Love Bugs
FALL/WINTER 2018
FALL/WINTER 2018
volume 10, issue 2 published by New South Media, Inc. 709 Beechurst Ave., 14A, Morgantown, WV 26505 304.413.0104, mywvwedding.com
editor Nikki Bowman, nikki@newsouthmediainc.com art director Carla Witt Ford, carla@newsouthmediainc.com associate editors Zack Harold, zack@newsouthmediainc.com Pam Kasey, pam@newsouthmediainc.com operations manager Holly Thubron, holly@newsouthmediainc.com web and social media manager Eric Palfrey, social@newsouthmediainc.com contributor Demi Fuentes Ramirez interns Jess Walker, Josh Miller advertising and marketing director Heather Mills, heather@newsouthmediainc.com advertising Teresa Dye, teresa@newsouthmediainc.com
Bryson Taylor, bryson@newsouthmediainc.com back issues Back issues may be purchased at mywvwedding.com or by calling 304.413.0104. editorial inquiries Please send queries to wvweddings@newsouthmediainc.com.
WV Weddings is published by New South Media, Inc. subscription rate: $10 for 1 year, $18 for two years. Subscribe online at mywvwedding.com or call 304.413.0104.
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Š New South Media, Inc. Reproduction in part or whole is strictly prohibited without the express written permission of the publisher.
2 | WV WEDDINGS Fall/Winter 2018
EDITOR‘S LETTER
A Roman Holiday it is hard to surprise me. but on june 7, 2018, during a trip to Italy, Michael Mills did just that. We were at the Boboli Gardens at Palazzo Pitti overlooking one of the most beautiful cities in the world, Florence. It was a sweltering day, and we had hiked up the hillside with his mother and two daughters in tow, hoping for amazing views of the Duomo. We came to a clearing that had a fantastic view overlooking the city—and I, of course, was focused on trying to capture it with a picture—when Michael put his arm around me. Now mind you, it was 95 degrees. I was getting ready to pull away because I was hot and sticky and gross, when he said, “I thought this would be the perfect spot to ask you to marry me.” I think I just looked at him. It is a bit of a blur. I didn’t comprehend what was happening until he pulled out the most amazingly beautiful diamond ring I’d ever seen. I’m pretty sure I said yes, because I have that spectacular ring on my finger now. One of my girlfriends said, “You must have been surprised, because you would have worn something nicer and at least brushed your hair.” True. But I’ll take it. We celebrated our engagement with decadent gelato. So after writing about other couples’ engagement stories for more than 10 years, this is a first for me—writing my own. This is a second marriage for both of us, and we’ll do things differently this time around. I feel blessed to have been given a second chance at love with a man who has a gentle spirit, is supportive of my dreams and ambitions, holds me tight when I feel vulnerable, makes ordinary moments magical, doesn’t mind chauffeuring me all over the state, and never complains when I yell, “Pull over!” so I can take the thousandth photo of a sunset. I look forward to a our lifetime of adventures together! That’s amore!
nikki bowman, Editor Follow us on
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Let us hear from you. We want to know what you think about the magazine, and we’d love to hear your suggestions. Email: info@newsouthmediainc.com Call: 304.413.0104 Mail: 709 Beechurst Avenue, Suite 14A, Morgantown, WV 26505 4 | WV WEDDINGS Fall/Winter 2018
6 | WV WEDDINGS Fall/Winter 2018
CONTENTS 22 THE ART OF LOVE Art designers Kristina and Douglas enjoy a warm and relaxing fall wedding at J.Q. Dickinson Salt- Works in Malden.
34
28 A LASTING CONNECTION
28
An April Fools’ prank gone beautifully right helps a couple find their way back to each other.
41
34 A FAIRY TALE WEDDING
Two English majors bring their love of literature to life in this enchanting wedding.
41 LADY LUCK A chance meeting leads to two West Virginians’ chance of a lifetime 48 A WHITE WEDDING Dreams of a winter wedding come true in Huntington. 52 PURPLE REIGN A couple personalize their wedding in less than five months.
52 72
48 58
58 JOINING HANDS Tradition gets a modern twist in this colorful, exuberant wedding ceremony. 68 BETTER TOGETHER Two best friends celebrate their love, family, and faith in the state that brought them together. 72 THE UNION This West Virginian couple celebrates love, family, and friends at the beautiful Via Vecchia Winery in Columbus, Ohio.
68 22
cover photo Amy Bishoff & Cephas Evans were married in Charleston. Photo by Lauren Love Photography.
mywvwedding.com | 7
CONTENTS 11 WEDDING WOWS Our top cover contenders and details, ideas, and photos that inspired us.
75 WEDDING REGISTER
Couples tell their love stories in the pages of our wedding register. 170 ENGAGEMENT ANNOUNCEMENTS
These couples are preparing for their “I do’s.” 176 COUPLES REGISTER INDEX An alphabetized listing of our wedding couples.
170 75
11 176
8 | WV WEDDINGS Fall/Winter 2018
CONTRIBUTORS
KENDRA HARPER
Based out of Charleston, Kendra Harper loves exploring Appalachia and meeting new friends—her clients. Husband Dustin is her second shooter. Specializing in weddings, elopements, and intimate in-home photography, she is all about capturing the wildness of a couple’s love. Harper believes that love is an art, and all the messy little in-between moments of life should be celebrated. She wants couples to stumble across their photographs later in life and feel the mushy feelings from that moment. kendraharper.com
BRITTANY CUSTER
Brittany Custer is a West Virginia native living in Las Vegas. She attended Shepherd University and has degrees in art education and photography. Although she now works in luxury real estate, she still travels to West Virginia frequently to photograph weddings and visit her family. You can view more of her work on her Instagram @brittanycusterphoto.
10 | WV WEDDINGS Fall/Winter 2018
THE OBERPORTS
The Oberports—Emily and Bobby—are a married photography team based in Charleston. They specialize in weddings, elopements, and portrait sessions. Inspired by beautiful light, genuine emotions, and old films, their work highlights personal connections and the gorgeous scenery of West Virginia. After nearly a decade of wedding experience, their couples know them as easygoing, professional, and experienced storytellers. theoberports.com
JENNY REESE
Jenny Reese of Jenny Reese Photography is a lifestyle wedding photographer based in Charleston. Jenny was born and raised in Ukraine and lived in Tennessee before moving to West Virginia in 2015. After six years in business, Jenny has photographed hundreds of weddings in multiple states. She is very passionate about her work and strives to not only capture beautiful portraits of her clients, but also tell the story of their love in the most personal way. jennyreesephotography.com
NAOMI WOLFE
LAUREN LOVE
Naomi Wolfe is a natural light/lifestyle photographer, who was born and raised in Japan. She started taking pictures with her dad’s old film camera when she was 12 years old, and that’s when she fell in love with photography. Documenting love is the best part of her job. It warms her heart, and that shows in her pictures. You can find her work @ NaomiWolfePhotography on Facebook.
Lauren Love of Lauren Love Photography considers herself a creator, a keeper of memories, an interpreter of light, and an artist who documents her clients’ lives with a careful, aesthetic vision. She loves the details of life and being able to tell a story through still imagery. Everyone is unique in their style, personality, and story, and she strives to produce images that reflect that individuality. laurenlovephotography.com
Wedding Wows!
We share our favorites from this issue’s submissions—from the best bouquets to our favorite wedding cakes. WOW!
best DRESS Lindsey Lilly & Bradley Wright photographed by The Oberports
Top 10 Covers -
WEDDING WOWS
The staff of WV Weddings shares the beautiful photos we considered for this issue’s cover. Here are the winner and top runners-up.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Cover
FINALISTS
1. Amy Bishoff & Cephas Evans, photographed by Lauren Love Photography 2. Mary Hess & Patrick Hensley, photographed by Jenny Reese Photography 3. Courtney Shelton & Kyle Poling, photographed by Kelli Carrico Photography 4. Caitlin Spratt & Brooks Farmer, photographed by The Oberports 5. Shannon Case & Colin Perry, photographed by The Oberports 6. Courtney Shelton & Kyle Poling, photographed by Kelli Carrico Photography 7. Cassandra Walters & Brady Newhard, photographed by The Oberports 8. Lindsey Lilly & Bradley Wright, photographed by The Oberports 9. Kellly Campbell & Steven Peetz, photographed by Sky’s the Limit Photography 10. Kimberly Fairbrother & Kyle Terry, photographed by Jenny Reese Photography
9 12 | WV WEDDINGS Fall/Winter 2018
10
WEDDING WOWS
most unique ALTER Kristina Murrill & Douglas Hawley, photographed by Lauren Love Photography
best BOUT Michaela Miller & Peter Della, photographed by Kendra Harper
mywvwedding.com | 13
WEDDING WOWS
best BRIDAL
PARTY pic
Paula Scott & Ryan McClain, photographed by Kendra Harper
best attendant SHOT CLOCKWISE : Ellen Blaydes & John Taylor, photographed by April Singleton Photography; Tierni Bevino & Corey Clendenin, photographed by Alex Wright Photography; Hannah Burns & Christopher Dickson, photographed by Kendra Harper; Hanna Weaver & Timothy Turner, photographed by Brittany Custer Photography
14 | WV WEDDINGS Fall/Winter 2018
WEDDING WOWS
sweet CAKE shot Amelia Lloyd & Brandon Daniel, photographed by Burns Exposure Photography; Katie Wise & Andrew Pelfrey, photographed by The Oberports; Ellen Blaydes & John Taylor, photographed by April Singleton Photography
mywvwedding.com | 15
WEDDING WOWS
best wedding
BOUQUET
Hanna Weaver & Timothy Turner, photographed by Brittany Custer Photography; Kellly Campbell & Steven Peetz, photographed by Sky’s the Limit Photography
fave GUESTBOOK Leslie Garrett & Justin White, photographed by The Oberports
best DÉCOR Nesha Sanghavi & Sebastian Bloss, photographed by Jenny Reese Photography
16 | WV WEDDINGS Fall/Winter 2018
WEDDING WOWS
best COUPLE SHOTS CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Amy Bishoff & Cephas Evans, photographed by Lauren Love Photography; Amelia Lloyd & Brandon Daniel, photographed by Burns Exposure Photography; Kimberly Fairbrother & Kyle Terry, photographed by Jenny Reese Photography
best MAIDS pics CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Mary Hess & Patrick Hensley, photographed by Jenny Reese Photography; Michaela Miller & Peter Della, photographed by Kendra Harper
mywvwedding.com | 17
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A Local Gem
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“We
are in the business of making people happy,” says Tom Licciardi, owner of Jacqueline’s Fine Jewelry. “So shopping for jewelry should be fun. We aren’t aggressive sales people. We are like family and we treat our customers like family.”
And when Licciardi says that, he means it. His longest employee is his mother. Even the jewelry store itself is named after a family member—Licciardi’s aunt Jacqueline. This family-owned and -operated store prides itself on creating a comfortable, laid-back atmosphere paired with highly trained professionals that can help anyone who walks through the door find what they are looking for. Licciardi himself worked in the wholesale jewelry business in Las Vegas for many years before returning home. “We have an incredible team—the best customer service in the region,” says Licciardi. “If you have a question or a request, we can help you.” Jacqueline’s offers many lines of jewelry, such as Gurhan, Roberto Coin, and
Stephen Webster, that are exclusive to the region, if not West Virginia. “I travel all over trying to find new brands and unique gems that we can bring back that Morgantown hasn’t seen before,” Licciardi says. When curating a new collection, he focuses on the quality of the gemstone. “I look for pieces that are well made and finished by hand. The quality of design and workmanship is very important.” National jewelry chain stores have the same exact items in every location, but this local establishment has one-of-a-kind pieces that have gained it a reputation for stunning engagement rings, bands, and bridal jewelry. If you purchase from Jacqueline’s, you won’t run into someone else wearing the same ring. Jacqueline’s also has a large selection of watches, including the Breitling, Tag Heuer, and Towson Watch Co. brands. The shop also stocks jewelry at all price points. And check out their many unique gift items, notably, a collection of William Henry pocket knives made from unusual materials such as dinosaur bones and woolly mammoth tusks. And if you are looking for an elegant wedding gift, you can also order china and silver patterns or find items like cheese platters, candlesticks,
Tom Licciardi, owner of Jacqueline’s Fine Jewelry, offers customers a relaxed browsing experience with knowledgeable, personalized service.
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From Start to Finish
From conception to finished product, when you design a piece of jewelry at Jacqueline’s you are creating more than a simple ring, you are designing a one-of-a-kind heirloom.
“We combine state-ofthe-art technology with hand craftsmanship.” and sterling silver picture frames. You can even personalize your items—whether you bought them at Jacqueline’s or not— with their full engraving services. Jacqueline’s has also become the go-to spot in town for custom jewelry design. “We can design a special ring for you from the ground up,” says Licciardi. “We combine state-of-the-art technology with hand craftsmanship. You can never get the beauty of a handcrafted ring from a machine, but by combining hand craftsmanship with modern technology, you get a much more perfect, one-of-a-kind product.” If you have a collection of gemstones, the staff at Jacqueline’s can design a piece using your own gems and show you a 3D rendering. Or you can peruse their large loose diamond and gemstone collection and design your own unique piece. Licciardi takes pride not only in the quality of Jacqueline’s jewelry, but also in the quality of their service. He says, “Each customer is a part of our family. We get to know our customers, and we ask important questions that will help them identify the perfect piece. Questions like, ‘Is this a ring for a nurse who is pulling gloves on and off all day?’ If so, you’ll want to keep it low profile and avoid sharp edges. ‘Does he work in the construction field?’ Then you’ll want to avoid something that can’t be removed in the event of an emergency. ‘Does she have an active lifestyle?’ Then avoid soft stones like emeralds or tanzanite, because they’ll chip. By getting to know our customers, we can ensure that the piece they are purchasing will be perfect for their loved one.” To better serve their clientele, Jacqueline’s is growing into a second location, in Uniontown. Opening in early November 2018, this second store will introduce a new interior concept. “We are excited to open this new location with a new non-traditional look and feel,” says Licciardi. “But we will still have the same great customer service.” 1070 Suncrest Towne Centre Morgantown, 304.599.6981 30 South Mt.Vernon Avenue Uniontown, PA
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“
Attentive and very customer focused. Always a great experience from the time you walk in the door, and their products are of exceptional quality.” — JARED SEATON, Google Review
Love
The Art of
Art designers Kristina and Douglas enjoy a warm and relaxing fall wedding at J.Q. Dickinson Salt-Works in Malden. written by
Demi Fuentes Ramirez •
photographed by
Lauren Love Photography
W
wedding photographer lauren love has done her fair share of weddings, but she’ll never forget Kristina Murrill and Douglas Hawley’s special day. From the venue to the décor to the candid moments, Lauren Love enjoyed every second of the day. “It was one of my favorite weddings ever,” Lauren says. “Not only for the beautiful details, but for the photojournalistic moments that happened throughout the day. Kristina and Douglas have impeccable taste—everything was absolutely stunning.” Kristina and Douglas are both art designers. They met back in 2010 while taking an art course at Marshall University. Six years later, Kristina surprised Douglas by buying him tickets to see the Chiefs on Christmas day in Kansas City, Missouri. What she didn’t know was that Douglas was planning his own surprise for her. He had taken the diamond from the ring his father gave to his mother and designed a ring just for Kristina. They arrived at Kansas City two days before the game. During their first night, they decided to visit the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. When they were leaving, while walking down the steps, Douglas got down on one knee and proposed. It was a romantic and intimate moment for them, one Kristina will never forget. Douglas and Kristina knew they wanted to get married in the fall because they loved the season in West Virginia. They quickly began scouting for the venue. “I kind of had this vision of evening time, a garden setting, and string lights,” Kristina says. But none of the places they had seen were right for them. A friend recommended J.Q. Dickinson Salt-Works in Malden. Once they arrived, Douglas and Kristina knew it was the perfect location for their wedding. 24 | WV WEDDINGS Fall/Winter 2018
Kristina envisioned her wedding during the fall, in a garden setting, and with string lights. When a friend recommended
J.Q. Dickinson Salt-Works in Malden, she knew it was the perfect venue for their wedding. Kristina and Douglas
built the arch they were married under to represent their own A-framed house.
mywvwedding.com | 25
Kristina and Douglas wanted their wedding to be relaxed and casual. There were no assigned seats and, after dining on delicious tacos,
the big day
pumpkin and pecan pies, and blackberry fig bread pudding, guests enjoyed apple cider and sat around a cozy bonfire.
When their big day finally came, Kristina and Douglas weren’t nervous. “We were both fine,” Kristina says. “We thought, ‘whatever happens, happens. At the end of the day we are going to be married.’ And then, everything fell into place.” For their ceremony, Douglas and Kristina built the arch they would be married under. But they didn’t want a typical arch. Instead, they built an A-shaped one. “We live in an A-frame house,” Kristina says. “It made sense and it represented us.” The couple decided to keep their ceremony very traditional. Kristina chose a wedding gown that fit her personality—it was simple and elegant. She was escorted down the aisle by her father to Bon Iver’s “For Emma.” Douglas’s mother read “On Marriage,” a poem by Khalil Gibran, and 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8, and they were married by a minister who was close to Douglas’ father. After the ceremony, Douglas’s mother took a moment to talk to the bride and groom. While Douglas was in high school, his father passed away. He was a minister who loved rainbows. He always used them as a symbol during his sermons. Douglas’s mother took a moment to tell the couple that right before the ceremony, a rainbow appeared—and it was upside down. A smiling rainbow. Douglas was speechless. The couple took it as a sign that his father was there giving them his blessing. Later on, when Lauren Love was editing their pictures, she found that she had captured that moment when his mother told them about the rainbow. To her surprise, the camera had done a rainbow lens flare. It was indeed a sign and a blessing. At the reception, there were no assigned seats--creating a more relaxed and casual evening. For dinner, they opted for tacos and a salsa bar. For dessert, guests were treated to mini pumpkin and pecan pies and blackberry fig bread pudding with white chocolate glaze. Guests also helped themselves to warm apple cider and sat around a bonfire. Fall and love was definitely in the air. 26 | WV WEDDINGS Fall/Winter 2018
West Virginia’s Bridal Bible SEE YOUR WEDDING in the WEDDING REGISTER
and become a memorable part of the only statewide collection of real West Virginia weddings. THE REG ISTE R
NATALIE RE ALIFF & BR ID EN PATRICK FO DAN LEY
LEWI SBUR
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Laura & Bill Aliff GROO M’S
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Susan & Rober t Foley
PHOTO GR
APHED BY
The Oberports
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BRIDE’S GOWN
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SPRING/SUMMER 2019
FALL/WINTER 2019
Must be married between
Must be married between
March 5, 2018 - August 19, 2018
early bird deadline final deadline December 3, 2018
January 14, 2019
August 20, 2018 - March 4, 2019
early bird deadline final deadline May 24, 2019
July 2, 2019
EARLY BIRD TWO-PAGE SPREAD WEDDING REGISTER FEE: $375 ONE-PAGE REGISTER FEE: $275 Purchase by the Spring/Summer early bird deadline and save $50.* *Regular fee is $425 for a two-page spread and $325 for a one-page register. Refunds for submissions will not be given after 10 days from purchase date.
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Connection A Lasting
An April Fools’ prank gone beautifully right helps a couple find their way back to each other. written by
Jess Walker •
photographed by
Brittany Custer Photography
W
when hanna weaver saw timothy turner’s early 2014 Facebook post saying he was engaged, her stomach dropped. The previous year, the two had formed a connection through a mutual friend. They’d dated after Tim had visited Hanna in Petersburg, but parted ways in December when he’d decided to travel as a physical therapist. Then, out of nowhere, the engagement announcement. “I mustered up the courage to text him and figure out who this girl was,” Hanna says. To her relief, it was April 1, and the engagement was an April Fools’ Day prank. Tim visited Hanna after she moved to his hometown of Fairmont for a job and, when they started dating again, he moved back, too. A year and a half later, in October 2016, they packed up a car to travel to Shepherd University, Hanna’s alma mater, for homecoming. Pouring rain shrouded the overlook at Coopers Rock outside Morgantown in fog, but they stopped anyway. When Hanna turned to leave, Tim talked about how they had gone their separate ways and found each other again before he popped the question.
out. Right after Hanna’s parents had gotten married, they’d rented a house on the Pendleton County Poor Farm. The owners suggested the couple host an outdoor reception there. “Having a close connection to the ceremony site and reception site was important, because it made things more memorable,” Tim says. It also allowed the bridal party to stay in the same place, bringing together the couple’s closest companions. Hanna’s friend Ashley Anderson helped her plan the details. Making a floral chandelier for above the dance floor took Hanna several hours, buckets of fake flowers, and a few hot glue gun burns. For her bouquet designed by Petals Flowers and Gifts in Petersburg, she ordered a wrap monogrammed with her initials and those of departed family members. “I wanted things that would be nice, special keepsakes, or heirloom pieces that could be passed down to our children,” Hanna says. A particular wedding dress had caught Hanna’s eye for years but, when she tried it on, it wasn’t for her. Instead, Hanna always knew she wanted to get married at Ruddle she went Black Friday shopping with her parents. A Presbyterian Church, her home parish that’s named after V-neck ball gown with lace and tulle, which her dad picked out, won her over. her mother’s family. The reception was harder to figure
planning the day
30 | WV WEDDINGS Fall/Winter 2018
The couple hosted their outdoor reception at Pendleton County Poor Farm,
where the bride’s parents had lived after their own wedding.
mywvwedding.com | 31
A floral chandelier made by Hanna transformed the dance floor into an intimate space for family and friends.
tying the knot
The sun shone on a cool September morning as Hanna and Tim prepared for their vows. “I felt like I was moving in slow motion,” Hanna remembers. “Before I knew it, people were telling me I needed to put my dress on.” Not everything went perfectly—afterward, Hanna learned the rings had fallen between the seats of someone’s car—but nothing could ruin the sense of peace and excitement. During the ceremony, Hanna and Tim exchanged their own sentimental yet lighthearted vows. Tim joked that he’d be the first one to get up with their dogs in the morning. As another special touch, the couple braided a cord with three strands as a symbol of their unity. Underneath a giant white tent, guests drank beverages named after Hanna and Tim’s dogs—“Mia Mojito” and “Kiera Krown and Koke”—at a bar Hanna’s dad had made out of barn doors as a Christmas gift of wood from her grandparents’ and her own family’s barns. A crowd favorite was the Snickers-flavored groom’s cake shaped as a Florida gator clad in a coonskin cap, a crossover inspired by Tim’s two alma maters. Hanna and Tim’s first dance was to an arrangement of Russell Dickerson’s “Yours.” Together with family and friends from across the country, they celebrated throughout the night. Santorini, Greece, provided a picture-perfect destination for their honeymoon and the start of their new life together in Fairmont. In Hanna’s memory, the gathering of friends and family was the very best thing about the wedding. “We would do it over again if we could, just to have everyone who is really important to us in one place.”
32 | WV WEDDINGS Fall/Winter 2018
Fairy A
Tale Wedding
Two English majors bring their love of literature to life in this enchanting wedding. Demi Fuentes Ramirez photographed by Naomi Wolfe Photography written by
O
once upon a time in 2013, two Fairmont natives crossed paths at Fairmont State University. Emily Miller was a new English major who needed some assistance with her class schedule and asked fellow English major Daniel Reitz to help her. The next semester, they took four classes together. For poetry class, Daniel kept writing poems about a redhead who had caught his eye. Emily thought it was a weird coincidence and nothing more. Two weeks later, Daniel said, “I’ve been trying to drop hints, but you’re not catching on. Would you like to go on a date?” After their first date, it didn’t take long for these bookworms to fall in love. Daniel and Emily got engaged in March 2017 while visiting her grandmother’s home. On the border of her grandmother’s property, there was a 50-year-old tree, which Emily had grown up climbing and playing on. When they found out that the owner was going to cut it down, Daniel took Emily to see it one last time. They climbed the tree, and, to Emily’s surprise, Daniel got down on one knee—while balancing himself on a giant tree branch—and proposed. Excited, she said yes. mywvwedding.com | 35
Emily’s family farm in Barrackville was the perfect venue for their fairytale wedding. Emily wore Daniel’s grandmother’s 1930s
buttercream satin gown, and the bridesmaids wore long green skirts with white lace tops.
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based off of a book
Emily and Daniel’s families helped prepare the barn for the reception. The wedding cake was perched up on top of a tree stump that Emily’s father picked out from the forest behind their barn. He chiseled the “D+E” as a surprise for the couple.
While Alice had to fall down the rabbit hole to find her Wonderland and the Pevensie children had to go through a wardrobe to find Narnia, Emily and Daniel just had to go to their backyard to find the perfect venue for their fairy tale wedding. Daniel and Emily wanted the barn to look whimsical and magical. The wooden tables and the giant wreaths and candelabras were made by Emily and her family members. Her father also picked out a tree from the forest behind their barn and chiseled on it “D+E” as a gift for the couple that would later serve as the cake’s base. For their decorations, they brought books from their own library and antique vases and bowls that belonged to Emily’s mother. To continue the fairy tale theme, Emily found a fantastic gown for her wedding. At first, Emily just wanted to recreate vintage photos with her mother and her mother-in-law’s wedding dresses. When she went to visit Daniel’s mother, his 96-year-old grandmother offered her dress for the project.
When she pulled it out of the closet, it was a 1930s buttercream satin gown with ten yards of fabric. “I got goosebumps all over when I saw it,” Emily says. When she went home to try it on, her father took one look and said, “That’s it. You don’t need to try on any other dress.” Daniel’s grandmother was delighted and let Emily alter it for herself. Emily took it to Seams Sew Perfect Alterations in Fairmont to alter the collar and the sleeves to give it a more modern look. And with the extra lace from the dress, The Pretty Pickle made necklaces for the flower girls. When the bridal party’s outfits were selected, the couple could not help but laugh at the Lord of the Rings references that they inevitably created. The groomsmen wore brown vests and the bridesmaids wore long green skirts with white lace tops. Combined with the height difference between Emily’s cousins and Daniel’s brothers, their wedding party slightly resembled hobbits and elves from the world of J.R.R. Tolkien. mywvwedding.com | 37
With the wooden tables, giant wreaths, and candelabras, the Miller barn looked like an enchanted forest from a fairytale. Emily and Daniel included books
from their own library and antique vases and bowls that belonged to Emily’s family to complete the fairytale theme.
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PHOTOS IN TWO-PAGE SPREAD COURTESY OF CARLA WITT FORD
a magical day
Because Emily and Daniel love to collect glass bottles, they shared their passion with their guests
by providing Coca-Cola bottles along with vintage keys as their favors.
Emily and Daniel got married at the top of the hill that overlooks the farm. Emily was escorted by her father and walked to Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah,” performed by the duo Key to Adams. It was a magical moment for Emily and Daniel. “Getting to the top of that hill, seeing everyone, and walking down the aisle to my future husband was just breathtaking,” Emily says. At the reception, the barn was a fairytale dream. From the décor to the enchanting wedding cake perched up on the tree stump, the barn was everything the newlyweds could ever have hoped for. The couple shared their first dance to “I Do Not Love You" by Ron Pope. After their dance, Emily sang Bryan Adams’ “(Everything I Do) I Do It For You.” “She took me by surprise,” Daniel says. “It was definitely my favorite part of the wedding.” Because Daniel and Emily enjoy trying different types of bottled sodas, they had Coca-Cola bottles as their favors, along with vintage keys to follow the wedding’s theme. The rest of the night was enjoyed with good food and good music. It was a magical day full of love, laughter, and joy. The newlyweds left a few days later and honeymooned in Iceland. They now live in Mannington, where they continue to write their happily ever after. mywvwedding.com | 39
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Lady Luck A chance meeting leads to two West Virginians’ chance of a lifetime. written by Jess Walker • photographed by
The Oberports
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justin white had the perfect proposal planned. He’d bought the ring, fashioned a heart out of leaves in the woods, and even donned a suit underneath his hoodie. The only problem was that Leslie Garrett was late. She had spent her day traversing West Virginia to find a specific video game as a gift for Justin. By the time she arrived, the sun had set. “I almost did not propose to her because I wanted it to be a specific way,” Justin says. “But then I thought, ‘That’s life. Nothing goes as planned.’” Justin took Leslie to a spot on his family’s property where he’d always wanted to build a house and got down on one knee.
at first sight
Three years earlier, Leslie and Justin had met at the Roane County Clerk’s office. Leslie was with her mom getting a copy of her dad’s birth certificate, and Justin was visiting his dad, who worked there. After seeing Leslie, Justin found her on Facebook and asked her to dinner. In a script only fate can write, Leslie actually had grown up in same house that Justin’s father had. After getting engaged in November 2016, they set a wedding date for the following autumn. Friday, October 13 to be exact. Leslie and Justin weren’t the superstitious type, and the date seemed too iconic to pass up. “We’ll never forget the anniversary,” Leslie laughs. They did have to explain to guests that the wedding wasn’t Halloweenthemed—although Justin did take pictures in his suit and a hockey mask à la Jason from horror flick Friday the 13th.
The lucky couple tied the knot in Charleston on Friday, October 13. As a nod to the
iconic day, Justin posed in a Friday the 13th hockey mask.
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room with a view
After competing in pageants, Leslie knew she wanted a special gown for her wedding
day. Oliverio’s Bridal and Prom Boutique had the perfect mermaid dress for her.
The couple considered a destination wedding, but they wanted family members to be able to travel to their special day. Instead, they opted for a place already filled with memories: Charleston. For their first date, they’d grabbed dinner and then strolled the riverbank at night. Leslie had also attended the University of Charleston. Leslie’s pageant past meant she’d worn her fair share of dresses. Her wedding dress needed to top them all. “I felt like I tried on every dress in the store,” she says of searching through gowns at Oliverio’s Bridal and Prom Boutique. Finally, one last strapless mermaid dress transformed Leslie from a pageant girl into a stunning bride. Signs for the wedding’s décor were made from mirrors Leslie gathered from thrift shops. She bought flowers from Sam’s Club and arranged them herself with help from family. The university’s Riggleman Rotunda didn’t need much primping for the reception, though. “The artwork is Sistine Chapel-esque,” Justin says. If the murals weren’t enough of a view, guests only needed to look outside toward the river and the beautiful dome of the State Capitol. mywvwedding.com | 43
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The State Capitol provided the backdrop for Leslie and Justin’s simple ceremony along the
Kanawha River. At the reception, guests signed a white guitar for the couple.
for my wedding
On the banks of the Kanawha River, Leslie walked toward Justin while his friend, Clint Anderson, strummed a guitar rendition of Beyoncé’s “Halo.” “I will always remember the sun gleaming off the top of the dome,” Leslie says. Without wedding parties, the atmosphere was relaxed, and the focus was on the couple’s union. Dinner consisted of finger foods, including cupcakes. A memory table on top of a piano featured both family members and animal friends who had passed, and guests signed a white guitar in lieu of a guestbook. The newlyweds danced to Don Henley’s “For My Wedding.” In honor of the first line—”For my wedding, I will dress in black, and never again will I look back”—Justin dressed in all black. Once evening fell they took pictures outside, just the two of them, to capture the moment. “We were finally married, and we could move on to that next phase of life,” Leslie says. Leslie and Justin honeymooned by road tripping in a red Camaro out West. They’ve made their home in Spencer, near where they first met. mywvwedding.com | 45
A WhiteWedding Dreams of a winter wedding come true in Huntington. written by Zack Harold
•
photographed by
Kendra Harper
I
it’s amazing how much planning goes into one wedding day. Scores of decisions loom about dates, times, tuxedos, dresses, makeup, menus, colors, centerpieces, songs, guest lists, floral arrangements, vows. But the things that make these days truly special often cannot be anticipated. Hannah Burns always wanted a winter wedding. When she got engaged, she and husband-to-be Chris set the date for their nuptials in late December. She selected colors and floral arrangements to match the simplicity of the season. She coordinated her outfit and those of her bridesmaids to the theme. Then, chance took over. On the day of the wedding, the skies above Huntington opened up, dusting the city with a half-inch of snow. Although she never could have planned it, it was the perfect crowning touch for a celebration of love borne out of serendipity.
a chance meeting
Hannah first met Christopher Dickson in 2010. She was a student at Marshall University and in a long-distance relationship with a man who happened to be one of Chris’s friends. Whenever her boyfriend visited her in Huntington, they usually ended up hanging out with Chris, a Marshall grad and Barboursville native who was then living in Huntington. Although she and Chris became fast friends, “there were no feelings at that point,” Hannah says. There couldn’t be. Not only was Hannah dating his friend, Chris was dating someone else, too. Months passed. Hannah and her boyfriend parted ways. Then, one night, she went out to The Jockey Club in Huntington with some friends. And she happened to bump into Chris. Lo and behold, he had recently broken up with his girlfriend. Soon Hannah and Chris were spending every day together. Before they knew it, they had been together for five years. They talked about making things officials so, in February 2017, they went shopping for engagement rings. Now that Hannah knew a proposal was coming, the anticipation was driving her crazy. “I’m that kind of person. I have to know every detail.” She expected Chris would pop the question on their fifth anniversary that April, but then the day came and went. No ring. She later learned that Chris had planned to propose that day, but the custom-ordered ring just hadn’t come in yet. “He played it off.” Then, at Easter, Hannah’s family gathered at her grandparents’ house. Someone hollered for her to come outside. There was an Easter basket waiting for her. Instead of jelly beans and chocolate eggs, this basket contained wedding magazines, ring cleaner, and a ring holder by Blenko Glass. “When I turned around, he was down on one knee.” The ring was everything she wanted—a pear-shaped diamond with a double halo. But even better than that, Hannah’s whole family was present to see her get it. Her 86-year-old grandmother, Mary Ash, who is Hannah’s best friend, was standing beside Chris as he popped the question. “Tears were rolling down my face.”
plans take shape
Wedding planning began right away. They set the date for December 30, 2017, and it wasn’t difficult to decide where the ceremony would take place. Chris’s family are devout Greek Orthodox and have attended St. George Greek Orthodox for generations. Hannah’s mother’s family is also Greek, so they wanted a traditional Orthodox service. “We knew immediately it was going to be my big fat Greek wedding.” Finding a reception venue was similarly simple. The Guyan Country Club was the only place in the Huntington area that both fit the classy, classic vibe they were seeking and was capable of accomodating the 200plus people who were going to attend. With all of that decided, Hannah made an appointment to look at dresses at Bridal and Formal in Cincinnati, Ohio. She took her mom and three of her aunts along, although Hannah says they weren’t too excited. “My family knows, I’m a diva,” she says,
During Greek Orthodox ceremonies, bride and groom are adorned with white crowns and stand facing the priest with their backs to the congregation.
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A dusting of snow provided the perfect finishing touch for Hannah and Chris's
elegant, blackand-white themed wedding—even if temperatures made
post-ceremony photos a little frigid for the wedding party.
wear them again.” She wanted her ladies in waiting to walk away with gowns they could wear to future events, so she picked three black sequined dresses from the online retailer Rent the Runway and let each bridesmaid choose her favorite. “I got more compliments on their dresses than mine.” Her only requirement was they had to wear comfortable shoes so they could endure the long Orthodox service.
a fateful day
laughing. “They thought, ‘We’re going to be wedding dress shopping for hours with this girl.’” Hannah didn’t know exactly what she wanted in a wedding dress, but she knew one thing for certain: She did not want a mermaid-style dress. “Everyone gets a mermaid-style dress,” she says. Instead, she tried on a series of straight-silhouette gowns with sleeves. None of them worked. “Even the manager said ‘This is so matronly.’” So, trusting herself to the expertise of the staff at Bridal and Formal, Hannah tried on a mermaidsilhouette dress by Eve of Milady. It had a long train and beading all over. Suddenly, in one afternoon, she was done dress shopping. “It screamed to me. I just knew it was the one.” She finished off her ensemble with a Toni Federici veil covered in Swarovski crystals and pearls, ivory beaded shoes by Badgley Mischka, and, since it would be a winter wedding, a white faux fur stole she found on Etsy. When it came time to outfit her eight bridesmaids, Hannah knew she wanted to do something different from most brides. “All the weddings I’ve been in, all the dresses are in the closet in the guest bedroom. I’ll never
Hannah kept decorations inside St. George’s to a minimum. She didn’t want to distract from the church’s beauty. Holding with Orthodox tradition, the interior is filled with ornate stained glass and intricately painted iconography. She only placed a few bouquets on the pews to indicate where immediate family members were supposed to sit. Once her bridesmaids took their place at the front of the church, the congregation got a shock—Hannah’s grandmother Mary being escorted up the aisle, as her surprise ninth bridesmaid. She was followed by seven flower girls, their dresses sewn by a family friend. That’s a lot of petal pushers for any wedding, but Hannah says she had no choice. “How can I tell one set of sisters, ‘You can be in my wedding,’ and tell another, ‘You can’t’? It was all or nothing,” she laughs. A Greek Orthodox wedding ceremony takes about 45 minutes. “It’s a very lengthy service, but they’re very meaningful,” Hannah says. The service is quite different from the standard western Protestant wedding. Early on, white crowns are placed on both the bride’s and groom’s heads. “You’re being crowned king and queen of your household,” Hannah says. The couple then takes communion together and walks around a ceremonial table three times to symbolize each member of the Holy Trinity. The priest pronounces the couple as husband and wife, and they kiss. Following their ceremony, Hannah, Chris, and their wedding party headed outside to take photos with the snowy backdrop Mother Nature provided. They also took photos by the church’s gilded front doors, which were funded by a donation from Chris’s grandparents. Meanwhile, guests went to Guyan for cocktail hour to enjoy a signature cocktail of champagne and raspberry chambord, as well as Greek hors d’oeuvres like stuffed grape leaves and tiropita, cheese pies made with phyllo dough. There was also a table filled with 25 different kinds of cookies, a wedding gift from Hannah’s mother’s best friend. For dinner, guests could choose between prime rib and chicken, which were served with Guyan’s signature scalloped potatoes. And, because Hannah and Chris mywvwedding.com | 49
The reception featured both a four-tiered, fourflavored wedding cake by Tipton's Bakery— strawberry, red velvet, vanilla cream, and chocolate—as well as a cookie table prepared by Hannah‘s mother‘s childhood best friend, with 25 kinds of cookies.
had a difficult time deciding on flavors when they visited Tipton’s Bakery in Ashland, Kentucky, each of their wedding cake’s four tiers boasted a different flavor: strawberry, red velvet, vanilla cream, and chocolate. Tables were adorned with white linens and gold overlay as well as tall, dramatic centerpieces of hydrangeas, greenery, and winter berries created by Flowers on Olde Main in St. Albans. BRAVO-Live DJ & Lighting Extravaganza from Hurricane provided music to get the reception grooving. But the dance that got everyone’s attention did not involve the bride or the groom. With one final nod to Greek tradition, Chris’s cousins performed a “money dance.” “That’s a big thing at Greek weddings,” Hannah says. “They do flips and backwards dances and give each other shots. While they’re dancing and doing their performance, people throw money down. At the end, they give it to the bride and groom. We ended up getting $200.” The couple probably would have gotten even more, but Hannah says her family held back because they thought the proceeds were going to the dancers, not the newlyweds.
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a new beginning
Chris and Hannah did not leave for their honeymoon right away. The next day, New Year’s Eve, her mom hosted a party for all of the out-of-town wedding guests before they returned home. Then, a week later, the couple departed for a weeklong honeymoon at a resort in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. They now make their home in Huntington, the city where fate brought them together, in a house that once belonged to Chris’s grandparents. Looking back on her wedding day, Hannah can see how all of those tiny, individual decisions combined to make something special. “People say you always have so much more fun at your friend’s wedding that your own. But that was not the case. We had a blast,” she says. “The only downside was, the cookies were gone, so we didn’t get to take any of those.” It was made even more special by the things outside her control—not just the snow, but the atmosphere that’s created when you get so many people under the same roof. With such a large family on both sides, there was some temptation to pare down the guest list. She’s glad they didn’t. “Looking back now, I’m glad we were able to have all our closest friends and family in that room. You felt all the love.”
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Reign PURPLE
A couple personalize their wedding in less than five months. written by
Demi Fuentes Ramirez •
photographed by
The Oberports
T
tricia dever and travis durham met unexpectedly. Tricia, from Meredith, New Hampshire, had recently moved to Charleston and was buying groceries at Kroger. While waiting in line, she noticed that the man before her had an insane amount of Monster Energy cans in his cart. She made fun of him, they talked for a while, and they exchanged numbers before they left. A few days later, Travis—a Princeton native who simply loves Monster Energy—sent her a text at 4 in the morning, which she was able to reply to because she was too sick to sleep. She was waiting for Kroger to open to go buy cold medicine. An hour later, Travis was knocking at her door. He’d volunteered to bring medicine, soup, and some Tudor’s biscuits. They talked for hours. He loves history. She loves books. They hit it off and now on February 19 they celebrate “Soup Day.” After dating for a year and a half, Travis bought a vintage ring with a round purple amethyst stone— Tricia’s favorite color—and planned a picnic at Hawks Nest State Park in Ansted. They got to a hill, lay down a blanket, and set up the picnic. “He was so nervous, he forgot the bread,” Tricia laughs. “But I didn’t think anything of it.” When the time came, Travis tried to get down on one knee but he kept slipping on the blanket. They couldn’t stop laughing, until he finally asked the question and she immediately said yes.
a quick plan
When deciding on a date for their wedding, December worked best for their family members. It gave them a short five months to plan. Tricia and Travis first called The Oberports. “It was important for us to choose them as our photographers,” Tricia says. “We knew that everything was going to go by so fast. Things were going to get thrown away or boxed up, but those photos were the things we were going to hold on to.” For their venue, the couple chose Woman’s Club of Charleston. They wanted a small wedding, and the Woman’s Club provided the ideal, comfortable room for their ceremony and reception.
Tricia and Travis planned their wedding in five months. They wanted a small wedding and The
Woman’s Club of Charleston had the ideal, comfortable room for their ceremony and reception.
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Tricia and Travis love history and books. They included books from their library as part of their dĂŠcor and as their wedding favors. They spent four months visiting bookstores and antique shops to find an individual book for each of their guests.
mywvwedding.com | 55
The wedding was personalized to Tricia and Travis’ tastes. Tricia’s favorite color is purple and, with her sister and friend,
made roses from purple tweed and from Tricia’s favorite book. Tricia’s sister also made the skirt for her gown.
the dress
Right from the start, Tricia knew her sister was going to make her dress. But in lieu of a white gown, Tricia wanted a colorful dress she could wear again and again. While looking for fabrics online, she came across a taffeta with a green, black, and purple plaid pattern. “I saw the picture and it was everything that I wanted without realizing that it’s what I wanted,” she says. For her hair piece, Tricia chose the tiara she had worn for her sister’s wedding 15 years before. She completed her look by dying her hair purple. “It’s the color I feel most at home in,” she says. “So, I matched my hair to the shade of purple in the taffeta.”
a personalized wedding
Travis and Tricia’s wedding was unique. The flowers were handmade by Tricia, her sister, and her closest friend. The roses were book pages from Tricia’s favorite book, A Girl of the Limberlost by Gene Stratton-Porter. Her sister made the burlap flowers on the drive from Tucson, Arizona, and she helped Tricia make the purple tweed roses a few nights before the wedding. The couple also had their favorite books as part of the décor. They were married by Travis’s father. Travis will never forget the moment those doors opened. “I hadn’t seen the dress her sister made,” he says. “I just thought it was absolutely amazing.” The reception was comfortable and cozy. The couple shared their first dance to “Can’t Help Falling In Love” by Elvis Presley. The fatherdaughter dance was performed to Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody,” and later turned into a mother-son dance when Tricia’s two boys jumped in to dance with her. For dinner, guests enjoyed pizza from Pies & Pints. The purple wedding cake was a spice cake with cream cheese frosting from Rock City Cake Company. Tricia’s sons and nephew were the designated cake bearers. As wedding favors, Travis and Tricia bought books for each one of their guests. They didn’t want to give them something that would be tucked away and forgotten in a junk drawer. “We took the time to pick out an individual book for each guest that kind of reflected something about them,” Travis says. It was one of the most unique elements of their wedding. In the end, even if it was for one day, Tricia and Travis finally had their families together. Everyone was laughing and dancing. It was their ideal wedding—personal and unforgettable. 56 | WV WEDDINGS Fall/Winter 2018
mywvwedding.com | 57
Joining Hands Tradition gets a modern twist in this colorful, exuberant wedding ceremony.
written by Zack Harold
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•
photographed by Jenny Reese Photography
G
growing up in charleston, Nesha Sanghavi knew her friends mostly had the same vision for their eventual wedding days. Each of them would wear a long white dress with a long white veil. She would stand face to face with a man, identity to be determined, wearing a black tuxedo. To Nesha, it all just seemed so—monochrome. “I always knew I wanted to have an Indian wedding. I always wanted the Indian outfits that are so detailed and ornate. That’s what I grew up dreaming about,” she says. Fast-forward a few decades. Nesha was living in Chicago but running a successful West Virginia– based business, a company she had built from nothing. She was in love with a man she’d met completely by chance, a man who loved her so deeply in return that he had crossed an ocean to make a life with her. They weren’t married, weren’t even engaged, but it didn’t seem to matter. They were already family. Life was as perfect as she could hope. “I didn’t even think I wanted to get married,” Nesha says. Then, thanks to a single well-timed question from the man she loved, her mind instantly changed. Suddenly, Nesha would get the chance to make her girlhood dreams come true.
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a chance meeting
After graduating from West Virginia University, Nesha moved to New York City to work in finance. Then one night in October 2009, she bumped into a German guy named Sebastian Bloss. As fellow strangers in a strange land, “we started exploring the city together. We just kind of started dating and hanging out,” she says. Their time together would be short, however. Sebastian had already taken a job back in Germany. Three months after they met, he was on a plane back across the Atlantic. Nesha followed him. As fate would have it, Sebastian hailed from the hometown of athletic wear companies Puma and Adidas. And although she was working in finance, Nesha’s dream was to start a wholesale clothing brand that made fashionable collegiate apparel for women. She got an internship in Puma’s global merchandising section and spent several months at the company. But she knew Germany wasn’t where she needed to be. She would eventually need to come back to West Virginia. “I wanted to create my own company, and I decided that’s where my heart was,” she says. Nesha and Sebastian remained an item and for two years carried on a long-distance relationship. “It was terrible. We would only see each other every couple of months.”
Nesha‘s Indian wedding was a colorful affair, with custom-made decorations, traditional music, and
traditional garments. She designed each of her wedding dresses, which she had tailored in India.
mywvwedding.com | 61
Recommendations from friends helped Nesha find Partyland/Sajawat in Iselin, New Jersey, which created the decorations for her ceremony and reception. The reception also featured a black LED dance floor, which wowed guests when it lit up as Nesha and Sebastian stepped onto it.
During the same period, Nesha’s company began to take off. Now it was Sebastian’s turn to follow her. Realizing she would not return to Germany anytime soon, he started looking for a job in the United States. He found a position in Chicago, and she moved there with him. They settled into life together. Then, in May 2016, Sebastian casually mentioned that his company was having a mid-week picnic at a park in the city. He asked her to come along. “I wasn’t interested in that at all,” Nesha says. “I told him, ‘It’s a Wednesday and I’m working. I can’t go frolic around at a picnic in the afternoon.’” Sebastian persisted, Nesha relented, and they got in the car to head to the oddly timed picnic. But on the way, he unexpectedly pulled into another park on Chicago’s lakefront. He said he wanted to take a photo of the Chicago skyline. Nesha thought nothing of it. “He’s always taking nonsense pictures.” They got out of the car and started to walk along the lake, but Nesha didn’t take much interest in Sebastian’s photography. “I’m just looking at my phone and checking my emails. Then I turn around and he’s down on one knee, saying all the things. It was a complete surprise. I had no indication it would happen at all,” she says. “He’s like, ‘Duh—there’s no picnic.’” The surprises didn’t end there. Sebastian had already arranged a celebratory trip to New York City. It was the first time they had returned to the Big Apple together since leaving in 2011. They had dinner at the restaurant where they had had their first date and
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spent the weekend exploring the city, just as they had when they were first in love.
say yes to the dress(es)
Nesha and Sebastian set a date quickly, since they knew his family would have to travel from Germany and her family from England, India, and all over the United States. There was never any doubt where the festivities would be held. “My whole immediate family is in Charleston,” Nesha says. Thanks to recommendations from already-married friends, Nesha found Partyland / Sajawat State, an Iselin, New Jersey, wedding planner specializing in Indian traditions, to bring her ornate visions for the wedding ceremony to life. All the decorations were custom-made, including the mandap, an elaborate altar where the wedding ceremony is performed, and striking floral arrangements of white and red roses to reflect the traditional colors of an Indian wedding. She also had to buy several outfits: one for a small ceremony that would take place at her parents’ house as well as one for each of the four main events during her wedding celebration. Nesha, who traveled to India twice a year for her company, knew she wanted to design her own dresses, combining elements of traditional style with her own personal taste. So she found a designer in India, made some sketches, and picked out fabrics for each of the outfits. She also had custom dresses created for her mother and sister according to their measurements and individual styles.
A priest performed the wedding ceremony in Sanskrit beneath a mandap—a canopy that’s something like the chuppah used in Jewish weddings. While traditional ceremonies can last up to five
hours, Nesha and Sebastian condensed it to about 45 minutes. They also provided programs written in English and German to help guests keep track of what was happening.
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the big day(s)
Indian weddings are multi-day affairs, and Nesha and Sebastian’s nuptials followed this tradition. The festivities began on September 28, 2017, with a Thursday night barbecue dinner at J.Q. Dickinson SaltWorks in Malden. Although this night is traditionally the mehndi party, when brides and other women in the wedding party get their henna tattoos, Nesha and Sebastian used it as an opportunity to welcome their out-of-town guests to West Virginia. “I really wanted to show them where I come from,” she says. She did not miss the opportunity to mix in her Indian roots, however. Nesha had friends set up henna tattoo stations at the barbecue. On Friday, the bride’s and groom’s families gathered at Nesha’s family’s house for a special closed ceremony. The priest performs a prayer asking Lord Ganesha, the “Remover of Obstacles” and “Lord of New Beginnings,” to make the wedding festivities go smoothly and without any issue and to bless the marriage. Traditionally, the ceremony is performed twice, once at the bride’s home and once’s at the groom’s. But Germany is a long way to go, so Nesha and her family invited Sebastian's family and friends to take part in this ceremony with them. Also on Friday, the families came together for the traditional garba party at the Charleston Marriott’s pavillion. “It’s a really fun night that’s supposed to kick off the whole wedding weekend—a night of fun dinner and dancing and music,” Nesha says. Her sister, Neha, performed a dance. And, to her surprise, so did Sebastian—joining with her male cousins for a Bollywood-style number. For this event, Nesha wore a colorful outfit featuring a skirt made with fabric covered in tiny mirrors—she figures it must have weighed 30 pounds—and a top made from raw silk. The menu for the night, catered by the Cleveland, Ohio, Indian restaurant Saffron Patch, offered gourmet twists on the cuisine of food stalls you’d find in city markets in India. “I wanted it to be something new and different people hadn’t seen before,” Nesha says. Saturday, the day of the actual wedding ceremony, began with a baraat—the traditional street dance party and processional where the groom goes to meet the bride’s family. “His side of the family and his friends shut down the street, and there’s a live drummer and music, and they’re dancing through the street to where the bride’s family is.” Nesha and Sebastian got the Charleston Police Department to shut down the streets surrounding the Charleston Marriott for their baraat. A DJ and an Indian drummer provided the beats. “They’re getting everybody hyped up, they’re playing super-loud music, it’s really infectious energy. It was a huge, huge dance party. Traditionally, it’s the groom’s side only, but because Sebastian’s not Indian, we had everybody go down.” 64 | WV WEDDINGS Fall/Winter 2018
Nesha and Sebastian‘s wedding weekend began with a welcome dinner at J.Q. Dickinson
Salt-Works, where female guests could get henna tattoos. The following night was a garba party,
a celebration that officially kicks off the wedding festivities with lots of music and dancing.
When the party moved inside the hotel, Sebastian met Nesha’s parents outside the ballroom where the wedding ceremony would take place. The decorator erected a symbolic doorway, taking the place of the family home, where a priest performed a blessing ritual. The wedding party then proceeded to the mandap. Sebastian’s parents sat on one side, Nesha’s sat on the other, and the priest performed blessing rituals on both parties. “It’s really supposed to symbolize the joining of two families,” Nesha says. Nesha, you will note, still had not joined the festivities. The bride is traditionally transported to the altar in a palanquin, a covered litter carried on the shoulders of her four brothers. This covering is removed only when bride and groom are face-to-face on the mandap. Nesha opted for a modern twist of this tradition. Instead of a palanquin, she was hidden from view by a white sheet borne by her male cousins, since she does not have any brothers. They dropped the sheet as she began walking down the aisle. She wore a floor-length skirt covered in gold embroidery, a midriff-baring top to match, a queen’s store of bangles and rings and earrings and necklaces, and a beautiful bindi on her forehead. For the ceremony, Sebastian wore a traditional Indian suit and turban. A customary Indian ceremony lasts five hours, but Sebastian and Nesha had theirs condensed to about 45 minutes. The priest performed the ceremony in both Sanskrit and English and, to help guests keep up, the couple had placed informative programs—written in both German and English—on the seats. Once Nesha’s parents gave her away, the couple observed the mangal phera, where they walked handin-hand around a small fire. They performed the granthi bandhanam, which literally translates to “tying of the sacred knot.” Then they took the saptapadi, or “seven steps,” which is like an Indian version of the “‘til death us do part” vow. Nesha and Sebastian had to recite some words in Sanskrit—a challenge, since neither of them speaks the language. “I guess our marriage is legit,” Nesha jokes.
one final surprise
With the ceremony over, guests returned to the Marriott’s pavillion to enjoy lunch and, after a short break, a cocktail hour before the reception. Sebastian and Nesha, meanwhile, had their photos taken together before she made her final wardrobe change: donning an intricate, hand-embroidered skirt and separate top. Sebastian changed into a classic black tuxedo he’d had custom made by a tailor in Chicago. mywvwedding.com | 65
wedding. Then he surprised everyone by slipping into Gujarati, Nesha’s family’s native language. “He did a whole 10-minute speech without note cards. Everybody was so blown away. He did a full speech in Gujarati saying, ‘I love your family, thank you for treating me like a son.’” It turns out, Sebastian had been taking language lessons for months in preparation for this moment. “He had the entire room laughing and crying,” Nesha says. “It really told what kind of person he is.”
Although Sebastian wore a traditional Indian suit for the ceremony, for the reception he wore a tuxedo custom-tailored by Hall Madden of Chicago, Illinois. Nesha designed all of her own dresses for the multi-day wedding festivities. At the ceremony, she wore a floor-length skirt covered in gold embroidery, a midriff-baring top to match, and lots of bangles, rings, and earrings. For the reception, she changed to a simpler—though no less impressive—handembroidered skirt and top. The tiered wedding cake was designed by A Piece of Cake in Charleston.
66 | WV WEDDINGS Fall/Winter 2018
When they arrived back at the Marriott, guests were ready to party. The DJ and drummer from the baraat were on hand to provide music. “The moment Sebastian and I stepped foot onto the dance floor, it lit up,” Nesha says. She’s being literal. Unbeknown to guests, the couple had ordered an LED dance floor. It looked like a regular black floor—until someone switched it on when the bride and groom stepped on it. “That was something that really got the party started.” Guests also enjoyed a menu featuring a huge array of Indian foods from many different regions of the country as well as cooks serving made-to-order shrimp, lobster, and other seafood. Nesha’s father and sister gave speeches, as did Sebastian’s brother Stephan. Then Sebastian told Nesha he was going to make a speech. She found it odd, for multiple reasons. For one thing, grooms don’t usually make speeches at weddings. And, for another, she’s usually the spokesperson for the couple. He took the microphone and began in English, thanking all of Nesha’s family and friends. He then switched to German, thanking his family for coming so far to celebrate his
looking back
The couple spent their honeymoon on safari in South Africa and on a beach in the Seychelles. They then returned to life in Chicago, where Nesha continues to run her business, UG Apparel, and Sebastian is director of finance for a major health care company. Now, more than a year after their wedding weekend, the couple has a gorgeous album of photos from their wedding weekend. But even better than that, Nesha has a whole collection of amazing memories. She’s one of the last people in her family to get married, so her wedding served as one of the last big family get-togethers of her generation. “It wasn’t so much about the wedding, it was everybody getting together,” she says. “I remember looking around a lot and seeing how happy everyone was. I remember looking around and seeing all the love and happiness.” That’s not the kind of thing little girls dream about when they imagine their weddings. But it’s the kind of thing that lasts far longer than any wedding—even a big, loud, love-filled Indian wedding.
Together
Better
Two best friends celebrate their love, family, and faith in the state that brought them together. written by Jess Walker
photographed by
Kendra Harper
W
west virginia is full of natural wonders and stunning scenery. Every hike down a tree-canopied trail or winding drive down a country road could lead to another journey just waiting to begin. For Michaela Miller and Peter Della, West Virginia was more than a state to explore. It was the place where they found each other.
more than just friends
When it came to pursuing Michaela, Peter was not one to give up easily. The two met in 2013 at West Virginia University through campus ministry group Young Life. Bible studies and outdoor adventures strengthened their friendship—but Michaela wasn’t ready to commit to more. He eventually told her that he couldn’t be the guy in the pews at her wedding. He needed to be the man at the head of the aisle. “Risking our friendship was worth the chance of spending the rest of my life with my best friend,” Michaela says. The couple’s first date was a picturesque sunset picnic at Seneca Rocks. Peter, uncertain of Michaela’s sandwich preferences, packed five different kinds. They found themselves at the bottom of Seneca Rocks again on a misty October day almost two years later. Despite impending rain, Peter insisted on making the steep, mile-
long climb. Unbeknownst to Michaela, two friends were waiting at the summit to snap pictures. “We were like wet rats,” Michaela says. Yet when Peter dropped to his knee, the moment couldn’t have been more romantic. “Somehow, I said yes through sobbing tears.”
part of the family
Michaela and Peter wanted their wedding to be naturally beautiful with a family reunion atmosphere. A June wedding at the Sunny Pointe Guest House in Jane Lew checked all the boxes. It allowed both families to travel–– his from Maryland, hers from Ohio––and see the West Virginia beauty that had united them. Every inch of the wedding reflected their community’s love and support. When Michaela called her dad to make wooden doors for her entrance, he sent pictures of prototypes 15 minutes later. Michaela crafted Peter’s boutonniere with duck feathers, a nod to his waterfowl hunting. Peter’s family and groomsmen strung lights in the barn, Michaela’s girlfriends did her hair and makeup, and her mom orchestrated the reception’s homemade barbeque. ”When I think of my wedding day, I imagine a lot of hands helping that made me feel so loved,” Michaela says. mywvwedding.com | 69
Michaela and Peter hosted an outdoor ceremony and reception at Sunny Pointe Guest House in Jane Lew. The lovely bouquets and floral arrangements were designed by
Anita’s Flowers and Boutique in Buckhannon. Family and friends pitched in with everything from decorating to cooking, which made the day a true labor of love.
70 | WV WEDDINGS Fall/Winter 2018
faith and love
A chance of rain lingered the morning of the wedding but, unlike the proposal, the sun shone throughout the day. The doors Michaela’s dad had made opened, and Ellie Goulding’s “How Long Will I Love You” played. “Michaela walking down that aisle to me will be etched into my memory forever,” Peter says. “The pure beauty and joy radiating from her was breathtaking.” She met her groom and pastor underneath a handmade canopy. The couple stood close the entire time and joined their guests in singing hymns. Instead of a first look, Michaela and Peter spent five minutes alone together after the ceremony. That single, tender moment slowed down an otherwise busy day. “We cried, we laughed, we couldn’t get over the fact we were married,” Michaela says. As the summer sky darkened, guests played yard games and enjoyed a bonfire. Michaela and Peter served pies from local restaurant Apple Annie’s, where they had gone for several dates. Their first dance was Johnnyswim’s “Take the World,” the winner from a date night where they listened to options and determined which one most stirred their emotions. Family and friends circled around for “Country Roads.” More than just a West Virginian anthem, the song expressed the couple’s gratitude for the adopted home state where they had met, grown in their faith, and fallen in love. Driving away that night, Michaela was filled with gratitude. “Our brand-new marriage was safe and protected because we had this massive support system that is going to help us nurture, grow, and protect our marriage through prayer, love, and wisdom.” They spent their honeymoon in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, before settling in South Dakota for Michaela’s graduate school. “A year and a half later, I’m still happy it was her walking toward me that afternoon,” Peter says. mywvwedding.com | 71
Union
The
This West Virginian couple celebrates love, family, and friends at the beautiful Via Vecchia Winery in Columbus, Ohio.
written by Demi Fuentes Ramirez
•
photographed by
The Oberports
mywvwedding.com | 73
K
katie wise and andrew pelfrey’s story began in 2012 during their senior year at Marshall University. Katie took classes with many of Andrew’s friends, and they introduced her to Andrew one night at The Union—Huntington’s most popular college bar. Katie and Andrew found that they had many things in common—along with many differences. “I was much more laid back,” Andrew admits. “It was something I fought for a long time. However, it was exactly why I fell in love with Katie, with how alive she is. Her intense love for others— and the little things in life—is unparalleled.” In March 2016, Katie was hosting a wedding shower for a friend, and Andrew knew that it was the perfect opportunity to surprise her and finally propose. She was already dressed up and, most importantly, she had her nails done. Once Andrew picked her up, he told her they had to go to his parents’ house because it was his grandmother’s birthday. When they arrived, Katie was a bit confused since there wasn’t a single car there. That’s when Andrew took her hand and led her to his parents’ backyard, where there were beautiful bouquets set up, some champagne, and a black kitten with a ring on its collar. It was a simple proposal, but perfect in every way.
the plans
Andrew and Katie wanted a fall wedding. They just needed to find the venue that fit with what they envisioned. They looked at several places, but none of them felt right. When they visited Via Vecchia in Columbus, Ohio, Andrew immediately knew that it was the ideal venue for their wedding. “His face lit up and he was so excited,” Katie says. “We love vintage things and we love to travel. It just felt like you were in this European village, and we loved everything about it.” The old brick warehouse provided a historic feeling that tied in perfectly with what they wanted. The couple then chose colors that complemented the season, the venue, and their love. Because red is symbolic of love, they wanted to choose deep colors to represent the deep love they felt for each other. They contrasted the dark colors with the bridesmaids’ neutral colored and fleur-styled BHLDN dresses, the groomsmen’s soft pink dress shirts and burgundy ties from The Tie Bar, and the floral arrangements done by Caroline Waller from Passiflora Studio in Marietta, Ohio, which included an assortment of pink, white, and burgundy flowers, hints of eucalyptus, and burgundy, pink, and gold ribbons. For her dress, Katie wanted an Anna Campbell gown. The designer’s dresses are handmade, and it’s one Katie always admired. She took a trip with her mother to visit a trunk show at Washington, D.C. She tried two beautiful Anna Campbell dresses, but they weren’t the right ones for her. When she tried the third one, she fell in love with it. “It felt so right,” she says. “I never thought the top would be something that I would gravitate toward, but it still had that classic elegance with the lace, and I loved the tight bow in the back. It was this perfect blend of classic charm with a little bit of a modern touch.” 74 | WV WEDDINGS Fall/Winter 2018
A historic and picturesque winery in Columbus, Ohio, served as a lovely location for Katie and Andrew’s fall wedding. To
complement the fall colors, Katie chose greens and deep reds to represent the deep love they felt for each other.
mywvwedding.com | 75
After the ceremony, Katie and Andrew visited each table and thanked their guests for attending their special
day. The night was spent dining, laughing, and dancing to the Bluewater Kings Band’s music.
an unforgettable day
Katie and Andrew didn’t want a traditional ceremon and chose to focus theirs on their love, their family, and their future. They had an Irish reading that was symbolic of how they felt for each other and what they hoped for their relationship. They were married by Katie’s first boss, Drew Ross, someone who has had a positive effect in her life, and they wrote their own vows. The ceremony was simple, beautiful, and unforgettable. At the reception, the newlyweds first wanted to thank everyone who had come from far away to be with them on their special day. The couple visited each table and spent some time with every one of their guests. For dinner, Creative Cuisine provided dinner rolls, braised short ribs, parmesan, crusted chicken, macaroni and cheese, sautéed vegetables, and kids’ meals for the children in attendance. For dessert, guests enjoyed delicious vanilla bean wedding cake with buttercream frosting and a yellow wedding cake with strawberry filling, buttercream frosting, and chocolate drizzle. After dinner, guests enjoyed the rest of the night dancing to the Bluewater Kings Band’s music. In the end, their wedding day was a celebration of love, family, friendship, and togetherness. Everything from the venue to the colors to the decorations was planned out to represent Katie and Andrew’s love.
76 | WV WEDDINGS Fall/Winter 2018
ENGAGEMENTS
WITTLEE JO RETTON & MATTHEW CHRISTOPHER TENNANT THE BRIDE IS FROM FAIRMONT; THE GROOM IS FROM FAIRVIEW. ENGAGEMENT DATE : 5.26.18 WEDDING DATE : 9.28.19
grandmothers often know best. This was especially the case for Wittlee and Matthew’s future together as husband and wife. More than a decade ago, Wittlee’s “Moomaw” spied a cute boy running up the hill of her Fairview farm. Wittlee was visiting her grandmother, who persuaded her that she should say hello to that cute boy. She did, and the two remained friends for years to come. Wittlee graduated from the Florida Coastal School of Law and returned home to West Virginia and to Matthew on his family farm. Matthew, inspired by the couple’s shared love of sports, planned on proposing to Wittlee with help from the Pittsburgh Pirates’ teleprompter. The plan was foiled, so Matthew had to find another way. The second time around was a success, with Matthew proposing at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh. He popped the question in the rose garden beneath a festive display of fireworks. Wittlee works for the Department of Justice, and Matthew works as an accountant for Bennett & Dobbins. WHERE THEY RESIDE
Bridgeport PHOTOGRAPHER
Liv Hefner PHOTO LOCATION
Parkersburg 172 | WV WEDDINGS Fall/Winter 2018
KATHERINE OLIVIA WILSON & PETER JANUSZKIEWICZ THE COUPLE IS FROM HUNTINGTON. ENGAGEMENT DATE : 12.21.17 WEDDING DATE : 6.29.19
these two childhood friends had no idea when they grew up a block away from one another that they would end up spending the rest of their lives together. They attended the same elementary school, middle school, and high school, but didn’t connect on a romantic level until the wedding of a mutual friend, much later in life. The pair started dating in 2009 and marked the 2017 winter solstice with a marriage proposal. Peter planned a romantic dinner and an after-dinner stroll with their pup Samson. When the trio returned home, he popped the question. Following Katie’s enthusiastic “Yes,” Samson showered her and Peter with plenty of face-licking approval. Katie, an attorney, currently resides in Morgantown, where she works in global regulatory affairs policy. Peter, an engineer, is a first-year medical student at Marshall University School of Medicine in Huntington. The couple is planning a destination wedding in Montreal. WHERE THEY RESIDE
Morgantown & Huntington PHOTOGRAPHER
The Oberports PHOTO LOCATION
The Greenbrier, White Sulphur Springs
WV WEDDINGS MARKETPLACE
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WV WEDDINGS MARKETPLACE
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Fall/Winter 2018
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COUPLES INDEX Adkins & Yahr 78
Knox & Garlick 122
Akers & Myers 80
Lilly & Wright 124
Alvarez & Wymer 82
Lloyd & Daniel 126
Beverage & Doss 84
Martin & Jones 128
Bevino & Clendenin 168
McCoy & Hicklin 130
Bishoff & Evans 86
Miller & Della 132
Black & Vess 88
Miller & Reitz 134
Blaydes & Taylor 90
Murrill & Hawley 136
Burns & Dickson 169
Nichols & DeVault 138
Campbell & Peetz 92
Olszeski & Shear 140
Case & Perry 94
Pauley & Liss 142
Conner & Altizer 96
Pauley & Shamblin 144
D’Alessio & Lawhon 98
Pennington & Barber 146
Dever & Durham 100
Sanghavi & Bloss 148
Devono & LeRoy 102
Scott & McClain 150
Fairbrother & Terry 104
Shelton & Poling 152
Gallon & Burnside 106
Spratt & Farmer 154
Garrett & White 108
Taylor & Iaderosa 156
Garvey & Smith 110
Walters & Newhard 158
Guido & Bailey 112
Warner & Miller 160
Herrington & Moore 114
Weaver & Turner 162
Hess & Hensley 116
Wise & Pelfrey 164
Hodges & Jochynek 118
Word & Moore 166
Kidwell & Barr 120
176 | WV WEDDINGS Fall/Winter 2018