Full Wedding Guide: Vendors, Links, & Details

Earlier this week I finally shared our wedding recap, but today it’s time for DETAILS! Below you’ll find photos, vendors, and links to every little detail from our special day. Hopefully you’ll find some inspiration and ideas for your own wedding – happy planning!

Venue: Castle Hill Cider
We booked our venue pretty much 24 hours after we got engaged, haha! It was love at first sight. Read more here!

Invitation Suite: Paper Phoenix | Engagement Ring: Charleston Alexander | Pearl Ring: Vintage | Earrings: Amazon | Styling/Ring Boxes: Ashley Boyan
Our family friend Lydia did our invitations, and we were absolutely blown away. Her designs are completely customizable, so she basically pulled these out of my dreams. Fun fact: all of my bridesmaids kept their RSVP cards because they didn’t want to let go of that adorable Louie illustration!

Invitation Suite: Paper Phoenix | Engagement Ring: Charleston Alexander | Earrings: Amazon
Can y’all believe these earrings are from Amazon?? I knew I wanted to get my bridesmaids earrings as part of their gift, and I thought I had settled on a pair from Etsy. I just happened to look on Amazon and found these for a better price, and still with cute personalized packaging! When they came, they were so gorgeous in person that I had to order a pair for myself!

Bouquet: Barnswallow Blooms
My mom’s good friend Mary Ann, who runs beautiful local shop The Barn Swallow, also offers the most stunning florals (and at the best price point in Charlottesville). Everyone was in awe of her arrangements! I truly could not recommend her enough.

Flannels: Etsy | Earrings: Amazon | Knit Socks: Old Navy | Jewelry Boxes: Williams-Sonoma (not pictured)
I looked into every “getting ready outfit” that exists, but everything seemed so overdone. I thought more outside the box and had a eureka moment about wearing flannels to feel super cozy that morning. One quick search on Etsy and I found these! I got the girls shirtdresses, myself a robe, and then scooped up these soft cable knit socks as well. When they came up to the bridal suite, I had each bridesmaid’s little outfit laid out, along with a personalized travel jewelry box with earrings inside. ❤️ I also loved the parent gifts we ended up getting here!

Wedding Dress: Christos (‘Primrose’) via Pre-Owned Wedding Dresses | Custom Hanger: Etsy | Veil: Modern Trousseau | Shoes: Jewel Badgley Mishka | Bouquet: Barnswallow Blooms
The story of my dress is a wild ride (full saga in my insta story highlights!), but basically, I tried on this dress for fun in 2012 when my sister was working at a bridal shop, fell in love with it, and had always kept it in the back of my mind. After I got engaged in 2018, I tried on gowns at several stores across DC but nothing felt right. When I got home I happened to find this dress online on a site I knew was reputable, saw that it was an unworn store sample in mint condition – FOR 77% OFF – so I bought it immediately. When it arrived, I fell in love all over again.

Bouquet: Barnswallow Blooms | Shoes: Jewel Badgley Mishka
These shoes are SO good, you guys. In fact, I loved them so much, I even wore them for my bridal shower too! I told myself it was a good idea to break them in, but tbh I just couldn’t wait to wear them. So comfy, pretty, and affordable!

Veil: Modern Trousseau | Earrings: Amazon | Engagement Ring: Charleston Alexander | Pearl Ring: Vintage | Wedding Dress: Christos (‘Primrose’) via Pre-Owned Wedding Dresses | Hair Styling: Studio 321 | Hair Color & Extensions: Smitten Salon | Makeup: Danielle Whitty, Bridesmaid | Lash Extensions: Lash Avenue | Lipstick: Charlotte Tilbury (‘Pillow Talk’) | Lip Liner: Charlotte Tilbury (‘Pillow Talk’) | Nails: Acrylic Overlay with OPI Gel (‘Bubble Bath’)
Studio 321 was the second vendor I booked, right after the venue! I had fallen in love with their work and knew I had to have them on the big day. Although I’m seriously obsessed with everything they do, my bestie/bridesmaid has been doing my makeup for years and I knew I’d feel the most comfortable if she did mine for the wedding (and I needed to do my own eyebrows because I’m a psycho). I wanted to keep things super light and fresh-faced, and I adore how it turned out. Also have to note that I chose to get lash extensions from my go-to gal a few days before so I could feel pretty all weekend, which was the best decision ever. I’d highly recommend, especially for those of you going on a honeymoon right after!

Mother of the Bride Dress: Dillards | Veil: Modern Trousseau | Wedding Dress: Christos (‘Primrose’) via Pre-Owned Wedding Dresses | Hair Styling: Studio 321 | Hair Color & Extensions: Smitten Salon
For my hair, this half updo is pretty much what we did at my trial, but then at the very last moment I asked if we could throw a braid in. It just felt right, haha! Now I can’t imagine if we hadn’t done it! I also got extensions from my favorite gals at Smitten a few weeks before (process documented here), because I knew my clip ins would bother me after a few hours. They were such a gamechanger and I even ended up keeping them until March, I was so obsessed!

Wedding Dress: Christos (‘Primrose’) via Pre-Owned Wedding Dresses | Veil: Modern Trousseau | Hair Styling: Studio 321 | Shoes: Jewel Badgley Mishka

Bridesmaid Dresses: Amazon | Hair & Makeup: Studio 321
I’ve always known I didn’t want my girls to have to pay an arm and a leg for a bridesmaid dress they would never wear again (no matter how much we brides try and convince ourselves they will! 🤣), so I was on the hunt for a bargain from the start. I looked at Lulus and some other affordable sites before I happened to do a quick search on Amazon. This THIRTY NINE DOLLAR dress came up, which comes in several colors and has thousands of 5 star reviews (note: it’s now a new listing so the price and reviews have changed). It looked just like the $200+ convertible dresses I had seen, but was a fraction of the price! I had a couple girls order to try it on and make sure it wasn’t a piece of garbage, and they said let’s do it. We found helpful tutorial videos on the Twobirds insta highlights, and they all chose how they wanted to wear them. The only con about these was some of the styles weren’t super sturdy, so be sure to have some extra safety pins in the bridal suite!

Wedding Dress: Christos (‘Primrose’) via Pre-Owned Wedding Dresses | Hair & Makeup: Studio 321 | Bridesmaid Dresses: Amazon | Bouquets: Barnswallow Blooms

Boutonnières: Barnswallow Blooms

Groom & Groomsman Ties: The Tie Bar | Pocket Squares: The Tie Bar | Custom Beer Glasses: Etsy
Will was on the hunt for weeks for a good tie/pocket square combo, and I was so impressed with how these turned out. We loved the idea of different prints and textures, so the grey wool tie and burgundy plaid pocket square really did the trick. Will gifted the guys both of these, and also custom beer glasses with their initials. Their cooler bag of nice beer ended up going missing at the venue lol, so they had to resort to other drinks 😅 But hopefully someone enjoyed those expensive cans! 🤪

Custom Beer Glasses: Etsy | Pocket Squares: The Tie Bar

Suits: The Black Tux | Custom Beer Glasses: Etsy

Groom Suit: The Black Tux | Tie: The Tie Bar | Pocket Square: The Tie Bar | Watch: Daniel Wellington | Boutonnière: Barnswallow Blooms
See what we were going for with the complementary textures and prints?? I love how the guys’ details turned out – so great for a fall wedding!

Suits: The Black Tux | Ties: The Tie Bar | Pocket Squares: The Tie Bar | Boutonnières: Barnswallow Blooms

Velvet Suit: Appaman | Floral Bow Tie: Etsy
I’ve mentioned this in my wedding insta stories and also in the recap post, but we had our five year old nephew, Mason, be our flower boy. Neither of us loved the idea of a ring bearer for some reason, but Mase is our BFF and we couldn’t imagine him not being in the wedding. The idea just came to me out of nowhere a couple months before, so I asked Will what he thought. Surprisingly and impressively, he loved it. So we asked Mason if he was into it, and he accepted without hesitation. I wanted to get some inspo, so I scoured the internet to see if anyone had ever done it before. I only saw one or two people that had, but was taken aback by all the articles that advised against it, “as to not embarrass the boy when he gets older.” *Insert a thousand eyerolls here.* Are we living in like 1952?! That made me want to do it even MORE, and it was one of our (and everyone’s) very favorite parts of the wedding.

Tables & Wire Cart: MS Events | Linens: BBQ Exchange | Woven Basket & Peach Crate: Vintage | Blanket Sign: Etsy | Frame: Homegoods | Gifts & Cards Sign: Amazon | Blankets: Amazon (Cable Knit, Buffalo Plaid, Chevron, Faux Fur, Knit/Sherpa, Tartan Plaid (Red), Tartan Plaid (White), Pom Pom | Styling: Cape Cod Celebrations
I knew it could be chilly at the end of October, and had seen ceremony blankets done many times, so this was one Pinterest idea that was a must-have. We found really cute mismatched ones all over Amazon, so I linked those for reference!

Blanket Sign: Etsy | Frame: Homegoods | Blankets: Amazon (Cable Knit, Buffalo Plaid, Chevron, Faux Fur, Knit/Sherpa, Tartan Plaid (Red), Tartan Plaid (White), Pom Pom | Styling: Cape Cod Celebrations
Our friend Jamie, who runs a badass planning business called Cape Cod Celebrations, was our day-of coordinator and styled all of these little details to perfection. Jamie and I actually met when we were both working for The Big Fake Wedding, and after meeting once, Will and I invited ourselves to her FAMILY HOME on the Cape and became besties with her, her husband, and their son. 😂 When we got engaged I asked her if she’d rather be a guest or our coordinator and she said casually, “I can do both?” Um, done! Our wedding would have been literal Fyre festival without her, and we are both forever thankful. Northeast brides, do yourself a favor and book her!

Gifts & Cards Sign: Amazon | Card Holder: Amazon | Instax Cameras: Amazon | Film: Amazon | Picture Frames: Amazon | Styling: Cape Cod Celebrations
Along with the blankets, we had a couple other things at the ceremony area as well. We had a table with a gifts & cards sign and card holder, our polaroid guestbook setup, and framed black & white photos of all the married couples in our family 🥰. This was an idea I saw from my queen Kacey Musgraves’ perfect October wedding, which I got a ton of inspiration from. You’ll see a few more coming up!

Ladder Shelf & Ice Buckets: MS Events | Gold Letters: reused from bridal shower (similar here) | Cider: Castle Hill Cider | Cups: Amazon
Since there can be a lot of waiting around when you arrive at a wedding, there’s nothing I love more than a little drinks setup at the entrance. We provided Castle Hill Cider (along with water) so folks could have a taste of the incredible hard ciders that came from the apple orchards surrounding them as they drove in.

Ceremony Location: Linden Grove at Castle Hill | Barrels: Castle Hill Cider | Chairs: MS Events | Ceremony Florals & Vases: Barnswallow Blooms | Mercury Glass Votives: Wayfair | Votive Candles: Amazon | Ceremony Music: Garland Studios
We chose the linden grove for our ceremony, but the options at Castle Hill made that decision difficult! They also have a location that faces the mountains (where we did our first look and took some portraits), and the loft above the cider barn if it’s cold or rainy. The loft is actually what sold us about the venue, because it was so romantic and gorgeous up there! We knew if we needed to move indoors due to inclement weather, we wouldn’t be crushed, so that gave us some peace of mind. Since the weather looked like it could go either way, we paid extra to put chairs up in the loft just in case, and then made a gametime decision the day before.

Chairs: MS Events | Ceremony Florals & Vases: Barnswallow Blooms

Barrels: Castle Hill Cider | Ceremony Florals & Vases: Barnswallow Blooms | Mercury Glass Votives: Wayfair | Votive Candles: Amazon

Greenery Garland “Flower” Crown: Barnswallow Blooms | Velvet Suit: Appaman | Floral Bow Tie: Etsy | Flower Boy Basket: Amazon (currently sold out of this exact type but this is the same listing; also similar here)
Since there wasn’t a ton of flower boy inspiration across the internet, we had to get a little creative for Mason’s outfit. Originally I had posed velvet ties to Will for him and the guys (again, gotta get that ~texture~), but unfortunately got an immediate veto. Jordan, my sister/MOH/Mason’s mom was the one who actually brought up the idea to find a tiny burgundy velvet suit for him, and that’s how we found aforementioned Kacey Musgraves’ perfect October wedding (and thank goodness we did!), because the ring bearer actually wore this exact suit. Jordan ended up finding it on eBay in his exact size, so we took that as a sign and ran with it. Lastly, the final detail idea hit me maybe a week or two before the wedding, to have Mason walk down the aisle to “Velvet Elvis” by Queen Kacey herself. It just fit too perfectly and offered the best comic relief to the emotional ceremony.

Confetti Canons: Amazon | Officiant: Michael Dion, mutual BFF (legally married by Wedding Ceremonies by Jeff)
The last detail about our ceremony that I wanted to share was the confetti canons to celebrate our first kiss. This was, you guessed it, another idea from Kacey Musgraves’ perfect October wedding, and we decided on it just a few days before. I couldn’t be happier that we went for it, because it made for the most epic photos ever. When we pulled away from each other, it was the most magical moment imaginable. And for anyone worried about the environment, the confetti is completely biodegradable!

Wedding Dress: Christos (‘Primrose’) via Pre-Owned Wedding Dresses | Veil: Modern Trousseau | Hair Styling: Studio 321 | Groom Suit: The Black Tux | Tie: The Tie Bar | Pocket Square: The Tie Bar | Bouquet & Boutonnière: Barnswallow Blooms | My Rings: Charleston Alexander | Will’s Band: Amazon
Quick sidenote: can we believe Will got his band off AMAZON?! Literally this wedding should have been sponsored by them, lol. He thought it was silly to drop a grand (or anywhere close to it) on his ring, so I just let him do his thang. He made sure to find one that was 14 carat gold with awesome reviews, and I am so impressed with the quality!

Bourbon (lol): Woodford Reserve
Right after the ceremony, we walked down to the pond to dig up the bourbon we had buried a month before. No we’re not crazy, it’s actually a southern tradition to bury bourbon a month before your wedding to ensure no rain on your wedding day! Then you dig it up right after the ceremony and enjoy it with your bridal party 🎉 Read all about it here!

Welcome Sign: Etsy | Gold Easel: MS Events | Signage Greenery: Barnswallow Blooms
Wedding signs can be SO EXPENSIVE, which seems silly to me for something you’re only going to use once. Instead we chose to download templates off Etsy for some of our signage, and then print on poster board at Staples. It was so easy and surprisingly cheap!

Cocktail Hour Florals & Vases: Barnswallow Blooms

Metal Cheers Sign: Amazon | Bar & Bartenders: BBQ Exchange | Bar Liquor: Costco
Again, this wedding legit should have been sponsored by Amazon. Who knew they had all these details?! And at such a great price point!

Custom Bar Sign: Annie Grotophorst | Frame: Homegoods
Another last minute addition was this custom bar menu from our friend Annie. I include Annie’s work on lots of my gift guides, so this might look familiar! This was a detail we didn’t mind paying for the real deal, because we can’t wait to put it up above the bar cart in our apartment. Love a wedding element that you can use again, or better yet, forever!

Cocktail Hour Florals & Vases: Barnswallow Blooms | Gold Letters: reused from bridal shower (similar here) | Cocktail Hour Tables: MS Events | Linens: BBQ Exchange

Seating Chart: Etsy (with major formatting assistance by Joshua Clark of Clark & Sons) | Gold Easel: MS Events | Signage Greenery: Barnswallow Blooms
Like our welcome sign, the seating chart was also an Etsy template download. It did get a little difficult to format, so I called in backup from my graphic designer friend/Chlo & Tell logo designer(!)/wedding guest, Joshua of Clark & Sons. Bless him, he reworked the whole document so it didn’t look like a kindergartener did it 🙏

Reception Space: Cider Barn at Castle Hill | Tables, Chairs, & Lighting: MS Events | Catering, Linens, & Tableware: BBQ Exchange | Hanging Installation: Laura Blair Events | Table Greenery: Barnswallow Blooms | Mercury Glass Votives: Wayfair | Votive Candles: Amazon | Pillar Candle Vases: Amazon | Pillar Candles: Amazon | Mr. & Mrs. Chair Signs: Amazon
Somehow we didn’t end up getting any photos of the actual passed appetizers or dinner lolol, but we had a barbecue buffet from local spot BBQ Exchange. That’s probably the best thing to not have photos of, because not going to lie, I’m not sure if I would recommend them. I always want to be transparent with y’all, so here is my honest opinion. The food itself is absolutely delicious, but unfortunately very overpriced for what it is; and though they are extremely efficient, I found them to be a bit intense and difficult to work with. Despite Will getting an email from them on our wedding day that basically said pay the small remainder of the balance now or we won’t come 😅, I will say that once they arrived, they were super nice and helpful. I included the menu at the end of the post if you’re interested!

Tables, Chairs, & Lighting: MS Events | Hanging Installation: Laura Blair Events | Table Greenery: Barnswallow Blooms | Mercury Glass Votives: Wayfair | Votive Candles: Amazon | Pillar Candle Vases: Amazon | Pillar Candles: Amazon | Place Cards: Paper Phoenix
The finished product of the reception space took my breath away when I saw it. Most notably was the spectacular hanging installation, which was – you guessed it! – another last minute decision. I’m sensing a pattern here 🥴. When we came to the venue a month before the wedding to bury our bourbon, they were setting up for a wedding later that day. The amazing venue coordinator, Laura, was working on an insane floral installation above the head table that would put any Kardashian baby shower to shame, and I was awestruck. We knew it would be expensive so we tried to forget about it, but I just couldn’t! We opted for baby’s breath as a more affordable alternative, and it was money well spent. It honestly transformed the space and made for such a *wow* moment right when you walked in.

Place Cards: Paper Phoenix | Linens & Tableware: BBQ Exchange | Table Greenery: Barnswallow Blooms
In addition to our invitations, Lydia of Paper Phoenix also made our place cards! Being the adorable detail-oriented babe she is, she used the same calligraphy font she used for our names on the invites AND even hand-painted the crease with the same metallic gold that she used for the fall leaves.

Tables, Chairs, & Lighting: MS Events | Hanging Installation: Laura Blair Events | Table Greenery: Barnswallow Blooms

Mr. & Mrs. Chair Signs: Amazon | Tables, Chairs, & Lighting: MS Events | Hanging Installation: Laura Blair Events | Table Greenery: Barnswallow Blooms
We were also able to find really cute chair signs and table numbers (in next photo) off Amazon, which looked way nicer than their price point would suggest. They have so many cute options for these!

Table Numbers: Amazon | Place Cards: Paper Phoenix | Linens & Tableware: BBQ Exchange | Table Greenery: Barnswallow Blooms

Dessert Table, Cake Stand, & Tiered Stands: MS Events | Linens: BBQ Exchange | Custom Neon Sign: Neon Popsicle | Wedding Cake: Gather + Drift | Mini Desserts: Wegman’s | Florals: Barnswallow Blooms | Mercury Glass Votives: Wayfair | Votive Candles: Amazon | Dessert To-Go Containers: Amazon
Throughout the planning process, I saw fabulous neon signs everywhere I turned, and this want soon became a need. I ended up stumbling upon woman-owned small business Neon Popsicle, who has made some of the best neon signs in DC spots, and reached out to her to collaborate on a custom sign. It’s now hanging above our bed, and it’s my favorite thing ever. I knew all of you guys would be dying over it as much as I was, so I was able to get a code for your own custom creations! Use code CHLOANDTELL for 10% off!

Wedding Cake: Gather + Drift | Cake Flowers: Barnswallow Blooms | Cake Stand: MS Events
My talented cousin Becca of Gather + Drift makes the most stunning cakes, so reaching out to see if she was able to create our cake was a must! She lives in Colorado so I knew traveling AND having to do this would be a lot, but thankfully she said yes immediately. I made a shared Pinterest board for inspiration, and then Will and I narrowed it down based off things he hated, which was a shocking amount 🙃. We left the rest to Becca’s wonderful imagination, and she created this beauty! For my fellow sweet tooth friends wondering, we went with a cookies & cream cake and salted vanilla frosting, topped with gold drip, fresh fruit, and flowers from Barnswallow Blooms. Oh, and fun tidbit: she actually baked the cake part before she left Colorado and then BROUGHT IT WITH HER ON HER CARRY-ON. We don’t deserve her!!!

Mini Desserts: Wegman’s | Tiered Stand: MS Events
Will and I are obsessed with desserts, so we opted for lots of mismatched tiered stands with all different kinds of mini desserts. Mini tarts, cookies, brownies, macarons, cupcakes, you name it! We also purchased little take-out boxes for people to take extra sweets home, but there ended up not being any left over 😆. These are our people, after all!

Wedding Cake: Gather + Drift | Cake Stand: MS Events

Wedding Cake: Gather + Drift | Cake Stand & Tiered Stands: MS Events | Mini Desserts: Wegman’s | Custom Neon Sign: Neon Popsicle

S’mores Station: BBQ Exchange | S’mores Sign: Amazon | Frame: Homegoods
We went back and forth on a late night food setup basically the whole planning period, and we finally went with make your own s’mores bar. Unfortunately this is the only photo we got, but it was the cutest! Our guests got to roast their own marshmallows before topping off with their preferred chocolate and a graham cracker! We even found a little sign for the table that said “roast a marshmallow and party s’more” 😊.

DJ: Garland Studios | Dance Lessons: Dance Studio Lioudmila | Lighting: MS Events
Some of you might remember this from my insta stories (still on my wedding highlight!), but in the weeks leading up to the wedding, Will and I decided to go to a couple dance lessons at Dance Studio Lioudmila. We didn’t want to go too crazy and look super rehearsed, but we just had to get some basics down so we didn’t look like fools during our first dance, lol! We worked with Maria who was so kind and helpful, and the moves she taught us were such a hit. I can’t wait to go back to the studio just as a fun date night! P.S. anyone interested in dance lessons at Lioudmila can mention me for a little discount!

DJ: Garland Studios | Lighting: MS Events
Our DJ was actually my senior year math teacher, John of Garland Studios, which was such a fun blast from the past! He had to remind me regularly to stop calling him “Mr. Garland,” and got a kick out of seeing the other AHS graduates at the wedding. He’s one of the nicest people on the planet, and absolutely crushed it with the music. I included our song picks below for anyone curious!

Sparklers: Superior Celebrations
I was advised against doing this, but I’m such a sucker for a sparkler exit. It was such a dreamy way to end the night, and the photos always turn out so beautiful!

Menu Details

Passed Appetizers
- House cured Virginia ham on cheddar chive biscuit with fig mustard
- Maryland crab cake with smoked pepper mayonnaise
Entrees
- Hickory smoked pulled pork BBQ
- Wood-fired grilled chicken
- Smoked tofu
Sides
- Homestyle cole slaw
- Sweet corn pudding
- Balsamic glazed Brussels sprouts with pancetta
- Mac & cheese
Bread Basket
- House made slider rolls
- Cornbread slices
- Mini pumpkin muffins
- Whipped honey butter on the side
Desserts
- Wedding cake
- Various mini desserts
Signature Cocktails
- Will’s Old (Fashioned) aka groom’s choice: making fun of my husband’s grandpa ways with a standard bourbon old fashioned
- Everyday I’m Fusselmule aka bride’s choice: paying homage to my lost last name with a vodka mule that featured Castle Hill’s Big Pippin ginger cider
- Hair of the Dog aka Louie’s choice: honoring our fur baby who wasn’t invited with everyone’s favorite basic bitch drink, tequila soda with extra lime juice
Other Drinks
- Several ciders from Castle Hill
- Red, white, and rosé from Barboursville Vineyards
- Endless craft beer (because Will is Will)
- Vodka, bourbon, gin, tequila and mixers

Music Details

Moms & Groomsmen: Tennessee Whiskey (Instrumental) by Vitamin String Quartet
Bridesmaids: Stand by Me by Skylar Gray
Flower Boy: Velvet Elvis (Chorus) by Kacey Musgraves
Bridal Processional: Bluegrass Cover of J. Pachelbel’s Canon in D (this didn’t exist on Spotify, so we literally used this sweet version from YouTube, believe it or not! 😂)
Recessional: Signed, Sealed, Delivered by Stevie Wonder
First Introduction: Love on Top by Beyonce
First Dance: Into the Mystic by Van Morrison
Father-Daughter Dance: Harvest Moon by Neil Young
Mother-Son Dance: Landslide by Fleetwood Mac
Cake Cutting: I Would Do Anything for You by Foster the People
Last Song: We Found Love by Rihanna & Calvin Harris

Please let me know if you have any other questions! Hope this post helped for planning your big day!