table its own individual personality. The couple sat at a sweetheart table designated for him and her. Along with delicious food and good music, Gigi and Will had a Lemonade table with cotton candy.

The party continued on throughout the night with toasts, cake cutting, bouquet toss, garter toss and some great dance moves. They ended the night with a fun purple and pink candy bar and sparklers lit the way as the bride and groom walked out as husband and wife. The newlyweds left in limousine as they started their new lives as a family. Congrats, Will & Gigi!

Written by: Elizabeth Timms

Assistant Events Coordinator

Photos for this blog were taken by Stevenson Ridge

Caterer: Caroline Street Catering I Florist: Anytime Flowers I Photographer: Hartwood Photography I Videographer: Casey Lynch I Coordinator: Jennifer LaRock, Stevenson Ridge I DJ: DJ Epidemic I Cake: Sweet Reasons I Hair: Chris Hlusko I Makeup: Go Go Gorgeous I Officiant: Don Taylor

Film Festival comes to Fredericksburg

Friends of the Rappahannock is bringing the Wild & Scenic Environmental Film Festival to Fredericksburg.  March 10 the annual SYRCL (South Yuba River Citizen’s League) festival will feature films about conservation, nature, environmental justice, wildlife, indigenous cultures and more.  Doors will open at 8:30pm and shows start at 9:30 at the Village 12 Theater behind the Spotsylvania Towne Centre.  As a Virginia Green establishment, we recognize the importance of minimizing our carbon footprint and look forward to this event.  For more information or to purchase tickets, click here.