A personalized Loudoun County wedding

As I listened to Erica discuss all the little meaningful details she’d included in planning her Loudoun County wedding, I couldn’t help but think, “I will pay YOU if I can photograph this wedding.”

I joke, of course. While I do love photography just that much, I also run a business. Luckily Erica and Scott hired me for their Memorial Day weekend wedding in historic Waterford, Virginia without me having to beg!

Personalized wedding portrait locations

The first thing you need to know about Erica is that she’s an educator, and the profession is obviously close to her heart. They hosted their reception in the auditorium of Waterford Old School. This restored schoolhouse that now serves as a truly beautiful wedding venue. Venue fees go to support the Wateford Foundation. Their First Look? We did that in Second Street School, part of the Waterford Foundation’s Living History program that teaches Loudoun County schoolchildren about what life was like for African-American children in the 19th century.

As this is a second marriage for them both, Erica and Scott both have children whom they incorporated into the ceremony. Erica’s sons walked her down the aisle and her daughter sang. One of Erica’s nephews escorted Scott’s daughter down the aisle, and all of their children added bits of dirt to a tree (family tree!).

Meaningful wedding details

I love photographing wedding details, and the details for this one were just perfect. Tables were set with china from Scott’s mother’s collection, Erica’s collection and some lent by a friend. The silver belonged to Erica’s great-grandmother; the pattern “First Love” was gifted on her 50th anniversary in 1946. Guests at the wedding recognized china and silver patterns from their own mother’s and grandmother’s tables.

While the table settings combined the history of both families, other reception touches referenced Scott’s childhood on a farm in Wisconsin. His family farm produced milk used to make the cheese served during cocktail hour. The couple gifted bottles of maple syrup made by Scott’s brother as wedding favors and served “Farm Use” red wine from Pearmund Cellars in Broad Run, Virginia. As a final touch, Erica’s presented Scott with a sign for the future “Ericott Farm (established 2018)” a reference to the farm they hope to someday own.

And there’s more!

Erica carried peonies cut from her own garden, which had been transplanted from her aunt’s garden years prior. Famous Dave’s, where two of Erica’s children work when they’re home from college, did the catering. Erica’s daughter, one of her sons and his fiancée made the signs for different event spaces around the venue. High school friends of Erica’s daughter provided music during the ceremony.

This late spring Loudoun County wedding was a wedding photographer and storyteller’s dream, and I’m so glad I was there to capture it!