Elegant Vineyard Wedding in Virginia

College sweethearts Desiree and Christopher first met during freshman year in Richmond, Virginia.

Living in the same dormitory they quickly crossed paths within the first month of the semester, connecting over their favorite “spoken word videos.” It wasn’t long before the sparks began to fly between them and were soon inseparable. Chris found their perfect proposal opportunity during a graduation trip in Spain, asking Desiree for her hand in marriage while the sun was setting behind a local island lighthouse. Christopher and Desiree were pronounced husband and wife in an elegant vineyard wedding in Virginia.

Bride & Groom: Desiree & Christopher
Occupations: Attorney & Technical Manager
Wedding Location: Morais Vineyards, Bealeton, Virginia

How did you meet? Desiree and Chris met Freshman year of college in Richmond, VA. We met after the first month of going to VCU. We lived in the same dorm. The first night we hung out, we shared and watched our favorite spoken word videos.

Tell us about the proposal. Desiree had just graduated from law school in May of 2017. Chris planned a surprise graduation trip to Formentera and Ibiza, Spain! On the third night in Formentera, Chris and Dez rode to the main lighthouse on the island on their rented Vespa. There, Chris had a photographer (with a drone!) secretly capture everything. Like the sunset, Dez and Chris danced to Francis and the Lights (featuring Chance the Rapper)- “May I Have This Dance” before Chris got on one knee and asked Dez to be his wife.

Describe your wedding attire. For our wedding, we went for an ethereal, graceful, and romantic theme. Dez wore a backless Pronovias gown with champagne undertones and Chris wore a dapper, fitted, navy tuxedo from Suit Supply.

What was the wedding shopping experience like for you? Hard! Desiree had such a hard time settling on a dress. Low and behold she chose the very first gown she tried on. This was after visiting 12 stores and five months later. Chris had an easier shopping experience, but it did take time to make sure the suit was just right!

Did you incorporate any culture into your wedding? We incorporated subtle hip hop elements into our wedding. For example, we positioned wooden boards down the aisle that incorporated Common’s “The Light” lyrics on them and played Erykah Badu’s “Love of My Life” as we exited the altar after being married. We also incorporated the Unity Sand Ceremony.

Wedding Party Gifts: Chris gifted his groomsmen personalized scotch decanters and matching glasses. Dez gifted her bridesmaid’s makeup bags, jewelry, and matching robes.
Ceremony Entrance Song: “Make Me Whole” by Amel Larrieux
First Dance Song: “Beyond” by Leon Bridges

What are your best memories from your wedding? Our best memories included our first look. The day was already filled with so many beautiful emotions and lots of anticipation. When Desiree walked over to the front of the venue by the fountain to greet Chris and he turned around and saw her, they were both overwhelmed with happiness, love, and gratitude. These moments were captured beautifully. Another memory from the wedding has to be running into the reception of one of our favorite songs, seeing all of our friends and family members just as happy as we were to be present at that moment. Not much can top that! We truly had a blast.

What is the best wedding advice you can give to engaged couples? It’s never you against your partner. It’s always you and your partner against the problem. Oh, and discuss finances early and often. You each bring new realities to the table that must be understood and incorporated into the master plan.