Alex and Mallary’s wedding  was truly emotional and remarkable. Everything you hope a wedding will be!! After the ceremony which was held at the house, guests headed to the barn. An heirloom table was stationed at the front door. This table was adorned with old family heirlooms, grandmothers veil, old letter jackets, baby toys, photos, art projects, all items from the couples history. In the invitation suite (designed by Miss Merkle) guests were asked to send heirlooms to display at the wedding. This table was a beautiful reflection of Alex and Mallary’s life.

Evan draped the center posts of the barn at Silverbrook, this created a focal point for the wedding party table. Brilliant Evan, chose to use drop clothes from home depot for this design. Sewing the drapes was a major undertaking but Evan accomplished this task like a pro.

An old barn board and a crystal chandelier were installed above the king table. This was a design concept I had created for another wedding and I was dying to use it again.

Kim sewed custom runners for each table, and we cut linen napkins for each place setting. The napkins were stamped with a custom logo that was created for Alex and Mallary. The stamp was the Loudoun County symbol with Alex and Mallary’s name and wedding date. This logo was designed by Rachel Merkle and used throughout the wedding.

In fact each table had one of Rachel’s icons on it. Guests were given an amazing book at the wedding that held the program, wine tasting card, and the guests seating assignments. The icons were in a little envelope in the back of the book and then on each centerpiece in the barn.  The icons were chosen because they reflected the interests of the couple or part of their story. We had a history table because Mallary is a teacher, a baking table, a wine table, a farmers market table, an Orrison table, a Chapple Table, a European table, a music table, and the bridal party table was the “In Love In Loudoun Table.” There were several other tables as well. Each table had items that belonged to the couple or reflected their interests. The baking table centerpiece was designed in a bundt cake pan, an old rolling pin went through the center of the design and a vintage measuring cup held additional flowers. On the European table we decoupaged a vase with copies of the train tickets Mallary and Alex used to get to each other for their engagement in Warsaw. The history table, had a mini Lincoln on the table and the icon for this table was the penny. It was truly wonderful to design like this.

This was the farmers market table, Alex spent many years of his life working at Grandpas country store. This design featured eggplants, beans, and berry from the Heider Farm as well as jams and jellies from Heiders farm market.

This was the Orrison table, the design was created in a copper pot that belonged to Mallary’s grandmother and we displayed her first tea set on this table as well.

The Chapple table centerpiece was created in a piece of Mccoy pottery that had belonged to Gram and Pop. Small hippos were also on this table because Alex collected hippos when he was a child.

This was the teaching table, which we adorned with an old chalkboard, a little orange bell, and pencils.

The ceiling of the barn was adorned with ribbons and crystals and edison lights. We wanted the area above the dance floor and the buffet to shimmer and glow. A garland of greens and amaranthus was also cascading from the ceiling.

Even the side walls of the barn were adorned with ribbon and vials of dahlias.

The wedding cake was displayed on an antique piece of furniture that was in Dot’s barn. Kendall’s cake was incredible.

Just beyond the wedding cake was a little tiny room which used to be the corn crib. This room was full of pie and popcorn from Grandpa Heider’s country store, and lots of candy.  Rachel created a sign that said “dessert is sweet, Loudoun love is sweeter.”

Alex and Mallary preformed a fun little duo for us, just like they used to do in high school.

These little clowns spent the better part of the wedding throwing popcorn on their family who was dancing just below them. Can you believe that?

Everything about this wedding was so special and our family enjoyed each precious moment of the day.

Now I want to give a huge shout out to Rachel Merkle, because I truly believe the invitations and the branding she did for our wedding was what made this event so MALEX (we have been calling Alex and Mallary that for years). Each guest received the above invite, the invite included a map of Loudoun, info about the wedding, as well as the request for family heirlooms.

Next when guests arrived they received a little book. The book had a book mark (remember Mallary is a teacher) and the name of the guest was on the  bookmark. The books were chosen because they are Moleskine books. Alex is a writer and I used to give him Moleskine books at Christmas.

The book included a program, a map of the farm, a wine tasting card, and a sticky note. The sticky note was added so that guests could leave Alex and Mallary a message. When Alex was roughly 15 years old he snuck into Mallary’s room and filled it with love notes on sticky paper.  The notes remained in Mallary’s room until the day she married.

This was the map that was included in the invitations. We had it blown up and mounted so that we could display it on the wall of the barn. Alex and Mallary now have this in their home.

Rachel even created the guest book. This is where those little sticky notes came in handy.

The guest book began with the love note that Alex gave to Mallary  just before she walked into her bedroom that Alex had filled with love notes.

Here are a few more pictures of the day that simply make my heart melt!!

The bridesmaids all decked out in flannel.

Hannah and Abby

Grace practicing being a princess.

Grace and Mallary

My little boys Eli and Sam.

Me and my two sets of twin sisters.

A picture of our famous Aunt Carla, with my mom and dad, and all of my sisters.

This beautiful photo is of our new big family.

Once again many thanks to these amazing wedding professional, without them our day would not have been complete. Photographer Genevieve Leiper , Rachel Merkle, of Miss Merkle Design, Dot Shetterley of Silverbrook Farm, Joan Wolford of Savoir Fare Catering, Kendalls Cakes, hair and makeup, Victoria Stiles , seamstress, Kim Trombly,  Don’ Dahlias,  and to the entire HCF Family, for the lighting, drape, rigging, planning, and florals.

Remember this wedding has just been published in the current issue of the DC, MD, VA, Knot magazine.