Real RVA Wedding: Lissa & Sheena
Lissa & Sheena
October 18, 2014
Meet ONE of our three cover couples, Lissa & Sheena. When we first saw a photo of their gorgeous wedding, we knew it was perfect for the magazine! Plus, Lissa & Sheena are quite possibly two of the kindest, most fun people we’ve ever had the pleasure of spending time with!
How They Met
Sheena was working at a sports bar when she first started staring at this beautiful woman every time she came in. After eight months of stolen glances, she knew it was time to say something. When Sheena told her friends she was going to go break the ice, they said, “Oh Lissa? We know her!” With a little liquid courage, introductions were made and they talked for the next three hours. Six more months later, they ran into each other again, and by the end of that evening, Lissa asked Sheena to dinner. They spent seven hours talking and learning about each other. Sheena says, “It was the most genuine and endearing time either of us had ever experienced with another person. It felt so natural. It’s like we knew immediately that it was going to be perfect, and it was. Here we are, almost five years later, still learning from each other every day.”
How She Asked
When Sheena stumbled across an article about the Blue Lagoon in Reykjavik, Iceland, she immediately started planning a surprise trip for Lissa. Of course, Lissa wanted to know all the details, and Sheena to this day doesn’t know how she managed to keep it a secret! Just before their flight out of RVA, Sheena stopped by Lissa’s parents house to ask their permission to marry their daughter.
Sheena then worked with the airport gate attendants to keep their destination a secret for as long as TSA regulations would allow. Once Lissa saw the big IcelandAir sign, she did what Sheena calls the “tornado spin yoga bend jump into a squealing laugh move.” It was exactly the reaction Sheena was hoping for.
While on their northern lights tour, Sheena kept thinking, “Now or never, now or never.” Once she worked up the courage and finally got the ring box out from under many, many layers, she whispered Lissa’s name. She says, “Lissa immediately dropped her head on my chest and started crying. She said yes.”
Our favorite thing about Lissa & Sheena’s wedding are all the genuine emotions you see from EVERYONE involved! There is so much surrounding these two!
The Perfect Place
During their first five minutes at the Poe Museum garden, Lissa and Sheena knew this was where they wanted to get married. They lit up the space with soft pinks, lots of twinkling lights and splashes of gold. Wanting to enchant their guests, the two built arches for their tables and hung crystals and candles from them. There were tons of beautiful flowers from Vogue Flowers & Gifts and cozy, vintage couches from Paisley & Jade for their guests to relax on.
The Best Part
Sheena says, “We both agree that seeing each other for the first time walking toward each other was our favorite part. We had been anticipating it for so long that it literally took our breath away.”
RW Vendors
Gown & Veil: Bliss Bridal Consignment Boutique
Flowers: Vogue Flowers & Gifts
Rentals: Paisley & Jade
Guest Accommodations: Crowne Plaza Downtown
Additional Vendors
Photography: A Lovely Photo
Ceremony & Reception Site: The Edgar Allen Poe Museum
Wedding Consultant: Casey Dokoupil
Rehearsal Dinner: The Savory Grain
Officiant: Adam Stuart
Music: River City Music
Formalwear: Couture by LK Design
Shoes: Kate Spade & Aldo
Hair: Rustique Salon
Makeup: Ulta & Bobbi Brown
Jewelry: Kay Adams & Jared
Bridesmaid Dresses: David’s Bridal
Catering: DeFazio’s Catering
Cake & Sweets: Kuba Kuba, Ellwood Thompson Bakery, Jean Jacques Bakery
