Kate and Tony met while they were students at Virginia Tech years ago. They sat together in a science lab and developed a close friendship that eventually evolved into something much more. So naturally, these two came all the way from Virginia beach back to their roots in Blacksburg for their intimate wedding.

As soon as Tony proposed to Kate, she began planning her dream wedding…starting with the dress! This bride-to-be knew exactly what she wanted, so she made it entirely by herself. The lovely lace ensemble took her several months to complete, but the work was definitely worth it. She had a cathedral length train embellished with intricate lace details and a floral waist length veil that she hand-stitched together for the timeless look. She chose wildflower bouquets for herself and the girls to compliment their blush colored bridesmaid dresses. The gentlemen wore classic black suits and polka dotted socks. The two chose simple gold bands to tie the knot.

Tony’s family flew all the way from his native Peru to witness their nuptials at the War Memorial Chapel, which made the ceremony that much more meaningful for those involved. The historic chapel needed little decoration save for the beautiful magnolia blooms at the end of each pew. After exploring the campus for their wedding portraits, we celebrated their reception at the Inn at Virginia Tech. Guests enjoyed live music and shared many heartfelt toasts to the couple throughout the evening. The the father and mother of the bride took the cake for the sweetest gift (no pun intended), which was a handwritten book of their marriage advice to the couple that they’d been working on for several years! After much laughter and many happy tears, the couple cut their stunning buttercream cake adorned with magnolia blossoms and lavender.

We truly love such intimate family gatherings; it’s what brought us to wedding photography in the first place! I could not have been more excited to be a part of Kate and Tony’s big day and I am so excited to share these special images with you.