A DIY Mountaintop Wedding at the Blue Ridge Mountains in Galax, Virginia

Brittany Dixon (22, medical student) and Nelson Jones (21, fitness consultant) met at the Waffle House during their first semester in college. The fact that Brittany had a boyfriend at the time did not deter Nelson from flirting with her. Brittany broke up with her boyfriend and dated Nelson throughout college. The couple had kept a notebook in which they documented their relationship. Brittany had lost the notebook a few months back, and was devastated by the loss. On a trip to Charleston, Nelson surprised Brittany with a new notebook, but on closer inspection she discovered it was the same one. She opened the notebook to find a sticky note that read “Will you marry me?” After Brittany said yes, they locked a padlock with their initials on it to the fence behind the bench where he proposed and threw the keys in the ocean. Brittany and Nelson decided to marry in Brittany’s hometown of Galax, Virginia. They held the ceremony outdoors on family land with views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Brittany’s father and brothers constructed a wooden entrance for the outdoor ceremony, and the wooden benches that were the ceremony pews were decorated with white and yellow flower arrangements of anemones, daisies and wildflowers in mason jars. Brittany wore a lace Tara Keely halter wedding dress with a charcoal gray satin belt and a pearl embellished headband she made herself. Nelson paired a leather tuxedo jacket from Diesel with slacks. The reception was held at a loft in the town of Galax that her family had renovated. It was decorated with mason jars filled with candles everywhere as well as small wildflower floral arrangements in silver bottles. Instead of a wedding cake, the couple cut sushi, and for dessert all of Brittany and Nelson’s family and friends brought homemade treats. This completely DIY mountaintop wedding was cozy and beautiful.