Melissa & Ryan Lilley's Wedding

Bride Q&A- Melissa Green-Lilley

Saturday, August 4, 2012

Reception at The Lodge

How did you meet your husband?

Ryan and I met when I was a junior in high school at my first job.  We both worked at Tropical Smoothie during high school.  I moved on to a different job and Ryan began college.  We met back up a year later and began dating.  Ryan went to school at JMU and I went to Virginia Tech.  We dated throughout college and got engaged after I graduated with my master’s degree.

How did you choose your wedding date?

I am a teacher, so the summer was always a great fit for us to have our wedding followed by a honeymoon.  The month of August just fit, and August 4^th sounded perfect.

What was the one thing about Stevenson Ridge that made you know it was the one?

I loved the garden and rustic look and hadn’t quite found a place that met those needs along with a venue that could comfortably fit over 100 guests.  When we walked into the lodge and saw the extremely high ceilings with the wooden beams throughout we just knew it was the most beautiful venue to have our wedding reception. 

What was your overall wedding theme?

Our overall wedding theme was a mix of a rustic, garden, and vintage feel.

Which detail from your wedding was your favorite?

My favorite detail from our wedding was the groomsmen suits.  I absolutely LOVED how well the colors ended up looking together. All of the groomsmen looked extremely handsome!

Give us your favorite moment of that day.

My favorite memory of the day was when we first arrived at Stevenson Ridge.  The limo driver stopped at the end of the long driveway leading to the property to give us the chance to take a picture that I really wanted.  The guests began arriving for cocktail hour at that time and began to honk their horns in the excitement of seeing us.  Following that picture we went to the basement of the lodge to “chill out” for a minute and have some appetizers and drinks.  Caroline Catering did a wonderful job bringing us wonderful snacks and drinks while we were taking pictures.  This was the perfect time for us to relax and enjoy the moment with our wedding party (our best friends).

Advice for any brides-to-be.

My advice for any brides-to-be is to soak up every moment of the day.  The day goes by so fast and it is so wonderful to see all of the small details you planned all put together.  Soak in the smallest moments as well. The time you have with your groom when you are taking pictures just the two of you, or the intimate time you have with your bridal party is extremely special and wonderful.  Stay calm and just enjoy every moment!

Caterer: Caroline Street Catering I Florist: Jane Guerin Flowers I Photographer: Reed Photography I Coordinator: Elizabeth Timms, Stevenson Ridge I DJ: Richard Green Entertainment I Cake: The Icing