A Romantic Fairy-Tale-Inspired Wedding at Dover Hall Estate in Manakin Sabot, Virginia

It was love at first sight when Kendall Serpe (25 and a second-grade teacher) and Michael Twining (25 and a consultant) saw their wedding venue Dover Hall, a swanky estate outside Richmond, Virginia. “When I laid eyes on Dover Hall, I knew right away,” Kendall says. “It has a castle, fairy-tale feel to it that fit perfectly with the idea I had in my head for our wedding day.” For their black-tie affair, the regal mansion was adorned with romantic candles, glitzy metallic decor and lavish floral arrangements—along with a chic palette of champagne, pink and gold. “We were definitely going for a romantic fairy-tale wedding,” Kendall says. “It didn’t start that way, but when you take Dover Hall and my ball gown dress, it kind of just happened. Dover Hall has an incredible grand ballroom and staircase that was designed after the ballroom in ‘Beauty and the Beast.’ ” Kendall and Michael exchanged vows at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, which was decorated simply so as not to detract from the grandeur of its architecture. “We went simple at the church, since we had the beautiful flowers carried by the large wedding party,” Kendall says. “It was an incredibly beautiful church, and we loved their mission and sanctuary.” After the ceremony, guests enjoyed cocktail hour on Dover Hall’s balcony with signature drinks, like a Kentucky Mule and a Dirty Shirley. Dinner highlights included a tapas carving station and a mac-and-cheese bar. The party kicked off with a family dance that included Kendall’s and Michael’s siblings, to Mark Ronson's “Uptown Funk.” “The entire wedding party surprised us and jumped in halfway through the dance, having been coached by my brother to learn the dance moves ahead of time,” Kendall says. —Marissa Hermanson