2017 was the year that 18 Lieb Photographic Couples tied the knot!  Before I introduce them and say congratulations, here are five fun facts about them:

Places they tied the knot: Rixey Manor, Brandy Hill Farm, Valley View Farm, a private residence in Winchester, Airlie, Early Mountain Vineyards, a private residence in Pennsylvania, Fauquier Springs Country Club, Walden Hall, Wolftrap Farms, and The Inn at Meander Plantation.

Couples who included their dog or horse in their wedding day: 3

Couples who had rain (more than a mist) during their ceremony time: 0

Couples who had a wedding on a holiday weekend: 2

Couples who hired at least one of my preferred vendors: 18

So who are these incredible folks of 2017?  Let me introduce you!

Lauren and Alex tied the knot at Rixey Manor in March on a day with just the perfect weather!  Full of family and friends (many of whom we share!!!), their day was so very special AND Lauren was already up on the 2018 Pantone color of the year!  Can you believe their anniversary is right around the corner?

Kayla and Michael also said “I do” at a Rixey Manor wedding!  Their day was the epitome of a lovely, wine country Virginia wedding.  Blush, gold and green graced their day in an unusually hot spell in April.  I think the thermometer tapped out at 95 degrees that day!  But there was nothing to sweat because these too were too focused on each other and on being the most gracious host and hostess!

Lindsey and Reid were married at Brandy Hill Farm with Lindsey’s beloved Graham on site!  They combined a horse & country theme with a nautical theme since Reid is also a sailor.  These two fairly professional dancers made dips and twirls look easy!  Theirs was my only May wedding, as I took off most of the month for our own family celebration.  So coming back to record their day was truly a treat!

Hayley and Sam were also married at Brandy Hill the next month!  Hayley is a former student of mine, so their wedding holds a sweet spot in my heart…Hayley was truly a princess full of grace and laughter and Sam was most certainly her charming prince.  Their day was so full of friends and family and I couldn’t have been happier to record it for them!

The next day, I again had the honor of photographing a former student’s wedding!  It was quite a day for me, seeing MANY of my former students…and specifically ones who really excelled at Art, Art History and Photography.  Alyssa and Eric’s wedding day was tucked inside Valley View Farm in one of the prettiest spots in the state.  They were married in a circle, danced under a tent of paper cranes and made friends with a baby lamb.  What a day!

When Megan first told me a bit about her family’s property, it sounded like a great place to tie the knot.  And then I saw it!  Oh wow…was it ever!  Megan and Chris are literally like two rays of sunshine walking into the room.  Their June wedding was a private residence wedding for the books!  The joy and happiness that radiated from both this couple and their friends and family was unmatched!

Katy and David’s Rixey Manor wedding was on the July 4 weekend.  I must have cried at least three times, which is so crazy considering how fun these two are…but when David pledged his commitment to both Katy AND her daughter, it was Niagra!  And when the groom’s family owns the Purple Onion Catering Co., you can bet they ate well too!

So when you meet a potential bride who says she inquired with a few other photographers and then saw your work and just KNEW you had to be her photographer, you know you have the kind of trust that makes the wedding photo experience a joyful one!  Anne and I didn’t get to do Breakfast with Santa at Airlie with our kids together this year because I had a wedding there that same day!  But a playdate where Judah and I can can hang out with Anne and her two daughters sounds perfect!  Anne and Jon’s Airlie wedding was full of such sweet sentiment and watching this family become one was such a gift!!!

Kristen and Alex’s August wedding was warm, but definitely not what you might expect for August.  Every detail was so well planned, but what really stood out was their tender care for each other.  These two first met on a D.C. street corner, waiting for their ubers.  But on August 19, they told each other why they want to spend the rest of their lives together.  Months later, they modeled for me at a mini shoot and that chemistry has only grown stronger!!

Beth and Chris tied the knot on Labor Day weekend at Early Mountain Vineyards.  Beth travels the world for her job, so the two incorporated a travel theme in their wedding day decor.  They were married inside the most beautifully candlelit ballroom with the warmth of family and friends, which was converted later into the reception space as well.  While they started the day with a cold breeze and mist, you wouldn’t know it by how happy they look together!

The next weekend, I was off to Cabot, Pennsylvania for Renee and Kevin’s wedding.  They were married on Renee’s family’s private property and it doesn’t hurt when your family owns the largest area tent and rental company!  This was a beautifully designed wedding and the guests were so warm and welcoming.  I had such a wonderful time photographing this Pennsylvania wedding with Kristen Vota!  Renee and Kevin were so charming and such amazing hosts!

Lauren and Justin had the most mobile wedding day of the year!  They started with bridal prep at Airlie, had the wedding at Warrenton Presbyterian Church and the reception at Fauquier Springs Country Club!  They were both so incredibly fun and even chose to read letters to each other on separate sides of the door to the sanctuary.  Their wedding day was so full of love and their bridal party was so helpful and sweet as well!

Meghan and Trevor’s Rixey Manor wedding was the last of four September wedding days.  They had over 200 guests and a tent for the reception.  They brought their amazing fur baby, a bridal party of whom over half were JMU graduates and a super fun attitude!  Their ceremony was at St. John’s in Warrenton and it was beautiful.  The whole day was so very special and I have to say, their wedding video by Olea Films is one of my all time favs!

My October wedding season began with Mollie and Garrett…they have such a great love story and I have really enjoyed meeting their family along the way as well…Garrett’s mom was their florist!  The reception speeches were epic, the JMU alumni were abundant and the bride and groom were so incredibly thoughtful with everyone involved.  They tied the knot at Walden Hall and took advantage of everything the boutique bed and breakfast has to offer.  What a wonderful celebration!

On a Tuesday in October, one of the sweetest young women I have ever met tied the knot at her Wolftrap Farm wedding to a dapper young man.  Abby and Shashtri had the most perfectly planned DIY wedding!  Recording the wedding day of my pastor’s daughter, the woman who has shown such a genuine love for my son, was an honor.  And can you believe she did her own hair and make up?  And those flowers, well…four of us spent about all day creating all the bouquets and boutonnieres!  Thank your florist because it’s hard work!

Nicole and Cory had an intimate weekday wedding at The Inn at Meander Plantation.  Nicole was a step ahead of the game, incorporating Pantone’s 2018 color of the year in her day…even her Badgley Mischkas!  These two had such a sweet evening with their closest family in attendance.  They had one of the most special first looks as well…reading letters directly to each other.  What a wonderful intimate wedding evening it was at the most beautiful time of year!

 Emily and Sam’s Rixey Manor wedding was the last of my October weddings.  It was literally a Cinderella wedding as Emily incorporated it into her theme.  She was a quiet and graceful princess and both the bride and groom seemed like they had walked right out of a storybook.  The wedding was at the height of the fall colors and the weather was simply perfect!

My last wedding of the year was a beautiful December wedding at Airlie.  Amanda and Alex tied the knot with their cheerful fur baby, Cody alongside.  A candlelit ceremony room, a garden full of twinkle lights and a fun, warm and festive reception made for the perfect setting for these two to say “I do.” Not before taking a run in the cool morning air on their wedding morning, however!

Congratulations to all of my 2017 couples!!!  I hope that 2018 brings you new adventures together.  And thank you to my second shooters this year…Emily of Emily Marie Photography, Leah of Feather and Oak Photography and Adrienne of Beatific Visions Photography!