Aug. 24, 2019 • Tranquility Farm, Purcellville
Book-ending a picture perfect wedding at Tranquility Farm in Purcellville—held Aug. 24, 2019—is Europe. Nycole Deleeuw and Zac Kothe met during their freshman year at Virginia Tech, when both were living in the Slusher residence hall. They began dating the following year, the start of a lasting romance built on friendship. The couple graduated in 2015, and three years later, in December 2018, Zac got down on one knee at the Piazzale Michelangelo in Florence, Italy and asked Nycole to marry him.
Maddy Williams Photography, Ashburn
Click the photo to view the gallery.
According to Nycole, the proposal was the result of much scheming between Zac and the friend they were visiting at the time. “He asked a stranger to take our picture,” she says. “It was a beautiful time of year to visit Europe with Christmas markets and decorations in every city.” The engagement ring was a round diamond set into a yellow gold band—and had made two previous trips to Europe in Zac’s pocket before he finally identified the perfect moment to pop the question in Florence.
“Aside from the 1807 fieldstone manor home, Tranquility Farm also has a rustic barn and stable and huge grounds with many beautiful portrait spots. Their ceremony took place on the highest hill.”
—Maddy Williams, Photographer
The vision for the big day was rustic elegance. The outdoor wedding blossomed with vibrant summer shades of berry pink, purple, peach, blush, and lots of greenery. “Some of our special touches included chandeliers in the barn, chalkboards for his and hers cocktails, and a large gold mirror displaying the seating arrangements,” Nycole says. The night before the wedding—and in keeping with the tradition of not seeing each other—the bride and groom were whisked away by their respective bridal parties just before midnight.
On the day, Nycole wore a lace applique and tulle gown by Daalarna Couture, and Zac wore a charcoal grey suit with a blush bowtie. The bride and her bridesmaids carried vibrant bouquets from a local florist called the Pink Poppy, and for her something old, Nycole also wore an heirloom garter that her grandmother, mother, and aunts had worn on their wedding days. To further personalize the occasion, the wedding was officiated by Nycole’s uncle, Ed, who incorporated both religion and humor into the ceremony.
The couple honeymooned in France and Germany. “I’d always wanted to go to Paris,” Nycole says, “and Zac had always wanted to visit Freiburg, where his great-grandmother is from, so it was the perfect compromise. We also got to visit fairytale-like towns in the Alsace-Lorraine region of France on our way from Paris to Freiburg.”
And they lived happily ever after.
Details
Photographer: Maddy Williams Photography, Ashburn Planner: B.Mingled, Loudoun County Floral Design: The Pink Poppy, Purcellville Gown: Mira Couture, Chicago Hair: JJ Sherman, Leesburg Makeup: Be Beauty, Leesburg Caterer: Smokin’ Willy’s, Purcellville Cake: Kelsey Cakes Boutique, Berryville Music, Ceremony & Reception: Zandi Entertainment, Reston
This article originally appeared in the February 2021 issue.
