Melissa and Andrew
June 3, 2017
How They Met:
Melissa and Andrew met at a bar in Downtown Richmond in December 2014. He asked Melissa to dance, but she initially said no. Melissa explains, “He persisted and came back and asked again. I said we could talk, and the rest is history.” That night he asked her to brunch the next morning. The two ended up talking the following day for hours at one of their favorite restaurants, The Urban Roost at Lunch and Supper. (They ended up having their rehearsal dinner there, to relive their first date with their family and friends!)
The Proposal:
On Melissa’s birthday week in March of 2016, Andrew took Melissa to the mountains right outside of Charlottesville. “After spending the day outside enjoying our favorite wineries, we made plans to get ready for dinner.” After getting ready, the sunset was perfectly setting over the Blue Ridge Mountains. Andrew’s timing was impeccable. “I had a sneaky suspicion that he was going to propose that weekend, but it wasn’t until he pulled out the champagne that I was convinced.” Andrew got down on one knee and asked Melissa to be his wife. She, of course, said yes. Melissa divulges, “I couldn’t have imagined a more perfect proposal.”
The Details:
Although both are transplants to Richmond, the two fell head over heels in love with the city. They wanted their day to highlight their favorite things about Richmond and the city that brought them together. “We chose the Overlook for our reception because of the view. We wanted our guests to experience all of Richmond, and what better way to do so than by overlooking the skyline.”
For a theme, the two wanted the quintessential Richmond wedding with subtle modern and whimsical details. “We chose a subtle ivory for the main color of the day.” Melissa used her love of fresh flowers to give her day a sense of romance. The pink and coral accents against the linens by Party Perfect were like something out of a fairytale. Their outdoor reception was perfectly bright and airy, with subtle touches that gave you a glimpse into the couple and their wonderful personalities. Instead of table numbers, they used Richmond neighborhoods to label each table, and on the guest book table, a set of Melissa and Andrew’s favorite books. “Andrew and I designed all of our paper products, including our invitations, table settings, and programs. I even hand wrote all the escorts!”
Favorite Part of the Day:
Melissa had two favorite parts of the day. The first? “Our first look. After the anticipation of getting ready with my best friends and Andrew’s mom and my mom, it was such a relief to see Andrew. All the nerves went away!” The second was at their reception, dancing surrounded by all of their favorite people.
For Andrew, his favorite part was also the first look and that monumental moment that Melissa walked down the aisle.
Biggest Challenge:
“Staying on budget and not sacrificing some of the key pieces we each really wanted.”
Best Advice:
“Remember to slow down and enjoy the planning! It can get very overwhelming but remember to enjoy the moments! It all goes by way too quickly.”