A Romantic Backyard Wedding at a Private Residence in Goochland, Virginia

Ashley (26 and a nurse) and Jared (27 and an order filler) met at a local gym where Ashley had just started working. They maintained a close friendship for two years before Jared decided to ask for her phone number. When it came time to propose, Jared helped cook dinner and simply told Ashely how much he loved her and her son, Landon, and wanted to to be a part of his life. Then, the very charming Landon walked in with the ring--an heirloom that once belonged to Jared's grandmother. When their first venue didn't pan out, Landon and Ashley decided to have an intimate outdoor wedding at Jared's parents's house in Goochland, Virginia. A close friend of the bride happened to work at a bridal shop and found the perfect strapless, mermaid-fit wedding dress that she knew Ashley would fall in love with. For the wedding theme, Ashley decided on rustic lovebirds with handmade birdcage centerpieces and themed invitations. She also made all of the bouquets herself, hand-painting the blooms blue, including the calla lily aisle arrangements in memory of Jared's grandmothers. Instead of a having a formal cocktail hour, Ashley and Jared filled canoes with ice and assorted beverages for guests to help themselves. After a buffet dinner, they cut into a three-tier wedding cake with three different flavors: strawbery shortcake, raspberry chocolate mousse, and chocolate nutella mousse. The day had its share of unpredictable mishaps--the minister pronounced their names wrong (twice!) and a bee stung the bride as she walked down the aisle--but Ashley says, "You have to have a sense of humor and realize unexpected things will happen. All you can do is laugh it off and enjoy your day!"