1. Real Weddings

A Classic, Romantic Wedding at Veritas Vineyards in Charlottesville, Virginia

Crystal Leveillee (32 and a learning development manager) and Taylor Cornwall’s (32 and a consultant) wedding was the picture of timeless romance. The

Crystal Leveillee (32 and a learning development manager) and Taylor Cornwall’s (32 and a consultant) wedding was the picture of timeless romance. The pair headed to the Veritas Vineyards in Charlottesville, Va. to celebrate their nuptials with their closest family members and friends, while taking in the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains. “Taylor grew up in Roanoke, Va. and has a large family, so we wanted to get married nearby so that everyone would be able to come celebrate with us,” says Crystal. “We both love the Blue Ridge Mountain area and wine, so choosing a beautiful vineyard setting was perfect for us.”

The day started with an intimate ceremony overlooking the mountains. Crystal and Taylor exchanged vows under a custom birch wedding arch draped in airy white fabric and a lush peony garland that lent an air of ethereal, romantic feel to the already striking scenery. The pair made a point of including family members in the ceremony for added sentiment and personalized flair; Crystal’s grandmother and Taylor’s aunt did the readings and their cousins performed all of the music on violin and flute.

The newlyweds then invited their guests indoors for the reception in the Veritas Vineyards tasting room. Crisp white linens, gilded chargers and arrangements of garden roses, hydrangeas, lilacs and tulips in soft shades of pink and ivory achieved the timeless vibe the couple was after, while brass candelabras exuded romance and old world elegance. As a nod to their vineyard venue, Crystal and Taylor presented their escort cards atop a wine barrel table and draped their display with vines of fresh purple grapes. In lieu of table numbers, the couple named each table after places they had traveled to together, including Paris, where Taylor proposed.

There was plenty of fun to be had throughout the evening, from the lively dance floor to couple’s selfie station and delicious hot cider donuts from Carpe Donut. “A favorite memory of mine is when Taylor hopped out of our getaway car and went back inside to get me more donuts after the wedding,” says Crystal. “I remember eating donuts with my Dad on Saturday mornings when I was growing up, so this was special!” A tip for the taking from Crystal: “Enjoy the day because it goes by so quickly. It really was the happiest day of our lives.”

Chips and Salsa Designs perfectly captured the essence of Crystal and Taylors classic, timeless theme with a formal invitation sweet bearing whimsical-yet-sophisticated script, pale blush paper and floral accents.
When Crystal learned that Vera Wang’s Hannah ball gown was inspired by the Paris Opera and Degas’s ballerina dancer, she knew it was the one. Taylor proposed during a trip to Paris and the gown’s feminine elegance and romantic floral lace fit perfectly with the couple’s vision for a classic, timeless affair.
With the beautiful natural landscape and Blue Ridge Mountains forming a breathtaking backdrop for the ceremony, Crystal and Taylor decided to keep the decor to a minimum. The one standout detail they did include was a custom birch wedding arch, which Southern Blooms draped in panels of airy white fabric and a garland of curly willow, eucalyptus, garden roses, peonies and more.
Before heading to the ceremony, Crystal and Taylor exchanged letters, in which they expressed their own personal vows for one another. The pair included their family members as much as possible to make the proceedings feel even more meaningful and personalized. Crystal’s grandmother and Taylor’s aunt did all of the readings, and their cousins performed the music from the processional straight through to the recessional.
Crystal and Taylor’s wedding cake was a classic three-tiered confection with a delicious seasonal twist. Beneath layers of vanilla buttercream frosting lay fresh strawberries, lemon curd and airy vanilla cake. Taylor’s grandmother gifted the pair a Waterford Crystal cake cutting set that had been passed down through their family for generations to make the cake cutting tradition even more memorable.
Drawing on the wedding's classic vibe for inspiration, Crystal selected a long formal gown in a soft shade of dusty purple for all of her bridesmaids. The J.Crew dresses featured subtle gathered detailing across the bodice and an elegant v-shaped neckline.
As a nod to their vineyard venue, Crystal and Taylor presented their escort cards atop a wine barrel table and draped their display with vines of fresh purple grapes. The pair also displayed their table names — places that they had lived in and traveled to together — atop wine bottles.
A subtle touch that set the head table apart from the rest was Crystal and Taylor's choice in dinnerware. While gilded chargers were found on all of the tables, they were topped by decorative pink and gold plates, as opposed to the classic white china used throughout the rest of the reception.
“I chose flowers that would look soft and romantic,” says Crystal, “and I wanted mostly peonies and English garden roses. I loved that peonies were in season in May, so it was perfect timing for a Springtime wedding.” Southern Blooms delivered, creating beautiful, full arrangements of roses, tulips, lilacs, peonies and hydrangeas in ivory and pale pink.
Crystal and Taylor knew they wanted to incorporate some of their favorite places they had lived in or traveled to together into the decor. They ditched the idea of traditional table numbers and named each table after a signification location instead. “The head table was Paris, where we got engaged, and we framed a hand-painted watercolor of the Eiffel tower for it,” says Crystal.
Brass candelabras bearing brightly lit white taper candles added and air of old world elegance and drama to the reception tablescapes.
Crystal and Taylor kicked off the evening’s festivities with a first dance to “How Long Will I Love You” from the film "About Time." “I love the words to this song and it was a lot of fun to dance to,” says Crystal.
Crystal and Taylor tapped into their love of photography to come up with a fun alternative to the traditional guest book. They used a vintage armoire as a selfie station where gusts could strike a pose with playful props and take their photo using a polaroid camera.
Crystal’s bouquet was the picture of romance, overflowing with garden roses, peonies, dahlias, astilbes and liliacs in soft shades of ivory, pink and blush.