Oatlands Plantation Archives - Deb Lindsey Photography

Planning a wedding with events in two locations 45 minutes apart can be tricky. But when both parts are filled with tradition and fun (and planner Janice Carnevale of Bellwether Events to keep it all running smoothly!) it turns out to be a great wedding day. The first part of the day took place on the campus of Gonzaga College High School in DC where the groom went to school. St Aloysius is a such a beautiful church and particularly sentimental choice for it’s alum. Following the traditional Catholic ceremony, Edie + Ben knew they wanted to throw an amazing party for their friends and family. After all, they met in New Orleans! Under the gorgeous tent at Oatlands Plantation they didn’t disappoint. The wedding’s southern theme was carried throughout the day–cowboy boots for the bride, wildflowers for the bouquets and striped linens for the tables–and for dinner, a pig roast that made the whole place smell like BBQ heaven. The personal touches at the wedding were off the charts. The couples’ love of cocktails was on display with custom drinks provided by Road Soda, a bespoke cocktail company that operates on site in an Airstream trailer and bottles of Mead were given as takeaway gifts. And I do love a wedding with traditions I’ve never seen before. After the bride & groom cake cutting, the bride’s girlfriends gathered around another cake for a traditional Southern cake pull. It’s based on a Victorian tradition where silver charms with specific meanings are baked inside the bottom layer of the bride’s cake.

Event coordinator Janice Carnevale Bellwether Events 703-851-9622

Site coordinator Oatlands Plantation Regan Reedy 703-777-3174 ext. 113

Caterer Design Cuisine 703-979-9400

Airstream Bar Road Soda

Florist Ciel Haviland

Hair and makeup Alison Harper & Co. 301-979-8033

Garter Julianne Smith Garter Girl

DJ My DeeJay 888.GET.MYDJ

Cake Fluffy Thoughts 703-942-5538

I really needed Labor Day weekend to be beautiful, particularly for Rebecca and Kevin’s ceremony at Oatlands Plantation. I got my wish. Both Saturday and Sunday were in the 80s and sunny. It was exciting to finally get to Oatlands after scouting it earlier this summer for Jennifer & Ed’s wedding shot by Toni & Linda in July. There are so many gorgeous places for photos and I was not disappointed. Rebecca was a little nervous prior to the ceremony but her bridesmaids, especially sister Sarah kept her on track. She looked gorgeous and retro-glamorous with her elegant gown and the birdcage veil. Kevin seemed relaxed and calm although I didn’t see him much before the ceremony—he got to hang out with the wonderful Jonathan Newton who was shooting with me. I absolutely loved the special touches during the day—the refreshment station with lemonade, the place cards on a bed of flowers and the tent with chandeliers! Rebecca’s Greek heritage was evident in many parts of the day, from the crowning during the ceremony to the dinner offerings and of course, the Greek dancing at the reception. Kevin’s roots came out at the reception as well when the boys took the stage and somewhere during the night I’m sure I heard “Take Me Home, Country Roads.” One other thing we did which I had never done before was a little photo booth for the guests. I’m not posting those pix here but you can see them on the slide show—it was a big hit and some of the shots were pretty hysterical and I know Rebecca and Kevin got a big kick out of seeing them after the wedding.

Special props to Jessica Brown with Simply Chic Events. As always, she’s a pleasure to work with and she helps add those special touches that make a wedding so much fun to photograph!

Everyone who helped make the day beautiful:

Oatlands Plantation

Hair and Makeup: Loretta Jameson

Band: The Dickens

Food: Nicole at Windows Catering

Invitations and signs: Christina Barbour with Paperzest

Flowers by John Duffy at Yellow Door

Tent and draping: Fabrication Events