A Gorgeous Garden Was the Perfect Setting for Venise and Benjamin's Outdoor Wedding at the Historic Cavalier Hotel & Resort

Benjamin and Venise’s romantic outdoor garden wedding at the historic Cavalier Hotel and Resort in Virginia was a joyful celebration with nods to the groom’s Caribbean heritage.

The Boldens, who initially met at work, started their wedding story with the sweetest surprise proposal during COVID-19. During Venise’s celebratory graduation photoshoot, Benjamin discreetly dropped down on one knee and asked her to spend their forever together.

For their big day, the historic Cavalier Resort’s Sunken Garden with its distinctive curved staircase was the delightful setting for the couple’s summer celebration. With help from event designer All in Heels, the day featured gorgeous pink florals, classic gold and cream details, and the happiest fur baby that stole our hearts.

To see more from this stunning resort wedding, be sure to scroll through the gallery below!

Couple: Benjamin & Venise Bolden
Occupations: Senior Program Manager & Quality Engineering Manager
Wedding Date: May 20, 2023
Wedding Location: Virginia Beach, VA

Quick Facts:

Bridesmaids and groomsmen’s Gifts: I gave my bridesmaids a personalized gift bag with many unique gifts that fit their personalities. Ben gave his groomsmen a customized gift box with a flask, a cigar, and a bottle of whiskey.
Gifts for one another: Ben gave me an elegant diamond bracelet that went perfectly with my outfit. I gave him an authentic Rolex watch, which is something he always wanted.
Ceremony entrance song: The Groom’s/Officiant Entrance Song was “Why I Love You” by Major
Wedding Party Entrance Song: “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” by Elton John
Bridal Entrance Song: “All of Me” by John Legend
First dance song: “Best Part” by Daniel Caesar and H.E.R.

Girls just wanna have fun…

How did you meet?

We met while we were both working at ESPN, in Bristol, CT.

Tell us about the proposal.

I was graduating with my MBA, but due to COVID, my graduation ceremony was canceled. So, I decided to still try to salvage the weekend and had a graduation photoshoot at a park near my job (at the time), in Hoboken, NJ. During the photoshoot, Ben got on his knee behind me, mid-photo, and the rest is history! It’s important to note that he had to change his entire plan for proposing, as he had put a lot of work into planning the perfect proposal after my graduation ceremony.

What was the wedding shopping experience like for you?

We wanted to go for classic and elegant. Ben had a white suit jacket with a black lapel, pants, and shoes. His second look featured a gold jacket with a black lapel, pants, and shoes.

My dress was from Pantora Bridal, a Black-owned boutique dress shop based in Brooklyn, NYC. It had a sweetheart neckline, lace detailing on the back, and a conservative train. I didn’t have a ton of preference for the dress, but I knew that I wanted something nice and also functional.

During Memorial Day Weekend 2021, I took a trip to NYC with my mom and my best friend to go to Pantora and Kleinfeld’s (yes, THEE Kleinfeld’s). I actually ended up buying a dress at Kleinfeld’s and then having to cancel it when I found the dress at Pantora.

Did you incorporate any culture into your wedding?

Ben’s mother is from the Caribbean, so we wanted to incorporate small Caribbean notes into our food menu, drink menu, etc. We also made sure our music was a healthy blend of Hip-Hop and Caribbean music.

The finishing touches with the groom…

What is your best memory from your wedding?

The entire day, and just seeing how happy and proud everybody was. With the geographic disbursement of our family, it’s extremely rare that we have everyone in the same room. It was an amazing experience to provide a beautiful day for everybody. People still talk about our wedding, and that lets me know that we did a great job.

Can I take a picture with you too?

What is the best wedding advice you can give to engaged couples?

Take your time. Do what YOU want to do. While everybody else can give advice, you and your spouse need to be the two people who are happiest at the end of the day.