A DIY Southern Style Wedding at the Manor House in Richmond, Virginia

Heather Matsey (25 and a marketing manager) and Mark Lewis (30 and a chef) met at a local bar called “Ipanema” in Richmond, Virginia. Mark was smiling from ear to ear, and by the time they finished their conversation, so was Heather. A month later, they ran into each other again at the same bar. Heather was embarrassed because she forgot Mark’s name when he remembered hers. When she found out that he was six years older than her, she cracked jokes about his age. On their first date, they went to see Paranormal Activity. A few days later, when Heather was sick, Mark offered to bring her butternut squash soup. Three years later, after a post-brunch stroll through the park with their yorkie, Mark proposed to Heather in front of the James River. The couple was married at the quaint, southern style Manor House at King’s Charter. The ceremony took place in the front garden of the historical house, under a large Osage Tree. The wedding took place in the spring so the flowers would be in full bloom. The theme of the wedding was “Love Birds,” inspired by the Robin Thicke song. “We focused on DIY decorations,” says Heather. “I wanted to cut costs as much as possible, so I collected a lot of items at thrift stores and handmade a lot of our decorations.” The color pallette incorporated tones of cream and coral with accents of gold and pale green. This coral DIY wedding had all the elements of Southern charm and hospitality.