Real Richmond Wedding: Elaina and Kevin’s Greek Orthodox Wedding

Elaina and Kevin
June 17, 2017

How They Met:
Elaina and Kevin met in August of 2008 during their freshman year at East Carolina University. Kevin’s fraternity house happened to be right next to Elaina’s sorority house. The two organizations would hold a blind date night where the girls would line up and be randomly matched with a boy from the fraternity. One by one the couples paired off, and Elaina serendipitously matched with Kevin.

The Proposal:
Kevin asked Elaina to be his wife during Memorial Day Weekend 2016 at Kevin’s family beach house in Long Beach Island, New Jersey. After a long day on the beach, it started to get a bit chilly and cold. Most of the family retired inside, but Kevin asked Elaina on a walk. Elaina explains, “I almost said no because of the weather!” Of course, she thought nothing of it at the time, and even when Kevin said he needed to ask her something important, Elaina thought it was, “Going to be about what we were going to eat for dinner!” He got down on one knee and she said yes. When they got back to the house, Elaina’s family had driven up from her hometown, Richmond. “A surprise proposal and now a surprise party! We were blessed to be surrounded by both families as we celebrated.”

The Details:
Their ceremony took place at Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Cathedral. Elaina had grown up dancing and participating in youth Greek groups, and the two wanted to have a Greek Orthodox wedding to, “continue the traditions of their family and start a few of their own.” They chose champagne, gold, white, and green as their colors with an emphasis on different textures.  Greenery was the main focus of their florals, the dark natural green contrasting beautifully with the sequin, chiffon, and satin that the bridesmaids wore. “Our florals were organic, natural, and emulated a look gathered from a garden.” A wreath of greenery wrapped around the bases of every table, and by the end of the night, they ended up on guests’ heads as crowns!

For the reception, The Jefferson was the easy choice. “My dream since I was a little girl, has been to walk down those red-carpeted stairs hand in hand with the man of my dreams.” And as the two ascended the grand central staircase, her dream became true. Since both The Jefferson and the cathedral have such breathtaking atmospheres, the wedding decor was inspired by their ambiances. “Our decor was a balanced mix of modern, rustic, classic, organic and industrial glam!” Instead of centerpieces, the two had cakes at every table, 27 in total! “Some guests ate dessert first or finished the evening with three to four slices.”

Favorite Part of The Day:
“I loved walking down the aisle with my dad arm in arm, surrounded by all our family and friends. The moment was surreal. Heart beating fast, coming down the aisle slow, and peaking behind all the people to finally see the first glimpse of my husband.” For Kevin, it was the same moment, seeing his bride finally walk down the aisle.

Biggest Challenge:
“Working and living in New York City, while planning the wedding in my hometown Richmond, VA — over 340 miles apart! Luckily, my wonderful mother was so organized and on the ball. She helped us keep all the planning together!”

Best Piece of Advice:
“Everyone told us to enjoy the day and weekend you have planned so long for. We kept that in our heads on our special day and truly embraced every moment. In the middle of it all, take a deep breath in, exhale, and look around you. You will be amazed, and feel sincerely content.”