Dec. 28, 2019 • The Historic Post Office, Hampton
Dani White Photography
It started with sushi, a Star Wars film, and a first kiss goodnight. Bethany Johnson and Brandon Halberg both grew up in Hampton Roads, but first met online in 2017—and have been inseparable ever since.
Dani White Photography
The couple’s wedding was inspired by Middle Earth, the fantastical world depicted in J.R.R. Tolkien’s series, The Lord of the Rings, and it incorporated many meaningful details set against a backdrop of forest greenery, winter white, and wood elements. The bridesmaids carried lantern bouquets and wore forest green dresses with emerald velvet stoles. Bethany wore a lace applique Stella York gown reminiscent of the Lady Galadriel. The ceremony at the Chapel of the Centurion at Fort Monroe was particularly special because it included Bethany’s brother Blake—an active duty serviceman who was scheduled to deploy just a few weeks later—among the wedding party.
“We’re very close, and he had been notified of his deployment after we originally set our wedding date for February 2020,” Bethany says. “Our venue, the Historic Post Office in Hampton, was gracious enough to let us change the date to December 28, 2019.”
For the reception, Bethany handcrafted napkin rings inspired by the One Ring (a key plot point in the books and films), and the bride’s mother, Janine Johnson, designed all of the floral arrangements, including a living moss seating chart.
“We wanted guests to be transported,” Bethany says. “My aunt sewed banners with symbols from Middle Earth, the table signs were named after locations from Tolkien’s books, and our three-tier, lemon-buttercream cake, made by a family friend, featured the One Ring surrounded by white roses.”
As for the couple’s own rings? Bethany’s is a three-carat, pink morganite stone haloed with diamonds, set in rose gold, and flanked by two custom wedding bands from Luster La Valliere; Brandon’s is a black, hammered tungsten carbide band with rose gold interior. And both are very precious.
Details
Photographer: Dani White Photography, Newport News Floral Design: Jeff’s Flowers Of Course, Newport News Gown: Studio I Do Bridals, Virginia Beach Hair: Courtney Whitford Hair, Suffolk Groom’s Attire: TheBlackTux.com Caterer: Chef By Design Catering, Norfolk Music, Reception: Black Tie Entertainment, Richmond
Note: Click the photo to view the gallery.
This article originally appeared in the February 2021 issue.
