Jess + Drew had already been together for years when they gathered with a group of friends for a cozy pandemic-era hang at Potter’s Craft Cider, social distancing around a fire pit and sipping cider. Little did they know that, a few years later, they’d be tying the knot in that exact same spot!
The crafty + creative couple planned their entire celebration themselves. With Virginia’s Blue Ridge mountains as a backdrop and a joyful + colorful folksy vibe as their guiding aesthetic, Jess + Drew leaned on friends + fam to bring their dreamy wedding day to life.
“My mom, dad and brother led many of our friends and family on the day to set up and break down, making it feel like a true communal effort,” Jess says. “We self planned every detail, making sure it felt like us and kept the guest count at 75 for an intimate feel.”
There were hand-sewn pennant flags and color-rich florals and more DIY endeavors than we can count. The day’s folk festival inspo shined through beautifully. And wedding bells were *literally* ringing – for real: Jess + Drew rang the restored chapel venue’s bell at the end of the ceremony.
“Every detail—from the venue choice to the hand-crafted décor, the custom attire, and the live music—was thoughtfully curated to reflect their personalities and values,” says photographer Kristi Littman (who just so happens to be Jess’s sister!) “Their day wasn’t about adhering to traditional wedding norms; it was about making their celebration a true reflection of their journey and love story.”
“With vibrant, meaningful details, and a focus on family, community, and creative expression,” Kristi adds, “this wedding stands out as an unforgettable, deeply personal celebration.”
You know we go crazy for a pair of green wedding shoes! Especially when they’re as cute as these green velvet slingback bow heels from ASOS.
LOVE to see brides + groom getting ready together. How sweet is this shot?!
Fun fact: so photographer Kristi could could be present for her sister Jess’s big day and not spend the whole time behind the camera, associate photographer Ali Banks was on hand keeping the wedding photos flowing.
Horse and Hen encapsulated the wedding’s rich + multifaceted color scheme with this gorgeously overflowing bridal bouquet.
How’s this for meant to be: Jess’s subtly sparkly floral Natalya Valentine wedding gown from Jaxon James Couture didn’t need a single alteration. It fit her like a glove right from the start!
We are beyond thrilled that so many grooms like Drew have been embracing the colorful, meaningful option of custom embroidered wedding suits. And Addicted Bespoken — where Drew got his sage green look — is the go to spot to find one.
A Charming + Colorful Ceremony
“The bride’s mom hand-sewed pennant flags from fabric chosen by the couple,” say the newlyweds, “setting the tone for the rustic, folk-festival-inspired vibe.”
This is such a creative ceremony seating idea! Adding rainbow satin ribbon on the chair backs gives every seat a touch of handmade, colorful fun.
Speaker + coach Denise Stewart officiated the couple’s meaningful, non-traditional ceremony.
“Even the music was thoughtfully chosen, with the groom’s lifelong friend performing an intentional song for the ceremony: an acoustic version of “When the Day Met the Night” by Panic! At The Disco,” says Kristi. “This song symbolized the couple’s shared theme of sun and moon, a motif that has been present throughout their relationship, tying together their love story in a deeply meaningful way.”
“The bride’s ring was custom-designed in LA at David Klass Jewelry, using meaningful stones: the center stone from the groom’s aunt and side stones from the bride’s grandmother’s anniversary ring,” Kristi shares. And Drew’s wedding band? That was the work of Staghead Designs.
“The couple incorporated a hand-fasting ceremony, a Celtic ritual, with the bride’s brother and groom’s sister participating in the ritual and the couple’s niece and nephew acting as ‘ribbon bearers,'” Kristi adds.
We’ve got a handfasting how-to guide you need to see if you’re into the idea of adding some Celtic ritual to your ceremony like Jess + Drew did.
“At the end of the ceremony,” Kristi says, “Jess + Drew rang the original church bell at the venue, a symbolic gesture marking the start of their new chapter together.”
“Instead of a traditional send-off at the end of the evening, Jess + Drew opted for a grand entrance into cocktail hour, where handmade ribbon and bell wands welcomed them as newlyweds, inviting their guests to celebrate with them from the very start of their marriage,” Kristi shares. The wands were specially made by the groom’s mom and dad. “This also allowed their guests to engage in the rituals without the pressure of staying until the end, adding flexibility to their timeline.”
Let the Party Begin!
“We made the choice to only offer cider from Potter’s Craft Cider as our alcoholic beverages,” say Jess + Drew. “Their cider is incredible: dry and sugar-free. We opted for one classic cider, one that was fermented on grape skins for the wine lovers, and one that was hopped for beer lovers. Everyone was happy :)”
A Private Moment for Portraits
It’s always so exciting to see a bride rocking a bob! Check out our collection of bridal hairstyles for short hair to start dreaming up an above-the-shoulder look as cure as Jess’s.
With plenty of color + personality as the goal, the bridal party found their bridesmaid dresses from ASTR the Label — one of our faves and a constant fixture in our Best Places to Buy Bridesmaid Dresses roundup.
“We invited all our guests to wear something they love,” the couple remembers. “Something bold and expressive of their personality. We wanted our display of people to feel like a patchwork of colors, patterns, and textures. To really drive home the point, we shared a Guest Attire mood board on our wedding website.”
The family that DIYs together 🥰 The groom’s mom hand-crafted the flower crowns and floral headpieces that the bride, maid of honor, and the couple’s niece wore.
Sage green celestial wedding nails?! We’re so in.
The *Sweetest* Part of the Day
The day’s delicious wedding cake was baked by none other than the MOB!!
We love that they included such a cute pennant banner cake topper to match the decor!
Our Advice
For brides currently planning their weddings, Jess & Drew recommend questioning the norms of wedding planning and what is expected of you in order to find what traditions really work for you. Maybe you love all of the norms that you question and you decide to move forward with them, but at least that puts some intention behind it. Or maybe you decide to buck every norm in favor of creating an event and ritual that feels truly yours.
Congratulations, Jess + Drew, on a flawlessly folky wedding day. GWS wishes you both so much happiness!
Wedding Vendors
Photography: Kristi Littman Photo // Venue: Potter's Craft Cider // Event Design: Bride // Wedding Planner: Bride // Florals: Horse and Hen Crozet // Wedding Dress: Natalya Valentine // Dress Boutique: Jaxon James // Hairpiece: Groom's Mom // Bride's Shoes: ASOS // Bride's Ring: David Klass Jewelers // Bridesmaid Dresses: Astr The Label // Hair Stylist: Bride // Makeup Artist: Bride // Groom Attire: Addicted Bespoken // Groom's Ring: Staghead Design // Paper Goods: Bride // Handmade Details: Bride's Mom // Catering: Slice Versa // Cake: Bride's Mom // Desserts: Cou Cou Rachou // Music: Grayson Harlow and The Spirit Box // Officiant: Denise Stewart // associate photographer: Ali Banks // cider: Potter's Craft Cider
