Our Wedding Blog

Keswick 10/7/18 Keswick 10/7/18

An Explosive Love | Phelicia & Dan

With being in the wedding industry, we hear of many different types of weddings, such as, shotgun weddings. Have you ever heard of a cannonball wedding, though? Phelicia and Dan, who got married at Keswick Vineyards on Sunday, October 7, 2018, put on quite the show for their guests. Both Phelicia and Dan are Civil War reenactors and decided to incorporate that into their wedding by having a canon go off when they kissed and then again when they lit it together as husband and wife. Even their cake was decorated with two figurines of them lighting a canon. The little touches that couples incorporate into their weddings always make a huge difference.

Another aspect of the wedding that we particularly loved was the welcome board, made of wine corks and sunflowers (their signature flower) and pictures of the entire wedding party. It had a picture of either Phelicia or Dan with their friend in the wedding party, as well as, a label that stated how long they had known that friend for. This is a great way for guests to know more about each individual in the wedding party and their special connection to the bride & groom.

With weddings also comes alcohol. For those that had a little too much to drink, Phelicia and Dan had “hangover recovery kit” mason jars filled with whatever someone needs to combat a day of headaches and sickness. It was a fun idea, but we hope that not too many of their guests really needed it!

Congratulations to you two, Phelicia and Dan. We hope that your “explosive love” never ends!

Thank you to the following vendors for all of their hard work:

Event Planner: Francesca Weiner, Officiant: John Yesko, Caterer: Goodrich Gourmet, Desserts: Delectable Desserts, DJ: Bob Mednikov, Photographer: Melissa Batman, Hair & Makeup: Jeanne Cusick, Florist: Colonial Florist, Transportation: Blue Ridge Tours, Camryn Limousine, and Albemarle Limousine, Lighting: Skyline Tent Company.

Keswick 10/6/18 Keswick 10/6/18

"Falling for Alexis and Geoff" | Alexis & Geoff

With great big open arms, Keswick Vineyards welcomed the fall season with the marriage of Alexis and Geoff on Saturday, October 6th, 2018. With the cooler air and crispness of fallen leaves, mixed with the burgundy, gold, and navy colors, it was a beautiful way to start our fall wedding season. We could not be more excited to have Alexis and Geoff’s wedding kick off our fall season!

What is fall without sports? Alexis and Geoff are HUGE Capitals fans and they decided to surprise each other with Capitals memorabilia. We love when couples gift each other something, along with a letter that shows their affection for one another. Geoff’s gift to Alexis was a Capitals jersey, which is so different than the typical jewelry that brides receive from their groom. We absolutely loved it! As for Geoff, Alexis surprised him with a Capitals cake that was placed amongst the rest of their scrumptious desserts. I don’t think that we have ever had such big Capitals fans at Keswick Vineyards!

Another unique item that we loved was the guest sign-in book that had a “G” for their last name. The wood matched perfectly with the fall theme that the wedding possessed. What’s more special than placing this in your house after your wedding for years to come?

A huge hit that we’ve seen this year is the large head table for either the wedding party or the family of the bride and groom. While every head table’s decorations are unique (this one had burgundy drapery that ran down the middle of the table with pillar candles of various sizes), it’s a great way to add a little more decoration to the tent and place the spotlight on the most important people of the wedding. With the dance floor placed directly in the middle of the tent, it’s perfect to have the head table at the top of it so that the Bride and Groom can partake in the fun of the night and have the best seat in the house!

Congratulations, Alexis and Geoff! We hope that you enjoy your lives together just as you enjoyed your wedding!

Thank you to the following vendors for all of their hard work:

Event Planner: Tess Lohr, Officiant: Doug Tanner, Caterer: Goodrich Gourmet, Desserts: Duck Donuts, Wegmans, and Commonwealth Cake Company, DJ: Greg Tutwiler, Photographer: Heather Dodge, Videographer: Pretty Elektrik, Photobooth: Lisa Killham, Hair and Makeup: Ahead of Hair, Florist: Foxtail Cottage, Transportation: Camryn Limousine, Rentals: Bride and Joy and MS Events, Lighting: Skyline Tent Company.

Keswick 9/29/18 Keswick 9/29/18

Meant to Be! | Jasmine & Justin

Jasmine and Justin were one of our couples that knew right away that Keswick Vineyards was the venue for them as soon as they got engaged. Keswick Vineyards was their dream wedding venue, so they were determined to do whatever they could to have their wedding here. They drove all the way from Virginia Beach after a long day of work, and, once seeing Keswick Vineyards, they decided to book on the spot. After this moment, we couldn’t wait to see what other surprises Jasmine and Justin had in store for us!

In the wedding industry, you see so many new ideas and traditions that you’ve never even seen or heard of before. From the burying of the bourbon (which Jasmine and Justin did to stray away rain), to the blending of the sand—you really see everything! The most meaningful and touching ideas that we see incorporated in weddings, though, are ones that have been passed down for generations. Jasmine and Justin’s wedding on September 29, 2018 was one where we adored all the traditions and rituals, particularly during the ceremony.

A fun idea that we’ve seen at previous weddings is the “blending of the wine” during the ceremony. With getting married at a vineyard, couples have to incorporate some part of the “vineyard” feel to their wedding! Jasmine and Justin used our award-winning wine—one red and one white— and poured each of their glasses into one singular glass of wine, creating a “blush” color that they both drank out of. The blending of the wine demonstrated their lives and their families that were now “one,” opposed to being two separate entities.

A new tradition that we saw for Jasmine and Justin’s wedding was the “jumping of the broom.” The “jumping of the broom” is an African-American heritage, which symbolizes the joining of two families, as well as, respect for those that came before them and “paved the way” for future couples getting married. During the tradition, Jasmine’s mother, Theresa, swept circles around the couple and then placed the broom directly in front of them. After Jasmine and Justin were pronounced husband and wife, everyone chanted “one, two three,” and they jumped over the broom. We thought that it was such a fun tradition that was so meaningful to the couple and was also a fun experience for everyone to watch. As Jasmine and Justin walked down the aisle, everyone threw lavender for the joyous celebration!

The remainder of the evening was spent with guests mingling in Jasmine and Justin’s Parisian-themed reception. Guests were able to watch Alee paint the reception, and enjoy macaroons and delicious French food, provided by L’etoile (“the star” in French). Guests were also able to view Jasmine and Justin’s engagement photos that were taken at the Eiffel Tower in Paris, where Jasmine wore her Louboutin’s (honestly, how French can you get?!). We loved the feel of a romantic evening in Paris that guests were able to enjoy. The entire evening was “tres magnifique!”

Felicitations, Jasmine and Justin! We hope that you enjoyed every part of your “dream wedding” at Keswick Vineyards!

Thank you to the following vendors for all of their hard work:

Event Planner: Keswick Vineyards, Caterer: L’etoile, Photographer: Sarah Goodwin, DJ: Craig Mangrum, Officiant: Julie Trump, Desserts: Hummingbird Macaroons, Musicians: Meladicious String Quartet, Hair and Makeup: Brittney Brown and Bella Donna, Florist: Designs by TAB, Rentals: MS Events, Lighting: Skyline Tent Company, Painter: Art by Alee.

Keswick 9/28/18 Keswick 9/28/18

Blue Skies & Pink Peonies | Jeannette & Matthew

In closing out the month of September, we had perfect weather at Keswick Vineyards for Jeannette and Matthew’s wedding on the 28th. The skies were blue with few clouds, and the temperature outside was absolutely perfect! With that being said, it was also fairly sunny outside so Jeannette and Matthew decided on a shaded area for their guests to be comfortable during their ceremony.

At Keswick Vineyards, couples have a variety of ceremony locations to choose from. Whether it be under our 300-year-old oak tree, in front of our elaborate fountain, or even in the simplicity of the vineyard, couples have more than one option for their outdoor ceremony. Jeannette and Matthew primarily decided that they wanted to have their ceremony looking out towards the vineyard but also had a “plan B” in case it was too bright outside. They decided the day of their wedding that it would be most ideal for guests to be in the shade to enjoy the matrimony of the two. Not only were guests able to enjoy our iconic fountain and Blue Ridge mountains, but everyone was completely comfortable. Everyone really had the best of both worlds!

Another aspect that we loved, particularly for Jeannette and Matthew’s wedding, were their centerpieces. Jeannette’s sister actually made all of the centerpieces out of eucalyptus, daisies, roses, baby’s breath, and blush peonies, which matched Jeannette’s blush dress. We loved the simplicity of the arrangements and how they were elegant, yet Jeannette and Matthew didn’t have to spend a fortune on their florals. Everything was absolutely perfect for the couple’s wedding day!

Congratulations, Jeannette and Matthew! We hope that the rest of your lives together is as perfect as your wedding day was!

Thank you to the following vendors for all of their hard work:

Event Planner: Keswick Vineyards, Caterer: L’etoile Catering, Photographer: Photography by V, Officiant: Preston Gisch, DJ: Derek Tobler, Hair and Makeup Artist: Yolonda Jones and Rosa Alicia, Transportation: A & A, Lighting: Skyline Tent Company, Rentals: MS Events.