Brian & Patrick
November 21, 2020
Brian and Patrick first met 7 years ago. After spending some time in a long-distance relationship, they finally met in person in Buffalo, NY and spent a weekend together in Niagara Falls. Both had the idea to propose to each other at Libby Hill Park overlooking the city. They each read five reasons they wanted to marry. “It was an odd way of doing it, but it was very us.”
The couple chose the VMFA as the wedding location. “When we first moved to Richmond, we went to the VMFA and had dinner at Muse Restaurant. We remembered looking down onto the sculpture park and commenting how great it would be to have a party on the stone terrace across the lawn. We chose to do our vows there.” Since the wedding was during a pandemic, safety was at the top of their concerns so the two opted to keep everything outdoors. The theme of the day was “simplicity”. The beautiful sculpture garden was the serene background requiring minimal décor under the tent. The short ceremony concluded with personal vows and then a traditional Syrian dance, a nod to Patrick’s family.
After cocktail hour and dinner at Brambly Park, the newlyweds hosted everyone at their home for an outdoor fire and their favorite movie, Practical Magic. “We filled the yard with comfortable chairs, pillows and blankets for everyone to cuddle up on. It was a hit! Everyone loved it!”
Brian and Patrick admit they never wanted a huge wedding, but Covid restrictions forced them to scale down even further. “Finding the right venue for both the ceremony and dinner was challenging. Keeping everyone comfortable and safe was our main concern.”
