Six years to the day they first met, July 10th, 2014, Arah and Sam were married in Blacksburg, Virginia at Beliveau Estate Winery. On a very sunny day, they were wed at the peak of a hill on the property surrounded by their closest family, friends and stunning Blue Ridge Mountain Views. Arah choose a sweet peach and mint color palette infused with handmade details. After the ceremony, they enjoyed a reception followed by dancing and sparklers.
Arah + Sam
Beliveau Estate Winery, Virginia
July 24, 2014
Why did you choose the Mountains for your wedding?
My husband and I moved to Blacksburg, VA from Cleveland, OH a couple of years ago when I started medical school, and we fell in love with the area. We knew that when we finally did set a date for the wedding, that the location had to have the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains in the backdrop. Although much of our family was from the city, we’ve always been drawn to the beauty of the mountains so this really was the perfect opportunity to share with our family and friends our love for the area and at the same time have an affordable destination wedding that our guests would enjoy.
Wedding Day Weather
Absolutely perfect. Started with an overcast and ended up sunny and in the upper 70’s
Number of guests that attended
50
What was your theme for your wedding?
I wouldn’t say we had a theme per say but our color scheme, peach and mint, were inspired by under tones of succulents and antique garden roses.
Where did you find your inspiration?
I have always loved succulent plants so once I knew that I was going to involve them, I simply tied in similar colors where I could. I also love to craft and since most things would be done by hand I turned to none other than Pinterest for project ideas.
Your budget
10K
Biggest Splurge
Photographer…worth every penny ;)
Biggest Savings
Having our wedding on our 6th year anniversary which was a Thursday. This actually gave us tremendous flexibility when choosing a photographer, DJ, guitarist, venue, etc. Our first choices were all available and most of them at a discounted rate!
How did you choose to personalize your wedding?
Everything was pretty much hand made or crafted. We also had a lot of help from our family and friends so everything had a personal touch which also allowed our family and friends to feel more personally involved on our big day. From the cornhole boards my sister-in-law made to the arbor my dad and husband constructed, it was all made with love.
What was your favorite part of the reception?
Dancing! I love to dance and I wanted to be sure my family and friends had a blast and joined us out on the dance floor. Our DJ was excellent and really played a great variety of music for all ages. I also really loved that our reception had an outdoor bar and seating area, this allowed for people who didn’t want to dance to step outside where it was more quite and have casual conversations without feeling like they had to watch the dance floor or scream to talk to each other.
What are three things you’re super glad you did?
- Kept the wedding small and intimate. We had family members who I hadn’t seen in years, so we knew we wanted to have time to talk with them and all of our guests, without feeling rushed. We invited only our nearest and dearest and you could truly feel the love in the room.
- We involved our family and friends with the preparation! We could not have done it without them. Delegating tasks (even when you’re a perfectionist) is a must!
- We hired a local student to play the acoustic guitar during the ceremony. It really set a romantic tone for our intimate wedding ceremony, and I will never forget the moments when I first heard those guitar strings being strung. I was so nervous sitting in the quite room waiting for my cue but as soon as I heard those first few notes of our wedding song, a peacefulness overcame me and I was ready to start the beginning of forever.
[Tweet “Don’t sweat the small stuff with your wedding… it won’t matter years from now anyways.”]
What was the biggest challenge in planning your mountain wedding and how did you overcome it?
I took my medical boards two weeks prior to the wedding, so for me it was actually really hard to not focus on the wedding until after the exam. After the exam, I then had two weeks to plan all of the final details like decorations, the ceremony details, seating arrangements etc. It was definitely a rush and at times overwhelming, but being organized and delegating tasks helped me to get things done on time, and without too many real hassles.
How did you find and choose your vendors?
The venue was a local winery that my fiance had found. Once we checked it out we knew this was without a doubt where we would have the wedding. Great wine and great views! What more could you ask for?!
Our photographer Tyler Corvin, was suggested by friends of ours who had used him for their engagement pictures.
To find our DJ Mike with High Impact Entertainment, we actually used thumbtack.com to find the best deal. He had great reviews and we were able to Skype to be sure it was a good fit. I would suggest this website to other brides who are unsure of where to being. Vendors send you quotes so you don’t have to call around and do a whole lot of work emailing or making phone calls.
Our cake was from a local bakery, Our Daily Bread, which we frequent often and is very popular with the locals.
Our flowers… now this was a complete surprise! I actually won them at fiftyflowers.com! I had done a “pin-to-win” contest and won $500 worth of flowers the week before the wedding which was truly wonderful, since I still had no clue how we were going to afford my dream flowers. Our wedding party, moms, and sisters really went to town the day of the wedding cutting flowers and arranging them in center pieces and the arbor.
What is your best piece of advice to other mountain brides who are planning their weddings?
Relax! When it comes to the big day, something will inevitably not go as planned but remember that getting married is not about the frills or details of a wedding it’s about beginning surrounded by the love and light of your family and friends as you start a new chapter in your life with the man or woman of your dreams. Don’t sweat the small stuff… it won’t matter years from now anyways.
Blacksburg Virginia Wedding Vendors
Photographer: C. Tyler Corvin Studio | Event Venue: Beliveau Estate Winery | Bridesmaid Dresses: Daisy Bridal House | Bridesmaid Dresses: David’s Bridal | DJ: High Impact entertainment | Hair Stylist: Inside Out Salon | Bakery: Our Daily Bread Bakery & Cafe | Favors and Gifts: The Succulent Source | Flowers: 50 Flowers