Airlie Conference Center | Wedding Photographer | Jen and James

Ceremony: Airlie Conference Center
Reception: Airlie Center
DJ: Good Note DJ’s
Florist: J. Morris Flowers
Cake: Edibles Incredible
Bridal Gown: Ellie’s Bridal Boutique

Airlie Conference Center

6809 Airlie Road
Warrenton, Virginia 20187
(540)-347-1300

I have a feeling this is going to get long so don’t mind me! There’s just so much to say about this couple who’s quickly become one of our favorites. Like how their personalities are amazing and funny and we couldn’t get enough of it. Or how we loved all the details of their beautiful wedding day. If I had to tell you everything we loved about this wedding, we’d be here a really . . . really . . . really long time. Get the picture?

So, I’ll just go over the highlights.

If I had to pick a theme for Jen and Jim’s wedding, it would probably be: Family Love. Jen and Jim were have been friends and workmates since 2006. One day that friendship took a turn for the better and the two started dating. Fast forward to 2010. Every year Jen’s family has a beach getaway/BBQ. Could there be a better combination of things? This year’s vacation, however, would go down in history. This was the one time each year when the entire family would be all together and in one place. So, plans were made. Food was bought. And the vacation home (ironically named: The Next Step) was booked! Jim’s dad was even cooking.

The beach that night was perfect. The sky the color of raspberry sherbet. The chicken with homemade BBQ sauce had been eaten and dessert was on the way. Everyone was looking forward to eating some homemade strawberry shortcake when Jim points and Jen and says, “Swan, let’s go”. Following Jim, they take a walk with the most perfect backdrop of the sun setting. Suddenly, Jim stops, turns Jen towards him, gets on one knee and proposes. Jen’s heart immediately goes bananas and all she can think is, Jim proposed! Jim proposed! Finally, she says “Oh my goodness! YES!”

It was dark before finally reaching both families who were happily waiting with congratulatory hugs and champagne.

We tell you this story because it says everything about who Jen and Jim are as a couple. We love how incredibly close to their family each of them are and how, because of that, they had an amazing wedding day.

It was very important that each and every person feel loved and cherished throughout Jen and Jim’s wedding. The wedding itself Jen described as a “group effort”. Jen’s dad spent countless hours hand carving, sanding and staining 16 different walnut boxes — he even burned Jen and Jim’s names and wedding date on the bottom of each one. Each table was named after a direct relative of Jen or Jim and has a painting of them made by Jim’s Mom. Jen’s dad collected various branches from the park across the street, where he lives, halved them and cut slits to make the card holders and also little stands for the pictures with the name and table number. But wait, there’s more!

Jen designed the earrings she wore using small diamonds from a ring of her late grandmother and pearls from her great grandmother given to her by her parents as a birthday present. Each bouquet had a special pin attached to it. Jen’s bouquet attached a pin to her bouquet that Jim’s aunt gave her that belonged to his late grandmother.

I cannot express how fortunate you two are to have each other and to have such loving families who want nothing more than to see you happy!

We hope you enjoy the slideshow we’ve designed for you!