Kelly and Lee met in real life at Sun Trust (now Truist), but it wasn’t until years later that they started bumping into each other outside of the workplace and began speaking socially. They often ran into each other at Target on errands and then at the office on a holiday.
The pair went to Sedona Taphouse at Westchester Commons in Midlothian for their first date. Drinks turned into chatting until the restaurant closed. We ended up having our first kiss on the bench outside of the restaurant waiting for the uber. Lee came back to my house and we stayed up all night talking.
For Lee’s wedding gift to Kelly, he purchased the bench on which he and Kelly shared their first kiss. Lee contacted the property management company for Westchester Commons (multiple times, finally getting in touch with them over Facebook messenger) and they sold him the bench! We brought the bench to the wedding and kissed on it as a married couple. We even had a special sign made.”
The Scoop:
Bride: Kelly, 41, Director of Special Projects at Davenport & Company
Groom: Lee, 41, Pipeline Hedge and Risk Leader, Capital Markets at SunTrust now Truist
Wedding Date: July 13, 2019
Number of guests: 140
Kelly and Lee were engaged on March 23, sent out their save-the-dates two weeks later, and married on July 13 of the same year. “When we found the Seven Springs venue they said we had to have a day of coordinator. When we talked to a wedding planner, she said they had never had anyone plan a wedding there under a year…”
Their planning was littered with life changes, vacations, and more, but this beautiful couple did it – they pulled all of their plans together in just under four months.
“The Southern traditions were plenty – burying bourbon (an engagement gift from one of my dearest friends and shared at the wedding), pull cake (made by my 14-year-old niece, Natalie), a parasol (gift from my sister), an allée coming into the property, and even sheep!”
Kelly had two dresses for her special day. She also wore beautiful shoes called Kismet, “which means fate or destiny, exactly the way I feel about Lee. The universe kept pushing us together! I also of course had a six pence because I sell them on my very own Etsy site.”
The couple wanted a bright, summery wedding with local and unusual flowers. “Lee also gives me flowers all the time so we incorporated some of our favorites from our courtship.”
“We love being outside, so an outdoor wedding was for us, even though it was really hot. The Seven Springs venue was absolute perfection. Built in 1725, the land and building were frequented by George Washington and was recently turned into a venue that is just so well manicured and stunning!”
The happy couple welcomed guests to their wedding from many states. “It’s amazing that in planning the whole wedding in only three months almost everyone we invited could come – we were thrilled – family, elementary, middle, high school, college (JMU and VA Tech), and grad school friends (University of Minnesota), as well as colleagues representing two decades of careers. People came from all over the country – California, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, North Carolina, Florida, Maryland, Georgia to celebrate with us.”
Kelly offers these thoughts for other brides planning their special days right now: “Just do it – you never know what is going to happen, like a pandemic – the important thing is being married. And hire a photographer on your honeymoon! We went to Bora Bora and hired a husband and wife team, and the pictures are amazing.”
Thank you for sharing your amazing story with us. Congratulations to you both!
Vendor Credits:
Venue: Seven Springs, Manquin, VA, 804.840.4694
Night Before Welcome Party: Quirk Hotel, Richmond, VA
Photographer: Genevieve Stewart Photography, Nags Head, NC, 252-305-3732
Consultant/Day of Planner: Heather Clarke at the Hive Wedding Collective, Richmond, VA, 804-939-7082
Officiant: Bryan Hannum, rivercityofficiant@gmail.com
Gown: Caryn’s Bridals & Silk Bridal Studio
Veil: Caryn’s Bridals
Shoes: Klub Nico
Hair & Makeup: Ave42, Richmond, VA, 804-303-3139
Formal Wear: Joseph A. Banks
Invitations: Minted
Florist: Amanda Burnette Floral Design, Richmond, VA, amanda@amandaburnette.com
Rental Equipment: Rent E Quip & Paisley & Jade
Catering: Groovin Gourmet, Richmond, VA
Music: Bunn DJ Company & Ninja Strings
Cake: Westhampton Pastry Shop, Richmond, VA
Cake Topper: Thistle and Lace Designs, Vancouver, BC, Canada, Instagram: @thistleandlacedesigns
Favors: Field Notes
Transportation: Richmond Limousine, Richmond, VA
Honeymoon: Sofitel Moorea in Bora Bora & The Conrad Bora Bora NUI
Honeymoon Photographer: Paulina Cadoret
1 Comment
I am the luckiest man in the entire world to be married to the most wonderfully amazing woman ever! I Love You with every last ounce of my heart Kelly!!
Lee