Walden Hall Wedding | Virginia Wedding Photographer | Tracy and Kenny

Wedding

Sep 19, 2018

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Every wedding I photograph is special.  And I don’t say that lightly.  I cherish each and every wedding.  Tracy and Kenny’s Walden Hall wedding is no exception. I actually first met Tracy at The Sports, Spine and Injury Center in Fredericksburg where Tracy helped me with physical therapy.  I had also met Dr. Erika Warner, chiropractor, doctor, potter, farmer, floral designer (and grower)…these two ladies helped make it possible for me to do my job without pain! The difference in my back then and now is incredible!

So when Erika told me about Tracy’s upcoming wedding, I was excited!  Not only was she tying the knot in Culpeper at Walkden Hall, but Erika was also going to be her florist!  It’s not something Erika does as a business, although, sheesh she certainly could! I think Alyssa of The Posey Detail may have even offered her a job after seeing her work…oh my word can you imagine the two of them together?!

The Details

Erika was also a bridesmaid so all the flowers were set up early so she could enjoy the day alongside Tracy.  So as I was photographing the details, Tracy was well attended to in the bridal suite at Walden Hall.  Her invitation suite from Twila and Company was so lovely and I loved the schedule of events that came along with it as well.

These fresh blooms from Erika’s garden were just so lovely alongside this stationery.  And all the other details were just the perfect compliments to their day.  From the floral cuffs to the men’s blue ties…it was just perfection!

The Preparations Begin

After photographing the details, it was time to see Tracy and document her time preparing for the big day.  She looked so lovely in this incredible Mori Lee wedding dress.  It was the perfect choice!  The Walden Hall bridal and feinting room was the perfect place to prepare to meet her groom.  Her maid of honor, Meagan, helped with some of those final touches.

I photographed some portraits of Tracy in the bridal suite and she was just stunning!  I also took some group shots of the women in the bridal suite before we headed outside together.  The rain had been threatening all day but held off long enough for me to document the bride and her ladies and immediate family together.

And seriously, these ladies were fun and helpful and full of life!  I loved their different dresses in multiple hues and shades of blue.  And those bouquets courtesy of Erika (her farm is Snake Oak Farm) were the perfect accessory!

Tracy looked AMAZING outside on the grounds at Walden Hall.  She was the picture of loveliness and even with a chill in the air, she enjoyed swooshing her dress and enjoying the company of her bridesmaids.

So how about the men?  My associate photographer, Adrianne captured these dapper men on the steps and in front of the house at Walden Hall.  They were a sharp bunch in their deep blue suits with a light blue accent tie.  They enjoyed the morning together before it was time for Kenny to welcome his new bride.

The Ceremony

The ceremony site at Walden Hall was so beautifully decorated for an outdoor wedding.  So when it started to rain right before the ceremony, no one wanted to see it all moved inside.  Kenny and Tracy decided to wait out the rain and delay the start of their ceremony.  Once the rain stopped, the incredible team at Walden Hall and The Posey Detail furiously worked to wipe down every last chair.  Once the guests were seated, it was time for Tracy to walk down the green aisle!

It was a wonderful ceremony officiated by Kenny’s long time family friend, Richard Clore. And the ceremony was not without beaming smiles, laughter and that kiss that seals the deal!

After the ceremony, cocktail hour began and we also photographed some family and bridal party portraits together.  Tracy and Kenny were certainly surrounded by a lot of welcoming friends and family.

Then one of my favorite times of the day…couples’ portraits.  We strolled the front and side of the grounds for a bit of privacy to photograph these two moments after they said “I do.”  They were so relaxed and ready to enjoy their reception and the party that would be the rest of the evening.

Once we were on the side of the house away from the guests, Kenny and Tracy walked and laughed together.  I am not going to tell you what they laughed about, but I’ll let you guess!

The Reception

The reception space was decorated with care and again, those blooms were just lovely!  Their were different Virginia wines at each table and the kids even had special treats at their tables.  It was obvious that Kenny and tracy had thought it all out with great care.  And Kenny even made his own specialty shrimp to serve guests at cocktail hour and not a single tail remained!  What a groom!

When it was time for the reception to begin, Tracy and Kenny made their grand entrance along with their bridal party.  They began dinner with a blessing from their officiant, followed by a welcome and thank you speech from Kenny.  Then all the guests enjoyed the food from Shawn’s Smokehouse BBQ.  After dinner, Kenny and Tracy shared that special first dance together as husband and wife.

This was followed by one of my favorite traditions, the father/daughter dance and the mother/son dance.  I have to say, their parents and families were so welcoming! And I received a hug more than once that day.

The party that followed was filled with some thoughtful speeches by the maid of honor and best man as well as some memorable moments.  Dancing, laughter, cigars and an ice cream stand were of no shortage here as the guests enjoyed the party well into the evening.

My time concluded with a sparkler exit and some special back-lit moments in the rain under the covered bride at Walden Hall.  I seriously love this spot at Walden Hall for night photography at weddings.  And the rain just added to the texture of the images.

Congratulations Tracy and Kenny!  Adrianne and I were so honored to serve you on your big day.  Friends, keep scrolling to see more wedding day highlights as well as a bit of background on their love story and a list of the cool cats who helped make their day possible!

Kenny and Tracy’s love story began with Rappahannock Rugby. Here in Tracy’s words is the story of how it happened:

We met through the team (player and medical staff) and didn’t even start talking to each other until our friend Cisco forced him to contact me to relay game information. Immediately, we started trash talking each other, especially about the other person’s football team. We talked back and forth for several weeks, but it wasn’t until Kenny got hurt in a rugby game AND lost a bet with me about Sunday football that we actually started hanging out one-on-one. Kenny likes to say I fell in love with his left thigh while treating his injury. But I really fell for him during our marshmallow-graham cracker sparring match while burning his redskins t-shirt (as payment for the bet he lost)!

So how did Kenny propose?

Kenny planned out an elaborate surprise for his proposal to me! We spent New Year’s Eve at a friend’s farm and planned to get up early the next morning to hike through the woods and take photos with my new camera. Unbeknownst to me, our friend Erika (dressed in a camo snowsuit) was hiding out there with her own camera set to take photos of Kenny proposing.

We got to the spot he had picked out (after several wrong turns), and he suddenly got down on one knee and said “Tracy, this year would be even better if you married me.” Everything was just a blur. I just remember yanking my mitten off to put the ring on and hugging/kissing him! After greeting everyone inside, we headed out to Early Mountain Winery for a New Year’s Day wine tasting. Then came the second surprise of the day. Both of our families and several friends were all waiting at the winery to celebrate with us!! It really was the perfect start to the New Year.

Thank you!

A big warm thank you is due to these amazing wedding professionals who helped to make their big day happen!

And to see more Walden Hall weddings and engagements, peruse HERE.

Venue: Walden Hall

Coordination/Planning: The Posey Detail

Florals: Dr. Erika Warner with Snake Oak Farm

Invitation Suite: Twila & Co.

Catering: Shawn’s Smokehouse BBQ

Cake: Gateau

Hair and Make Up: Lisa Freeman

Wedding Dress: Mori Lee from That’s My Dress

Bridesmaid Dresses: Jenny Yoo

DJ: Eric Herod Entertainment

Michelle Lieb with Lieb Photographic is a Virginia Wedding Photographer, Charlottesville Wedding Photographer, BaltimoreWedding Photographer and Maryland Wedding Photographer. She is also a Washington DC Wedding Photographer, Phoenix Wedding Photographer, Arizona Wedding Photographer and a Destination Wedding Photographer!

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