MORGAN & TIMMIE'S VIRGINIA MOUNTAIN WEDDING

Photographer: Kenzi Flinchum

Wedding Date: September 18th 2020

Morgan wears our Cecile blouse

What was your wedding venue?
Our venue was Montfair Resort Farm in Crozet, VA. A resort campground, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. I've always had a dream of having a magical wedding in the woods and also a ceremony with mountains as a backdrop. Montfair had all of this, as well as the option to rent all of the cabins on the property. It was literally a dream come true. I also really wanted a bonfire during the reception and they offered that as well. The venue is so perfect for any couple who loves the outdoors/nature. Our ceremony was on a hillside with a breathtaking mountain view and then you walk down a little lantern lit path, through the woods, to an amazing site by a lake that's wooded and gorgeous. All of the cabins line the lake. It was so special coming a couple days before the wedding and relaxing in the setting and then also getting to watch the wedding get set up from the front porch of our cabin. 

Did you have a wedding theme/style? 
Woodland fairytale meets mountain wedding. 

How did you and your now Husband meet? 
Tim and I met at a dive bar in Wilmington, North Carolina while watching live music. He came up to me at the bar, where I was sitting and the rest is history :) 

What is your proposal story?
My favorite holiday is Halloween and we were both getting ready to go to a Halloween parade on Halloween night in 2019. As I was doing makeup for my costume, he just walked up behind me and said "I have one more thing for you to wear tonight" and I turned around and he was holding the ring. I was completely surprised and did not see it coming! 

How did you hear about Prea James Bridal?
A magical wedding dress angel, named Kelsey, at Lovely Bride, NYC. Kelsey actually picked it out for me to try on. It was nothing that I expected I'd wear and the first thing she brought to me! 

From where did you purchase your gown?
Lovely Bride, NYC. I had a couple terrible experiences at other shops in New York City (I didn't LOVE anything) but Lovely Bride truly made me feel so special that day, I'm forever grateful to that shop after I had spent the morning crying in other shops! True story: I am not a teeny girl but I'm only a size 8 and we had a shop tell us they don't carry dresses in my size! When we told that to Kelsey, our rep at Lovely Bride, she was appalled by that and then assured us that she had plenty of things for me. She brought me so many things by reading my style and knowing my body type. The Prea James Cecile Blouse was the first thing she brought me to try on!  

What do you love most about the blouse? 
What I love most about the Cecile blouse is that it is elegant and classic but modern and a little funky at the same time. I knew I didn't want a typical wedding dress. When I put on that top I felt all of the feelings a bride should have during try ons, I felt beautiful and powerful! 

Are there any special details about your wedding that you would like to share? 
It was really important to us to have a big outdoor party, we love the outdoors/nature and then of course throwing a party during Covid we were able to keep the celebration 100% outdoors (except to get food, in which masks were required). A fun tradition we did was "bury the bourbon" where we buried a bottle of bourbon exactly one month before our wedding day at your venue. That tradition if you don't know it, is said to ward off rain. Sure enough it was a 40% chance all week, it POURED the entire day before and our wedding day ended up being the most beautiful day a bride could ask for. I always recommend burying the bourbon now to friends who are engaged! 

Were there any details that you (and friends and family) made yourselves?
I had a zillion visions, and for the most part put them all together myself with the help of my family and my incredible wedding planner Melissa, from Knot Too Shabby Events. The main "visions" I had, were a wide assortment of as many lanterns as I could find hanging in all of the trees. I wanted a canoe full of ice and beers for our friends to grab, floating origami birds in the trees, a s'mores bar by the fire and a wall made of greenery that displayed our neon sign with our last name and also was a peg board that had hooks hanging our party favors (camping mugs with our wedding logo on them.) 

Finally, do you have any words of wisdom for couples planning their big day?
Definitely to hire a planner, even if you have all of the ideas yourself, having a professional help execute them makes a huge difference when trying to relax while it all comes together. 

It is OK to not do all the traditional things, it's your CELEBRATION of your marriage, just because the word wedding has a handful of traditions tacked onto it doesn't mean you have to do each one. Have too many best friends and/or sisters and staying up all night trying to choose bridesmaids? Don't have a bridal party! They all might actually thank you for not having to do all of the work and spend all the money that comes along with the role. Don't love cake? Don't do one! Donuts, Cookies and Ice Cream bars are just as popular at dessert time. Don't throw the bouquet, do a first look to calm nerves before walking down the aisle, keep your ceremony short and sweet. All I'm saying, is plan the day how you want to celebrate not how you think you should do it. 

Wedding Vendors

Photographer: Kenzi Flinchum

Videographer: Mod Motion Films

Hair & Makeup: Beauty by Krista Rose

Wedding Coordinator: Knot Too Shabby Events

Florist: Moon Dance Florals

Caterer: Lunch or Supper

Hre/Prop furnture hre: Bohemian Rugs from Amy Marie Events

Jewellery: (dainty rings, simple gold chain, wedding band and incredible earrings are all by my favourite jewellery designer I Like it Here Club

Any other vendors you would lke to credt: Cvillewonderment