Joyful, vibrant garden wedding *in the rain*…

Alex & Matt found me on their preferred vendor list at Airlie in Warrenton, Virginia.  They were looking for a wedding photographer whose work was colorful and creative with an emphasis on happiness and fun.  They wanted someone who could capture the lovely grounds at Airlie as well as all of the excitement of their wedding day.
They chose Airlie because of the gorgeous scenery– topiary gardens, Spanish steps, stone bridges etc.   In the photo above I captured one of the gardens.  I wanted to show the intricate mazes and paths, so I utilized an overhead perspective. 🙂
While the weather forecast initially made them nervous, they totally embraced the rain wholeheartedly.  With the happy couple up for anything, I was able to let the rain work for us.  It made the colors much more saturated and vibrant, and added some interesting texture and dimension as well.
Here I used it in the photograph of their wedding rings:

A little sparkle (again with those gorgeous, rain-drenched leaves)…

Succulents and other interesting florals were selected for the colorful boutonnieres provided by Personalized Petals…

While capturing the landscaping, the vibrant color and the lovely details was a priority for their wedding photos, I also captured less expected moments as well.
Here you can peek through the blinds to see her wedding dress hanging in the window or see the “back rub line” that her bridesmaids had going on…

Alex is an exuberant, joyful person.  This photograph captures her personality so well– it’s raining on her wedding day and here she is surrounded by her supportive friends, laughing.
Airlie, your umbrellas were a very nice touch!

The rain slowed to a mist and we were able to be outside uncovered for a bit.  Alex is a bug fan of color, and here you can see the vibrant foliage along with the mint and coral dresses of her bridesmaids and attendants.  And those bouquets, wowza….

The Spanish Steps on the back of the Airlie House are completely unexpected from the front of the more traditionally styled building and are just breathtaking!
I really like how Alex’s confidence and cheerful spirit come across in this next photograph.
Matt mentioned that one of the things that he loves most about her is the way she aims to get the most out of every day.  I think you can really see that here:

Lovely ladies– the young woman to the right of Alex leaning in is her sister.  You look all look so pretty!

I told you that the stairs are incredible…

Now it’s your turn, gentlemen :).
Matt mentioned that he really appreciated my organizational skills and fore-thought (thanks!).  He liked the way we were able to spend plenty of time with the men and the women and keep things moving throughout the day, capturing a little bit of everything.
Matt and his groomsmen are all looking dapper in their gray tuxes, I love how Matt stands out with his bow tie.

A picturesque setting as the men cross the stone bridge (watched by a air of white swans!!!)
They are walking to the ceremony site:

Matt shared that seeing Alex walking towards him on their wedding day absolutely took his breath away.  His heart was racing at it finally became real that he would be spending the rest of his life with this amazing woman!

Their priest, Father Jim Greenfield, was amazing.  His message was kind, eloquent, funny and perfectly suited for these two.
I like how you can see the expression on Alex’s face so clearly and her bridesmaids’ expressions more subtly in the background.  Everyone is lost in the moment:

Alex and Matt’s families and friends have been close for some time, so the wedding was more of a formal union recognizing a love and commitment that was already there.  The wedding bands…

Kiss the bride…
The bridal party in coral:

Alex shared that Matt felt like family to her before they even started dating.  She always trusted him and knew that he was incredibly caring and devoted to his family.  She knew that she was lucky to have him in her life.

She shared that when they started dating it was a very long distance relationship.
Initially they were living in different countries, eventually moved to the same country but different states, then in the same state but different cities and now are finally together!
Here they are basking in that togetherness a little.  I like how this next photograph has a really intimate feel…

While most of my wedding photography throughout the day is spent capturing candid moments as they unfold, I do take some time to take a few more traditional portraits of the happy couple as well.

Matt and Alex are both very bright and have a similar sense of humor.  it was so sweet to see them giggling and laughing throughout their rainy day wedding together.

The Spanish steps featured earlier in the ladies portraits are part of the back of this, the Airlie House.  
You can see now why I said they offer such a wow factor against a more traditional facade!
The front of the house is absolutely beautiful as well.

The reception was held on the grounds at the pavilion– yes, the Airlie grounds are quite extensive.  If you are interested, there is an interactive map here.

Alex has a fantastic sense of style– her details were so unique, very colorful and fitting with her “garden vibe.”
Everything felt so light and airy, she really succeeded in bringing the garden indoors at the reception.
She used vibrant coral roses with mint succulents in pentagon-shaped glass terrariums.   She loves art and it reminded her of some of the stained glass work she has done.

Matt and Alex’s entrance and first dance was pretty incredible.  it was obvious to all how incredibly proud Matt was to have Alex by his side.
All of their friends and family were on their feet applauding and cheering.  I love her dress here as Matt gave her a bit of a twirl.

Alex’s father’s speech was incredibly touching and heart-felt.  He had everyone laughing and welling up with tears.  Such an awesome moment. Alex clearly thought it was perfect ;).

The bouquet toss was very memorable– there was quite the competition between the ladies…

As I shared earlier, Alex and Matt’s family and friends have known each other for a long time and are very comfortable together and it really showed out on the dance floor.
People packed the floor and let loose…

The evening ended with a sweet sparkler send off.  it really was the perfect ending to their wedding reception.  Using black and white for this image felt perfect and timeless…

Rain continued to fall gently into the night.  I caught it in the photograph below.  It was such a romantic moment:

Alex and Matt, may your life be as joyful and colorful as your wedding day– surrounded by friends and family.
I wish you all the very best and am excited to hear what you think of these photos!
Feel free to comment below and share this on social media. 😉
If you’d like ot see more of Matt & Alex, check out their colorful fall engagement photos here.