As much as we love photographing weddings in the DC metro area, we also jump at every chance to document love stories in places farther from home like Fredericksburg VA. After all, we’re an international couple and have been traveling all over the world for most of our adult lives. Every new place invigorates and refreshes us! And as awesome as DC’s wedding venues are, new settings give us new canvases to “paint” on. So we’ve been looking forward to photographing Rebekah and Eddie’s wedding near Fredericksburg VA for a while! They told us they were going to have their celebration in the gorgeous lands of rural Virginia, and we knew that theirs was going to be a gorgeous wedding.
“Gorgeous” might be underselling it a bit. Rebekah and Eddie’s wedding was an absolute dream from beginning to end! The couple made perfect use of the natural beauty of the rural areas surrounding Fredericksburg, weaving it seamlessly into their celebrations and letting it accentuate the loveliness of the commitment they made to each other. And as a result, the photos of their Fredericksburg VA wedding were absolutely stunning!
Gorgeous Photos of a Fredericksburg VA Bride Getting Into Wedding Dress
Rebekah and Eddie had us arrive at their wedding just as they were finishing up the getting-ready process. The site of their wedding was actually their house, which is in Partlow VA. The town is a lovely rural community not far from Fredericksburg. It’s in the idyllic, bucolic areas that rural Virginia is famous for.
Because most of Rebekah and Eddie’s wedding party were also getting ready in the couple’s house, things were a little crowded in there. So we decided to bring the bride outside to put on the final layers of her wedding dress. That had the added benefit of giving this lovely and special moment the kind of beautiful backdrop it needed. It allowed us to get some really gorgeous photos of the maid of honor helping Rebekah into dress and fixing the final details of her hair adornments.
Beautiful Nature-Themed Fredericksburg Wedding Portraits
With the bride in her dress and ready to tie the knot, the entire wedding made its way a half-mile down a country road. At the end of the lane was Rebekah and Eddie’s neighbor’s property, a gorgeous expanse with a lovely pond behind the house. That spot is perfect for a wedding ceremony amid the splendor of Virginia’s outdoors. As you can imagine, the pond makes for a very scenic backdrop! It’s such a gorgeous location, in fact, that the neighbor is planning to turn the space into a Fredericksburg wedding area venue. With that in mind, he has equipped the area with raised wood platform for ceremonies. It gives you a nice stable space that doesn’t get wet or muddy and that you can decorate in whatever way you like.
Before Rebekah and Eddie’s exchange of vows, though, they had us take lots of family formals and their couple’s portraits. The beauty of the neighbor’s property (and future Fredericksburg VA wedding venue) was absolutely ideal for these photos. Especially the portraits of the future bride and groom! The sun filtering through the trees and leaves lit the couple beautifully. Our favorite photos from this part of the wedding day, though, were some of the bridal portraits we did of Rebekah. One of her friends suggested that she do the “melting bride” pose. Though it’s not the kind of picture we usually take, the whole atmosphere around it was irresistible. Everyone, Rebekah included, was laughing and having fun, which made the images extra sweet.
Fredericksburg VA Wedding Ceremony with Latin Elements
Once the hot Virginia summer sun dipped below the trees surrounding the pond, the entire wedding arrived at the ceremony space. Rebekah and Eddie’s exchange of vows was a lovely and touching part of their day. The entire ceremony was a celebration of not just the couple, but also all the people who supported them during their journey to the altar. One of their close friends officiated, for example, and many of their family members participated in the ceremony.
Rebekah and Eddie’s tying of the knot also featured lovely nods to their cultural heritages. More specifically, the ceremony included the lazo. In this ritual that is common in many Latin American societies, honorary “godparents” place an ornately decorated lasso around the couple. Another set of “godparents” presented Rebekah and Eddie with las arras – wedding coins that are meant to bring luck and prosperity to the couple. During the ceremony, the officiant blesses the coins and gives them to the groom. The latter then offers them to his bride and pledges to give her everything that he has in support of her. Rebekah and Eddie chose a modern interpretation of the ritual and passed the coins back and forth, promising to support each other financially in their married life.
Memorable First Dance at Fredericksburg Wedding
After the ceremony concluded, the newlyweds and their guests returned to the couple’s house. They had set up a tent in the front yard that would serve as the location for their wedding reception. It was a perfect casual setting for what became a really fun celebration of Rebekah and Eddie’s exchange of vows outside of Fredericksburg.
What made the post-ceremony celebrations so enjoyable to witness was the dancing. The bride was an accomplished dancer, and a lot of the guests came from that world as well. For that matter, the groom was no slouch either! All of that made the dance floor a dazzling expression of skill, grace and talent. For example, the newlyweds’ first dance featured Eddie hoisting Rebekah high in the air. On the last of those, the outer layer of the bride’s wedding dress came flying off in a preplanned display. The photos of that happening are every bit as dramatic and exciting as the moment itself!
Dynamic Photos of Dancing at Fredericksburg Wedding Reception
Following lovely (and graceful) parent dances, the DJ got the party kicked off in earnest. Which would not normally have been noteworthy. The way he did, however, was a bit unorthodox. He and one of the guests (his dance class partner) wowed the crowd with a spirited Charleston that included a dramatic flip. Shortly after, the DJ led a big group of wedding guests in a series of line dances that left everyone laughing. And more importantly, ready to get out on the dance floor!
For the remainder of the evening, Rebekah and Eddie’s guests packed the floor. Someone whirled one of the flower girls around in a circle, her feet flying off the ground. The bride engaged in an energetic dance with one of her friends that featured a flip, a spin on the ground and a dramatic dip. And almost all the guests joined in for more line dances to some wedding reception favorites. We were able to take some of the most dynamic, kinetic and thrilling dance floor pictures we’ve ever gotten!
Thank you so much, Rebekah and Eddie, for making us a part of your wedding celebrations! We hope our photos do justice to how lovely your event was!
Planning: Magnolia Collective
Videopgraphy: Thibecs Production
Florals: Ling’s Moment
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