May 22, 2015 • Keswick Vineyards, Keswick
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Lauren Barnes and Alex Bonetti chose their wedding venue the same way most couples daydream about vacation: with a drop of a pin on a map. The Texas and California natives, respectively, knew they wanted a destination wedding, and decided on Keswick Vineyards outside Charlottesville after their pin landed there. “We visited a few vineyards, but we fell immediately in love with Keswick,” explains Lauren. Despite the distance, Lauren and Alex made sure their wedding was a family affair. At the reception, Lauren and her father danced to a song he wrote for her, chronicling her childhood up to the moment he gave her away. Alex’s father began the evening with a sabrage—the opening of a Champagne bottle with a sword. Friends played a central role in the ceremony too, with a close friend as officiant who read notes the couple wrote about each bridal party member. The wedding itself was “neutral and natural,” incorporating the organic, picturesque greens of the vineyard with gold and white accents. It was important to Lauren and Alex that their wedding was fun and lively. As Lauren says, “It wasn’t just about us, but about everyone who was coming.”
Sources
Venue: Keswick Vineyards, Keswick Photographer and Videographer: Rebecca Keeling Studios, Midlothian Planner: Becca Bee Events, Charlottesville Floral Design: Colonial Florist, Gordonsville Catering and Linens: Caroline Street Catering, Fredericksburg Cake: Sweet Haus, Charlottesville Gown: Leanne Marshall from Lovely Bride, New York City Music, Reception: DJ Dennis Payne, Charlottesville
