Scarlet + Christian
October 17, 2020
How they met + first date
Scarlet and Christian met via mutual friends. Both went to college in Harrisonburg. (her JMU/him Eastern Mennonite University) Christian invited Scarlet to sushi for their first date. Scarlet recalls “I was so nervous, but so excited! I remember pacing in my dorm room waiting for him to pick me up. We arrive to the restaurant and I notice there are only a couple tables inside. Turns out he accidentally took us to the takeout location! None of that mattered. We sat there for hours, too nervous to eat, talking the night away. A few hours go by and we notice the lights turning off around us and the open sign being unplugged. As the staff starts sweeping below our feet, they let us know that they closed 10 minutes ago. Needless to say, after that first date I knew he was something special.”
The proposal
Christian proposed on December 17, 2018 at Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens . Scarlet loves Christmas lights and as they walked around she thought to herself “this would be such a special place to get engaged”. Under the twinkle lights of the white gazebo, Christian surprised her with the proposal she dreamt of. She was unaware that his sisters were hiding taking pictures!
Personal Ceremony
They chose Oakdale as their venue while it was still being built. They saw the vision for the property and both knew it was the perfect spot. At the ceremony there was special thought behind every moment; Scarlet’s parents walking her down the aisle, reciting their own vows; and Christian’s cousin officiated.
Wedding details
Scarlet always wanted a fall wedding. The venue was surrounded by beautiful trees and with the chosen fall colors of burgundy, dark gold, and lots of greenery – it was the perfect backdrop. Deep Run Road House kept the guests happy with their delicious barbecue along with wine, beer, and hard seltzers. At the reception the newlyweds sat at a sweetheart table. There was a special table dedicated to their loved ones that passed. “It was really special having them be apart of our day.” The nine bridesmaids bouquets were separated and adorned each table as a centerpiece.
Favorite part of the day
“We did a last dance with just each other in the building and that was both of our favorite parts.”
Last bit of advice
“Not stressing about the little details was the hardest lesson to learn. If you try to plan out every little thing, you will focus more on the technical side of it rather than the true meaning of the day.”
