Vows that Wow | Kelley & Brad

Welcome to the August edition of Vows That Wow! Each month, our Wed Society Editorial Team has the privilege of reviewing gorgeous weddings from across the Northern Virginia region. We celebrate weddings that beautifully spotlight a couple’s unique love story, their distinct personalities, and the incredible wedding vendors who bring it all to life. Out of so many stunning submissions, we select just one standout wedding that truly exemplifies thoughtful design and breathtaking detail.

This month, we are thrilled to celebrate Kelley and Brad! Getting married at the place they had their first getaway and honoring their Italian and Irish heritage, Kelley and Brad created a weekend that was unforgettable for their family and friends!

BEFORE THE WEDDING

From the moment guests arrived, Kelley and Brad wanted them to feel loved and welcomed. No matter if they checked in at 9am or 9pm, guests were greeted with a chilled glass of champagne. They were given a curated welcome bag featuring a personalized bottle of Veuve Clicquot with a custom wedding label, handmade Middleburg chocolates from Raymer’s, luxurious Hermès soap, Kelley’s favorite Tate’s cookies, and an assortment of local snacks and recovery essentials.

Before their wedding day, Kelley and Brad hosted “Blades, Bows, and Bloodies”, a welcome event where guests could sip Bloody Mary’s while trying their hand at archery and axe throwing!

WHEN TWO BECOME ONE

One of the beautiful elements of Brad and Kelley’s wedding as incorporating their families heritage. Brad’s Italian roots could be seen in the immersive Italian-themed cocktail hour and Kelley’s Irish heritage came to life at the Irish Pub-inspired after-party.

After the wedding ceremony, guests were transported into an Italian garden market at the Salamander’s Culinary Gardens. With trellised greenery, baskets of tomatoes, hanging garlic, jars overflowing with lemons, and an abundance of food and drink stations, it felt like an open-air market in Tuscany!

Guests got to enjoy fresh prosciutto and salumi freshly cut to order alongside a build-you-own burrata and antipasti bar, a focaccia station paired with Tuscan olive tapenade, and even freshly shucked oysters, and insalata di mare. One of the evening’s highlights was watching bucatini tossed inside an imported Parmigiano-Reggiano wheel and served simply cacio e pepe style. Passed hors d’oeuvres including arancini, zucchini fries, Italian sausage with sweet peppers, and meatballs finished with Parmesan. To accompany it all, their Spritz Bar became a destination of its own, serving Hugo, Aperol, and Crème de Violette spritzes garnished with citrus, fresh mint, and edible flowers -bringing the feeling of a leisurely afternoon in an Italian piazza to life.

When the after-party began, the celebration shifted from Italy to Ireland as guests made their way to the Gold Cup Bar. Inspired by the camaraderie of a traditional Irish pub, Guinness was served alongside late-night favorites including fresh pretzels and beer cheese and mini fish and chips.

HOSTING & HOSPITALITY

Hosting has been something that Kelley and Brad loved, so creating an experience for their closest family and friends was perfect to make their favorite people feel loved and welcomed!

Because their guests traveled from afar, rearranged their schedules, and invested so much time to be there, Kelley and Brad wanted their guests to feel just as celebrated as they were.

And this shows even in the smallest of details.

Each guest had a personalized menu with their names and the words “Prepared for”, with a meal tailored to individual dietary needs and restrictions. It was a subtle but meaningful way that guests knew that they were thought about even before they arrives.

Kelley and Brad also wanted the evening to feel like a night of discovery, which could be seen in the three completely different tablescapes: one featured towering five-foot trees with woodland-inspired china, another was styled with elegant lamps for a warm, intimate glow; and the third incorporated lush arrangements with edible fruit woven throughout the design. Each table was finished with its own uniquely colored glassware, so every seat in the room offered a slightly different perspective.

Looking back at their wedding, one piece of advice Kelley and Brad could give is:

“make your wedding a reflection of who you are, but don’t forget that your guests are part of the story, too. The memories they’ll carry home are one of the greatest gifts you’ll take away from the day”

A FEW WEDDING VENDOR FAVS

From Kelley and Brad’s earliest conversations, Christopher and the Amaryllis team recognized that we wanted the evening to unfold almost like a story, with each space revealing something new. They approached every element with incredible creativity and intention, transforming the property as the celebration moved from ceremony to cocktail hour to reception. They loved Amaryllis ability to create magic — even during their Rain Plan.

Monachetti Films filmed their wedding day. From their initial call with Michael, Kelley and Brad immediately felt comfortable and knew they were in good hands. The team kept that energy going on the wedding day, making the couple laugh, feel confident, and captured footage without feeling like they were being followed around by a production crew.

Zoya’s Atelier was the first stop for Kelley on her wedding dress journey! She spontaneously visited during her lunch break and unexpectedly fell in love with the Wellesley by Suzanne Neville. Téa helped her into her dress and continued to follow up every step of the way from ordering her dress to picking out her veil, and through the alterations process. And on wedding day, Téa came to help Kelley get into her wedding gown! Kelley loved that the process felt so personal from the beginning to the final moments before walking down the aisle.

Watch their wedding film by Monachetti Films