1. Real Weddings

A Rustic-Chic Wedding at Castle Hill Cider in Keswick, Virginia

Katie Wilmes (31 and a park ranger) and Jarrod Thomas (30 and a lawyer) tied the knot in a beautiful outdoor ceremony at Castle Hill Cider in Keswick,

Katie Wilmes (31 and a park ranger) and Jarrod Thomas (30 and a lawyer) tied the knot in a beautiful outdoor ceremony at Castle Hill Cider in Keswick, Virginia. “Jarrod went to school at UVA, and Charlottesville has become one of our favorite locations to spend a weekend,” Katie says. “Jarrod proposed in Charlottesville, and we knew we wanted to stay in the area for our wedding.” Taking cues from the great outdoors and the South, the couple pulled off their alfresco celebration with rustic decor and lush greenery. “We went with greens for our main theme,” Katie says. The couple’s ceremony was officiated by Judge Cheryl V. Higgins of the Albemarle Circuit Court, whom Jarrod clerked for in law school. During the ceremony, scripture was read aloud and the local band Whiskey Rebellion added a bluegrass feel to the ceremony. Friends and family celebrated their union with a cocktail hour and lawn games, including bocce and cornhole. Guests sipped on cocktails like a bourbon-and-fig old-fashioned and snacked on burrata-and-gazpacho shooters. Dinner included a dual entree of beef tenderloin and Maryland crab cakes. They served red wine from Orin Swift, a boutique winery they had visited in Napa Valley, California, and white wine from some of their favorite Virginia wineries. The newlyweds had their first dance to "The Man in Me" by Bob Dylan. After an evening of dinner and dancing, they made their grand exit through a sparkler tunnel. —Marissa Hermanson

Floral arrangements of white blooms and lush greenery kept the couple’s summer wedding light and simply chic.
Katie and Jarrod tied the knot in Virginia’s wine country, since Jarrod went to school at the University of Virginia and popped the question in Charlottesville.
Guests kept cool during the outdoor summer ceremony with beautiful woven fans and refreshing beverages like cucumber lemonade and peach lavender agua fresca.
Classic ivory programs set the tone for the couple’s outdoor ceremony. “We wanted something simple in theme,” Katie says.
Bridesmaids donned J.Crew dresses in an array of styles and carried bouquets of white blooms and greenery.
The couple’s ceremony was officiated by Judge Cheryl V. Higgins of the Albemarle Circuit Court, whom Jarrod clerked for in law school. During the ceremony, scripture was read aloud and the local band Whiskey Rebellion added a bluegrass feel to the ceremony at Castle Hill Cider in Keswick, Virginia.
The newlyweds let nature shine by keeping decor to a minimum. The outdoor ceremony space at Castle Hill Cider in Keswick, Virginia, was simply decorated with beautiful floral arrangements and rustic chairs.
During cocktail hour, guests enjoyed cocktails like the Fresh Start (a lychee-cucumber vodka cocktail) and a bourbon-and-fig old-fashioned. Hors d’oeuvres included a burrata station and gazpacho shooters.
Escort cards were attached to vintage vases and bottles that were filled with miniature air plants. “These enhanced the tablescapes when guests arrived and also as favors for folks to take home,” Katie says.
Table signs incorporated the places where Katie and Jarrod went on dates together, from the Blue Ridge Parkway to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. “We had guests write messages directly on them and later framed them,” Katie says.
Along with a beautiful three-tier white wedding cake that was topped with blooms and greenery, the newlyweds had a dessert bar that included an array of pastries like spiced apple tart and candied ginger brownies. “Jarrod's favorite part was the bite-size ice cream cones that were passed around,” Katie says.
“Make sure the wedding is something you will enjoy and that you both want,” Katie says. “Focus on each other and on enjoying the day, and everything will come together just fine.”
After the ceremony, friends and family members celebrated with a cocktail hour and lawn games including bocce and cornhole.
Dinner and dancing was held in Castle Hill Cider’s rustic barn in Keswick, Virginia, and decor included wooden furniture, chandeliers, greenery runners, air plants and white blooms.